THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 1898.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10832, 16 August 1898, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 1898.

Tim situation in the Far East lias latterly assumed a singular aspect, being very much of the nature of a railway war. Tho struggles in China for railway concessions and loans involves, of course, ulterior is- : sues, which, though partially kept in the background, aro tacitly confessed in the eagerness with which the several Governments, through their diplomatists, aro bringing pressure to bear mi tho Chinese Council of State. Noi thing, indeed, could more significantly show the utterly prostrate condition of China than tho eagerness with which syndicates and banks and commercial corporations of every kind are quarrelling with ono another over the distribution of concessions, and the manner in which the several Governments aro making common cause with the claimants representing their respective nationalities, while tho Unfortunate Chinese Government seems in each case eager only to conciliate in exact proportion to the "squeeze" to which it is subjected. Though theoretically the integrity of the Empire is maintained, its partitionment is as practically proceeding as if the country was being plotted off and apportioned by. surveyors; for the lines of Railway that are being projected and constructed with startling rapidity in ail directions through the country, are unmistakably intended to mark the lines of the several spheres of influence which will by-and-byo be more significantly defined by the presence of military guards and forces. Indeed, in the case of one of the most important lines of 'all, that about, to be made by Russia from Kirin, in Northern Manchuria, on ft tributary of tho Amoor, and close to the boundary of Russian territory, and which is to extend all tho way to Port Arthur, Russia has demanded the right to appoint police and military guards over the whole length of tho railway, which lies exclusively in Chinese territory; and though the Chinese Government for the present demurs to -the demand, and offers to provide tho guards as well as to force the owners to sell the land to Russia along the line, there is no doubt that like every other claim heretofore made by Russia, the demand will be conceded. Similarly, it may be accepted as a foregone conclusion, that every line of railway constructed on behalf of foreign Towers will enjoy the samo privilege of being protected by foreign forces, so that the network of railways that! promises in the near future to spread over the face of tho middle Kingdom, will represent the outposts and depots and strongholds of the various armies.- | of occupation. j It is difficult to realise the greatj ness of'the changc that has taken < ! place in relation to China within the | past few months, during which the . attention of the world lias been genej rally directed to the struggle between America and Spain. It seems so recently that thfe question of the " open door" was a living one, and every confidence was felt that Great Britain, with her prestige in the East, and her 1 vast naval power ill the background, : would be able to maintain the right ; of free intercourse for herself and for : the world in general over the greater 1 part, and the most valuable part, of ! tho great Chinese Empire; and that 1 at least the vast area of the valley of for this purpose, as in a way a prothe Yang-tse-Kiang would be preserved ( tectorate of Great Britain." All that j ] is "as' dead as Julius Csesar" now, ' j and, so far as appears to tho unaided ; . eye, England is being quietly elbowed , out of - China. . We have faith that. j notwithstanding appearances, British ] i : .' .v v.

diplomatists lave succeeded in securing a fair ware of privileges and advantages, and that when all is told, France and German}' will not hard so much reason as they suppose for their "rejoicing" anil "delight" at England's discomfitire, as i-epresthted ill our cable messages. But by the side of the expectations that were indulged by the British people and the alliances of the maintenance of what Were spoken of as "treaty rights" existing conditi'orJs are absurdly disappointing. Right across one half, of the interior Pekiii to the banks of the Yang-tse-Kiuig, at a point but a little way from Nankin, the ancient capital arid centre of the Empire —a railway track has been conceded to France and Belgium, and it is added that theft? is a further Understanding that the concession will be extended to Canton, oil the south coast: As it is, it traverses the richest and tnost fertile provinces of the Empire and conveys a dominating influence ovelthe trade of the heart of China, and when it is extended half as far beyolid the Yang-tse-lviang :o Canton, it. will almost bisect the Empire. With Russia encircling Pekin in the north, and France maintaining her influence from the capital entirely across the Empire to the southern coast opposite Hongkong, the situation is certainly not a promising one for British commerce and British influence; find despite the concessions alleged to have been obtained by tho British Government, it is not surprising that the deepest disappointment and dissatisfaction are felt and expressed by the press and the people of England at the incomplete results of British diplomacy. There is no doubt a good deal of tho merely selfish commercial feeling in this disappointment among a good many who are chagrined at foreign enterprise having overreached them, and forestalled British commercial interests in China. But there is a much more serious aspect in the bearing which these diplomatic successes in the dismemberment of China will havo on the whole future of the Far East. There seems every evidence that the designs of Russia have been thoroughly distrusted by the Chinese Government, and that a time was, and not so many months ago, when China would have rested on British friendship and protection if due pains had been taken to assure her that England was prepared to give practical help against Russian pressure and exactions. It seems to be realised generally in England that the favourable opportunity was lost by the British Government, and that all theso valuable concessions to Russia and other Potvers had been but the penalty of England's remissness ill riot asserting herself at tho critical moment. Whether England should, even at the cost of war, have maintained her prestige in the East, may lie a subject for anxious question, but certain it is that judging from all the evidences that meet the eye, the relative positions of England and foreign Powers in China havo altered materially for tho worse to British powei, since this scramble for spheres of influence, and commercial, if not territorial, interests began. Russia has indisputably strengthened her military and naval position in the East, and laid the train for further annexation and extension of power that is alarming in its possibilities; and she would bo more difficult to combat now in the Far East, and will be much moro serious as an antagonist in a few years more, than would have been the caso if conclusions had been tried with lior within the past year. Every day she appears to be increasing her pretensions, and making mOr-? unreasonable demands on China, going the length of claiming control over all tho railways to be constructed. The other Powers, too, appeal' to be developing a spirit of concerted resistance to British interests in the same quarter, even Belgium, hitherto not regarded as inimical, appearing to join hands with Franco and Russia in the effort to paralyse the expansion of British influence in Central China, It must bo owned that the outlook in tho Far East is not a cheering one, and in face of the successful activity and co-operative, if not concerted, action of other Powers, tho policy of England has had too milch the appearance of being a policy of drift.