THE CRISIS IN THE FAR EAST.

Otago Witness, Issue 2317, 28 July 1898, Page 35

THE CRISIS IN THE FAR EAST.

RUSSIA AND CHINA.

The most opposite views are to ba found in the British press with regard to the developments in tbo Far East.

Under the heading of "The Ye'low Peril" " BUckwood's Magazine " recalls the waruiugs of Mr Taylor Meadows and adepts ti em. Mr Meadows was consul in China, and as early &a 1850 wrote :—

"China will nob be conquered by any western Power until she becomes the Persia of souia future Alexander the Great of Ruwia, the Macedon, of Free Europs. England, America, and France will, if they are wise, wage Hevtraiiy or collectively a war of exhaustion with Russia rather than allow her to coLqiier China, for when she has dons that she will be mistress of the world."

There were those at that time also who ridiculed our " guarding agiinet imaginary Russian dangers in China," to whom this was Mtadowa'a reply :— " Many may suppose the danger to be too remote to be a practical subj ct for the present generation. The sublet is most practical at the present time, for as tbe English, Americans, and Fiench deal with China and with her relations with Russia, so the event will be. For those to whom 'it will last our time ' is & word of practical wisdom, this volume is loS written."

And in 1856 he wrote, or rather published then :—: —

11 The greatest, though not nearest, danger of a weak China lies precisely in those territorial aggressions of Russia which she began to attempt two centuries ago . . . which, if. allowed to go on, will speedily give her a large and populous territory, faced with Sveaborgs one Sfbastopolp, on the seaboard of Eastern Aeia. . . . Let England, America, and France beware how they create a sick giant in the Far East, for ... China is a world necessity." Meadows went on to sketch the prospective Russian movements almost exactly as they have since developed, while foreshadowing what is yet to como when Ru3sia, as mistress of Peking, with all Manchuria solid behind her, shall occupy at her leisure the Yellow River bisin. Then, indeed, no combination of Powers would be abe to oppose her, and with 120 millions of Chinese to work or fight for her, nothing could stand between Russia end the conquest of the empiie. Not China alone but Europe itself would then be dominated, and •' it would cost the Russian Emperor of China but HtMe trouble to overwhelm the Pacific States." Another view is staled by the " Spectator " : — " But even if we dreaded Russia as much as the most frenzied Russophobe, we should not want to rush at Russia just now. A new Crime* at Port Arthur would cost £100,000,000 and lead to nothing, or, say, io as much as did the last Russian war. It would be f*r belter to spend that £100,000,000 on building and manning 50 extra batt'e-ships and 50 fast cruisers. If the money went that way, instead of treating Port Arthur as we did Sebastopol, we should indeed have the whip hand of Russia. If our jingoes want empire and the power to take a high line with foreign Powers, let tbem bnild ships, not make useless land wars, for they will find that plan is far more successful. Ltt U3 hope that this view of the ease will finally recommend itielf to the Government. When they have time to recover from the shock given them by the diplomatic methods of Russia they will see that nothing has realty been lost except possibly a little of Russia's honour— though on ttut point there has been a good deal of exaggeration— that there is no need to excite ourselves about China, and that if we build ships and keep our powder dry we shall still be able to exemplify Bacon's dictum that the command of the Eea •is an abridgment of empire.' The command of the sea and the friendship of the other hal? of ouc taae— let these ba cue watchwords, for thus strengthened we need fear no fee. To begin the new century with another hunting of the Saark, in the shape of defending the integrity a&d independence of a rotten and indefensible empire, would be the height of folly. The notion is a veritable political nightmare, a^d one from which we feel sure the Government and the country will ultimately shrink in horror and disgust."

In Victoria during 1597 there wei-e 0739 factories, employing 45,178 persons.

A Westport, resident states that Ihß Union Steam Ship Company expend £10,000 a year in Wesbport, £6000 of which goes ia wages, and the balance in stores, fee.

Mr Pirani, M.H.R., is now convalescent. The freightage on the material and machinery of the Golden Beach dredge trom Dunedin to Alexandra amounted to £850.

The vestry of St. Luke's Church, Oauuru, reports that the funds have gone to the bad during the year by about £60. For the position of collector for the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria, worth aboub £2 a week, there were rocently 102 applications.

It may not be generally known that the yew tree is a deadly poison for cattle. Mr A. E. G. Rhodes has just lost two fine cows through eating the leaves of the yew. At the end of March last there were 14,889 men emplojed 5n the gold mining industry in New Zealand, 1989 of them being Chinese.