PATER'S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

Otago Witness, Volume 26, Issue 2419, 26 July 1900, Page 63

PATER'S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

THE CHINESE PROBLEM.

The sad neAvs in this week's Witness Aviil send a shudder through every reader, and it Avill take all our Christian training to keep •us from being revengeful in seeking retribution. Most of us who have read about China have known for some time past that a revolution was possible, and Avith it spasmodic outbreaks against foreigners, and murders and possibly massacres where foreigners or native Christians were few and isolated ; but not many, I think, outside^ of those whose special object it Avas to become acquainted with the true state of affairs, had the idea that the fanaticism against foreigners was so decidedly pronounced and universal as events are, revealing, and that the anti-foieign party was so Avell organised.

The immediate effect is the massacre, not only of foreigners, but of natiA-e Christian?. According to the current issue of the " Statesman's Year Book," there are about 13,500 foreigners in China — 5148 British subjects (noc all necessarily British), 2056 Americans, 1694 Japanese, 920 French, 1043 Germans, 1082 Portuguese (at Macao, near Hongkong, I daresay), the rest belcnging to various other nationalities. It Avill be noticed that Russian subjects are not giA^en as in any appreciable number. One-half of the foreigners are in Shanghai, about which I'll write a word or two a little farther on. The native Christians are necessarily divided into tAvo classes. R( man Catholicism has long had a footing in China, and it is estimated that the 25 bishoprics have the oversight of about a million converts. The Protestant converts number about 50,000. It has been said that the protection given to Catholic converts by the priesthood, and by the French Consuls, Avho are always ready to resent an injury or injustice to those under their piotection, has been provocative of a great deal of the feeling stirred up against Christians. A case given by Beresford in " The Break-up of China," is an instance and shows which Avay the current runs. TA\elve years before Beresford's A r isit awealthy Chinese, Yu Man Tsu, had a disputa with a Christian Catholic Chinese about ft piece of land. The priest took the sicic of his co-religionist, avlio Avon the case. There was a very strong feeling aroused, and it was given out that the

Chinese authorities were afraid to give ; judgment -against a Chinese Christian if a priest took his part. A disturbance arose. Yu Man Tsu was thrown into prison, and his son beheaded. .Tsu then vowed vengeance on every Catholic mission, and when Beresford was at Hankow, Tsu had taken ■ a priest ~ prisoner, and had gathered a force of 10,000, which had plundered the rich Catholics 'of Central Szechuan', burnt 4000 houses, including 30 mission chapels, rendered £0,000 Catholics homeless and done damage to die extent of at least £850,000 in this' one raid alone. Beresford on making inquiries found that the officials of Cheng Tv were paying the rebels to keep quiet, and that neither they (the officials) nor the viceroy was able to suppress them. I daresay that the priest was" simply insisting that the convert should get the justice which the fanaticism of his opponent and his supporters would not have allowed him to have ; but whether justified or nob, the incident shows what intense feeling is arounsed by the introduction of Christianity. I think, but I am not sure, that the British Government does not recognise converts — the French consuls do, it seems — unless they become British subjects, when they have to dispense with the queue and wear European clothing. CHINESE RELIGIONS. ' It is often assumed that the prevailing religion in China is Confucianism. It major may not be. If any religion is the State religion, Confucianism is ; but it has < little or no ceremonial beyond that connected with ancestral worship. Buddhism is the religion of the bulk, and it and Taoism have gorgeous and elaborate rituals. Then again fhere are about 30 millions -of Mahometans in the north-east and southwest, and many of the hill tribes are- purely [ nature Avorshippers. In "a crusade against \ Christianity, however, followers of all ' these, may combine and make common ■ cause. Will this mean the 'slaughter of • the greater part of 10 million odd Christians? Surely not! The very thought of it is too horrible to contenrplate. j THE YANG-TSE VALLEY. | seems to be in a ferment, and as this is \ assumed to be our sphere of influence, I j suppose our efforts will be directed to assisting those viceroys and governors who told Baresford they would be only too glad to welcome assistance to preserve tranquillity in their provinces. Honan — one of the most anti-Christian provinces in China — Hupeh, Hunan, and Chekiang, are all supplied from Shanghai, and they all export their products through the same port ; so apart from loss of life and destruction of property, the uprisings in these provinces will paralyse the trade of Shanghai. Indeed, except in the northern provinces, there is hardly a province which does not do its trade, more or less, with Shanghai, which is, next to Hongkong, the chief city of China for foreign trade. The Yang-Tse is a magnificent river, second only to the mighty Amazon. Its broad stream, 3000 to 3500 miles in length, taps the very heart of China, and passes through its richest provinces, draining an area of about ' 750,000 square miles — about a half of the Empire. In the flood season ocean-going steamers can go up to Hankow, 680 miles from the- sea, ordinary steamboats to Ichang. 370 miles farther, and large junks to Chungking, 440 miles farther still ; while small boats' can penetrate 2000 miles from the coast. There are rapids and other obstructions in places, making navigation difficult ; but modern engineering and a little' capital will remove all obstacles to navigation. Lord Beresford in his book has a very interesting map showing the waterways ; and in it every little tributary is marked with the tonnage of the boats navigating its waters. The present upheaval will stop the whole of the trade with this immense waterway. There is a point touching our sphere of | influence which may be mentioned here. I In November, '98, the French were actively | surveying for a railway in Szechuan, and j their surveyors openly declared that if the { suheres of influence policy were adopted, ' France would claim this province. If this i claim be admitted, the TSritish sphere micht ! end at the Tung Ting Lake, and certainly j at Ichano-. The French say that according j to the Chinese, the Yang-T.se proper flews j out of rhe Tung Ting Lake, and that the Upper Yang-Tse is only a tributary. So the sphere of influence policy is already, producing the elements for a fight. According to Bpresford. however, the Chinese seldom use the word Yang-Tse : above the lake it is called by them the Chingchow, and below, the Taking or Great Rivei\ SHANGHAI In 1898 echoes of the coming storm had been heard in Shanghai. Rebellion wos already active in Szechuan; and disturbances , had occurred in Hunan. Trade had been closed practically with the province, and the Chamber of Commerce there expressed uneasiness upon the want of security owing to the absence of efficient police or military control. Shanghai has a population of 405,000. and its trade in '97 Avas valued at 14£ millions. The tonnage of "shipping

; entered and cleared in the same year Avas nearly eight million tons, of which nearly fouf million six -hundred- thousand were' British. . • • FoochcKv is "China's naval base, but the best equipped ' arsenal is at Shanghai. It is ■ full of modern tools, and "machinery and material of every description. Everything i.=s well found and in perfect order. If properly organised under European- control, the .other arsenals could be used as diSppts only, and Shanghai Avould be capable of supplying the whole of the naval and military forces of the Empire. To show the capacity of the arsenal, Beiesford gives the list of guns being finished Avhen he was there : — Tavo 9.2 guns to be mounted on hydropneumatic disappearing carriages ; " two 9.2 for garrisoh batteries; eight "6in quickfirers ; 12 4.7 in do ; and 20 12-poimders do , 20 6-pounders do , and 50 3-pounders. All these Avere on the latest Armstrong pattern. The gun factory turns out Mausers of the latest pattern ; and the cartridge and powder factories, are capable of an enormous oiitput. Projectiles can be made by the hundred thousand, and all the steel required is made in the arsenal. These figures and particulars will enable "you to see that .Shanghai occupies an important position strategically as well as commercially ; and if Avar is declared, no doubt our China squadron Avill do its best to get control of the city, and of the two fleets the Chinese are said to be preparing fci oven- ' tualities. CHEFOO, which our guns are covering to keep doAvn the populace, stands next to Shanghai in commercial importance. Though- not quite as large as Dunedin, the trade represents . oA*er three millions, and the tonnage nearly , tAvo million four hundred thousand tons, < of which vme -million three hundred thousand are British. LONDON TO LADYSMITH, VIA PRE1 TOEIA, is the name, of Churchill's book. I have . lead it, and enjoyed it much better than I J thought I should. I was intending to give I you some of it to-day, but thought Yon j would be just as Avell pleased Avith a little j on China, seeing I vrrote on South Africa lasL week.