The Daily News. MONDAY, JULY 9, 1900. CHINA AND THE POWERS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 179, 9 July 1900, Page 2

The Daily News. MONDAY, JULY 9, 1900. CHINA AND THE POWERS.

There appears little doubt but that a . terrible tragedy has taken place at Peking. The reports so far to hand : state that 1000 Europeans have met \ their death at the hands of the Chinese. Most of the victims appear to have been connected with the Legations of : the various European Governments represented at the capital of the Celestial Empire. In the past, wuen misfortunes have overtaken British embassies, it has been put down to that overconfidence so characteristic of the British as a people. On this occasion, however, the whole of the foreign Ambassadors seem to have been caught in a trap and murdered. Black treachery appears to have been at work, and no notion of their peril dawned upon the victims till all hope of escape was past. The story of their struggle for life, when it becomes known, will doubtless reveal a tale of ' hereism unequalled in history. On finding their communications cut oil', all the members of the various Lega- ' tions, we are told, assembled at the British Embassy, and there the last desperate stand took place. So long as ammunition and food lasted the enemy, in spite of their overwhelming numbers, were kept out, but when these i failed the end soon came, and a horrible massacre ensued. Whatever views the ; Powers may individually have in rel gard to the future of Ohina, the immediate result of this horrible disaster must be to cause an united effort to wipe out the insult of their respective flags. Their first duty is, undoubtedly, to teach the Chinese tnat the person of. an Ambassador and his Court are sacred, and that any vio'ation of this sanctity will be punished with the utmost severity. That the task will be a difficult one will be admitted by everj one who has watched the progress of events in China since the ChinaJapanese war. Foreigners of all descriptions have been engaged to train the Chinese troops. Thousands of pounds have been spent in importing arms and ammunition of the best and most modem dfscription, and the Chinese soldier has shown, in the desperate assaults on Admiral Seymour's detachment, that he is not wanting in valour. Although we have no doubt but that the ultimate result will be to bring China on her knees, the next few months will be a very anxious time for all those who have friends in China. The Australasian Colonies, also, have a great interest in the question, on account of their nearness to the scene of operations. Since the Right Hon. the Premier indicated the willingness of New Zealand to send the Mother Country assistance, he has been roundly abused by a large section of the New Zealand Press, whose political spite at times gets the better of their patriotism. Yet it must be admitted that Mr. Seddon in tbis, as in many other cases, struck the right note, When he first proposed giving assistance to the Mother Country, in South j Africa, he was accused of vain boasting ; but he is a bold man who to-day will deny the enormous value of Mr. Seddon's service to the Empire. The j. action of the British Government in 1 asking for the assis'ance of the ships on the Australasian Station shows the value of the. e colonies as a base from - which to operate. What applies to the Navy applies ivith equal strength to the _ land forces, and the ability to land an army corps from Australia in Ohina at the presL-at time would be. of incalculable benefit to the Empire, and probably save thousands of useful and valuable lives.