The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1898.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 11340, 5 October 1898, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1898.

Whatever cause of complaint the newspaper reader may have had of the slow progress of events in the East a year or two ago, when the concert of European Powers was discussing the Cretan difficulty, there can be no grumbling on the same score ,with regard to the Chinese question. Nor can it be justly charged with a want of the sensationalism so loved by the average reader. Every day almost brings Ub surprises, and in the game of "pull devil pull baker" which is going on we are furnished with all the excitement of a tug of war, in which first one side, then the other, gains a temporary advantage. To carry the metaphor further, there is also the ever-present possibility of the rope, as representing China, breaking in twain, and the contending parties, Great Britain and Russia, each walking off with a portion. For months past there has been a diplomatic struggle going on at Pekin between the representatives of Great Britain and Russia beside which the attempts of Germany and France to " chip in "—to use an expressive slang "term— are but trifling incidents. For a long time Russian wiles, backed up, it may be, by secret service gold, maintained an advantage, and public opinion in England began to fret and fume at the apparent failure of Lord Salisbury's diplomacy. Then came the removal of M. Pauloff, the Russian Ambassador at Pekin, followed soon after by the dismissal of Li Hung Chang, incidents which seemed to indicate that British influence had obtained a marked advantage of something more than a temporary nature. The Emperor, who has always manifested a more or less friendly leaning towards the British, issued an edict, decreeing that certain reforms in the direction of western civilisation were to be undertaken, and for the moment it really appeared that there was a prospect of the prophesied disintegration of the Empire being indefinitely deftrred, Then the Dowager-Empress asserted herself, and by exercising the same talents fi>r intrigue which had enabled her, in 1875-, to place her nephew on the throne, to the exclusion of the rightful heir, contrived to bring about a total change. With a masterfulness not often found in a woman well into- the sixties, she took charge of the Government, attended the Cabinet meetings and audiences, and generally exercised tbe functions of an almost supreme raler, Li Hung Chan^ was recalled and Russian influence re established at Pekin , Exactly whet transpired at the Palace it is impossible to tell, but a ramour — unfounded as it turned ont-^went forth that the Emperor was dead. His chief adviser had to flee for his life, and was escorted to Hongkong under British protection. Since then outrages have been committed on British and Ameri can officials, and altogether, as Sir Claude McDonald says, there is a dangerous feeliDg prevalent. What is to be the ultimate outcome of affairs is, of course,' difficult to foresee. The present position may perhaps be best defined by again adopting the tug-of-war metaphor. At one end of the rope we have tbe Dowager-Empress and Li Hong Chang, backed up by Russia, whose interests lie in supporting the present dynasty in Manchuria. At the other end is tbe Emperor and his at

present discredited advisers, who have the sympathy and moral support of Great Britain. To the latter may now be added the weight of American inflnence, since the attack upon American officials and missionaries has aroused the United States Government. None of the oiher Powers, with the exception perhaps of Japan, need be taken into consideration, for a certain cook ness has grown up between France and Russia, while Germany has abandoned its hostility to Great Britain. Japan, we heard recently, has sent a epecial envoy to China to stndy the position. Her sympathies are untbnbtedly with ns. If the rope holds, there is likely tc be a prolonged struggle, ending in one side or the other being pulled over the mark. With Great Britain at his back, it is scarcely conceivable that the Emperor will be beaten, since that would involve an enormous Kussian ascend ency, spreading far beyond Pekin intc the Central Provinces over which Greal Britain now exercises a predominafcinf influence. On the other hand, a complete victory for the Emperor would bring in ita train a rejuvenation of thi Empire, and a great accession of powei and trade to Great Britain. This it almost equally inconceivable, for Russia is not in the habit oF relinquishing anything it has once grasped, or abandoning the struggle for anything it has sel its heart upon obtaining. The alternative then is an indefinite prolongation of the present game of pull dcvi pr.ll baker, or snap— rand a severance of the Empire. The former if a t )gether 01 d sirable, for U. woulc involve Great Britain and' Eussu in a continual risk of hostilities. Th< other alternative is the severance of th< Empire, and perhaps after all that is the best solution of the difficulty. Th< L'owager-Empresa would rale at Pekit over the north 3rn provinces, subject -lc a sort of vassalage to Russia ; while th< Emperor would make Nankin his capital, and under British protection would be free *o introduce westerr civilisation into the central and Boutnerr provinces, thus opening an enormous market to the enterprise of al mercantile nations The idea o! giving way to Russia, even to the extent of acquiescing in that Powei carrying civilisation into Manchuria ie its own way, i& gall and wormwood to t large section of the British public. Il would, however, be infinitely better-policy on the part of England to bow with good grace to what is after all the inevitable, for we may as well try to sweep back the ocean with a bioom as to prevent Rassia*from eventually gaining its point. The old spirit of antagonism to Russia dies hard in the English breast, and there is still a tremendous amount of suspicion and misconception of Russian aims among the British people. We do not spem to realise that Russia is a civilising power. Fducation ib spreading among the Russians, and the opening up of Siberia by the raiiway to the Pacific promises to solve one of the great social problems which have long confronted the rulers of the country, thut is, the difficulty of feeding the millions of peasants to whom starvation ia now a constant visitor. But so long as Great Britain persists in trying to place obstacles in the way of Russia's natural expansion, so long shall we be constantly confronted with these disturbing diplomatic struggles, with the risk of actual warfare, and with the certainty of great injury to our commercial interests.

There are two English daily papers and four English weeklies published in .Paris. The first shipment of butter this season will be sent from the Taranaki Freezing Works next week. Owing to the accident to the s.s. Mapourika there will be no steamer from Lyttelton on Saturday next. Colonel Hume, Inspector of Prisons, was in town to day. He leaves for Wellington on Thursday afternoon. One common juror, Mr H. McLean, was excused from serving in the Supreme Court to-day (Wednesday) on the ground that he was over age. It waß stated in the Supreme Court to-day (Wednesday), that there was a probability of the civil caae, Major v. Barry, being settled out of Court. The Bowling season will be' opened tomorrow afternoon. The Town Band have kindly offered to be present on the occasion and play a few selection. The second competition by the Taranaki Rifle Volunteers for Capt. Hoskin's belt will be held on the range to morrow afternoon ; ranges 300 and 400 yards. Arrangements are being energetically pushed ahead for the Ttakapa Football Club's Social next week. Mr Garros orchestra will supply the music. His Honour Justice Conolly intimated to-day (Wednesday) that he would pro* bably take the divorce case, Jensen v! Jensen, on Monday next. The Secretary of the Scenery Preservation Society wishes to acknowledge the receipt of two seats each from M ssrs Taunton and Lashbrook, for use on Marsland Hill. An elderly man named Yate i- an old acquaintance of the police— was brought from Hawera to the New Plymouth gaol ou Tuesday night to serve seven days' imprisonment for theft. Owing to pressure on our space and the late hour at which it was received, a copy of correspondence which has passed be tween Mr H. Brown, M.H R., and Mr O. Bamuel respecting the harbourmaster's residence site is crowded out to day. In to-day's issue there appears the first of a series of articles upon the AucklandTaranaki Connection. The writer, who is thoroughly conversant with his subject will deal fully with the country on what is known as the Stratford route, describing its wants and capabilities, and also with the country in the Awakino and upper Mokau districts. The Auckland Star makes the following reference to tke Kinematograph exhibition :— -This splendid realism of the living war pictures exhibited by Mr Chas. Cooper, o£ the Edison Kinematograph Company, was remarkably shown the other evening at one of hi* popular concerts. During the progress of one of the pictures showing shells bursting through the roof of a fort, explodingand killing soldiers, a lady in the audience fainted, the sight was so realistic. Another picture showing Mahommedan soldiers killing the Christians in Crete so affected a gentleman present that he cried out : " Shame upon the British Government for allowing such atrocities to be committed by the infamous Turk.' These pictures are to be shown on Friday and Saturday night, wih a large number of other animated photographs, including Mr Gladstone's funeral, American War scenes, etc., at the Theatre Royal. Those wishing to avoid the crush on these evenings may reserve seats at Mr J. Gilmour's, bookseller, Devonstreet. Ticket holders will be admitted at 7.15 p.m.