TUESDAY, JULY 10, 1990.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 17, 10 July 1900, Page 2

TUES DAY, JUL Y 10, 1990.

Theue is no reason to donbt the news sent from Shanghai that the J little band oC Europeans &hut<up ! in Pakin have been put to death. Dozens of times, within the last few yearß, have the Chinese murdered some unhappy miaaiona.iy or trader, but the present crime is one of a totally different character. Missionaries and f -aerchaiitß are private individuals .\hogoto ChLm to live among lie natives at their own risk, not, >t course, that th^y can be murdered with impunity. The British Government generally demand that the murderers of British subjects shall 08 pufc to death, but wherfMhe murdered ruau is au ambassador ihey go a little further. The sacking of the Legations at Pekiti and th,e tints to the invasion of European! territory, 'since the Chinese Government beoms to have sanctioned the Acts. The trouble, v/hich was at first reported «« merely a rising of rebels, has now .a^suraed very serious proportions, and the murder of the Ministers of thw various European Powers places thosa Poweis in a position from which it is not possible to draw back. They "must now reduce 1 the Chinese, and exact compensation for the precious lives lost, no matter what the cost. Japan v is taking a very prominent part in the diatmbance, as iB also Russia, ami ii ia to be feared Hint neither of them is disinterested in whnt they ar» doing. All the Powers have a very great interest in the ultimate break-up of the Celestial Empire, Kussia and Japan more than the others. It saems strange to land these two nations, wiio, leas than a month ago were almost leady to fly at one anoth r"h throats, fighting side by side. Still, the end of the China war will cause more bitterness between i hem than ever, because, both wanting much the same portions of the doomed Empire, they will, bo bound to quarrel over the division. Great Brilains polio} in China haa never been very clearly defined, and in several oases she has shown a lamencnblp weakness, in backing down too eaay. Tae liu&sidas seem to be imbued with the idea that o:ie day ail Asia will be theirs and they keep that idea before ibem night and day. They have been expanding theii great territoi j on ail sides, and very fast on the Chinuso side Great Britain, with a supirumesawhich seems very hard to account for, lias winked at all this, and will Buffer for it Borne day. Today, in China, the British flag is looked upon with cither pity or contempt, as the flag of a nation - which dares not enforce the carry -„ ing out of treaties or take the full j value of concessions. It ia nighttime she took up a decided policj and saw that policy carried ( out to ;the letter. Mr Salisbury,,. has proVed his firmness in South Africa) 'arii it is to be hoped he will not be'found~wantiiig in fchib CrtSO.