THE CHINESE QUESTION

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1886, 6 July 1888, Page 2

THE CHINESE QUESTION

♦■ (PEE PEEBB ASSOCIATION.)

, Sydnbt, Joly 5 The captain of the Alameda has compromised vrith the Maritime Labor Union with reference to the working of his steamer, bat the terms have not been allowed to transpire. After a lengthened consideration the House of Assembly have adopted the amendments made by the Legislative Council m the Chinese Restriction Bill. Adelaide, July 5. The Chinese Bill is meeting with strong opposition, and it is thought that serious political complications will arise should the Government desire to make the question a party one;

Wellington. July 6, The •' Evening Post "to-night publishes an article m wh'oh it states that a Chinese Imperial Proclamation and edict have; been received by eocne leading Chinese merchants m Danedin from a high offioUl at Pekln. After stating that copies of the edict have been circulated to the principal Chinese In the colony, the " Post "goeß on to Bay — "The preamble of the Prbalamatlou Is somewhat lengthy, bub put as toraely aa possible, it sets forth that whereas Great Britain baa entered Into treaties with China from time to time, whioh oonfereed especial privileges on Englishmen, merobants, traders and others, who were thereby permitted to carry on business throughout a great portion of the Chinese Empire, and whereas these treaties were entered into bo far as Ohlm was oonoerned very relnotantly, and only through the superiority of the British Army, the looparlal Government of China regard the reoeut treatment of Us Bubjsoto throughout the Australian colonies as illegal, and as a breaoh of the Treaty. Then follows what m»y be regarded as a thrpa*; hurled against the British nation; The proclamation goeß on to Bay that the Chinese Imperial Army numbers 13,000,000 aoldiera, who, however, ec present are not armed with auoh effective or modern weapons, nor are they bo well drilled aa are the armies of the Western nations. The Chinese Navy, the denpatoh goes on to say, although muoh larger thin it was a few years ago, la not suffiaiontly large aa to warrant the Empire m taking aggreisive action at present. The Government, .however, Intends immediately to build arsenals and erect large ordnance and small arms factories, and at four of the most suitable seaports war steamers of the m ist modern and effective type are to bd constructed as rapidly as possible. This work of re-arm* ing and thoroughly drilling the army and building warships Buffiolenfy powerful to erftble the Obtnese Empire to cope with the aoJdiera and navy of Great Britain will, the despatch states, take three years, end Chinese oltfj^na are to return to China by the oxplratiou of that period.