More Broken China.

Manawatu Herald, 12 July 1898, Page 2

More Broken China.

The " Black Flags " are reported as stirring up strife once more. A. certain Li-Hung-Chang was, and may still be, a leader of them, but he i? noted as a rebel in 1868 in a rising near Canton, but finding the country too warm for him departed, not such a distance away, to the island of Tonquin, then the property of the emperor of Annam. Here he was allowed to abide in peace and repaid the privilege by drawing adherents around him and setting up a despotic government. Li-Hung Chang was not allowed possession of his island very long, as the French were granted a protectorate over it and in 1885 quietened the inhabitants, causing, it appears likely, the gentleman styling themselves the Black Flags to find refuge in the southwest of China, as to day we hear of their committing murdei'3 in the province of Kwang-si. The administr«tinn and protection of China appears to have thoroughly broken down, as the town of Woochow said to be placed in a critical position by the rebels, lies on the Canton river and less than 150 miles from the town of Canton a large commercial city and port, and one of the treaty ports. A gunboat is said to have been sent up the river, presumably a Chinese nnp, but should the Chinese be un able to gain an advantage so as to stop the march of the rebels outside assistance from some of the foreign vessels will be invoked necessitating further concessions from the poor Chinese Empire. To the north of Shanghai disorders are reported, in a province of Kiansu which borders the Yellow Sea, and the river Yang tse-Kiang is being closed for navigation. A s the trouble is near the mouth of the river, or at any rate within 200 mile 3of it, the closing of the navigation will be most inconvenient to trade, as the Yang-tße-Kiang is the longest and most important of Chinese rivers, affording a waterway not unbroken by rocks and rapids, across the breadth of China. On its banks are the towns of Chin-Kiang, Ngan-King, Hankow, Wu-Chang.lchang, and Chung-King, which are opened to European com merce by treaty. Steamers run in the«lower parts. This difficulty is

h mever very much like the work of the Russians who hate been object ing to railways being laid into this c mntry, and a little local trouble would fit into their hands verynicely, as it would be an excuse to, pace troops in a position to com. mand the whole trade of the valley. The first entrance of the Russians would be, of course, simply for "the good of the peace and commerce of •he world, but afterwards it would b.» found that these promises would 1 c departed from as as ever has been he way of the. Muscovite. Thestare the first tidings of what will probably prove the origin of seriou:misunderstandings between ttu European Powers.