Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, JULY 8, 1900. China.

Manawatu Herald, 3 July 1900, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, JULY 8, 1900. China.

The warlike proposals of the Pre- ; mier *we trust will not be entertained j so far as despatching volunteers to : the scene of trouble in China. New ! Zealand is not an independent nation, ! and tha appearance of a contingent • from this Colony in China would not ; necessarily lead to the question as to j what nation we were, as the Premier suggested would be the case, and \ even did it the correct reply would j not be of the slightest advantage to ! us as %c only truthful statement ! that could be made would be that the N.Z. contingent had been provided by One of the smallest of the British colonies. The only surprise that the foreigners would express would be that those so happily placed as the colonists of these islands are, should be so foolish and so extravagant to ape the actions of nations older and more populous than ourselves. There is no parallel between the action of the colonists at the outbreak of the Transvaal war, when the Boers inS9lent y invaded British territory and formally annexed portions of it, and this row in China in which the most, civilized nations of the world are interested in. For years the fear of an outbreak of war in which all the nations of the world should be engaged has been present, and whilst j only those who have been within the j inner circle of foreign secrets have I been kept in touch with the wonderful ways of diplomatists, it has somehow got abroad thafc Russia was likely to be the first of the disturbers, though the Czar had held a peace conference, and his ministers have always proclaimed aloud their desire for peace. These protestations have always been discounted that Bussia desired peace if she was permitted to carry her own ends through without interference. As to trusting to the good faith of the Bussians we find that both Japan and the United States do not do so, and apparently cannot do so even as far as they can see them, as Japan has not only mined her harbours but has endeavoured to put as many men on Chinese soil as the Russians do, so that she shall not have, in any way, a preponderating influence in decid- , ing the present difficulty ; and 1 America refused to any armistice pending Li Hung's visit to Pekin, j evidently fearing any more time 1 being given to Russia to consolidate . 1 herself in the north of China. This I is not clearly stated, in diplomacy J ' nothing is so stated, but the prompt- , ness of the dispatch of large bodies ]

of 'Russian troops, so shortly after the bold announcement that that country meant to annex Manchuria, . in conjunction with the assertion I made by some- of the Chinese that.; Russia was aiding the " Jloxers," ' makes every country doubtful of the innocent intentions of Russia in this part of the world It is an old game played by Russia to encourage revol and then to send assistance to reduce it, but she has ah, ays taken case to profit by each action. The trouble witb China has been to get extended trade for European countries within her border;-, and each concession has been wrung from her almost by for 36 of arms, and the value of each European Power is not so clear to those who have not moved out of China, and a Power that is a neighbour, and whose land forces are more apparent tc the Chinese than those of any other, is Russia, who is as • adverse io the foreigner enteringNorthern China under the same ad- . vantages h~ Russian subject*, as the , Chinese are, and Russia's ideas of j an " open door " are that it in good if you cannot get in any other way, but for her trade it would be infinitely preferable to annex as much of China as possible and keep all foreigners out by heavy custom duties. Nothing, at first sight, appears to play better into the hands of Russia than this revolt of the " Boxers," as it has created trouble ih China which needs .subduing. The little matter that has not gone so smooth for her has been the general agreement of all the other Powers, who have expressed themselves very strongly that Russia is to gain no further advantage to the othors. This is were the coming trouble lies.it The quietening of. China will be but child's play to what may follow, and the diplomatists have a frying time in store. Russia will do everything in her power to secure what she has taken and as much more as she can, and for this will be ready to agree to any claims France and Germany may make, to the exclusion of the rest of the world, and it bears a probability that mending Ohina may be the means of breaking other Powers, and that Russia, France, and Ger r many may unite in despoiling China, to be confronted by Great Britain, United States, Japan, and Italy. Under these circumstances it appears to us that our first duty to the Empire is to strengthen our own position, to fortify our chief ports and 'coaljng stations, and to equip and drill our young men, and when the cost of doing these things are grasped by the colonist he will feel his duty has cost enough without having added to his burdens the cost of a contingent in Chiua.