The Fate of China.

Te Aroha News, Volume XIV, Issue 2111, 21 June 1898, Page 3

The Fate of China .

CHINESE ARMY AND NAVY. PROPOSED REORGANISATION. EXTENSION OF BRITISH RAIL- ** WAYS. ■ • London, June 18." Lord Salisbury, speaking in the House of Lords, said, although no immediate castastrophe was expected, the fate of China could only have one issue unless her army and navy were lh: roughly reorganised, He added that China seemed willing that Capf. Lang reorganise her navy. Negotiations I 'were now. proceeding to secure men with s a free hand for the W ork. | The Foreign Office and the GoveiJment intended, to use every effort to support English capitalists in China. : In the -House of Commons Mr. Arnold Forster asked if Australasia had been requested to contribute towards the defence of Wei-hai-wei i n! Hongkong. "'• ' " ' ,Mr BaPour. in reply, said the ques-tion:-touched a matter of exceeding impcrhJpe, viz , thedefenee of Koy.loon and Wei-hai wei. He added that the colonial contributions must be ex dmined as a whole., ' The Times states that the Hongknog and Shanghai bank has agreed to advance to the Ghinese Government a - loan of 16,000,000 taels, on obtaining a contract for the extension of the Shanghai-Kwa railway to Kinchwaug. -M- Paveloff, First Secretary to the Russian Embassy at Pekin, protests against such a “contract, urging that China is bound not to accept loans on . the security of railways north of Pekin except from Russia. ; * -- ■' Mr Ourzon has attempted to mini- • znise the extent of the Russian-French railway concessions. The English newspapers show great uneasiness in the matter, and urge a bolder policy on the part of the Government. - ' From Shanghai it is reported that France claims Port Foochow, and demands railway rights in the province of Fokien. . !. > Russia is reviving her claim to Kinchow, in the Leaotong Peninsula.