CHINA.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 279, 22 June 1860, Page 4

CHINA.

However anxious our Government may now be to conduct matters in China as amicably as possible, it is not likely that so many Magenta and Solferino officers, with geuerals who have been exercised in the Indian campaigns, will fail in finding some employment amoDg the Celestials rnora exciting than the barren task of destroying the Takuforts. Twenty thousand men, with all the modern- appliances of war, may march a long ; way: into' China without meeting with any - formidable obstacles; they may take cities, and route Chinese troops; but, the question still remains as to what-good results accrue to any one from5'- the course we are pursuing towards the Celestial Empire.; Let us uot be misunderstood.' When two powers and two civilizations so diffepept asthose Of Britain and China come.' in fcontact, with ; one another, opposition, misunderstanding, 'find Wai' are more or less inevitable; As'> a^ mandarin; comically remarked lately,' we strike' China in; the face with one harid/a.t the same time holding out the other saying—" Now, you be good friends with us." That is all very well, and, it is to-be hopedwill produce great good in the long run, as it has already done in some respects; but surely-it ( is the duty of England as the aggressor, ''as'the; more powerful in physical forge. and\ as governed by a purer religion and morality than exist in China, to be patient and considerate in its dealings with that country y above all,'taking care not to rouse resistance to its demands bjf'stupifying and frightening both Government and people. ■•■'■'•' We desire certain things in China, and some of them are possible of attainment; what are they; The merchant seeks facilities for the in-' crease of commerce; the "missionary and the the sayan desire protection for converts, and further opportunities of mingling with the people and knowing the. country; the politician aims at the transaction of business on an equal foot3Dg, and to bring China as far as possible within the comity of nations. The soldier and the sailor doubtless look to the advancement which come 3 from war. And all of us—merchants, missionaries, politicians and'soldiers—may to some extent be influenced by individual ends. Bufc these are unworthy the consideration of great nations which are disturbing the repose of half of the human race, under the profession of spreading civilisation, humanity, and Christianity in the East. On looking back over the time since Earl Macartney's mission it does not appear that the course pursued by foreigners in China' has been successful. Commerce has increased largely, but commerce was bound to increase with increased facilities for navigation and under the natural law of supply and demand. The increase has been entirely dependant on the in-' creased demand for Chinese products, in Europe ! for the Chinese have so few wants', and are so much more economical, self-controlled and organised than Occidentals, thai, >s a people, they will pay for nothing except by their own products, and so the balance of trade will always be in their favor. The exports of tea and silk, and the imports of opium, silver and cotton have been, in point of reality, less fettered by the Chinese Government than they are in many parts of the world. A very good authority on this subject has said —" Notwithstanding the loose talk that passes current on that subject, there is not a country in the world where commerce has been carried on with so much ease and profit as in China, where the native emrchants conduct large transactions so satisfactorily, and where the expandiug wauts of England are so largely supplied." The ease with which money is made by merchants out here, the abundance of it, with, their luxurious andotiose life now asm past times, are sufficient proofs that there are not, and have not been for a very long time at least, any serious obstacles in the way of justifiable commerce, however many suspicions there may have been on that subject. Nor do we find that the great China merchants were in the habit of making complaints on thai; subject. If our Government" would only stop the pernicious system of giving compensation to British subjects for real or supposed losses sustained in wars with China, it would find some change in local sentiments on this subject; and if expeditions did not bring wealth to Hongkong, they would be extremely unpopular. The wars at the Cape have afforded a fine example of the difficultyof securing peace when local interests are opposed to it. It would be difficult to prove, even if such be the case, that the development of our commerce with China has been delayed and not expedited by our policy and the wars we have entered ou; but the connection of the rebellion with foreign aggression and ideas may indicate the true state of the case; for the devastation of whole provinces, crowded with millions of people, must directly or indirectly do more to hinder commerce than the most favorable treaties can do to aid it.—China Mail.