The Daily News TUESDAY, JULY 12, 1904. CHINESE VIEW OF THE WAR.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 161, 12 July 1904, Page 2

The Daily News TUESDAY, JULY 12, 1904. CHINESE VIEW OF THE WAR.

The Rev. J. S. Wasson, who is stationed in China in connection with the London Missionary Society, is now on a visit to Invercargill, and to a Southland Times representative hag given an expression of opinion, founded on observation, of the Chinese attitude towards the Japanese and Russian nations. Mr and Mrs Wasson were stationed at Chiangchiu, thirty miles from Amoy, to jvhich place they had to remove during the Bo*er troubles. In reference to the present war, Air Wasson said that the lighting' was outside China proper at present, but if it came beyond the wall of Chinu there would Lie a great uprising. Just now the Chinese are very much interested in the encounter, but only as onlookers. They were astonished when the Government practically signed away Manchuria, the native country of tile oflicial class, to Russia, and there is now a great dislike felt towards the Manchus. Mr Wasson says that he has met people from Manchuria who desreibe the treatment meted out to the Manhciirians by the Russians as disgraceful and barbaric. During the Boxer troubles the Russian soldiery drove the Chinese out of a city, put them »n barges, mid get them afloat, thousands belag destroyed. The Cossacks go about armed with whips, and with them slash any unfortunate wayfarer with regard to ago or sex. Tho sole idea seems to be to drive all tho Chinamen out of Manchuria, and mako it on entirely Russian province. The feeling in China is that Japan will win, and a strong) anti-Russiun sentiment is general. The missionaries regard the matter in the light that there will be relligioue liberty if Japan occupies Manchuria. If Russia takes over Manchuria completely the missionaries must cease work, as according to Russian law tho Greek church must prevail throughout the Czar'g dominions. On account of the war the missionaries have all withdrawn from Manchuria, work boing impossi)blo in the unsettled state of the country. In Mr Wesson's province a wry antagonistic feeling prevails against Japan, on account of the treatment the Japanese meted out to the Chinese living in Formosa, which was ceded to Japan after the Chino-Japanose war. The Japaneso cut off their pig-tails, interfered with their property, and generally treated iUkou nona too generously. The upshoot o'f the war, if Japan wins, it is considered in China, will be that Manchuria will be handed back to China to be governwith a condition that reforms are instituted. China has previously instituted a certain number of reforms, but there was no heart in it, the object being merely to decei\u the European Powers. It is also contemplated that the war may result in the Emperor being put on the throne again, and Japanese influence at court will be increased tre uunJously. Already Japanese are scattered all over the country, and are receiving Government appointments-. Hundreds of young Chinese are sent over to .Japan to gel educated, and no doubt after the war the Ctiinise will make use of the Japanese more than any other country. Some hold that Japan will rule Manchuria as Britain rules Egypt, and this, in Mr Wnxsun's j opin on. would be tho strongest, and the way most likely to prevent a return of Russian aggression. It would also assist the Chinese Reform Party, which has been- very weak for some time. The educated Chinese think that the war is due to China's wea'-Joss—if China had been strong there would have "been no War at all, and the Empire would mot have l>ecn dependent on Japan to fight its battles. As a result tho people are calling out for reform more than ever before, «nd for education oa the lines adopted by the western nations. Tho Chinese in reality prefer the British or Americans to any other race, and if a vote wero taken no doubt tho British would bo selected. That might bo due to tho people coming into contact with tho British and American missionaries, who had set up colleges and schools all over the country, and also translated soma of tho best English books and magazines into Chinese. This literature, Mr Wasson 6ays, loavc-ns the wholo of society, from the Emperor downwards. Japan is intensely proud of her unioa with Britain. They fool

most friendly towards the British with whom they coine in contact. Even the Japanese priests, who are endeavouring to establish ft kind of Buddhism in certain parte of China, are very friendly with the British missionaries, mid i here was never any u-;iu'h'e in connection with religions work since the alliance. II re are about 118,000 Protestant Christians in China, and thesf are imrrasing at the rate of 0000 or 7(00 annually. At that rate China n a 'cii' years will have as many Chris: iaiis as there aiv in Japan, which has 2.10,000. ON THE FOURTH PAGE. J.it era tu re. Hospital Board. The Lu»l for Operation.