The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1898.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 351, 8 October 1898, Page 2

The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1898.

A writer in one of the English periodicals for August, under the title of " Our Future Empire in the Far East," proclaims with joy the certainty of the establishment of British supremacy over middle China. He says :

The cardinal fact of the whole situation in the Far East at present is that, if we are to carry out the programme which we have laid down, and not draw back with shame and confusion of face and with results disastrous to the fortunes of the Empire, we stand committed to a future ampire in China comprising a very large fraction of China proper. Briefly, the net outcome and only logical issue of the existing situation will be that our understanding with China, unless we are prepared to see it reduced to a complete nullity, will sooner or later develop into a recognised protectorate, and another large and most important fraction of the wjrld will be painted red on the map, and practically added to the British Empire, whether we like the prospect or no. The great Yang-tse Valley will follow much the same course as Egypt. We shall go into it reluctantly to keep other Powers out, and once there, we shall stay there, Now tne huge Yaug-tse-Kiaug, which determines our protectorate, dominates the whole of it, and with its various lakes and tributaries constitutes an unrivalled system of waterways. The river is navigable to large and well found steamers for a good COO miles from its mouth, and we shall be able to send light draught steam launches, steelplated and armed with machine guns, to further vast distances from the sea This, and the railways and roads which we shall presently open up, will bring the whole country within easy reach.

Thereby we can hold it with a comparatively "small force of trained native troops, under British officers, located in good central positions. Briefly, from she naval and military side, the country is eminently favourable to our occupation, at a minimum of cost and trouble. The writer maintains that the situation in China is favourable and reassuring for such an undertaking. The downfall of the present dynasty need not involve any great change in the provinces. There is no spirit of nationality or patriotism among the Chinese, and if to-morrow we were by proclamation to annex all the provinces in the river valley to the British Empire, and to offer to confirm the existing viceroys and their subordinates in their positions, most of them would forthwith accept their positions from the British Crown, and simply transfer their allegiance from Pekin to London. Should any display of force be necessary, a brigade of infantry and a couple of batteries of artillery supplied with blank cartridges would suffice. The system of appointment by public competitive examination would supply us with an instrument ready to hand for modifying the ideas of the yellow men. The British resident would only need to recommend that a manual of instruction in law and justice should be included in the programme of the public examinations in order to readjust Chinese ideas on those subjects to those which prevail in the Western world. The Yang-tse-Kiang Valley would, under these conditions, abundantly pay for its own administration without costing the British taxpayer a penny.