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 THE LIBRARY 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES 
 
 IN Ml'MORV DF 
 
 CARROLL ALCOTT 
 
 PRHSFNTFI) liV 
 
 CAKKOLL ALCOIT MFMOKFM, 
 LIliRAR^' } r.M) COMMII TFl'.
 
 CHINA 
 
 THE PKESENT CKISIS
 
 I'KINTKD liV 
 
 spomswooua a:sd co., miW-siukui svCAtm 
 
 I.ON'DOS
 
 f ' 
 
 CHINA 
 
 AND 
 
 THE PEESENT OEISIS 
 
 WITH NOTES ON A VISIT TO 
 JAPAN AND KOBEA 
 
 BY 
 
 JOSEPH WALTON, M.P. 
 
 WITH A MAP OF CHINA 
 
 LONDON 
 SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON & COMPANY 
 
 (LIMITED) 
 
 St. S)iiiistan'3 Ifjouec 
 FETTER LAXE, FLEET STREET, E.G. 
 
 1900 
 
 [All rights reserro;
 
 PEEFACE 
 
 The eyes of the whole civilised world are now 
 turned towards China, where it appears only too 
 certain that one of the most terrible tragedies which 
 history has ever recorded has just taken place. 
 
 I spent some eight months recently in travel 
 through China, Japan, and Korea, with the special 
 object of ascertaining from the best informed men 
 on the spot what the political and commercial 
 situation really was. 
 
 I visited most of the centres of political interest 
 and of commercial activity, and also journeyed over 
 5,000 miles in the interior of China. This is my 
 only justification for venturing to issue this book, 
 which is without literary pretensions. It simply 
 contains a brief account of my journey and some of 
 the information I gathered, which may possibly be 
 of interest in view of the present acute crisis in the 
 Far East. I have introduced on pp. 224-48 the 
 statement I made in Parliament on the 30th of 
 March last, which reviewed the situation as it then 
 appeared to me, and I have added a short chapter
 
 vi CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 dealing with subsequent events and the necessity for 
 the re-assertion of our rightful position alongside 
 other nations in the affairs of China. ISIo one can 
 over-estimate the importance of the British Govern- 
 ment pursuing a firm and definite policy v^ith 
 resolution and vigour at this juncture. A wise and 
 just settlement in South Africa is important ; but 
 I venture to say that it is of tenfold greater 
 importance to the commercial interests of the 
 British Empire that our Government should at the 
 end of hostilities in China insist in concert with 
 other Powers on the setting up of a stable and 
 enlightened Government, so that China may be 
 preserved for the Chinese and the whole Empire 
 remain open equally to the trade of all nations. 
 
 JOSEPH WALTON. 
 
 Juhj 24, 1900.
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 A VISIT TO NEWCHWANG 
 
 Wei-hai-Wei-'-CIicfoo Voyage to Newchwang British and 
 Piussian railway termini Newchwang Trip up the 
 llussian railway from Newchwang Russian hospitality 
 Expedition up the Russian railway -Ta-shih-ehao Inter- 
 national disputes Additional British and Russian conces- 
 sionsInterview with the resident engineer Newehwang 
 trade Chinese Imperial Customs revenue Tiffin with 
 Chinamen Missions in Manchuria -Advantages of Man- 
 churia Newchwang to Chefoo 
 
 CHAPTEll IJ 
 
 CIIEFOO TO TIENTSIN 
 
 The Ixi-ho and Taku Torts Tong-ku Evidence of British 
 trade Tientsin From Tientsin to Pekin Pekin Visit to 
 mission station Interview with M. Kroupensky Call on 
 Japanese Minister The Tartar city wall City walls, Pekin 
 Forbidden City, Pekin The Government of China^ 
 Deposition of the Emperor Pekin eunuchs Interview with 
 Prince Cliing Interview with Li- Hung- Chang- Religion 
 Secret societies- Mr. Hillier .27
 
 viii CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 BRITISH TRADE AND BRITISH NEGLECT IN CHINA 
 
 PAGE 
 
 English Settlement, Tientsin Trade of Tientsin Eussian 
 intrigues Trip up Shan-hai-Kwan-Newchwang Railway 
 Coal-miuing in China Pei-tai-ho Baron Von Ketteler 
 Sir Robert Hart Chin wang tao Pei-tai-ho to Tong-Ku 
 A lucky choice -50 
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 A SISIT TO WEI-HAI-WEI 
 
 An incident of tlie Chino-Japanese war Wei-hai-Wei A ques- 
 tion for the naval authorities Chinese troops The English 
 sphere Hospitality afloat Railway communication Pos- 
 sibilities of trade Transfer of Wei-hai-Wei to Germany . 64 
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 A VISIT TO PORT ARTHUR 
 
 Seizure by Russia Port Arthur West Port lagoon Stopped 
 outside the Russian forts -Russian designs and British 
 inaction 75 
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 AMEIilCAN AND JAPANESE TRADE COMPETITION 
 
 China inland mission Trade of Chefoo My Chinese secretary 
 Stranded at Chefoo Visit to Kiao-Chau Trade of Kiao- 
 Chau Kiao-Chau to Shanghai Shanghai Barnsley 
 bobbin i The inland waterways of China Chinese bridges 
 Connniant fishing Birds, game, and insects Chinese river 
 life Great sea wall An ex-missionary at the wheel 
 Yangt-ze expedition Silk lllature works .... 84
 
 CONTENTS ix 
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 LOWER REACHES OF THE YANGTSZE 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Chinkiang British fleet in 1842 Nankin Interview with 
 Viceroy Liu-Kun-Yi Nankin pagoda Ming tombs Sport 
 in the Yangtszc valley Kiangsi KiuKiang Trade of Kiu 
 Kiang British bluejackets to the front - Reception by Chang 
 Chih Tung Han Yang ironworks Han Yang Arsenal 
 Military college Brick-tea factory Chinaman dying on 
 roadway uncared for Interview with the Taotai of Hankow 
 Trade of Hankow Missionary work From Hankow to 
 lehang Sha-sze Sea of graves lOG 
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 THE UPPER YANGTSZE EXPEDITION 
 
 Yangtsze trackers An unsuitable craft Chinese cooks 
 Broken adrift Porpoises The Yeh-tan Eapid Chinese 
 servants Ah Sam Chin-chinning Joss Water supply 
 Attitude of the Chinese Our mysterious vessel Stoned by 
 the Chinese \Yrecks and wreckage on the Yangtsze 
 Weather Scenery Monkeys Lukan gorge Kwei-Chow 
 Chinese coal - The Wushan gorge Transhipping to steam- 
 launch 136 
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 THE VOYAGE UP THE YANGTSZE COntiuiCed 
 
 Kwci-chow-fu Chinese officials Szechuan Absence of birds 
 and animal life Novel duck-rearing Gold Fengtu-Cheng 
 Arrival at Chung-King 151 
 
 CHAPTER X 
 
 A RECORD JOURNEY IN THE INTERIOR 
 
 Tlie political and commercial situation in Szechuan British 
 Consul at Chung-King How a Chinaman overreached bim-
 
 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 self Unpunctuality of Chinamen Sin-t'an, or New Eapid 
 The Yeh-t'an Rapid The quickest trip on record 
 First passage down rapids and whirlpools by steam Ichan;^ 
 to Hankow 159 
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 
 SHANGHAI TO HONG KONG 
 
 Entrance to Hong Kong - City of Hong Kong Admiral Seymour 
 Kau-Lung Evacuation of Sam Chun Public Gardens 
 Happy Valley Railways West River Expedition Pi- 
 racy on the West River Stuck on a sandbank Wuchau 
 Character of the country Nanning-fu Scenery Lepers 
 Boat life on the West River Novel method of shooting 
 Pawnshops Stranded again Canton Temple of 500 
 Genii The Examination Hall Trade of Canton Boat- 
 women Waterway? Duckbreeding At Hong Kong a.'jain 
 St. Andrew's Day Ball Visit to Kang-yu-Wei . . 166 
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 
 FAREWELL TO CHINA 
 
 French Indo-China Saigon and Cholon French Indo-China 
 and the protective system French activity and British in- 
 activity Clunate of Saigon Singapore Malay Peninsula 
 Visit to Selangor Kuala-Kubu Advantage of British rule 
 Kuala- Lumper Nationalisation of land and minerals 
 Johore Siam Singapore to Colombo Decadence of 
 British shipping 182 
 
 CHAPTER XIII 
 
 SINGAPOKE TO COLOMBO 
 
 Penang Island of Sumatra German shipbuilding Ceylon 
 Peradeniya and its gardens The museum Christmas in 
 Ceylon At a tea plantation Tea factory Hadgalla Bo-
 
 CONTENTS xi 
 
 l'A(; 
 
 tanical gardens ^Cocoa-nutK Mineral wealth and precious 
 stones Pearl fisheries Railways Colombo harbour works 
 Trade, debt, taxation, and revenue Home tlirough India 
 Objects in view 198 
 
 CHAPTER XIY 
 
 INDIV 
 
 A hard-workin,:^ viceroy Iiailways in India Interviews The 
 dinner of the bishops Admiral Bosanquet The famine and 
 plague Loyalty of natives India and China Free trade 
 in India and China Homeward bound .... 21-'' 
 
 STATEMENT MADE IN THE HOUSE OF 
 COMMONS 
 
 BRITISH, COMMERCIAL, AND POLITICAL INTERESTS 
 IN CHINA 
 
 CHAPTER XV 
 
 THE PRESENT CRISIS . . . --'49 
 
 CHAPTER XVI 
 
 N0';ES on a VISIT to japan and KOREA 
 
 The old order chan-eth ' Volcanoes Vegetable products 
 Fish and birds Native occupations Protective works 
 Novel carriages Custom-house experience Railways 
 Similarity in position of Japan and England Education- 
 Newspapers Taxation of land Graduated taxation Com- 
 mercial dishonesty Porcelain and cloisonne Japanese 
 coal Tokyo Arsenal Mountahi resorts Flowers and 
 fruit -Tapanes'j town at ni.jht Japanese habits
 
 xii CHINA AND THE PEESENT CRISIS 
 
 Japanese women Japanese funerals Religion Jurisdic- 
 tion over foreigners- Political- Marquis Ito Count Okuma 
 Viscount Aoki A Japanese dinner Kobe to Nagasaki 
 The Inland Sea of Japan The Battle of the Bottles By 
 railway to Nagasaki Nagasaki Works and mines Japanese 
 workmen British commercial interests Island of Tsu- 
 shima Korea First visit toa missionary station in the Far 
 East Dangerous coasts Tlie Korean Peninsula Fisheries 
 Korean goldfields Railways The Emperor and the 
 Government Attitude of Russia and Japan Port Hamilton 
 Trade Revenue Currency Money-lending Religion 
 Education Animals -Race Korean habits and dress 
 Amusements Expedition to the Korean capital General 
 scenery Seoul Electric tramv^^ay -Foreign Legations 
 The return journey 257 
 
 INDEX 01:5
 
 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 CHAPTEK I 
 
 A VISIT TO NFAVCHWANG 
 
 Owing to the engrossing nature of the situation in 
 Cliina, I have decided to begin with my arrival in that 
 country in August 1899, and to place at the end the 
 notes on my visit to Japan and Korea. 
 
 WEI-IIAI-WEI 
 
 The first port of call in China was Chefoo, and 
 the passage from Chemulpo occupied twenty-six 
 hours. Early in the morning, standing in pretty 
 close to the shore, we sighted AVei-hai-AVei. I had 
 an excellent view of the eastern entrance, which is 
 three miles across, and too shallow for men-of-war to 
 enter. We also passed the western inlet, which is 
 a narrow, deep-water entrance. On a mountainous 
 island helween these two entrances the naval station 
 is situated, and a site has been selected which will 
 be invisible from tln> sea, and have a natural and 
 complete^ protection against bombardment from out- 
 side. 11. M.S. ' Powerfid ' was l}'iug at anchor. I 
 
 B
 
 2 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CRISIS 
 
 examined the chart, and found that over the greater 
 portion of Wei-hai-AVei Bay the water is only three 
 or three and a half fathoms. The deep-water 
 anchorage appears to be limited in extent, and 
 unfortunately it is not protected from the fire of an 
 enemy by the island, but lies directly opposite the 
 deep-water entrance. The Chinese had fortifications 
 on the shore, but these, I understand, the British 
 are disregarding. There is a range of high bare 
 hills at the back of Wei-hai-Wei, and practically no 
 timber, and a very sparse population along the 
 coast. I was told by a man likely to be well 
 informed that the Japanese really effected the capture 
 of Port Arthur by bribery, and that they had even 
 offered a sum of money to Admiral Ting, the 
 Chinese commander at Wei-hai-AVei, if he would 
 hand over that place to them. This Ting indignantly 
 refused, and fought to the death at the head of his 
 blue-jackets ; the Chinese soldiers fled. 
 
 I was informed that from time to time the range 
 of the tide varies very much at Wei-hai-Wei. Not 
 long ago it was so low, even in the deep-water 
 portion of the harbour, that all the vessels were 
 aground, including, of course, the men-of-war. 
 
 CHEFOG 
 
 As we approached Chefoo, in brilliant sunshine, 
 it looked quite an attractive place, and, as seen from 
 the sea, large houses, built of brick or stone, seemed 
 to predominate, in mark'ed contrast to the Korean 
 towns recently visited.
 
 VOYAGE TO NEWCIIWANG 3 
 
 The European settlement is on a fairly well 
 timbered bluff, immediately over the sea. Fortu- 
 nately, the English Consul, Mr. Sundyus, came on 
 board expecting to meet Dr. Morrison, the Times 
 correspondent, from Pekin, who, however, had not 
 come by our steamer. I was taken ashore by him, 
 and went up to the Consulate for tiffin. On the 
 way I ascertained that one of the Butterfield & 
 Swire's steamers would start at two o'clock for 
 Newchwang direct, and though it was then 12.45, I 
 arranged passages, sent my Chinese boy to transfer 
 the baggage from one steamer to the other, and left 
 by the ' Tarasui ' for Xewcliwang. 
 
 VOYAGE TO NEWCHWANG 
 
 The ' Tamsui ' is an English ship, and I much 
 appreciated the absence of smells wdien we went on 
 board. She is really a cargo steamer, with little 
 accommodation for passengers, but we were made most 
 comfortable, the captain and oflicers doing everything 
 in their power to give us a pleasant time. The food 
 was wholesome and excellent, and to know how to 
 appreciate this it was only necessary to have been 
 for more than a week on board the Japanese steamer 
 ' Higo-Maru.' During the first part of the trip the 
 sea was like glass ; the moon rose in a clear sky, and 
 it was simply delightful on the bridge as we glided 
 northwards past the headland four miles outside 
 of Port Arthur, on which there is a revolving light. 
 Early in tlie morning tlicre was a thunderstorm 
 and a heavy downpour of rain. There were nearly
 
 4 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CBISIH 
 
 200 Chinese passengers lying about on deck, and 
 I was sorry for the poor fellows as the torrent of 
 rain drove them to find shelter in some stuffy 
 region below. They exhibited considerable curiosity 
 in regard to the European passengers, filing past 
 the small cabin and gazing in on us with an ex- 
 pression of interest on their faces. The majority 
 of them were on their way to the railway construc- 
 tion works near Newchwang. They paid only 2.>'. 
 per head for the passage, a distance of 210 miles, and 
 out of this they were fed. Living, however, as they 
 do, mainly upon rice, the cost of a day's food was not 
 more than 4it7. 
 
 Shortly before we reached the Kewchwang Bar 
 a violent summer squall accompanied by thunder 
 overtook us, followed by a storm of hailstones, which 
 when picked up off the deck were solid pieces of ice, 
 some of them nearly an inch in diameter and more 
 than half an inch in thickness. We had a bad half- 
 hour, and the steamer had to lie-to, but the storm 
 then passed off. 
 
 We took a pilot on board and entered the river 
 leading up to Newchwang, which is some fifteen miles 
 from its mouth. The river is very winding, and has 
 flat marshy land on both sides. As we approached 
 Newchwang the shores were lined by thousands of 
 junks and barges. The junks trade a long distance, 
 going even as far south as Shanghai and Hong 
 Kong. The barges bring bean-cake, bean-oil, and 
 ))eans or peas (of which there is an enormous pro- 
 duction in iManchuria) down from the interior, and
 
 RAILWAY TERMINI 5 
 
 then moor in the river and watch the course of the 
 market. What they bring is sold by auction, and 
 the market fluctuates from day to day ; when they 
 think a good opportunity has arrived they dispose of 
 their cargo. The steamer we came by would take 
 ])ack about a two-thirds cargo of these products, this 
 being as much as she could carry to cross the bar 
 with safety. There were many steamers lying in the 
 river, chiefly owned by the firms of Butterfield & Swire, 
 Jardine, Matheson, & Co., and the China Trading 
 Company ; also a number of Japanese steamers. 
 
 On the port side from the bridge there was 
 a capital view of the construction works of the 
 Newchwang Extension Line, which has been such a 
 bone of contention as regards the terms upon which 
 British money was to be advanced for its construction. 
 There is a wharf at which the contractors will unload 
 their railway material close to the site of the terminus. 
 
 imiTISH AND RUSSIAN RAILWAY TERMINI 
 
 A more or less indefinite arrangement has been 
 made for a further concession of land to the British 
 on the river bank at a point where it is nothing but 
 a malarial swamp. Both this and the railway 
 terminus arc on the wrong side of the river viz. the 
 opposite side to the town of Newchwang, which is an 
 obvious disadvantage. On the other hand the liussian 
 railway terminus is on the same side of the river as 
 the town, and has at its back the rich country of 
 jNIancluiria from which to draw its trallic when the 
 railway is completed. The river being navigable for
 
 6 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CRISIS 
 
 200 miles up into the interior, a certain propor- 
 tion of produce will, no doubt, continue to come down 
 by water, and of that the Newchwang Extension 
 Lino may secure a fair share. But I fear that the 
 extensive system of railways which Kussia is building 
 through Manchuria will, in the near future, secure 
 for her the bulk of its trade. 
 
 NEWCHAVANG 
 
 Newchwang is the only treaty port of the Chinese 
 province of Manchuria, extending over 390,000 
 square miles, with an excellent climate, fertile soil, 
 great forests, and mineral wealth. Eussia is rapidly 
 placing herself in military occupation of this great 
 country. She has seized Port Arthur and Ta-lien- 
 Wan, and is making the former impregnable. She 
 has now about 40,000 soldiers in these places, the 
 laying down of a system of railways throughout the 
 country is rapidly proceeding, and at every railway 
 station Eussian soldiers are to be found. It was 
 therefore with great interest that I paid this flying 
 visit to Manchuria, to ascertain as far as I could 
 how matters really stood. 
 
 On landing, I called upon the British Consul, 
 Mr. Hosie. Dr. I)aly, the English medical man here, 
 put me up, and I received a most hearty welcome. 
 
 THIP UP THE IIUSSIAX EAILWAY FROM 
 
 NEWCriWANG 
 
 Armed with a letter of introduction from our 
 Consul, Mr. iiosie, 1 called upon Mr. Titolt, engineer
 
 RAILWAY WORK 7 
 
 for the Russian railway from Newchwang north- 
 wards. I was indebted also to the Russian Consul 
 for assistance in bringing us together. The Russian 
 railway terminus is at Nui-chia-tun, above the town 
 of Newchwang. Mr. Titoff undertook to arrange to 
 have me conveyed up from that place to Ta-shih-chao 
 the junction of the Newchwang branch with the 
 Russian Main Manchurian Railway fourteen miles 
 distant. Captain McSwiney, who speaks Russian 
 perfectly, accompanied me. The roads, owing to the 
 heavy rains, were almost impassable, and though the 
 tide was against us (and when receding, the river runs 
 at the rate of seven knots an hour), we decided to go up 
 the river to the railway. Mr. Bowra, Commissioner 
 of Customs, most kindly placed at our disposal a 
 Customs House boat manned by five stalwart China- 
 men. It took them an hour and a quarter of hard 
 pulling to get us up the three miles. It was some- 
 what difficult to land, as the bank of the river rose 
 sheer up for several feet ; but we managed it by 
 climbing up an apology for a wharf at which railway 
 material is discharged, and found ourselves in the 
 midst of a scene of great activity. Hundreds of men 
 were at work putting together Baldwin locomotives, 
 of which seventy-eight are coming here and seventy- 
 one going to Vladivostock. They were also building 
 wagons and carriages. The wheels and axles and 
 other steel and iron parts are sent from America and 
 Russia, also the main timber frames ready prepared ; 
 these are put together, and the other woodwork is 
 done at the railway terminus, in a number of long
 
 8 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 sheds roughly constructed of timber, some of which 
 are covered with corrugated-iron roofing. AVe found 
 our way to Mr. Titoff's house close by the terminus, 
 and he gave us a real Russian welcome. He made 
 many apologies for being able to provide only tinned 
 meats, as his cook had died of bubonic plague two 
 days before, and as a precautionary measure he had 
 immediately burnt to the ground the kitchen and 
 adjoining rooms in which his servants lived. 
 
 RUSSIAN HOSPITALITY 
 
 We were offered vodka, Crimean claret, cham- 
 pagne ad lib., beer and aerated drinks, also an 
 unlimited quantity of tea, which was served in huge 
 glasses with sugar but no milk, a little claret being 
 substituted for milk by the Russians. We had 
 excellent chicken soup, tinned Russian sturgeon, 
 salmon, chicken, woodcock, and black-cock. Several 
 other Russians, including a doctor, a caplain of 
 engineers, Mr. Titoff's assistant engineer, the traffic 
 manager, and a lady, were of the party. The 
 tiffin was served under an awning in front of 
 Mr. 'I'itoff's house, and lasted three hours. We 
 drank the health of tlie Queen with musical honoiu's 
 a large musical box striking up ' God save the 
 Queen ' at the right moment. Then I proposed the 
 health of the Czar, and afterwards we drank each 
 other's health, vowing eternal friendship. It was 
 indeed a curious position to be in, surrounded b}^ 
 these most hospitable Russians. Mr. Titoff told 
 Captain jMcSwiney that he was aware I was one
 
 ^IR. TTTOFF 9 
 
 of their opponents in the Enghsh Parliament, but 
 that political differences ought not to be allowed to 
 prevent private friendships. He spoke in warm 
 terms of Lord Charles Beresford, stating that his 
 eyes were like two lanterns, but he said that ' Charlie ' 
 had made him angry, and was a naughty boy for 
 having stated at Shanghai, after his visit, that 
 Newchwang and its hinterland were full of Kussian 
 soldiers. He explained that he had taken immense 
 trouble to collect 150 men (railway guards) from a 
 wide area in order to receive the English Admiral 
 with iitting honours, and that this number was only 
 made up l)y adding a batch of Cossacks who happened 
 to be passing through on their way to Port Arthur. 
 I merely give the statement as it was made, and 
 express no opinion as to its correctness or otherwise. 
 
 xVfter tillin he took me upstairs to have a wash, 
 and before I knew what he was up to had poured a 
 liottle of scent over my head to refresh me, which, 
 however, running down into my eyes, hardly added 
 to my comfort for the next half-hour. He also added 
 tvvi) kinds of scent to the water in which 1 was to 
 wash, and insisted on my accepting another bottle as 
 a present. I never met a man in all my life who 
 seemed to be so fond of scent. He had a dozen 
 diilerent sorts in his bedroom, and yet he is a very 
 l)ig man, of splendid pliysique, with certainly nothing 
 effeun'nate about him. 
 
 ^h\ Titoll' abused the Chinese in unmeasured 
 terms, and treated all his servants roughly, with 
 the exception of one or two, to whom he was just as
 
 10 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 kind as he was rude to the rest ; but if his bearing 
 and conduct towards them is a sample of the way in 
 which the Russians treat the Chinese, there will 
 certainly be no love lost between them. It is only 
 fair to say, on the other hand, that he is a most 
 generous man. He has 30,000 acres of land in 
 Russia, and an income of 100,000 roubles, which he 
 gives away right and left. He explained to me that 
 he had been here two and a half years, that it was all 
 work, eat, and sleep, a life without repose or society, 
 and that it had taken six years out of his life. There 
 was no necessity for him to be here at all, but he 
 was doing the work for the sake of his country. 
 He made the servant bring to the tiffin-table a large 
 portrait of his sister- a lovely girl who, he said, 
 was all he had in the world to care for. 
 
 EXPEDITION UP THE RUSSIAN RAILWAY 
 
 We were taken up the railway by an engine with 
 a flat truck attached, on which chairs were placed. 
 Tea, claret, champagne, aerated waters, also cigars 
 and cigarettes, were taken with us and offered con- 
 stantly. 
 
 The gauge of the railway is that of Russia 
 viz. 5 feet whilst the Newchwang Extension 
 Line, built by British capital, is 4 ft. 8i in. The 
 rails are only spiked to the sleepers at present, and 
 the line is not yet ballasted. Deep ditches have 
 been cut on either side of the line right across the 
 flat rich alluvial plain which stretches fifteen miles 
 from the river to Ta-shih-chao at the foot of a range
 
 RAILWAY GUARDS 11 
 
 of bare green hills running north-west and south- 
 east as far as the eye can reach. The Main 
 Manchurian Line runs at the foot of these hills 
 northwards to Mukden and southwards to Port 
 Arthur. It is said to be completed eighty miles 
 both ways, and it certainly was so from my own 
 personal observation for some miles from the junc- 
 tion. 
 
 The line over which we travelled was in good 
 condition, considering the nature of the foundation, 
 the heavy rains that had recently fallen, and the 
 rapidity with which the work has been executed. 
 The railway was only begun in April of last year. 
 The huge plain which stretched from the river to the 
 hills was covered with splendid crops of millet and 
 beans. The Chinese villages of mud houses with 
 Hat roofs are much less picturesque than those of 
 Japan and Korea. 
 
 TA-SHIH-CHAO 
 
 At Ta-shih-chao were several soldiers of remark- 
 ably fine physique, whom the Russians term railway 
 guards. The stalwart station-master was also 
 evidently a soldier. I took snapshots of them with 
 my kodak, also of groups of Chinese and of the 
 surrounding country. 
 
 Outside the station the officials were busily en- 
 gaged in sprinkling liquid disinfectants. Bedding 
 was being brought out of three houses close by the 
 railway station, and was burnt within a few yards of 
 us while we were there, people having died of plague
 
 12 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CEISIS 
 
 in the houses. We were told that many deaths 
 from plague have recently occurred all round the 
 district. Some of the Kussians were terribly afraid, 
 and eight or ten w^io could break away from their 
 engagements in connection with the railway 
 crowded round Mr. Titoff, seeking his consent 
 to return instantly to Kussia. He brought 
 them back with him in the train, and discussed 
 matters with each one personally on the way. By 
 the time we reached Newchwang I think he had 
 overcome the fears of some of them at any rate for 
 the time being. 
 
 At the railway junction tea was again served, 
 and scores of flies hang around one's glass. I 
 shirked drinking the tea, having some doubt as to 
 the purity of the water at that plague-stricken spot. 
 
 On our return to ISIr. Titoff' s house we found 
 our Chinese boatmen waiting for us. To get on 
 board we had to slide down an almost perpendicular 
 slope into the boat, as there was no landing-place 
 whatever in the neighbourhood. This \\as accom- 
 plished without mishap, except the loss of Captam 
 McSwiney's helmet, which went floating down the 
 river. The tide being in our favour, the boatmen 
 brought us down at a swinging pace. 
 
 On my return I met Mr. Sprent, the clergyman 
 here, at dinner. lie is a man of splendid physique 
 and active habits, and has travelled all through 
 Manchuria in Chinese dress. He was arrested on 
 the north of the Amur liiver by the Eussians, and, 
 though he was armed with everything that was
 
 INTERNATIONAL DISPUTES 13 
 
 requisite in the shape of passports, was transported 
 back across the river into Chinese territory. 
 
 IXTERXATIOXAL DISPUTES 
 
 There are several disputes at Ncwchwang between 
 English merchants, the Kussians, and the Chinese 
 Government ; one being the question of some land 
 adjoining the railway terminus, which has been 
 occupied by the Itussians without saying ' By your 
 leave,' and on which Messrs. Bush had advanced 
 money on mortgage. There are two other cases in 
 which mining rights have been bought from holders 
 of Dragon papers by British subjects who have been 
 refused the necessary ratification by the Chinese 
 ofiicials at Mukden, on the ground that they have 
 not complied with the terms and conditions imposed 
 by the Mining liegulations issued in 1898. Having 
 granted mining concessions to Russia, France, and 
 (jcrmany on more favourable conditions than those 
 contained in the Mining Eegulations, the Chinese 
 (lovernment have denied to British subjects ' all 
 privileges, immunities, and advantages ' which have 
 been granted to the subjects or governments of other 
 nations, as provided for in the Treaty of Tientsin. 
 1[.]M. Consul at Xewchwang did not deny that he 
 had received instructions from the Minister at Pekin 
 not to as^>ist tht; mt'rchants of Newchwan;;- in scctir- 
 ing v.iiat tliey and I regard as their just rights. Yet 
 it is a fact that it has ])een o\er and over again stated 
 in Tarhament by lu-r iNIajesty's Government that 
 tlicv would give all possible assistance in all cases
 
 14 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 where British subjects were making a hond-fide 
 application for commercial concessions in China. 
 Another quibble on the part of the Chinese ofhcials 
 in regard to these particular matters is that the 
 new Mining Regulations stipulate that no concession 
 shall be granted to a foreigner, but only to Chinese 
 who may introduce foreign capital, or seek the co- 
 operation of foreigners, with official sanction. They 
 do this entirely disregarding the fact that they have 
 given mining concessions direct to Eussians, French, 
 and Germans. 
 
 ADDITIONAL BRITISH AND RUSSIAN CONCESSIONS 
 
 I also discussed with Mr. Hosie the question of 
 the additional British concession which is being 
 negotiated for on the same side of the river as the 
 Newchwang Extension Line terminus. The tract of 
 land which has been applied for extends from the 
 river bank across a neck to the bank of the river 
 again, as it makes a sweeping curve behind the 
 railway terminus. This negotiation has been 
 dragging on almost interminably, and unless we 
 adopt firmer methods of dealing witli the Chinese 
 Government rapid progress will not be made. 
 
 The Eussians are also demanding a further con- 
 cession of land on the bank of the river opposite 
 their present terminus. They contemplate bridging 
 the river to put themselves in a position to link up 
 their Manchurian Eailway system with the New- 
 chwang Extension Line, and tlius have continuous 
 railway communication with Pekin. This explains
 
 NEWCHWANG EXTENSION LINE 15 
 
 the determination with which they resisted the ob- 
 taining of any control whatever over the Newchwang 
 Extension Line by the British capitahsts who are 
 finding the money for its construction. It is reported 
 that the Eussians are ah-cady buying up these 
 railway bonds in the London market, and before 
 many years are over it is possible that they will 
 he in possession of the railway right down to Pekin, 
 as the English bondholders can be paid off at any 
 time by three months' notice at 20 per cent, premium. 
 
 IXTEKVIEW WITH THE RESIDENT ENGINEER 
 
 Mr. Wright, the resident engineer for the section 
 at this end of the Newchwang Extension Line, came 
 to breakfast one morning in order to give me an 
 opportunity for a little conversation. He stated that 
 they expected to get the whole of their rails and other 
 material delivered by the end of September 1899. 
 They hoped to have engines with construction trains 
 running over the railway from Newchwang to 
 Shan-hai-kvvan by March 1900. They have ordered 
 Baldwin engines from America, partly because they 
 are cheaper than English engines, but mainly owing 
 to English makers being unable to undertake to 
 execute the orders in less than two years. 
 
 A considerable quantity of rails, machinery, and 
 other materials are being supplied from England and 
 Scotland. A ship was expected daily, when I was 
 there, witli 15,000 casks of German cement. 
 
 Chang-yi, the new Chinese official appointed as 
 the head of this railway - which, though it is being
 
 16 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CRISIS 
 
 built with British money by British engineers, is 
 a Chinese Goverment railway is still giving the 
 chief engineer, Mr. Kinder, very great trouble. He is 
 anxious that the line should be sold to Eussia. The 
 Eussians are causing considerable difficulty by 
 sending men down to try and tempt away foremen 
 and skilled workmen both from Shanghai workshops 
 and dockyards, and from the construction works of 
 the Newchwang Extension Line. They promise an 
 enormous increase in wages,' ,/hich they pay for a 
 few weeks and then discontinue, with the result 
 that the men are very discontented and are coming 
 back to English employment. As in the case of the 
 Eussian Manchurian Eailway, the carriages and 
 wagons are being built out here, engine repairing 
 and erecting and carriage-building works having 
 been established at Tong-Shan. The wheels and 
 axles and other fittings are got from England, while 
 the woodwork is made on the spot. 
 
 NEWCHWANG TRADE 
 
 The trade of Newchwang is growing : the total 
 value of imports and exports in 1898 was 4,684,474/., 
 as compared with 3,9-20,344/. in 1897. 
 
 The total tonnage of shipping cleared inwards 
 and outwards in 1898 was 827,777 tons, compared 
 with 730,967 tons in 1897. 
 
 EngHsh shipping was 309,612 tons, as against 
 the Eussian 3,452 tons and the French nil in 1898. 
 The United States of America had only 4,894 tons. 
 
 The most remarkable feature is the enormous
 
 TRADE OF NEWCnWANG 17 
 
 strides made by the shipping trade of Japan. In 
 181)7 the total tonnage of their vessels in and out of 
 Newclnvang was 80,000, while in 1898 it amounted 
 to 20-2,000. 
 
 The main exports from Newxhwang are bean- 
 eake. peas, and beans. The bean-cake is used as a 
 manure, and is principally exported to Swatow and 
 Kwang-tung, and also to Japan. 
 
 The duties levied by the Chinese Maritime Cus- 
 toms apply only to foi 'gn shipping, and in addition 
 there is an enormous trade done in native junks 
 between Xewch wang, Korea, and the minor coast ports 
 of China, which are not included in the trade sta- 
 tistics. Mr. Bowra drew my attention to the hindrance 
 to trade which is involved in the Chinese regulation 
 prohibiting the export of foodstuffs. This gives 
 rise to no end of bribing of native ofticials on the 
 part of agriculturists and merchants in order that 
 they may look the other way when a cargo of grain 
 is being loaded for export. No less than 85,000/. 
 worth of millet and other grain was smuggled last 
 year out of the ports of Newchwang and Chefoo for 
 Korea. The free export of grain and other produce 
 all over Cliina wouM stinndate trade enormously. 
 
 Tlie trade of Xewchwang will show a considerable 
 increast: this year (1899) over last year, and when 
 tlie railway system of Manchuria and also the Xew- 
 chwan.u Extension Lines have been completed, the 
 trade of this port ought to advance liy leaps and 
 bounds, provided it has lair play. Tln^ demand on 
 tlie part of Lord Salisbury for the inse;rtion of a 
 
 c
 
 18 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 stipulation which would have secured that the goods 
 of British traders shall be carried over the railways 
 constructed in Manchuria by the Russians on the 
 same terms as the goods of Eussia or of any other 
 nation was not conceded. It remains to be seen, 
 therefore, whether the Russians will, by the imposi- 
 tion of differential rates, strangle the great trade 
 which British merchants are doing with Manchuria 
 through the treaty port of Xewchwang. 
 
 Having regard to the fact that British trade here 
 amounts to 3,000,000/. sterling a year, and that it is 
 the last foothold that the Russians have left us 
 in Manchuria, it seems extraordinary that no British 
 ^uinljoat is stationed at Xewchwang. The other 
 day, when word was brotight to Mr. Hosie, the 
 Consul, that a serious assault had been committed 
 in the native town upon a European, he actually 
 asked the Russians to lend him Co'^sacks to go down 
 and resctie the man. This is a practical acquiescence 
 in Russia's policing Xewchwang, and simply suicidal 
 as far as British interests are concernc'l. 
 
 CHIXESi: IMTErJAL CUSTOilS EEVEyui: 
 
 The revenue for 1898 for the whole of China was 
 '22,o03,.o07 taels, which shows a diminution, Ijttt 
 thio has ari.sen on two articles only, opium and tea ; 
 there having been a decrease of nearly 4,000,000 taels 
 in ' likin ' on foreign opium and 700,000 taels on tea. 
 The falling-off in revenue on opium i^ not due to the 
 fact that a less quantity is consumed, but is owing to 
 tlu; incrrasi:'! qu;u;tity trrown in ^MaPiChuria. A high
 
 A CHINESE OPINION 19 
 
 fluty is levied on opium viz. 110 taels (30 taels duty 
 and 80 taels likin) per picul containing 133| lb., and 
 worth in the market 700 to 800 dollars. The export 
 duly on tea is "2 taels 5 cents a picul ; in addition 
 to this, likin charges are also levied upon tea. The 
 imposition of this is said to have seriously injured 
 the China tea trade. However, apart from the 
 opium and tea revenue, there has been a substantial 
 increase in the trade done in other dutiable articles. 
 All dutie- are paid in the Hai-Kwan tael, which 
 ^^as taken at 2.s'. lOi^*-/. in making up the figures 
 for 1808. This was originally a lump of pure 
 silver weighing one ounce, but by custom it varies 
 in weight ah over Chiiui. Koughly speaking, it is 
 equal to one and a third Mexican dollars. 
 
 TIFl'IX WITH CHINAIvIEN 
 
 One day Dr. Daly invited Mr. Chen-Yu-Ting, a 
 Cliiucse mcrcliiiiit liero, and a ]\Ir. Tong, the secretary 
 oi' the Xe\vch^\'ang Extension liailway, to tifiin. 
 The tormer gentleman gave me his views on the 
 present poliLien] siluatii ai in China. He considers that 
 Cln'na may bi; at an}' moment on the eve of a great 
 crisis. He described the pri;-ent j'hnpress Dowager 
 as liavii;g ' tucl<ed the youn;^- I'hnpeTor under her arm 
 and weii't allow him to inove.' Slic is now sixty- 
 five rears of ago iindbrolven in health throucfh beinii 
 worried with the cares and intrigues necessary to 
 m;iintriin lier positi^">n. He would not l)e surprised 
 to he;ir of htr death al any time, ^\'hen this takes 
 place there' v^iil probably be lime' bu'iion.-; strivinf^
 
 20 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CEISIS 
 
 for mastery in China. One will be under Jimg-Lu, 
 the generalissimo of all the forces in North China 
 and nephew of the Empress Dowager, who is 
 against reform and is anti-foreign. Another faction 
 might be headed by Kang-Yi, a member of the Grand 
 Council ; he and Jung-Lu together broke dow-n the 
 Reform party, but he will play for his own hand 
 if an opportunity arises. The third faction would 
 probably be under the leadership of Pr ?ce Ching, 
 now President of the Tsung-li-Yamen ; he is a col- 
 lateral relation of the present Emperor, and is to a 
 certain extent patriotic and in favour of reform. 
 These are all Manchus, and there would still have 
 to be taken into consideration the Cantonese, 
 amongst whom are to be found the majority of the 
 reformers of China, and wlio might obtain the 
 support of the Chinese generally in a united effort 
 to deprive the Manchus of the governing po^ver in 
 China. 
 
 The difficulties in the way of a union of forces 
 are the distinctive local characteristics and preju- 
 dices in each province. Each province pays and 
 controls its own army, and the weakness of China 
 in the war with Japan was to a considerable 
 extent due to the fact that the different arinies and 
 the different sections of the navy did not work 
 together. I asktd the question as to whether there 
 was yny improvement in the organisation and 
 eqtiipment of any provmcial armies since the war of 
 1894-5, find was told that thou.Ci'h the antiquated 
 gun known as a ' jingall ' is in use in some parts, yet
 
 A POLITICAL FORECAST 21 
 
 armies like those of Chang-Chih-Tung and of Liu- 
 Kuii-Yi (Viceroy of Nanking) have modern rifles. 
 
 Chcn-Yu-Ting thinks that when the inevitable 
 struggle takes place among the different sections of 
 the Chinese, Russia will take advantage of the crisis, 
 and, advancing south of the Great Wall, will seize 
 as much of China as possible. She would first 
 occupy Chihli, Shensi, Kansuh, and then Shansi and 
 Honan. At the same time he believes that the 
 French would advance from the south and en- 
 deavour to occupy a large portion of Southern 
 China, and, if possible, penetrate far enough north- 
 wards to enable them to join hands with Piussia. 
 
 Ho said that Young China contains many men 
 whi") are true patriots, li(}]ding enlightened views, 
 l)ut states that in view of the fact that for 2,000 
 years all Emperors have repressed the people, it 
 is no wonder that they lack those qualities of 
 self-reliance, courage, and patriotism, the want of 
 which leaves them so absolutely at the mercy 
 of any strong Power to-day. He considers that 
 the only hope for China is to have its army re- 
 organised under British olHcers, and he does not 
 believe that th(.> educated Chinese on the coast 
 of Cliina would object to have the assistance of 
 Japanese oiliccrs also. He reminded ine of the 
 reci'ut notice given by ^L de Giers to the Tsung- 
 li-Yamen, warning them that any alliance between 
 China and Japan would be an unfriendly act, and 
 would be followed by serious consequences. He said 
 that the present officials at Pekin are for the most
 
 22 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CRISIS 
 
 part in Russian pay, havino-, it is general!}^ ])elieved, 
 been bought l:)y Russian gold. He added that Russia 
 knows that both in chmate and agricuUurally 
 China is much superior to Siberia, and that it is 
 not surprising that she should endeavour to gain 
 possession of as much of it as possible. He urged 
 that the English ought to give greater facilities for 
 the naturalisation of Chinese at Singapore and 
 Hong-Kong, aiid that they ought also to folloAV the 
 example of the French Consuls at Bankok and 
 Saigon, and instruct British Consuls to naturalise all 
 Chinese or other applicants at every treaty port 
 throughout China. He said that if any inhabitant 
 of India comes to Cliina lie enjoys Brilisli jjrutection 
 us a British subject, but if a Hong-Kong or Singa- 
 pore Chinese resident comes to China he does not 
 have this protection unless he has fulfilled the con- 
 ditions at present so dil'licult to comply ^\ith, and 
 become a naturalised British subject. He drew 
 attention to a condition imposed before naturalisation 
 can take place viz. the cutting (jff of the pigtail 
 and the adoption of European dress and contended 
 that this ought not to be insisted up(jn. 
 
 He stated that the French in A mi am extend the 
 privileges of naturalisation to all applicants. His 
 opinion is that Russia has placed herself so rapidly 
 in military occupation of North China that England 
 would in all prob;il.)ility not liave time in finisli the 
 construction of a railway from British Burmali to 
 the upper Yang-tsze lj(-fore the cri>^is, and that, there- 
 fore, licr true policy, if slie is not to b'_' Sf]ue(.'zed out
 
 MISSIONS IN I^IANCIIURIA 23 
 
 of China altogether, lies in giving every assistance to 
 tlje creation and reorganisation of a powerful Chinese 
 army thus helping the Chinese to help themselves. 
 I give the views thus expressed l)y an intelligent 
 Chinese merchant as nearly as possible as he stated 
 them to me, and I think they show how comprehen- 
 sive a grasp of the situation some, at any rate, of the 
 Chinese are able to take. 
 
 MISSIONS IX MANCHURIA 
 
 The Irish Presbyterians and the Presbyterian 
 Church of Scotland have together ten centres where 
 European missionaries work, and the Danish 
 European Lutheran Church has four centres. They 
 have altogether about 10,000 converts. 
 
 There are thirty European Protestant mission- 
 aries on the ground, and of these ten are medical. 
 There are also ten lady missionaries and 140 nativf^ 
 preachers. They have day schools, with 1,000 
 scholars, and between twenty and thirty Sunday 
 scliools. 
 
 Tlu-jy (Avn very valuable property in the shape 
 of hospitals, chapels, schools, and residences, and 
 their worlv is carried on at a cost of 15,000/. a 3'ear. 
 
 The Erench Poman Catliolic missions are still 
 more extensive. They liave many churches through- 
 out ^Manchuria, also schools, orphanages, and landed 
 property, with two bishops and quite a number of 
 priests. They claim about 50,000 converts. 
 
 If Pussia annexes jNIanchuria, and adopts the 
 sauK' polie}' there} thai prevails in Pussia, missionary
 
 24 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 enterprises, which have been built np at so great a 
 cost, and with such beneficial results, will in all pro- 
 bability be extinguished. 
 
 Dr. Daly, my host, is a Chinese mandarin, having 
 received the Double Dragon Decoration from the 
 Emperor for Eed Cross services at Newchwang during 
 the Chino-Japanese war. 
 
 ADVANTAGES OF MANCHrPJA 
 
 Manchuria is emphatically the white man's 
 climate in China, the thermometer in summer rarely 
 rising above 87 in the shade, while in the winter 
 it sometimes goes down to 17 below zero, but as it 
 is a dry cold it is not severely felt. There are resi- 
 dents here who have been out twenty-five years 
 continuously, and who are perfect examples of health 
 and strength. The physique of the Chinese inhabi- 
 tants is simply splendid. These facts show the folly 
 of the British Government in having failed to main- 
 tain British treaty rights in Manchuria. 
 
 I was sorry to hear before I left that the bubonic 
 plague was spreading rapidly, and that many deaths 
 were taking place daily. The plague was of a very 
 virulent type, and almost invariably fatal, death 
 occurring in from forty-eight to ninety-six hours. 
 
 The gravity of the situation was so far re- 
 cognised that the owners refused to take any 
 Chinese passengers for Chefoo on board the boat, 
 with the exception of my Chinese boy. Therefore 
 we had the whole ship to ourselves, apart from the 
 officers and crew.
 
 A EUSSO-CIITNESE FLAG 25 
 
 As a partinr,' gift and souvenir of Ncwcliwang, 
 Dr. Daly l)ronght mc a flag which is being adopted 
 ])}' the Prussians in connection with their Manchurian 
 railway system. It has the Chinese dragon in one 
 corner, and the Eussian colours in the other, and is 
 very significant of the way in which the wind is 
 l)lowing. 
 
 ]Mr. Chen-Yu-Ting, one of the Chinese gentle- 
 men who had tiffin with me yesterday, also sent 
 me his photograph and a second photograph of 
 the Emperor and four of the most enlightened 
 Reformers. 
 
 The s.s. ' Higo-Maru ' was also leaving New- 
 chwang for Chefoo that afternoon, but though she is a 
 fast boat, I preferred the cleanliness and wholesome 
 food on the ' Tamsui ' to a repetition of my experi- 
 ences hereafter described on board the Japanese ship. 
 
 In coming down the river we had a strong summer 
 gale l)lowing, and I was much impressed with the 
 steadiness and seaworthy qualities of the huge 
 Chinese junks wliicli were also on their way to sea. 
 The design for the English turret ships was suggested 
 by the Chinese junk, which is constructed on the 
 same model to-day as has been in vogue for the last 
 two tliousand years. The upper part is perpendicular 
 and narrow, a short distance above the water-lino it 
 bulgL'S right out on both sides, which makes it not 
 only a good sea-boat, but also gives below water a 
 large carrying capacity. The way the Chinese 
 sailors handle their jiuiks shows them to be very 
 skilful seamen.
 
 26 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 I said ' Good-bye ' to Captain Mc Swine}' at Dr. 
 Daly's. ITe starts to-morrow for England. He pur- 
 poses going up through IManchuria and right 
 across Siberia and Russia, in order to gain as much 
 knowledge as possible of what is being done. He is 
 doing this entirely on his own initiative, and at his 
 own expense. His regiment, the 7th Dragoon 
 Guards, is at present stationed at Aldershot, and I 
 expect to meet him on my return home to compare 
 notes. 
 
 newchwaxct to chefoo 
 
 The sea was rough outside, but the ' Tamsui ' 
 being pretty well laden was remarkably steady, and 
 we had on the whole a comfortable passage. We 
 reached Chefoo in heavy rain next day. The port 
 doctor, jMr. Molyneux, took me ashore in the Customs 
 House boat between showers, but we were obliged to 
 take shelter at Cornabe & Eclvford's oflicf, where 
 we remained prisoners during the next two hours, the 
 rain coming down in torrents. Mr. Anderson, of 
 Cornabe & Eckford, who is also a member of the 
 Reform Club, gave me his views of the situation 
 in China. He showed me a petition to her 
 Majesty's Government, which is to be signed at 
 every port in China, urging that British rights and 
 interests should be upheld in a more vigorous fashion. 
 The document, however, was far too vague ; it con- 
 tained no clear and definite statement of what the 
 merchants out here really want, and therefore it is 
 not likely to count for anything with Lord Salisbury.
 
 27 
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 CHEFOO TO TIENTSIN 
 
 I WENT on board Messrs. Butterfield & Swire's boat, 
 the 'Wuchang,' at twelve o'clock (noon), expecting 
 that she would sail immediately, but found that the 
 rain which was falling had compelled them to stop 
 discharging her cargo, and it was live o'clock before 
 she actually sailed. 
 
 Among the goods which were being unloaded 
 at Chefoo were cotton piece-goods from England and 
 America, also rice, sugar, paper, and dried seaweed. 
 The sea was pretty rough, even in the harbour, and 
 we expected to be pitched about when we got out- 
 side. The wind, however, dropped, and we had a 
 fairly smooth passage to Taku Bar, the entrance to 
 the Pei-ho, which leads up to Tientsin. We arrived 
 at the Bar at eleven o'clock, only to find that it was 
 low water and that the detention of several hours 
 before the steamer could enter the river would 
 cause us to miss the last train to Tientsin. We, 
 howL'ver, succeeded in getting a tug-boat to take us 
 up after waiting about three hours. Though this 
 boat only drew about five feet of water, she stuck on
 
 28 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 the bar for a quarter of an hour, until the water 
 rose a Httle further. 
 
 Close by us, at anchor, were five new cruisers 
 which had just been purchased by the Chinese 
 Government. Two of them were built by Armstrong, 
 Mitchell, & Co., of Newcastle-on-Tyne, and the other 
 three by the Germans. They are said to be the 
 fastest cruisers afloat, going twenty-four knots an 
 hour, and are fitted with every modern appliance ; but 
 they just lie there the Chinese practically do not 
 cruise in them at all. It seems probable they will 
 be of little value to the Chinese as a fighting power. 
 One Italian and one Austrian cruiser were anchored 
 alongside the Chinese ships. 
 
 Ont of INIessrs. Holt Brothers' steamers from 
 Liverpool, about 9,000 tons burden, was discharging 
 cargo into huge lighters. She could not cross the bar 
 even at high water, and, indeed, much smaller steamers 
 have to discharge a considerable portion of their cargo 
 outside before they are able to enter. The river up to 
 Tientsin has been allowed to silt up to such an extent 
 that no steamers are able at present to reach it. 
 From our steamer they began to discharge China tea, 
 which was on its way from Hankow to Eussia. The 
 Eussians are by far the largest consumers of China 
 tea, which they prefer to our Indian and Ceylon tea. 
 Large quantities of arsenic powder were also being put 
 on board a lighter this is used for preserving skins. 
 Tientsin is a great centre for trade in all kinds of 
 furs and skms, including sables.
 
 THE PEI-IIO 29 
 
 THE PEI-HO AND TAKU FORTS 
 
 After crossing the Imr wc approached the entrance 
 to tlic Pei-ho the word ' ho ' in China means river, 
 so it is really the Pei Eiver. On both sides are the 
 huge mud forts of Taku, which have more than once 
 offered a stout resistance to the English and French 
 in their wars with China. These are very extensive, 
 and have many guns mounted. On the way up the 
 river were more mud forts. 
 
 "We passed the Imperial Xaval Yard, which 
 looked in a somewhat dilapidated condition. There 
 were also in tht: river several new torpedo destroyers, 
 which have been built in England for the Chinese 
 Government. 
 
 On both sides of the river, Hat marshy land 
 stretched away as far as the eye could reach. A 
 ntimber of curious horizontal windmills were revolv- 
 ing and pumping up sea water into large reservoirs, 
 where it is allowed to evaporate, and then the salt 
 which remains is collected. 
 
 TOXG-KU 
 
 On landing at Tong-Kti, where \\'e took the train, 
 we were surrotinded by a largo crowd of coolies 
 cliimouring to carry the baggage. When given the job 
 tliey began to demaud exlortionate terms. As there 
 Vii- no fixed tariff, ond no (iiher means of getting our 
 ba;;c:ape to the railway station, we had to submit 
 tlie amount paid for a (juarter of an hottr's work 
 being e']uivalenL to a day's wage. They reminded
 
 30 CHINA AND THE PEE SENT CEISIS 
 
 me somewhat of the crowd that used to lay hold of 
 one's baggage by main force on landing at Tmiis. 
 
 EVIDENCE OF BETTISH TEADE 
 
 When I got on the landing-stage I was much 
 gratified to see a huge pile of new steel rails bearing 
 the stamp of the Barrow Hematite Steel Company, 
 Limited. It gave me great encouragement in the 
 efforts I am making to promote British trade with 
 China to have this practical proof that the miners of 
 the Barnsley Division have a direct personal interest 
 in the railway extensions which are being made in 
 China, for no doubt both coal and coke from the 
 Barrow Collieries were used in the production of 
 these rails at the Barrow Works. 
 
 TIENTSIN 
 
 We had a pleasant journey of an hour and a half 
 by rail up to Tientsin (twenty-seven miles). On the 
 way from the railway station my jinricksha passed 
 through the French settlement of Tientsin, where 
 the whole of the streets are named in French. On 
 entering the Ei-giish settlement I found myself 
 dashing along Victoria lload. The buildings in this 
 settlement are (excellent structures of stone a-nd brick, 
 and while in the European quarter it is difficult to 
 imagine that you are in China. I called on Mr. 
 Cousins, of Messrs. Jardine, Matheson, & Co., and 
 went with him to hear a rath(.r good hiind which 
 wr.-s playing in iho public gardens.
 
 PEKIN TERMINUS 31 
 
 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKIN 
 
 I left Tientsin on August 27, in compan}^ with 
 Mr. Hillier, the manager of the Hong-Kong and 
 Shanghai Bank at Pekin. We travelled in what 
 is known as the postal car, which was really 
 comfortable. The country from Tientsin to Pekin 
 a distance of about eighty miles, which we did in 
 three hours is absolutely flat. As you approach 
 Pekin there is a fine range of hills which rans from 
 east to west, broken in outline, and forming a 
 beautiful background across the plain. 
 
 There are very few trees until nearing Pekin, 
 when the country is fairly well wooded. The ex- 
 tensive plain was covered with splendid crops of 
 millet and other cereals. At one railway station I 
 was glad to have a further practical proof of how 
 the working men at home are interested in the 
 development and opening up of China in the shape 
 of a trainload of bridge girders made in Glasgow. 
 
 TEKIN 
 
 The Pekin terminus is about five miles from 
 the city. There are beautifully fitted tramcars 
 uriven l>y electricity fur a portion of the way, but 
 these are uf little use to pasccngers with baggage. 
 There are three modes of getting from the railway 
 station into the Tartar city of Pekin. Fn'st by one 
 of the numerous covered -in carts, which are drawn 
 by mule:, and trundle along in a perfect cloud of 
 dust, which is litti'ally inches thick along the
 
 32 CHINA AND THE TEESENT CEISIS 
 
 roadway ; second, to ride into the city on a donkey ; 
 third, to be carried in a sedan chair by four stalwart 
 Chinamen. I adopted the last-named. The men 
 went along at a swinging pace, and gave a sort of 
 jerky motion to the chair which was not altogether 
 agreeable. They landed me safely at the Hong- 
 Kong and Shanghai Bank where I was put up by 
 Mr. Ilillier in an hour and a quarter, a distance of 
 over five miles. At the end of the first two miles 
 we came to the outer city wall and entered by a gate- 
 way into the Chinese city. After passing through 
 a portion of the city we traversed a broad road 
 with waste ground on each side of it, and beyond 
 it on the right hand was the ' Temple of Heaven ' 
 and on the left the ' Temple of Agriculture,' both in 
 huge walled enclosures. As we passed along the 
 streets the people gazed with considerable curiosity 
 on the 'foreign devil.' Manj^ of the shops have 
 fronts of beautifully carved woodwork. They open 
 on to the street, and large quantities of clothes and 
 other articles which are offered for sale are spread 
 out on the roadway, where they are soon covered 
 with dust. 
 
 We shortly came to the massive wall surround- 
 ing the Tartar city, ^\hich. we entered by a huge 
 gateway, and soon afterwards arrived at Legation 
 Street, in Vv'hich most of the Foreign Legations are 
 situated, and also the Plong-Ivong and Shanghai 
 Bank. 
 
 The population of Pekin is estimai.ed at about 
 700,000. There is no other city like it in the
 
 CLUB AT PEKIN 33 
 
 universe, and, though terribly dirty, it is most 
 interesting. 
 
 On arrival, I found an invitation to dine with 
 Mr. Bax Ironside, H.B.M. Charge d'Afiaires, the 
 same evening. Mr. Hillier took me round to the 
 very cosmopolitan club, where we found lawn tennis 
 in full swing. Some sets were being played by men 
 of four distinct nationalities, who, though they may 
 be fighting each other strenuously in regard to 
 political affairs, still meet in a perfectly friendly 
 way on this neutral ground. The club is situated 
 just within the great wall surrounding the Tartar 
 city. 
 
 Mr. Bredon, Sir Eobert Hart's Assistant Comp- 
 troller of Customs, dined with me at Mr. Bax Iron- 
 side's, and we had a long and animated talk on all 
 the important events that have happened in China 
 during the last two years. 
 
 Before leaving Mr. Hillier's I went into the 
 dining-room, where he was entertaining five Chinese 
 gentlemen at dinner. I was introduced to Hu-Yuen- 
 Meh, the president of the Chinese railways, who 
 was ousted from that position by intrigue largely on 
 account of his friendliness to the English, and re- 
 placed by Chang-Yi, the president now in power. 
 
 VISIT TO MISSION STATION 
 
 The weather was perfect, and, contrary to 
 
 txpectation, not at all unbearably hot. My first 
 
 expedition \\ as in search of the l\ev. Mr. Stonehouse 
 
 at the London Mission, to whom I had a letter of 
 
 D
 
 34 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 introduction from my friend Mr. Albert Spicer, M.P. 
 I was conveyed in one of the ordinary Chinese carts 
 without springs and drawn by a mule. The roads 
 in Pekin, with the exception of Legation Street, 
 are simply in the condition that they have been in 
 for centuries ankle-deep in dust or mud, accord- 
 ing to the weather, and with deep ruts every- 
 where. It was a case not exactly of 'rattle his 
 bones over the stones,' but of ' rattle his bones over 
 the ruts.' I reached my destination in a very sore 
 and battered condition, only to find that I had been 
 brought to the wrong mission btation. Two lady 
 missionaries, however, very kindly undertook to send 
 my letter across the city to Mr. Stonehouse, and to ask 
 him to come and see me at the Hong Kong and 
 Shanghai Bank. They also suggested that if I sat 
 outside the cart on the shaft I should feel the jolt- 
 ing much less, and it was in this fashion that I 
 made the return journey having to hold on pretty 
 tight to avoid being thrown off. 
 
 I left cards on M. de Giers and M. Kroupen- 
 sky at the Kussian Legation, and then called on 
 Mr. Bax Ironside, with whom I s|'ent two hours in 
 the discussion of the political situation. I came 
 away convinced that our representatives out here do 
 all in their power, and that their failure to maintain 
 British rights and interests has been and is largely 
 due to the want of jjroper support and backing on 
 til' pari of Lorl Salisbury, by whose direction every 
 surrender has been made.
 
 DIPLOMATISTS AT PEKIN 35 
 
 INTERVIEW WITH M. KllOUrENSKY 
 
 In the afternoon, M. Kroupcnsky, from the 
 liussian Legation, returned my call, and we had a 
 most lively discussion, lasting two hours and a half, 
 on all the difficulties which have arisen between 
 England and Russia in China. From a Russian 
 standpoint he made an able defence of the action 
 that they have taken in regard to various matters. 
 He spoke English perfectly, and displayed a com- 
 plete knowledge and grasp of every question. He 
 promised me a letter of introduction to the Governor 
 of Port Arthur. 
 
 CALL ox JAPANESE MINISTER 
 
 I next called upon the Japanese Minister, to 
 whom I had a letter of introduction from Viscount 
 Aoki, the Minister of Foreign Ati'airs in Japan. 
 The Minister was out of Pekin, but I saw his First 
 Secretary, with whom I had a long conversation on 
 my experiences in Japan and on tlic political 
 situation generally, both past and present. In 
 common with every other Japanese politician or 
 diplomatist whom I have met, he was full of friendly 
 expressions towards England, and, above everything 
 else, desirous that tliere should be complete co- 
 operation in tlic furtherance of our mutual interests 
 in the Far East. 
 
 THE TARTAR CITY WALL 
 
 My lu:^t expedition for the day was to ascend the 
 great Wall surrounding the Tartar City, and to pass 
 
 D 2
 
 36 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 along the top for a mile or so to the Great Central 
 Pagoda over the main entrance. The view it com- 
 mands is extensive, as Pekin is situated on a 
 perfectly flat plain. The city contains everywhere 
 an abundance of fine timber, and behind this, as 
 a background, runs the range of ^yestern Hills, 
 making Pekin attractive from a scenic point of view. 
 There is, however, practically no drainage whatever, 
 and naturally the smells encountered everywhere, 
 coupled with the filth and dirt, somewhat lessen 
 one's pleasure. I would not, however, on any 
 account, have missed seeing Pekin. The narrow 
 streets, through which one had to pick one's way, 
 were crowded with people pursuing their various 
 avocations and journe3-ing to and fro without a 
 thought, for the most part, of the great world outside 
 their city, and, if I am correctly informed, with few 
 exceptions, in complete ignorance of the political 
 events so vitally affecting their great Empire, which 
 have been occurring in such rapid succession for the 
 last two years. I had heard much of anti-foreign 
 feeling, but though I passed freely along the streets, 
 beyond a certain exhibition of curiosity, I did not 
 see the slightest display of incivility. 
 
 There were numerous donkeys, with jingling bells, 
 astride of which Chinamen, clad in gorgeous raiment 
 and fine linen, sat unconcernedly amidst the jostling 
 crowds in these Chinese thoroughfares. The musical 
 cries of itinerant vendors of various trades, of donkey 
 boys and chair-bearers, fell upon the ear ; and in the 
 night there was the barking of innumerable dogs.
 
 PEKIN WALLS 37 
 
 In winter clouds of dust sweep over Pekin from 
 the Gobi Desert in Mongolia denser, even, and 
 more penetrating than a London fog. 
 
 CITY WALLS, PEKIN 
 
 The Tartar or Inner City, and the Chinese or 
 Outer City, are both surrounded by walls which 
 consist of a stone foundation and two brick walls 
 filled in between with mud. Those of the northern 
 or Tartar city are about 40 feet high ; at the base 
 about 50 feet thick, narrowing to 30 feet at the top 
 and defended by massive buttresses at intervals of 
 300 yards. There are nine gates leading into it, above 
 each of which a pagoda of striking appearance, about 
 100 feet high, is raised; besides these, each gate has 
 on the outside a semi-circular on some gates a square 
 enceinte in which a somewhat smaller pagoda 
 stands opposite to the gate pagoda. The middle gate 
 of the southern side, the Ch'ien-men, or Front Gate, 
 whose enceinte is pierced by three entrances, is much 
 the largest. 
 
 FOEBIDDEN CITY, PEKIX 
 
 Inside the Tartar City is the 'Forbidden City,' 
 where the Imperial Palaces are situated. This is 
 also surrounded by a wall, and no foreigner or 
 Chinaman not occupying a certain official position 
 has been admitted beyond the first building inside the 
 main entrance. There is a mountain of coal just 
 inside the wall, which can be seen from the outside. 
 It has been there 300 years, and is supposed to
 
 38 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 be a reserve stock for use in the Imperial Palaces 
 in any time of siege. The Celestials apparently 
 do not know that after being exposed to the atmo- 
 sphere for 300 years the burning qualities of the 
 material would be gone. 
 
 THE GOVERNMENT OF CHINA 
 
 Next day my first call was upon INIr. Pethick, an 
 American, who is one of the private secretaries of 
 Li-Hung-Chang. He informed me that the Board 
 of Foreign Affairs, known as the Tsung-li-Yamen, has 
 really no executive power. They hear statements 
 of cases, and then report through their president to 
 the Grand Council of State, which consists of about 
 ten members. This council considers various ques- 
 tions, and attaches to the documents relating to each 
 case a piece of red paper, on which their decision is 
 written. If they do not arrive at a unanimous con- 
 clusion, then the opinions of those dissenting are also 
 stated. The members of the Grand Council go to 
 the Imperial Palace every morning at daybreak, and 
 are received in audience by the Empress Dowager. 
 All the documents relating to the affairs of State are 
 then submitted, one by one, for the approval, or 
 otherwise, of the Empress Dowager. She signifies 
 her approval by making a small spot on the margin 
 of the red paper with one of the brushes with which 
 tlie Chinese write. In the absence of this indica- 
 tion of sanction on her part the matter falls to the 
 ground, and her power is absolute and final. 
 
 Members of the Grand Coiincil, and also of
 
 A BEITISH BLUNDER 39 
 
 the Tsung-li-Yamen, are appointed solely by the 
 Empress, and one and all are liable to instant dis- 
 missal by her. The Grand Council is really the 
 Government or Cabinet of the country, and is, as a 
 rule, mainly composed of those who preside over the 
 Boards controlling the various departments of State. 
 The deposed 3'oung Emperor occasionally sits be- 
 side the Empress Dowager when she receives her 
 iNIinisters. 
 
 DEPOSITION OF THE EMPEROR 
 
 A most serious blunder, far-reaching in its con- 
 sequences, was made by the British Government 
 when they tamely allowed the deposition of the 
 Emperor in 1898 and the usurpation of the throne 
 by the Empress Dowager. The young Emperor was 
 undoubtedly in favour of reform and the opening of 
 China to trade, whilst the Empress Dowager is 
 reactionary and anti-foreign. Under her rule the 
 most unenlightened, corrupt, and anti-foreign place- 
 hunters are in ofhce. 
 
 The way in which the British Minister not only 
 acquiesced in the coup d'etat, but actually arranged 
 with the Empress Dowager to give a reception to 
 ladies of the British and other Legations, was a 
 scandal. 
 
 This proceeding gave an emphatic official sanc- 
 tion to the removal of the Emperor and the assump- 
 tion of his position by the Empress Dowager. It 
 encouraged anti-foreign feeling and discouraged the 
 party of reform.
 
 40 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 The policy pursued is responsible for the lives 
 of scores of the most patriotic Chinese reformers 
 which were sacrificed ; it enabled the reactionary 
 elements in the country to triumph, and dealt a heavy 
 blow at the reform movement. 
 
 A substantial majority of the inhabitants of 
 China are opposed to the Manchu Dynasty now 
 ruling the Empire. The Manchus, however, being a 
 more warlike race, dominate the Chinese by Manchu 
 garrisons stationed at various centres throughout 
 the Empire. 
 
 Kow that the trend of events is in the direction 
 of the absorption by Eussia of Manchu populations 
 in Manchuria and the North of China, it is not im- 
 probable that the Chinese may ultimately succeed 
 in throwing off the yoke of the Manchus and setting 
 up a purely Chinese Government. 
 
 Meantime it is certain that the Chinese reformers 
 of the South would favour the restoration of the 
 rightful Emperor rather than the continuance in 
 power of the Empress Dowager. 
 
 PEKIN EUNUCHS 
 
 I am told that the eunuchs at the Palace, of 
 whom there are about 200, practically rule China. 
 They have acquired great influence over the Empress 
 Dowager. It is said that official appointments and 
 concessions can only be got by bribing the Eunuchs. 
 The Eunuchs and those in command of the military 
 forces are said to share the ' squeezes,' which they 
 would lose were administrative reforms introduced.
 
 PRINCE CHING 41 
 
 INTERVIEW WITH PEINCE CHIXG 
 
 I paid another visit to the British Legation, and 
 had a further conversation with the Charge d'Affaires 
 in the ahsence of Sir Claude Macdonald. Mr. Bax 
 Ironside had forwarded on the previous day a letter 
 of introduction from Lord Charles Beresford to 
 Prince Ching, a Prince of the Imperial family of 
 China and President of the Tsung-li-Yamen, and the 
 reply came that His Highness would be pleased to 
 give me an audience at the Yamen at three o'clock 
 in the afternoon. At that hour I was at the entrance 
 of the Yamen, and was ceremoniously conducted 
 into an audience hall, where I found a round table 
 covered with fruit, biscuits, and sweets. Prince 
 Ching's interpreter, who spoke fairly good English, 
 came and chatted to me along with three members 
 of the Tsung-li-Y''amen. He explained that His 
 Highness was being interviewed by the Italian 
 Minister, but that he would not be detained long. 
 In a very few minutes Prince Ching came into the 
 audience hall, and I was presented to him. 
 
 We at once took seats round the table, and tea 
 and Chinese wines were served. Our conversation was 
 of the most interesting and pleasant character. The 
 Prince appeared to be an honest and straightforward 
 man, and put some very pertinent questions. The 
 hall in which the audience took place was a large 
 square room with an overhanging roof, and had a 
 verandah all round it ; the windows were filled with 
 loaded panes, reminding me of church casements. 
 The roof was of carved and brightly painted wood-
 
 42 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 work. Three other members of the Tsung-li-Yamen 
 sat at the same table with Prince Ching and myself ; 
 their secretaries occupied seats on a sort of couch, 
 which ran all round the room, fixed to the wall ; 
 whilst other attendants stood and listened to what 
 was said. This is usual at such audiences, and the 
 fact that so many individuals hear everything, even 
 at the most important interviews, accounts for the 
 impossibility of keeping anything secret that transpires 
 at the Tsung-li-Yamen in regard to political or other 
 affairs. 
 
 I urged upon His Highness that the only hope 
 of averting the partition of China lay in : 
 
 First. The prompt settlement of all outstanding 
 differences with England and other powers. 
 
 Second. A resolute refusal of concessions violat- 
 ing the Treaty rights of other nations. 
 
 Third. The seeking the assistance of English, 
 Japanese, and American officers in the immediate 
 re-organisation of her military and naval forces. 
 
 His Highness expressed his hearty approval of 
 the line of policy which I advocated, and stated that 
 it would receive his serious consideration. 
 
 Prince Ching made most friendly references to 
 England. He said he had always regarded her as 
 the friend of China, but had been greatly disappointed 
 at the refusal of the necessary support to the Chinese 
 Grovernment to enable them to resist the demands of 
 other Powers which involved violations of the Treaty 
 of Tientsin. 
 
 The audience lasted nearly an hour.
 
 LI-HUNG-CriANG 43 
 
 INTERVIEW WITH LI-IIUNG-CIIANG 
 
 I next proceeded to Li-Hunf;-Chang's private 
 residence, where I found Mr. Pethick, who had 
 arranged the interview, awaiting me. I was soon 
 face to face with the great Chinaman who has played 
 so important a part in the affairs of China during 
 the last half-century. He was associated closely with 
 Gordon in overcoming the Taiping Rebellion, and 
 has from time to time held some of the highest official 
 positions in China. He represented his country on 
 a most important mission to Europe, visiting in the 
 course of it practically all the European Courts, 
 where he was received with every mark of distinction. 
 It was he who settled the terms of peace with the 
 ^larquis Ito at Shimonoseki. Many people openly 
 accuse him of having sold his country into the 
 hands of Ixussia. As to the truth of this I know 
 nothing, but I found it extremely interesting to 
 meet so notable a man, whose ability and shrewd- 
 ness arc undoubted. His Excellency asked me a 
 great many questions, some of them of an almost 
 impertinently inquisitive character ; but, on the 
 other hand, he made many inquiries about political 
 and commercial affairs which revealed how complete 
 a grasp he had of the present situation. 
 
 I urged upon him the necessity for adopting, as 
 tlie one means of preventing the partition of China, 
 the policy which I had submitted for the con- 
 sideration of His Highness Prince Ching, and Li- 
 1 lung-Chang expressed his strong approval of my
 
 44 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 suggestions. He stated that if they could be carried 
 out he was prepared to devote the remainder of his 
 Hfe to the service of his country. Faihng this, he 
 considered the situation hopeless, and would remain 
 in retirement. Mr. Pethick proved a most excellent 
 interpreter, and my conversation was carried on with 
 wonderful ease, though neither of us could speak a 
 word of each other's language. 
 
 It is usual for Chinamen to be polite enough to 
 profess to agree with whatever those who interview 
 them say. It was, therefore, impossible to know 
 whether these distinguished men really agreed with 
 what I urged upon them or not. 
 
 The reason why I pressed the importance of 
 endeavouring to secure the assistance of English, 
 Japanese, and American military officers in the 
 reorganisation of their military force, is that I do 
 not approve of depriving the Chinese of their coimtry, 
 as some of the European Powers have done, but, 
 if possible, wish to give them such help as will 
 make them a strong and self-governing nation. 
 
 On my return to the Hong-Kong and Shanghai 
 Bank from my audience with Li-Hung-Chang, I 
 found two missionaries, Mr. Stonehouse and Mr. 
 Pees, waiting to see me. The following is a sum- 
 mary of the information given me by ^Mr. Pees in 
 regard to missions in a district within two hundred 
 miles of Pekin.
 
 RELIGIOUS BELIEFS 45 
 
 EELIGION 
 
 As a rule, the Chinese care very little for their 
 gods, and seldom pray to them except in time of 
 trouble. Mr. Eees on one occasion happened to 
 meet in the temple a man whose mother was 
 seriously ill. He vowed to the god that if his 
 mother was cured he would pay so much money to 
 the temple. This man was fifty years of age, had a 
 large family, and had not worshipped before this 
 occasion for eighteen years. Mr. Eees gave another 
 instance of Chinese seeking the assistance of their 
 gods in the following anecdote of a man he met 
 sixteen years ago. This man had propelled himself 
 on all fours from Pekin to Tsi-nan, in the Province 
 of Shantung, and back again, a distance of about 1,060 
 miles, to make a vow to a god that he would pay 
 all he possessed if his father was cured of a certain 
 disease called Tanza (paralysis). The Chinese spend 
 enormous sums of mono}' in superstitious obser- 
 vances, and in Mr. Kees's district (Chi-Chou) the 
 usual subscription for each family to the local bonzes 
 is about 10 tiao {10s. ) per year. 
 
 At Chi-Chou there were 1,500 converts, the 
 result of twelve years' work. Last year the number 
 of Christian churches built by the natives was 44. 
 The majority of the people are small farmers own- 
 ing from 2 to 8 mow of land per family (0 mow 
 equals 1 acre). 
 
 Last year Mr. Lees baptised about 800 in his 
 church, who contributed 2.^. 2d. a head, in addition
 
 46 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 to which they supported schools. One man about 
 55 years of age, with neither wife, family, nor 
 relatives, employed as a scavenger, who had saved 
 in five or six years the sum of 325., gave the whole 
 amount to the new church. 
 
 The Chinese women are more devotional than 
 the men. It is with the former that the hope of the 
 Church lies. Mrs. Eees has about 250 Chinese 
 women under her charge. The Chinese men osten- 
 sibly look down upon the women, but, after all, 
 the latter control the families. 
 
 Mr. Kees mentioned an interesting story told 
 by one of his deacons about the penance done by a 
 Chinese member of a secret society. This society 
 is known as the ' One Piece Incense.' The un- 
 fortunate member had knelt on chains for two hours 
 a day for eighteen years, and, of course, was crippled 
 for life. 
 
 On one occasion an official invited himself to 
 stay with Mr. Eees for three days to discuss 
 Christianity. His chief topic was the immortality 
 of the soul, and he was also convinced that one wife 
 was the correct thing. As a result of the discussion 
 he resigned office and retired to his ancestral home, 
 saying he could not be an official and a Christian at 
 the same time. 
 
 Ancestral worship is general all over the country. 
 During tlie first moon and a certain day in the 
 second moon every family worships at the family 
 altar and the family grave, and this practice may be 
 said to be almost universal.
 
 THE BOXERS 47 
 
 SECRET SOCIETIES 
 
 The members of a Secret Society called the 
 ' United Boxers,' in a fif:jht with Catholics, killed 
 seven. They also attacked the London Mission, 
 which was surrounded by about 300 of them. 
 When the converts heard of it, over 100 of them 
 collected all the arms they could find to defend the 
 mission. They put all the ladies and children in 
 one house, where they were kept for three days and 
 nights. The mission claimed the protection of the 
 local official, but this was refused. An appeal was 
 then made to the Consul in Tientsin, and the Vice- 
 roy sent a special commissioner. It appeared that the 
 leader of the gang was a cousin of the local official. 
 And this explained why the latter was unwilling to act. 
 
 The officials are almost boimd to retain for their 
 own use some portion of the revenue passing through 
 their hands. Mr. Eees said the Governor of his 
 county receives a salary of only 180/. per annum, 
 but his establishment costs at least 5,000/. per annum, 
 and the difference is raised by extortion. 
 
 Officials are paid in taels. The tael in this district 
 is equivalent to 2,000 cc^pper cash, but the official 
 charges 5,100 copper casli per tael. The people have 
 to pay in copper cash, th(; difference going into the 
 official's pocket. The Governor gave 20,000 taels in 
 order to get the nppoiiitment. It is difficult to learn 
 much abottt the Chinese in cities. Mr. Eees said he 
 If a.rnt more in six months in the country than he 
 did in six vcars in Pekin.
 
 48 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CRISIS 
 
 MR. HILLIER 
 
 Mr. Hillier, the manager of the Hong-Kong and 
 Shanghai Bank inPekin, who has been in China for 
 many years, is said to speak the language like a 
 native. He enjoys the confidence of many of the 
 most enlightened and able Chinamen to an unusual 
 extent, and has channels of information which make 
 him one of the best -informed men as to what is 
 actually transpiring from day to day in Pekin. He 
 informed me that it is undoubted that a defensive 
 alliance between Japan and China was almost 
 brought about. The Empress Dowager, who was 
 at one time favourable to Eussia, became alarmed 
 by their excessive demands. She and Prince Ching 
 were in favour of seeking the co-operation of Japan 
 in the maintenance of their mutual interests as 
 against Ilussia. The eunuchs and certain Manchus 
 who share the ' squeezes ' which are obtainable as 
 things now stand, strongly opposed. This opposi- 
 tion, and the distinct intimation to the Chinese 
 Government by Eussia that they would regard such 
 an alliance as an unfriendly act, which would surely 
 be followed with serious consequences to China, 
 caused the negotiations to fall through. 
 
 Mr. Hillier held very strong views as to the 
 disastrous effect upon British interests in China 
 which had followed the want of a firm and definite 
 policy unswervingly pursued on the part of the 
 British Government. He regarded the loss of 
 prcstigti and influence with the Chinese Government
 
 A FIRM POLICY 49 
 
 as the result of a succession of humiliatiug 
 surrenders. Pie was of opinion that the adoption 
 of a firm and vigorous pohcy, in concert if possible 
 with those powers who do not desire the partition 
 of China, is imperatively necessary if the position is 
 to be retrieved.
 
 50 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 CHAPTEK III 
 
 BRITISH TEADE AND BRITISH NEGLECT 
 IN CHINA 
 
 On August 31 I left Pekin for Tientsin. 
 
 ENGLISH SETTLEMENT, TIENTSIN 
 
 The English settlement of Tientsin has a muni- 
 cipal council which looks after sanitary affairs, light- 
 ing, etc., exactly as at home. The freehold of the 
 settlement is the property of the British Crown, 
 which has merely granted leases to the present occu- 
 piers. In sixty years' time, unless the leases are 
 renewed, the whole of the palatial property within 
 the settlement will belong to the British Govern- 
 ment without any payment on its part. The 
 Britishers have, therefore, come out to this far- 
 away part of the earth and settled upon land actually 
 belonging to the British Government. The residents 
 are very enterprising. They have taxed themselves 
 not only with the cost of providing a public garden 
 and the erection of a commodious town hall, but 
 they are also subscribing a large sum of money for 
 the piu'pose of deepening the Pei Eiver by closing
 
 TEADE OF TIENTSIN 51 
 
 up numerous canals. One great hindrance to trade 
 at Tientsin is the bar at the mouth of the river. 
 This could easily be removed, but the Chinese 
 Government object on the ground that it is a 
 protection against the entrance of foreign ships of 
 war. 
 
 TRADE OF TIENTSIN 
 
 The total value of the trade of Tientsin in 1898 
 was 10,945,008Z. I85. 
 
 The net total of the foreign imports, which in- 
 clude very large quantities of British goods the 
 products of British labour in 1898 amounted to 
 4,886,927/. 2s. 
 
 The tonnage of vessels entered and cleared in 
 1896 was 1,377,116 tons. Out of this, British 
 shipping amounted to no less than 571,486 tons. 
 Yet I was assured by every man I met in Tientsin, 
 regardless of political parties -and the principal 
 merchants there all met me at dinner on my arrival 
 that the British Government are not supporting 
 and maintaining British rights and interests in 
 North China. They stated that our prestige and 
 influence with the Chinese Government which 
 was all-powerful only five years ago has vanished. 
 To-day the only chance of a British subject securing 
 the redress of a grievance or the settlement of a dis- 
 pute is to pay some foreigner to take over the trans- 
 action and deal with the Chinese Government 
 through the representative here of their own nation. 
 
 The merchants of Tientsin are perfectly prepared 
 
 E 2
 
 52 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CRISIS 
 
 to construct a railway from Pekin to Kalgan, 
 through the Nan-Kou Pass^ which is the principal 
 outlet through a range of mountains from Mongolia 
 and Kan Suh, by which the wool, skins, and general 
 produce can be brought to Tientsin. In return 
 Manchester piece goods and other British manu- 
 factures would be taken. Our merchants informed 
 the British authorities of their desire to under- 
 take this work, only to be told that Eussia 
 objected, as Kalgan was on the Great Wall. The 
 Anglo-Eussian Agreement proposed to deal with 
 Manchuria only, but I find that in reality it ex- 
 cludes the British, and hands over to the Eussians 
 not only Manchuria but Mongolia, a huge tract in 
 the Province of Chihli and the Province of Sin Kiang 
 or Eastern Turkestan. This enormous surrender of 
 British trade rights and interests has been made 
 without our receiving what could be considered 
 compensating advantages in other directions. I can 
 only conclude that, as in the case of Sin-Ming-Ting, 
 the knowledge of geography on the part of the 
 Eoreign Office was so defective that they were 
 unaware of what Eussia was obtaining under the 
 expression ' Xorth of the Great "Wall of China ' 
 when they allowed these words to be inserted in the 
 agreement in substitution for the one word Man- 
 churia which was the sphere named by Eussia 
 when the negotiations began. 
 
 Our Government do not appear to have even asked 
 for the recognition by Eussia of similar preferential 
 riizhts for En^rland in Thibet, which is the only
 
 RUSSIAN INTEIGUES 53 
 
 territory now intervening between the Eussian 
 sphere and our Indian Empire. 
 
 The declared object of the Anglo-Eussian A.grec- 
 nient was to avoid cause of conflict wliore the 
 interests of Ivussia and Engkmd meet in China, and 
 yet no provision whatever is made in it in regard to 
 the enormous area south of the Great Wall and 
 north of the Yang-tsze basin. 
 
 It accords Russia the exclusive right to construct 
 railways north of the Great AVall and professes to 
 confer a similar exclusive right on England in the 
 Yang-tsze basin, but the agreement had already been 
 l)roken by Russia's still concealed although well- 
 known interest in the Pckin-IIankow Line, which 
 will penetrate right down into the heart of the Yang- 
 tsze basin. 
 
 RUSSIAN INTRIGUES 
 
 During the day of my arrival I had interviews 
 with the British Consul and various merchants, and 
 in llie evening I met Mr. Kinder, the chief engineer 
 of the Xowchwang Railway Extension Line, whose 
 dismissal the Russians have worked so hard to secure. 
 He is being intrigued and plotted against both at 
 home and abroad l^y Russian agents, for, with his 
 removal, the hindrances to the absorption of the 
 Newcliwang Extension Lino, which is being con- 
 structi,d with Rritish capital, would be practically 
 gone. Tlie acquisition of this railway would give 
 Russia control not only of Maiichuria, but of Rckin
 
 54 CHINA AND THE PBESENT CEISIS 
 
 and the whole North of China, and enable her to 
 strangle British trade. 
 
 Mr. Kinder tells me that the whole of the rails 
 required for the railways under his management come 
 from England and Scotland, as well as the locomo- 
 tives when our manufacturers can undertake to 
 execute his orders and thousands of wheels and 
 axles are made in Sheffield by the Patent Shaft and 
 Axle Co., Peach Steel and Tozer, and the Low 
 Moor Company. 
 
 THIP UP SHAN-HAI-KWAN-NEWCIIWANG RAILWAY 
 
 September 1. I left Tientsin this morning in a 
 private car on a three days' expedition up the rail- 
 way which is being built by British capital north of 
 Shan-hai-Kwan. My host, Mr. Cousins, saw me off 
 and made most kind arrangements in the matter of 
 provisioning, for there were no hotels in the district 
 through which I was going, and we had to take our 
 supplies of food with us. The first stopping-place 
 after leaving Tong-ku was Lutai. 
 
 At and around Lutai is a large Chinese military 
 camp. Each regiment had a distinct camp enclosed 
 by mud walls, around which gay flags were flying, 
 the flags of each regiment being different in colour 
 and design. As the Chinese General Yang was 
 leaving by the train, guns were fired on his depar- 
 ture, and a crowd of officers escorted him to the 
 platform. The men were of splendid physique, 
 and looked equal to anything if they were only 
 properly trained and armed. I took several snap-
 
 COAL MINES 55 
 
 shots of them with my kodak, which they quite 
 enjoyed. The officers stood in a row facing tlie 
 reserved car which the General occupied. He came 
 out on to the platform before the train left, and the 
 officers gave the 'kow-tow,' that is, bowed down 
 so that their heads practically touched their knees, 
 repeatedly to him. The General acknowledged tlic 
 salutations in the same fashion. He was on his way 
 to Kinchow to clear the country of bands of robbers 
 known as ' hung-hood-se ' (redbeards). It is said 
 that these robbers are the best fighting men in 
 China, and that they can beat overwhelming numbers 
 of troops. 
 
 COAL MIXING IN CHINA 
 
 Thirty miles further on we came to Tongshan, 
 the district where magnesian limestone shows itself 
 and under which are coal measures. The Kaiping 
 collieries close by are the principal collieries of China. 
 They produced 732,000 tons in 1898. At the 
 Tongshan Mines the output was 470,000 tons, whilst 
 at Linsi Colliery, about twelve miles away, 262,000 
 tons were brought to bank making a total of 
 1,464,000 tons. The output of the Kaiping Collieries 
 has gone down very much this year (1899) owing to the 
 mines having been robbed previously. They have hiid 
 a great influx of water, which is likely to cause serious 
 difficulties. The greater part of the coal they pro- 
 duce is so inferior in quality that Mr. Kinder the 
 chief engineer of the railways has been trying to
 
 56 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CRISIS 
 
 get consent to use Cardiff coal, at any rate for the 
 express trains. 
 
 At Tongshan there are railway works, where 
 they make their own carriages and put together 
 locomotives and other engineering work im- 
 ported. 
 
 Chung-hou-So, which is forty miles outside the 
 Great Wall of China, through which the railway 
 passes, is 214 miles from Tientsin. The country 
 traversed is practically level ; there is not a single 
 tunnel. The railway track was in excellent order, and 
 the travelling most comfortable. The plain on each 
 side of the railway the whole way was covered with 
 excellent crops of what the Chinese call ' kaoliang ' a 
 kind of millet, also known as brown rice. It grows 
 often ten to twelve feet high. The grain is the 
 principal food of the people. The stalks, which 
 partake of the nature of bamboo, are used for a 
 variety of purposes, including fencing, roofing of 
 houses, etc. ; whilst the roots are dried and used as 
 fuel. The kaoliang was in all its harvest glory, and 
 stretching as it did for miles and miles under brilliant 
 sunshine, the rich brown golden shades were very 
 beautiful. The plain has a background of fine 
 broken rocky hills, which adds greatly to the beauty 
 and picturcsqucness of the scenery. The inhabitants 
 also grow beans, sweet potatoes, indigo, and tobacco, 
 whilst near Chang-li is a rich fruit-growing district, 
 producing in the open air excellent grapes, apples, 
 apricots, peaches, and plums. 
 
 At Chang-li a crowd of fruit vendors besieged the
 
 EAILWAY MATEKIxVL 57 
 
 train, and three to four pounds of excellent grapes 
 were obtainable for 2Ul. 
 
 There were here and there isolated hills rising 
 up out of tlu! plain, the strata of which was tilted 
 at a considerable angle evidently due to volcanic 
 action. 
 
 At Lang Chou we crossed a splendidly con- 
 structed iron railway bridge over 700 yards in length. 
 The whole of the girders for this and other bridges 
 on this railway have come from England and Scot- 
 land. Some people say that it does not matter 
 whether the railways are constructed in China by 
 Britishers or by Kussians, French or Germans. It 
 is only, however, in the case of this railway over 
 which I was travelling, and which is Ijeing laid 
 down with British capital, that the products of 
 British labour can be employed, but this is only 
 done if they can be got on as favourable terms 
 from England as from other nations. AA'e thus 
 deal justly by the Chinese people in enabling them 
 to buy what they require in the best and cheapest 
 market in marked contrast to the action of Bussia, 
 France, and Germany, who insist upon having the 
 railways f{U' which they have obtained concessions, 
 constructed entirely of materials bought from the 
 country of the concessionnaires irrespective of 
 whether or not they can be obtained more cheaply 
 elsewhere. 
 
 i\Iost of the ofticials superintending the construc- 
 tion of the extension part of the line, and working 
 the portion already opened, are Britishers. The
 
 58 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 engine-drivers of express trains are also British, and 
 receive 181. a month w^ages. If the chief engineer 
 had a free hand he would employ many more British 
 engine drivers, but the Chinese Government prevent 
 this. The Russians, French, and Germans have 
 in connection with the railways they lay down 
 absolute control both in the construction and in 
 the working of the lines after they are completed, 
 and can employ as many of their own countrymen 
 as they choose on the railway as engine-drivers 
 or otherwise. 
 
 Lord Salisbury allowed the terms which were 
 imposed upon us in connection with the New- 
 chwang Extension Eailway to be dictated by Eussia, 
 who, on the other hand, enjoys in connection with 
 the railways she is building absolute power to do 
 whatever she pleases. 
 
 Nearly all the towns passed were surrounded by 
 high stone walls, turreted on the top. 
 
 At Shan-hai-Kwan we saw the Great Wall of 
 China, stretching right up over precipitous mountains 
 1,000 to 1,500 feet high. It seems almost incredible 
 that it could have been constructed. 
 
 On reaching Chung-hou-So, the furthermost 
 point north to which the railway is yet opened for 
 passenger traffic, I was conveyed on a trolly two 
 miles further up the line to the house of the resident 
 engineer (Mr. Newmarch). The trolly was propelled 
 at a remarkable speed by four Chinamen, who stood 
 on it working handles which were attached to the 
 wheels by a crank shaft. When we came to an
 
 PEI-TAI-HO 59 
 
 obstrnction on the line they hfted the trolley bodily 
 off and carried it past the block. While doing so 
 they uttered musical cries in order to mark time 
 so that they might keep step. Chinamen invariably 
 adopt this custom in their vocations. I dined with 
 the Newmarches ; the nearest European to them lives 
 fifteen miles away, so that they don't often have 
 visitors, and naturally that made my welcome all 
 the warmer. After dinner I returned to my com- 
 fortable railway car at the station, and at six o'clock 
 the next morning started on the return journey. It 
 was quite cold in the night, and in the morning 
 the crisp air felt very much the same as it does 
 at home on a September morning, 
 
 PEI-TAI-HO 
 
 On reaching Pei-tai-ho I found a ' chit ' from Mr. 
 Mackintosh, the manager of the Hong-Kong and 
 Shanghai Bank at Tientsin, placing a pony and a 
 boy at my disposal. I first rode over to Eocky Point, 
 five miles away the new Eastern Settlement at the 
 edge of the sea. This and the Western Settlement 
 have sprung up in the last three years. There are 
 quite a number of pretty villas, to which Europeans 
 come in the hot weather, to enjoy the fresh sea 
 breezes. It was a most delightful ride along a track 
 lined by magnificent crops of ripe millet or kaoliang, 
 with an occasional cluster of trees and a picturesque 
 hamlet of Chinese houses. The inhabitants were 
 busily engaged threshing out grain by what was to 
 me a new method. They form a level floor of mud^
 
 60 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CEISIS 
 
 which dries as hard as cement ; this is covered with 
 ears of grain, and a stone roller drawn round and 
 round by a donkey on the top of the grain squeezes 
 it out of the ears. They weie also grinding the 
 grain ready for making it into food by revolving a 
 stone roller over a flat millstone, instead of revolving 
 a flat millstone on another flat millstone. 
 
 BAEON VON KETTELEE 
 
 I first called upon the German Minister, Baron 
 Yon Ketteler, who received me most courteously. We 
 had an interesting talk on the situation in China, in 
 the course of which reference was made, with mutual 
 satisfaction, to the fact that the Germans and 
 English have arranged to jointly construct the Tien- 
 tsin-Chin Kiang Railway. Baron Von Ketteler 
 also assured me of his desire that the relations 
 between England and Germany should grow more 
 and more friendly, and that the two nations might 
 be able to co-operate in furtherance of our mutual 
 interests, not only in the Far East but elsewhere. 
 His sympathies, next to the Teutonic race, he said, 
 were strongly Anglo-Saxon. He expressed the 
 opinion that, in order to give any chance of the 
 creation in China of a strong and independent 
 government, it would be necessary, in the first 
 place, to put an end to the corruption and bribery 
 which is almost universal amongst the official classes. 
 I suggested that it was desirable that Germany 
 should, in addition to developing the Province of 
 Shantung, also include in her sphere the whole
 
 SIR ROBERT HART Gl 
 
 watershed of the Yellow Eiver. I explained that 1 
 did not mean that the country should be taken from 
 the Chinese, but that they should be assisted in the 
 development of it for the mutual advantage of the 
 Chinese and of other nations. 
 
 SIE ROBEllT HART 
 
 I then rode a further three miles along the sea 
 coast westward to the residence of Sir liobert Hart, 
 the head of the Imperial Chinese Customs, who gave 
 me a cordial welcome and insisted on my being his 
 guest. Sir Eobert Hart had been more than forty 
 years in China as the head of the one department 
 which is free from corruption, and which pays into the 
 Chinese Exchequer the full amount of the duties col- 
 lected on foreign imports. He spoke in the highest 
 terms of the Chinese, and is absolutely devoted to 
 their interests. He favoured the collection of likin 
 l)y his department, provided arrangements were made 
 for the proper payment of Chinese officials, and for 
 the provincial treastiries receiving an adequate pro- 
 portion of the revenues. Should, as seems only 
 too probable, the Chinese have murdered their loyal 
 friend and old faitliful servant, they will be guilty of 
 an act of the basest ingratititde. 
 
 ClilX WANG TAO 
 
 There is a point on the coast of the Gulf of 
 Pechili, about twelve miles from Pei-tai-ho, Ching 
 wan tao, which the British Government got opened 
 as a treaty port, proclaiming this as a most important
 
 62 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CRISIS 
 
 achievement in the interests of British commerce. 
 To my astonishment, however, I found there neither 
 port nor natm'al harbour, and no resident population 
 whatever. It is merely an open bay surrounded by 
 sandbanks. There are some who say it will prove 
 an open-all-the-year-round port, whilst Newchwang 
 and Tientsin are frozen up several months in the 
 year, and that collieries will be opened close by, the 
 produce of which will be shipped there. 
 
 PEI-TAI-HO TO TOXG-KU 
 
 The next morning I started at 6.30 and had a 
 most enjoyable ride on a donkey over the hills and 
 through the millet fields to Pei-tai-ho station, and 
 at one o'clock was at Tong-Ku, ready to go on 
 board w^hatever steamer was available for Chefoo. 
 On the way down we again took in supplies of fruit 
 at Chang-li, and I got a party of four Europeans who 
 were in the train into my car. We ' pooled ' our 
 respective provisions and had quite an enjoyable 
 luncheon party. The climate of this district, I learn, 
 is one of the best in the world, and certainly the 
 Europeans looked in splendid health, and the 
 Chinese themselves are a sturdy, active race. The 
 more I see of the Chinese the better I like them. 
 
 A LUCKY CHOICE 
 
 On arrival at Tong-Ku, the Chinese compradores 
 of both Messrs. Jardine, Matheson, & Co. and Messrs. 
 Butterfield & Swire met me at the station to give 
 me their assistance in embarking on board their
 
 EIVAL COMPEADOEES 63 
 
 respective steamers. The arrangement had been 
 that I should take the first steamer, and this I could 
 not decide until I got the information from the 
 captains. I went on board the nearest boat, Messrs. 
 Jardine & Matheson's ' El Dorado,' first, and had 
 not been there more than five minutes when a tug 
 boat arrived alongside with Messrs. Butterfield & 
 Swire's comprador on board, anxious to take me off 
 to the ' Chung King,' bag and baggage. It was quite 
 amusing to see the alertness of these men, and 
 their determination, if possible, to induce me to 
 travel by the particular steamer in which they were 
 interested. It was a fair sample of the commercial 
 qualities of the Chinaman. As both steamers were 
 leaving by the same tide, and I had made the 
 acquaintance of Captain Tamplin, a most excellent 
 and trustworthy otHccr, I decided to remain on board 
 the ' El Dorado.' We started about midnight, and 
 were only able to cross the Taku bar by ploughing 
 a furrow at least a foot deep through the soft mud. 
 
 The weather had been delightfully fine up to the 
 time of starting, but a sudden squall came on and 
 l)oth ship, passengers, and baggage were pitched 
 about unmercifully for several hours. The next day 
 the sea went down rapidly, and with perfect weather 
 wo made good progress. 
 
 I had, I am afraid, a sense of satisfaction in the 
 selection of the boat which I had made on hearincr 
 that the other steamer had stuck fast upon the Taku 
 bar and been left twelve hours behind. 
 
 ^^'e reached Chefoo safely, where I disembarked.
 
 G4 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CRISIS 
 
 CHAPTER lA^ 
 
 A VISIT TO WEIHALWEI 
 
 Messrs. Jardine, Matheson, & Co.'s agent at Che- 
 foo very kindly agreed that the ' El Dorado ' which 
 was starting in a few hours for Shanghai should go 
 into Wei-hai-Wei and put me ashore. Our Consul 
 (Mr. Sundyus) was kind enough to telegraph to Capt. 
 Gaunt, the Commissioner at Wei-hai-Wei, to expect 
 me. The weather was perfect, and we had a most 
 delightful run of a little over four hours along the coast 
 to AYei-hai-AYei. AVe passed through the western 
 deep-water inlet into the wide bay within. It was 
 sunset the lights and shades and colouring of the 
 bay and the hills around were most beautiful. 
 AA^hen about an hour off AA^ei-hai-AA'ei, we saw a 
 curious storm whirling over that place, and on 
 landing I learnt there had been a remarkable 
 waterspout. It was estimated to be at least 1,000 
 feet high, and 100 feet in diameter. AYe came 
 closer into the shore than when I passed AYei-hai- 
 AYei bound for Chefoo, and I now discovered fiiat 
 there were considerable fishing villages along the 
 coast, and that the land, which is cultivated in 
 terraces, is more fertile than I had imagined.
 
 THE KOWSIIIXG AFFAIR Go 
 
 AN INCIDENT OF THE CHINO-JAPANESE WAR 
 
 Capt. Tamplin of the ' El Dorado ' was first ofticcr 
 on board the British steamer ' Kowshinr^,' whii'h 
 was sunk by the Japanese, wit]i l,oOO soldiers on 
 board, as practically the first act of war on the part 
 (if Japan. This was done althou::h tlic ' I\owshin<4 ' 
 ^\as flying the British flag, after she liad Inion givi;n 
 nn opportunity to surrender. The cajitain, laiov> ine: 
 th.ere was no escape, was prepared to surrender, but 
 the Chinese soldiers on board would not allow it. 
 They preferred that the ship should be sunk and 
 their lives lost there and then, rather than be sub- 
 jectL'd to the tortures which they themselves are in 
 the habit of inflicting upon prisoners, and which 
 tht, y im;igined would l;c their fate if they fell alive 
 into tlte Ivmds of tlie J;ip;inese. Capt. T.-iUiphn 
 told us that the ' Kowshing ' was not torpedoi;d, ;is 
 lias been currently reported, but sunlv by shot aiul 
 shidl. The captain himself and General Von Jlaii- 
 neken wcyc the only ICuropeun survivors. Tlu'}- 
 saved their lives by plunging nito tlie sea and 
 swimming to the Japanese man-('f-^var. AMiilst 
 they were tlin.h (. ndcavouring to escape, the Chimse 
 ;-olrliers on bnard their own steamer trit d t(.) sh'jot 
 ihr-m, under the impre.-.iion t^iat their e.ijiiure hud 
 1)1 (U effected tliruugh the lu'ibery of [iic Briti.-dT 
 olticers by the Japanese. The elami which was 
 made by the British Government on th Chinese 
 Guvernment fijr the valuc^ of the steamer and for 
 
 F
 
 66 CHINA AND THE PKESENT CRISIS 
 
 coiijpensation for the Britishers on board who lost 
 their Hves or property has not yet been paid. 
 
 WEI-HAI-WEI 
 
 The ' El Dorado ' dropped anchor directly oppo- 
 site Capt. Gaunt's (the Commissioner's) residence, 
 which is in a picturesque and attractive square 
 of buildings, with several courtyards inside. These 
 were used by the Chinese when in occupation of this 
 place as the Naval Eeception Yamen. 
 
 The Chinese town of Wei-hai-AVei is on the 
 mainland, and it is on the inland side of the island 
 Lm-Kung-tau (' tau ' being Chinese for island), 
 which is two and a quarter miles long and three- 
 quarters of a mile in -width, that the new Wei-hai- 
 Wei is situjited. At the western end of this island 
 is one inlet into Wei-hai-'Wei harbour, which is 
 one and a quarter miles wide. In this is the deep- 
 water channel, with ni]ie to seventeen fathoms of 
 water, GOO to 700 yar>is in width. 
 
 At the easL('rn end of the island is the other 
 entrance to the harbour, al)0ut two au'i a half miles 
 acr jss, Vv ith an average depth of twenty-one feet at 
 low water of ordinary summer-spring tides, and a 
 fool or two more when there is an ordmary summer 
 tide. It is a curiouo fact that in the winter the 
 water is two or three feet lov\"er than in summer. 
 It i'. thJs broad entrance, perfectly accessible to 
 torpedo boats at any poiiit, which makes Wei-hai- 
 AV i comparativel .' useless as a naval base, unless an
 
 A VISIT TO WEI-HAI-WEI 67 
 
 enonnoub broakwater be constructed, at a coot, 
 po^isibiy, of two or ihrec million pounds sterling, to 
 reduce the width of the entrance, so that it can be 
 readily and efi'ectaally defended against an enemy. 
 
 .'. QU'ESTICtX FOR THE NAVAL AUTHORrilES 
 
 Wlien A\e remember that Kussia's great naval 
 ba.M? at Port Arthtir is only eighty-five miles avay, 
 it will be cl'/ar tliat Wei-h:'.!-A\'ei vill bo too much 
 at her njerey if left in its present condition. The 
 que-tion facing the naval authorities at home is 
 whether they are prepared to spend the money 
 nece.-sary to make it into an impregnable first-class 
 lawil base, or b-ave the object for which they took 
 it tmattaincd. .Vny expendittire that did not accom- 
 plish thi-- would be merely money wasted. 
 
 On the i-^hvid nnd tite neighbourinf;;- sbior^.s of 
 t'ne mj.inluui there are a nitmber of forts, from 
 ^. hi h :'!'_' Japanese removed all the .eujis when 
 triey evacnated the phice. Though \\c have been in 
 [)0. ,e-jiiin f)f \\'ei-iiai-\\'ei fortlie last lifteen montlis 
 ilbOO', not a single gun has Ijeen motmied : and, 
 mdeed. neuie of t':e other \\orlvS which are required, 
 'if it i:-, to lie made even .' secondary n^ival base, 
 liave yet been C!inmence>l. So attempt has been 
 mader lo repair the subst:intial iron pier, half of 
 wlveh i~, m eMCr ilent urder, and the colunms of th'- 
 vemainiiig half all m po~,ition. w.iiting only for 
 the upper part to be fixed to make a necessary and 
 >er\-ir..'ai;le iandini^'-st;i gc. AVere this done, steamers 
 
 1- 2
 
 68 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 drawing up to twenty- five feet of water could safely 
 go alongside. 
 
 CHIXESE TROOPS 
 
 The only practical step of a defensive character 
 that seems to have been taken has been the enrol- 
 ment by Colonel Bower of 800 Chinese soldiers, who 
 are rapidly being trained into smart, well-drilled 
 troops. They are quartered on the mainland, about 
 four miles across the l:)ay. I went over to sec Colonel 
 Bower, and was taken round the barracks. The 
 men vrere mustered, so that T might take some 
 snapshots with my kodak, in order to show my 
 friends at home. These soldiers are paid eight 
 dollars (Mexican) a month, in addition to rations. 
 At the end of the month, when they received 
 their money in full, without anything being de- 
 ducted by the paymaster for what is known in 
 China as ' squeeze,' they were greatly astonished. 
 As the news of this unusual treatment spread, the 
 number of recruits applying multiplied. 
 
 Connnissioner Gaunt very Ivindly placed his 
 steam launch at my disposal, and I was able to get 
 aljout tlie bay, and see everytliing. 
 
 I visilcd aho the walled-in Chinc:-c town of 
 Vv'ei-hai-Wei, which is on the mainland, and has 
 iibout 5,000 inhabitants. The houses are of stone 
 with excellent tiled roofs. 
 
 There are hot sulphur springs of a t'^-mperature 
 of about eighty deg., with baths kept in excellent 
 order.
 
 A SMALL POLICE FORCE G9 
 
 THE ENGLISH SPIIEr.E 
 
 The English ' sphere ' is ten miles inland from 
 tlie shores of the harbour, and a great mistake has 
 been made in leaving this Chinese town in our 
 sphere under Chinese jurisdiction. A short time 
 ago Chinese soldiers pursued a Chinaman through 
 British territory and killed him in the sea. It was 
 alleged that he was a deserter. All attempts to 
 secure the arrest of the officer who was at the head 
 of these Chinese soldiers have failed by reason of the 
 weaknrss ot the British Representative at Pekin, 
 who wishes to accept the excuses of the Yamen, 
 and to let the matter drop. 
 
 This increases enormously the difficulties of the 
 Commissioner, who is expected to keep order and 
 to protect life and property in oiir Wei-hai-Wei 
 territory an area of 300 square miles and con- 
 taining a population of nearly 300,000 souls, with a 
 force of ten Chinese policemen under an English 
 superintendent. 
 
 Included in what is leased to us is Shi-tao Bay, 
 with splendid tisheries, also quarries from which any 
 quantity of excellent red granite can be obtained. 
 
 In addition to the territory thtis acquired W(-^ 
 njoy tlu' right of moving troops up to 1'21 deg. 
 -10 min. longittidc\ and of erecting barracks and 
 hospitals. 
 
 The Wei-hai-Wei harbour c()Vt!rs abottt 20 square 
 nnles it varies in width from I to 4i miles. The 
 deep-water portion, to 10 fathoms, is, however.
 
 70 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CEISIS 
 
 only about 700 square yards. A dredger is at work 
 increasing the deep-water area, and as the mud is 
 very soft it is not anticipated that there will be any 
 serious difficulty in accomplishing this. A deep- 
 water dock could be easily made at a moderate cost. 
 
 HOSPITALITY AFLOAT 
 
 T went on board H.M.'s first-class cruiser 
 ' Aurora,' to pay my respects to Post-Captain Bailey. 
 I also called on T.ieutenant Cowper, commanding 
 H.M.'s gunboat ' Plover,' and he very kindly agreed 
 that I might go back with him in the ' Plover ' to 
 Chefoo the next day. 
 
 Capttiin Gaunt invited the captain of the Italian 
 man-of-war which was then at Wci-hai-Wei, also 
 the British naval and miHtary officers, to meet me at 
 tiffin, and in the f;vei:ing we all weiit to dine with 
 Post-Captiiin Bailey on board the ' Aurora.' Captain 
 Bailey is a fine specimen of a breezy, hearty British 
 sailor. He reminded me of Lord Charles Beresford. 
 His hospita.lity was of the most generous description, 
 and, when we ha'l in addition an exc(!llent band of 
 music on a deck closed in all round with gay flags 
 of all nations, and lu'illiantl}^ lighted with electric 
 light, one felt that even right away in the Far East 
 one had not got beyond the botmds of civilisation or 
 of pleasant social life. 
 
 Before dinn(^r Captain Gaunt and I mounted 
 ponies, and lird an hoar's scamper round the island, 
 in the course of which we saw tlie shooting rang(,'s, 
 which are of tlv niost criuiplete description.
 
 MOUENING FOR ANCESTOES 71 
 
 We met a procession of men uttering loud 
 lamentations, followed by a snmll procession of 
 women with white garments over their heads. I 
 thought that they were mourners who were sorrow- 
 ing for the loss of some loved one, and was surprised 
 to learn that they were really mourning aloud for 
 ancestors, some of whom had died 100 or even 200 
 years ago. 
 
 The Commissioner had bought up a number of 
 graves, and this was the ceremonial attending the 
 removal of their departed ancestors to a new resting- 
 place. The worship of their ancestors seems to 
 have the strongest hold upon the Chinese and forms 
 the sahent feature in their religion. 
 
 At 6.30 A.:\r. the next morning I was on the top of 
 Centurion Hill -- 500 feet high, which is the highest 
 point in the island and had a glorious view of the 
 whole harbour and of the British zone on the main- 
 land, which contains some fine hills, rising up to 
 an altitude of 1,500 feet, with rich valleys in- 
 tervening. 
 
 RAILWAY COMMUXICATION 
 
 Mr. Balfour, unasked by Germany, telegraphed 
 the C4erman Government when we took Wei-hai-Wei 
 that we had no intention of connecting this place 
 l^y railway with the province of Shantung. I 
 characterised this as a fatuous act, whereupon Mr. 
 Balfour retorted that the construction of a railway 
 from Wei-hai-"\Vei into the interior of Shantung was 
 a physical impossibility. I wished the other day
 
 72 CHINA AND THE PKESENT CEISIS 
 
 when at Wei-hai-Wei that I had had Mr. Balfour 
 with me and been able to show him that a railway 
 could be made to connect AVei-hai-Wei with Chefoo, 
 a distance of sixty miles, without having to surmount 
 any rising ground of an elevation of more than 
 100 feet. The fact is, that the Britishei's out here 
 are perfectly prepared to find the money to build a 
 light railway at once, but the pledge that Mr. Balfour 
 gave to Germany prevents it. 
 
 The harbour at Chefoo is very exposed, and often 
 ships can neither load nor unload for days together, 
 whereas, on the other hand, the splendidly sheltered 
 anchorage of the great Wei-hai-Wei harbour would 
 allow work to proceed even in the roughest weather. 
 
 POSSIBILITIES OF TllADE 
 
 The Province of Shantung is well populated. In 
 addition to the traffic that would be diverted from 
 Chefoo to "Wei-hai-Wei, there is room for an enormous 
 development of trade with the interior of the province, 
 and at least two other railways could be built into 
 the interior in other directions to tap this trade 
 without encountering serious engineering difiiculties. 
 
 Were it not for the bungling of Her Majesty's 
 Government, W"ei-hai-Wei might have become an 
 important commercial port, and the revenues thus 
 derived would have justified all necessary expendi- 
 ture, requisite both from a commercial and a naval 
 standpoint. The statement of Her Majesty's 
 Government that AVei-hai-W^ei could not be made a 
 commercial port is quite contrary to the fact, and it
 
 PROPOSED ANGLO-GERMAN ARRANGEMENT 73 
 
 only shows the loss and disadvantage of having our 
 vast commercial interests in the hands of so neglect- 
 ful a Government. 
 
 TEANSFEK OF WEI-HAI-WEI TO GERMAJS^Y 
 
 Having debarred ourselves from making Wei-liai- 
 Wei into a commercial port, I am still of the opinion, 
 which I expressed in the House of Commons, that 
 the sooner we hand it over to the Germans the 
 better, and allow them to construct a railway to 
 connect it with Chefoo. 
 
 Of course, we should in making this arrangement 
 obtain a definite and binding undertaking from the 
 German Government that British trade should enjoy 
 equal rights and privileges with German trade 
 throughout their sphere of influence in China. As 
 a further condition of our handing over Wei-hai-AYei 
 to them, it would be necessary to have an acknowledg- 
 ment of similar preferential rights and privileges in 
 our favour in the Yang-tsze basin to those they 
 enjoy in Shantung, and an understanding that wo 
 should have their support in taking a suitable second 
 naval base at or near the mouth of the Yang-tsze 
 Pliver in place of Wei-hai-AYei. 
 
 Captain Gaunt went on board H.M.S. 'Plover' 
 to see me off, and Captain Bailey also came to 
 say ' good-bye.' The weather was perfect, and 
 we had a most delightful passage back to Chefoo. 
 The ' Plover ' was bringing up the jnail to Chefoo 
 for despatch to England. AYhen on duty of this sort 
 she only steams eight knots an hour, with an ex-
 
 74 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 peiiditure of coal of about one ton for every thirty 
 miles steamed in moderate or fine weather. They 
 use Welsh coal on the ' Plover ' and our other ships of 
 war, and English north country coal for the dredger 
 in AVei-hai-AVei harbour. 
 
 The brass fittings on board the ' Plover ' were 
 like a looking-glass ; the guns and everything on 
 board were spotless. Captain Cowper was very kind 
 in explaining the mechanism of the guns, and in 
 giving me other interesting information. 
 
 We anchored off Chefoo about 5 p.m., and the 
 captain sent me ashore in his gig, afterwards joining 
 me at dinner at the British Consul's. 
 
 I am now waiting for a chance to get to Port 
 Arthur. There are rumours of plague, typhoid, and 
 dysentery raging in the place, and the steamer that 
 goes there every other day has been stopped by the 
 Pussian Government for some reason of their own. 
 It therefore remains to be seen whether I shall not 
 be prevented paying my intended visit to the place 
 which, of all others, has been the most heard of in 
 connection with recent events in the Far East.
 
 75 
 
 CHAPTEE V 
 A VISIT TO POET ABTHUR 
 
 T WAS not disappointed of my visit to the key of the 
 situation in Xorth China, viz. Port Arthur. After 
 a delay of two days I got a passogo on one of the 
 China jNferchant Co.'s steamers, the ' Kwangchi,' of 
 ahout 400 tons. The vessel had no cargo on hoard, 
 and wt^ had a terrible pitching on the passage over 
 tlie eighty-five miles of the Gulf of Pechili, which 
 stretches from Cliefoo to Port Arthur. The journey 
 occupi'.d ten hours instead of eight, in conseijuence 
 of the ])ad weather. 
 
 SKizunr: by Russia 
 
 It will lie remembered that until this great 
 fortress was seized l)y liussia in 1898, we had, 
 under treaty ^\illl Clnna, the right to send otir ships 
 (if war there v/henever we desired to do so, and to 
 ( njoy tfjual rights and privileges with the liussians. 
 At tlu 1 1()S(: of the Chino-Japanese War, Ktissia, 
 I'h'arict'. an 1 Germany compelled Japan to evacuate 
 i^)rt Arthur, v liicli she had captured. Ettssia's 
 objection ^^;'^ that if adlowed to remain there Japan 
 weuild l)c a constant menace to the Government at
 
 7G CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 Pekin, and 3tit within two years she seized Port 
 Arthur herself. At the time when Kussia took 
 possession (March 1898) she had only eleven 
 fighting ships on this coast, whilst we had a mag- 
 niticent force of twenty-four lying in the Gulf of 
 Pechili, close to Port Arthur, as every one supposed 
 for the purpose of upholding British rights. I have 
 it on the highest authority that had England then 
 expressed a firm determination to maintain her rights 
 equally with Russia in Port Arthur, that nation 
 would have withdrawn her ships without firing a 
 shot. Nothing astonished the Russians so much as 
 the withdrawal of our ships from Port Arthur in 
 response to their protest, and that they should have 
 been allowed by us to enter into possession of the 
 prize of the Far East, in a naval and militaiy sense 
 without opposition. What our Government should 
 have done was to have kept our ships of war at Port 
 Arthur in accordance with our treaty rights, and 
 opened up friendly negotiations with Russia with the 
 view of coming to a fair and equitable understanding 
 in regard to the whole situation in China. 
 
 PORT ARTHUR 
 
 The coast to the right and left of the entrance to 
 Port Arthur is a series of cliffs and bold hills up to 
 about 400 feet high. On the summit of each hill is 
 a strong fort, armed with heav}' guns. There is 
 only one entrance, which is not more than 300 yards 
 wide, with a deep-water channel of about 200 yards. 
 On tlie right, the Gold Mountain rises almost per-
 
 A VISIT TO rORT ARTHUR 77 
 
 pendicularly 400 feet, and is surmoimted by an 
 enormous fort. The bluff on the western side of 
 the entrance is also covered by formidable batteries. 
 [nside the bay, facinj^" the entrance, ther(i is a 
 further powerful l)attery, with six heavy disappear- 
 ing rvuns. 
 
 On anchoring, we were boarded by Kussian 
 oilicials, who dt^clined to allow any European 
 passengers to disembark, on the ground that the 
 medical oflicer at Chefoo had omitted to enter them 
 in tl^ie ship"s papers. I thereupon produced my 
 leUer of introduction from Mons. de Giers to the 
 (xovernor of Port Arthur, and stated that I had 
 come for the purpose of visiting him, and wished to 
 pay my respects to His Excellency without delay. 
 Thi^ worked like magic. The medical officer re- 
 turned on shore instanth' to rc^port, and within a 
 very ft^w minutes the harbour master arrived in a 
 l)eautiful ^teani launch, which the Admiral had 
 placed at my disposal during my visit to Port 
 Arthur. He said, as far as I was concerned, a 
 nnsi;d<(.' Iiai] been made, and was full of apologies 
 fur tht^ ^;light detention which had taken place. 
 The otlitr bhu'opean passengs rs, hov. ever, were pre- 
 \r'\[' ! ill I nd.'irking fur some consideralde time. 
 
 On laivlmg 1 wrnt direct to the resirlcnce of 
 i ii neral SouIjoUIlIi, the governor, who spoke English 
 . ! rfectly. He gave me a courteous welcome to 
 boil Artliur. remarking that he h.id been advised 
 f my inteii'.i.ed visit by Mons. de Giers; also, that 
 the Russian Consul at Chefoo had wired him that I
 
 73 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 had left for Port Arthur. He promised every facility 
 for seeing Port Arthur and the neighbourhood. 
 "Within an hour he returned my call on board, 
 accompanied Ijy his aide-de-camp, Lieut. Peresvett 
 Sultan, who was to show me round the place. 
 
 WEST PORT LAGOON 
 
 We first visitc-h by steam launch, a large lagoon 
 known as the West Port, which is separated from 
 the deep-water portion of Port Arthur by a very 
 narrovr sandbank. Tnis lagoon ha"^ a narrow 
 chan'ie], with 2^ to o fathoms of water, and a large 
 area from I to j fathom deep. It can be cheaply 
 dredged, and has no current to cause it to silt up. 
 
 A deep-water area of one square mile can thus be 
 made. It is ourrounde^ ly fine hilh. At the south 
 end of this there is a l-jw-lying strutch "f country 
 about l.T miles across leading through to tlio sea, a 
 mi]e t(j the west of the ]:'rcsent eo trance into Port 
 .\rti';Ui. It is cent; mplatcd ultiniatidy to cut a 
 channel to th(; S'Oi. ihrijui:ii this, in ordtr to have an 
 independent (.ntranco into the c^'iinnerciiJ part of 
 the port. The woathur wa.^ p-i^J^i- 't - ori;:hi :-unshuie, 
 and cool fresh l)reezes. Tiie contract ijttween the 
 new Kussian Idunch in vv-liich Vv'e rapidly jjroceeded 
 from one point to another ard the old ^jut-of-date 
 launch of t'ue British Commissioner at WL-i-bai-Wei 
 v'h- most maihcd. 
 
 It is decioed ijy the Government of .St. Peters- 
 burg that the commercial port in connection with 
 P^at Arthur shail be situated on the north shore
 
 FORTS AND DOCKS 79 
 
 of the West Port lagoon ---a site in close proxiniit}' 
 to the terminus of the branch line which is already 
 constructed to connect Port Arthur with the Russian- 
 Manchurian Pailway, which has its principal termi- 
 nus at the Port of Talienwan. 
 
 By this, however, it is not intended that it shall 
 be an open port or a treaty port, but only a port 
 through which commerce needed in connection with 
 the Eussian naval and military forces at Port 
 Arthur shall be c a'l'iod on under Paissian control. 
 
 We next took a carriage, which v> as awaiting us, 
 and drove round the town and its vicniity. New 
 buildings are being erected everywhere, including 
 extensive barracks and ofllcers' quarters. 
 
 Behind Port Arthur the country is also hilly, and 
 every hilltop is bristling with fortifications, guns 
 l)eing mounted in all directions. 
 
 Tli'3 deep water inside the entrance is limited in 
 extent, one Ini'-in being '200 x -iOO yard:, witli a depth of 
 5 ,' tob.j fathoms, and a second basin 100 x 200 with oh 
 t J lU- fatlioms. In ad'iiiion to tliib there ib a basin 
 kn(j\\n ;L) J:^a t Port, ^\hich has been artiiirially 
 c".;:4i'U -tt d, wii'n a depth of iibout six fathom.-, an 1 
 1 - capa'i'U; of In/ldin.u Severn 1 ships of war. It is in 
 cnnectiijn with ihi-, that the Chinese built the 
 valuaijle dr_\ dock \\iiicli came mto the hands of the 
 I\us.^an-- when tliey took the place. They have 
 hirgely increase cl its size and have extensive j'epairing 
 fin 1 macVnne siii'.'ps adjacent to it. Cdose by the East 
 Port basin is a sheet of shallow fresh water, whici^ 
 can be oa-,i;y converted into an additional dock.
 
 80 CHINA AND THE PEE SENT CEISIS 
 
 STOrrEl) OUTSIDE THE RUSSIAN FORTS 
 
 We left the carnage at the base of the Gold 
 Mountain and climbed it by a winding road up 
 which there runs a tramway used to convey water 
 and supplies to the fort. We proceeded without 
 interruption until we had passed two or three guns, 
 when we were challenged by a sentry. Lieut. Sultan 
 suddenly discovered that he had forgotten his pass, 
 and was very sorry that we should, therefore, not be 
 able to proceed further. How far this omission was 
 intentional or otherwise I won't express an opinion. 
 However, the result was that I did not manage to 
 get inside their fortifications. 
 
 There had been rumours of the seizure of Mas- 
 sampo on the Korean coast by Eussia ; that this 
 h;i.d been followed by the mobilisation of the 
 Japanese forces, and that war was imminent 
 between Japan and Russia. I saw, however, no 
 sign of any activity at Port Arthur which would 
 indicate that these rumours were true. I noticed also 
 that their stocks of coal were exceedingly low. The 
 place was, however, full of soldiers and sailors. Eussia 
 has 40,000 troops at Talienwan and Port Arthur. 
 
 Mr. A. Bostelman, manager of the Chinese 
 Pastern Pailway Company's Marine Department, 
 called upon mc, He informed me that the railway 
 betv.een Port Arthur and Talienwan, also up north 
 as far as Mukden some 300 miles in all will be 
 open in two months. The permanent bridges, how- 
 ever, will not be completed for some time. He
 
 RUSSIAN OPINIONS 81 
 
 states that in connection with his steamer depart- 
 ment he has at present no fewer than seveji ships 
 under construction in England. 
 
 I was sorry to find that the trade at Port Arthur 
 is practicall}' all done by Americans and Germans, 
 and that the British have hardly had a look in so far. 
 
 In the evening I dined with General Soubotitch. 
 His wife and Lieutenant Stiltan joined us at diimer. 
 We liad a most interesting conversation the 
 General expressed liberal and enlightened views. 
 He said that he must admit that England's policy 
 had largely failed in China recently. He recognises 
 that the French have lost ground both as regards 
 influence and the respect felt tow^ards them by other 
 nations over the Dreyfus case, and otherwise during 
 the last two or three years. General Soubotitch 
 stated he was very desirous that I should remain 
 two more days at Port Arthur, promising that he 
 would give me a special permit to visit any of the 
 forts which I might desire to see, and also would 
 make special arrangements to have me conveyed by 
 steam laimch to Talienwan, w"here I wotild be 
 shown evt rytliing. I much regretted that the 
 uneo;l;ii!ity of finding a steamer to get me down to 
 Sliangliai in time to jein ]\[i'. Archibald Little in our 
 inte!uled trip up the Yang-tsze prevented my 
 accepting this olVer. 
 
 t;i'>^IAX DESK.XS AND BRITISH IXACTIOX 
 
 Luring the day that 1 had spent there I had ob- 
 tained a good idea of the town and harbottr and of 
 
 G
 
 82 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 the country in close proximity to Port Arthur. I 
 had also seen quite sufficient of the fortifications to 
 show me conclusively that the Russians have already 
 made the place practically impregnable, and are now 
 in a position to defend it against all comers. It 
 would be interesting to visit their forts, but not 
 being a military man, my opinion in regard to the 
 construction of their fortifications and the character 
 of the guns would have been practically valueless. 
 
 Amongst the drawbacks of Port Arthur is the 
 absence of good water. They have water, but it is 
 of a very indifferent quality, and insufficient in 
 quantity, and, as at Wei-hai-Wei, the bulk of the 
 water they use is condensed. The country at and 
 around Port Arthur is also destitute of trees, and is 
 very barren in appearance. 
 
 The Chinese town was in a filthy condition it is 
 no wonder that disease is rife. Our steamer had 
 expected to bring back many Chinese coolies anxious 
 to get away from Kussian employment, but none 
 turned up. It was believed that this was due to 
 the Russians preventing their leaving. They are 
 worked in gangs under Russian soldiers, and I 
 am afraid are often subjected to brutal treatment. 
 I did not see any evidence of this myself, but I 
 am assured by those who are in a position to know 
 that the poor Chinese find the Russians very hard 
 taskmasters, and that their labour cannot altogether 
 be considered free. 
 
 General Soubotitch undertook to get and send 
 me some photographs of Port Arthur and Talienwan.
 
 TA LIEN WAN 83 
 
 There is at present little to see at the latter place 
 except the bay. It has an entrance about five miles 
 wide, and the inside area of the bay opposite this 
 entrance is about six miles square, with water 5^ to 
 8 fathoms in depth. It is open and exposed to the 
 south only. Inside, however, and sheltered by a 
 promontory, is another bay known as Victoria Bay, 
 in which there is a depth of water of from 4 to 4^/ 
 fathoms over an area of two square miles. This it 
 is proposed shall be the commercial port. 
 
 The conviction forced upon me by what I saw at 
 Port Arthur and Xewchwang is that Eussia has a 
 settled determination not only to remain at Port 
 Artljur but ultimately to annex at least the North of 
 China. On the other hand, the impression created 
 on my mind at Wei-hai-Wei was that our occupation 
 could hardly be regarded as serious, and might be 
 (nded any day. Unfortunately, our withdrawal 
 would be regarded as further evidence of our weak- 
 ness, and w^ould be another blow to our already 
 shattered prestige in this part of the world, be- 
 cause when we occupied it we made the stupid and 
 undiplomatic declaration that we intended to remain 
 at AVei-hai-AVei as long as Eussia remained at Port 
 Arthur. If the Government did not mean business 
 thuy should Iiave left "Wei-hai-Wui alone altogether, 
 and I have alwiiys held that tliey ought to liave 
 occupii.'d a place at or near the mouth of the Yang- 
 tsze Eiver, where our trade interests are so pre- 
 dominant, instead of taking Wei-hai-Wei.
 
 84 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 CHAPTEE \1 
 
 AMEEICAN AND JAPANESE TEADE COMPETITION 
 
 Mojujin/, August 11. I arrived at Chefoo from 
 Port Arthur at 7 a.m. There was no steamer going 
 to Kiao-Chau. I went to an afternoon picnic on a 
 hill al)out four miles out of Chefoo, known as the 
 ' Pinnacle,' 1,311 feet high. We w^ere carried in 
 chairs to the foot of the hill, which we climbed. 
 The view was most extensive, embracing not only 
 Chefoo liarbour, and the rich plains studded with 
 populous villages stretching right into the interior 
 behind Chefoo, but also similar plains as far as the 
 eye could reach in the direction of AVei-hai-'Wei, over 
 whicdi ivlr. Balfour's ' physically impossible ' railway 
 could readily be made. On the way I saw a 
 multitude of threshing floors made of mud which had 
 dried as hard as cement. On these, piles of the ears 
 of the millet (kaoliang) were being beaten with flails. 
 They were also winnowing the grain by throwing 
 'hovelfuls high in the air so that the wind might 
 l)low away the chaff and the corn be left in a heap 
 Ijchind. 
 
 I slept at the family hotel right on the edge of 
 the sea, one and a half miles over the beach from
 
 CHINA INLAND MISSION 85 
 
 Ch( foo. In the morning-, looking out upon the 
 splendid buildings of tlie China Inland Mission, with 
 a large vineyard capping the summit of a hill, it was 
 difticuU ti) imagine that I was in China. 
 
 CiriXA INLAND MISSION 
 
 I \'isited the China Inland Mission schools next 
 mornmg and found both boj^s and girls hard at work 
 they begin lessons at 7 a.m. There is a high 
 school both for boys and girls, also a preparatory 
 school with a total of nearly 200 scholars. The 
 children of missionaries are educated free, and the 
 schools are also open to the children of European 
 residents in China on payment of reasonable fees. 
 The majority of the children remain at school during 
 the holidays, as this is one of the healthiest places 
 in China, and the distance that they would have to 
 travel home makes it impossible for them to be with 
 their parents during the vacations. They have two 
 sanatoriums on the Compound for sick missionaries. 
 The China Inland Mission has nearly 800 
 missionaries at worl; in China, and on the whole they 
 consider they arc doing successful \vork. They have 
 over 200 stations, but are more largely engaged in 
 travelling about in the interior of China doing 
 evangelistic work. This Mission, in contradistinc- 
 tion to all others, is inter-denoniinational and inter- 
 national, Vv'hich appears to mc to be a great advan- 
 tage. Tli'3 Mission includes men of dilYcrent 
 denominations. Amongst them are members of the 
 Church of England, Baptists, Wesleyans, and Presby-
 
 86 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 tcrians. They aim at teaching simply the broad 
 principles of Christianity, and those who work in 
 connection with the Mission sign their acquiescence 
 in a few main points in the matter of creed, to which 
 all members of Evangelical churches can readily 
 assent. Churchmen are, however, appointed to work 
 in one particular district and the Baptists in another, 
 and if they leave their station they are followed, if 
 possible, by a man of the same religious denomina- 
 tion. This great work was, as is well known, 
 founded by the Eev. Hudson Taylor. Many men 
 of wealth have devoted both their lives and their 
 money to this Mission. 
 
 TEADE OF CHEFOO 
 
 The total value of the trade of Chc>foo m 1897 
 v,'as over three million pounds sterling, and out of 
 25,385,301 total tonnage of shipping entered and 
 cleared in the same year, 13,027,559 was British. 
 
 1 am sorry to say that British trade in North 
 Cliina is declining, and American and Japanese trade 
 is increasing by leaps and boitnds. Eight-elevenths 
 of tlie trade of Chefoo is done by the United States 
 of America and Japan, and only three-elevenths bj' 
 ]-'.ngland and tlie rest of the world. Manchester can 
 no longer compete Avith the United States of 
 America in tlie importation of drills, jeans, and 
 sh.LtinL's, OAving to the low prices at which the 
 latter c )uniry can land this class of goods in China, 
 b'reigbts from New York are lower than from Liver- 
 pool, ind (!'(' goods pass through fewer hands in
 
 AMERICAN COMPETITION 87 
 
 America. Prices are also influenced by the fact 
 tluit while American manufacturers are using every 
 effort to secure the market here, Manchester has 
 more orders at present than can bo immediately 
 executed, and the large demand from India keeps 
 the nulls fully occupied. 
 
 America does not yet compete with Great Britain 
 m finer makes. 
 
 In regard to tin plates, on which the x\.mericans 
 put a heavy protective duty against their admission 
 into America, and thus succeeded in establishing 
 works to provide for their own requirements, I find 
 that they liave been able also to increase their 
 exports of tin plates from 4,188,000 pounds in 1896 
 to 14,934,133 pounds in 1898. These are notes of 
 warning to English manufacturers wdiich ought not 
 to be ignored, as they show that unless our works 
 are absolutely up to date, we shall be left behind in 
 the race. The fact that in 1895 Great Britain sold 
 five times as much as America, while in 1898 she 
 sold only twice as much, shows how rapidly our 
 kinsmen across the Atlantic are invading a market 
 in which we previously enjoyed supremacy. One 
 reason wdiy America is able to wrest our trade 
 from us is the superiority of tlieir Bureau of 
 Foreign Commerce. They issue daih', monthly, 
 and yearly consular reports containing full infor- 
 mation as to openings for trade and the classes 
 of goods required all over the wurld. These 
 reports are printed within a few days after being 
 received, and supplied to all apjdicants frc; ; w! ilst
 
 88 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 in England months are often allowed to pass before 
 a report is issued, and then it is only to be had 
 by paying for it. Their consul at Chefoo, where 
 they have made such rapid strides, devotes himself 
 morninf^-, noon, and night to promoting the exten- 
 sion of American trade with his district. On the 
 other hand, too many of the British consuls seem to 
 consider it no part of their business to assist British 
 traders. 
 
 MY CHINESE SECRETARY 
 
 Mr. Bourne, our acting consul at Shanghai, sent 
 me up a Cliinaman who had been educated at King's 
 College, London, and graduated at an American 
 university, to act as secretary and interpreter during 
 my Xorth China trip. He was instructed to meet 
 me on arrival of the Korean steamer at Chefoo ; but, 
 tliough he reached the place the day before, and 
 r'.'portel himself to Messrs. Butterfield & Swire, 
 ho was neither seen nor heard of again up to the 
 v.nv: of my departure for Xewchwang. On my return 
 to Chefo'o ho was sent for, and in explanation of his 
 f;iiluri' to meet me as instructed, lie said that he 
 tiionglit a oentlcman would not care to be called 
 upon by his private secretary until after tiffin, and 
 that he lia'l assumed that I would stay at least a 
 day or two in Cliefoo. I also found that this 
 .L;r;indoe had liis servant travelling with him at my 
 (xi tense. On arrival at Tientsin, when I told him 
 to look alter the transportition of niy baggage to the 
 hot'], he I'eplicd that he had himself to settle at his
 
 KTAO-CHAU 89 
 
 hotel, and that he had not understood that he 
 had been engaged to do servant's work. He was, 
 therefore, much too grand a gentleman for my 
 purpose, and as I found that high political per- 
 sonages, such as Prince Ching and Li-Hung-Chang, 
 object to the employment of an unknown interpreter 
 in interviews, I decided to send him back to 
 Shanghai. He was unable to write shorthand, and 
 was, therefore, useless to me for secretarial work. 
 I hope he is not a fair example of a Europeanised 
 Chinaman. He spoke English admirably, but his 
 conceit and vanity were unbounded. 
 
 STEAXDED AT CHEFOO 
 
 I found that the first steamer leaving Chefoo for 
 Shanghai which would call at Kiao-CIiau would not 
 leave for four days, a delay I could ill afford. 
 
 I telegraphed to Messrs. Jardine, Matheson, & Co., 
 of Slianghai, asking that their steamer, the ' Lien 
 Shing,' which was leaving that day direct for 
 Shanghai, might cidl at Kiao-Chau for four hours, 
 in order that I nn'ght see Germany's latest acquisi- 
 tion. Tliey most kindly conscnled. and I left at 
 4 P.M. bound for Kiao-Chau. The British consul, 
 Dr. Molyneux, and Mr. Donelly came on board to 
 see me off. 
 
 VISIT TO KIAO-CHAU 
 
 My visit to Kiao-Chau was made on September 4 
 ttntler the most favourable circumstances. This 
 place is on the eist coast of tlie great Province of
 
 90 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CRISIS 
 
 Shantung, containing a population of 87 millions, 
 and was seized b}^ the Germans in 1897, as repara- 
 tion for the murder of two German missionaries. 
 They are making it the base of operations designed to 
 extend their influence throughout Shantung, and 
 possibly far beyond. 
 
 About 17 miles off we passed right under the 
 splendid ragged-edged mountain Loshar, which 
 looked grand as it rose almost sheer out of the 
 sea 3,530 feet above the water. This mountain is 
 included in territory leased by Germany, and, 
 German-like, they have already a mountain hotel 
 near the summit as a sanatorium. 
 
 Eleven miles to the west of Kiao-Chauis another 
 fine mountain, Tanioshan, 2,249 feet, and all round 
 are rugged hills forming the background of low, 
 undulating, well-cultivated land. 
 
 The entrance to the magnificent Bay, which 
 covers 140 square miles at high water, is only 
 I4' miles across. On the left is Cape Evelyn, -51(3 
 feet high, whilst on the right is a low-lying pro- 
 montory. 
 
 Chin-tau, the present port, is outside this en- 
 trance, and exposed to easterly gales. The Germans 
 intend to transfer the port to the opposite side 
 of the promontory that is, inside the large 
 bay ; and they are already busily engaged in con- 
 structing two breakwaters at a cost of 250,000/., so 
 as to have a large area of deep water in which 
 vessels may anchor without being exposed to gales 
 which may sweep across the inland l);iy.
 
 A SHELTERED HARBOUR 91 
 
 Lord Charles Bcrcsford, in his I'riof visit to 
 Kiiio-Chau, does not appear to have ascertained 
 what th(^ Ciernians rcahy intended to do, as he 
 speaks of its heing necessary that a In'eakwater 
 should ]je constructed to protect shipping from 
 easterly gales, evidently assuming that the port 
 would remain where it is at present. 
 
 Kiao-Chau Bay is one of tlic best-sheltered 
 harbours on the east coast of China, and has ex- 
 tensive, perfectly land-locked deep-water anchorage 
 independent of the new port wdiich is being made. 
 The general appearance of the country around is 
 barren, and there is scarcely a tree to be seen ; 
 but the Germans have a special forestry department 
 actively engaged in ascertaining the kind of trees 
 which will grow the Ix'st, and in planting large 
 areas. 
 
 Substantial stone buildings arc being rapidly 
 erected, and there is already a large first-class 
 hotel. 
 
 On anchoring some distance from the shore, we 
 soon saw a steam launch rapidly ploughing her way 
 across tlie bay towai'ds us. It was tiu- launch of 
 his Exi:ellency Captain Jaeschke, the Ciovernoi' of 
 the port, and had on l,)u;ird his aide-de-camp, Baron 
 Lilieneron, who :s a captain in tlic German Army. 
 Pic had come to receive me on bi;half of the 
 GoVLinor, and v^c immediately proceeded to Govern- 
 ment Ib;u^(.', where I found they had delayed tiffin 
 ;in hour I'cjr my benefit. The Governor l:ad been 
 ad\i:^t.;d bv Jxirun von Kettelor, th.i' (irrman ^Minister
 
 92 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 at Pekin, and also by the German Consul at 
 Chef 00, of my intended visit. He expressed 
 himself specially pleased to welcome me as 
 ;i member of the liritish House of Commons, 
 lidding that I was the first who had thus honoured 
 him with a visit, and that even no member of the 
 German Parliament had yet been to Kiao-Chau. 
 He was strongly of opinion that it would be of 
 the greatest possible advantage if they would 
 come and see for themselves the possibilities of the 
 Far East. 
 
 Accompanied by the Governor's aide-de-camp 
 and Dr. Schrameier, the Civil Commissioner, I 
 started on horseback to explore the whole district. 
 We first of all ascended Bismarckberg, 450 feet, 
 from whicli we had a perfect view, including the 
 largo buy, the sea coast stretching tiway east and 
 ^v('>t, and the country in the background. In the 
 course of our throe hoiu's' ride we saw practically 
 everything. Wc visited the new har])our v/orks and 
 the construction works in cr;nnection with the rail- 
 way wliich tlie Germans ai'o building to Tsinan, in 
 ti-e pr','vinc(- of ShiiuLung, a place about 300 miles 
 ml and from iviao-Clinu. This railway, they antici- 
 pate, will ]jc completed in 2^, years. It will be con- 
 nected at Tsinan willi the r;iil\vay which is to be 
 built fr(jm Tientsin to Chinki:;ng j(intly by the 
 Germans and British. The Chinese workmen 
 simj)ly swarniel like; be-^s on both harbour and rail- 
 way works. The Germans iwe c:mplo}ing fitUy 5,000, 
 and, conti'iiry to the experience of the Pu'^^oiar', their
 
 TRADE OF KIAO-CHAU 93 
 
 trouble lies in the multitude of applications lor 
 work which they have to refuse. There are 1,400 
 Gei'iiian soldiers at Kiao-Chau, and, following our 
 example at Wei-hai-Wtii, they intend to enrol 
 Chinese soldiers, starting with 120 men. 
 
 At Port Artliur the Russians have built their 
 forts and mounted guns before they have made the 
 place. The Germans, however, say that they are 
 going to create the town of Kiao-Chau first, and will 
 then construct its defences. They have a few guns 
 mounted. 
 
 TRADE OF KTAO-CHAU 
 
 Both the Governor and tlie Civil Commissioner 
 strongly desired that I should make it known at 
 home that Kiao-Chau will be open to British trade 
 on precisely the same terms and conditions as to 
 German, and just in the same way as British posses- 
 sions are equally open to German and British 
 traders. 
 
 Lord Charles Beresford anticipated that the 
 regulations as to land would hinder the development 
 of Kiao-Chau. I made carefid inquiries as to this, 
 and take an opp^.^site view. The regulations 
 adopted by the Germans might with great 
 advantage be put h\ force at places in our own 
 Empire where new i nvns are being created. They 
 arc designed to ]:i'e\'ent land speculators buying up 
 huge blocks of land and artificially running up 
 prices. The Government own th.e land, and are 
 prepared to -ell it at a very reasonable price to hrnid-
 
 94 CHINA AND TflE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 fide purchasers. In order to secure a reasonable 
 share in the increase in value which may take place 
 through works of public utility carried out at the cost 
 of the State, the Government will claim one-third of 
 the profit that may be made in any resale of land, 
 excluding, how^ever, any buildings that may be on 
 the land. In order to safeguard themselves against 
 fraud, they reserve the right to take over any piece 
 of land when the purchaser comes to register it at 
 the price stipulated in the contract. Six per cent, is 
 charged on the assessed value of the land as a land 
 tax, and it is to be reassessed every 25 years. The 
 regulations, it will be seen, are the practical embodi- 
 ment, to some extent, of the just principle of the taxa- 
 tion of ground values which many of us consider 
 should be put in force at home. 
 
 Captain Jaeschke invited me to dine with him, but 
 having only asked permission to detain the steamer 
 four hours, I was unable to have that pleasure. The 
 Civil Commissioner and Baron Liliencron came on 
 board to see ine off, and the Governor also came out 
 to the steamer to say ' Good-bye.' I had had a 
 most satisfactory visit, and can heartily congratulate 
 the Germans on the qualities of courage, energy, and 
 enterprise which they are displaying in the great 
 Empire of China. They show that they appreciate 
 the enormous possibilities which China offers for the 
 development of trade, and put to shame our Govern- 
 ment, Vvlio are still pursuing a policy of drift and are 
 failing to take adequate measures to maintain or 
 advan(!o Jxritish conimcrci.'il interests.
 
 STIANGHAI 95 
 
 KIAO-CHAU TO SIIANtTlIAI 
 
 We had a pleasant passage of about forty hours 
 from Kiao-Chau to Shanghai. We entered the 
 Whangpoo Kivor at the Woosung Forts, about twelve 
 miles from Shanghai. These forts were at that time 
 dismantled. To go up the Yangtsze it is necessary 
 to return to Woosung, and then take the channel 
 northwards which leads into the Yangtsze. The 
 channel southwards is taken when bound for Plong 
 Kong. There are on both sides of the river abso- 
 lutely flat fertile plains, on which two or even three 
 crops a year are grown. The country is fairly well 
 timbered, and the trees looked quite fresh and green. 
 
 SHANGHAI 
 
 On the right-hand side of the river are situated 
 the settlements originally obtained by America and 
 England which they agreed to convert into an 
 international settlement. The area of this, with the 
 addition recently made, is about five miles by three. 
 
 On the Bund facing the river the hongs and other 
 buildings are almost palatial : avenues of trees add 
 much to the attractive appearance of the city on its 
 river front. 
 
 The French have tlieir extensive settlement 
 beyond the international settlement. In this they 
 claim absolute jurisdiction, though they enjoy an 
 equal right to utilise the international settlement 
 with other nations. They are seeking to obtain a 
 further concession. The report th^t thi^-; attempt on
 
 96 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 their part had been defeated by the joint action of 
 America and England is not correct. They are still 
 pressing their demand, thongh only seventeen 
 Frenchmen live in their present settlement. 
 
 On the left bank of the river as we came np v\'e 
 passed more than one shipbuilding yard with dry 
 docks and repairing shops, also several petroleum 
 godowns. On the right bank were cotton and 
 other factories, also godowns and wharves. 
 
 As we drew near to Shanghai the river was full 
 of shipping, which, together with the works, mills, 
 and buildings lining both banks, conveyed to one 
 some idea of the immense business carried on in 
 the city which is known as the capital of the Far 
 East. 
 
 I noticed in the river an Italian cruiser, an 
 English and a Japanese gunboat, also a beautiful 
 Chinese Customs revenue cruiser. 
 
 On arriving at the wharf Mr. ]Morris, from 
 Messrs. Jardine, Ma,theson, & Co., boarded the 
 steamer and handed me an i]ivitation to put up at 
 their hong. In the course of the day I called upon 
 Mr. Archibald Little, who had arrived the day 
 before, in order to discuss with him the necessary 
 arrangements in connection with our projected expe- 
 dition 1,600 miles up the Yangtsze Eiver to Chung 
 King. I then went to the British Consulate and 
 saw Mr. E. S. Bourne, the acting Consul here, 
 who promised me all the assistance in his power 
 to facilitate my journey. In the evening Mr. 
 IngHs (li'ove me round tho best residential pnvts of
 
 INLAND \VAT]:RWAYS 97 
 
 Shanghai and out to the Country Chib, a fmo Iniild- 
 ing \vith extensive groimds attacluMl, in which tlicre; 
 are fifteen lawn tennis courts. Tlie CUih grounds 
 are well timbered and kept in excellent order. The 
 membership of the Club includes ladles as well as 
 men, and it is a pleasant centre of Shanghai social 
 life. 
 
 The large number of handsome residences which 
 we saw gaY<' c^vidi nee of thc^ grt>at commercial pro- 
 sperity of Shanghai, and \\'Ould l)e an e}'e-opener to 
 those; at home; who have 1)ut a faint idea of the im- 
 portance of the Far East. 
 
 ];aexslI':y eobbixs 
 
 Practically all the Chinese cotton mills use 
 Barnsley bobbins, over 12,000 gross having l)een 
 ordered tliis year. 
 
 Owing to failure of the cotton crop last year 
 the coltftn mills ]],{\v been I'nnning half-tinu^ "nl}'; 
 or tlie orders Vvonld have been Lirger. Tlie Mure- 
 poan mills buy their bobbins in London, and they 
 possildy have some portion of their requirements 
 supplied from Barnsle}'. 
 
 Tin-: INLAND WATERWAYS ()! CHINA 
 
 (Jn Alonday, Septendjer LS, I left ^^ith throe 
 Shanghai gentlemen iii two Jutr(^[!ean houscdjoats, 
 towed l)y a stei'm launeli, on an (-xpe-diiien through 
 the iidaiid \'.j.u i.\vay- ^oiitli of Shiingiuii. We 
 started in :' (lo^\n[el^u' (jf rain ^\hicli never ceased 
 for thirtv-six hours, bu' we w> re iiuite wiitertight and 
 
 JL
 
 98 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CRISIS 
 
 luxuriously comfortable in our floating houses 
 with cooks and servants on board as on shore. 
 
 The first part of our route lay up the Whang-poo 
 Eiver, and then along the Grand Canal for some 
 distance. The Grand Canal is one of the most 
 wonderful works in China. It runs 650 miles from 
 Pekin to Hang Chow, and was constructed between 
 the seventh and tenth centuries. It is a tribute to 
 the possession of courage, enterprise, and perseverance 
 by the Chinese of those days. It has been of incal- 
 culable value in enabling the trade of the richest por- 
 tion of China to be carried on by the cheapest mode 
 of transit next to railways. 
 
 CHINESE BRIDGES 
 
 The Grand Canal and the other creeks up which 
 we steamed were crossed by a succession of handsome 
 stone bridges sohd, well-built structures, doing 
 cretiit to both workmen and engineers. The heavy 
 rains had made the water rise considerably in tlie 
 creeks, and it soon became doubtful whether our 
 craft coidd pass under the bridges. Over and over 
 again wc just scraped through, even after taking 
 down the deck houses. It was quite exciting work, 
 and we all had a turn at it. AVe reaped our reward 
 \v\icA\ dinner time came and good digestion waited 
 on appetite. At last we were face to face with a 
 l)ridgc through which the launch would not pass, 
 so leaving her behind our men propelled the house- 
 boats by means of huge oars, called yulohs, five or 
 six jucn working each of them. AVe were passing
 
 CHINESE CROWDS 99 
 
 through a densely populated part of China. The 
 people swarmed out to see the ' foreign devils ' at 
 every village and town : some stood gazing with 
 months wide open, or, pointing to us, made remarks 
 not always of the most complimentary character ; 
 but the majority were always ready to acknowledge 
 a friendly smile by smiling back. As a rule the 
 crowds were orderly and treated us with quite as 
 much, if not with more courtesy and civility than 
 would often bo shown to Chinamen in England. 
 From a Chinaman's standpoint, we are both in dress 
 and appearance the most amusing and ridiculous- 
 looking specimens of humanity. The whole of the 
 150 miles down to Ilai-ning there were rich alluvial 
 plains, growing two and even three crops a year. A 
 large area is covered with mulberry trees which 
 provide food for the silkworms. Cotton and all 
 kinds of cereals, beans, sweet potatoes, and many 
 other crops are largely grown. The luxuriant 
 growth greatly added to the scenery, which in many 
 of the creeks, where trees, huge palm-like reeds, ferns, 
 and flowering shrubs overhung the water on each side, 
 \\as very beaittiful. A weed resembling maidenhair 
 fern covered the surface of the water in many places, 
 and where this was covered with the purple flowers 
 shed from the shrubs aljove the efl'ect was most 
 charming. I should hav(_>. liked to be able to 
 transport a few square i'cet untouched as a dinner- 
 table decoration. ^A'e saw serpents swimming across 
 the streams, and in many places crowds of buli'aloes 
 were cooling themselves ttp to the neck in the water.
 
 100 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 COEMOEANT FISHING 
 
 It was very novel and amusing to see flocks of 
 trained cormorants being used for fishing. These 
 birds are like large ducks, except their bills, which 
 are so constructed as to enable them to snatch fish 
 out of the water with the greatest rapidity and ease. 
 A string is tied to the foot of each bird and held by 
 the man in the boat. He thus directs the operations 
 of perhaps twenty birds at once. They enter the 
 water and dive for fish, and when the man in charge 
 sees a bird has secured one he draws it into the boat 
 and takes it out of its bill. A ring or cord is tempo- 
 rarily put round the neck of the cormorant to prevent 
 him swallowing the fish.. At intervals the birds are 
 taken on board to rest, and they are encouraged in 
 their work by receiving ample meals of fish. 
 
 EIEDS, GAME, AND INSECTS. 
 
 "We did not see a great variety of birds, but the 
 lovely kingfisher abounded. There is excellent 
 shooting in some districts, pheasant, snipe, wild geese, 
 ducks, swans, woodcock, and teal, also deer and 
 hares. It is a curious fact that there are no 
 rabbits in China. Insect hfe is far too prolific for 
 one's comfort. The mosquitoes came in swarms 
 and did vastly more bloodletting for me than I 
 desired. Lovely fireflies hghted up bush and bank 
 on every side, whilst the tremendous noise made by 
 multitudes of frogs, grasshoppers, and other insects 
 all through the night was perfectly wonderful.
 
 A BOAT POPULATION 101 
 
 CHINESE RIVER LIFE 
 
 We had an insight into Chinese river Hfe. 
 MiUions of f amihes have no house on shore, but Hve the 
 year round, and indeed all their hves, in their boats. 
 On our short trip we saw thousands of these floating 
 homes if homes they can by any stretch of the 
 imagination be cahed. The Chinese occupants, 
 liowever, look well nourished, are well dressed in 
 their own style, and seem a merry, happy, and con- 
 tented people. No doubt their life on the water is 
 much healthier than it would be in insanitary 
 dwellings on shore. 
 
 Amongst other boats are those known as 
 despatch boats. They draw only two or three 
 inches of water, and arc propelled at great speed by 
 a man seated in the stern, who works one oar with 
 his feet most cleverly, and at the same time sculls 
 with his arms and manages to keep a sun umbrella 
 aloft over his head. 
 
 We met also trains of Chinese houseboats, eight 
 or ton in a line, drawn by powerful steam launches 
 at a high speed. They have a regular service between 
 Shanghai and Hang Chow, which affords a comfort- 
 able and cheap mode of transit. 
 
 In the towns through which wo passed many 
 picturesque wooden houses were built on solid stone 
 foundations rising ottt of the water, and were pro- 
 vided with steps at which to land, very much the 
 same as at Venice. Kashing, ITai-ning, and other 
 places are enclosed by huge walls with turreted
 
 102 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 l)attlements, and the inhabitants seemed ahnost to 
 belong to another world. 
 
 GREAT SEA WALL 
 
 Our destination was Hai-ning, a city on the 
 Tsien-tang Eiver, about fifteen miles from the sea. 
 From Hang Chow, past Hai-ning, to Woosung, a 
 distance of 140 miles, there stretches a huge wall 
 about thirty feet high, built of rocks three to four 
 feet long, clamped together with iron to keep out the 
 sea, the country inland being on a lower level. 
 
 We had come to see what is known as the ' Bore ' 
 at full moon when the tide is the highest. The 
 estuary of the river is of funnel shape, and as the 
 swollen river rushes down its comparatively narrow 
 channel on the ebb tide it dams back and prevents 
 for a time the inflow of the rising tide. This is 
 banked up, as it were, until the pent-up wall of solid 
 water outside becomes irresistible, and surges right 
 over the top of the river at the rate of fifteen or six- 
 teen miles an hour. It is a mass of water two miles 
 across and from G feet to 19 feet high. The roar of 
 it can be heard miles away. It is a grand and im- 
 pressive spectacle. 
 
 AN EX-MISSIOXAEY AT THE WHEEL 
 
 An ex-missionary volunteered to tow us with his 
 steam launch back to where we had left ours. We 
 sped along merrily for a time with the missionary 
 at the wheel, but we noticed he took the bridues in
 
 SILK WORKS 103 
 
 fi reckless fashion. Very soon he clashed throiij^h 
 one, bumping our houseboat against the solid stone 
 buttress so violently that the contents of our dinner 
 table were strewn over the cabin and a good deal of 
 glass and crockery was smashed to atoms. Our 
 houseboat was also considerably damaged. We 
 resumed the slower but safer yuloh. We reached 
 our launch before dark, and all night we glided 
 by lovely moonlight along the most charming 
 waterways. Early morning found us rolling and 
 tossing on the great AYhang-poo Eivcr, a strong wind 
 against the tide causing quite a sea. 
 
 YAXGTSZE EXPEDITION 
 
 The next day I was hard at work laying in stores 
 and other requisites for my 1,600 miles expedition 
 up the great Yangtsze Eiver. I had to buy bedding 
 and furniture, cutlery, glass, crockery, cooking stove, 
 pots, and pans, in addition to food ; so it was quite 
 an undertaking. 
 
 SILK FILATURE WOEKS 
 
 I managed to make the time for a visit to the 
 filature works of Jardine, ^Nlatheson, li- Co. They buy 
 silk cocoons up country in ^lay. These are heated 
 in ovens to kill the worm inside, and then brought 
 down to Shanghai. The cocoons are then sorted 
 according to quality, and after being soaked in 
 boiling water the silk is unwound by machinery
 
 104 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CEISIS 
 
 from five cocoons at once the five almost invisible 
 threads being woven into one thread in the process. 
 Girls overlook this in the most skilful manner re- 
 placing one cocoon l)y another as finished, and tying 
 the end of the thread to the beginning of the thread 
 imwound from tlie fresh cocoon in a very rapid 
 and clever \\ay. Nothing is wasted the inferior 
 parts of the cocoon arc used to make common 
 qualities of silk. The worms are eaten by the 
 Chinese or sold as manure. The hanks of wound 
 silk are beautifully soft, and are handled and packed 
 with the greatest neatness and care. The Chinese 
 very carefully preserve a sufficient supply of silk- 
 worms. The worm, if left alone, bursts the cocoon 
 and escapes as a butterfly. They lay 2,000 to 3,000 
 eggs, and on the successful hatching of these depends 
 the future supply of silkworms. These are often 
 hatched by the Chinese on their own persons and in 
 their beds with great ingenuity, and are reared with 
 the utmost care. As the wee worms appear they 
 arc so fragile that they cannot be touched by hand, 
 but are gently lifted by a mulberry leaf on to trays 
 and fed two or three times a day with mulberry 
 leaves cut as small as possible. 
 
 I left Shanghai on September 28, at 5 a.m., in 
 s.s. ' Kutwo ' for Nankin, this being the first stage 
 of my intended expedition up the Yangtsze Valley 
 to the most western province of Cliina, Szechuan. 
 Unfortunately, Mr. Archibald Little, who knows 
 this region better than any other living man, was
 
 MR. LITTLE 105 
 
 unavoidably detained at Shanghai. I could not 
 delay starting as that would endanger my being at 
 homo for the opening of Parliament so I decided 
 to go alone. Mr. Little most kindly placed his 
 steam launch at my disposal above Ichang.
 
 106 CTTINA AND THE PEESENT CKISIS 
 
 CHAPTEK VII 
 
 LOWEli BEACHES OF THE YANGTSZE 
 
 S.S. ' Kntwo; September 24, 1899. This steamer 
 is one of the magnificent river boats of American type 
 of which there is a daily sailing from Shanghai to 
 Hankow, a distance of 600 miles up the Yangtsze 
 Kiver. She carries 2,000 tons of cargo largely 
 Manchester piece goods for the interior of China 
 and was not only full, but had to shut out cargo 
 offered. The trade has increased so rapidly that 
 additional steamers arc urgently needed and are now 
 in course of construction, not only by the English 
 and Chinese, but also by the Japanese and 
 Germans. 
 
 In three hours we were in the lower reaches of 
 the great river a perfect sea of muddy water. A 
 thin line of browm, a shade deeper than that of the 
 water, barely visible to starboard, indicated the left 
 bank, whilst in the opposite direction the muddy 
 waste extended to the horizon. Soon the river was 
 lined by flat, fertile, well-wooded plains, and was 
 contracted to a width varying in the course of the 
 day from 1\ to 2^ milns. A multitude of jnnks and 
 boats with their picturesque sails and interesting
 
 CTIINKIANG 107 
 
 Chinese occupants greatly relieved the monotony of 
 the scenery, and as we glided on, basking in glorious 
 sunshine, far away from the rush and crush of 
 modern civilised Hfe, one felt at peace with all the 
 world. 
 
 Ninety-six miles from Shanghai we passed 
 Kiangyiti, where forts, with heavy guns, have been 
 constructed on the low-lying hillr^ on the left bank 
 of the river. 
 
 This plain commands the river, and we ought to 
 have taken it by arrangement with the Chinese, who 
 would have welcomed our intervention, in place of 
 Wei-hai-Wei. 
 
 CmXKIAXG 
 
 This morning at 3 a.m. we reached Chinkiang, 
 a city with 140,000 inhabitants. It is surrounded 
 by well-wooded country and has a fine range of hills 
 a little way inland, also lower hills on the edge of 
 the river. Golden Island looked picturesque, rising 
 up from the water from two to three hundred feet 
 surmounted by a pagoda. Silver Island in the river 
 just below Chinkiang is prettily wooded. 
 
 Chinkiang is a distributing centre for the pro- 
 vinces of Kiang-si, Kiang-suh, Anhui, Shantung, 
 and Tlonan. Its trade now amounts to about 3i 
 millions sterling a year. The entrance to the Grand 
 Canal is close by, and this, coupled with numerous 
 otlier waterways and the railway which is to be 
 jointly c(nistructed l)y the (icrmans and English 
 from Tientsin to Chinkiang, gives promise of still
 
 108 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 greater prosperity in the future. There are a 
 number of European houses, and the Chinese city 
 has existed for 2,000 years. The insistence on the 
 carrying out in its entirety of the agreement in 
 regard to the opening to trade of the inland water- 
 ways of China, and the securing of the right for 
 traders, as well as missionaries, to acquire property 
 and reside in the interior, would cause trade to 
 advance, to the mutual advantage of the Chinese 
 and of the various nations trading with them. 
 
 BRITISH FLEET IN 1842 
 
 If I could have gone back in my vision to 1842, 1 
 should have seen a British fleet anchored off Chin- 
 kiang, and great would have been the contrast 
 between those line-of-battle ships and those I saw 
 flying the Union Jack at Wei-hai-Wei. 
 
 We left Chinkiang at 6 a.m., and at 8 passed 
 Iching, a salt emporium from which a large dis- 
 trict is supplied by junks under Government control. 
 Salt is contraband, being a Government monopoly, 
 and no other vessels are allowed to carry it. 
 
 Eight up to Nankin, 200 miles from Shanghai, 
 the river was never less than a mile wide. In many 
 places reeds grow on the marshy banks 12 to 16 
 feet high. These are all cut in December and used 
 as fuel and for the construction of roofs and fences 
 in place of bamboos. Paper is also manufactured 
 from the leaves. We passed districts where the 
 rice crop had been cut and the stocks fixed several 
 feet above the ground on triangles of bamboo to
 
 NANKIN 109 
 
 save it from destruction by floods overflowing the 
 river banks, but involving great trouble and labour 
 upon the plodding, patient, industrious Chinese 
 agriculturists. We now began to see cattle here 
 and there in many parts of China they are un- 
 known. 
 
 For some distance below Nankin rich plains 
 stretched to low hills on the left, and on the right 
 bank a bare and higher range running up to 1,000 
 feet formed the background. 
 
 Fifteen miles from Nankin a straight canal 
 reduces the distance by one-half, but only junks are 
 allowed to use it, although there is ample room. 
 
 NANKIN 
 
 Arrived at Nankin 12.30. Mr. Aglen, Commis- 
 sioner of Customs, came off to welcome me. The 
 Viceroy, Liu-Kun-Yi, who rules Kiangsi, Anhui, 
 and Kiangsuh Provinces, had been asked l)y mistake 
 to receive me to-morrow instead of to-day, and had 
 put oil' a review of the Military School on this 
 account. When it was represented to him that I 
 must leave early the next morning he gave mo an 
 appoinLiJient at 5 p.m., though he is old and feeble 
 and had had a heavy day. I had my cards prepared 
 in Chinese eight inches long by three widc^the size 
 of ymir cord is regulated l\v your public or oflicial 
 posiliun and it wotild not do to belittle yoiu'self 
 by handing in a small English card. Mr. Aglen 
 accompanied me to interpret. We first went to the 
 Foreign Oifice, where the Taotai i^the official next
 
 110 CHIXA AND THE PRESENT CEISIS 
 
 in importance to the Viceroy) was waiting to receive 
 me and to conduct me to the Viceroy's yamen. We 
 were carried in green chairs which are only used by 
 high ofticials. 
 
 IXTEEYIEW WITH A^ICEEOY LIU-KUN-YI 
 
 I was received with ceremony, the pathv/ay 
 
 through tho courtyards leading to the Keception 
 
 Plall being lined by soldiers and attendants. Liu- 
 
 Kun-Yi was standing at the doorway of the last 
 
 court, and greeted me with Cliinese ceremonial 
 
 pohteness. He conducted me into the yamen and 
 
 placed me on his left at a round table (contrary to 
 
 the English idea, the seat to the left of the host, 
 
 instead of that to the right, is the place of honour). 
 
 We were served with tea, champagne, fruits, sweets, 
 
 biscuits, and cigarettes. The Viceroy is one of the 
 
 most powerful men in China : he holds enlightened 
 
 views, and is patriotic and lionest. His age and 
 
 state of health prevent his actively promoting the 
 
 adoption of a strong and drr.stic policy of reform. 
 
 I found him in a state of despair and anxious 
 
 only to bo allowed to retire from office. He thinks 
 
 any reform movement to be effectual must begin 
 
 at IV'kin. A strong, able, and enlightened ruler 
 
 could alone lay tho foundation of the regeneration 
 
 of China. He cuisiders the corrupt ofticialdom 
 
 ou.uht to be d<:'cdt vith, but he fears n is almost an 
 
 in [possible task. He i^ wA-y friendly to England, 
 
 ])ut cannot under.-^tand why the Britisli Government 
 
 shoukl have allowed Hussia to ride rotighshod over
 
 LIU-KUN-YI 111 
 
 China, and (lcop]y regrets that our influence and 
 prestige have been destroyed. lie would welcome 
 concerted assistance from those nations who do 
 not desire the partition of China in the reorganisa- 
 tion of her military forces, but fears the difficulties 
 in the way of this are insurmountable. He patheti- 
 cally exclaimed Eussia would be sure to object, and 
 China must ol>ey unless the friendly Powers are 
 prepared to assert themselves very difl'erently from 
 ^\hat ihi^y have hitherto done in the present crisis. 
 Another hindrance is the luck of money. Liu-Kun- 
 Yi spoke with great cordiality of his appreciation of 
 llu! advice Lord Charles J3eresford gave him last 
 year as to reorganisation of military and naval 
 forces, and also of his warm friendship for him. He 
 has l)een a Viceroy over twenty years, and is of the 
 highest rank. A^iceroys have enormous power in 
 China, the army and navy being created and ad- 
 ministered by them in their dilferent Provinces. 
 They collect and expend all taxation, except a 
 certain proportion stait to Pekin. Liu-Kun-Yi rules 
 practically as a king over 6(5 millions of people. He 
 can, hov/cver, l)e dismissed and disgraced at a 
 moment's notice ai tlie sweet will and pleasure of 
 the Emperor or Empress. After an ati.lience of 
 tliree-rjua.rt'-'rs of an liour [ took' u;y leave, grea.tly 
 regretting tliat this a,l)l<; and pati'iotic Chinaman wa>, 
 not thirty years yoimger. 
 
 I drove round the city of Xankin, which covers 
 a considerable area. The city walls are very massive. 
 Tlie height varies from -30 to 5U feet, and they are so
 
 112 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CEISIS 
 
 wide as to allow free gallops on horseback on the top. 
 Nankin was the capital of China before it was re- 
 moved to Pekin. 
 
 The Taiping Kebellion, which began in 1850 and 
 was put down by our ' Chinese Gordon,' was the 
 work of a sect calling themselves ' God Wor- 
 shippers,' Christianity being their profession, but 
 mixed with a great deal of error. They started as 
 the Regenerators of the Empire, and there is reason 
 to think they were sincere. My sympathies would 
 have been with them. They took possession of 
 Nankin in 1853, and made it their headquarters. 
 Afterwards they withstood a siege by the Imperialists 
 lasting some years. 
 
 In 1861 the British Naval Squadron assembled at 
 Nankin preparatory to an expedition of investiga- 
 tion further up the river. 
 
 NANKIN PAGODA 
 
 "We ascended the pagoda on a hill in the city, and 
 had a glorious view of the city and the surroimding 
 country. The greater part of what is enclosed 
 within the walls is not built upon, but is an undu- 
 lating, well-wooded tract, with rich garden land. 
 The city is practically encircled by hills, and it 
 appears to be a rich, prosperous, and attractive place. 
 There is a Tartar city, inside the other, which is 
 mostly in ruins. 
 
 MING TOMBS 
 
 The Ming Tombs, under the Golden Pearl Moun- 
 liiin, wliere repose the remains of His Majesty Choo,
 
 NANKIN BUILDINGS 113 
 
 the first monarch of the Ming dynasty, I had not 
 time to visit ; I succeeded, however, in procuring a 
 photograph. 
 
 The broad Yangtsze Eiver is two miles away from 
 the nearest point of the city walls, and it is five miles 
 from the landing-place to the Viceroy's Yamen. 
 We drove this distance over the best macadamised 
 road I have seen in China, which was built by the 
 last Viceroy, Chang Chih Tung. There are military 
 and naval colleges at Nankin, under Germans and 
 English respectively, but they do not amount to 
 much, I fear, as regards leavening the military and 
 naval systems of the country. Nankin boasts also 
 of a mint, a gunpowder factory, and an arsenal, but at 
 the last practically only antiquated jingalls are made. 
 
 Mr. Aglen's home is on an old vessel moored in 
 the river, where he has fixed up quite comfortable 
 quarters. 
 
 At 5.30 next morning I was on board the steam- 
 ship ' Tatung,' bound for Hankow. The weather was 
 perfect and the scenery pleasant. We passed several 
 bluffs on the edge of the river two of them known 
 as East and West Pillar and also a steep and well- 
 wooded island. Above and below Wuhu (50 miles 
 up from Nankin) are rich plains on both banks, on 
 which enormous crops of rice are produced. This is 
 shipped from Wuhu. No less than six steamers 
 were lying there waiting to load rice, in addition to 
 the regular boats. The Eoman Catholic Church 
 and other mission premises are the most prominent 
 features at Wuhu. The population is 80,000, and 
 
 I
 
 114 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CKISIS 
 
 trade 1,200,000/. annually. Its proximity to water- 
 ways is certain to give it a growing trade as these 
 become properly opened. All the afternoon we 
 passed mountains to the south, and rich fairly 
 timbered plains everywhere. 
 
 SPOET IN THE YAXGTSZE VALLEY 
 
 There is said to be excellent shooting in many 
 places, notably in the AVuhu district. Pheasant, 
 duck, teal, snipe, geese, swans, and woodcock are got, 
 also deer and hares. Amongst bags made have been 
 1,800 pheasants in twemy-three days, with six guns, 
 and one man bagged 70 in one day. They are wild, 
 and not half-tame, as in England, and are neither 
 preserved nor reared. With regard to snipe, one 
 gun got 102 one day and 114 another. A man also 
 bagged 422 head of wildfowl in ten days. As in 
 other countries, the tendency is for game to diminish. 
 The pheasant would soon have been extinct, as they 
 were l^eing killed off wholesale, but this has been 
 put a stop to by Imperial edict, 
 
 Klixgsi 
 Tuesday, September 2G, found us in the pro- 
 vince of Kiangsi. There were rich plains, populous 
 villages, with stone houses on the south, backed by a 
 fine range of hills. On the north stretched flat 
 plains with lo\\' and very distant hills and numerous 
 hamlets and farms. We passed the Orphan Eock, 
 a pyramid in the river '^OO feet high, witli joss liouse 
 and pagoda.- -nestlimr on a well-wooded sunanit. At
 
 KIU KLVNG 115 
 
 9.30 we had on our left the entrance to the enormous 
 Poyang Lake, about which so httle is yet known. 
 There is a small town and picturesque old fort on the 
 bluff to the left, and a modern fort on a sandhill to 
 the right of the inlet. 
 
 KIU KIANG 
 
 We reached Kin Kiang, 444 miles from Shanghai, 
 aboui 1 v.:>i. Jt is an attra,ctive place of over 
 50,000 inliahitants. The Chinese city is surrounded 
 by grainl old walls with turreted battlements, and 
 has a good deal of timber inside. Outside is a 
 handsome little European bund with avenu(^s of 
 trees facing the river. The splendid Catholic 
 Mission premises, church and hospital, are a 
 special featiu'e. About 15 miles inland runs a 
 grand broken range of mountains, 4,000 to 4,500 feet 
 high. On one of these is a Missionary Sanatorium 
 rejoicing in the name of Kuling. 
 
 TEADE OF KIU KIAXG 
 
 The trade of Kiu Kiang is very large, amounting 
 to over two millions a year. The principal export 
 is black tea. If light-draught steamers and steam- 
 launches for towing were put on the Poyang Lake 
 and the tributary rivers, so as to allow goods to be 
 freely conveyed by water to and from the province 
 of Kiang-si, a rapid increase of trade would ensue. 
 The 150 miles between Kiu Kiang and Hankow was 
 of nuich the same character rich plains, populous 
 villages, a fair amount of wood, and here and 
 
 I 2
 
 116 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 there hills to add to the scenic beauty. As we 
 approached Hankow the whole country became flat, 
 but continued most fertile. Millet, wheat, sesame 
 seed, indigo, and other crops had largely taken the 
 place of rice, which distinguished the Wuhu 
 district. 
 
 I arrived at Hankow on September 27, and had 
 a warm welcome from Mr. Cradock, of Jardine, 
 Matheson, & Co., with whom I stayed. 
 
 Here, though GOO miles inland, the majestic 
 Yangtsze Eiver is over a mile wide, and some idea of 
 the enormous quantity of water sweeping past may be 
 got when I say that it is at present 41 ft. 7 in. above 
 its lowest water-level. This is quite an unusual 
 condition of affairs at the end of September, and the 
 chance of being able to get through the Yangtsze 
 gorges in the time at my disposal is not good. Not 
 even a cargo junk has ventured to face the torrent 
 above Ichang for nearly a month past. Contrary to 
 our experience at home, rivers in China have a much 
 greater volume of water in summer than in winter. 
 This is due to the melting of snow and the time of 
 their rainy seasons. There is practically no rainfall 
 in winter. The Han Eiver enters the Yangtsze at 
 Hankow, and separates it from the town of flan- 
 Yang. These two places, together with Wuchang 
 on the opposite side of tlie Yangtsze to Hankow, 
 have a united population variously estimated at from 
 one to two millions. In approaching Hankow 
 we had the imposing Bund on the right, with its 
 palatial hongs, avenues of trees, and well-kept
 
 FOEEIGNEKS AT HANKOW J 17 
 
 lawns. First come the Japanese, German, French, 
 and Russian concessions, recently acquired and only 
 partially built up. The English concession has 
 on it the main European settlement. The Eussians 
 and others prefer to be under British jurisdiction 
 rather than to be harassed by the cast-iron officialism 
 of their own nation. The French arbitrarily seized 
 and confiscated the racecourse, w^hich was vested in 
 a cosmopolitan body, and no redress has been got. 
 The Eussians demanded that the title-deeds of 
 Britishers owning land or property, which had been 
 improperly included in their concession by the 
 Chinese Government, should be submitted for their 
 approval, and the English Government tamely 
 submitted, instead of denying their right to have 
 jurisdiction over it. The Eussians rejected certain 
 titles, including those of several pieces of land of 
 M'hich Messrs. Jardine, Matheson, & Co. had 
 been in possession for thirty years, though ten years' 
 occupation gives an elective title according to 
 Eussian law. The owners proceeded to fence it off, 
 whereupon Eussian Cossacks tore up the fence and 
 assaulted the British overlooker. 
 
 BRITISH BLUE.JxVCKETS TO THE FRONT 
 
 This high-handed proceeding was more than 
 even Her Majesty's Government could submit to, 
 and bluejackets were landed from the 'Woodlark' to 
 protect the workmen whilst they completed the 
 erection of the fence. At the sight of armed British 
 sailors the Eussians wisely disappeared, and have
 
 118 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CEISIS 
 
 not interfered since. This shows that the firm up- 
 holding of our just rights, and not a pohcy of 
 surrender, is tlie hest course to pursue. It is 
 reported that the Enghsh and Eussian Governments 
 have agreed to submit the matter to arbitration. 
 Tliis appears to be the only rational mode of 
 settling the dispute, and any refusal to arbitrate 
 would have shown the Hague Peace Conference to 
 be without practical result. It will be interesting 
 to see the final outcome of the afTair. 
 
 EECEPTION BY CHANG ClIIH TUNG 
 
 Scptemher 28. The British Consul, Mr. Hurst, 
 had arranged for Chang Chih Tung, the Viceroy of 
 the Provinces of Hunan and Hupeh with over 
 fifty-two millions of population to receive me at 
 his Yamen in the city of Wuchang at 10 a.m. We 
 crossed the river by steam-launch, and were carried 
 from the landing-place to the Yamen in green chairs 
 preceded by soldiers to clear the track. The 
 Chinese who crowded the picturesque narrow 
 streets opened thcsir mouths, gazed, and smiled with 
 amusement at the, to them, grotesque-looking men 
 passing through their midst. On arrival we were 
 promptly received by the Viceroy. He is an intel- 
 ligent-looking man, with bright alert eyes, a grey 
 beard, and finger nails more than an inch long. 
 Many Chinese of high rank grow them even longer. 
 ITe wore a conical hat made of reeds, lined with 
 scarlet. It had also a long scarlet fringe suspended 
 fi'om a scarlet button on the top of the hat. His
 
 CHANG CTTIH TUNG 119 
 
 llowinf^' garment was of violet silk, liiied with bine, 
 and from his neck were suspended numerous strings 
 of lound buttons of various colours, denoting his 
 rank and ofticial status. In China you keep your 
 hat on during interviews. I had an interview last- 
 ing nearly two hours. I determined to make the 
 A'iceroy talk about the present situation in Cliina, 
 and led olf by announcing myself as an Englishman 
 vv'hose policy was China for the Cliinese, as opposed 
 to partkioTi, and added I liad come all the way to 
 China for the purpose of ascertaining from states- 
 nuui like himself how, in their opinion, this ol)ject 
 could be best attained. He seemed doubtful and 
 suspicious for the first half-hour after that he con- 
 versed freely, and we had a cordial and friendly 
 interchange of views. Chang Chili Tung is re- 
 garded ;is one of the most influential men in China, 
 and, unlike the majority of Chinese officials, he is 
 honest, patriotic, nnd progressive, and though he 
 has never been outside his own country he has a 
 wonderful grasp of the laws, governiuent, and 
 institutions of I'hu'opean nations. He agreed that if 
 England, America, and Japan gave China their 
 jeiiu influence and assistance its independence could 
 l)e preserved. He said small outstanding disputes 
 could easily be settled. He admitted the I'ekin- 
 Hankow Eailway Concession was a mistake in some 
 of its C(3nditions, but said provision was made for 
 paying off the money and freeing the line. He 
 denied tiiai the concessionnaircs h;ul power to police 
 ilie line by military guards, Init did not contradict
 
 120 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 my statement that Eussia, France, and Germany, 
 also the Pekin-Hankow Syndicate, had been given 
 exclusive mining rights by the Chinese Government, 
 which they were now refusing to the American- 
 English Syndicate in connection with the Canton- 
 Hankow line. 
 
 This is in contravention of the Treaty of Tientsin, 
 under which we are to have equal privileges, im- 
 munities, and advantages to those granted to other 
 nations. He argued that the hostile attitude of 
 the inhabitants of Hunan made this course necessary, 
 but thought that a compromise might be come to 
 in regard to the portion of the line nearer to Canton. 
 I told him that if the Chinese Government allowed 
 the Pekin-Hankow Syndicate to construct the line 
 from Hankow to Canton also, it would enable Eussia 
 and France to create a railway system throughout 
 China from north to south absolutely under their 
 own control, the independence of China would be 
 gone and its final absorption by those Powers only a 
 question of time. 
 
 Chang Chill Tung recognised the force of my 
 contention, and said the position was most critical, 
 as France was strongly pressing that the reversion of 
 the right to construct this line which is provided 
 for in the Pekin-Hankow contract in the event of the 
 American concession lapsing should now be con- 
 sidered operative on account of the deadlock in the 
 negotiations. He urged that America and England 
 should moderate their demands ; whilst I pointed 
 out that, unless China was prepared to commit
 
 FRIENDLY EXPEESSIONS 121 
 
 suicide, they should be ready to make any reasonable 
 concession to secure the Canton-Hankow line being 
 made by Powers not desirous to bring about the 
 break-up of China. The Viceroy asked if Jung-lu 
 had been present at my audience with Prince Ching 
 at I'ekin, adding that he is Prime Minister and 
 Generalissimo of the Chinese Army, and all-power- 
 ful in China at present, Prince Ching being really 
 the leader of the Opposition. 
 
 Chang Chill Tung more than once said he had 
 to do only with provincial, and not with imperial 
 affairs ; that whilst he gave his opinions in a friendly 
 way, he had no authority to interfere in the matter 
 of railway concessions or other imperial matters. I 
 replied that I felt sure those in authority would 
 attach great weight to any representations His 
 Excellency made. 
 
 He promised a red boat i.e. a guard boat from 
 Ichang up the Yangtsze as far as his province ex- 
 tended, and to telegraph a request that the Governor 
 of Szechuan would give similar assistance in that 
 province. He also agreed to arrange for my being 
 taken round the arsenal, the Han Yang works, and 
 the ^Military College. 
 
 The interpreter through whom our conversation 
 was carried on was first-class. The Taotai and t^vo 
 otlur officials were present, and a crowd of retainers, 
 as usual, stood arotmd the room and doorway. 
 After a cordial leave-taking we returned to Hankow.
 
 122 CITTNA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 HAN YANG lEOX WORKS 
 
 In the afternoon Consul Hurst and I went by steam- 
 launch to these works, which are the only ironworks 
 in China. They consist of two blast furnaces 65 feet 
 high, and rolling mills producing rails, angles, bars, 
 and plates. The plant was supplied and erected by 
 the Tees Side Ironworks Company, Yorkshire. An 
 enormous amount of money has been expended over 
 them three-quarters of a million, it is said ; but 
 they are not successful, owing to the lack of proper 
 manageinent and the corruption of those in power, 
 who are feathering their oami nests at the expense of 
 the concern. Bad material has also to be contended 
 with. 
 
 The blowing engines are only equal to working 
 one furnace, which produces 80 tons a day, and the 
 works turn out 120 to 150 tons of rails or other 
 finished steel per day, but are not worked regularly. 
 About one thousand h;inds are employed. I was 
 taken around 1)y Mr. "Williamson, a Scotchman from 
 Glasgow. The carryiiig of coke from the junk to the 
 furnaces in baskets was an example of some of the 
 primitive methods einployed. The coke and coal 
 come from Pingshan mines, 280 miles away, and cost 
 .30v. and l6s. per ton respectively, delivered. The iron 
 ore is from the "Wong Chi Tong mines, 76 miles off, 
 and costs 6.s. '6d. per ton. It contains 65 per cent, 
 of iron, ])ut the phosphorus and other impurities 
 render it unfit for making steel. The coke has 20 
 per cent, of ash and too much phosphorus and
 
 IIAN YANG AESENAL 123 
 
 sulplnir. They also bring nianganiferous ore all the 
 way from Szcchuan as a mixture : this unfortunately 
 contains a high percentage of phosphorus, silica, 
 and sulphur. The rails will not stand proper tests, 
 and cost 7/. a ton. The pig iron varies in cost from 
 8/. to 8/. lO.s. per ton. So much for so-called cheap 
 labour. Having regard to the quality and cost, it 
 would pay tlieni much better to buy what they need 
 in England. 
 
 IIAX YAXG ARSEXAL 
 
 I next visited the Arsenal, which has a first-rate 
 modern plant, made in Germany. There is a rifle 
 factory, and also one for small field-guns both under 
 the management of Germans. The weapons arc 
 excellently finished, but are practically useless, because 
 they are made of the steel produced at the Han Yang 
 works, which is quite unsuitable for the purpose. 
 
 I was surprised to meet a man called Adams, 
 from Sheflleld, a nativ(3 of Eotherham. He came 
 out to erect and manage crucible steel works, but 
 lias liec.m lliere eigliteen ]nonths, and little has been 
 done, as lie camiot get what he requires. He does 
 not think they will give him a proper quality of steel, 
 which nnist be imported from Europe, and he 
 desp;iirs of doing any good. 
 
 The Japanese buy steel for their rifle barrels and 
 all tlic oLlior fittings in Ihigland and France, and 
 do not attempt Lo make it themselves. 
 
 Then^ is also a modern rifle-cartridge factory 
 at Han Yang. They use German powder at
 
 124 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 present, but contemplate making their own smoke- 
 less powder. There are Imge stacks of patent 
 Coppee coke ovens, which have been built for years, 
 but never used. Machinery and plant imported 
 from Europe, both for works and Arsenal, are lying 
 about in all directions, never having been set up. 
 One is sorry to see such shameful waste ; but at any 
 rate it seems clear that w^e have not much to fear 
 from China's competition in the iron, steel, and 
 engineering trades. 
 
 MILITARY COLLEGE 
 
 The following day we crossed again to AVuchang, 
 and proceeded to the Military College, over which 
 we were taken by Lieutenant Hoffman, a German 
 officer, w^ho is Chang Chih Tung's most trusted adviser 
 in military matters. Two other German officers 
 conduct the Military College, whilst five or six 
 Japanese officers are busily engaged in translating 
 Japanese books of military instruction into Chinese. 
 
 They have 70 cadets, sixteen to twenty years of 
 age, and 10 of these are going to Japan for one year's 
 training. The first class-youths were put through 
 their drill, and were smart and soldierlike. They 
 have excellent living and sleeping quarters, large dining- 
 hall, and good class-rooms, also a fine gymnasium. 
 
 We also visited the barracks of the sappers and 
 miners and of the artillery. The men paraded and did 
 their marching and musket drill very efficiently. I 
 am told these are the Viceroy's show places, and that 
 they do not fairly represent the average condition of
 
 BRTCK-TEA FACTORY 125 
 
 his forces. He has 27,000 men, and out of these 
 only ahout 3,000 arc disciphned or properly trained. 
 They are armed with antiquated weapons or with 
 the unreliahlc productions of the Han Yang 
 Arsenal. On the other hand, Lieutenant Hoffman 
 spoke in the highest terms of his men, both as regards 
 conduct and efficiency. He declared he would not 
 hesitate to lead them anywhere. 
 
 BRICK-TEA FACTORY 
 
 I was shown over a brick-tea factory by the 
 Scotch engineer. The machinery, including engines 
 and boilers, had come from England or Scotland. 
 The electric plant was supplied by Germany, simply 
 because the Germans came up from Shanghai to see 
 after the order, whilst the English firm only wrote a 
 letter. 
 
 Brick tea is made of tea dust and inferior tea 
 ground to a fine powder. It is then steamed for 
 two minutes over steaming pans covered by grid- 
 irons, muslin being placed on the top to receive the 
 tea. The tea is next poured into a wooden mould 
 and compressed by a machine with 30 tons pressure 
 on the brick. A finer tablet tea is dried for an hour 
 over charcoal instead of being steamed, then weighed 
 in quarter pounds, poured into a steel-lined box, and 
 compressed by hydraulic power, 40 tons pressure. 
 Each cake or tablet is neatly packed in paper, and 
 then put into a bamboo basket, ready for transporta- 
 tion on camel or mule back to the heart of Eussia.
 
 126 CTTINA AND THE PRESENT GRISTS 
 
 It is to lessen difficulties of transport that the 
 tea is thus prepared. 
 
 CHINAMAN DYING ON EOADWAY UNCAEED FOR 
 
 Human life seems of little value to the Chinese, 
 even though they worship their ancestors. At the 
 brick-tea factory they feed and house their workmen. 
 Xear the entrance to their dwelling block I observed 
 a poor creature lying in a dying state on the stones 
 with only a bamboo mat to half cover him. The 
 roadway was crowded, but not a soul gave him the 
 slightest attention. I was told he would 'peg out ' 
 before the next morning. I protested against this 
 want of common humanity, only to receive the reply 
 that if I had been in China twenty years I should 
 have got accustomed to such sights. I went direct to 
 a missionary, who has a hospital within a stone's 
 throw of where I saw this sad sight, but he was 
 away from home and the hospital closed. 
 
 Mr. Archibald Little not being able to go to 
 Chung-King, I offered to take as a guest a man from 
 the gunboat 'Pigmy,' ' Woodlark,' or ' Woodcock,' 
 or some one from the British Consular body, so that 
 he might take observations and obtain information 
 calculated to advance British trade and interests. 
 Tlie naval men had to decline because they were 
 obliged to communicate with the admiral, and did 
 not know where he was, and the Consular people 
 because Her Majesty's representative at Pekin 
 refused consent. 
 
 I inspected the river gunboat 'Woodlark.' She
 
 IMVER GUNBOATS 127 
 
 had actually been sent out without any slecpino- 
 acconiniodation for the men. The Government 
 profess they arc; S'oinr;- to patrol the Yan^4sze 
 for 1,000 miles, hut the ' Esk,' 'Pigmy,' ' Woodlark,' 
 and ' Woodcock ' now on the river are quite in- 
 adequate. The ' Pigmy ' has old breech-loading 
 instead of quick-firing guns, and to keep her spick 
 and span as r(>gards paint tlie commander has to do 
 it at his own expense. A stoclv of Cardii'f coal is 
 kept at Shanghai, Hankow, and Ichajig for our 
 sliips. 
 
 INTJaiVIEW WITH THE TAOTAI OF HANKOW 
 
 On r^Iondiiy, October 2, the Taotai of Hankow 
 called upon me by appointment, in order to ask for 
 further information on behalf of the Viceroy in 
 regard to two or three matters wdiich I had dis- 
 cussed with him at our interview. He was accom- 
 panied by one of the Viceroy's interpreters. 
 
 He had been instructed by the Viceroy to say 
 that ho had considered my suggestions in reference 
 to the reorganisation of the military forces of China, 
 and he would be glad to seek the sanction of the 
 nutliorities at Pekin to send twenty students to 
 j'higl.ind for military training and thirty non-com- 
 missioned ol'ticers to be attached to the Indian Ami}', 
 half from Hankow and half from Pekin. I replied 
 that I would bring the; matter before the authorities 
 at honu', and endeavour to ascertain wliether this 
 \\ oukl hv agreeable to them ; but I suggested that the 
 (.uestion of obtaining Pritisfi of'tic(>rs to drill tlie
 
 128 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 Chinese soldiers should at the same time be also con- 
 sidered. I advised that negotiations be opened on 
 similar lines with Japan and America, and any other 
 countries who desire that the independence and 
 integrity of China should be preserved, with a view 
 to their co-operating in this work. I pointed out 
 that concerted action and assistance uniting the 
 influence of several Powers on behalf of China could 
 alone give any hope of success and prevent the 
 scheme being defeated by Russia and France. 
 
 TRADE OF HANKOW 
 
 The trade of Hankow is enormous and rapidly 
 increasing. In 1897 the total value was over 
 7,000,000Z. ; in 1898 it rose 14 per cent., and this 
 year 1899 is going to be a record year. As a merchant 
 said to me, ' Trade in Hankow is booming.' Tea 
 is the principal export, and in May, June, and July 
 last 34 million pounds of tea were sold. A few 
 years ago Eussia bought all her tea in London ; now 
 she imports direct from Hankow, and refuses to 
 ship an ounce under a foreign flag. The tea is 
 carried exclusively by the Eussian Volunteer Fleet. 
 This is an object-lesson of how British trade will be 
 extinguished in China, so far as Eussia can do it. 
 British imports are cotton and woollen goods and 
 metals. 
 
 MISSIONARY WORK 
 
 I called on the Eev. Griflith John, of the London 
 jNIissionary Society, who told me they had baptised
 
 HANKOW TO ICHANG 129 
 
 800 converts in the Hankow district last year. He 
 stated the Dowager-Empress had offered missionaries 
 a certain status and the right of audience with Chinese 
 ofticials. The Eoman Cathohcs have accepted these, 
 but the Protestants are hesitating. 
 
 1 made calls on the German, United States, and 
 Japanese Consuls, and found every disposition to co- 
 operate with England in these parts for the pro- 
 motion of trade. 
 
 FEOM HANKOW TO ICHANG 
 
 I went on board the Japanese steamer ' Tayuen ' 
 on Monday afternoon, October 2. This boat was to 
 take me a further 400 miles up the Yangtszetolchang, 
 where my experience of travelling in a Chinese junk 
 would begin. 
 
 No difticultics are met with in going from 
 Hankow to Ichang. We arrived in three days. 
 
 With regard to the character of the country. Up 
 to Kin-ho-kan, 115 miles from Hankow, at the 
 entrance to the Tung-Ting Lake, there are rich 
 flat alluvial plains on both sides of the river, from 
 whicli excellent crops of millet, indigo, sesame, &:c., 
 were being gathered. An occasional hill somewliat 
 relieved the monotony of the landscape. There 
 were niany hamlets and frequent large vilbigcjs all 
 the way. Tlu; l)ed of the rivc>r averaged about 
 three-quarters of a mile wide, and in many places 
 large tracts of tlie adjacent plains were also sub- 
 merged. 
 
 The Tung-Ting Lake covers a considerable area 
 
 K
 
 130 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 and has 6 to 12 feet of water in summer, but is dry in 
 winter, except certain river channels. The Seang- 
 yin Eiver runs into it. About 8 miles away we 
 could see the Pagoda of Yo-Chau-Fu, which has 
 recently been opened as a Treaty Port. The 
 anchorage is bad owing to a hard bottom. It is in 
 the Province of Hunan, which is said to be the most 
 anti-foreign in China. The scenery here became 
 bolder, as we had the Kuin range of mountains, about 
 2,000 feet high, ten to fifteen miles inland. 
 
 SIIA-SZE 
 
 The first considerable town we stopped at was 
 Sha-sze, which was opened as a Treaty Port under 
 the Treaty of Shimonoseki at the close of the 
 Chino-Japanese war. Sha-sze is an unv/alled town 
 with a noble stone embankment in three tiers, each 
 12 feet high, facing the river, which has a bund or 
 promenade on the top. This was built ages ago, in 
 the time of China's greatness, and is now being 
 allowed to decay. There were hundreds of junks 
 moored here, and a large trade is carried on between 
 this port and Szochuan. Manchester goods, 
 American watches and clocks, and kerosene oil are 
 amongst the goods brought hitlier by the Pin-ho 
 Canal from Hankow, and transhipped into the 
 Szechuan junks. The down cargoes from Szechuan 
 include salt, sugar, opium, tobacco, hemp, pepper, 
 spic(3S, medicinal and other drugs, some silk and wax, 
 and a little gold. 
 
 Sha-sze is 300 miles up from Hankow. Two
 
 TIGEE TEETH GORGE 131 
 
 miles inland is the interesting Chinese walled city 
 of Kin-Chow, which has a garrison of 10,000 
 Manchii soldiers. In May last a riot took place in 
 Sha-sze, when nearly the whole of the foreign settle- 
 ment was burnt to the ground. The Europeans 
 escaped in boats. About 50 miles from Ichang the 
 enormous rich but monotonous plains of Hupeh 
 ended, and we had the Western Mountains in view. 
 Soon the river contracted considerably, not being 
 more than ()00 yards wide when we reached tlie 
 Tiger Teeth Gorge (Hu-ya-Tsia), about ten miles 
 below Ichang. Mr. Archibald Little says : ' This 
 gorge forms a break in the last of the cross-ranges, 
 athwart which the Yangtsze brealis its way from 
 the Szcchuan plateau to the great Hupeh plain.' 
 Some of the cliffs and peaks rise to an altitude of 
 nearly 3,000 feet, and the scenery is grandly rugged 
 and impressive. I rested three days at Ichang, 
 preparatory to starting up-river in a Chinese house- 
 boat. Mr. Wilton, our excellent Consul, made me 
 heartily welcome. 
 
 SEA OF GEAVES 
 
 The Consulate, from its windows to the north, 
 east, and west, looks out on a sea of graves in the 
 form of mounds of eartii. Thoy literally stretch for 
 miles and miles. It is a curious sensation to feel 
 oneself thus encircled by countless numbers of tlie 
 dead. This is true to a largo extent of many 
 Chinese cities, and prevents their extension, as the 
 
 K 2
 
 132 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 Chinese will rarely allow even their oldest burial- 
 grounds to be built upon. 
 
 Ichang is a prosperous trading town of some 
 40,000 inhabitants. It is not a model place, as the 
 cheap opium and wine tempt the thousands who 
 navigate the river to and from the town. 
 
 The geological formation of this rugged region is 
 a coarse conglomerate, with sandstone sometimes 
 associated. On the summit of a conglomerate 
 pinnacle close by, 1,200 feet high, a Buddhist temple 
 is picturesquely situated. Pyramid-shaped hills and 
 vertical cliffs, 500 to GOO feet high, stretch along the 
 south bank of the river, backed by lofty mountains. 
 The Prefect Chun and Brigadier-General Fu called 
 on me, and informed me that the Viceroy had 
 telegraphed that a Chinese gunboat was to escort 
 me up the Yangtsze from this point. I, however, 
 declined this honour, but accepted what is known 
 as a red l)oat, or lifeboat, manned by picked China- 
 men, who wear a uniform with scarlet cloth front 
 and back, on which are Chinese characters in black. 
 I thought this would be a better safeguard in case 
 our Chinese houseboat was wrecked, and also be 
 more handy and useful generally. I found the new 
 river gunboat, ' Woodcock,' had been lying here 
 since February last, and now her going up the 
 Yangtsze has been unaccountably countermanded, 
 no one knows why. This is a serious breach of the 
 distinct pledge given by the Government to patrol 
 the Yangtsze. 
 
 In returning the Brigadier-General's call I was
 
 A HOUSEBOAT 133 
 
 placed in a flilHculty through his liospitaHty. Bowls 
 of soup, with garlic, lotus, water chestnut, and 
 Heaven knows what else in it, were served, which I 
 really could not tackle. A huge chunk of polenta 
 to be eaten with it was also beyond me. I was not 
 very well, so I begged to be excused eating on that 
 ground ; whereupon the good General became most 
 solicitous, and pressed first one remedy and then 
 another upon me. 
 
 Mr. Him Shan, Messrs. Jardine's agent, had 
 engaged the Chinese houseboat for me, and as there 
 was only a table and one chair in it, some time was 
 occupied in getting our provisions, kitchen cooking- 
 equipment including cooking- stove all fixed up. 
 The houseboat was about 60 feet long. In tlie bo^\' 
 was a deck, open during the day, for working the 
 craft, but most ingeniously covered in with bamboo 
 matting at night, so as to make a sleeping-room for 
 eighteen trackers, two pilots, five deck-hands, and 
 the cook. Behind this came my house, which was 
 just like a travelling caravan fixed on a boat instead 
 of on wheels, and divided into three compartments. 
 It was most roughly put together, and had chinks 
 into which you could put your fingers. These I had 
 stuffed with cotton-wool, and then papered over with 
 strips of paper inside. The interior \\'as painted red 
 and roughly decorated with gilt. Behind this was 
 an open space, where the rudder was \\orked, and 
 beyond tluit the compartment occupied by the 
 captain (Lao-ta), his wife, and four little children. 
 In addition to the rudder, there is fixed in the
 
 134 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 bow a huge bow-sweep, which acts as a second 
 rudder, to be employed if the vessel becomes un- 
 governable and is not answering her helm. The 
 houseboat (kua-tza) has a huge mast and sail, which 
 are of great service whenever a fair wind comes. 
 Altogether there were to be thirty-eight souls sleeping 
 on board this craft in connection with my expedition, 
 which was, therefore, rather an extensive under- 
 taking. Mr. Him Shan had had a huge flag pre- 
 pared, with my name in Chinese characters. In 
 Chinese, Walton is ' Wha-li-Tun,' which means the 
 ' flower of propriety.' 
 
 I had to get a supply of money for use up country 
 of the most odd description. Gold and silver coins 
 and paper money are unknown. Pieces of silver 
 called sycee are used, and are valued according to 
 weight ; but the chief medium of exchange is a 
 round metal coin about the size of a halfpenny with 
 a square hole in the centre. These are strung 
 together, and 850 of them are worth 2s. They are, 
 of course, heavy and difficult to carry. As my 
 kua-tza moved ofl: to the other side of the river, 
 whore I was to join her next morning, the Chinese 
 gunboat gave her a salute of three guns, and 
 crackers were discharged all around. The latter 
 were to chin-chin their Joss for good luck on the 
 voyage. 
 
 To their shame the British have had no complete 
 survey made of the Yangtsze River since 18G1. In 
 a river of its changing character old charts are 
 useless. On the other hand, though they have not
 
 RIVEE SURVEY 135 
 
 a tithe of our trade, the French Jesuit priests have 
 completed a new survey, which I proved to be most 
 accurate, and wln'cli was invaluable. This shows 
 great negligence on the part of our officials who are 
 responsible for having surveys made.
 
 136 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 CHAPTEE VIII 
 
 THE UPPER YANGTSZE EXPEDITION 
 
 My starting-point Ichang is no less than 1,100 
 miles from the sea, and here the majestic Yangtsze 
 is about three-quarters of a mile wide, even at this 
 season of the year. In summer, when at its highest, 
 it is much more. The usual difference between 
 the highest and the lowest water is sixty to seventy 
 feet, and it has reached nearly 100 feet. Fortunately, 
 the river had fallen rapidly during the previous ten 
 days, and on October 9, when I set out, it might be 
 regarded as in a medium condition. Captain Plant, 
 who had had ten years' experience in navigating 
 rapids on the Karun rdvcr, in Persia, accompanied 
 me, to take charge of Mr. Little's steam-launch 
 when we met her. We had telegraphed to have the 
 launch sent down to Patting, some sixt}^ miles above 
 Ichang, so that we might change into her, or we 
 might decide to have the * kua-tza ' towed, as would 
 best facilitate our journey. 
 
 YAXGTSZE TRACKERS 
 
 \A'e gf)t under way about 9.30, and as there was 
 no fair wind otir trackers were soon on the towpath,
 
 THE EIVER TEACKEES 137 
 
 swarming up slopes and around bluffs, uttering their 
 musical cries to enable them to keep step. When 
 out of sight a drum was beaten to guide them as 
 to when to go ahead. The hawsers are made of 
 bamboo strips twisted into a rope, and will stand an 
 enormous strain. The trackers put a broad band 
 over one shoulder, across the chest, and under the 
 armpit, and attach this to the rope by a thong 
 having a large round flat button at its end. In this 
 way all their drawing power is brought to bear. 
 The trackers are a fine set of men, who look in the 
 pink of condition. I greatly envied them their 
 muscles standing out like whipcord. I found both 
 trackers and crew as contented, merry, and good- 
 natured a lot of travelling companions as I ever 
 desire to have. Unfortunately, no fair wind came to 
 our assistance for some days, and our progress was 
 disappointingly slow. 
 
 AX UNSUITABLE CEAFT 
 
 I soon discovered that I had got the very worst 
 type of ci'aft for making a rapid journey. She was too 
 heavy and unwieldy altogether, just like lend in the 
 water. In order to encourage the men to put their 
 l)acks int(^ it I made them daily presents of cash 
 will; which to buy pork, whicli is the Chinaman's 
 grc,'t(::^t luxury. Their food is knoAvn as ' chow,' and 
 tlii'y tliiiik a great dial aljout it. So long as they 
 gt't good chow they are as h.appy as the days arc 
 lonu.
 
 138 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 CHINESE COOKS 
 
 The Chinese are splendid cooks, and it was 
 very interesting to watch them preparing food in the 
 cleverest, cleanest, and most scientific fashion with 
 the scantiest ajiplianccs. They are largely vegeta- 
 rians, and rice, accompanied by all kinds of vegetables 
 in an appetising form, and also, if possible, by pork, 
 is what they like best, and on this food they thrive 
 splendidly. 
 
 To see them all squatting around, emptying by 
 their chop-sticks basin after basin with the greatest 
 gusto, made one feel that their occupation is con- 
 ducive to health. They never take liquid with their 
 meals, but drink tea before or after them. They only 
 drink hot water having a strong objection to cold 
 beverages. 
 
 The torrent of water we had to get over, as it 
 swept through the gorges or swirled around in 
 whirlpools in some broader part of the river above 
 and below a gorge, often almost beat us back, and 
 then our progress was inch by inch. 
 
 BROKEN ADRIFT 
 
 Once our rope broke, and we careered down the 
 river in a few moments the distance we had taken 
 hours to ascend. There was some danger of our 
 capsizing if we turned sideways in the rapid ; but 
 every man on board was at his post and did the 
 right tiling as coolly as if nothing had happened. 
 The Chinese seem to be without the mstinct that
 
 EIVER JUNKS 139 
 
 would prompt them to assist any one in a difficulty. 
 Wc swept helplessly down past hundreds of junks 
 moored along the shore, and not one tried to throw 
 us a ropo or put off a boat to help us. Our own 
 lifeboat had been nearly swamped, but it was only 
 when she overtook us and took a line ashore that our 
 downstream trip ended. 
 
 PORPOISES 
 
 We had a series of rapids and whirlpools to pass, 
 and the porpoises which had kept us company the 
 entire distance from the sea here bade us farewell 
 they cannot face ' chow-chow ' water. 
 
 The next best thing to having Mr. Archibald Little 
 with me was to have his book, ' Through the Yanglsze 
 Gorges,' wdiich gave me invaluable information as to 
 the character of the river and the objects of interest 
 to be seen. He tells us that, of the jimks making 
 the trip from Ichang to Chung-King and back, one 
 in every ten is stranded and one in every t^\'enty 
 totally wrecked. This gives some idea of the 
 dangerous navigation. 
 
 The trade on the Yangtsze carried on by junlvs is 
 very great. It is e.-,timatod that there are 5,000 of 
 them, cmpk:ying 100 men each, wdiicli means half a 
 million of men. This is apart from the hundreds of 
 shore traclccrs waiting at every big rapid to give 
 addiiiomd assistance. 
 
 During the trip wc were all up at 4.30 every 
 morm'ng, and went to bed at 8. 1 of tun walked with 
 ihu tracker.-^ when they w^re on shore, una looked
 
 IdO CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 after getting extra men at the rapids. We had 
 usually two hawsers out, and it was essential to 
 safety that both should be straight and taut before 
 starting to haul up the houseboat. 
 
 THE YEH-TAN RAPID 
 
 One of the most formidable of the rapids is the 
 Ych-tan. When we arrived about thirty junks were 
 in front of us, and to take our turn would have meant 
 a detention of two days. One function of a red boat 
 is to secure priority over cargo junks, so we worked 
 round them into position. The rapid was running 
 probably 13 knots an hour. We put out two 
 hawsers, but one of them got fast round a rock 
 and ^^'as curved, thus drawing the ' kua-tza ' out 
 of the proper channel. Instead of w^aiting till this 
 w;is set right the Lao-ta kept signalling to haul 
 away, with the result that our rotten old vessel, 
 having a tremendous current on one side and a 
 powerful eddy on the other, shipped a lot of water, 
 and all but capsized. Then, after righting herself, she 
 struck on a rock, making a ]Ag hole in her hull. We 
 got about 120 trackers on the hawsers and brought 
 her up quicldy into the smooth water above. Here 
 wo cleared the hold and plugged the hole with a bale 
 of cotton. After baling out the water the Chinese set 
 to work to put an inner lining over the damaged 
 pfirt to enable us to proceed on our voyage, and 
 very cleverly they did it. The broken wood was 
 quite rotten, and the houseboat neitlier had the 
 sLal)ility nor was in proper condition for safely
 
 CHINESE SEEVx\NTS 141 
 
 negotiating such vicious water. The whirlpools, 
 where cross-currents rushed and swirled with terrible 
 force in every direction, were even more dangerous, 
 l)ecause our unwieldy craft swerved right and left, 
 wit1i the constant liability of striking a submerged 
 rock. AVe moored at night, but managed ten hours' 
 work a day : one day we made only four miles, and 
 another five. At the end of nine days, when to our 
 great joy the steam-launch hove in siglit, \\c had 
 covered seventy-nine miles, or not quite nine miles a 
 day. 
 
 CHINESE SEEVANTS 
 
 1 was most fortunate in my personal attendants. 
 One boy acted as cook, and did splendidly in a kitchen 
 not four feet square, in which the cooking-stove was 
 fixed. 
 
 How he managed to turn us out such a variety 
 of beautifully cooked, wholesome food was a marvel. 
 I was told you could not get fresh meat or food up 
 the Yangtsze. However, our boy was constantly on 
 the look-out, and picked up a fish or chicken or fresh 
 eggs day by day. At some few places he got what 
 he called beef and mutton, which I was afterwards 
 to]d was really buffalo and goat ; however, that 
 didii"t matter it was wholesome, and with ottr 
 ap]iL'tites we ihouglit we never had eaten better beef 
 and nuittun in our lives. 
 
 AH sa:\i 
 
 I liad one Chinese boy who acted as interpreter ; 
 he had l)een fotu'teen yoars in the British Navy, and
 
 142 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 was of the greatest possible service. He rejoiced in 
 the curious name of Ah Sam ! His worst fault was 
 fondness for drink, which, perhaps, he acquired m 
 our Navy ; but he never took it until after his work 
 was done at night. When I paid him off at Ichang 
 I urged him not to go ashore and waste his money, 
 but he arrived at Hankow with a broken head, got in 
 a drunken row. He again promised me that it should 
 be the last time. I could have obtained for him a 
 capital situation on board the gunboat ' Woodcock ' 
 but for this failing. Wherever I travel, be it in 
 Asia, Africa, or America, I have had the invariable 
 experience that if one treats the natives with reason- 
 able consideration they render good service. As a 
 rule truth, how^ever, must not be expected. 
 
 CHIN-CHINNING JOSS 
 
 On the ' kua-tza,' every night after mooring the 
 Lao-ta (skipper) did what is knovm as cliin-chinning 
 his Joss. 
 
 The ceremony consists of vigorously beating a 
 gong and then firing crackers. It is an acknow- 
 ledgment of protection affoi.led during the day, 
 and a tribute of respect paid in the hope of propitia- 
 ting and securing favour and help from their god 
 during the next day. On the d:iy we had done only 
 four miles I ventured to suggest that they should 
 cliin-chin their Joss a second time, wliich they 
 promptdy did, and, lo and behold ! wc accomplished 
 twelvu and a half miles the next day.
 
 CHINESE CROWDS 143 
 
 WATER SUrPLY 
 
 The water of the river was thick and muddy, so 
 it was necessary to put it into lar^^e eartlienwaro 
 vessels called kongs to settle. After that I had it 
 passed through a filter, and then we had lovely water 
 as clear as crystal. 
 
 ATTITUDE or THE CHINESE 
 
 During the whole of my 3,200 miles up and down 
 the Yangtszc Valley I landed everywhere and moved 
 freely amongst the Chinese. I never met with in- 
 civility once, hut, on the contrary, with grt^at courtesy 
 and politeness everywhere. At the rapids, where 
 hundreds of trackers are engaged, you would naturally 
 expect to find a rowdy element, hut I saw no sign of 
 it. The people were curious, and if I was putting 
 down something in my notebook a crowd would 
 watch me write, and they would come and touch my, 
 to them, extraordinary-lookiug clothes. Scores, if 
 not hundreds, would accompany me in my vralk 
 through a town or village. 
 
 OUE :\IYSTErJOCS VESSEL 
 
 Tlio ^^'hole population turned out at every town 
 and village to see our launch pass. A boat forgiiig 
 lu'r way up stream without a tow-rope, sail, or 
 r()\V( rs, was indeed a mystery and a wonder. AVhen 
 ^^e hU \v tlie steam-whistle many ran away, others 
 put tlieir fingers in their et'rs, and the rest laughed 
 with astonishment and delifdit.
 
 144 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CEISIS 
 STONED BY THE CHINESE 
 
 At one place only had we anything in the nature 
 of an attack, and that was at the town of Wan- 
 Ilsien. Many thousands of Chinese were massed on 
 a steep sandbank, against which we were moored, 
 when a quarrel arose between the shoremen who 
 were coaling us and the boatmen of a sampan who 
 were bringing people to see the launch. They first 
 spat in each other's faces, and then seized hold of 
 each other's pigtails ; whereupon the crowd took 
 sides, and in an instant showers of stones were flying 
 around the launch, smashing the engine-room sky- 
 light, cracking a port deadlight, and knocking a 
 corner off the after-compartment. I was sitting 
 writing in front of an open window facing the crowd, 
 but the windows on each side had the outside wooden 
 shutters up. Stones banged against these, but none 
 came in. Captain Plant took his Martini-Henry 
 and I my loaded revolver (in my pocket) on deck, 
 and after we appeared not another stone was thrown. 
 So the attack was clearly not directed against us, and 
 therefore not anti-foreign. 
 
 Our red l^oatmen had arrested three of the rioters, 
 and tied them together by their pigtails. I untied 
 these in face of the crowd and sent them off. I after- 
 wards took five photographs of the people, and we 
 left llie place without the slightest further sign of 
 hostility. 
 
 WRECKS AND WRECKAGE ON THE YANGTSZE 
 
 In the course of our trip we found scores of 
 smashed-up junks on the rocks, and junks floating
 
 CHINESE WEATHER 145 
 
 bottom uppermost down stream. Bales of Tvlan- 
 chestcr <;'oods, tins of kerosene oil, and })oxes of other 
 ^oods floated past us daily. One junk had l)een 
 .i^wept into the cleft of some rocks thirty to forty 
 feet above the present level of the river, apparently 
 uninjured, and another was left high and dry on a 
 sandbank forty or fifty feet up. 
 
 WEATHER 
 
 I had expected almost continuous sunshine and 
 no rain, but for twelve days we never saw the sun, 
 and during four nights it rained in torrents. For- 
 tunately, tlie days were free from rain, as the one 
 thing a Chinaman won't do is to work in even the 
 slightest rain. Though dull it was not cold. The 
 greatest drawback to me was that I could not take 
 efft-ctive photographs of the grand scenery through 
 which I was passing. The city of Chung-King my 
 destination is said to be usually enveloped in haze, 
 if not in actual fog. 
 
 SCENERY 
 
 I must attempt a brief description of the scenery 
 and of the cliaracter of the counuy. 
 
 For three miles al:)Ove Ichang the river is about 
 three-quarters of a mile wide. AYhen we reach the 
 ] el King ,i;-orge it suddenly narrows to 800100 yards, 
 and >Oi)i\ .urand imiI impressive ^,cenery surrounds u^,, 
 i\ rpmdieular clii'ls rise on each side. There is no 
 t'lwpatli, and in tlie absiMiee of a favour;d)l(^ wind 
 pn\oi>.ss can only be made by working tlie yulohs 
 
 L
 
 14G CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 (oars) and by clawing the rock with boathooks. 
 Limestone is the principal rock, and it is quarried 
 for building purposes. Some of the perpendicular 
 faces of rock, peaks, needles, and square cliffs are 
 very fine. One pinnacle of limestone, almost like a 
 miniature Matterhorn, is said to be 1,800 feet high, 
 whilst some huge cliffs, bleached white, are given by 
 different authorities as 2,500 and 3,000 feet. 
 Picturesque houses bamboo frameworli and walls, 
 and thatched with reeds and grasses abound wher- 
 ever a break in the gorge occurs. They are 
 surrounded by clumps of bamboos, orange and 
 pomola trees. The women and children were shy ; 
 whenever they saw me approaching they ran into 
 their houses and hid themselves. We saw some 
 lovely natural grottoes, with creepers gracefully over- 
 lianging, including Virginia creeper. Maidenhair 
 and other ferns and rock plants were gro^ving luxu- 
 riantly. 
 
 MONKEYS 
 
 At one place, where they depend on the Indian 
 corn raised for food, we were told that a few weeks 
 before hundreds of monkeys had come down from 
 the mountains and carried it all oil. 
 
 LUKAN GORGE 
 
 Our next great gorge was the Lukan, which at 
 points narrows to 450 yards, and extends about 
 three mih^s. The precipitous slopes, rising 2,500 
 feet, lire elotlicd with In'ushwuod wherevei' any soil 
 can lo(l<!e. The struJi^ silent current ran four or
 
 KWEI-CIIOW 147 
 
 five knots, l)iit, fortunately, an upstream breeze came 
 to the rescue, and we sailed along merrily. The 
 trackers and crew were delighted, as it gave them 
 practically a holiday. 
 
 The third great gorge was the Mitsang, where 
 the cliffs closed in, and the effect in the gloaming 
 was weird and impressive. AVe stuck in the gorge 
 owing to a head wind, and could not move for hours, 
 
 KWEI-CIIOW 
 
 The old city of Kwei-Chow was the first place of 
 any size we reached, and is forty-one miles from 
 Ichang. Below and opposite to it the whirlpools 
 were strong and dangerous. I crossed the river in 
 the red boat to send a telegram (and, by the by, it 
 cost 5s. for seven words, though only an inland 
 message), and in returning we were drawn into the 
 vortex of a whirlpool and went round and round. 
 "We could not cross it, and with the greatest difficulty 
 got out again on the side on which we entered. 
 
 CHINESE COAL 
 
 A few milus beyond Kwei-Chow I found coal of 
 fair quality was being worked by tunnels into a 
 vertical scam two feet wide between two faces of 
 rock. Men v/ere carrying it in baskets on their 
 backs down a ravine. The lumps were separated, 
 and the small was tlie]i converted into briquettes. 
 The process is to mix a proportion of loam with the 
 coal, add water, and then knead the mass with the 
 bare feet. It is then pressed ])y hand into small
 
 148 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CRISIS 
 
 circular wooden moulds, and afterwards turned out 
 and set to dry. 
 
 THE WUSHAN GOKGE 
 
 The Wushan gorge, halfway through which is 
 the boundary between the Provinces of Hupeh and 
 Szcchuan the point where we changed to the launch 
 is no less than twenty miles long, but in some 
 places only 300 to 400 yards wide. When doing the 
 first part of the gorge in our houseboat, at places 
 where the cliffs rose perpendicularly on both sides 
 and the current was too strong for our rowers, the 
 red l)oat would take out a line 200 to 300 yards 
 ahead and fasten it to a projection of rock, then 
 those on board would draw the houseboat up stream 
 by hauling in the line. At other places the services 
 of our swimming trackers (Tai-wan-ti) were re- 
 quisitioned. Two or three of these are engaged for 
 every boat. They spend half their time naked as 
 Adam, ready to dive into the river to disentangle 
 towing ropes from rocks or to take out lines wherever 
 needed. These men swim magnificently, and enjoy 
 the best of health, rarely taking cold. The water in 
 "Wushan gorge is declared to be unfathomable. We 
 passed what looked like slate rock tilted vertically, 
 v.'ith partings every inch or so. The predominant 
 rock was hard limestone, but masses of granitic 
 rock and of black vitriolised slag were scattered 
 about with terribly jagged edges, making this a 
 dangeriAis stretch of water to navigate. The gorge 
 continued narrow, and had high imposing clili's on
 
 THE STEAM-LAUNCH 149 
 
 the left, with a pathway cut in the face of the 
 rock. On the right wore triangular mountains, 
 witli rock faces of grey and red ochre shades of 
 colouring, rising up to not less than 2,000 feet ; 
 then beyond were sheer clitts 1,500 feet high, and a 
 pinnacle of rock 2,500 feet. Huge and beautifully 
 wooded ravines intersected these mountains right 
 and left. Without exception it was by far the 
 grandest and most impressive river scenery I have 
 met with. All through, in every cleft of the 
 rocks, scrubby bushes grew, furnishing green or 
 autumn-tinted foliage to relieve the bareness of the 
 rock slopes. At the end of the gorge is Wushan 
 Hsien, and this was my first sight of a Szechuan 
 town. 
 
 TEAXSHIPPIXG TO STEA:\r-LAUXCH 
 
 On the morning of October 18 we were glad 
 indeed to transfer ourselves, bag and baggage, into 
 the steam-launch ' Leechuen,' which my friend Mr. 
 Archibald Little had so kindly placed at my disposal. 
 Our Lao-ta and all on board the ' kua-tza ' tried hard 
 to persuade us to go on in her ; but I could not afford 
 the time, and, besides, I wished to have the experience 
 of making the trip up to Chung-King by steam. At 
 last they submitted gracefully to the inevitable, and, 
 being consoled by a good present, did all they could 
 to facilitate an early start. We left amid salvoes of 
 crackers for good luck and a multitude of chin-chins 
 from the Lao-ta and crew. We had 878 miles to 
 do having covered only seventy-nine miles in nine
 
 150 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 days in the houseboat and this we accomplished 
 in nine days more, in spite of great difficulties being 
 an average of forty-two miles per day in the launch, 
 as compared with nine in the houseboat. The usual 
 time occupied is thirty to forty days, so my eighteen 
 were considered exceptionally good time.
 
 151 
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 THE VOYAGE UP THE YANGTSZE continued 
 
 We could have done much better had the launch 
 been in good working order and suitable as regards 
 size, build, and steaming power. She had been in 
 the liands of Chinese engineers for two years, and 
 the engines were all to pieces. Her length was 
 only 45 feet, and tonnage 7-i-,,''^ tons, and instead of 
 having w^ater-tight compartments and being con- 
 structed of 3-lG mild steel, I found the shell was 
 1 inch of teak, and that a hole bumped in her 
 would mean being at the bottom of the river in a 
 few minutes. AVorsc than this, there was no donkey- 
 engine and no hand feed-pumps, whilst the feed- 
 pumps attached to the engine vrere insuflicient to 
 keep the boiler properly supplied with water when 
 steaming through diflicult water at 175 lb. pressure. 
 At such times the water nearly disappeared from the 
 gauge glass, and vre had to stop over and over again, 
 draw the fires, and refill the boiler by pouring water 
 through the steam-pipe. I suspect the danger of an 
 explosion was frequently considerable, and as I sat in 
 tlie cabin writing, with my l)ack to the boiler, I oftc]^ 
 wondered if it would burst like a bomb. To make
 
 152 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CRISIS 
 
 matters worse, the joint of the main steam-pipe next 
 the boiler gave way, and we had no means of repairing 
 it. To crown all, the maximum speed proved to be 
 only seven knots, so she had to he hauled over the 
 \\orst rapids in the same way as the houseboat. 
 Under these conditions our journey was an exciting 
 one. We never knew from moment to moment that 
 a breakdown would not occur and strand us altogether. 
 All we could do was to be on the alert constantly 
 and leave nothmg undone to keep her going. Captain 
 Plant understood boilers and machinery thoroughly, 
 or we could not have reached Chung-King by steam. 
 Several times the launch heeled over, so that water 
 came into the engine-room and cabin, and once in a 
 rapid the hawsers had to be cut with a hatchet to 
 prevent her going down. In whirlpools we had her 
 careering all over, and occasionally she shied at a 
 piece of stilf water and bolted right round. We 
 fortunately had a splendid crew of ten men in the 
 red ]3oat alongside, or we could not have ventured 
 to continue our efforts. As it happened, we came 
 out of it safe and sound ; but knowing the river as 1 
 now do, and also the launch, I certainly could not be 
 induced to undertake the trip a second time in so 
 unsuitable a vessel. 
 
 KWEI-CHOW-FU 
 
 The gorges proper end at Kwei-chow-fu, 108 
 miles from Ichang. This is an important prefectural 
 city in a wide open valley. The Prefect and the 
 Commander of the Military Forces called on me, and
 
 A CHINESE PEESENT 153 
 
 offered an escort of two red boats to accompany me 
 to Chung-King. I accepted one boat, but had her 
 manned with ten men instead of six, so as to have 
 them avaikdjle as trackers in case the hiuiudi brolu; 
 down. When I returned tlie visits of the ofiicials at 
 the Yamen, I passed along comparatively clean streets 
 paved with large slabs of stone and lined with good 
 Chinese shops. Some of the streets were covered 
 overhead wdth bamboo awning. I received a sakite 
 of three guns on entering and leaving the Yamen, 
 and the streets were lined with people. I was much 
 struck with the fine physique of the inhabitants of 
 the Yangtsze Valley generally, and of Szechuan 
 Province particularly. They are all well dressed, too, 
 and have a distinct air of prosperity. Just as our 
 launch was leaving there arrived alongside a most 
 generous present from the Prefect a ham, a leg of 
 mutton, a chicken and a live duck, also boxes of 
 Chinese cakes, dried fish, and vermicelli which was 
 a most useful contribution towards replenishing our 
 larder. According to Chinese etiquette only one or 
 two of these offerings ought to have been accepted 
 and the rest returned. My boy retained them all ! 
 When the river is low, holes are dug in the sand 
 near this city, from which salt brine is drawn and 
 then evaporated. 
 
 CHINESE OFFICIALS 
 
 At every place where we stopped the jNIandarins 
 imniediatel}^ called and offered me every assistance 
 in their power. Their politeness and grace of bear-
 
 154 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 ing were charming, even though in their hearts they 
 might be looking down with contempt upon the 
 ' foreign devil.' It was, no doubt, the instructions of 
 the powerful Viceroy Chang Chih Tung that secured 
 me so much attention. 
 
 SZECIIUAN 
 
 This magnificent province, with sixty millions of 
 prosperous, industrious people, through which the 
 rest of my journey lay, is full of interest. The 
 valley opened out ; there were frequent bays on the 
 river, where, all surrounded by mountains of purple 
 colouring, one could imagine oneself among the 
 heather-clad hills of Scotland and on a Scottish loch. 
 This continued for hundreds of miles, and arose 
 from the pinkish-red colour of the soil, indicative, I 
 imagine, of the presence of iron. In place of lime- 
 stone and granite there were eroded masses of sand- 
 stone everywhere, of the most varied forms cones, 
 crags, and pillars, sometimes three or four tiers rising 
 one above another. The country was better wooded 
 and had most fertile soil, every yard of which is 
 cultivated. The alluvial soil next the river is 
 ploughed deeply, and grows two crops a year, one 
 being reaped in April or May, and the second one 
 later. Commodious pictiu'esque homesteads are 
 studded everywhere, nestling in groves of bamboo, 
 cedars, and Ttmg-tsu (varnish-oil trees), with their 
 large and beautiful shining leaves. The houses are 
 white, with overhanging roofs, and the black wood 
 framework shows through at the gable ends and
 
 A PEOSPEEOUS PROVINCE 155 
 
 sidoR, just like a Swiss chalet. They have, indeed, 
 every appeurance of peaceful happy homes in a land 
 of civilisation, and sliowed nio how ir^'norant I had 
 been of China and the Chinese. Opium is largely 
 produced in Szechuan, and the poppy, with its dark 
 green leaves and white, red, and purple tulip-like 
 flowers, makes the landscape gorgeous in the spring. 
 The sugar cane flourishes, and tobacco, tea, hemp, 
 beans, peas, millet, wheat, barley, indigo, and the 
 castor-oil plant are also grown. Among the fruits 
 are oranges, pomolas, persimmons, pomegranates, 
 melons, peaches, apricots, and walnuts. All kinds 
 of vegetables arc produced in profusion. On the 
 principle of 'our content being our best having,' 
 I sliould judge that these people are to be envied. 
 I am, however, told that extortionate and corrupt 
 oiiicials often largely rob these industrious vrorkors 
 oi the fruits of their toil. This was practically the 
 character of the country for 350 miles from Kwei- 
 chow-fu to Chung-King. 
 
 ABSENCE OF BIEDS AND AXHIAL LIFE 
 
 One thing that struck me was the absence of 
 wild birds and four-footed animals on the Upper 
 Yangtsze, and I never met anyone ^\ho could explain 
 to me the why and the wherefore. 
 
 NOVEL DUCK-PiEAEING 
 
 On the othir hand, domestic fowls arc very 
 numerous. I saw immense bands of ducks being 
 driven out by Chinamen, and it is very interesting
 
 156 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 to observe the perfect manner in which a dnck-keeper 
 manages his troop. He will turn them into a paddy- 
 field with the growing rice, where they can feed at 
 leisure on the smaller aquatic animals, and you see 
 nothing but the quivering of the stalks of the paddy ; 
 but immediately he makes a peculiar call, or rattles 
 a split bamboo, out come some hundreds of these 
 intelligent creatures on the banks, and at his com- 
 mand file off with military precision to some other 
 feeding-ground. 
 
 GOLD 
 
 On some of the gravel beds of the Yangtsze they 
 wash the sand and shingle in rockers, and endeavour 
 to find and extract particles of gold, which they 
 believe is washed down from the mountains of Tibet. 
 The yield, however, is so small that only the poorest 
 people worlv at this laborious employment. 
 
 FENG-TU-CHEXG 
 
 We passed several other towns on the way to 
 Chung-King, to which I will not refer ; but the 
 ancient walled city of Feng-tu, i.e. ' The Abundant 
 Capital,' close to which is Tien-tsze Shan, ' Mountain 
 of the Son of Heaven,' must not be omitted. The 
 Temple is dedicated to the Emperor of the ' Yin,' or 
 dead. It is celebrated over the whole eighteen 
 provinces of China, as at every death the officiating 
 Taoist priest indites a despatch to the Tien-tsze, 
 duly addressed to Feng-tu-Cheng, notifying him of 
 tlic newcomer. This despatch is, however, not sent
 
 CIIUNG-KING 157 
 
 through the terrestrial post, but by the celestial road, 
 being burnt to ashes. I am indebted to Mr. Little 
 for this information. 
 
 AREIVAL AT CIIUNG-KIXG 
 
 On the morning of October '27 we were steaming 
 up past that portion of the city known as Kiang- 
 pei-ting, and only separated from Chung-King proper 
 by the Kia-ling Kiver, which there flows into the 
 Yangtsze. Soon we were abreast of the imposing-look- 
 ing city, with its fine old walls built on sandstone cliffs 
 70 to 80 feet high. Several pagodas and many white 
 houses make the outside view of the city picturesque. 
 A lot of green mosson the sandstone indicated a very 
 damp climate. Several houses facing the river had 
 highly decorated facades black and gilt, with orna- 
 mental work of an elaljorate and fantastic character. 
 The great river here, though nearly 1,G00 miles from 
 the sea, was not less than two-thirds of a mile \\idc 
 even at this low season. On the left bank stretched 
 a suburb with a range of conical well-wooded hills, 
 1,500 feet high, in the background. AVe v/ere quickly 
 moored at that side, close to Mr. Archibald Little's 
 hong, and received a cordial welcome from his agent, 
 r^Ir. Nicholson. The terrace in front of the house com- 
 manded a tine view of the city and of two reaches of 
 tlie river. I obtained some exercise by climbing up 
 1,500 iVet to call on the English Consul at his liill 
 bungalow. 
 
 Thcj fjritish Consulate in Chung-King is a dilapi- 
 dat'.d msanitarv old Chinese huUoC, overrun with
 
 158 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 rats and siiiTounded by filth, so it is little wonder 
 that the British representative escapes to the hills. 
 The French and the United States have splendid new 
 Consulates. Seeing the great inlluence that this sort 
 of thing has on Orientals, it is false economy to have 
 let twenty years elapse since this place was made a 
 Treaty Tort without putting our Consul in a position 
 to represent us suitably. 
 
 I was invited to be the guest of Mr. Davidson, of 
 the Friends' Mission, but met him unexpcctedly,while 
 on his way to Shanghai to see his brother, who had 
 been seriously injured by the Chinese, off to England. 
 In his absence I stayed with Mr, Kicholson. 
 
 Chung-King is o. huge to^vn with a population of 
 400,000, and narrow, crowded, and picturesque streets. 
 We rested two days, preparatory to the return 
 journey.
 
 159 
 
 CIIAPTEE X 
 A lU-COIW JOVRNEY IN THE INTEliWli 
 
 I HAVE now returned in safety from the interior of 
 Cliina, having accompHshed a journey of 3,200 niiles 
 over her greatest inland waterway in about lialf the 
 time usually occupied. 
 
 THE rOLITICAL AXD CO:\n[ERCIAL SITUATION IN 
 SZECTIUAN 
 
 Before describing my return journey I wish to 
 refer briefly to the political and connnercial situation 
 in the great populous and most western province of 
 China, Szechuan. 
 
 The inhabitants arc exceptionally prosperous, and 
 the volume of trade is likely to increase phenome- 
 nally. We have an agreement with France, of 
 January iS9G, in which each nation pledges itself 
 to use its best oftices to obtain for tlic other greater 
 facilities to trade in Yunnan and Szechuan on 
 tqual terms and conditions. I find, hov\'evcr, 
 that Trance has entirely disregarded that agr^e- 
 UMiit; tliat slie is energetically seeking net only 
 t'\ciu^iv(> riglus and privif ges for hc)'S(dL, but idso 
 lo prrvcni our ubtainii^g ^imdar advcintagt.':-. I'^rance
 
 160 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 is represented by able diplomatists who are most 
 active, and the whole province is covered by missions 
 under French Jesuit priests, who, whilst they are 
 very successful in their mission work, also give 
 invaluable assistance to their countrymen by the 
 commercial, geological, and political information 
 they convey to them. The power and influence of 
 the fathers with the Chinese are immense. They 
 have made a geological survey of the whole province, 
 and the French Government are demanding from the 
 Chinese Government the exclusive right to work 
 minerals in six of the richest districts as compensa- 
 tion for attacks made upon their missionaries. 
 
 The French have also a considerable number of 
 engineers surveying in order to ascertain the best 
 railway route from the colony of Tonquin through 
 Yunnan into Szechuan. They are actively engaged 
 in constructing the southern part of this line, and 
 have already railway material on the ground for 
 continuing it northwards. The French Government 
 are determined, apparently, to thus tap the trade of 
 South-west China ahead of us in the hope not of 
 sharing with but of excluding us. 
 
 On the other hand, instead of having begun to 
 build a railway from British Burma to Chung King 
 on the Yangtsze two years ago, as a question of high 
 imperial policy not only as a counterpoise to the 
 Eussian Siberian-Manchurian and Trans-Caspian 
 Bailways, l3ut also to safeguard British commercial 
 interests in South-west China Her Majesty's 
 Government have folded their arms and done nothine^.
 
 A COMPETENT CONSUE IGL 
 
 They havo not even had surveys started to iiu'esti- 
 
 ,L;at('an(l deU rminc the most practicable route. This 
 ne<^"l('ct to secure us an t'qual opportunity to trade in 
 the ,L;r('atest undevelo])ed niarla't in tlie world will 
 seriously hindci' th(> prosperity and well-being ol the 
 Erili--!! people in the futurc\ 
 
 i;j;iTisji CONSUL at ciiung king 
 
 AW' li;ul an admirable and ener;4'etic representative 
 in Ml'. Litton, and because he was excecMhngl}' active 
 he \\;i:, reealle'h In sh(irl, Eritish inter-'^^ts, wlieth' r 
 pi.'lilic;!| or C(anmerei;il, in Soutli-wesL China are 
 ln'ini;- disn^garded by our Government, composed, 
 as it unfortttnately is, too largi^ly of men who arc 
 iunoraiu of the trade rc^quircnients of the cottntry. 
 
 now A eirixA^iAN overeeaciied himself 
 
 A\'e had a pilot on the launch up to Chung 
 Iving who thought he was indispcnsa1)le, and 
 actually demanded 20/. in advan.ce l)cfore he wonld 
 >tart on the reln.rn li'i]) oC three days. To hi.^ 
 sur|il-i,-.e W(> told innild- service^ M'ere not J'l quired, 
 jed lo el( .U' out. We ;.;i.l ;i nuiell b(tti'!' ma!>, \\!lo 
 
 \\a:-ni(.'i, 'i;!i! hO i -lie 1 Willi Ml.-. ;i. iliiy. Tlii-iii.st 
 uv.n\ \\i<r, [\\>-i\ willin.; L'l ^" \'i'i: ( V( n le.---. 1x0 J 
 rei'il -.1. d lo re-c n^L;;;';'e him. 
 
 rXlTXe'JTALITY OF (IIIX A.MJ'.X 
 
 Ch.inamen have no ide;i of punctuality. Our new 
 j)il I wa- to be on l.)oard at ") a._m. on Oct(djer "iO, l)ut
 
 162 CHINA AND THE PPxESENT CRISIS 
 
 did not come until 7.30, and then was surprised that 
 I thought he was late. AVe got under way at 
 once and started down stream with the hearty good- 
 byes of a group of Chung-King European residents 
 sounding in our ears. At 5.30 we moored at Kao- 
 Kia-Tcheng, having done in ten hours what took us 
 tliirty-four hours' steaming in going up, 
 
 SIX-T'AX, or XEW EAI'ID 
 
 The next day we had to shoot the Sin-t'an, or 
 New liajiid, where the whirlpools were terrific. We 
 were tossed to and fro like a cork, and but for Capt. 
 Plant's splendid steering the chances of our striking 
 a rock would have been very great. At the end of 
 the second day we had done in twenty hours' steam- 
 ing what ninet3-six hours were required to ac- 
 complish in the journey up. 
 
 The following day, in passing Kwei-Chow-fu, I 
 called on the Prefect and took him a present of 
 English biscuits, tinned fruits, &:c., which seemed to 
 please him very much. 
 
 We swept down the gorges and variotts rapids at a 
 high speed. This was the only way to prevent 
 swerving out of tlie main channel on to tlie rocks. 
 At the Xiit Kan-t'an Whirlpool we wta'c drawn 
 in and heeled right over, so that the water came into 
 tlie cabin and eDgine-roo]n. For a moment, as the 
 laitnch httng in the balance, I thought we were 
 going Riidcr ; llien she righted hersi'lf, arid tlie danpcr 
 was over.
 
 PASSING A EAPID 163 
 
 THE YI-H-T'AX rapid 
 
 We shot the Yeli-t'an Hapid, which was running 
 thirteen to fourteen knots, at not less than eighteen 
 or nineteen laiots. The water was very rough : big 
 waves were rohing in the main current, not only 
 down stream, but eddies and currents brought cross- 
 waves curling towards us from each side. There 
 were more than two hundred big junks ^\aiting 
 below" the rapid until it moderated, and it was fool- 
 hardy on our part to shoot it in a little launch only 
 forty-five feet long. However, before we knew 
 where we were, or had any time to thiiik, avo were 
 in it, surrounded by surging, rolling waters. Our 
 safely lay in keeping the launch right in the centre 
 of the main current. Any swerving to one side, and 
 wc should have been rolled over and over. Fortit- 
 nately we went straight through, soaked to the skin, 
 btit not any the worse otherwise. It was indeed an 
 excitirig experience and a hazardous venture. Our 
 red boat did not fare so well. She was chticked right 
 up into the air, and smacked back on to the water 
 repeatedly, tmtil she was liberated by I'Oth her tow 
 ropes snapping off like pieces of thread. Luckily, 
 both gave way at once, or we might have dragged 
 her undi^r. \s'c lost hor protection in c:ise we came 
 t') gi'ii'f. rjcyond a bi'in'-< d i-and. no one w;is 
 injur',;.!. W'c had to get through a scries of strong 
 whirling pic-cts of water (')[ipo^iti' and just Ijtdow 
 Kwci-Chow. and were rushed out of our course in 
 a sonu'wliat alarming fashion. Our difficulties were 
 then over. 
 
 M 2
 
 IGl CHINA AND THE PRESENT CEISIS 
 
 THE QnCKEST TEir OX RECOED 
 
 xVt 9.0O on Xovember 1 we reached Ichaii", 
 liaving done the 457 miles from Chmig Kino- to 
 lehan.o; in thirty-one liours" steaming. This is the 
 quickest trip on record, I am told. 
 
 ElEST TASSAGE DOWN ILVriES AND WIIIELEOOLS 
 BY STEAM 
 
 What was more gratifying to me was the fact 
 llial I had made the first passage downstream hy 
 steam povv'er. Mr. Archibald Little was the first 
 to go up by steam and I the second. Everybody 
 was astonished to see us back at Ichang so soon. 
 
 ICILVXG TO HAXKOAV 
 
 The next day I left Ichang for Hankow on Her 
 Majesty's gunboat 'Woodcock.' Captain Watson 
 was good enough to allow me to go down with him 
 i]i order that I should not be stranded for a week 
 waiting for a steamer. Curiously enough, we reached 
 HankoAV in thirty-one hours' steaming 870 miles 
 so that I had done 838 miles from Chung-King 
 in sixty-two hours. The weather was cool and 
 l.)racing. and, fortunately, the mosquitoes had 
 vanished. I find the ' A\'oodcock ' and 'Woodlark' 
 arc not suitable for navigating the upper Yang- 
 tsze, aud will try and ascertain at home wlio is 
 responsilde for tlic Ijhmder. The plates are less than 
 one-eighth of an inch in thickness instead of three- 
 sixtucnths ; the speed unly cluvcn, whereas it should be
 
 PATROLLING THE EIVER IGu 
 
 sixteen knots ; and they ought to be paddlc-wheelcrs 
 aiul not twin-scrow Ijoats. The paddles are most 
 useful to steer \vith if the boat fails to answer to her 
 lu'hn. To be of any real service gunboats sent to 
 patrol th(i upper Yangtszc must Ije a1;le to go any- 
 where at any time no matter what the state of the 
 river may be and if built on the lines I have indi- 
 cated they could do it. 
 
 Xot an hour's delay should take place in carry- 
 ing out the Government's pledge in regard to this 
 mattii'. 'Mr. Little will liav(! a cargo steamer on the 
 rivi'r early next year, and it 'will, in all probfi])ility, 
 uc! d [)r(_)tection. It will take a long time to acf[uire 
 accurat'.^ ]\i)owledge of the river, i;nd it is unpardon- 
 able that the ' A\'oodcock ' and ' W'oodlark ' should 
 not have} l)een allowed to gain all possiljk; knowledgt) 
 aii'U^\.pcri(MU.'e of it during last 3\3;ir. If tlu3 Govenv 
 UK ait's p<3licy of drift continues, v/e shall be fore- 
 st;dlcd b\' the Jajianes" or the Gcrjnans. TIil' lattoi' 
 a!';' bn.ilding two bniits to run vrith cai'i^o >.'n th<^ uppci' 
 ri ;i.clii'S of the river. 
 
 1 v;as tA\o di'3's in Ihmlcow .md tlam rctm'iied 
 direct l)y stiamer to Shanghai.
 
 1G6 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 SHANGHAI TO HONG KONG 
 
 I LEFT Shanghai on November 14, on the French 
 mail steamer ' Sydney,' hound for Hong Kong. I 
 found on board an absence of organisation, order, 
 disciphne, and cleanHness, in striking contrast to 
 wliat is usual on a large British passenger steamer. 
 Captain Aubcrt was most courteous : he gave me the 
 seat of honour at his right hand, and did much to 
 make me bear more patiently the general discomfort 
 on board. 
 
 The c.io redeeming feature of the ' Sydney ' was 
 her steadiness in a heavy gale. On the second day 
 the north-east monsoon developed into almost a 
 hurricane, just Avhen we were in a dangerous part of 
 the Straits of Formosa. The Straits are only sixty 
 to eighty miles wide, and have the coast of China on 
 one side and the island of Formosa on the other, and 
 inside Formosa are the dangerous rocky Pescadores 
 Islands, lying right in the Straits. It was on one of 
 these that the P. and 0. passenger steamer 'Bokhara' 
 struck and foundered seven or eight years ago, only 
 two passengers being saved. Amongst the passengers 
 \\'ere tliirteen members of a cricket team, who had 
 been up to Shanghai to play a match.
 
 ITOXG KONG 1G7 
 
 Fortunately it was daylight, and we were running 
 with the wind l)chiiid us. The sea simply boiled 
 around us owing to many shallows, but not having 
 to face the galo wc did not ship any of the huge 
 rolling seas. We passed Her Majesty's cruiser 
 ' I3ona\'enture ' going northwards and pitching 
 terribly. 
 
 The third day the sea had moderated, and in the 
 afternoon we arrived safely at Hong Kong. 
 
 E^Ti{A^CE TO no^'G- KOXG 
 
 The Captain asked me to go on to the bridge, 
 so as to see more of the entrance to the harbour. It 
 is a narrow winding channel between bare rocky 
 islands. The town is situated on the north side of 
 the island, and has the precipitous but luxuriantly 
 wooded slopes of the rocky peak rising about 1,800 
 feet behind it, whilst in front is a fine expanse of 
 deep water. A number of men-of-war, including 
 several British, lay at anchor ; also many large 
 ocean-going steamers ; whilst a multitude of junks, 
 steam-launches, and other boats were moored in all 
 directions. The scene was lively and impressive. 
 
 CITY OF IIOXG KOXG 
 
 Tlie palatial-looking btiildings of granite and 
 btielv lining the sca-front and rising tier aljove tier 
 u[i the hill, together with the considerable number 
 crowning the very sitmmit of the peak, form a 
 hand^(niH>. city, ;ilninst unique as regards beattty of 
 situation and surroundini^s. It was indeed refresh-
 
 IGS CHINA AND THE TEESENT CRISIS 
 
 ing, after my disappointment in other parts of China, 
 to gaze on this fine possession of the British nation 
 away in the Far East, and to reaHse that here, at 
 any rate, one might feel proud to bean EngHshman. 
 The cHmato here at this season of the year is per- 
 fect, and at tlie Hon. J. J. Keswick's, 1,700 feet 
 above the sea, I had in cool bracing air and a perfect 
 flood of sunshine a most delightful and l^eneficial 
 rest after all the hard travelling I had done. It is 
 only after hard work that rest can really be enjoyed. 
 
 The views from the peak to the south and 
 west of Iiocky Islands, with intervening winding 
 waterways of the loveliest shades of blue, were 
 exquisite under the brilliant sunshine, and some of 
 the sunsets were gorgeous. 
 
 From the signal station we looked down on the 
 town and harbour, and at iiight myriads of ligiits 
 fur ever}^ craft, kirge or small, is compelled to 
 sliuw lights made a gay and brilliant scene. 
 
 The popidation is about a quarter of a million, 
 and both the trade and the city are growing rapidly. 
 It is one of the most prosperous places in the world. 
 The shipping inwards and outwards is estimated 
 to carry produce and goods worth fifty millions 
 sierling every year. I called on the Governor (Sir 
 Ilem'y Blake) and had an interesting talk. 
 
 ADMIEAL SEYMOUR 
 
 I next wont on board our first-cIass battleslu'p 
 tlie 'Centurion' to pay my respects to tb.e Com- 
 iiiaiid!i;-iu-ciiief on the Pacilic Station, Admiial Sir
 
 KAi:-LUNfl 1G9 
 
 Edward S(;ynioui;. I limchcd witli liim tlic next 
 day in order to have a quiet chat over what has 
 recently occurred, and also to ascertain liis views of 
 the present situation in China. A(hniral Seyinour 
 is a splendid type of man, and but for the fact that 
 ncitlier he nor our ^Minister in Pekin luis ]:)ecn 
 allowed any lilxjrty of action whatever ])y tlio 
 authoi'ities at lioine, our position out here would 
 have been very different indeed from \vhat it is 
 to-day. 
 
 KAU-LrxG 
 
 Across the l_)ay to the north lies Kiiu-Lun^i;-, and 
 behind it the new concession recently acquired by 
 the Jh'iti^^h. Our territory is little but roclxV stc^rile 
 niMUtiiains, and the line of frontier a river which in 
 }'.[)[< can In' -tep[)(,-d across the. ^\o]st ])i)<si])lc\ It 
 was af;e''pt(.;d in s[)it;' oi tlu; ur;^inns of men on the' 
 spot, nn'litary and civil, A\hen the slij^ditesi lirnmess 
 wuuld have secured a line ]ii()unt:iin Ijarrier a^ litile 
 fartliei' north. A\'e occupied Sam Chun Ijeyoiul the; 
 frontier, wlien the tai<:in,e- possession of our ground 
 was opposed, and this gave us a healthy camping 
 ground which we urgently needed. 
 
 KYACUATIOX OF SA^I CHUN 
 
 To th.e disgust of cver}djody at Tlong Kong, 
 in--li'ueiions came out recently to evacuate this[)lace. 
 It is said our home authorilies order(;d ihi-, to assist 
 I lie ( hine>e ( lovernnient in ri sisting sonir' aggressive 
 deuiand^ on the [);iil of the J''reneii ; if so, it was a
 
 170 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CRISIS 
 
 fruitless sacrifice, as the French had everything they 
 asked for conceded within ten days after our with- 
 drawal. As it stands, it is very doubtful wdiether the 
 Kau-Lung extension is of much value. 
 
 PUBLIC GARDEXS 
 
 The Public Gardens at Hong Kong are large and 
 well kept. Brilliant tropical flowers abound, and 
 the luxuriant growth of ferns and palms provides 
 many a cool retreat from the burning sun. 
 
 I-LVPPY VALLEY 
 
 The numerous cemeteries Homan Catholic, Pro- 
 testant, Parsee, Mohammedan, and Chinese are 
 situated in Happy Valley, three miles from the town 
 with perfectly lovely surroundings, and are full of 
 flowers, ferns, and palms. 
 
 PAILWAYS 
 
 There is no railway into the interior from the 
 Kau-Lung Extension, and though a concession 
 has been gijt to build one to Canton, I find it will 
 not be proceeded with except in connection with the 
 Canton-IIankovN' Luic, for which the Americans are 
 vainly trying to get a properly ratified contract 
 fro]D the Chinese Government. All confidence has 
 l)een, for liic preseiit, destroyed b}' the way in which 
 our Government allowed the Paissian Government to 
 rid(! roughshod over the fh'itish investor in regard to 
 tbe Xcwchwanu' Extensioji Pailwav,
 
 rntATES 17.1 
 
 WEST RIVEE EXPEDITION 
 
 The waterway from Ilong Koii^l;' to Soiitli-west 
 China is the AVcst liiver, and to explore this I left 
 in a small steam1)oat, the; ' Sanishiii,' on Xovejnljer 20, 
 towing a o80-ton barge alongside, f(U' AVuchaii, 2-";-") 
 miles from Hong Kong. 
 
 riiiACY ox THE WEST EIVER 
 
 "We had about oOO Chinese passengers crowded on 
 the main deck, and the question was wljether, in view 
 of the numerous and repeated acts of piracy on the 
 AVest Ixiver receiUly, there might not beainong them 
 forty or fifty men armed with revolvers and knives 
 having the intention of seizing the ship. Xear one 
 place, Kumchuk, which we Iiad to pass in the night, 
 a band of pirates had captured a British-owned 
 steamer ten days before. After ransacking the 
 passengers' baggage and the ship's cargo, thc^y com- 
 pelled the crew, at the point of the rt.;volvcr, to 
 navigate the steamer so as to enable them to seize a 
 large junk, from which they took 2,000 taels in gold 
 and a quantity of silk. Though oitr gttnboats are 
 said to be patrolling the A^'est liivur, no effort had 
 been made to ptmish the perpetrators of th.is otttrag(\ 
 I (-xpectcd tlie piratis, thus eml)oldencd, might hold 
 tis up, especially as the only two gimlxiats of any 
 use had gone up the ri\'er to escort i'rince ILau'y of 
 l^russia to A\'ucliau. A\'e placed t\\'o Sikhs ^viLh 
 loaded I'illes ;it the shiirw;)}' le^ading u]^ from the 
 main deck ; the captain and officers all had rillesand
 
 172 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CEISIS 
 
 revolvers handy ; and most of us slept with our 
 revolvers under our pillows. However, the night 
 passed quietly, and in the early mornini^- we dis- 
 charged our crowd of Chinese, and were able to 
 relax our precautions. 
 
 STUCK ON A SANDBANK 
 
 Wc w^re unfortunate in running hard fast on a 
 sandbank only a few hours from "Wuchau, and it was 
 only after eight hours' detention that we were hauled 
 off by another steamer, which came to the rescue. 
 
 WUCHAU 
 
 AVo re;ich(xl AYuchau, an ordinary Chinese town 
 of OOjOOO inhabitants, situated on a low bank close 
 to ihc river, Avhich rises fifty feet in summer and drives 
 the majoiity of the people to the upper stories of 
 their dwellings. TIk^ river Fii Zo enters the West 
 liiver clrse by : it is cloai'and green in contrast with 
 tlieroilclisli-ccloured AA^'st liiv(>r. Stci'm lauuchescan 
 go some distance up tlie Fu Zo, by which a consider- 
 able trade is done with Jvwei-lin, the capital of 
 Kwang-si. The country around AYuchau and up the 
 Fa Zo is fertile. It is an ancient city a portion 
 enclosed by walls dates back to 592 A.D., and a still 
 more ancient city preceded it. 
 
 I had intended going on from AVuchau 319 iiiiles 
 further to Nanning-fu, and tlience across country to 
 Laiigson, wh(jrc I should have got rail to Hanoi, the 
 capital of 1V)nquin now annexed by the French - 
 but 1 found it would, owing to the low state of the
 
 NANNTNQ-FU 173 
 
 river, occupy more time than I couM venture to give 
 in view of the uncertainty as to when Parhament 
 would in(H^t. I liad the good fortune to have all the 
 information colliH/.ted hy a most capahle travelha- 
 iSIr. Sheppard. wlio had just completed a journey of 
 investigation right up t(T Pose, whicdi i;; '25() miles 
 ])i'yond N;imhng;-fu placed at my disposal, and this 
 reconciled me to the ahandonment of the trip. 
 
 t'iiAj;A("j'j:rx of the countjiy 
 
 I'lie counlry we passe;1 through l)et\\cen IJoug 
 Kong and Wuchau was less densely populated than 
 1 expecteih and not rich agricidturally. We saw 
 several fairly large towns, however, and though the 
 land next the river is l)y no means uniformly fertile, 
 a good dc\il is fairly so, and, as it is the water highway 
 to very important regions hcyond, our just right to 
 have an e(}ual opportunity to trade on the West 
 Ixiver along with other nations ought to bo upheld. 
 
 NAXXlXCr-FU 
 
 Xanning-fu, \\ hich was drcLired hy Ilt;r Mojesty's 
 (h)vei'nmeut to ht; opcnied as a treaty port in l'\^- 
 hruary isyQ, ;ind (dainnMl hy tlu'iu as agrc;d (iiplonnttic 
 ;!ehir\ement, is not yet opened; and, if it. v\\:Vy\ tlie 
 fid;'aid A\':itcr^ Xavigalion Laws in Lorc(> are ^ludi 
 a-1 wouM render it vi litiK' wihie. The CiovrLnnii.ut 
 anntauicc'd thai, tlu'y had concluded an agreenjent 
 undir which Jhilish ships woidd he aide to take 
 J'rilish goods to every riverside town and station in 
 China.
 
 174 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CRISIS 
 
 The fact is, however, that they ahow regulations 
 to remain in force restricting tlie trading of British 
 steamers to the very hmited number of treaty ports, 
 aud debarring them from loading or discharging goods 
 at intervening stations. This materially lessens 
 their chance of getting full cargoes and doing a 
 profitable business. It operates so adversely that 
 steamers put on to run betvcen Canton and Wuchau 
 are to be taken off again. 
 
 SCEXEEY 
 
 The scenery of the AVest l\iver v.'as spoilt for me 
 l)y the finer character of that of the Yangtsze, but 
 v\'C; passed several pretty l3its of pictttresqtie well- 
 wooded coitntry, and one gorge several miles long 
 had hills of a sort of sandstone, Ijtit largely grass- 
 covered, rising up to 1,500 feet in places on both 
 sides of the river. Tliere was also a fine rock 1,410 
 feet high, close to the river, known as the Monk's 
 Head, and very much resembling one. 
 
 LI-.TEES 
 
 Lrpoers are very nttmerous in this district, and are 
 employed to keep bamljoo poles fixed at variotis points 
 in the river to ii:dicate the channel. It was sad to 
 see some of the poor eivaUires; but, Chinese-like, 
 they did not ['ppocir to thinii aJivtbin.^ of it. 
 
 JJUAT LIFi: ox TUJ: west lilVEt? 
 
 i^Iillions of people live i;: bicUs in Cbina. Can- 
 ton ci.nd the West Kiver are specially noticeable in
 
 A XOVEl. BOAT 17-1 
 
 this rospoct. One craft a Chinese stern-wheel 
 pad(lle-l)oai interested nie. The paddle is worked 
 from inside the stern by foot, just like a tread- 
 mill. 
 
 xVnother boat very common licrc is called a ' slipper 
 boat,' froni its resemblance in shape to a slipper. 
 The speed at wliich t1ie natives scull them is won- 
 derful. 
 
 XOVEL METHOD OF SIIOOTIXG 
 
 A novel mcth.od, cmjiloycd on the West Iiivcr, of 
 .getting at ])irds is to build a bamboo hut on a rock 
 m llie river and place; cleverly made ariificial birds 
 on the top of tin's, and here and there around it. 
 Tlu' sportsman hides himself insitie the shelter, and 
 unsuspecting birds fly over and light on the rock, 
 when they arc easily sliot. 
 
 PAWNSHOPS 
 
 In South China pawnshops are used to an extent 
 undreamt of at home. They are huge, high, square 
 Iviiildings, quit? the prominent feature in every town 
 or village. People deposit not only their valuables, 
 but in summer their Avinter, and in winter their 
 summer, clothing, and ge-t advances on them. These 
 p;! wnbn il<ers al>o n<;t ns b;ink'(M's. 
 
 sTj; \Mi]:i:) AeiAix 
 
 \\'e l);ei not led't AV'iiciiau t\V(.) hcur^ on theretu.rn 
 journey when we stranded on a sandbaniv, and here 
 
 \\\ jeiii.;!:. u f!'. I: ;ir . Ai;.r l\', o hLeamerr, with
 
 17G CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 ha^^'sc^.s attaclicd failed to get ns off I transhipped 
 into a small Chinese steamboat bound direct for 
 Canton. We had to go via Kumchuk, the pirate 
 stronghold, and as the gunboat 'Sandpiper' had 
 gone to Canton with Prince Henry of Prussia, the 
 torpedo destroyer wiis down river, and the ' Tweed ' 
 was useless, 1 could not help thinking we might 1)e 
 attacked, especially as we had to thread our way 
 through narrow creeks from Kumchuk to Canton. 
 AVe had no Sikhs, and oidy tlie captain and I had 
 r(;vol\ei'^, so that we ^vere not in a position to repel 
 a serious attack. We kept awaice tUl daylight, l)ut 
 again escaped molestation. 
 
 CANTON 
 
 My visit to the largo and prosperous city of 
 Canton with its land and water population variously 
 estimated at from one to two millions was most 
 interesting. It is situated on the Chu-Kiang, or Pearl 
 Piver, and is the capital of Kwang Tung, the pro- 
 vince of China forming the hinterland of our posses- 
 sion IL^ng Ko]ig. Hong Kong is really tt)e port of 
 Ciinton find of KA\iing Tung generally. ']''h(; eu.rliest 
 1)'ader,-> with Canton wcr-;; Arabs and I'er'jigiiese, tlj( n 
 ]Jutel), and lastly J-liiglirJ). The old city is enclosed by 
 vwtlls -Z-l to 40 ie(jt high, iiv(3 miles in circumference, 
 and the suljiu'bs extend live miles along the river. 
 Canteen is on a perfectly ilat plain with only one or 
 two slight elevatir)ns within the walls to the north. 
 There are a nund3er of trees, and the liouscs are 
 S(jlidly built -excellent lu'icks and brickwork--and
 
 ANTI-FOEETGN FEELING 177 
 
 numerous temples and pagodas add to the pictu- 
 resqueness of tlu; city. The narrow streets are paved 
 with large slabs of rock, and arc a scene of the 
 greatest animatio]!. The natives ar(! dirtier tlian in 
 many other parts of China that impression being 
 increased by their dark clothing but tliey are more 
 active; and have more go and intelligence than in 
 most other provinces. 
 
 They are anti-foreign, and as we passed along the 
 streets the cries of ' foreign devil ' and ' kill him ' 
 were frequently hurled at us, but really meant 
 nothing serious. Mr. Dewstoe, a Wcsleyan mission- 
 ary, took me round, and we met with an indication 
 of anti-foreign sentiment on the part of the children. 
 We visited the five-story pagoda, from which \\-q 
 h.ad a grand view right over the city. In proceed- 
 ing along the city wall we were followed by a crowd 
 of boys, who first contented themselves with howling 
 at us and then took to stone-throwing. One 
 stril^ing me on the foot, we turned and went for 
 them, whereupon they fled. 
 
 TEMPLE OF .300 GEXII 
 
 We went over the Temple of the 500 Genii. The 
 figures are gilded over, and each is dissiinilar. There 
 is gre'at \ariety of expression, and some are very 
 natural. Curiously, one of them is pointed out, and 
 yen are' told he is ^Mareo Polo. AW' also visited the 
 Tenipli' of tlie Funp;;ror, \\-here; I plujtogriiphenl three 
 huge gilded gods. 
 
 H
 
 178 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CRISIS 
 
 THE EXAMIXATIOX HALL 
 
 Our next object of interest was the huge Examina- 
 tion Hall, where thousands are examined at once 
 every three years. There are long rows of cells 
 where each student is isolated to do his work. These 
 examinations are usually gone in for in the hope of a 
 successful pass ensuring an official position, but the 
 passion of Chinamen to be in the ranks of the 
 literati causes old men of eighty years of age to 
 enter the lists. It often happens that a grandfather, 
 father, and son go in for the same examination. 
 
 TRADE OF CAXTOX 
 
 Silk and tea are the staple trades of Canton. 
 Embroidered silks, blackwood furniture, and carved 
 ivory are specialities. I spent some time in visiting 
 the various workshops, and the fascination of 
 Canton despite the smells grew upon me. The 
 merchants and shopkeepers are excellent business 
 men and very independent : they ne^'er press you to 
 buy, but you may take or leave anything as yoti 
 elect. Canton imports a quantity of English piece 
 goods and other general household requisites. 
 
 E OAT wo MEN 
 
 Thousands of boatwomen pull houseboats and 
 large sampaus : tliey are bright little women, and 
 evidently very mtiscitlar. judging by the ease and 
 speed witli which they propel their craft. They are 
 'Al ]iiorc or less decorated with jewellery.
 
 BACK AT TTONG KONG 179 
 
 WATERWAYS 
 
 Canton is suiToundcMl ])y a perfect labyrinth of 
 waterways, (!S])ecially towards Ilong Ivonf^' and 
 brancdiin^' south-west and W(!^^t. The country b^- 
 t\V(^en i]w Pciarl ixiver and West Eivcr is splendidly 
 fertile, and so dense is the population that lar.q-(\ 
 quantities of rice have to be imported for tluiir 
 sustenance. 
 
 I r(>turncd to Hong Kong on s.s. ' Hankow.' 
 
 DUCK liKEEDIXG 
 
 AVo passed duck-br(>cding places. The ducks are 
 taken down the river in boats with large projecting 
 decks on each side on wliich they sleep, each duclv 
 in its own bunk. They go ashore to feed and are 
 recalled l)y a whistle or a p;irticular call from the 
 duek-ke-'per. A gang\\'ay is put out, and they march 
 on board direct to tlieir respective sleeping-places. 
 
 AT I[OXCr KOXO AGVAIX 
 
 On my return from Cantoji I liad six more da^'s at 
 ITong Kon;:'. I spent the time in having intervie\\"s 
 with men able to give acciu'ate information, ineliuh'ng 
 tli(; Gcjvernor, Sir Ily. Blake, Air. Lockhart, Colonial 
 Secretary, Colonel Tlie ()"Gorn;an (\vli<i occupi'e 1 our 
 Kau-Lune' l^xti nsion), ^Mr. Fr;uicis (Chairinan (^f the 
 China A-.soe.), Mr. AVilcox (S(;cretary of the Chand)er 
 of Connnerce), Sir Thom;is Jackson (^Manager of the 
 ITong Kong and Shangliai Bank), Air. Wildman 
 (American Consul), and many others.
 
 ISO CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 ST. AXDliEW S DAY BALL 
 
 I received an invitation to attend tlie St. Andrew's 
 Day Ball, the greatest social function of the year. I 
 went and found a brilliant assembly of fully 1,000 
 people. The success did great credit to the less 
 serious side of Scotch character. 
 
 VISIT TO KANG-YU-WEI 
 
 I paid a visit to Kang-yu-Wei, the Chinese re- 
 former whose life the British saved, and who had 
 then recently returned from Japan. 
 
 I found him at the top of a house with two Sikhs 
 on guard below. He is living under British protec- 
 tion, but dare not go out for fear of being kidnapped 
 by the Chinese. lie is a young man of thirty-five or 
 forty, speaks with Ijrightness, animation, and intelli- 
 gence, but does not strilce one as possessiiig that 
 force of character or connnanding ability calculated 
 to mnk'o him a powerful leader of men. He is loyal 
 to the deposed Enjperor, and says that the Dowager 
 Empress is in the bands of liussia, and that ai:iy 
 statement that she is anti-liussian and in favour of 
 reform is untrue, and only made to throw dust into 
 the eyes of opponents. lie thinks tlie party of 
 ref(;rm in China is strong if ordy they had an oppor- 
 tunity of demonstrating it. Ho regards Jung Lu, 
 tli(; li(;ad of the Clvinese army at Pekin, as at present 
 a!l-;;(j ., erfnl.
 
 A MtJ'.NCIl STEA]\IER 181 
 
 Wo had an unclouded sky vxcvy (hiy, and a cool 
 iioi'tli-cast monsoon steadily ])lo\vin;^'. 
 
 On Saturday, Decendxa' '2, I left in the S[)]endid 
 G, 000-ton mail steamer ' Aimaiii ' (l.^'rench) for Saigon, 
 the ca})ital oi' French Indo-China.
 
 182 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 
 FAREWELL TO CHINA 
 
 Ox leaving Hong Kong I bade farewell to China, 
 ^vhc^e I had learnt and seen, in three and a half 
 months of travel and inquiry, much that was 
 novel and interesting, and where I had gathered 
 connnercial and political information from the men 
 on the spot, vhich I liope will prove of use to me in 
 my efforts to promote the upholding and extension 
 of British trade m the Far East. 
 
 I shall never be able to repay tJie European resi- 
 dents for their generous and hearty hospitality, or 
 for all they did to facilitate the ol^jects of my visit. 
 I have also warmly to acknowledge the invariable 
 courtesy and willingness to give all possible assist- 
 ar;ce on the part of Chinese officials in every city 
 and distri^'t through which I passed in the course of 
 my extended journey. It is largely due to the help 
 I received on all hands that in so short a time I have 
 traversed over 5,000 miles on the inland waterways 
 of China, and also visitt d lUvist of the great centres 
 iji commercial and political interest throughout the 
 E]ii['ire. I desire- in no sense; to pose as an authority 
 on Cliina, but rather as one in possession of the
 
 SAIGON 183 
 
 best and most accurato information carefully col- 
 lected from the best-informed men on the spot. 
 
 To me it lias been an educational trip of con- 
 siderable value, and I have pursued the task I 
 imposed upon myself with zest and satisfaction. 
 
 FEEXCII IXDO-CIIIXA 
 
 Now I will give some account of my visit to 
 Saigon, the capital of French Indo-China, which is 
 situated in Cochin-China. The s.s. ' Annam ' was a 
 top-heavy boat, and she rolled treuiendously, though 
 the north-east monsoon was not blowing unusually 
 strong ; writing was impossible. We had a cosmo- 
 politan lot of passengers, though only forty in 
 number French, Germans, liussians, Swiss, Anieri- 
 c;ins, English, Japanese, and Chinese. 
 
 SAIGOX AXU CIIOLOX 
 
 AA'e reached the mouth of the Ss.igon liiver in 
 al)OiU thirty-four hours, and had to go fifty milco up 
 it before we reached Saigon. On looking out I could 
 luive imagined myself in France. The style of the 
 place is purely French. There arc l)Oul(A'ards with 
 avenues of trees and cafes and line public buildings. 
 It is ihe Freneli military centre, aiiil has extensive 
 yards ;'nd dtpurlments in connection with the dif- 
 fti-L'iit ljranc1;es of th-'ir military and naval forces. 
 Tlicre are 1,000 Frtncli soldiers and a large force of 
 Annamites under Fronch o!licors. The town is 
 built on a ilat marshy plain, and tlie climate is deadly. 
 The heat was great and mosquitoes simply swarmed.
 
 18i CHINA AND THE PEESENT CRISIS 
 
 It was aiiiiisiiig to soo luiiiclrcds of lizards clinging to 
 the tops of verandahs and the ceilings of rooms 
 biTsily engaged in killing off mosquitoes. 
 
 I visited the public gardens and zoological gardens 
 combined, which are fine, and contain a great variety 
 of tropical trees and plants. 
 
 I drove out five miles to Cholon a new Cliinese 
 town behind a pair of the tiniest Burmese ponies, 
 v.hieh got over the ground very rapidly. The 
 FrcJich have made most excellent roads in and around 
 Siiigon. Cholon is laid out with broad well-made 
 streets, kept perfectly clean, but the houses were 
 poor. I called on Dock Phu, the Prefect, who 
 sliO\\ed me his large collection of carved and inlaid 
 work and other curios, lie is a rich man, but with 
 ill-gotten gains, obtained from the French as a 
 reward for the assistance he gave them in taking 
 possession of his country, 
 
 niEXcn ixDo-ciiixA axd Tin: rKOTECTiVE 
 
 sysT]:.\T 
 
 The French possessions in tlic Fast, known as 
 h'rcnch Indo-China, comprise Cochin-China, taken 
 1857-GO ; Annam, added subsequently ; a protec- 
 torate over Cambodia; also the province of Tonquin, 
 forcibly taken from under the protection of China. 
 The population of the whole is probably about ten 
 ]uilli()iis. The native race, except in Tonquin, is 
 Annamite. They are a dirty, lazy, and ignorant 
 pL'cple, much inferior to the Chines(\ Cochin- 
 Cliiiia is a ricli riL:e-gruA\ing country, and has a large
 
 FKENCII DUTIES 185 
 
 ^iii'lilus oi' ri wiiiK; over cxpciiililnro, (1('s|iitc; its iirniy 
 of lii.^lil}' p;ii(l .French ofliciuls. Thorc arc (iciicits 
 ill Cambodia, Annaiii, and Tonquin, wliicli arc more 
 llian lueL by Cochin-Cliina. 
 
 'J'o sliow what happens \v]ierevcr France _i;-ains 
 control owr territory, and imposes ber protective 
 system, we Iiave an object-lesson in connection with 
 Tier Indo-Cbina. In 1885 no Icssthan sevon-eiglitlis 
 ol llie imports came i'rom Juigland, (iermany, and 
 Sw'iLzerland, but owing t(j duties put on in favcjur of 
 France, and ranging up to as high as 50 per cent., 
 llu'ce-fourtlis of the imports now come from France 
 and only one-fourth from the rest of the world. 
 ].)(:es not this show that my strong warnings as to 
 tlie absolute necessity of our firmly maintaining our 
 jusL and equal right to trade in Szechuan, Yunnan, 
 Jvwang-si, and Kwang-tung arc well founded ? That 
 France is working might and main to acquire pre- 
 dominant influence in those great and rich provinces 
 of China, with a view to u.ltim.ate annexation, is 
 undoul)Ud. Should sIt; 1)c allowed to accomplish 
 her designs, then good-bye to British trade in those 
 regions also. 
 
 rRi:XCII ACTIVITY AND IsrJTISII INACTIVITY 
 
 France^ is pusliijig hci: railways up l^olh towards 
 Yum;;in, with the ultimate intention of penetrating 
 to I he ricli province of Szechuan, and also up to 
 ^'anning-fu, on tlie A\'est Fiver. She is building 
 three river gunboats to ]>atrol llie '\\'e^t Fiver; and 
 insti-L i of plnyir.;: al th.e r^pre^sion of piri'cy, as wc
 
 18G CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 are doing, she will probably adroitly use piratical 
 attacks as a pretext for entering into military occupa- 
 tion of the country. Meantime, our Government 
 pursues its policy of humiliation and drift, allowing 
 France to disregard the treaty of 1896 without a 
 protest, and making no genuine attempt to come to 
 an understanding which would secure the equitable 
 and reasonable rights of both nations. 
 
 CLi:\IATE OF SAIGON 
 
 How bad the climate of Saigon must be is seen by 
 tiie enormous hospital, with 1,500 beds for Europeans 
 onl}^ It was nearly full at this the healthiest 
 season of tiie year, though the European population 
 is not over 10,000. Dysentery is the prevailing cpi- 
 d(!]aic. Tlicy i^ave lour resident and eiglit visiting 
 doctors, a Pasteur Institute, and Dr. Simon is there 
 studying the plague. Their infectious wards are 
 steel frames filled in with bamboo, vdiich is burnt 
 after (iach case. They have no trained nurses, but 
 Sisters of Mercy undertake the worli of nursine-. 
 There is a hospitcil for natives. The French deserve 
 the hif.rhest credit for the excellence of their hospital 
 arrangements. 
 
 \\c took on l)oard twenty-five French military and 
 jiava] officers o.t Saigon, andlsavr signs of their virulent 
 anti-E'!glish iechi}g. They simply gloated over the 
 British reverses in tlie Transvaal, taking care to talk 
 loudly j'.])out them vdicn Englishmen were near, and 
 tiie word ' Eiishoda ' Avas frequently brought in. 
 Tiiey hate us with a petty sort of hatred, and are
 
 ]'EENCII SENTBIENTS 187 
 
 chafing under a desire to liavc ago at lis, wliicli tliey 
 hardly feel ahle to gratify. There is hllle dou])t 
 that the possibihty of an attack on England l^y 
 France has be^en much lessened by their determina- 
 tion to let nothing interfere with the success of the 
 Paris Exhibition. 
 
 The steamer was well fitted, but we were treated 
 like a lot of children. The French are steeped in 
 red tape rules, regulations, and officialism to the 
 most absurd extent. They will not ol)lige you in the 
 smallest nuitter if contrary to some ride. I never 
 wish to travel on a French boat again, and but for 
 th(,^ indiri\u'(^nc(^ of our P. and 0. Co. in not piiuing 
 on up-io-da.te boats, and plenty of tlicm, it would not 
 be uccvs<'dvy. 
 
 J}] the; eai'ly morning' of Decern]);';' 8 we 
 quietly steamed into the harbour of Singapore, 
 situated on the island of that name, and a possession 
 of the British Crown. It is the chief town of the 
 iMiilay l^eninsiiki un<](^r 13ritish rule. 
 
 On binding ;it Si]ig;iporo I Awis shoc^a d to lind 
 that th(3 Governor, to v.diom I h;ul a leii. i; (jf intro- 
 duction from ]\Ir. Chamberlain, had just ]>L.i;n ])uried. 
 Cn AV'.'dnesday ho prt sided at a meeting of the 
 Coun.cil, and on Frida}' he v;as luider the sod as the 
 result of an apoi^leciic seizure. 
 
 sixGAruin: 
 
 'i'li(^ tovrn of Si]ig;;|!ore lai.s about bS-1,000 in- 
 habit-in t>, mainly Cinncse. It is only two degrees 
 north of the J.iiquator.
 
 188 CHINA AND THE TEESENT CRISIS 
 
 There is of course no spring, summer, autumn, 
 or M'inter in tlie Malay Peninsula. The days are 
 practically of the same length all the year round, 
 and the temperature does not vary more than 15 deg. 
 between the hottest and coldest days ranging from 
 75 to 90 deg. in the shade. It has a very moist 
 climate the rainfall at Singapore is fully 100 inches, 
 and at Penang and other places further north about 
 110 inches per annum. 
 
 Alligators abound in its waters, frequently snap- 
 ping up unwary travellers on the river banks. Tigers 
 are also numerous : I saw a ferocious tiger in a cage 
 on a coffee plantation which had been trapped 
 close by a few weeks before. 
 
 The public gardens at Singapore are large and 
 well kept they contain all kinds of tropical trees, 
 palms, and plants, also a small collection of animals, 
 I received a hearty w^elcome from Mr. St. Clair, of 
 the ' Singapore Free Press,' and Mr. Butt, manager 
 Ilong Kong and Shanghai ]5ank, wlio was my host. 
 
 MALAY TEXIXSULA 
 
 The Malay Peninsula consists of what are known 
 as the Straits Settlements, Singapore, Malacca (a 
 province which we got from the Dutch in exchange 
 for Sumatra), the territory and island of Dingdings, 
 the island of Penang, and province of Wellesley. 
 Then we have a protectorate over four States 
 Selangor, lY^rak, Pahang, and Negri Sembilan, with 
 Piesidents and a l\esident General and lastly there 
 is the State of Johore, adjacent to Singapore, under
 
 TIN MINES 189 
 
 an independent Sultan, who takes care not to do 
 anything we disapprove of. The area of the whole 
 isahont KJ.OOO square miles, and the total population 
 slinhtly over a million. 
 
 The greater part of the country is densi; jungU;, 
 and its prosperity has arisen from the discovery of 
 tin. No less than two-thirds of the whole world's 
 production of tin is mined here. The price has 
 recently heen 135/. a ton, and it is still over 100/. 
 This is a source of great wealth. The mining is 
 carried on mainly by the industrious, plodding 
 Chinese : the Malays arc too lazy to undertake such 
 work. 
 
 VISIT TO SELAXGOK 
 
 I went by steamer to Klangon, tlie coast of 
 Selangor, and by rail to Kuala-Lumpor, where I had 
 a h(\arty welcome from Col. Walker, the ]i(^sident. 
 AMiile there I visited the mines. The tin ore is found 
 in a bed of gravel, covering a large area of plains 
 adjacent to rivers. This must have been washed down 
 from the mountains during countless ages, and there 
 has accumulated on the top of it other material and 
 soil from 10 to loO feet thick. This over-burden is 
 bad'(;d up to 30 f(,;et, and over that thickness the gravel 
 l)ed is ]'eached by shafts. The gravel has been known 
 to eouta.in 10 per cent, of tin, but 1 per cent, ^^ould 
 ])(> ut'arer an a.vtM'a.ge yiekb The gravel is \vashed in 
 rush.ing water ; the tin. being the heaviest material, 
 siiil<s to the bottom, and a second washing leaves a 
 depo-iL ^\'i;h Ul' 'rly 70 per ceiil. of til] in it.
 
 190 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 KUALA-KUBU 
 
 From Kiiala-Lmnpor thcEesiclcnt took me in his 
 private saloon by rail to Kuala-Kubu, forty miles off. 
 It is a charming little spot, with lovely tropical 
 flowers, trees, and palms, and surrounded by granite 
 mountains 3,500 feet high covered b}^ forests right 
 to their summit. There is an excellently appointed 
 hospital for the free use of the native population. 
 I drove fifteen miles farther up a mountain pass to 
 see the magnificent forests and the marvellously 
 luxuriant growth of jungle. 
 
 Koads superior to those we usually have in Eng- 
 land have been built through the dense jungle in all 
 direction's, and splendid cycling tours, amid tropical 
 scenery for hundreds of miles, can now be enjoyed 
 which were impossible a few years ago. The con- 
 struction (;f railways is Ijeing pushed on rapidly, with 
 rails, engines, and engineering work all supplied 
 from Eji gland. The Selangor railways pay Trr per 
 cent, and the Pcrak 4} per cent, per annum. All the 
 raihva3-s belong to the State, Before many years are 
 over it will be possible to go by rail from Penan g in 
 the north to Singapore in the south. 
 
 A n-rvv- port, witli landinL;--stages of Britisli-made 
 stf^'cl joi-ts and girders, is being constructc d about 
 live milt-, down tlie river from Klang at a cost of 
 half a mil] ion sterling. 
 
 ADYAXTAGE OF BRITISH ETLE 
 
 Under British rule there is security for life and 
 prr^porty wlicre there were originally only ricsts of
 
 CHINESE SUBJECTS 191 
 
 pirates, and as the result wu liave the great 
 prosp(.'rity wliich tliis fair r^^gioii of the cartli is 
 now (>n joying. 
 
 The nuijcjrity of the inhaljitanis ;ire Cliinose, and 
 we have proved that witli just governiiieni they make 
 exc(;hont citizens- - so]:)cr, imhtstrious, aiid intt-higeiit. 
 The only thing we liave to griard against is the 
 formation of secret societies. 
 
 kt'ala-lu:mpor 
 
 This town is a perfect wonder. It is provided 
 with ;ih the advantages and refin(;ments of civil'sa- 
 tion. Tlie pnhhc oflices are comhined in a splendid 
 edifice of granite, and in front of this is a ciipilal 
 cricket and foothall ground. The Ixcsidency is a 
 spacious dwelhng on the top of a hill coinmanding 
 a cliarming view over lovely undulating v.xdl- 
 woo(h'd country. 
 
 The liesidcnt sent me 1.)ack to Singapore in the 
 CTOvernmcnt yacht ' ]\s]nerahk',' v.diich v;as placed 
 at my disposal a very delightiid and luxurious mode 
 of travelling to wliich I did not at all ohject. Tlie 
 passage occupied twenty liours. I-^ach of the ^ifalay 
 States has a yacht for the us(} of its oflicials. 
 
 Tlwre iii'e a nundjcr of coit'ei' plantations. T 
 spent one- night at Tim J'ailey's hungalow in order 
 to go over his pkintatit^ri. 'Nvliich is ti:e m'>st perfectlv 
 cidtivated in the I'eniiisula. It extends over 1,000 
 acres, and lia's indi'iruhhcr trc'cs phmtcd ])otv,een the 
 ro^v.-^ of co.iee luishes.
 
 192 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CRISIS 
 
 The coffee bush has shining evergreen leaves, 
 and on the same branch you find the flower, and 
 also the cherries in three stages of growth. AVhen 
 the berry is turning red (which has caused it to be 
 called a cherry) it is ready for gathering. 
 
 In this climate gathering goes on all the yca,r 
 round. 
 
 I saw the berries automatically fed into a pulping 
 machine, which sends out a constant stream denuded 
 of the outer shell. These are fermented for three 
 days in cisterns, then washed and taken to a drying 
 machine a huge cylinder heated by hot air to a 
 temperature of 225, which revolves rapidly. When 
 dry they are transported to a hulling machine, which 
 removes a second shell. A further thin coating has 
 also to be shed by mechanical assistance, and then, 
 after all the l)ad berries have been carefully picked 
 out, the coffee is ready for the market. I am sorry 
 to say that, notwithstanding the greatest enterprise 
 and industry, coffee is so low in price that no profit 
 can be made. We got the advantage in having, 
 through stress of competition, our coffee at a very 
 low price, but it is at present bad business for the 
 ccjffc'C planter. 
 
 XATIOXALISATION OF LAND AND MINERALS 
 
 I sliould ]i;ivo mentioned that the nationalisation 
 of land and minerals in the Malay Peninsula is an 
 accomplished fact. Land is rented from the Govern-
 
 BIXGAPOEE GARRISON 193 
 
 mcnt on long leases at a low rental, and on tin 
 exported a duty has to be paid to the State varying 
 according to the price realised. It is now ahout 13 
 pt;r cent. A rich gold mine is being worked in 
 Pahaiig on the same terms, and more arc likely to be 
 opened. 
 
 It was a virgin country with impenetrable jungle 
 for the most part, with no surface owners practically, 
 and this enabled the running of it on ideal lines by 
 the Goverinnent's assuming the ownership. 
 
 There are only about 1,000 British troops at 
 Singapore. Colonel Walker, my host at Kuala- 
 Lumpor, commands a regiment of Indian Sikhs, 
 known as the Malay Guides, for service in the four 
 jNFalay States. I went over the barracks and saw 
 the men paraded : they are a fine body of men, 
 their average height being 5ft. 9|-in. They are 
 capital shots, and I could not help regretting that 
 it is inadvisable to have their assistance in South 
 Africa. 
 
 We had an excursion from Kuala-Lumpor to the 
 Batu Caves, nine miles away. They are in a huge 
 cliff of limestone bleached white and surrounded 
 and crowned l)y forests. Passing tln'ough an outer 
 cave, where huge sialaciitcs hang from the roof, you 
 enter an inner cave with a dome like that of a 
 cathedral hundreds of feet high, with small orifices 
 to tliL' sky. There are iinmensti pillars of stalactite 
 ircmi bottom toroof of the cav(\ formed by the dripping 
 of limestone water through countless ages. A pulpit- 
 slia[)ed rock at one side lielps to complete the illusion 
 
 o
 
 194 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 that you are in a sacred edifice, and not gazing on 
 Nature's own handiwork. 
 
 The colouring of the walls a variety of greens, 
 browns, and greys adds to the beauty. Beyond 
 the dome is another cave, almost entirely open to 
 the heavens except for its curving sides. Trees and 
 luxuriant creepers grow around the top and down 
 one side. It is a charming example of rock and 
 cave scenery. 
 
 JOHOEE 
 
 Mr. Butt drove Mr. Keswick (my host at Hong 
 Kong, whom I was glad to see again) and myself 
 right across the island of Singapore, through 
 beautiful jungle, twelve miles to the narrow straits 
 separating it from the native State of Johore. Here 
 we found one of the Sultan's boats awaiting us, and 
 were soon landed at the city of Johore, with its fine 
 mosque and Sultan's palace. The Sultan was away 
 at Calcutta, but we called on the Prime Minister, 
 a pucka Malay and a handsome and intelligent 
 man. 
 
 AYe were entertained at tifthi at the club, and 
 driven in carriages all round the place. Johore is 
 famous for its pineapples, thousands of acres being 
 devoted to their growth. The present price is one 
 farthing each. They are canned, and the profit 
 obtained by the canning firms must be enormous. 
 Johore State is rich in tin, and its financial con- 
 dition is improving every year. Nearly all the heads 
 of departments are Englishmen.
 
 A MIXED POPULATION lOo 
 
 The city of Singapore is interesting on account 
 of its cosmopolitan population, comprising Chinese, 
 Eurasians, Achinese, Boyanese, Dyaks, Javanese, 
 Malays, ^[anilamcn, xVnnamesc, Arabs, Armenians, 
 Tamils, Japanese, Jews, Persians, Siamese, Cin- 
 glial(^sf, Africans, and Aborigines, in a(l(liti(jn to 
 Europeans of ditlerent nationalities. As a practical 
 proof of the progress and prosperity of the Malay 
 Peninsula, I may cite the fact that in twenty-four 
 years the revenue has grown from under two to over 
 fifteen millions of dollars. 
 
 The chief exports arc tin, gutta-percha, coffee, 
 hides, sago, tapioca, pepper, nutmegs, indiarubber, 
 mother of pearl, gum, copal, rice, sugar, and cocoa. 
 The imports include cotton goods, coal, hardware, 
 cutlery, paper, tobacco, wheat, flour, petroleum, and 
 railway material. The value of exports and imports 
 is rapidly rising year by year. 
 
 Sir Alexander Swettenham has been sworn in 
 Acting Governor. I lunched with him, and had a 
 chat on affairs generally. 
 
 SI AM 
 
 I had thought of going up to Bankok, the 
 capital of Siam, but, unfortunately, boats did not 
 run so as to admit of it in the time at my disposal. 
 Admiral Seymour had just arrived from Bankok in 
 the ' Centurion,' so the (iovernor sent me out in a 
 steam latmch to learn from the Admiral what he 
 found to be the position of affairs in Siam. 
 
 2
 
 196 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 This country adjoins both British Burma and our 
 Malay States, and the aggressiveness of the French, 
 if successful, will injure our commercial interests. 
 All we want is a free and independent Siam with 
 equal rights to trade in it, whilst I fear the ambition 
 of France is to absorb and annex the whole country. 
 I gathered that the French are quiet for the moment, 
 so far as the seizure of fresh territory is concerned, 
 and are busily engaged in digesting that which they 
 compelled the Siamese lo surrender to them three or 
 four years ago. On the other hand the Eussians 
 have a secret agent in Bankok, who is actively 
 intriguing to gain influence. It is supposed they 
 desire a coaling station which would only be of 
 service in case of conflict with Great Britian in India 
 or the East. 
 
 SINGAPORE TO COLOMBO 
 
 I was to leave Singapore for Colombo at noon by 
 the magnificent new 11,000-ton North German 
 Lloyd steamer the ' Konig Albrecht.' The Admiral 
 offered to send me in his launch, and mine was 
 ordered ashore. AVe discovered they had not trans- 
 ferred my baggage, so a stern chase began, which 
 finally resulted in our overhauling her and afterwards 
 reaching the 'Konig xAlbrecht ' five minutes before 
 her advertised time of starting. 
 
 DECADENCE OF BEITISH SHIPPIXG 
 
 I notice with anxiety the decadence of British 
 shipping so far as passenger steamers to the Far
 
 FOREIGN COMPETITION 197 
 
 East are concerned. Formerly we had practically 
 the monopoly ; now the Germans, French, and 
 Japanese have splendid vessels, and are successfully 
 competing with us. The Americans are also 
 buildinfj several mairnificent steamers.
 
 198 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CEISIS 
 
 CHAPTEK XIII 
 SINGAPORE TO COLOMBO 
 
 It took us a few hours under five days to traverse 
 the 2,000 miles of sea between Singapore and 
 Colombo first up the Straits of Malacca and then 
 almost due west across the Indian Ocean. The sea 
 was like a millpond all the way, and our huge float- 
 ing palace, the ' Konig Albrecht,' was as steady as a 
 rock. It was very hot, and the cabins were suffo- 
 cating and sleepless abodes. Over and over again I 
 had to turn out and walk the deck in the middle of 
 the night to try and induce sleep. Some compen- 
 sation was got by enjoying the glorious flood of 
 moonlight from a full moon. 
 
 PEXANG 
 
 We coasted up Perak to Penang, where we 
 landed for a few hours. It is a small town with an 
 unimportant trade. I drove out four miles to see 
 the fine public gardens, encircled by densely wooded 
 slopes, several hundreds of feet high, in the centre 
 of which is a waterfall. The gardens are well kept, 
 and contain a great variety of tropical trees and 
 plants.
 
 GEKMAN SHIPS iU9 
 
 ISLAND OF SUMATEA 
 
 On our left for many hours we had the eastern 
 shores of the Island of Sumatra close to us. There 
 were no signs of towns or villages, but mountainous 
 densely wooded jungle everywhere. On the western 
 slopes tobacco, coffee, Sec, are grown extensively. 
 AVe handed over Sumatra to the Dutch, who have 
 had, and still have, continuous fighting with the 
 native Achinesc, whom they have not yet subdued. 
 
 GERilAX SIIIPBUILDIXCt 
 
 A generation ago we built the greater part of the 
 ships required by Germany now they construct all 
 their own. The ' Konig Albrecht ' was built at 
 Stettin, and the workmanship and material seemed 
 excellent. There were over thirty German naval 
 and military officers on board, including old General 
 Woltf. They were very friendly, and I talked over 
 the military situation in South Africa freely with 
 them, and got some ideas worth consideration when 
 the time comes for discussing the vital question of 
 the reorganisation of our military system. 
 
 CEYLON 
 
 It was pleasant and interesting to revisit Ceylon 
 after an interval of seven years in order to study the 
 progress made in this, one of the fairest islands of 
 the earth. It contains a population of about 3^ 
 millions of picturesque people of various nationali- 
 ties, and has an area of some '2G, 000 square miles.
 
 200 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CRISIS 
 
 Colombo, where I landed, is on a flat plain 
 covered with cocoanut trees, and has an artificially 
 made harbour, to which I shall refer later. The 
 population has now reached 150,000 an increase of 
 about 20,000 since my previous visit. As a practical 
 proof of its prosperity I may mention the fact that a 
 few days ago a plot of land of a little over an acre, 
 in the heart of the business quarter, sold for 17,000Z. 
 
 I need not say more about the history of Ceylon 
 than to recall that the Portuguese took possession of 
 Colombo and the low country in 1517. The Dutch 
 appeared off the island in 1602, and by alliance with 
 the King of Kandy gradually ousted the Portuguese 
 capturing Colombo in 1656, and subsequently 
 other places. In 1796, when Holland had been 
 overrun and occupied by the French, Colombo was 
 surrendered to the British, and we afterwards gained 
 possession of the whole island. There are many 
 inhabitants with more or less Portuguese blood in 
 their veins, and also 22,000 pure Burghers, who 
 show how little they appreciate the equal rights and 
 privileges we have so freely accorded them by re- 
 fusing to contribute one farthing towards our 
 Patriotic Fund, and by gloating over our reverses 
 in South Africa. 
 
 On arrival I found an invitation from Mr. and 
 Mrs. Willis the lady being the daughter of Mr. T. 
 Baldwin, of Barnsley kindly asking me to spend 
 Christmas with them in their bungalow in the 
 lovely Peradeniya Gardens. Mr. Willis is the chief 
 director in charire of the five Government Botanical
 
 A BOTANICAL GAEDEN 201 
 
 Gardens in Ceylon, which do much to promote the 
 planting of the sorts of fruits and trees and other 
 plants likely to do well in the climate of Ceylon. 
 
 PERADENIYA AND ITS GAllDJ^S 
 
 To get to Peradeniya which is about 1,600 feet 
 above the sea I had a four hours' journey by rail 
 a lovely route through woodland tropical vegetation, 
 and then winding up rocky slopes with paddy fields 
 in the hollows. Palms, tree-ferns, and bananas 
 abounded. One flower like a double marigold was 
 growing in the greatest profusion. It is called the 
 lantana, and is said to have been introduced by the 
 wife of one of the Governors, and now it threatens 
 to overrun the island. A sort of sunflower has 
 recently begun to oust it, and wherever that appears 
 the lantana is killed. 
 
 We inspected the gardens several times. They 
 cover 150 acres, and are park-like in parts, and 
 tropical in character at other points. There are 
 about 6,000 species of trees, shrubs, and plants 
 growing in this one garden. Amongst these I 
 observed the orchid tree, of great size, with ever- 
 green leaves and lovely clusters of salmon-coloured 
 flowers just like orchids ; the palm-oil palm, cabbage 
 palm, palmetto (Panama hats) ; nutmeg" tree with 
 darlv evergreen leaves rather resembling the laurel, 
 but not so shining the fruit is like a peach, with 
 one nutmeg inside, which has mace half enclosing 
 it ; the allspice tree, with barkless stems and ever- 
 green leaves, which contain the allspice ; cloves,
 
 202 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CBISIS 
 
 grown on a large evergreen tree. The cocoa bush 
 (introduced from South Africa) is evergreen, and 
 has immense leaves, often one foot long. The pods 
 contain thirty or forty nibs. I gathered some leaves 
 from the cocaine bush (from Peru) ; the cocaine is 
 extracted from the leaves, which are not evergreen. 
 There were fine indiarubber trees with immense roots 
 twisting all round largely above ground, and just 
 like huge snakes. Then there was the upas tree, 
 tall, with its minute leaves, to sleep under the shade 
 of which is said to be certain death ; the Dorian tree, 
 with its pungent-smelling fruit (from Malay States) ; 
 the bread-fruit tree, with enormous leaves hand- 
 somely scalloped and of a lovely colour (the fruit is 
 much like the Jack fruit) ; an evergreen creeper 
 producing pepper ; vanilla flavouring from vanilla 
 beans 4 or 5 inches long a kind of orchid ; the tali- 
 pot palm, which throws out large white blossoms at 
 the end of 40 to 50 years, and then dies ; the lovely 
 sago palm (the sago is extracted from the interior 
 of the centre stem) ; and the cinnamon tree, the 
 bark of which furnishes the spice. 
 
 There were also clumps of bamboos 130 feet high 
 and 9 inches diameter of stem, and coffee and tea 
 plants, the sugar cane, and camphor, banana, 
 mango, orange, and many other fruit trees. 
 
 There was a curious plant in the lawns, the 
 leaves of which close up immediately you touch them, 
 and do not open again for ten or fifteen minutes. 
 I shall never forget the lovely avenue of crotons and 
 palms.
 
 CEYLON SCENERY 203 
 
 THE MUSEUM 
 
 I examined the collection of woods in the muscnm. 
 The heart only of the ebony tree is black. The 
 calamander is as hard and expensive as ebony, but 
 more like mahogany in colour. Tlie palmyra wood 
 is extremely hard and heavy. The satin wood is 
 just like satin in appearance. The meduni wood is 
 hard and beautifully marked. The wood of the kos, 
 or Jack fruit, tree is hard and much used for build- 
 ing purposes. The wood of the sappoo is excellent 
 for water-casks and wheels. A curious feature that 
 I noticed is that nearly every trunk has cracks in the 
 centre, 
 
 CHRISTMAS IN CEYLON 
 
 It did not seem like Christmas, all surrounded by 
 tropical trees and plants and flowers ; but it made 
 me feel less of a stranger in a strange land to spend 
 Christmas Day with those who had mutual friends 
 at home. I left the day after for Xuwara Eliya, a 
 mountain sanatorium, 6,200 feet above the sea, to 
 which I travelled by an attractive line of railway 
 except the last five miles, which were coached. 
 
 The railway lay through a country practically 
 covered by tea plantations. I noticed a marvellous 
 change in seven years. Then large portions of 
 ground were unoccupied, and now hardly any. 
 Australian trees of wonderfully rapid growth had 
 been planted to break the wind, and for firewood, 
 all over the district, and in five or six years had 
 become quite large trees. The air grew fresher as
 
 204 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 we ascended, and it was quite cold in driving from 
 the railway terminus Nauoya up a ravine to 
 Xuwara Eliya, which is lined by hills clothed for 
 the most part with dense forests to their summit, 
 forming fine scenery. I was elected an honorary 
 member of the club a lovely bungalow with flower- 
 beds and lawn in front, and creepers covering the 
 long low one-storied building ; and there I found a 
 room reserved for me. Kuwara Eliya had grown 
 rapidly since I was there in 1893. It is in an open 
 valley with well -timbered hills all around, some 
 rising to over 8,000 feet. There is a lake, around 
 which you get a good eight-mile constitutional on 
 foot, on horseback, or on a bicycle. The climate is 
 trying, and in the heat of the day the temperature 
 in the sun is 120 degrees, whilst in the early morning 
 there is hoar frost on the ground. I called on the 
 Governor, Sir West Eidgway, and afterwards dined 
 with him, going an hour earlier for a quiet talk on 
 the affairs of Ceylon. 
 
 Since 1893 the railway forty miles farther on to 
 Bandarawela has been completed. I went up to see 
 the country. The line passes through dense forests, 
 and down the ravines you see fine open rolling 
 grass-covered country stretching far away. The 
 railway does not do well yet, so far as goods or 
 mineral traflic go. 
 
 AT A TEA PLANTATION 
 
 Leaving Nuwara Eliya, I travelled to Talawa- 
 kelle to visit Mr. Fairhurst on his St. Andrews tea
 
 CEYLON TEA 205 
 
 plantation. This gentleman had called on me at 
 Singapore, thinking I was his old schoolfellow, 
 Joseph Walton, Q.C., and I afterwards found that, 
 curiously, 1 had a letter of introduction to him from 
 Sir Seymour King. No less than 54 per cent, of the 
 exports of Ceylon now consist of tea ; twenty-five 
 years ago only a few pounds were grown. AVhen I 
 was here seven years ago the quantity produced had 
 reached 7G million pounds a year, and now I found the 
 year 1899 will give the stupendous and unprecedented 
 total of 127,000,000 Ihs. Tea has fallen from Is. 2d. 
 to 8(?. per lb., average price, at Colombo in a few 
 years, and even at that low price the Ceylon tea 
 crop will fetcli 4^ million pounds sterling. The 
 average cost is G^?. per lb., so that the producer is 
 still doing well. 
 
 TEA FACTORY 
 
 I went over a tea factory to see the processes 
 employed in the preparation of tea for the market. 
 The leaves, known as the flush, are gathered about 
 every ten days from each bush all the year round. 
 These are placed on trays, formed of jute cloth 
 stretched from wooden framework, to wither in a 
 temperature of 75 degrees. They are usually left 
 fifteen hours. Then the withered leaves are taken to 
 the tea roller ('Economic ' or 'Eapid," both made in 
 England), which is practically a grooved table on 
 which a box is revolved (by machinery) containing 
 tea pressed down on the grooves by a central weight. 
 The rolled tea is conveyed to the roll breaker ; this
 
 206 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 consists of a box filled with tea in which spindles are 
 revolved to break it up. The tea now passes on to 
 a jigging sieve, through which the finest leaf falls. 
 The rest is rolled again, and this process is repeated 
 three or four times until 75 per cent, has passed 
 through the sieve. iSIext comes fermentation, which 
 is accomplished by spreading the small leaf on wooden 
 tables to a depth of two inches, and covering it with 
 a damp cloth for three to five hours. Experts know 
 when fermentation has sulftciently taken place by 
 the bright copper colour of the tea. After fermenta- 
 tion the tea passes on to a drj'ing machine (' Desic- 
 cator ' or 'Sirocco'), through which it is pushed, 
 spread thinly on trays, in a temperature of 180 to 
 100 degrees, obtained by extracting hot air from a 
 furnace by means of a fan. This is repeated twice. 
 Now comes the sorting of grades, by putting the 
 whole bulk of tea on jigging sieves with different- 
 sized meshes, and three in number one below the 
 other. The finest or smallest tea is of the highest 
 quality, and so on. When one grade of quality has 
 accumulated in a bin until it is full the tea is well 
 intermixed and passed through a firing machine 
 again. After this it is packed warm and sent to 
 market. Though the average price realised is about 
 Sd. per lb., it varies from GcZ. to l.s. Gd. according to 
 quality. There arc about 350,000 acres of land now 
 devoted to the production of tea in Ceylon ; and 
 whilst one or two places produce 1,000 to 1,200 lbs. 
 per acre;, a fair average yield may be taken at 400 to 
 500 ll)s. When last in Ceylon, if the Government
 
 IIADGALLA GARDENS 207 
 
 land sold to the planters brou.qht '201. an acre it was 
 considered high ; but recently estates have been 
 transferred to limited liability companies on the 
 basis, in several cases, of 100/. to 1'20/. per iicvo, wliich 
 is a ridiculous price. Manures are now having to be 
 applied to the land, and hence the cost of production 
 will rise. 
 
 IIADGALLA BOTANICAL GARDENS 
 
 I must not omit some reference to the fascinating 
 Hadgalla Botanical Gardens, 5,600 feet above th(^ 
 sea, and the home of temperate plants, about six 
 miles from Xuwara Eliya. They contain about 
 3,000 varieties and species, and occupy 30 acres 
 of land in a charming situation. There is a 
 precipice at the back, 1,400 feet high, and a rapid 
 slope from the gardens down into a deep well- 
 wooded valley, surrounded by broken mountams. 
 Mr. Nock, who was there when I last went to 
 Hadgalla, took me round again. 
 
 Amongst other flowers and plants were forget- 
 me-nots, pinks, violets, pansies, daisies, dandelion, 
 begonias, fuclisias, nasturtium, azaleas, poppies, 
 Canterbury bells, gladioli, heliotrope, mignonette, 
 primulas, abutilons, lilies, balsam, canadensis, 
 houL-ysuckle, sweet-williams, foxgloves, wood- 
 anennmes, roses, cinerarias, verbenas, camelias, 
 and a host of other ilowers- all of which had 
 previously beru unknown in Ceylon, but which 
 had been introduced, and in the month of De- 
 cember were all blooming in profusion. On the
 
 208 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 other hand, in the same gardens were fine tree- 
 ferns, the Abyssinian banana, maidenhair fern, and 
 a great many other tropical trees and plants, includ- 
 ing orchids, growing luxuriantly. The huge natural 
 fernery contains 25,000 plants, and its cool nooks 
 and corners were a marvel of refreshing beauty. 
 
 IMr. Nock told me that the reason why they can 
 grow this extraordinary admixture of tropical and 
 temperate plants is that they selected an eleva- 
 tion where they just avoid frosts. He said a leopard 
 had attacked and carried off one of his calves a fort- 
 night before. 
 
 COCOA-NUTS 
 
 Next to tea, the export of cocoa-nuts is the most 
 important. Over 12^ millions of cocoa-nuts were 
 exported last year, mainly to England. The outer 
 husk is full of fibre, known as coir fibre, which is 
 made into mats, brushes, and ropes. The kernel, 
 containing the oil, is partly sent to Europe dried 
 (copra), and the oil is there extracted ; but they also 
 prepare the oil in Ceylon. They also make and 
 export what is known as desiccated cocoa-nut for 
 confectionery. 
 
 MIXEEAL WEALTH AND PRECIOUS STONES 
 
 Ceylon is not, so far as is known, rich in 
 minerals coal, lead, and copper not being found but 
 it produces a considerable quantity of graphite, or 
 pluml)ago, which is largely used in the manufacture 
 of metal-melting crucibles in England and the
 
 PEARL FISHERIES 209 
 
 United States of America. The price has risen 
 from 25/. to 75/. a ton ; and as the 1899 output is 
 given out at 40,000 tons, it means a reahsed amount 
 of no less than three milhons sterhng for this com- 
 modity alone. Precious stones, such as rubies, 
 sapphires, and cat's-eyes, are found in Ceylon, and 
 connnand extravagant prices, but the buyer some- 
 times finds he has had a crystal of glass palmed off 
 as a real gem. 
 
 PEARL FISHEPJES 
 
 The pearl fisheries of Ceylon are of great anti- 
 quity. After the British occupation, in the four 
 years 179G to 1799 the revenue from them was 
 234,000/. Since then there have been great blanks, 
 but as an aggregate this ' harvest of the seas ' has 
 yielded us a million sterling. Pearl oysters have to 
 be taken at their fourth or fifth year, and single 
 pearls, if perfectly round, of large size, and of silky 
 white lustre, command 200/. For eight years now 
 there has been no fishery. 
 
 PAIL WAYS 
 
 The railways of Ceylon are owned by the 
 Ciovcrnnicnt, and from 1802 to 1894 have made 42^ 
 millions of rupees profit. After paying 17 millions 
 interest and 9 millions to a sinking fund for ex- 
 tinction of dcljt they have left a balance of 20 ^r 
 millioiis avaihibk; for colonial purposes. The niilc- 
 ;ig(3 now open is al)out 3,000, and the; average profit 
 runs nearly 7 per cent. 
 
 P
 
 210 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 After my visit in 1893 I strongly advocated the 
 construction of a railwaj'- from the present system 
 right northwards to Jaffna 200 miles ; and this, I 
 am pleased to learn, is to be taken in hand next 
 year. The estimate is 13 millions of rupees and 5 
 millions for the necessary adjunct of irrigation works. 
 The country through which the railway w^ill pass 
 has, at present, little population, but in olden days it 
 supported millions of people, and will do so again if 
 its wonderful system of irrigation tanks be repaired. 
 It will relieve India of some of its congested popula- 
 tion. The line is to be 5 ft. 6 in. gauge, which I 
 think is a mistake ; oft. Sin. metre gauge would 
 have been cheaper, and also better, as affording a 
 greater likelihood of its ultimately being extended 
 across Adam's Bridge to India, and connected with 
 the metre gauge line now being built from Madura 
 to Paumben. 
 
 There are two light hill railways also to be built 
 this year one, the Kelani Valley (50 miles), and the 
 other the Uda Pussellawa. 
 
 The whole of the railway material and rolling- 
 stock for these lines comes from England, and we 
 shall therefore benefit by their construction ; whilst 
 this policy of vigorous development, for which Mr, 
 Chamberlain deserves great credit, will be certain to 
 increase the prosperity of Ceylon and the well-being 
 of its population. Eailways ought also to be built 
 from Colombo to Chilaw, through densely populated 
 country, and also, on strategic grounds, from some 
 point on the line to Jaffna to Trincomalee, on the
 
 COLOMBO HAEBOUE 211 
 
 east coast of the island, so as to establish land com- 
 munication between our naval station and Colombo. 
 Eailway fares in Ceylon rmi l^cl. first, about fcZ. 
 second, less than ^d. third, and less than a farthing 
 fourth class per mile. 
 
 COLOMBO HAEBOUR WORKS. 
 
 Mr. Bostock took me over the new harbour 
 works. The Colombo harbour is an artificially made 
 one. A large breakwater, the foundation-stone of 
 which was laid by the Prince of Wales in 1875, was 
 built at a cost of 705,000/., and the encircling of the 
 roadstead is now being completed by two additional 
 arms, estimated to cost 527,000/. AVhen finished 
 seventy large ships will be able to ride at anchor within 
 in safety in all weathers. A first-class graving dock, 
 capable of taking H.M.S. 'Eenown,' is also in 
 process of construction at a cost of 318,000/., half of 
 which will be contributed by the Admiralty. The 
 total tonnage of the port of Colombo was 500,000 in 
 1879 ; it is now 6 million tons in and out annually, 
 and the revenue will pay interest and extinguish debt 
 in a reasonable number of years. The engineer first 
 sliowed me the plans, and then took me on an engine 
 to the point where the breakwater is now being built 
 up from 30 feet below the surface of the water. 
 They first deposit a quantity of rubble, and leave it 
 for a monsoon season to consolidate. Then the placing 
 on this foitndation (they cannot get a natural one, as 
 there is only deep sand) of huge 30-ton blocks of 
 concrete begins. They are brought in a barge, and 
 
 r 2
 
 212 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 an enormons crane, known as a Titan, which can 
 pick up and place these blocks at any point within a 
 radius of 60 feet, does its part of the work. Many 
 divers are employed, who earn 250Z. to 300?. a year. 
 The concrete blocks are composed of five parts gneiss 
 (the predominant rock of Ceylon), two parts sand, and 
 one part Portland cement ; they are made on the spot 
 and are exceedingly hard. The Titan cost 11,000/., 
 and was built by an English engineering firm in 
 Bath. There are 11 miles of railway and 10 loco- 
 motives in connection with the harbour works, and 
 all were supplied from England. 
 
 TRADE, DEBT, TAXATION, AXD EEVEXUE 
 
 In 1877 coffee formed 81 per cent, of the export 
 trade of Ceylon, and though that has been absolutely 
 extinguished, the exports of the island have been in- 
 creased 50 per cent, in the last twenty years. 
 
 The debt of Ceylon is only about 3^ millions 
 sterling, or 1/. per head of its population. It is 
 little more than two years' revenue, and, unlike our 
 debt at home, is represented by revenue-producing 
 assets owned by the State, such as railways, harbour 
 works, post and telegraphs, land, &c., worth twice 
 the amount. 
 
 AVith regard to taxation, in the country there is 
 no local taxation, except a poll-tax of li- rupee, 
 which the natives can discharge by giving six days' 
 labour on the roads. In the towns, cost of water, 
 sanitation, police, and other expenses of local 
 administration arc met by a tax on rental not ex-
 
 PEOPLES OF CEYLON 2L3 
 
 cecding, however, 11 per cent. The bulk of the 
 revenue for imperial administration is got by taxes 
 levied on imports, which amount to an average of 
 4.9. 8cZ. per head of the population per annum, and 
 at the end of this year the accumulated surpluses 
 will amount to G millions of rupees, which are to 
 be applied to partly constructing the Jaffna rail, 
 wa}'. 
 
 About two-thirds of the inhabitants are natives 
 Cinghalcse, Kandyans, and ^Moormen ; and there 
 are nearly a million of Tamils, who have come over 
 from India. 
 
 The Cinghalese are a somewhat effeminate race. 
 The men wcur large tortoise-shell combs, half 
 encircling their heads, and have their hair in a knot 
 at the back of the head. They are lazy and unre- 
 liable as a rule, also rather treacherous. The Tamils 
 do practically all the hard work on the estates, in the 
 mines, and on the railways. 
 
 There are extensive missions, carried on by the 
 ^Yesleyans, the Church of England, and other 
 societies. As in China and India, however, the 
 I\oman Catholics have by far the greatest hold on 
 the people. 
 
 HOME THROUGH INDIA 
 
 I found I could return home through India in 
 time for the opening of Parliament, and therefore 
 decided to take steamer to Calcutta, go across India 
 by rail, and embark for Europe at Bombay.
 
 214 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 OBJECTS IN VIEW 
 
 I had two objects in view in paying this flying 
 visit to India : 1st, to bring the railway information 
 collected in 1892-93 up to date ; and, 2nd, to have an 
 opportunity of discussing the political and com- 
 mercial situation in the Far East with the Viceroy. 
 
 As Lord Curzon was Under-Secretary for Foreign 
 Affairs, I was brought more into political relations 
 with him on the China question during my first 
 session in Parliament than is usual. He has travelled 
 extensively in the East, and I felt it would be 
 interesting to exchange views with him. 
 
 To show how railway extension affects British 
 trade, I may mention that the steamer to Calcutta 
 carried 2,000 tons of railway material from England, 
 also 1,000 tons Manchester piece-goods. The rail- 
 ways enable the export of the produce of the country, 
 and British piece-goods and other goods are taken in 
 exchange.
 
 215 
 
 CHAPTER XIV 
 
 INDIA 
 
 Before deciding to return home through India I 
 had exchanged two cablegrams with England, in 
 order to ascertain when Parliament would meet. 
 The reply was : ' Date not fixed, think probably about 
 '20th February.' I was, therefore, much surprised 
 to have it wired the day after I reached Calcutta 
 that the House was summoned for January 30. 
 
 On arrival at Calcutta I put up at the Bengal 
 Club, of which I had been elected an honorary 
 member ; but as soon as the Viceroy heard I had 
 come he kindly wrote offering me the hospitality of 
 Government House, adding that this would give 
 us opportunities of discussing my experiences in the 
 Ear East. I accepted the invitation so cordially 
 given, and had a most interesting and instructive 
 visit. 
 
 A hard-workixCt viceroy 
 
 The little ghmpse I had of how the hours of the 
 day, and also of the night, were occupied showed 
 me that in Lord Curzon we have a hard-workino- 
 Viceroy, who is willingly devoting all his powers in
 
 216 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 the promotion of the progress and prosperity of the 
 nearly 300 miUions of people in our great Indian 
 Empire. The Viceroy is bomid to discharge many 
 social duties, which take up time, and the result is 
 that he is usually working at his desk till two o'clock 
 every morning. As Viceroy, Lord Curzon knows no 
 politics, and it was a pleasure to me to find that one 
 who was always a courteous political opponent at 
 home is popular with the natives of India, who 
 much appreciate his devotion to public duty, I 
 sincerely trust that his term of office will be dis- 
 tinguished by a great advance in the moral and 
 material well-being of the people. 
 
 RAILWAYS IN IXDIA 
 
 The Viceroy is just as keen as I am that India 
 should have her railway system extended adequately 
 to the needs of the country, and that the construction 
 of irrigation works should proceed simultaneously. 
 AVhen travelling in 1892-93 in India and Burma I 
 tabulated 10,000 miles of urgently needed railway 
 extensions. I now went through that list with Sir 
 Arthur Trevor, the Public Works representative on 
 the Legislative Council, and Mr. Upcott, Secretary 
 for Public Works, to see how many of the proposed 
 railways had been built or were at present under 
 construction. I was much gratified to find that 
 since the end of 1893 over 4,000 additional miles of 
 railway have been constructed and opened up to 
 March 31 last, including several of the projects I so
 
 RAILWAYS AND FINANCE 217 
 
 stronrrly advocated in the series of addresses I gave 
 after my return home. In addition there are 3,5G8 
 miles still under construction or sanctioned. In the 
 last five years, therefore, they have been laying down 
 railways at the rate of about 800 miles a year, which 
 is a considerable increase on the average of previous 
 years, but docs not by any means meet the necessities 
 of the country. Now I am told that, owing to the 
 large expenditure on famine relief, railway construc- 
 tion will practically be stopped this year. This, I 
 urged upon the Viceroy, is a mistaken policy. The 
 railways of India paid on an average 5'37 per cent, 
 last year, including military and famine lines. 
 Many of the projects sanctioned are certain to pay 
 W'ell, and will be of incalculable benefit to India, 
 lessening the chance of a recurrence of famine by 
 increasing the trade and the prosperity of the people, 
 especially if accompanied by the construction of 
 irrigation works. 
 
 The financial position of India is excellent. She 
 has no National Debt in the same seiise as ours, for 
 it is more than covered by revenue-producing assets, 
 such as railways, irrigation works, posts, telegraphs, 
 and land revenues. India cotild, therefore, readily 
 raise on favourable terms any reasonable amount for 
 the special work of extending the railway system. 
 To place the Government of India in a position to do 
 this the railway accounts nuist be separated from the 
 general finances, and this I shall strongl}^ advocate 
 at home, in the interests of India and England alike, 
 for the more India is enabled to export of what we
 
 218 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 require, the more of our manufactured goods she will 
 take in return. 
 
 INTERVIEWS 
 
 I had interviews with Sir John Woodburn, the 
 Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal ; General Gaselee, 
 the Quartermaster-General charged with the move- 
 ment of troo^Ds and commissariat, and now com- 
 manding a Division in China ; Mr. Douglas, the 
 manager of the East Indian Railway, and many 
 others, including several natives, for the purpose of 
 gathering accurate information which may prove of 
 value. 
 
 THE DIXXER OF THE BISHOPS 
 
 One night at Government House I had the 
 honour of meeting no fewer than nine bishops of the 
 Church of England at dinner. It was, indeed, a 
 clerical atmosphere, but it was pleasant to see that 
 High, Low, and Broad Church alike could cease 
 their religious controversies and enjoy themselves 
 around the hospitable table of the Viceroy. 
 
 ADMIRAL EOSAXQUET 
 
 The Viceroy and Lady Curzon took me with 
 them to call on Admiral Bosanquet on board the 
 cruiser 'Eclipse.' We went all over her, and were 
 shown guns similar to those taken up to Ladysmith 
 by the Naval Brigade from the ' Powerful.'
 
 FAMINES 219 
 
 THE FAMINE AND PLAGUE 
 
 The present condition of India is a sad contrast 
 to what I saw seven years ago. Then there was no 
 famine ; now a huge area with over 50 milhons of 
 people is suffering from faihire of crops. There has 
 practically heen no rain during 1899, and, to make 
 matters worse, the crops largely failed in the five 
 preceding years also. 
 
 A small hut rapidly diminishing numher of 
 people still doubt the benefit to the native population 
 in India of British rule. Law and order, security 
 for life and property, in place of constant lawlessness, 
 anarch}^ and bloodshed, have resulted from the 
 administration of India by Britishers for over forty 
 years. Formerly famines claimed their millions of 
 victims, but now, though severe famine afflicts the 
 land, few lack the food necessary to preserve life and 
 health. Over two millions of people are in receipt 
 of relief at the present time. The adults are 
 employed on pu1)lic works as far as possible and 
 paid in cash, but the little children assemble at 
 various points by hundreds, with their basins, and 
 consume stibstantial meals. 
 
 In the 1,400 miles journey across India from 
 Calcutta to Bombay which I did in forty-three hours 
 in a direct train I passed through a good deal of the 
 famine area, and it was pitiable to see the arid and 
 absolutely burnt-up condition of the country. Given 
 rain, it is a garden withotit rain, a desert. A more 
 patient, unmurmuring population could not be
 
 220 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 found ; but they are too lethargic, and submit to what 
 they regard as the inevitable, without making a 
 vigorous effort to avert it. It is impossible to 
 irrigate a considerable portion of the famine area, in 
 consequence of the absence of rivers, but something 
 more might be done by the careful storage of water 
 when the rains come. 
 
 The plague is devastating another large district of 
 India. In Bombay alone there are over 200 deaths 
 daily, and for the next three months a rapid increase 
 is almost certain. All my clothes will have to be 
 disinfected before they will allow me to land at 
 jMarseilles. Our English idea is to interfere as little 
 as possible with the habits and customs of the natives, 
 and to a large extent this is a sound policy ; but, in 
 view of the great spread of epidemics arising from 
 the insanitary condition of the native quarters, it would 
 seem to be the duty of the State to insist upon the 
 surroundings of the people being improved. The 
 natives resist all changes for their benefit most tena- 
 ciously. Their only desire is to be left to live as their 
 forefathers have done before them, in miserable 
 dwellings with filthy surroundings, a danger to them- 
 selves and the whole community. They have 
 absolutely no fear of death, and will without hesi- 
 tation sleep on a spot where a plague patient has 
 just died. How to improve matters is the great and 
 difficult problem which the authorities in India have 
 now to solve.
 
 A COMPARISON 221 
 
 LOYALTY OP NATIVES 
 
 The loyalty of the natives of India has been 
 remarkably demonstrated in connection with our 
 South African difficulties. Offers of assistance have 
 come from all quarters, and there has been much 
 disappointment at the decision of the Imperial 
 Government not to employ native troops. 
 
 INDIA AND CHINA 
 
 It is not easy to compare India and China. 
 There is a much greater variety of races in the 
 former than in the latter, as well as decidedly greater 
 diversity as regards physique, education, and civili- 
 sation. Some of the races of India are quite equal 
 to the Chinese, but the majority are inferior. The 
 Chinese were a civilised people 2,000 years ago, when 
 the inhabitants of the British Isles were barbarians. 
 China enjoys a better climate than India, and is 
 richer agriculturally ; its people, generally speaking, 
 are more industrious and have stronger commercial 
 instincts. Whilst, therefore, we should do all in our 
 power to increase the trade between Great ]3ritain 
 and our Indian Empire, the fact still remains that 
 China is the neutral market which offers the greatest 
 [)OSsibilitios for trade expansion, and where our 
 commercial rights shotild be resolutely upheld. 
 
 j-i;f.e tkade in india and china 
 
 Tu my mind, if there is one thing nioro tlian 
 another in connection with the administration of our
 
 222 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 great Indian Empire of which we have reason to be 
 proud, it is the fact that though we have expended 
 enormous sums of money and shed our blood in its 
 acquisition, yet we pursue the just pohcy of leaving 
 the teeming millions free to buy wdiatever they need 
 to import in the cheapest and best market, quite 
 irrespective of whether it is the British market or 
 not. Throwing open India, as we thus do, equally 
 to the trade of all nations immensely strengthens 
 the reasonable and equitable demand which we make, 
 that the great neutral market of China shall remain 
 open to everybody on equal terms and conditions. 
 
 HOMEWARD BOUXD 
 
 I embarked on the s.s. ' Carthage ' at Bombay on 
 January 20, and transhipped into the s.s. 'Australia ' 
 five days later at Aden, and now, on January 29, we 
 are quietly passing up the great artificial waterway 
 connecting the Mediterranean with the Eed Sea and 
 the Indian Ocean the Suez Canal. AVe have had 
 lovely weather and a good passage. 
 
 It is with real pleasure that I feci myself, after 
 my long journeyings, homeward bound, and within 
 measurable distance of the shores of Old England. 
 
 I have now only to traverse the Mediterranean 
 from Port Said to Marseilles, and then proceed by 
 rail through Erance to Calais. If all goes well I 
 hope to arrive in London eight or nine days hence. 
 
 In concluding the last of my hurriedly written 
 communications, I will only say that it has been a 
 satisfaction to mc to thus keep in touch with my
 
 MY OBJECT 223 
 
 friends during my long absence. I shall feel amply 
 repaid if I have in any degree succeeded in arousing 
 a greater interest on their part in the countries where 
 I have travelled, and especially if I have deepened 
 their conviction as to the vast importance of up- 
 holding and extending our just commercial rights in 
 the Far East.
 
 224 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 STATEMENT MADE IN THE HOUSE OF 
 COMMONS 
 
 On Maech 30, 1900 1 
 
 BRITISH, COMMERCIAL, AND POLITICAL 
 INTERESTS IN CHINA 
 
 Mr. Speaker, I desire to call the attention of the 
 House to the failure of Her Majesty's Government 
 to uphold British commercial and political interests 
 in China. Though I have recently made extensive 
 journeys in that country, I do not claim to pose as 
 an authority on Chinese affairs, but I rather propose 
 to make a statement as to the present situation, 
 based on information obtained from the best-in- 
 formed men upon the spot. I make no apology for 
 recalling the attention of the House to the necessity 
 for the initiation by Her Majesty's Government of a 
 more definite and vigorous pohcy in the Far East if 
 our commercial and political interests are to be 
 maintained. I am aware how entirely absorbed the 
 public mind is Ijy what has l^cen transpiring in 
 South Africa for souk; time past, btit I veiiturc to 
 submit that we should be unwortljy of the great inj- 
 
 ' lieprintcd from llanburd.
 
 STATEMENT IN THE E[OUSE OF COMMONS 225 
 
 penal responsibilities which rest upon our shoulders 
 were we to allow the affairs, however important, of 
 any one part of our l'"]nipirc to monopolise our atten- 
 tion to ihe serious neglect of vital interests in other 
 parts of the world. Nor is it unsuitable, IMr. 
 Speaker, to rcjview the situation in China because 
 of the agreeable way in ^^'hich public attention has 
 again been directed to the affairs of that Empire by 
 ihe signal success of American diplomacy, which 
 has resulted in the assent of England, Germany, 
 France, l\ussia, Japan, and Italy to the principle of 
 equality of customs tariff and of harbour dues and 
 eqttality of railway rates being maintained in China. 
 The advantages conferred by this undertaking arc 
 to be common to all States and all peoples, and our 
 kinsmen across the Atlantic are to be warmly con- 
 gratulated on the success which attended their 
 efforts. 
 
 The commercial commtmity in this country are 
 deeply indebted to the United States Government 
 for having tints ensured equahty of opportunity for 
 British trade as well as their own. How far Her 
 Majesty's Government ought to be congratulated 
 on the part th(/y pluA'ed in tliis matter has not yet 
 \)c:cn fully disclosed, l)ttt I hope that not only were 
 Her rvlajesty's Government the lirst to give assent to 
 the proposals, but that they, so La- as it ^vas judicious, 
 gave tbeir active co-o[)(.'rati(jn in the endeavtjtir to 
 secure tlie carrying through of the arrangement. I 
 am aware that, in view of the jealousy recently 
 exhibited towards us by foreign I'owers, the United 
 
 Q
 
 22G CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 States Government were probably able to succeed 
 where we should have failed ; and, indeed, any inter- 
 ference on our part might have defeated our object. 
 It is with great satisfaction I notice that not only is 
 there to be equality in the matter of customs tariff 
 and harbour dues, but equality also of railway rates. 
 The assurance in regard to the latter is of the utmost 
 value, and it was one which the British Govern- 
 ment failed to secure in the Anglo-Eussian Agree- 
 ment. 
 
 I will now turn to what I found to be the 
 position of affairs in North China. The seizure of 
 Port Arthur by Eussia is somewhat ancient history, 
 and I will not refer further to that subject than to 
 say that the people in the East most likely to know 
 unanimously state that no one was so much sur- 
 prised as were the Eussians themselves at being 
 allowed to take Port Arthur. Eussia has already 
 made Port Arthur impregnable by new forts practi- 
 cally encircling it, and in August last she had 
 no fewer than 40,000 troops at Port Arthur and 
 Talicnwan. There were also Eussian soldiers at the 
 railway stations on her Manchurian lines. She is 
 in military occupation of that liuge country of Man- 
 churia, rich in agriculture, in minerals, and fisheries, 
 and with emphatically a white man's climate. Even 
 at Newchwang, the only treaty port through which 
 we can now trader Eussian Cossacks had been policing 
 the town on the invitation, forsooth, of the British 
 Consul. On the north bank of the river at New- 
 clnvang there i:s a Eussian concession of several square
 
 STATEMENT IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS 227 
 
 miles, on which one terminus of her rcailway is being 
 built, and over which she enjoys quasi-sovereign 
 rights. Not content with this acquisition, Eussia is 
 negotiating for a further concession on the south 
 side of the river, opposite Newchwang and adjacent 
 to the terminus of the Newchwang Extension Line 
 from Shanhaikwan, obviously with the intention of 
 bridging the river and linking up her Manchurian 
 railways, including that from Port Arthur, where 
 her troops are concentrated, with the line leading 
 via Tientsin to Pekin, which no doubt she will 
 ultimately acquire l)y advancing to the Chinese 
 Government the money to pay off the British bond- 
 holders, imless much greater determination be shown 
 by the liritisli Government in resisting aggressions 
 certain to strangle British trade in the future. On 
 this Xewchwang Extension Line is the treaty port of 
 Chinwangtao, the opening of which was announced 
 by Her Majesty's Government as a diplomatic 
 triumph. This port I visited, and to my surprise 1 
 fcnmd there was no natural harbour, IaU only an 
 open bay siui'ounded by sandhills ; no sign of popu- 
 lation, except a few fishermen's cottages ; and no 
 trade. All the best-informed commercial men agree 
 that it is an net of folly to spend money on Chin- 
 wangtao. and that the improvement of the ap- 
 proaches to the ports of Tientsin and Xewchwang 
 Ht each end of the line ought rather to liave been 
 sought. 
 
 Perhaps the mobt tmaccotmtable action on the 
 
 Q 2
 
 223 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CRISIS 
 
 part of the British Government, so far as Russia is 
 concerned, was the conchision of the Anglo-Eussian 
 Agreement in the form in which it was finally 
 signed. The negotiations for months proceeded 
 with the expressed intention that what was to be 
 conceded to Russia was the exclusive right of rail- 
 way construction in Manchuria, we having con- 
 ceded to us a similar right in the Yangtsze basin. 
 But, as far as Russia is concerned, being at the 
 back of the Pekin and Hankow Railway, as she 
 undoubtedly is, through the medium of the Russo- 
 Chinese Bank which Lord Salisbury has told us is 
 a Russian State bank she had invaded our sphere, 
 and made it impossible that we could enjoy exclusive 
 rights in the Yangtsze basin before the agreement 
 itself was signed ; whilst on our part, without a word 
 of explanation, not only did we concede to Russia 
 exclusive rights in Manchuria, but north of the Great 
 Wall of Cliina, which will in the long run be found 
 also to embrace a large slice of the province of Chi-li, 
 the whole of the great horse-breeding country of 
 Mongolia, and the province of Sin Kiang. 
 
 I have had a large map prepared, ^^'hich I should 
 have liked to see hung in this House in order 
 that my remarks on this sul)ject might be made 
 more intelligible. That map shows exactl}^ what it 
 is that Russia obtains under this Anglo-Russian 
 Agreement, and gives other information which may 
 ha interesting to Members. If desired, I propose to 
 place this map in the Tea Room for a short time. 
 The fact is that, so far as the Blue-books disclose it,
 
 STATEMENT IN THE HOUSE OF COM^IOXS 229 
 
 Eiissia has the whole of these enormous territories 
 in North China and stretching west^Yard across Asia 
 to territories previously in the possession of Paissia, 
 and giving to her just what she requires to enable 
 her to take possession not only of North China, hut 
 also of Central China. AYithout a map it is, 
 perhaps, dilhcult to make clear to the House the 
 exact position of affairs, hut hon. Members may l)e 
 able to follow me if I say that, stopping for the 
 time being the construction of the Ilussian Siberian 
 railway to Vladivostock, she has already commenced 
 the laying of a lino branching off from her Siberian 
 railway right down through Mongolia direct to 
 Pekin. A further concession in connection with 
 the Pekin-Hankow Kailway has been got for a 
 branch from Kai-feng-fu to Honan-fu, with the 
 option of extending to Singan-fu, a place only two 
 hundred miles north of the Yangtsze Eiver, and 
 from which the immemorial trade route into Central 
 Asia runs. Put this is only part of the Pussian 
 programme for the conquest of Asia by railways. 
 Tliere is another piissi;in main line rapidly advanc- 
 ing through Central Asia which seems to have 
 escaped public notice. I mean the Pussian Trans- 
 Caspian Pailway, which, proceeding north-east from 
 ]Merv, is already constructed to Andijan, on the 
 borders of the Chinese province of Sin Iviang, which 
 has recently been accorded l)y us to Pussia, and is, 
 as a iiiatter fact, under Pussian domination. From 
 the point to which this Pussian Trans-Caspian line 
 has already been constructed there is a perfectly
 
 230 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CRISIS 
 
 practicable route turning the flank of the mountainous 
 country of Thibet for a railway down through Sin 
 Kiang to Singan-fu. Hon. Members will see that 
 with the completion of this line Eussia not only has 
 her Siberian railway tapping North China, but she 
 will have her Trans-Caspian line penetrating into 
 the very heart of Central China and dominating the 
 Yangtsze Valley. 
 
 The Government do not appear to have even 
 sought from Eussia the recognition of similar pre- 
 ferential rights in our favour in Thibet, the only 
 territory now left between India and the Eussian 
 sphere. While a comparatively poor country like 
 Eussia is not hesitating to spend over 100,000,000/. 
 sterling on these projects, which will enable her 
 finally to reap a rich harvest as regards both her 
 commercial and political interests, what, I ask, is 
 England doing ? The British Government, so far, 
 appear to have lost those qualities of enterprise, 
 courage, and foresight which characterised our fore- 
 fathers, and b}^ virtue of which our world-wide 
 British Empire has been built up. Not only have 
 they refused, as a matter of high imperial policy, to 
 give any encouragement or guarantee to a railway 
 from British Burma to the upper Yangtsze as a 
 counterpoise to the Eussian railways, but they have 
 actually stopped the construction of the railway to 
 Kunlon Ferry, in British Burma ; and this at a 
 time when France is vigorously pushing on with the 
 construction of her railway from Tonkin through 
 Yunnan to Szechuan, by which she will draw the
 
 STATEMENT IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS 231 
 
 trade of South-west China through French tenitories 
 with the aid of protective tariffs, instead of our being 
 able to carry on a free and unrestricted trade through 
 Britisli Burma. 
 
 British capitahsts at Tientsin were perfectly 
 prepared to construct a railway from Tientsin to 
 Kalgan, which is the trade route into Mongolia, but 
 were informed by the Foreign Office that they could 
 not support such an application, as Kalgan was in 
 the sphere conceded to Kussia under the Anglo- 
 Russian Agreement, though it is far away from 
 INIanchuria. This line of railway, being an exten- 
 sion of the Tientsin-Pekin line to Kalgan, would 
 have been the most powerful barrier against Russian 
 advance southwards. 
 
 An important factor in considering the course of 
 events in North China, and an important and power- 
 ful influence in the direction of keeping it open to 
 trade, is the fact that the interests of Japan are identical 
 with our own, and that Japan is prepared to uphold 
 her rights resolutely when assailed by Russia. Japan 
 having a population increasing at the rate of half a 
 million a year, and her cultivable area l)eing com- 
 paratively small, it is absolutely essential that she 
 should have room for expansion. The natural ex- 
 pansion of Japan, whether as regards climate, 
 fertility of soil, fisheries, or mineral wealth, is into 
 Korea. From my interviews with Japanese states- 
 men, I gathered that, even at the risk of war, they 
 would I'revcnt any Russian interference with what 
 they consider their priority of right in Korea. More-
 
 232 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CRISIS 
 
 over, the active co-operation of Japan could be 
 counted on in any effort to uphold throughout China 
 the treaty rights of all nations. 
 
 With regard to Kiao-chau, the Germans know 
 their own minds, and I saw not fewer than 5,000 
 Chinamen at work constructing the harbour works 
 and building the railway into the interior of 
 Shan-tung, whilst palatial buildings were springing 
 up on all sides. The contrast between the activity 
 of the Russians at Port xVrthur and of the Germans 
 at Kiau-chau and our do-nothing policy at Wei- 
 hai-Wei, after having somewhat ostentatiously 
 announced to the world that we had taken that place 
 as a counterpoise to Port Arthur, is most humili- 
 ating. At Wei-hai-Wei not a single fort has been 
 constructed, not one gun mounted ; practically no 
 buildings have been erected, and even the pier, with 
 30 feet of water at the end, which had been damaged 
 by the blowing-up of a Chinese man-of-war, has not 
 yet been repaired, though the uprights were ready 
 to receive the superstructure. Beyond a little 
 dredging, the constr;iction of water-condensing 
 apparatus, and the drilling of a few Chinese soldiers, 
 nothing seems to have been done. When I went to 
 the top of the island at Wei-hai-Wei I wished the 
 First Lord of the Treasury had been there with me ; 
 for when I condemned the right hon. gentleman's 
 action in having, unasked by Germany, precluded 
 us from connecting Wei-hai-Wei with the interior of 
 Shan-tung by railway, he interposed the remark 
 that it was physically impossible. I could look
 
 STATEMENT IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS 233 
 
 across the country towards Chefoo without being 
 able to .sec a hill a hundred feet high. And when, 
 again, from the top of the pinnacle at Chefoo, I 
 looked towards AA'ei-hai-Wei, the experience was 
 the same. The fact is that few railways in the 
 world would be so easy of construction as one from 
 Wei-hai-Wei to Chefoo, and in at least two other 
 directions leading from the territory appertaining to 
 Wei-hai-Wei through rich valleys into the interior of 
 Shan-tung, the same is true. Wei-hai-AVei might 
 have been made a great success as a commercial 
 port had we not thus tied our hands. The road- 
 stead at Chefoo is most exposed, and for days 
 together in the winter ships can neither load nor 
 discharge. AVith proper facilities a large portion of 
 the trade done through Chefoo would have been 
 transferred to '\Vei-hai-'\Vei. As, however, the situa- 
 tion is to-day, Eussia having succeeded in convert- 
 ing the question in North China from a sea to a 
 land question, it is very doubtful whether money 
 ought to be spent on AYei-hai-AVei. In all pro- 
 bability the best cotirse would be to hand Wei-hai-AVei 
 over to Germany, if she, in return, woidd support 
 our taking another naval base at or near the mouth 
 of the Yang-tszc Kivcr. 
 
 Tile Crovernmcnt announced in this House that 
 conct'Ssions had been got for British subjects for 
 2,800 miles of railways in China. But ternis and 
 conditions enabling the carrying-o\U' of the projects 
 have not yet been arranged in connection with a 
 single concession. The Shanuhai to Nankin and
 
 234 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CEISIS 
 
 several other concessions were given as reparation 
 for the breach of faith on the part of the Chinese 
 Government in giving the Pekin-Hankow Concession 
 to foreign Powers over our heads. Therefore in 
 regard to these our Government should stand no 
 nonsense as to the terms and conditions upon which 
 they should he built. Under the treaty of Tientsin 
 we are entitled to equally favourable terms and con- 
 ditions to those granted by the Chinese Government 
 to Piussia, France, and Germany ; but we find that 
 the Chinese Government are insisting upon a mixed 
 Chinese and European control, which has proved, in 
 the case of the Xewchwang Extension Railway, to 
 be surrounded by difficulties. Our Government 
 should insist on the British concessionnaires having 
 complete control of the security, that is, to pay 
 interest and repay principal, Avith a guarantee of 
 non-interference and the maintenance of our rights, 
 giving only the Chinese Government an option of 
 taking over the railways on certain terms and condi- 
 tions. The Russians, Germans, and French will 
 enjoy this control ; why not the British ? The 
 confidence of the British investor was disturbed by 
 the way in which the Government allowed Russia 
 to dictate the terms and conditions upon which the 
 Newchwang Extension Loan should be concluded, 
 and by the unsatisfactory way in which the niixed 
 control has since operated ; for though they offered 
 12,000,0007. sterling against 2,800,000/. required 
 when that loan was floated, it is questionable 
 whether the money would now be forthcoming for
 
 STATE^IEXT TN TTTE HOUSE OF COMMONS 23-^ 
 
 even the cream of the railway concessions unless 
 obtained on the terms and conditions I have men- 
 tioned. With regard to the terms and conditions 
 npon which the concessions for these what we 
 may term reparation railways, I find that on 
 Reptemher 4, 1898, Sir Claude MacDonald stated in 
 a despatch that the terms accorded for the construc- 
 tion of these lines will not be inferior to the terms 
 granted for the construction of any railways in 
 China proper, and that they had agreed to send him 
 a confidential Note to that effect. This would have 
 secured terms and conditions equal to those granted 
 to Germany for the railways she is constructing in 
 Shan-tung ; but, within a few days, under instruc- 
 tions from the First Lord of the Treasury, Sir 
 Claude MacDonald accepted these concessions on 
 not less favourable conditions than those granted to 
 th(> concessionnaires for the Pekin and Hankow 
 Ivailway. Those terms and conditions are workable 
 when in the hands of concessionnaires having at 
 thtiir baclv the Governments of Eussia and France, 
 but are useless to P)ritish concessionnaires so long as 
 ihey do not receive the proper support from the 
 I'riiish Ciovernmcnt. 
 
 An American syndicate entered into a preliminary 
 contract with the Chinese Government for the build- 
 ing of a railway from Hankow to Canton, and also 
 made a provisional agreement with an English 
 syndicate, with the object of having this railway 
 constructed by an Anglo-American company. 
 The Chinese Government, however, have thrown
 
 236 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 every obstacle in the way of the ratification of this 
 concession on terms and conditions not less favour- 
 able to those granted to other Powers, whilst the 
 French Government have actively intervened to 
 prevent the carrying through of the concession, and 
 claimed that unless the American syndicate is pre- 
 pared to construct the line on the terms and condi- 
 tions of the Pekin and Hankow Concession the 
 right to construct the railway falls into their hands. 
 The question of by whom this important railway is 
 to be constructed is one vitally affecting the future 
 of the Chinese Empire ; for, if the concessionnaires 
 of the Pekin and Hankow Eailway are allowed to 
 secure this concession, it will give to Eussia and 
 France a railway system through the heart of the 
 Chinese Empire from the extreme north to the 
 extreme south, and will place them practically in 
 military occupation of it. I hope, therefore, to hear 
 from the Under-Secretary that Pfer Majesty's 
 Government are vigorously supporting the United 
 States Government in insisting that this railway, 
 penetrating as it does from the south right into the 
 heart of our supposed sphere of interest, the Yang- 
 tsze basin, shall not be given to any other foreign 
 Powers. 
 
 To show how Her Majesty's Government 
 fails to sustain British riglits in China, I may 
 instance the Pekin Syndicate. This corporation 
 was promised a concession for a railway to connect 
 its mineral properties in Shansi with the navigable 
 limits of the Yangtsze liiver. But, whilst the
 
 STATEMENT IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS 237 
 
 application for such communication has been flatly 
 refused to the British company, there has been 
 secured by the concessionaires of the Pekin-Hankow 
 Kaihvay the right to construct a railway from Kai- 
 feng-fu to Honan-fu, with the option of extending it 
 to Singan-fu, thus barring the road for the con- 
 struction of the railway promised to the Pekin 
 Syndicate. 
 
 Another achievement of Her Majesty's Govern- 
 ment was the Yangtsze Valley Agreement, which, even 
 now, many people in this country imagine secures to us 
 the Yangtsze Basin as a special sphere of influence 
 in which we have priority of rights. This, however, 
 is an absolute myth. Ivussia, France, Germany, 
 and Japan are all to-day more actively engaged in 
 advancing their commercial and political interests in 
 the rich Yangtsze Basin than we are ours. They 
 have sovereign rights over various areas at Shanghai, 
 Plankow, and elsewhere, whilst we have none. 
 
 A further surrender on the part of Pier Majesty's 
 Government is in regard to the extension of the 
 French settlement at Shanghai. A firm stand was 
 originally taken against this demand by the Secre- 
 tary of State for Foreign Affairs ; and backed up as 
 it was at the time by the United States of America, 
 it was understood that the demand would not l)e 
 granted. How little needed such a concession was 
 will be made very clear when I state that in the 
 French concession already in existence there are 
 only seventeen Frenchmen resident ; and yet, not- 
 withstanding thib, our diplomatists have again given
 
 238 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 way. France has got the extension of her conces- 
 sion, and British prestige has once more been 
 lowered in the eyes of the Chinese Government. 
 
 In one debate in this House we heard with great 
 satisfaction that Her Majesty's Government had at 
 length determined to do something to uphold British 
 commercial interests by the placing of gunboats on 
 the inland waterways of China for the protection of 
 British trade. Two gunboats were sent out to 
 patrol the upper Yangtsze more than twelve 
 months ago ; but, though their crews have been 
 paid by the British taxpayer and they have been on 
 the spot all this time, they have yet to make the 
 first ascent of that portion of the river which they 
 were intended to patrol ; and the Under-Secretary 
 informed us the other day that they were going to 
 attempt this next month. The fact is, that these 
 two boats, the 'Woodcock' and the 'Woodlark,' 
 are unsuitable for the purpose, both as regards con- 
 struction and steaming power. As they have to go 
 up rapids sometimes running thirteen and fourteen 
 knots an hour and steam only eleven knots, it is 
 obvious they can only mount the rapids with assist- 
 ance from shore, and they would be useless, there- 
 fore, if a hostile attitude were assumed by the 
 inhabitants of the district. The whirlpools and 
 cross-currents of the river are in places so strong that 
 the gunboats ought to have paddle-wheels instead 
 of screws, and it is ridiculous to send out boats con- 
 structed of plates under one-eighth of an inch thick 
 instead of bcinir at least three-sixteenths for a river of
 
 STATEMENT IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS 239 
 
 the character of the upper Yangtsze. Apparently 
 without any inquiry whatever, when gunboats were 
 needed for the upper Yangtsze, the Admiralty decided 
 to send out two Nile gunboats. This is a serious 
 matter, so far as the commercial interests of this 
 country are concerned, because a British cargo- 
 steamer is expected to be plying on the upper 
 Yangtsze within the next month or two ; and in all 
 probability the half-million Chinamen now carrying 
 on the trade on the river will regard this innovation as 
 a menace to their livelihood, and trouble will arise. 
 It is imperative that gunboats capable of going 
 wherever they may be required, without shore 
 assistance and without regard to the state of the 
 river, should be placed on the upper Yangtsze 
 immediately. The 'Woodcock' and 'Woodlark,' 
 now there, should be transferred to the West Eiver, 
 as on that river the old ' Tweed ' can steam only two 
 knots against the current, and the ' Sandpiper ' four 
 knots, which, all will agree, renders them quite 
 unable to cope effectually with the pirates ^^ho 
 infest that district. The pirates on the West Iviver 
 have more than once seized British-owned steamcL's, 
 ransacked them, and then used them for capturing 
 richly laden native junks. But up to the present 
 time no punishment whatever has been inflicted on 
 the perpetrators of these outrages. It is true we are 
 told that the Admiral is now considering the question 
 of how best to repress the piracy. But why no-w '? 
 Why not twelve months ago '? AVhy were the gun- 
 boats in the district prevented for so long a time
 
 240 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 from taking any effective measures for the repression 
 of the piracy which has been so rife ? 
 
 Then, with regard to the opening up of all the 
 inland waterways of China, the agreement with the 
 Chinese Government was announced in this House 
 as one which would make it possible to take British 
 merchandise in British ships, not merely to the 
 ports recognised by treaty, but to every riverside 
 town and station in the whole interior of China. 
 On the strength of this agreement leading British 
 shipping firms in China expended 60,000^. in build- 
 ing steamers to trade from Hong Kong and Canton 
 up the West Eiver. So far, however, from these 
 steamers being allowed to take British goods to 
 every riverside town and station, they have not been 
 permitted to load or discharge cargo at intervening 
 places between the treaty ports. They have conse- 
 quently been working at a considerable loss, and 
 several have been taken off altogether. The right 
 lion, gentleman the Under-Secretary for Foreign 
 Affairs, in answer to a question I put to him the 
 other day * on this subject, said this was not within 
 the knowledge of the Foreign Office. In view, 
 however, of the lengthy correspondence between 
 the shipping jfirms in China and the British Lega- 
 tion in Pekin on this question, it seems extra- 
 ordinary that the Foreign Oftice should not have 
 received this important information. In reply to a 
 further question, the right hon. gentleman said the 
 
 * See the Parliamentary Debates [Fourth Series], vol. Ixxx. 
 p. 1180.
 
 STATEMENT IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS 241 
 
 agreement with tlie Chinese Government permitted 
 foreigners to trade in steamers where native boats 
 had been perniittc d, but this did not include every 
 riverside to\vn and station. I must, however, refer 
 the right hon. gentleman to the express declaration 
 made in this House by his predecessor, Mr. Curzon, 
 to which I have already alluded. I am informed Ijy 
 those engaged in trading on the Chinese inland 
 waterways that native boats are permitted to trade 
 with every riverside town and station, and also 
 escape with lower duties. This being so, it is 
 obviously impossible for British steamers to compete 
 when they are required to have one steamer to trade 
 between treaty ports and a second with the other 
 riverside towns and stations, both boats running 
 probably half empty ; whereas, if, according to the 
 agreement, they were allowed to load and discharge 
 cargo at every riverside town and station, whether 
 treaty ports or not, one steamer would do 
 where two are now employed, and a profitable trade 
 would be carried on. I have repeatedly pressed the 
 Government to insist upon the carrying out in its 
 entirety of this agreement with the Chinese Govern- 
 ment, and I should be glad to learn from the right 
 hon. gentleman to-night that the Government are 
 determined to insist on this. 
 
 With regard to South China and "Westei'n China, 
 in the course of my journey I penetrated through 
 the Yangtsze gor-es 1,600 miles up the Yangtsze 
 Eiver. I travelled some distance into the rich 
 province of Szechuan, with its fifty millions of 
 
 R
 
 242 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CEISIS 
 
 industrious and prosperous inhabitants. I found this 
 province is covered by French Jesuit priests, who, 
 ill addition to the work of a reHgious propaganda, 
 gather and transmit to the French Government 
 information as to the mineral weahh and the 
 commercial possibilities of the country. They have 
 practically completed a geological survey of the 
 province, and now the French are pressing for 
 exclusive rights to work minerals in six districts 
 which they believe to be rich in mineral wealth. 
 They have also prepared a chart of the Yangtsze 
 Eiver, which was to me of invaluable service. As in 
 South Africa it has been found that we actually had 
 no knowledge of the country around Ladysmith, 
 though it had been our militar}' headquarters for 
 years, so in China our charts are out of date, and 
 therefore useless. An Admiralty chart of the 
 Yangtsze was prepared in 1861, and some slight 
 corrections have been made since, but it is at the 
 present time no guide to the navigation of a river of 
 the changing character of the Yangtsze. 
 
 I have again and again drawn the attention of 
 the Government to the agreement of January, 
 1896, between the British Government and the 
 French Government, under which each nation bound 
 itself to use its best offices with the Chinese 
 Government to secure for the other similar and in- 
 creased opportunities and facilities for trading with 
 Yunnan and Szechuan. This agreement has been 
 entirely disregarded by the French Government 
 without calling forth anv remonstrance from Her
 
 STATEMENT IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS 243 
 
 Majesty's Government. Nanning-fu, the treaty 
 port on the West Eiver, which was declared to l)e 
 open more than a year ago (as was admitted tlie 
 other night hy the right lion, gentleman) still 
 remains unopened. And remembering the violent 
 opposition on the part of the French to the opening 
 of Xanning-fu, one cannot but feel that in all pro- 
 bability the delay in the opening is due to French 
 influence. I hope to hear from the right hon. 
 gentleman that Her Majesty's Government will not 
 allow further delay, as we have a right to expect 
 that the state of affairs under which British goods 
 have to be transhipped from Hong Kong, sent 
 through Tonkin up to South-west China, and are 
 subjected to a differential duty of 10 per cent, when 
 passing through French territory, shall be ended 
 without delay. 
 
 The French are busily engaged in constructing 
 a railway from Tonkin towards Yunnan, with the 
 intention of ultimately carrying it forward into 
 Szechuan, and of drawing the trade of South-west 
 Cliina down to the sea through French Indo-China, 
 and with the declared expectation that sooner or 
 later France will be able to annex Szechuan, 
 Yunnan, Kwang-si, and Kwang-tung the four 
 jrreat Chinese provinces to the north of her Indo- 
 China possessions. When we have regard to the 
 fact that seven-eighths of the imports into French 
 Indo-China in 1885 went from England, Germany, 
 and Switzerland, and that to-day, owing to differ- 
 ential duties in favour of French goods, amounting 
 
 b2
 
 244 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 in some cases to 50 per cent., three-fourths of 
 the imports go from France, and only one-fom'th 
 from the rest of the world, we have an object-lesson 
 of the vital importance of resolutely upholding our 
 just commercial rights in South and South-west 
 China, if in the future we are not to see British 
 trade strangled by differential tariffs in those regions 
 also. 
 
 Her Majesty's Government took great credit for 
 the Kau-lung extension opposite Hong Kong. But 
 I find that the value of the extension was very much 
 reduced by the obstinacy with which the home 
 authorities, contrary to the strongly expressed 
 opinion of both civil and military authorities out 
 there, accepted the present boundary, which forms 
 no natural defence. The river is easily fordable 
 in many places ; it is considerably south of the 
 head of Mirs Bay, included in the concession, 
 and besides contains no healthy camping ground. 
 They ought to have insisted that the boundary 
 should be a natural line of mountains running 
 slightly north of the head of Mirs Bay, which 
 would have given a healthy camping ground 
 and a strong natural frontier. It will be in the 
 recollection of the House that, owing to the oppo- 
 sition to the British when taking possession, we 
 occupied Sam Chun, outside the boundary, where vre 
 had a most healthy camp. However, while I was 
 at Hong Kong, instructions came from home that, 
 under arrangements made with the Chinese Go- 
 vernment, Sam Chun was to be evacuated. This, it
 
 STATEMENT IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS 245 
 
 was believed, had been done because the French had 
 pointed out to tlie Chinese Government that we had 
 been allowed to occupy a territory beyond the con- 
 cession agi'eed upon, and that they were in conse- 
 quence claiming further concessions around their 
 newly acquired treaty port in the south. If this 
 was so, the result at any rate was not creditable to 
 British diplomacy, for within a week of our evacua- 
 tion of Sam Chun the French demands were con- 
 ceded in full by the Chinese Government. 
 
 Again and again in this House declarations of 
 policy have been made by Her Majesty's Govern- 
 ment which, if carried out, would have given the 
 greatest satisfaction to everybody interested in the 
 upholding and the extending of our commercial 
 interests in the Far East. T3ut, unfortunately, 
 whether in regard to agreements such as the Anglo- 
 Kussian Agreement, in the matter of railway con- 
 cessions, the opening of the inland waterways, the 
 patrolling by gunboats of the Yangtsze and the 
 West Elvers, or the terms and conditions upon which 
 tht' acquisition of Wei-haiAA'ei and Kau-lung have 
 been secured, all alike have proved delusive and 
 unsatisfactory. And I do not hesitate to say that 
 in China our prestige and influence, which were 
 predominant live years ago, are non-existent to-day. 
 
 The Blue-book issued yesterday is unfortunately 
 largely a further record of failure on the part of 
 Her Majesty's Government to deal successfully with 
 the Tsung-li-Yamen. This voluminous paper hardly 
 contains one instance where a distinct diplomatic
 
 246 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 success has been achieved. What, then, ought Her 
 Majesty's Government to do, in view of accomphshed 
 facts in the Far East, in order to retrieve as far as 
 possible the disastrous results of their neglect to 
 pursue a firm and definite policy? The under- 
 standing arrived at between the United States 
 Government and the other nations interested in the 
 trade of China, securing, if faithfully observed, the 
 maintenance of the open door, appears to afford 
 another golden opportunity for seeking the further 
 friendly co-operation of the Great Powers in the 
 promotion of administrative reforms, so greatly 
 needed for the strengthening of the Imperial Go- 
 vernment and for maintaining the integrity of China, 
 the necessity for which the United States Govern- 
 ment so fully recognise. 
 
 All authorities in China agree that a serious 
 mistake was made in allowing the deposition of the 
 Emperor last year, and the assumption of the 
 control of China by the reactionary Dowager 
 Empress, who is a usurper and has no title whatever 
 to occupy her present position. In view of the 
 somewhat alarming news as to the disturbed con- 
 dition and anti-foreign feeling in various parts of 
 China, joint action ought, in my opinion, to be taken 
 by the Powers, to replace the Emperor on the 
 throne ; for it is undoubted that his sympathies are 
 genuinely in favour of reform and the opening up of 
 his country to trade. But, in addition to this, I 
 would draw the attention of Her Majesty's Govern- 
 ment to the fact that the Chinese Government
 
 STATEMENT IN THE HOUSE OE COMMONS 247 
 
 would be powerless to resist the aggression, territori- 
 ally and otherwise, of other Powers unless she is 
 enabled to have her naval and military forces re- 
 organised. This she cannot do unless her revenues 
 are considerably increased. I woidd therefore 
 strongly urge that the time has come for a revision 
 of the customs tariff in China, and that at present 
 the maritime customs import duty of 5 per cent., 
 which is a maximum of 5 per cent., and in many 
 cases really much less, should be substantially in- 
 creased, on the condition that not only every 
 riverside town and station, but also the interior of 
 Cliina, is freely tlu'own open to foreign trade, and 
 that some satisfactory rearrangement to secure the 
 equitable levying of Ukin would be included in the 
 agreement. The proportion should be fixed that is 
 to be paid into the provincial and imperial treasuries 
 respectively. Some system of paying officials, so as 
 to render it possible for them to live witliout 
 corruptly applying any portion of the revenues 
 which pass through their hands, is essential. It 
 ^V(juld appear desirable that the increased reventies 
 thus obtained by China should be allocated to specific 
 purposes, and sliould be given only on condition that 
 an agreed amotmt be expended on the reorganisa- 
 tion of the military and naval forces of China, under 
 officers to be jointly provided by those Powers who 
 do not desire the partition of the country ; that a 
 further sum be applied to river conservancy, with a 
 view of improving tlie navigation of such great 
 commercial arteries of the Chinese Empire as the
 
 248 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CRISIS 
 
 Yangtsze and West Rivers, under the control of 
 international conservancy boards ; and that there be 
 a previous ratification, on satisfactory terms and 
 conditions, of railway conccssionspromised to British 
 concessionnaires. 
 
 If joint action were taken by the United States 
 of America, England, Japan, and Germany in 
 support of the policy I have indicated, it would be 
 difficult for Eussia and France to hold aloof. I 
 have always recognised the vast importance to 
 British trade of the development of our Indian 
 Empire. But the great Empire of China, with its 
 four hundred millions of industrious trading people, 
 its greater fertility of soil, and its enormous 
 mineral resources, is in my opinion of still greater 
 importance to the British nation, considered from a 
 commercial point of view. I therefore earnestly 
 hope that the Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs 
 may be able to assure the House to-night that this 
 policy of preserving China for the Chinese, and de- 
 veloping her resources in the interests alike of the 
 population of that country and of all nations, will 
 receive the vigorous and determined support of Her 
 Majesty's Government ; for in this way, and in this 
 way alone, can the just influence and commercial 
 rights of the British nation be preserved in the Far 
 East.
 
 249 
 
 CHAPTER XV 
 
 THE PliESENT CBISIS 
 
 SixcE I reviewed the situation in China on 
 INIarch 30 last, very f^rave events have occurred with 
 starthng rapidity. I then said that the neglect of 
 the British Government to take vigorous measures 
 at the time of the coiq:) cVctat in 1898 to prevent 
 the setting aside of the Emperor was a most serious 
 mistake and would have far-reaching consequences. 
 I pointed out that the reactionary Dowager Empress 
 is a usurper and has no title whatever to exercise the 
 functions of government. I drew attention to the 
 disturbed condition and anti-foreign feeling in vari- 
 ous parts of China and urged that joint action ought 
 to be taken by the Powers to replace the Emperor on 
 the throne, as his sympathies were undoubtedly in 
 favour of reform. 
 
 This statement and the policy indicated were 
 ridiculed by the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign 
 Affairs. 
 
 Few, however, realised at that time how impera- 
 tive it was that not a day should be lost in carrying 
 out what I advocated, viz. : the compulsory retire- 
 ment of the Empress Dowager and the restoration
 
 250 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 of the young Emperor to practical power by con- 
 certed action on the part of England and all the 
 other Powers who could have been induced to join 
 her. 
 
 The Hong Kong China Association early in last 
 
 fear sent a communication to the Foreign Office 
 
 itrongly representing that trouble was brewing in 
 
 ;hina, and that an anti-foreign outbreak was almost 
 
 certain to take place. 
 
 They expressed their strong conviction that it 
 was of the highest importance that adequate naval 
 and military forces should be concentrated at Wei- 
 hai-AVei or Hong Kong in order that they might be 
 promptly available for the protection of the lives and 
 property of British subjects in any part of China. 
 Both the Foreign Office and Sir Claude Macdonald 
 unfortunately disregarded this warning, and we were 
 therefore unable, when the uprising occurred, to place 
 a sufficient force on the ground without delay. 
 
 It is clear that a lamentable and fatal ignorance 
 as to what was transpiring in China prevailed both 
 at the Foreign Office and at the British Legation in 
 Pekin. We have been indebted to the ' Times ' corre- 
 spondent much more than to the British Legation 
 for information about what has occurred from day 
 to day in Pekin for some years past. 
 
 AVith regard to the present anti-foreign outbreak, 
 however, not only the British Legation but even 
 Sir Pobert Hart appears to have been in ignorance 
 of the fact that it was impending. It is only fair 
 also to remember that the representatives of other
 
 THE PRESENT CEISIS 251 
 
 Powers at Pckin have been equally taken by 
 surprise. 
 
 No doubt many causes have led to the uprising 
 of tlie Chinese against the foreigners. Foremost 
 among them I place the absence of any firm and 
 definite policy on the part of England and the 
 consequent arbitrary and aggressive action of Kussia 
 and Germany in extorting concessions enaljling 
 them to enter into military occupation of Chinese 
 territory. 
 
 Thisunjust interference undoubtedly strengthened 
 the hands of the reactionary and anti-foreign 
 Empress Dowager and her following, and made the 
 1898 coiqj d'etat possible. Under the influence of 
 her reactionary ministers the establishment of 
 Boxers' societies was encouraged. 
 
 The moderate men were one by one got rid of, 
 and finally came the outburst which a refusal on the 
 part of the Powers to allow the supersession of the 
 Emperor in 1898 would have prevented. From the 
 time of the Chino-Japanese war the British Govern- 
 ment should have shown a resolute determination to 
 preserve China for the Chinese and to keep that 
 Empire equally open to the trade of all nations, in 
 accordance with the treaties of Nankin and Tientsin. 
 In this policy we could have relied upon the co- 
 operation of Japan and the United States of 
 America. 
 
 All the Chinese statesmen I interviewed spoke 
 bitterly of their great disappointment that England, 
 whom they had always regarded as their best friend,
 
 252 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 had not stood by them and enabled them to resist 
 aggressions. 
 
 It seems clear now that the Chinese, though 
 apparently yielding to every demand made upon 
 them which was backed by force, w^ere at the same 
 time quietly but vigorously engaged in preparing for 
 H single-handed effort to expel the intruders. 
 
 How ignorant all nations were of the extent to 
 which the Chinese army has lately been equipped 
 with the best modern artillery and rifles and trained 
 in their use is shown by the unhesitating and confi- 
 dent manner in which a mixed international force 
 of under 2,000 men set out and made a gallant 
 attempt to relieve Pekin. 
 
 With regard to the present situation the first duty 
 of the Powers is to restore law and order where anarchy 
 and bloodshed now reign, and then to set up a more 
 enlightened and stable government in China. The 
 great viceroys, Liu Kun Yi, Chang Chili Tung, and 
 others who are believed to be doing their utmost to 
 protect foreigners and to maintain order throughout 
 the vast territories they govern, will earn the grati- 
 tude of the civilised world and promote the interests 
 of their own country by continuing in that course. 
 These viceroys, if in favour of reform, as I believe, 
 should be included in the Government which must 
 be formed under the protection of the Powers. To 
 encourage them and to strengthen their hands, it 
 should be distinctly intimated to the viceroys that 
 not only can they rely on receiving any assistance 
 that may be necessary now, but that we will
 
 THE PEESENT CKISIS 233 
 
 guarantee them the fullest protection hereafter 
 sliould any attempt be made to inflict punishment 
 upon them in consequence of their friendly action. 
 The Chinese people could then, without fear of conse- 
 quences, show tlieir real views, and I am confident 
 it would be found that the reformers are a not in- 
 considerable body. The greatest difticulty may be a 
 divergence of opinion among the Powers as to what 
 ought to be done at the conclusion of hostilities ; 
 but the recent declaration of policy on the part of 
 Germany in Count von Billow's Circular leaves 
 nothing to be desh'ed, and if England, Japan, and 
 the United States of America give it their united 
 support, Eussia and France are bound to fall into 
 line. Germany's policy is defined in that Circular 
 to be ' the restoration of security for the person, the 
 property, and the work of subjects of the German 
 I'hnpire in China, the rescue of the foreigners be- 
 sieged in Pekin, the re-establishment and the safe- 
 guarding of law and order under a proper Chinese 
 G overnment, and retribution and satisfaction for the 
 barbarities which have been perpetrated. AVe 
 desire no partition of China ; we have no separate 
 advantages for ourselves in view. The Imperial 
 Government feels convinced that the maintenance 
 of tlie understanding among the Powers is the pre- 
 liminary condition of the restoration of peace and 
 order in China.' 
 
 The Government of the United States of America 
 obtained certain assurances from the Powers in 
 rej^ard to the maintenance throufdiout China of the
 
 254 CHINA AND THE PEE SENT CEISIS 
 
 open door equally for the trade of all nations, and at 
 that time urged the necessity for the introduction 
 of administrative reforms into the government of 
 the country. 
 
 It is more than unfortunate that the exigencies 
 of a presidential election should apparently paralyse 
 their action at this important crisis, but it is to be 
 hoped that when the election is over v;o may have 
 their vigorous co-operation in support of the just 
 policy they so ably and successfully promoted and 
 advocated. 
 
 Having regard to the fact, as stated in the House 
 of Commons the other day, that out of a total 
 Chinese foreign trade of seventy millions sterling last 
 year the share of the British Empire was forty-three 
 millions, and that this is capable of indefinite ex- 
 pansion, it is clear that our commercial interests are 
 vitally bound up in the maintenance of ' the open 
 door.' 
 
 It has been assumed that Great Britain has 
 effectively claimed priority of right in the Yangtsze 
 basin as her sphere. This assumption is not 
 justified, because Japan, Germany, the United 
 States of America, Eussia, and France are as actively 
 engaged in promoting their commercial interests in 
 the Yangtsze valley as we are, and some of them have 
 even acquired quasi-sovereign possession of portions 
 of territory therein. We have, therefore, no priority. 
 
 Put shortly, then, the policy of the British Govern- 
 ment should be to strenuously seek, in concert with 
 other nations, to secure the removal of those now in
 
 THE PRESENT CRISIS 255 
 
 power in Pekin, and to set up in China a stal)lc and 
 enlightened Government inider the protection of 
 the Po^\ers, so that China may ])e presf^'vcd for tlio 
 Chinese and remain open (-(piaily to the trade of all 
 nations. This policy is identical with that of Count 
 von lUilov,'. 
 
 It is of vital importance to the future prosperity 
 of the British Empire that the Chinese prohlem 
 should be solved on just and equitable lines. 
 The various concessions, whether in re^^'ard to 
 railways or the opening up of the inland water- 
 ways, so that British ships could take British 
 goods to any riverside town or station, remain a 
 dead letter. 
 
 AVhcn a settlement is arrived at it is essential 
 that it should include the rearrangement of the 
 commercial treaties, so that the Chinese Government 
 shall receive substantially increased import duties, 
 on the following conditions : 
 
 Firstly, that all likin is abolished, and that in lieu 
 of it the provincial governments shall receive a 
 certain proportion of the increased revenues. 
 
 Secondly, that the officials are adequately paid, so 
 that it may no longer be excusable to appropriate 
 money passing through their hands. 
 
 Thirdly, that the inland waterways and the 
 interior of China shall be opened freely and equally 
 to the trade of all nations, and that a sum shall be 
 allocated out of the imperial revenues to be expended 
 under International Conservancy Boards in removing 
 obstructions to navigation on the Yangtszc}, A\'est,
 
 256 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 Yellow, and other rivers, which are or will be the 
 great commercial arteries of the Chinese Empire. 
 
 Fourthl}', that the Chinese Government shall be 
 given the right to take over, on specified terms and 
 conditions, all railways built with foreign capital 
 the undertakings being mortgaged to and remaining 
 under the control of the companies providing the 
 capital until principal and interest have been repaid. 
 
 To place Great Britain in a position to exercise 
 the powerful influence which her vast commercial 
 interests demand in connection with the settlement 
 I liave ventured to suggest, and to prevent her being 
 overshadowed by any other Power in the arrange- 
 ments required for the constitution of a new Chinese 
 Giovernment, she must now take a full share in the 
 task of restoring order. The situation appears to 
 demand an augmentation of our naval and militar}' 
 forces, especially the latter, beyond the reinforce- 
 ments already announced ; and I can only express 
 the hope that more foresight will be shown by Her 
 INIajesty's Government in preparing for all possible 
 contingencies than was the case in regard to South 
 Africa.
 
 257 
 
 CHAPTEK XVI 
 
 NOTES ON A VISIT TO JAPAN AND KOBE A 
 
 An American writer has said of Japan : ' It is un- 
 questionably the unique nation of the globe the 
 land of dream and enchantment, the land which 
 could hardly differ more from our own were it 
 located on another planet, its people not of this 
 w^orld,' and this I largely endorse. 
 
 Now, think of a nation homogeneous to a degree, 
 living under a single dynasty dating back 2,500 years, 
 and during all those years having the sentiment of 
 loyalty taught and cherished till it became a passion 
 and an object of worship ; thinlv of the national pride 
 engendered by the fact that not once in all those 
 many centuries has the foot of an invader been 
 suffered to press the soil. 
 
 ' THE OLD ORDER CHAXGETH ' 
 
 The following paragraph admirably summarises 
 the marvellous change which has taken place in 
 Japan almost in a single generation: 'Japan, 
 secluded for over two centuries from contact with 
 the outer world, was burst open l)y the American 
 expedition in 18581 under the connnand of 
 
 s
 
 258 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CRISIS 
 
 Commodore Perry. Making a virtue of necessity, 
 her rulers soon determined to Europeanise the 
 country, as the best means of preserving its indepen- 
 dence. Ships were bought, foreign naval and mili- 
 tary instructors engaged, feudalism replaced by a 
 centralised autocracy, education reorganised on 
 the pattern presented by AVestern nations, posts, 
 telegraphs, and railways introduced, European dress, 
 European manners, European amusements adopted. 
 Buddhism disestablished, Christianity if not en- 
 couraged tolerated by the constitution. In short, 
 in every sphere of activity, the old order gave place 
 to the new. The change has been specially marlced 
 since the successful war with China in 1894-5, the 
 prestige then acquired having given an extraordinary 
 impetus to trade and industry on European lines. 
 But even Japan, great as is the power of imitation 
 and assimilation possessed by her people, has not 
 been able completely to transform her whole material, 
 mental, and social being within the limits of a single 
 lifetime. Fortunately for the curious observer, she 
 continues in a state of transition, less Japanese and 
 more European day by day, it is true, but still retain- 
 ing characteristics of her own, especially in tlie dress, 
 manners, and beliefs of the lower classes. Those 
 who wish to see as much as possible of the old order 
 of things should come quickly.' 
 
 VOLCAXOES 
 
 The country is mountainous and has compara- 
 tively little flat land. The mountains of Japan are,
 
 EARTHQUAKES 259 
 
 for the most part, volcanic. INIauy of them are still 
 active, and number 170. Earthquakes are frequent. 
 Minor shocks average from thirty or forty to several 
 hundreds annually--! have experienced several 
 and of severe shocks history shows that there have 
 been some two or three in each century, entailing 
 the overthrow of dwellings and great destruction of 
 human and animal life. 
 
 VEGETABLE PRODUCTS 
 
 Rich soil, a genial climate, and a sufhcicnt rain- 
 fall produce luxuriant vegetation; cultivated fudds 
 and gardens succeed each other through wide areas. 
 Moreover, the main island possesses very great 
 varieties of vegetation. In Nankaido (Southern 
 Sea highway region) are thick verdant forests, 
 abounding in giant trees. Sugar-cane, tobacco, 
 and cotton find a soil congenial to their growth ; the 
 cocoa, the banyan tree, and the banana flourish in 
 the Eiukiu and Ogas:uvara Islands. In short, tlie 
 general aspect is tropical. Passing thence to the 
 Central districts, great varieties of vegetation are 
 found. The pine, the oak, the camphor tree, and 
 the bamboo grow in the woods ; while the nmlberry, 
 the tea-plant, the lacquer-tree, millet, the five cereals, 
 and various kinds of fruits and vegetables are seen 
 in the fields and gardens. Finally, even in Hokkaido, 
 though the cold is great, the soil is fertile and the 
 veiietation luxtiriant. 
 
 s 2
 
 2G0 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CRISIS 
 FISH AND BIEDS 
 
 All along the coast fish and crustaceans are 
 found in such abundance that they more than suffice 
 for the ordinary food of the inhabitants. Of birds 
 there is a great variety, some possessing beautiful 
 plumage, others melodious notes, and others being 
 suitable for food. In the last-mentioned class are 
 fowls and ducks. The silkworm is largely reared 
 throughout the main island, the climate and soil 
 being particularly suitable for the purpose. 
 
 NATIVE OCCUPATIONS 
 
 The people of the main island live chiefly upon 
 rice, vegetables, and fish. The great majority of 
 those in the interior engage in agriculture, while 
 those on the coasts devote their time to fishing. 
 
 PROTECTIVE WORKS 
 
 As we approached Yokohama I had pointed out to 
 me the entrance to the Naval Arsenal, which is said 
 to be impregnable. There are also strongly fortified 
 positions on the hills, and forts erected at intervals 
 across the bay. We landed in steam-launches. 
 
 NOVEL CARRIAGES 
 
 Carriages drawn by horses are somewhat rare in 
 Japan. A light two-wheeled carriage known as a 
 ' jinricksha,' and drawn by men, is the usual 
 means of locomotion. I greatly envied the magni- 
 ficent muscular development of the legs of the 
 ' jinricksha-men.'
 
 AN EXTORTIONATE CLAIM 261 
 
 CUSTOM-HOUSE EXPERIENCE 
 
 I had a somewhat novel experience at the 
 Custom House, where, in my absence, three of my 
 boxes were forcibly opened and a box of new neck- 
 ties taken out. The officials demanded a larger 
 amount for duty than the actual cost in England. 
 This I refused on principle to pay, as, in the first 
 place, the pro^Der duty under the new treaty is only 
 15 per cent, on silk goods, and also because they were 
 articles of wearing apparel, just the same as my 
 collars and shirts, and therefore not liable to duty. 
 After a certain amount of correspondence the neck- 
 ties were returned, and it was admitted that a 
 mistake had been made in taking the package from 
 my trunk and in holding it for duty. 
 
 EAILWAYS 
 
 Thirty years ago there was not a railway in 
 Japan. Now there are over 3,000 miles of railways, 
 which for the most part pay well. Poor though 
 Japa-n is, comparatively speaking, the Japanese so 
 appreciate the fact that railways are the most 
 powerful factor in advancing the prosperity and 
 development of a cnimtry, that, notwithstanding 
 their heavy burden for armaments, they are going 
 to spend twelve millions sterling between this 
 year and 1905 in the laying down of railways. 
 Travelling is slow, but fairly comfortable. One 
 thousand miles of railway belong to the Slate ; and 
 there is a strong movement m favour of the
 
 262 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 nationalisation of railways, which I hope will be 
 successful. Eailway fares run about one penny a 
 mile first class and a farthing per mile third. 
 
 At the stations you hear the musical calls of men 
 offering for sale newspapers and refreshments ; sub- 
 stantial Japanese luncheons of fish, rice, and pickles 
 can be had for twopence halfpenny each. Sake, beer, 
 and biscuits are also sold. 
 
 SDIILAPJTY IX POSITION OF JAPAN AND ENGLAND 
 
 The Japanese consider that, inhabiting as they 
 do a group of islands somewhat similar to the British 
 Isles, they are in many respects in the same position 
 as England. Many, therefore, attach more impor- 
 tance to having a strong navy than a strong army, 
 though, having adopted largely the German forms of 
 military organisation, conscription is in force, and 
 every Japanese when he attains the age of twenty must 
 serve two years in the army. They have begun to 
 realise that with a population increasing at the rate 
 of 400,000 a year it is essential, since their cultivable 
 land is limited in area, that they, like England, 
 should establish more industries and become a 
 manufacturing nation. Lacking as they do natural 
 resources in the shape of iron ore, and having only a 
 limited quantity of coal and lumber, they are un- 
 likely to be serious competitors with England or 
 xVmerica so far as the iron and steel trades are con- 
 cerned.
 
 JAPANESE JOURNALS 263 
 
 EDUCATION 
 
 It is bccoMiiiig a rare thing to find a man or a 
 woman nnablo to read or write, although tlic labour 
 involved in this acquirement is infinitely greater than 
 that imposed upon the learner in any Western land. 
 The Japanese are making good progress education- 
 ally. They have more than three millions of children 
 in their elementary day-schools, and the education 
 of every child over six years of age is compulsory. 
 They have adopted the German system as their 
 model, and are building splendid schools for second- 
 ary education, in regard to which, if well staffed 
 and administered, they will certainly soon be ahead 
 of England unless we bestir ourselves. 
 
 NEWSrArEES 
 
 To read the bettor class of newspapers, which 
 employ a range of four or five thousand characters 
 as compared with the twenty-six letters of the 
 English alphabet, is a great achievement ; but in a 
 newspaper printing establishment the multitudinous 
 and enormous cases of type necessary to hold the 
 tliousands of characters required for the columns of 
 a Japanese ' daily ' would strike terror into the 
 hearts of the Western newspaper men. The com- 
 positors tliemselves sit at their cases, each containing 
 the forty-seven Kana before him, but every one of 
 them has half-a-dozen agile boys to assist in the 
 hunting among the numerous divisions of the 
 mountain of type containing the Japanese ideo- 
 graph.^. In and out among the casc:^, piled like
 
 264 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CEISIS 
 
 book stacks in a great library, these boys, who must 
 needs be something of scholars themselves, jostle 
 against one another in their eagerness, all the time 
 keeping up their weird chant to refresh their 
 memories. Not one of the objects of their search 
 escapes them, and in a few minutes the compositor 
 has the required types before him, selected from the 
 four to five thousand characters employed. 
 
 TAXATION OF LAND 
 
 It was interesting to me to find that the taxation 
 of land is perhaps the most burning political ques- 
 tion in Japan. Contrary to what one would expect, 
 the Progressionists oppose any increase in the land 
 tax. I ought to explain that this land tax, which 
 was formerly paid to the old feudal nobles, now 
 goes to the Emperor. The amount of the tax is 
 about 83 per cent, on old assessments made about 
 a quarter of a century ago, and much below its 
 present value. Home politicians gain popularity by 
 opposing an increase in the land tax in the rural 
 districts, and others by opposing any increase in the 
 land tax and other direct taxation in the urban 
 districts. The question of the incidence of taxation 
 is a matter demanding the attention of politicians 
 of all schools in Japan as urgently as it does in 
 England, for there is much need of reform in both 
 countries in order to secure the application of the 
 only equitable principle on which taxation can pro- 
 ceed viz. that every man shall be taxed according 
 to his aljility to l)Ay.
 
 COMMERCIAL ETHICS 265 
 
 GRADUATED TAXATION 
 
 The principle of graduated taxation is applied in 
 Japan to a groatcr extent than in England. As 
 regards the income tax, no one is liable to pay unless 
 he has an income of 300 yen, when 1 per cent, is 
 demanded, and this rises by a graduated scale up to 
 15 per cent., according to the amount of his income. 
 
 COMMERCIAL DISHONESTY 
 
 I rcgrc't to say that on all hands I have had the 
 statement that Japanese traders are not specially 
 distinguished for honesty, particularly in their busi- 
 ness relations with foreigners. We have in this a 
 most striking proof that the character of people is 
 largely formed by the nature of their surroundings. 
 For hundreds of years the trading class in Japan 
 has occupied a very low place in the social scale. In 
 the last thirty years, since the feudal system has been 
 abolished, the position of traders has greatly changed, 
 and now some of those who were nobles arc engaged 
 in trade, and I am told there is reason to hope that 
 shortly business affairs in Japan will be conducted on 
 more honest lines. 
 
 PORCELAIN AND CLOISONNE 
 
 Two of the most interesting industries in Japan 
 are the production of porcelain and cloisonne. I 
 went over som(3 of the works, and the skill of the 
 artists in painting and manipulating the goods 
 throughout the various processes is remarkable. I 
 observed that many of the workers had skin erup-
 
 266 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CRISIS 
 
 tions. This was iiiorc noticeable owing to the 
 scanty clotliing which they wear in this hot cHmate. 
 I conchide that the Japanese still require to adopt 
 laws securing the greatest possible protection for 
 workmen v,ho follow dangerous trades, as what I 
 saw seemed to point to lead poisoning. 
 
 JAPANESE COAL 
 
 Japanese coal has recently fallen considerably, 
 the previous high price having led to over-production. 
 During the Chino-Japanese war Welsh coal was 
 bought for the Japanese navy to some considerable 
 extent, and this would be the case in the event of 
 another war, owing to its smokeless character. The 
 Eussian, German, and English fleets out here all use 
 AVelsh coal, and I think they might with advantage 
 mix a portion of bcfot Yorkshire hard steam with it. 
 
 TOKYO AESENAL 
 
 By permission of the military authorities, I was 
 taken over the arsenal aL Tokyo, where the rifles 
 and cartridges needed for the Japanese army are 
 manufactured by over six thousand workmen. The 
 worksliops and machinciry are excellent. Most of 
 the machinery has ])cen supplied from England, and 
 next to England comes America. I was surprised 
 to find, however, that the steel bars out of which 
 the Ijarrel of the rifle is formed are always supplied 
 liy France. Major INIurata, son of the inventor of 
 the Murata rifle, ^^hich the Japanese used in the 
 Chino-Japanese Wiir, showed me round, and per-
 
 TOMBS OF THE SHOGUNS 267 
 
 sonally explained both the working of the Murata 
 rifle and also of a new rifle which they adopted two 
 years ago. It is a magazine rifle, with very simple 
 mechanism, and is loaded with five cartridges at ;i 
 time. So far as one could judge, the Japanese 
 workmen are very handy, but I am told they turn 
 out much less work per man than English workmen. 
 
 MOUNTAIN RESORTS 
 
 After spending several days in the moist hot 
 atmosphere of Tokyo in the really hard work of 
 collecting information, I went to the mountains to 
 recruit in fresher air, and to enjoy the beauties of 
 Xature, in which the districts of Nikko, Chuzenji, 
 and Yunioto abound. Xikko is 2,000 feet above the 
 sea-level, and there I inspected some of the finest 
 temples in Japan. They are the tombs of the first 
 and third Shoguns of the Tokugawa family, called 
 in the treaty with England the Tycoon. The carved 
 wood is covered ^\itll lacquer in rich harmonious 
 colours, and the whole eli'ect is very beautiful. 
 These temples are embosomed in magnificent woods 
 rising high above them, and containing some of the 
 finest tim1)er in Japan. Stretching twenty miles 
 away from Nikko is a wonderful avenue of 
 cryptomoria trees, a Idiid of cedar, which lines the 
 old highway leading to that place. 
 
 From Xiklvo I went on to Chuzenji, wliere 
 there is a fine lake surrounded by high hills clothed 
 to their very summit with luxuriant vegetation. A 
 furilier expedition brought me to Yumoto, where
 
 263 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 scores of hot sulphur springs, of a temperature 
 high enough to boil eggs, bubbled forth from the 
 ground. Close by Yumoto is a gem of a lake sur- 
 rounded by splendid pine forests. Yumoto is 4,700 
 feet above the sea, and the stream descending from 
 this to the lake of Chuzenji is precipitated over 
 huge, almost perpendicular slopes of rock, in large 
 and beautiful waterfalls. 
 
 FLOWEES AND FEUIT 
 
 As every one knows, Japan at certain seasons of 
 the year is rendered still more attractive by a profu- 
 sion of flowers. It is especially noted for its magni- 
 ficent show of cherry and plum blossom, and there 
 is also the gorgeous wistaria, the lotus, the azalea ten 
 to twenty-five feet high, and the iris. It is the 
 natural home of the chrysanthemum, which blooms 
 everywhere. The huge, beautiful, and strongly 
 perfumed tiger lily grows wild, and the root of this 
 plant is used as a vegetable. 
 
 As regards fruit, which is of poor quality, pears, 
 peaches, plums, persimmons, oranges, apples, and 
 several kinds of melons are chiefly grown. 
 
 Among the fowls are cocks whose tails are from 
 four to six yards long. There are crabs fourteen inches 
 across the body, and as much as six feet from the 
 extremity of one claw to the other. 
 
 JAPANESE TOWN AT NIGHT 
 
 One of the things a traveller should not fail to do 
 in Japan is to stroll in the streets of a large town at
 
 JAPANESE HOLIDAYS 269 
 
 night. I went out in Kyoto, and though they have 
 neither gas nor electric hght, the main business 
 streets, which were thronged with the picturesquely 
 dressed Japanese, were ablaze with light. 
 
 There were many excellent lamps ; also a multi- 
 tude of Japanese lanterns, which produced a very 
 pretty effect. There are no shop windows in the 
 English sense; the stores open right on to the street, 
 and were well patronised. In the refreshment- 
 houses I noticed ices being made by the somewhat 
 novel method of scraping a large piece of ice over 
 what was exactly like a carpenter's plane, the pro- 
 jecting blade cutting a thin layer oft' each time the 
 ice was passed over it. To the ice thus shred was 
 added a little sugar, as the customers were served. 
 
 Wooden erections resembling tables are built on 
 supports fixed in the river which runs through the 
 heart of Kyoto. On these crowds of people recline 
 and are served with refreshments. The whole 
 river on both sides thus fitted out for some distance 
 and illuminated with hundreds of lanterns and 
 lights, made a brilliant scene. All seemed to be 
 enjoying themselves. The Japanese, I understand, 
 are more given to holiday-making than most other 
 races. 
 
 JAPAXESE HABITS 
 
 A Japanese, on entering a house, removes his 
 shoes instead of his hat, and if he takes up a book 
 to read, he opens it at the back and reads from right 
 to left instead of from left to right.
 
 270 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 They are a merry people, and do not take life too 
 seriously. In the middle of the afternoon in Tokyo 
 I saw the native theatres, the zoological gardens, the 
 parks, and the museums crowded with people. The 
 artificial water in their parks is full of huge goldfish, 
 and when one bought prepared food and threw it 
 into the water the fish simply swarmed for it, and 
 fought one over the other in an almost solid mass in 
 order to secure a share of it, a laughing crowd of 
 Japanese invariably looking on. They are v.ithout 
 exception, no matter what their station in life may 
 be, the most polite people I have ever met. 
 
 I had the novel experience of being ten days in 
 the country without paying a single bill. The hotel- 
 keeper would not take English money, and after 
 entertaining me at one hotel recommended nie to 
 another, asking me to pay them when I had an oppor- 
 tunity of forwarding Japanese money. One inn- 
 keeper went so far as to lend me the wherewithal 
 for my railway fares. 
 
 In engaging a carriage there are invariably two 
 men on the box, one of whom drives, while the 
 other is constantly jumping on and off, running 
 in front of the carriage before a corner is turned 
 to clear the track, and uttering cries with the 
 same object. The men are dressed in blue flowing 
 robes, with a band round their waists. They have 
 large flat round black hats of mushroom shape, 
 and wear white gloves. The footman always 
 opens the carriage door when you get in or out, 
 hat in hand and bowins low.
 
 JAPANESE DRESS 271 
 
 JAPANESE WOMEN 
 
 I am told that by far the lar^^er part of the \vorl\S 
 of tlie best age of Japanese Hterature are of feminine 
 autliOL'sliip. Women occupy a position of greater 
 social equality with men than is the case in any 
 other Oriental country. 
 
 The women wear what may be described 
 as a broad sash, which they call an ' obi.' This 
 gives a certain amount of support around their l)ody, 
 and forms a richly bedecked appendage on their 
 backs. Babies are slung on the backs of those who 
 carry them, and appear quite comfortable in that 
 position. 
 
 Boots are practically uidvuown except among a 
 few Europeanised Japanese. The wom(>n usually 
 wear sandals made of straw, or shullie along in 
 what we should describe in England as wooden clogs. 
 These are attached to their feet by a strap which is 
 passed round the big toe. In order to receive this 
 strap their stockings are made in the form of a mitten. 
 In wet weather two pieces of \\'ood are fixed 
 under the piece upon which the foot rests almost in 
 the form of short stilts ; on these they toddle along 
 with a somewhat uncertain gait. Unlike English 
 ladies, it is the absorl)ing desire of young women in 
 Japan to grow old, that tliey may share the reverence 
 given to age. 
 
 JAPANESE FUNERALS 
 
 Should you meet in the street what seems to be a 
 spt'cially festive procession, you may know that a
 
 272 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 funeral is in progress. White is the indication of 
 mourning, and certainly it is less heathenish than 
 black. In the case of the poorer classes the 
 coffin, instead of being laid horizontally on the bier, 
 is placed upright, and is buried in that position. It 
 is nearly square in shape, the body being doubled up 
 when placed in it, with the knees on the chest. But 
 in the funerals of the upper classes the body is 
 always placed horizontally in the cofhn. 
 
 EELIGION 
 
 The two prevailing forms of religion in Japan 
 are known as Shinto and Buddhism. The former 
 has been stated in short as nature worship and 
 reverence for the ancestors of the Emperor or conse- 
 crated persons, such as national heroes. The essen- 
 tial quality of Shinto is the spirit of filial piety, the 
 readiness to surrender life for a principle. It is the 
 whole emotional life of the race, the soul of Japan. It 
 has no system of dogmas, no creed, no infallible book, 
 no ideals, no moral code, no promise of heaven, no 
 threat of hell. Shinto is a religion devoid of dogma. 
 Buddhism came with a dogmatic system supplying 
 the need, rivalling the Eoman Church in the or- 
 nateness of its temple service and in the splendour 
 of its decorative embellishments. It gave new 
 impetus and direction to the aesthetic life of the 
 nation. Many Japanese are believers in both forms 
 of religion. 
 
 I do not possess the requisite knowledge to 
 attempt a detailed statement of the doctrines and
 
 EELIGION IN JAPAN 273 
 
 principles of Buddliisni. Once the State Church 
 of Japan, it was disestabhshed a few years ago, 
 but still remains a great power in the land. Some 
 people consider that the Japanese are almost 
 without any strong religious instincts. In 1584 
 the Eoman Catholic converts were numbered by 
 hundreds of thousands, but in little more than three 
 decades they were exterminated, and every vestige 
 of the Western religion was swept from the land. 
 Its symbols were held up to public abhorrence, and 
 to prevent its re-entrance the ports of the Empire 
 were closely sealed for 250 years. I am told, however, 
 that this was not a religious war at all, and that the 
 converts were only put to death because they joined 
 in a rebellion, and not on account of their Chris- 
 tianity. In regard to religion, however, as to other 
 matters, I believe that many Japanese have an open 
 mind, and would readily give their adhesion to any 
 form of religious faith they were led to consider 
 superior to their own. 
 
 JURISDICTION OVER FOREIGNERS 
 
 Until last year the various European nations 
 had their own courts of law in Japan, wherein 
 those of their nationality were tried, and they 
 were not under the jurisdiction of the Japanese; 
 l)ut the marvellous progrooS made ])y Japan in the 
 last (piarter of a century gave her a claim to 
 admis.~5ion as one of the great nations of the world. 
 There were great rejoicings to celebrate the 
 coming into force of the new treaties which con- 
 
 T
 
 274 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 f erred on the Japanese jurisdiction over foreigners : 
 banquets and entertainments took place, and the 
 towns were gaily decorated. 
 
 There is a great difference of opinion on the 
 subject. The majority of the Europeans consider 
 that the abolition of their own courts, and the 
 placing of them entirely imder Japanese law, is a 
 premature step, inasmuch as they do not believe 
 there is a sufficient number ol trained Japanese 
 judges, magistrates, or lawyers to administer the law 
 properly. They have, I understand, adopted an 
 excellent code of laws, drawn mainly from those of 
 France and Germany. They vrere unable to adopt 
 English laws because they have not been codified. 
 
 The fault I find with the British treaty is that, 
 while placing British subjects absohitely tinder 
 Japanese law, it does not secure them many rights 
 and privileges which the Japanese freely enjoy in 
 England, but we may hope that eventually similar 
 rights will be conceded in Japan. I am certain that 
 tlie Japanese will try to administer the laws equi- 
 tably, but only time will show how far they are able 
 to avoid friction. 
 
 POLITICAL 
 
 During my r-^hort stay in Japan I was very 
 fortunate in meeting politicians and commercial 
 men able to give me reliable and valuable informa- 
 tion witli rG;:arcl to political and commercial matter-- 
 not only in Japan, but also in Korea and China. I 
 have obtained mucli new light on the political events
 
 MARQUIS ITO 275 
 
 which prece dec! the Chino-Japancse war, and on 
 what happened during the progress of that war and 
 subsequently. 
 
 Through the kindness of the British Minister, 
 Sir Ernest Satow, and other friends, I had interviews 
 with the Marquis Ito, Count Okuma, and Viscount 
 Aoki, who liave played a most important part in 
 the recent political history of Japan. 
 
 MARQUIS ITO 
 
 To Marquis Ito is mainly due the credit of the 
 
 written constitution which Japan has recently 
 adopted, after commissions had been sent out to 
 make close inquiry in regard to the constitutions 
 under which European nations are governed. Thirty 
 years ago Japan was in a state of feudalism under 
 nobles, known as 'Daimios.' A revolution took 
 place ; the ' Daimios ' were made to surrender their 
 feudal rights, and the whole population now owns 
 allegiance to the Emperor alone. 
 
 xVi:)out ten years ago a very important develop- 
 ment took place when, under a somewhat restricted 
 fr;inchis(\ representative government was initiated by 
 the election of a House of Commons. Tlieix; is also 
 a House of Peers, composed of b.ereditary peers, life 
 peers, and selected peers. 
 
 Erom both Houses all direct representatives of 
 religion are expressly excluded, and there is, therefore 
 no question of the removal of bishops and arch- 
 bi.^ljops from the House of Lords confronting Japan. 
 There is no party government as in England, and
 
 276 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CRISIS 
 
 no Conservative party as we understand it. Some 
 call themselves * Liberals,' others ' Progressionists,' 
 but there are few vital differences in the matter of 
 political principles separating them. Party govern- 
 ment will, no doubt, gradually arise ; but mean- 
 time the electors vote for the men who command 
 their confidence, and not merely in a party sense. 
 This, after all, is the natural result of their feudal 
 system, when loyalty to the chief of their clan was 
 the influence which dominated them. 
 
 Marquis Ito had a most difiicult task imposed 
 upon him to conclude the treaty of peace at the 
 close of the Chino-Japanese war. Under strong 
 pressure on the part of Eussia, France, and Germany, 
 Japan was largely deprived of the fruits of victory. 
 The surrender of the Liao-tung Peninsula was so 
 bitterly resented in Japan that Marquis Ito was 
 driven from power ; but the course he pursued 
 was the only one open to him. At the present 
 time he is by far the most powerful politician in 
 Japan, and various political parties are striving to 
 induce him to become their leader. 
 
 Marquis Ito possesses ability, shrewdness, and 
 force of character, ^\hich make him unquestion- 
 ably the most powerful statesman in Japan to-day. 
 ITc is short in stature even for a Japanese. 
 
 In our interview he spoke of his fall from 
 political po^ver as the result of his surrender of the 
 Liao-tung Peninsula under the Treaty of Shimono- 
 seki ; this, of course, was due to the joint intervention 
 of Eussia, France, and Germany, and no fault of his.
 
 A POLITICAL STATEMENT 277 
 
 ]\rarqnis Ito said the Chinese indemnity was first 
 fixed at 200,000,000 taels, or 32,000,000/., and then 
 he got 30,000,000 taels more in consideration of 
 giving up the Liao-tmig Peninsula. 
 
 Had England only supported Japan, and insisted, 
 as she was asked to do, that as a condition of Japan's 
 evacuation an agreement should be concluded under 
 which all the Powers would bind themselves not 
 to occupy the Liao-tung Peninsula or Port Arthur, 
 the subsequent course of events in the Far East 
 might have been very different indeed. 
 
 Marquis Ito assured mo that Japan w^ould 
 welcome the co-operation of England and America 
 for the upholding of their mutual interests in China, 
 but that a pious expression of good will was of 
 no use; there must be a definite understanding. He 
 remarked that, in addition to having the strongest 
 fleet in the Far East, Japan could put from 200,000 
 to 300,000 men in the field, and must therefore be a 
 valuable ally. 
 
 With regard to currency. Marquis Ito stated that 
 he was at one time rather inclined to bi-metallism, 
 but that, after spending six months in the study of 
 currency at the Treasury at A\'asliington, he now 
 supports a gold standard. 
 
 Tlie iNfarquis is the most trusted adviser of the 
 Emperor of Japan. He informed me that the 
 Emperor is forty-seven years old, and takes great 
 interest in the affairs of the State. 
 
 The present Emperor has renounced Buddhism 
 and is now Shinto. Mnrquis Ito prefers Protes-
 
 278 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 tantism to Eoman Catholicism, but he does not mix 
 rehgion and politics. He said that the constitution 
 he framed gives complete religious liberty, and that 
 his faith is a matter for the individual. 
 
 He referred to his visit of four months in 1898 
 to China. He reached Peking at the time of the 
 fall of the Reform party. He went up the Yang- 
 tsze, but was recalled from Hankow by the Japanese 
 Emperor to form a Cabinet, and so was unable to 
 arrive at such an understanding with China as might 
 have powerfully influenced the course of events in 
 that empire. 
 
 COrXT OKUMA 
 
 Count Okuma is the leader of the Progressionist 
 part}'', and a man of strong convictions, who enjoys 
 the confidence of a very large section of his country- 
 men. He is a fascinating man, with brilliant 
 conversational powers, and from the keen interest he 
 takes in a great variety of subjects reininded me of 
 our Grand Old Man. He might be fairly described 
 as the Gladstone of Japan. He had his leg shattered 
 by a bomb in 1889. 
 
 Our interview took place at his house, a short 
 distance out of Tokyo, where he has a lovely Japanese 
 garden. Captain Brinkley accompanied me, and 
 very kindly acted as interpreter. Count Okuma 
 cannot speak a word of English, and, tliough so well 
 informed in regard to the political affairs of all 
 nations, has never been out of Japan. He referred 
 in the most friendly terms to England, and would be
 
 COUNT OKUMA 279 
 
 quite "willing also to act in concert with the United 
 States of America. In his opinion, the interests of 
 England, America, and Japan are identical in the 
 Far I'^ast, and to co-operate actively must be 
 mutually beuclicial. llo tliought a groat opportunity 
 was lost ^^hcn England and Japan neglected to iuiit(! 
 in regard to Port Arthur, and that tlie present 
 situation is largely the result of that blunder. Count 
 Okuma expressed the opinion that the advance 
 southwards of Jiu^sia in China can only be checked 
 l\y tho reorganisation of the Chinese army under 
 ]jritish and Japanese oliicers. He said about sixty 
 Chinese were then studying iriilitary science in Japan. 
 He considered the financial position of Japan good. 
 Thirty years ago the Governinent started with hardly 
 any revenue. They had compensated nobles for 
 destruction of feudal rights, and undertaken great 
 public worivs, such as railways, posts, telegraphs, 
 schools, public oiliccs, and gaols, and yet, though the 
 }"en was worth only 2.9. now as compared ^^itll 4.s. 
 then, the gold debt was no largc^r than twenty years 
 ago. 
 
 He thought England should have begun the 
 construction of a railway from I'riiish Eurmah to 
 the U})per Ynngtsze years ago, and that it should be 
 extended to Shanghai. He believed that the 
 Japanese would resist to a man the taking of Korea 
 ])y Eussi;!, as the natir)n had l)een associated with 
 Korea for centuries, and it was imperative that it 
 shoidd be preserved as an outlet for the surplus 
 popukition of Japan.
 
 280 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CEISIS 
 
 VISCOUNT AOKI 
 
 With Viscount Aoki, who is at present the 
 Minister of Foreign Affairs, I had two interviews 
 of a most interesting and instructive character. 
 
 He married a German lady, and is strongly pro- 
 German. Pie would like to see the Protestant 
 religion of Germany and England spread in Japan, 
 but hopes that neither the Eoman Catholic nor the 
 Greek Church will take root there. 
 
 Viscount Aoki said that Japan, with a popula- 
 tion increasing at the rate of nearly half a million a 
 year, and possessing only a very limited area of 
 cultivable land, must have a suitable colony which 
 should be exclusively Japanese, as they do not 
 intermix readily with other races. 
 
 Formosa, which was ceded to Japan at the 
 close of the Chino-Japanese war, had entailed a 
 heavy financial loss on Japan hitherto, but is 
 expected to leave a surplus next year. It is, 
 however, unsuitable in point of climate for Japanese 
 settlers, and the same applies to the Chinese 
 province of Fukicn, opposite Formosa, over which 
 the Japanese have asserted priority of right. 
 
 Korea, by its proximity to Japan, its suitability 
 in point of climate, fertility of soil, fisheries, and 
 mineral resources, is just what they need for expan- 
 sion, and on no account can the Japanese allow 
 Russia to dominate or acquire Korea. On strategical 
 grounds Japan must resist any occupation of Korea 
 by Ivussia ; there is also the sentimental interest of
 
 VISCOUNT AOKI 281 
 
 the Japanese in Korea, arising out of the history of 
 their repeated fighting there for centuries past. They 
 conquered Korea three hundred years ago, and after- 
 wards withdrew when they ought to have kept it. 
 
 Viscount Aoki expressed the same views as 
 Marquis Ito and Count Okuma as to the importance 
 of concerted action on the part of England, x\merica, 
 and Japan in support of their mutual interests in 
 China. 
 
 He was good enough to give rae letters of 
 introduction to the Japanese representative in Korea, 
 and also to their ambassador in Peking. 
 
 I met other Japanese politicians, including the 
 Director of the Financial Department, who gave me 
 the fullest information as to the financial position of 
 Japan. 
 
 A .JAPANESE DINNEE 
 
 One Japanese member of Parliament, Mr. 
 Kotaro Iliraoka, gave a dinner in my honour, at 
 which several other members were present. This 
 was served in Japanese fashion ; there were no 
 chairs or tables, or knives and forks. A number of 
 small dislies of various kinds of food were placed in 
 front of each guest on the spotless matting which 
 covered llie floor of the room, on which we squatted 
 and endeavoured to convey the food from the dishes 
 to our mouths ])y means of chopsticks. The draw- 
 back to me was that we had neither bread nor vege- 
 tables until the rice was brottght on at the end of 
 the meal.
 
 282 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 Many of the dishes which were supphed to us 
 were unknown to me, but amongst them were cold 
 quails, also several kinds of fish, including trout and 
 eels, prepared in different ways. Geisha girls waited 
 upon us hand and foot, and diligently fanned us. 
 
 The liquid portion of the repast was tea and the 
 native liquor ' sake.' 
 
 The Geisha girls afterwards pla^-ed and sang and 
 performed their curious dances. It was altogether a 
 novel and interesting evening. Next day Mr. 
 Tliraolia brought a carriage and drove me round to 
 see the sights of the great city of Tokyo, with its 
 nearly two millions of inhabitants. Before I left 
 he gave me, as a farewell present, a Japanese paint- 
 ing over two hundred years old, accompanied by a 
 certificate in proof that it was genuine. 
 
 With regard to European diplomatists in Japan, 
 I had conversations with Sir Ernest Satow and 
 Count von Lyden, the German Ambassador, also 
 with Colonel Buck, the representative of the United 
 States of America, and several men holding high posi- 
 tions in China, who are at present invalided to Japan. 
 
 From the information received from these and 
 also from the Japanese I have come to the conclu- 
 sion that it will be mainly the fault of England 
 if there is not in the future greater co-operation 
 between England, Japan, and the United States 
 of America in respect to their mutual interests in 
 the Far East. 
 
 I left for Korea by the s.s. ' Higo-Maru,' which 
 called at Shimonoseki and Nagasaki, in Japan.
 
 BEAUTIFUL SCENERY 283 
 
 KOr.E TO NAGASAKI 
 
 The boat on which I left Kobe l)elonged to a 
 Japanese compan}', and was also officered and 
 manned b}' Japanese, but I cannot say tliat they 
 compar." favonrabl_y with British bailors. The ship 
 was not kept in that condition of cleanliness 
 that characterises British ships, and did not make a 
 pleasant home during the ten days which I spent on 
 board. However, in travelling it is necessary to take 
 the rough with the smooth and malvc the best of it. 
 
 THE INLAND SEA OE .JAPAN 
 
 We steamed down the celebrated Inland Sea of 
 Japan from Kobe to Shimonoseki. Writer after 
 writer lias stated that he could not find words to 
 describe adequately the l)t\autiful scenery of the 
 Inland Sea. There are high hills clothed with 
 luxuriant vegetation to their very tops, picturescjue 
 islands S]_)lendi(lly cultivated in tc^rraces right down 
 to the cdgci of the water, ami mountains stretching 
 away in tlu! far distairce. 
 
 A^'e liad one good sunset, with light and shade and 
 variety eC colourimr, forming an exquisit<.' picttire. 
 
 ^h\ Hiraoka joined tlie l)oat at K'obe on his 
 way to Ilakata, his place of residence. To my 
 stirprise he lu'oititht mo six l)ottk'S of the finest 
 ' sake " nuide in Japan, also a silk ' kimono ' and a 
 beautiful sash. The receipt of these, and of a 
 welccinie box of cigars, given by another friend to 
 replenish my exhausteil stociv, made me feel that I
 
 284 CHINA AND THE PKESENT CKISIS 
 
 could hardly regard myself as ' a stranger in a strange 
 land; 
 
 THE BATTLE OF THE BOTTLES 
 
 The Inland Sea of Japan is generally smooth, 
 but on this occasion, during the last half of the trip, 
 we were unfortunate enough to be caught in the 
 edge of a typhoon. We were well pitched about, 
 and one freak of the steamer I may describe as 
 the ' battle of the bottles.' The Japanese do not 
 pack bottles in a case, as we do, but tic them 
 together with a band ! The ' sake ' which I had 
 received was handed to me in this form, and 
 deposited on the floor of my cabin. During the 
 storm, however, bottle after bottle broke loose, and 
 a battle between the bottles on the floor of the 
 cabin finally took place, at a moment when my 
 condition was such that I would not have moved a 
 finger to save a hundred bottles. My teetotal 
 friends will, therefore, be able to rejoice that, at 
 any rate, the storm saved me from the danger of 
 becoming addicted to this particular kind of liquor. 
 The longest night passes at last, and this, indeed, 
 appeared a long one. After a storm comes a calm, 
 and the next morning we were peacefully gliding 
 over a perfectly calm sea through the Straits of 
 Shimonoseki. Shimonoseki is the place where Li- 
 Hun g-Chang and Marquis Ito, the representatives 
 of China and Japan, met and arranged the treaty 
 which concluded the Cliino- Japanese war in 1894-5. 
 The Straits of Shimonoseki are at some points
 
 A TYPHOON 285 
 
 little more than half a mile wide, and as it is the 
 only deep-water inlet at the western end of the 
 Inland Sea of Japan, very strong forts line the hills 
 on either side. The Japanese consider that it would 
 be absolutely impossible for an enemy to force the 
 passage. 
 
 BY RAILWAY TO NAGASAKI 
 
 From Shimon oscki to Nagasaki the steamer 
 route is more exposed, passing round the western 
 coast of the Island of Kiushiu. At Shimonoseki I 
 learnt that the effect of the typhoon w^as being 
 felt severely outside. I decided to cross to Naga- 
 saki by railway both to escape the storm and to 
 enable me to see something of the interior of 
 the Island of Kiushiu. A further inducement to do 
 this was the knowledge that my friend, Mr. Hiroaka, 
 would travel for throe hours by the same train. He 
 took me oil' the steamer on his own steam-launch, 
 and brought a huge block of ice with which to cool 
 our supply of Ilirano water ; he also telegraphed to 
 a station two hours ahead ordering a supply of 
 freshly cooked rice. lie was evidently an influential 
 man in these parts, for at Moji, theport just opposite 
 Shimonoseki, where we took the train, there was a 
 crowd of residents to see him off, and also at 
 Hakata to welcom(^ him home after an absence of 
 tliree monihs. Mosl particular instructions were 
 given to tlie conductor of the train to take care to 
 land mc safely at Nagasaki and to look after me on 
 the journey. This was more necessary than might
 
 286 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CEISIS 
 
 appear, as it was a cross-country route, not a single 
 soul could speak a word of English, and I was 
 unable to speak a word of Japanese. The railway 
 route lay through a beautifully wooded country, 
 with wide fertile plains covered with rice-fields and 
 high hills in the distance. The rice is so irrigated 
 that it is literally growing in water, and hundreds of 
 people were wading up to their knees transplanting 
 rice. They wore huge mushroom-shaped hats, 
 almost like umbrellas, to shelter them from the sun. 
 The railway track was lined with palisades which 
 had been burnt to prevent decay. AVe passed large 
 steelworks which the Imperial Government of 
 Japan are erecting with the object of producing pig 
 iron and steel plates for themselves. They are 
 situated near a coal-field, but having regard to the 
 very inferior quality of most of the coal and the 
 scanty supply of iron ore to be met with in Japan, 
 there seems every chance that they will ])e able to 
 import from England more cheaply than they can 
 produce it themselves. 
 
 The shipment of coal is carried on at iMoji and 
 several other ports along the coast. I was told that 
 the rate of railway carriage for conveying coal thirty 
 miles down to the port of shipment is only l.s. 4c?. 
 per ton. 
 
 Thu Jii.pancsc are great tea-drinkers ; they use 
 green tea, vrhich they consider more stimulating. 
 An earthenware teapot containing freshly made tea 
 can be had at most of tlic stations for three sens say, 
 three farthinL!S.
 
 JAPANESE COAL 287 
 
 NAGASAKI 
 
 I arrived at Nagasaki shortly after midnight in a 
 tremendous downpour of tropical rain and the blast 
 of the typhoon. It was all that the 'jinricksha' 
 man could do to battle with the storm, and get me 
 from the station to the hotel in three-quarters of 
 an hour instead of tw^enty minutes. The harbour 
 of Nagasaki, one of the prettiest in the East, is a 
 narrow inlet about three miles in length, indented 
 by numerous bays and surrounded by wooded hills. 
 It is thoroughly sheltered, and affords anchorage 
 for ships of all classes. Nagasaki is noted for a 
 delicious kind of jelly made from seaweed. The 
 fish market shows perhaps the greatest variety of 
 fish in the world, some two or three hundred different 
 kinds bein<_!' sold there. 
 
 WORKS AXD MIXES 
 
 Here as elsewhere the English residents showed 
 me every kindness and hospitality. Mr. Einger, of 
 Messrs. Holme, Einger, i.'v Co., sent me in his steam- 
 launcii to visit tlie large sliipbuilding yard, the 
 Marine Engine Building Woj-ks, the Boiler "Works 
 and Eoundry of the Mitsubishi Company, which lie 
 across thr> Iniy from Nagasaki. The same company 
 al>>'_) ov>n. tlic Takasliima Coal-mines. The shafts 
 are sunk ur. tv.o islands close to Nagasaki, and the 
 coal is worked fiom tmder the >ra. It is far and away 
 the best quality of coal in Japan, and is used by the 
 ' Empress ' boats. The price is about nine dollars
 
 288 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 per ton, but the output is becoming limited. I was 
 received with great courtesy at the works and shown 
 everything. They have a well-ventilated foundry, 
 where they make iron castings not steel also 
 excellent fitting-shops, pattern-shops, boiler-shops, 
 forging and blacksmiths' shops. I was glad to find 
 that they use ' Eedcar ' pig iron from the Middlesbrough 
 district very largely, and also Scotch iron. They 
 have tried pig iron from China, but find the quality 
 very inferior. They are driving machines with 
 electric motors, and practically the whole of the 
 machinery employed has been supplied from Great 
 Britain. They buy all the steel castings, the steel 
 and iron plates, girders, and Siemens steel for boilers 
 from England and Scotland. H.M. cruiser ' Bona- 
 venture,' which ran on a rock off the Korean coast 
 recently and knocked a hole in her bottom, had 
 just come out of the graving dock after repairs. 
 Opposite their shipbuilding yard was a 6,000 tons 
 steamer which they had recently launched. They 
 admitted that the cost of building this vessel had 
 proved to be much more than they could have 
 bought her for in England, but they are hoping to 
 do better in future. 
 
 JArANESE WORKMEN 
 
 I had a long talk with Mr. Crow, a Scotchman, 
 who is the manager of the shipbuilding yard, and 
 from him I learnt that it takes four Japanese to 
 do as much work as one Britisher. Though 
 their wages vary from only Is. to 2s. per day
 
 Snrr-BUILDING 289 
 
 of niiKi lioiirR, it is pr()bal)lo llio wages cost oi! 
 l)iiililiiiL;' I! sliij) is ;is ,i;i'('at as in i'ln^iand. I 
 fouiiil lli;iL llic coiiipaiiy was induced to Iny down 
 tlu'Sf ^^^)rks only (^n ilic Ja));i!i('S(! ( lox'ci'p.nicnt's 
 undci'iakinL;' to ^'rant tlicni an annual subsidy out 
 of the national e.\c]u;quor. ^i'ho fact of its bcini;' 
 nocossary to oi'l'cr a sidjsidy of this description to 
 jjolstei' up the business shows that, at an.y rate 
 at present, they are well aware they have TiO 
 chance of conipctino- with us on f^iir and equal 
 terni^. It shows a wonderful spirit of coura^^'c 
 and enterprise on their part to make such an 
 attempt to produce what they require for them- 
 s(dA-es. Possibly when their workmen acquire 
 i^Tcatcr skill and experience they will attain results 
 which will brino- tliem into the category of serious 
 competitor-, wilh us, at any rato in their own 
 market. It therefore beliovcs us to keep our works 
 at home thoroughly up to date in every respect. 
 The munl'er of men employed at present by the 
 'Mitsuhishi Company at their works in Nagasaki is 
 about 8,000. 
 
 r.pjTrsir commi:!;cial ixtkrests 
 
 ]/riti-li ccnnntrciiil m^en out in Tanan think 
 tliat ti^e'r intirtst-, have rat been by any mc-ans so 
 fully saf(>guarded as tbry might liave l^een in con- 
 nection \\"iL;i til.' new trL;ity vdiich has recently been 
 concluded. For example, a new duty of "is', per 
 ton has bt en placed upon English coal ^vith(alt any 
 detorininod ei'loit ('V. tlie p:'rL of the Ib;itPsh 
 
 t:
 
 290 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CEISIS 
 
 Kepresentative to prevent it. Notwithstanding 
 this, and also the fact that freight varies from 
 about 245. to 30s. a ton, large quantities of AVelsh 
 coal are at the present time on their way to Naga- 
 saki. 
 
 ISLAND OP TSUSHIMA 
 
 The s.s. ' Higo-Maru,' which I left at Shimono- 
 seki, should have arrived at Nagasaki at eight 
 o'clock the following morning, but owing to the 
 stormy weather she did not come in until 6 p.m. 
 We left Nagasaki early in the morning, and I am now 
 on my way to Fusan, the first port of call in Korea. 
 We touched on the way at the Island of Tsushima, 
 which belongs to Japan. The bay in which we 
 anchored is surrounded by high hills clothed with 
 timber from bottom to top. On the way to 
 Tsushima the boat had rolled very much, and we 
 were all glad to go ashore and feel that we were 
 once more on terra firma. The islanders showed 
 much more interest in us as foreigners than was shown 
 at any place in Japan proper. A crowd of from twenty 
 to thirty men, women, and children followed us for 
 miles, and everybody in the streets seemed highly 
 amused with what I presume they considered our 
 grotesque appearance. We had a lovely walk 
 into tlic country on a fairly good road, alongside 
 which a clear rushing stream tlowed. The banks on 
 either side were clothed with magnificent groves of 
 bamboos. 
 
 I l<;ft Tsushima after a stay of only a few hours, 
 and so ended my all too short visit to Japan.
 
 MISSIONARIES 291 
 
 KOEEA 
 
 We sighted the coast of Korea early on Tuesday 
 morning, August 15, and soon anchored in the 
 lovely bay of h\isan, which is encircled by high 
 bare green rock-strewn hills, which were capped 
 with mist and reminded me of many hills both 
 in England and Scotland. The town of Fusan is 
 divided into two quarters, Japanese and Korean. 
 Behind the Japanese quarter rises a large wood of 
 pine trees, which adds greatly to the picturesqueness 
 of the bay. On landing I found the Customs in 
 charge of a Frenchman and a German harbour- 
 master. An Italian oflicial at the Customs, with 
 the most friendly feelings towards everything 
 English, became my guide, and assisted mo in 
 despatching telegrams, which is not an altogether 
 easy process at a Korean telegraph otEce. 
 
 FIRST VISIT TO A MISSIONARY STATION IN THE 
 I'Ali EAST 
 
 I went with a lady missionary to visit the 
 missionary station at Fusan. We had half an 
 hour's walk to ruacli it, uphill, in a warm atmo- 
 sphere. Wc found the mis-ionary nursing a Ijaby, 
 his wife beiii'^' ill. lie was much exercised in his 
 mind about bis domestic affairs, having been robbed 
 of money on two preceding days by his Korean 
 servants. 
 
 We saw two other lady missionaries there. 
 When I suggested that as our time was limited, and 
 
 u 2
 
 292 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 as I was very anxious to get reliable information 
 from those who view matters from different stand- 
 points, the missionary might perhaps stroll back 
 with ITS to the landing-place and give me further 
 information, he said he was sorry, but the situation 
 of his domestic affairs prevented. For the life of 
 me I could not understand why one of the two lady 
 missionaries should not have taken the baby, and 
 the other been placed for half an hour on watch and 
 guard against robbers. 
 
 DANGEROUS COASTS 
 
 Our steamer route, especially between Fusan 
 and Mokpo, was a very dangerous one. There 
 were scores of islands, and many sharp jagged 
 rocks studded the surface of the sea, with possibly 
 many more similar rocks jutting up nearly to the 
 surface of the water, but still unseen. Fortunately, 
 the weather was extremely fine and there was no 
 fog, otherwise I should not have felt particularly 
 safe. I certainly should not care to voyage along 
 the coast of Korea in the winter time. This is 
 whore H.M. cruiser ' iJonaventure ' recently struck 
 on a roclv. However, ' all's well that ends well,' 
 and nothing in the shape of an accident befell us. 
 
 THE KOREAN I'EXIXSULA 
 
 The Korean Peninsula stands in the un- 
 fortunate geographical position of being midway 
 l)etwe{ni China and Japan, and has been, like 
 Tssachar, the strong ass crouchini,' l)ctwcen two
 
 EMPEEOE OF KOREA 293 
 
 burdens. Both countries have for generations 
 sought to claim the allegiance of Korea. They 
 have both many times invaded it, and from time to 
 time the influence of first one and then the other 
 lias been predominant. The King of Korea adopted 
 the title of ' ]'hnperor ' after the close of the Chino- 
 Japanese war, which nominally secured its indepen- 
 dence. It covers an area estimated at from y-j,000 
 to 100,000 s(|uare miles. As in the case of ^lanchuria, 
 wc are told again and again that Ivorca is a barren 
 and worthless coinitry, but from the most relialjlc 
 authorities I am in a position to state that the 
 climate is good and the soil fertile, capable ol 
 growing the finest lindjer and every fruit grown in 
 hhigland, with the addition of many of a tropical 
 character. 
 
 It is estimated that not more than one-half of 
 tlie cultivable land is being farmed. 
 
 nSIIERIES 
 
 The fisheries of Korea are most valuable ; un- 
 fortunately the natives do uot reup for themselves 
 the whole advantage of these, as they have foolishly 
 allowed tlie Japanese fishing rights within the three 
 miles limit. With regard al.;o to whaling, Iiussia 
 lias succeeded in obtaining a concession of land at 
 three Korean ports for tlie ])urpose of salting the 
 \\h;des ; the greater number of these are iKjt oil- 
 producing', but afur Ijcing salted are taken to Japan 
 and sold for food there. 
 
 A ^vhale of avora-ze size is st:ited to be worth
 
 294 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 about 2,000 dollars. The importance of this con- 
 cession to EiTSsia will be seen when I state that one 
 whaling-ship caught fifteen whales in fourteen days 
 last season. Eussia ostensibly holds these pieces of 
 land on a twelve years' lease, and it is stipulated that 
 they are still to remain under Korean jurisdiction. 
 Only time will disclose whether this move on her 
 part does not mean that she will gradually take pos- 
 session of the three ports and use them as bases for 
 extending her influence in Korea. 
 
 KOEEAN GOLD-FIELDS 
 
 I met on board the steamer a Mr. Hunt, an 
 American, who has got a concession from the Emperor 
 of Korea for the working of gold over an area of 1,000 
 square miles. He has already more than 1,300 men 
 at work, and is quite confident of the success of his 
 undertaking. 
 
 The Germans have also secured a concession 
 of 270 square miles, which they are prospecting. 
 England appears likely to be almost left out in the 
 cold, as the only concession obtained by the British 
 is that secured by Mr. Pritchard Morgan. In addition 
 to gold, experts say that coal, iron, lead, and silver 
 may be found in Korea. 
 
 RAILWAYS 
 
 The Koreans reahse the importance of having 
 the country opened up by railways, but they have no 
 money with which to construct them. They have 
 been induced to give the Japanese the right to build
 
 CONCESSIONS IN KOEEA 295 
 
 a railway from Chemulpo to Seoul, wliich is now 
 under construction ; also from Seoul to Fusan 350 
 miles but, owing to the present financial condition 
 of Japan, tlie necessary capital is not forthcoming to 
 enable the latter to be proceeded with. The Germans 
 arc trying to get a concession for a railway from 
 Seoul to Gcnsan, which the Japanese are opposing. 
 France also had a concession from Seoul to Wigu, 
 which has lapsed owing to their not having begun 
 the construction of the line within the specified 
 time. France has, however, in connection with the 
 cancelled contract, obtained a written assurance from 
 the Korean Government that whenever the railway 
 is built French engineers will be employed, and that 
 the whole of the railway material and rolling stock 
 slwll be manufactured in France, no matter what 
 may be the nationality of the country constructing 
 the railway. 
 
 Similar stipulations arc inserted in the railway 
 concessions obtained in China by Eussia, France, and 
 Germany. If this sort of thing is to go on un- 
 checked, I wish, to know where, in the future, the 
 markets for the products of British labour will be 
 found. Seeing that England depends largely on 
 her exports for prosperity, I ask whether, owing 
 to the supincncs> of Pnitish capitalists or of the 
 Friti-h Govei'nnicnt, I>riti'-li producers iire to have 
 no ^hart in supplying Korea with a system of rail- 
 ^viiys necessary to open up and develop the country. 
 There is no completed railwiiy vhatevcr in existence. 
 I inspected the one which is in course of construe-
 
 29G CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 tion from Chemulpo to Seoul ; this will be, when 
 openeJ, the first railway that Korea has ever had. 
 
 THE EMPEEOR AND THE GOVERNMENT 
 
 Mr. Jordan spoke of the Emperor as taking a 
 keen personal interest in everything that affects 
 Korea. He is an amiable man, possessed of some 
 ability, but his hands are greatly weakened in dealing 
 with Korean affairs by the rascality and rapacity of 
 the nobles and the ollicial classes. 
 
 He is said to be a spendthrift, and though 
 taking one-tenth of the national revenue viz. 
 000,000 dollars for his oAvn personal use, he is in a 
 very impecunious condition. It is believed that 
 those around him fleece him right and left. 
 
 The population of this by no moans insignificant 
 empire numbers only from eight to ten millions. 
 
 Korea has an historical antiquity contemporaneous 
 with that of Thebes and ]3ab}lon, but possesses no 
 ruins ; and though boasting a separate, if not an 
 independent, existence for centuries, is devoid of 
 all external signs of strength. Koreigners have 
 been excluded until recently, though there is 
 little or no anti-foreign feeliDg. They have no 
 representative government wh'.itever, no House of 
 Lords or House of Commons. There are eight 
 Ministers of Stale- -viz. the l^rime Minister, the 
 Ministers of Linanee, Foreign Affairs, War, Educa- 
 tion and LaAV, Imperial Household, Agriculture and 
 Connnerce, and Public Works. These are appointed
 
 KOEEAN rOLITICS 297 
 
 1)}- tliu Emperor and continue in ollico at liis pleasure. 
 Tiiere is also a Council of State of aljout fifteen 
 nieniljcrs, to whom matters of legislation are sup- 
 posed to be submitted for debate, but practically this 
 is, at the prisent time, more ' honoured in the breach 
 than in the observance.' 
 
 I had the opportunity of meeting the men mo.->t 
 likely to undi rstand the Koreanpolitical situation, and 
 tliey ludd the opinion that there is little chance of 
 its regeneraiion except by the intervention of some 
 foreign I'ower. At the present moment the lieac- 
 tionaries are in power, and the Progressive leaders 
 are in exile. 
 
 ATTITUDE OF RUSSIA AXD JAPAN 
 
 There is little doubt that the eyes of Ivussia, as 
 well as those of Japan, are turned towards Korea, 
 the former being desirous of rounding off her terri- 
 t(_try north of the Gulf of Pechili by its absorption ; 
 while, on the other hand, Japan, with a population 
 increasing at the rate of nearly half a million a }'ecir, 
 wouLl lind Ivorea, enjoying as it does a very similar 
 chniate to its own, the most suitable opening for 
 exp:u:bio!!, which mu^t come in scjme direction or 
 other. Jt is true tliat Ivussia last year withdrew, 
 Ijy arraiigenieut vitli Japan, the fmancial adviser 
 and tlie military insiruciors slu; had at the Ivorean 
 Coiu'l, :\]':i\ the JLiu->i;)-C']iine<e Jianic was clo-ed ; l)ut 
 I ;im iiieiiiied to thiniv this ra,ther a pau-e on the 
 part (J' iiu->.-,ia tlian an actual relinquishment of her 
 intention uliimaielv to absorb Korea.
 
 298 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CEISIS 
 
 POET HAMILTON 
 
 Port Hamilton, which is on a group of islands 
 on the southern coast of Korea, was occupied by the 
 British fleet in 1885, and England only withdrew 
 on Eussia undertaking that she would not occupy 
 Korean territory under any circumstances whatso- 
 ever. Knowing as we do the facility with which 
 Eussia ignores assurances of this nature, I do not 
 attach much importance to this so-called guarantee 
 on her part. 
 
 TrxADii: 
 
 The countries which do the largest trade with 
 Korea are Japan and England. There are only one 
 or two English commercial firms established in the 
 country, and these mainly represent steamship lines. 
 Curiously, the English trade with Korea has been 
 almost exclusively carried on up to the present time 
 by Chinese. There are 6,000 in the country who 
 arc under the protection of the British Govern- 
 ment. It is anticipated that the treaty between 
 China and Korea, placing the Chinese under the 
 jurisdiction of their own Government, the same as 
 Europeans, will be speedily signed. The exports of 
 England to Korea are mainly Manchester cotton 
 goods, and we are holding our own well in the com- 
 petition for orders with the Japanese, notwithstand- 
 ing the supposed advantage that they have from 
 cheap labour. 
 
 The Koreans, like the Japanese, are commercially
 
 THE 'YANGHANS' 299 
 
 unreliable and are naturally lazy. Probably to a 
 certain extent this is the result of the conditions 
 under which they live, for 1 am told that the pro- 
 vincial officials, known as ' Yanghans,' extort taxes 
 at their own sweet will and pleasure, and in the 
 majority of cases for their own personal enrich- 
 ment. 
 
 REVENUE 
 
 The total revenue of the Korean Government 
 is about six million yen, and it is estimated that at 
 least three times the amount that is paid into the 
 Exchequer is extorted from the pciople by the local 
 officials. This condition of affiiirs deprives the 
 peo])le of any incentive to industry, for if they work 
 hard and save a little mone}', in majiy cases it only 
 means that they have been accumulating it for the 
 benefit of the local official. 
 
 CUEEEXCY 
 
 The currency of Korea is in a very debased con- 
 dition. The Government have issued, wholesale, 
 nickel pieces at five sens each, which have cost less 
 than one sen, and at the preseiit time 131 nickel 
 sens are only equivalent to one Japanese yen. To a 
 certain extent, however, Japanese paper and silver 
 are used. 
 
 MONKY-LENDIXG 
 
 The money-lending nri'angemonts also greatly 
 hindi.jr the prosperity of the Korean people. The
 
 300 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CEISIS 
 
 lowest rate of interest paid for borrowed money is 
 12 per cent, per annum, whilst 60 per cent, is a 
 usual rate, and 120 per cent, frequent. The law 
 docs not allow any claim beyond double the loan, 
 therefore the lender at the end of ten months 
 threatens to enforce payment, and any failure to pay 
 means floggings, stocks, and imprisonment. The 
 borrower, as a rule, agrees that the interest and 
 principal shall be added together and constituted a 
 fresh loan, and if he goes on for twenty months 
 the amount owing by the luckless debtor is four 
 times the amount w'hich he originally borrowed. 
 The local magistrates who administer the law have 
 full power, and so the money-lender needs to secure 
 their favour by a substantial gift, while the debtor 
 probably counterworks on the same lines. I do not 
 forget that we have in England a class of money- 
 lenders almost as rapacious as those of Korea, but 
 stringent legislation is proposed to deal with the 
 evil. Of course at home it prevails only to a 
 small extent, while in Korea it is universal. 
 
 EELIGION 
 
 The Eev. F. Jones, of Chemulpo, gave me the 
 following statement as to the religion of the 
 Koreans : 
 
 ' Confucianism is the State I'cligion of Korea. It 
 lias ncith(3r priesthood nor supernaturalism, but a 
 good moral code with cult of worship. Thoy rely 
 entirely on self-effort, and do not look for divine 
 assistance.
 
 EDUCATION 301 
 
 ' They have no temples in the ordinary sense, but 
 Tablet Houses, or Shrines, or Halls of Learninj^'. 
 The literati offer sacrifice twice a year to Confucius, 
 the saints of Confucianism, and local celebriti(>s. 
 The offerin^n's consist of j:;-reen fruit and liqueur, 
 whicli arc afterwards enjoyed by the C(!lobrants. 
 
 ' J^uddhism also exists in a state of decay and 
 is not widespread. Fetishism is universal. Local 
 spirits which frequent the earth, air, and water 
 (corresponding somewhat to the Fengshui of 
 China), are propitiated by offerings of green fruit, 
 dogs, pigs, and liquors, which are always consumed 
 by the worshippers. These celebrations take place 
 in cases where sickness or misfortune falls upon a 
 household, and often at the end of a harvest.' 
 Possiljly they are based to some extent upon the 
 saiiK.^ idea as om* harvest homes. 
 
 EDUCATION 
 
 The Koreans arc a very badly educated people. 
 They have no State schools, and a decision on the 
 part of the Government to build 330 Government 
 schools scattered over the country has not been 
 carried out to any extent. So far as there is any 
 education, it is at present being given privately. 
 Four good schools have been established by the 
 Korean (lovernment, in which, the teaching of 
 English, French, CTcrman, and liussian is the 
 special feattire.
 
 302 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 ANIMALS 
 
 The tiger is the king of animals in Korea, while 
 bears, leopards, wild boars, sables, ermine, otter, 
 hares, and foxes, also several kinds of deer, are 
 found in various parts of the country. Pheasants, 
 every variety of wildfowl, including geese, swans, 
 ducks, teal, water-hen, plover, and snipe, also 
 bustards, cranes, and herons, pink and white ibis, and 
 eagles, are plentiful. Korea is therefore a promising 
 recreation-ground for the sportsman. 
 
 EACE 
 
 The Koreans belong unmistakably to the Mon- 
 golian stock, being a sort of intermediate type 
 between the Mongolian Tartar and the Japanese. 
 Nearly the whole of the Koreans have jet-black hair 
 and dark eyes. As individuals, they possess many 
 attractive charactoristics. The upper classes are 
 polite and friendly to foreigners, priding themselves 
 on their correct deportment, while the working people 
 are generally good-tempered, cheerful, and talkative, 
 though very excitable. 
 
 KOREAN HABITS AND DRESS 
 
 The chief vice of the Koreans is over-indulgence 
 in drink. They manufacture fermented liquor from 
 rice and barley ; there is little opium-smoking. 
 
 The favourite method of disposing of criminals 
 sentenced to death is to behead them, and in order to 
 impress the populace both the head and the body lie
 
 KOBEAN DRESS 303 
 
 exposed for three days. In consideration, however, of 
 the objections raised by foreign residents, the authori- 
 ties have removed the place of execution some distance 
 outside the city walls. 
 
 The graveyards of the Koreans are dilfcrent from 
 any others I have ever seen ; they are here, there, 
 and everywhere. Some rich men have one all to 
 themselves. Usually they are on the hillsides, 
 which are terraced, and the graves arc marked by 
 mounds, resembling in the distance hay pikes of 
 freshly cut grass. 
 
 Unmarried women wear their hair parted in the 
 middle, and in a long plait down their backs. 
 The men have their hair drawn up in a top-knot. 
 
 Officials wear on their heads, first, a band com- 
 posed of a mixture of human and horse hair ; 
 secondly, an ol'licial cap, made of horse-tail hair, 
 forming ^^hat looks like a sort of thin gauze ; 
 thirdly comes the regular black dress hat, which is 
 exactly like tlic national hat worn by AYolsli women. 
 They have besides triangular-shaped glazed paper 
 hats to put over their other hats when it rains. 
 
 They wear baggy wliite trousers, tied in at the 
 knees ;uid aiildes, with leggings, heavily padded 
 socks, and white leather shoes, also a white flowing 
 robe like tlie kimono of Japan, except th;it it has 
 slci^ves and is tied under the right arm instead of by 
 a sash. They often wear a second outer robe of 
 white, with the addition of a blue silk girdle. 
 
 The lunperor's robes are of scarlet the royal 
 colour. Some olHcials also wear robes of this colour.
 
 301 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISTS 
 
 and others blue or yellow ; but the Ministers and 
 chief notables are usually dressed in blue or purple. 
 ISIost of the garments arc of silk. Young men of 
 liigh rank often wear most charming robes of pink 
 or light blue. 
 
 The women o[ Korea are the drudges, while the 
 men are the lords of creation ; in many cases the 
 women work hard and the men do nothing. 
 If one of these hard-working M'omen were asked 
 what her husband was doing, the expression she 
 would use is that ' he is sitting upon his heels.' 
 The women of the upper classes arc rarely seen ; 
 they generally dress in white and have a peculiar 
 arrangement by which the short bodice covers the 
 shoulders, but leaves the breasts entirely exposed, 
 while voluminous petticoats, very full at the hips, 
 all but conceal the coarse wliite or brown trousers 
 below. They wear the same kind of boots as the 
 men, but their stockings are not padded. The 
 women of a certain rank wear a sort of mantle with 
 sleeves which are not used. This is suspended from 
 a hood V, hich covers the head, and they close up the 
 front with their hand to shield themselves from the 
 gaze of pnssers-by. The favourite colour is green, 
 and these women form quite a picturesque addition 
 to a street crowd as they glide about amongst the 
 men, who, except oflicials, are clad entirely in white. 
 Their hair is l^lack, and is wound in a big coil round 
 the temy>les, and ornamented with large silver coins.
 
 KITE-FLYING 30j 
 
 AMUSEMENTS 
 
 Witli I'oq'ard to ainus-'incnls, kite-flying and kitc- 
 fir,diting are most in favour. The fighting consists 
 in trying to draw one ]vit(i across another when they 
 are high in the air, and thus to sever the string of 
 the rivaL The Koreans are also the most accom- 
 plished stone-throwers in the world ; the contests are 
 conducted with such savagery that loss of life fre- 
 quently results. 
 
 EXl'EDITIOX TO THE KOEEAX CAPITAL 
 
 On arriving at Chemulpo I found that unless I 
 proceeded to Chefoo by tlie ste;imer in which I 
 arrived. L should not b..' able to get another boat for 
 a fortnight. As I was determhied, if possible, to 
 visit Seoul, and could not; allord to be delayed so long, 
 I decided to make the expedition up to that city in 
 the twenty-four hours at m\- disposal. I had tele- 
 graphed to the Consul-Cieneral, Mr. Jordan, and he 
 ver}' kindly had a chair and bearers waiting ready 
 for me on landing. The chair is fixed at the centre 
 of two long poles and is carried by four men at once 
 I had eight men, so that they might take turn and 
 turn about. I might have gone up the river by boat, 
 but the boat had left an hour before my arrival, and 
 the railway in course of constrtiction was not yet 
 available. I preferred, liowever, to be taken in 
 the old-fashioned manner. Unfortunately there had 
 been heavy rains, and as there are no macadamised 
 roads, l)ut only tracks across the country, the
 
 306 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CEISIS 
 
 bearers were often ankle-deep in mud. The plains 
 which we had to cross, on which rice is grown, 
 were also inundated, and I was often carried for a 
 hundred yards together, with the water up to the 
 men's waists. This they enjoyed thoroughly 
 laughing and joking all the time. AYe had also to 
 be ferried across three rivers in the course of the 
 twenty-six miles traversed. The weather was per- 
 fect, and after the heavy rain the strong perfume 
 of flowering shrubs was exquisite ; the birds were 
 singing gaily. Crowds of men, women, and children 
 were squatting about in every village through which 
 we passed, many of them smoking loiig pipes, and 
 numerous groups were playing games, this too at an 
 hour of the day when one would naturally expect 
 them to be at work. 
 
 GEXEEAL SCENERY 
 
 The land in the valleys has a rich alluvial soil 
 and is very fertile, but the bare hills with reddish- 
 coloured earth exposed here and there on their slopes 
 appeared useless from an agricultural standpoint. 
 The Koreans have been prodigal in dc^nuding the 
 country of timber, but pine-trees which have re- 
 sown themselves are springing up everywhere. 
 The roadway through the villages was decidedly 
 deeper in nuid than m the open country no effort 
 being made to clear it away. Korean houses are 
 thatched with straw, and have walls composed 
 largely of mud. They look picturesque in the distance, 
 especially when nestling amid a cluster of big trees.
 
 SEOUL 307 
 
 They liavc no mills in Korea for grinding their 
 grain, but they place it in large stone or wooden 
 basins and work over a lever a long piece of wood 
 with an arm aitached. With this they crush the 
 grain by pounding it. We met a good many pack- 
 bulls on the way, and occasionally a small Korean 
 pony. l\iee and Indian corn are the crops mainly 
 grown between Chemulpo and Seoul. 
 
 Some of my bearers had the most ragged whit-e 
 garments that I ever saw. They really prefer to 
 wear as little clothing as possible. On their feet 
 they wore sandals woven of straw, replacing them 
 frequently with new ones, which they could pur- 
 chase at every hamlet we pa'^scd. Instead of stock- 
 ings they bound long pieces of linen round their 
 feet. 
 
 They are evidently not very fond of applying 
 soap and water to their children, as the condition of 
 the multitude of naked little children whom I saw 
 showed. 
 
 Vrhon my bearers carried me through the water 
 they took off their scanty garments and tied them 
 round their necks, and then raised my chair shoulder 
 high. One man, holding his clothes above his head, 
 walked in advance, in order to discover, if possible, 
 whether there were any big holes in front of us. 
 
 SEOUL 
 
 We approached Seoul in brilliant sunshine, 
 and I was able to get a very fair idea of the city
 
 303 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CEISIS 
 
 and the surrounding country. The mountains on 
 two sides are precipitous and rocky, with splendidly 
 broken outlines. The valley in which Seoul is 
 situated is well timbered, which adds much to the 
 beauty of its appearance. 
 
 As we passed through the portion of the city 
 outside the walls, the most prominent object was a 
 curious gateway, which, together with the ancient 
 loopholed walls to the right and left of it, looked 
 extremely picturesque. 
 
 I arrived at a quarter to six, the journey having 
 occupied eight and a quarter hours. Within five 
 minutes I began half an hour's interview with Dr. 
 Morrison, the Times correspondent at Pekin. Mr- 
 Jordan and I then strolled through the main streets 
 of Seoul, Avliich were thronged with possibly the 
 most picturesque and gaily dressed people in the 
 world, except the Bttrmcse. The Koreans display 
 more taste in their attire than the Burmese, and 
 though the colours of their garments are not so 
 brilliant, the gt^neral effect of the white robes of the 
 men and the green mantles of the women is very 
 pleasing. AVe went to two or three points from 
 which, in the briglit evening sunlight, we had perfect 
 views over the city and stirrounding country. 
 
 We discussed, as we walked along, various 
 matters on which I desired to have information. 
 I left for Chcinul]io ;it a quarter to ten, having thus 
 remained only four hours in the most interesting 
 city of Seoul, but having none the less, thanks to 
 ]Mr. Jordan, seen tlie main sights.
 
 THE LEGATIONS 309 
 
 ELlX'TlilC TR A:\rWAY 
 
 I was niucli surprised to iiiid an electric tram- 
 way at work in Seoul ; it liad been opened only a 
 few weeks. One day a child was killed, wliereupon 
 a crowd of Koreans stormed the electric cars, drove 
 off the conductor and attendants, overturned the 
 cars, and burnt them on the spot. It was only 
 after the feeling thus aroused had died down that 
 the Company ventured to start runniiig the cars 
 again. 
 
 To show how good the climate is, I may say 
 that ]Mr. Jordan told me he grew strawberries, 
 cherries, pears, plums, and other English fruit and 
 vegetables at Seoul just as well as at home. 
 
 rOEEIGX LEOATIOXS 
 
 It is a significant fact that whilsi the Eussians 
 and the French have no tr;ide interests whatever in 
 Korea, }"et the form(^r have a most palatial Legation, 
 and also an emissary living in great style, with 
 Cossacks in connection with his household. He 
 is not known to have any defmite position, but 
 occupies himself in fomenting dil'liculties. 
 
 Tlie French have just completed the erection of 
 a splendid Legation at a cost of 8,000/., though 
 they have no interest in the country except their 
 lioman Catholic ^Missions. They liave a French 
 cathedral in Seoul, and a bishop, and thirty priests 
 working throughout the country with 80,000 
 converts.
 
 310 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 Japan has also an excellent Legation in Seoul, 
 but this is not surprising when we have regard to 
 the fact that 15,000 of its people are settled in that 
 country, and that the association of Japan with 
 Korea has existed through many centuries. 
 
 The Japanese have a system of telegraph lines 
 established in Korea, and 800 troops divided among 
 the various places where any considerable number 
 of their peo]ole are settled. It is only natural that 
 Japan should have the necessary force on the spot 
 to safeguard her interests. 
 
 The staple products of Korea are rice and beans, 
 and enormous quantities of these are sent to Japan 
 indeed, she takes 90 per cent, of the exports of 
 Korea. 
 
 England has a comfortable but, comparatively 
 speaking, modest Legation. In Mr. Jordan we have 
 a man of marked ability, who looks vigilantly and 
 carefully after our interests, though he receives only 
 half the salary that is paid by other Governments 
 to their representatives. 
 
 THE HE TURN JOURXEY 
 
 For the return journey I engaged twelve bearers. 
 Japanese lanterns were carried before and behind, 
 and with the light given by the moon we were able 
 to get along very well so far as the first part of the 
 journey was concerned. Just after starting we 
 arrived at the city gates, which were already closed. 
 The gate-keepers refused to open them without a 
 written order. Mr. Jordan, who had accompanied
 
 AN UNPLEASANT JOURNEY 311 
 
 mo thus far, succeeded in ovcrcouiing the difficulty. 
 We tluni proceeded rapidly along a fairly well made 
 road to the river three miles away, which we crossed 
 by a ferry-boat. After traversing a long stretch of 
 sand, we reached a second river, which had also to 
 be passed in a ferry. Then the road became a broken 
 track, the moon disappeared, and we were left to be 
 guided only by Japanese lanterns, which a shower 
 of rain or a little wind would have extinguished, 
 leaving us hopelessly stranded. Fortunately, the 
 night was still and fine, and we reached the flooded 
 rice-fields without much delay. Then our difficulties 
 began. Two of the men with the Japanese lanterns 
 waded in the water in advance of tlie bearers to try 
 and prevent our falling into deep holes. Amidst 
 a roar of laughter one of them disappeared from 
 view, extinguishing his lantern, but he came to the 
 top all right and swam into shallower water. It 
 was a case of slow and sure, and the few hundred 
 yards that we thus traversed occupied considerable 
 time. AVe came to the tliird river only to find that 
 there was no ferry-boat (known there as a ' sampan ') 
 on our side. \\'e all called out together at the top of our 
 voices to try to attract the attention of some one on the 
 other shores but without success. Further progress 
 would have been injpossil)le had it not been that 
 one of our bearers was an expert swimmer. He 
 dived into tlie stream without hesitation, and swam 
 across at a most astonishing pace, roused the sleepers 
 in the sampan, and very soon it was brought across 
 and relieved us from our difficulties. AVlien we
 
 312 CHINA AND THE PRESENT OEISIS 
 
 reached the halfway house the men all wanted 
 'chow' (food). This chow had to be prepared in 
 their own particular way, and it was only after more 
 than an hour's delay and by diiit of the strongest pos- 
 sible pressure that I induced them to move on again. 
 This was urgently necessary, as my steamer was 
 timed to leave at nine o'clock that morning. We 
 arrived without further incident at Chemulpo at a 
 quarter to eight, and a comfortable English break- 
 fast at the Vice-Consul's w^as most welcome after 
 the long night's journey. After breakfast I went 
 on board, and was soon on my way to Chefoo, the 
 first port of call in China. I arrived there as 
 described on page 1.
 
 313 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Adams, Mi;., 123 
 
 Ah Sam, 111 
 
 Algcn, Mr., 10t> 
 
 Americiui Trade Competition, 81 
 
 AmerieanWatches and Clocks, 130 
 
 Amusements in Korea, W') 
 
 Anhui, 107 
 
 Animals in Korea, ;30"2 
 
 Aoki, Viscount, o5, '^T-), 280 
 
 Apricots, 155 
 
 Armstrong, llitchell ct Co.. 
 
 Messrs., 28 
 Arsenal at Ilan Yanp, 12;) 
 Arsenal at Nankin. 11 :> 
 Arsenal at Tokyo, 2il() 
 Arsenal at Wuchang, 121 
 Arsenal at Yokoliama, 2G0 
 Arsenic Powder, 28 
 Attitude of the Chinese, 1113 
 Aubert, Capt., KJi.i 
 
 r)Aii.7:Y. Post-Cnptain, 70. 73 
 Parley. 155 
 Parnsli'V ]!obbins. 117 
 Barrow Hematite Steel Com- 
 pany, The, 30 
 Battle'of the Pottles, 28-1 
 Patu Caves, l'.t3 
 Pean-cake, 4 
 Pean-oil, 4 
 Peans, 155, 310 
 
 Peresford, Lord Charles, 0, 91, 93 
 Birds of Japan, 2(i0 
 Birds, Game, and Insects, 100 
 
 ]3ishops, Dinner of the, 218 
 Pismarckberg, 92 
 Plake, Sir Henry, 1G8, 179 
 Pluc'jackets to tlie Front, Pritisli, 
 
 117 
 Boat Life on West Pxiver. 174 
 ' Pore,' Tlie, 102 
 Posanquet, Admiral, 218 
 Postelman, Mr. A., 80 
 Postock, Mr., 211 
 Botanical Gardens, Hadgalla, 
 
 207 
 Pournc, Mr., 88, 96 
 ]].)wer. Col., G8 
 Powra, ilr., 7 
 Pridges, Chinese, 98, 
 Prinkley, Capt., 278 
 Pritish Interests in China, 224 
 Pritish Pule Advantage of, 190 
 Pi'itish Trade in China, 50 
 Ptiddhism, 272, 301 
 Pund, The, IIG 
 Ihisli, ^lessrs., 13 
 Putt, Mr., 188 
 Puttcrfield & Swire, 3, 5, 88 
 
 Calcutta, 215 
 Canton, 120, 17G 
 Canton, Trade of, 178 
 Canton Waterways, 179 
 Canton-Hankow Line, 170 
 Cape Evelyn, 90 
 
 Cartridge Factory at Han Yang, 
 124
 
 314 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CRISIS 
 
 Castor-oil, 155 
 
 Cathedral at Seoul, French, 309 
 
 Cause of the Present Anti-foreign 
 Eising in China, 250 
 
 Centurion Hill, 71 
 
 Ceylon, 199 
 
 Chang Chih Tung, 113, 252 ; Re- 
 ception by, 118 
 
 Chang-Yi, 15, 33 
 
 Chefoo, 1, 17, 26, G2, 72, 305, 
 312 
 
 Chefoo, Trade of, B6 
 
 Chemulpo, 1, 305, 312 
 
 Chen-yu-Ting, Mr., 19 
 
 Chin Chinning Joss, 142 
 
 Chinkiang, 92, 107 
 
 Chin Tau, 90 
 
 Chin Wang Tao, 61 
 
 China Association, The Hong 
 Kong, 250 
 
 China, British Commercial and 
 Political Interests in : State- 
 ment made in the House of 
 Commons, 224 
 
 China for the Chinese, 254 
 
 China, India and, 221 
 
 China Inland Mission, 85 
 
 China Merchant Company, 75 
 
 China Trading Company, 5 
 
 Chinese Arming, 252 
 
 Chinese, Attitude of the, 143 ; 
 Stoned by the, 144 
 
 Chinese disappointed with Eng- 
 land, 251 
 
 Chinese Eastern Eaihvay Com- 
 pany, 80 
 
 Chinese Troops, 68 
 
 Ching, Prince, 20, 41 
 
 Chino-Japanese War, An Inci- 
 dent of, 65 
 
 Cholon, 183 
 
 Choo, His Majesty, 112 
 
 Christmas in Cevlon, 203 
 
 Chun, Prefect, 132 
 
 Chung-hou-So, 58 
 
 Chung King, 96, 157 
 
 Climate of Saigon, 186 
 
 Cloisonne, 265 
 
 Coal, 195 
 
 Coal, Chinese, 147 
 
 Coal, Japanese, 266, 287 
 
 Coal Mines at Takashima, 287 
 
 Coal Mining in China, 55 
 
 Coal, New Duty on English, in 
 Japan, 289 
 
 Cocoa, 195 
 
 Cocoa-nuts, 208 
 
 Coffee, 191, 195 
 
 Colombo, 198 
 
 Commercial Interests in Japan, 
 British, 289 
 
 Communication, Railway, 71 
 
 Competition, American and 
 Japanese Trade, 84 
 
 Confucianism, 300 
 
 Cooks, Chinese, 138 
 
 Copal, 195 
 
 Cormorant Fishing, 100 
 
 Cotton Goods, 195 
 
 Country Club at Shanghai, 97 
 
 Cowper, Lieut., 70 
 
 Cradock, Mr., 116 
 
 Crisis, the Present, in China, 249 
 
 Crow, Mr., 288 
 
 Currency of Korea, 299 
 
 Curzon, Lord, 215 
 
 Custom House Experience, 261 
 
 Custonrs Revenue, Chinese Im- 
 perial, 18 
 
 Cutlery, 195 
 
 DAXGEKors Coasts, Korea, 292 
 Davidson, Mr., 158 
 Debt of Ceylon, 212 
 Dewstoe, Mr., 177 
 Dinner, A Japanese, 281 
 Dishonesty among Japanese 
 
 Traders, Commercial, 265 
 Donelly, Mr., 89 
 Douglas, Mr., 218 
 Dress, Korean, 302 
 Drills, 86 
 Drugs, 130 
 
 Duck Rearing, 156, 179 
 Dying uncared for. Chinaman, 
 
 126
 
 INDEX 
 
 31& 
 
 Education in Japan, 'liVS 
 Education in Koita, 301 
 Emperor and Guvernuieut of 
 
 Korea, 29G 
 Emperor of Cliina, Deposition of 
 
 the, 31) 
 English Legation in Kf)rca, 310 
 Eunuchs of I'ekin, Tiie, 10 
 European Diplomatists in Japan, 
 
 2S-2 
 Expedition, Tl;e Upper Yangtsze, 
 
 130 
 Expedition, The Yangtsze, 103 
 
 Famine, The, and Plague in India, 
 219 
 
 Farewell to China, 182 
 
 Feng-Tu-Chong, 150 
 
 Fetishism, 301 
 
 Fish of Japan, "iOO 
 
 Fislieries of Korea, 2',)o 
 
 Flour, 105 
 
 Flowers and Fruit of Japan, 208 
 
 Foreigners and Viceroys, 2-32 
 
 Foreigners in Jr.paii. 273 
 
 Forts at Woosun--. Ijj 
 
 Francis, I\Ir., 170 
 
 Free Trade in India and China, 
 221 
 
 French Activity and British In- 
 activity, Ts-j 
 
 French Legatiim in Korea, 300 
 
 Fu, Brig. -Gen.. 132 
 
 Funerals, Japanese, 271 
 
 Fusau. 291 
 
 Gasklek, Gen., 21s 
 Gaunt, Capt., OO. 70, 73 
 Giers, M. de, 21 
 ' God Worshippers,' 112 
 Gold. 130, 150, 201 
 Goldlields, Korean, 29-1 
 Gold Mountain. 7*) 
 Crolden Island, 107 
 Golden Pearl r^Iuuntain, 112 
 Gordon, Chinese. 112 
 Government of Cliina, 3S 
 Grand Canal, The, 9s, 107 
 
 Graves, A Sea of, 131 
 Graveyards, Korean, 303 
 Great Wall of China, 58 
 Gum, 195 
 Gunpowder Factory at Nankin, 
 
 113 
 Gutta-percha, 195 
 
 Habits, Japanese. 2f;9 
 
 Habits, Korean, 302 
 
 Hai-ning, lol 
 
 Han lUver, The, 110 
 
 Han Yang, 110 
 
 Han Yang Arsenal, 123 
 
 Han Yang Ironworks, 122 
 
 Hang Chow, 98, 101 
 
 Hankow, 100, 113, 110, 129 
 
 Hankow, Interview with the 
 
 Taotai of, 127 
 Hankow, Trade of, 128 
 Happy Valley, Hong Kong, 170 
 Harbour Works, Colombo, 211 
 Hart, Sir liobert, 01 
 Hemp, 130, 155 
 Hides, 195 
 Hillicr, Mr., 48 
 Hiraoka, ]\Ir. liotaro, 281 
 Hoffman, Lieut., 121 
 Holt Brothers, Messrs., 23 
 Homeward bound, 222 
 Honan, 107 
 
 Hong Kong, 22, 100, 179 
 Ilosie, Mr., H.M. Consul, 6- 
 Houseboats, Chinese, 101 
 Hu-ya-Tsia, 131 
 Hu-Yuen-Meh, 33 
 Hunan, 118 
 Hupeh, 118 
 Hurst, Mr., 118, 122 
 
 IciiANO, 105, 110, 129, 132 
 Iching, 108 
 
 India, Home through, 2l::< 
 India and China, 221 
 Indiarubber, 195 
 Indigo, 50, 155 
 Indo-China, French, 183
 
 316 CHINA AND THE PEESENT CEISIS 
 
 Inglis, Mr., {)() 
 
 Inland Sea of Japan, 283 
 
 Interior, Kecord Journey into 
 
 the, 159 
 Ironworks at Han Yang, 122 
 Ito, Marquis, 275 
 
 Jackson, Sir Thomas, 179 
 
 Jaeschke, Capt., '.tl 
 
 Japan, Attitude towards Korea, 
 
 297 
 Japan and England, Similarity 
 
 of Position of,' 202 
 Japan and Korea, 257 
 Japanese Legation at Seoul, 
 
 Korea, 310 
 Jardine. Matheson & Co., Messrs., 
 
 5, 89, 96, 103 
 Jeans, 81) 
 
 John, Hev. Griflith, 128 
 Johore, 19-1 
 Jones, Eev. F.. 300 
 Jordan, Mr., 296 
 Jung-Lu, 20, 121 
 
 Kang-Yi, 20 
 Kang-yu-\Yei, ISO 
 Kao-Kia-Tcheng, 1G2 
 Kashing, 101 
 Kau-Lung Extension, 170 
 Keswick, The Hon. J. J., 1G8 
 Ketteler, Baron Yon, GO 
 Kia-ling liiver, 157 
 Kiang-si, 107, 115 
 Kiang-suh, 107 
 Kiangyin, 107 
 Kiao-Chau Bav, 91 
 Kiao-Chau, Trade of, 93 
 Kiao-Chau, Yisit to, 89 
 Kin-ho-kan, 129 
 Kinder, Mr., 16 
 Kin-Chow, 131 
 Kiu Kiang, 115 
 Kiushiu. 285 
 Korea, 257, 279, 291 
 Kroupensky, M., 35 
 Kuala-Kubu, 190 
 
 Kuala-Lumpor, 191 
 Kuin Mountains, 130 
 Kutwo, 106 
 Kwei-Chow, 117 
 Kwei-Chow-Fu, 152 
 
 Lagoon, West Port, 78 
 
 Legations in Korea, Foreign, 809 
 
 Lepers, 174 
 
 Li-Hung-Chang, 38, 43 
 
 Liliencron, Baron, 91, 94 
 
 Limestone, 146 
 
 Little, Mr. Archibald, 81, 96, 104 
 
 Litton, Mr., IGl 
 
 Liu Kun-Yi, 109, 252 
 
 Liu-Kung-tau. 66 
 
 Lockhart, Mr.', 179 
 
 London Mission, 33 
 
 London ^Missionary Society, 128 
 
 Loshar, 90 
 
 Loyalty of Natives in India, 221 
 
 Lukan Gorge, 146 
 
 McSwiNEY, Capt., 7 
 
 Malay Peninsula, 183 
 
 Mancliester Piece Goods, 106, 130 
 
 Manchuria, 5, G 
 
 Manchuria, Advantages of, 24 ; 
 
 Missions in, 23 
 i\Ianchurian Pailway, llussian 
 
 Main, 7, 79 
 Massampo, 80 
 Melons, 155 
 
 Military College at Wuchang, 124 
 Millet, 155 
 Mineral Wealth, 208 
 Mines at Nagasaki, 287 
 ;\Iing Tombs, 112 
 Mining Bights, 120 
 Mint at Nankin, 113 
 Missionary Work, 128 
 Missions. 23, 85, 113, 291. 309 
 Mitsang, The, 147, 
 Mitsubishi Company, The, 287 
 Molyneux, Dr., 26, 89 
 Money-lending in Korea, 299 
 Monkevs, 146
 
 INDEX 317 
 
 Morri-s Mr., OO | Pci-ho, 27 
 
 Mon-ison, Dr., 3. :50'.) Pei-Tai-lio, o'.J 
 
 Mother-of-pearl, I'jr, \ I'ekin, 14, 31 
 
 Mountain iiesorts in Japan, 207 ! I'ekin, City Walls, ;J7 
 
 Mourninu' for Ancestors, 71 r(;kin, iMiimchs at the PaLice, 10 
 
 Mukden, 80 ; I'ekin, Forbidden City, 37 
 
 Museum at Colombo, 203 I'ekin - Hankow llaihvay Con- 
 
 1 cession, 11'.) 
 
 \ Penang, IDS 
 
 N\G-vs\Kr 2S.-; ' Pepper, 130, 19o 
 
 Nankin, 101, lOS, 112 | I'^'-^^^eniya and_Us Gardens, 201 
 
 I Persimmons, I)) 
 
 Nankin Pa,''oda, 112 
 
 Pethick, :\Ir. 
 
 I'lacrue in India, The Famine and. 
 21'J 
 
 Nannin,i,'-l-'u, 173 , 
 
 Nationali.sation of Land and ^ Petition to H._M. Government, 20 
 
 Minerals 102 : 1 etroleum, lljy 
 
 Naturalisation of Chinese, 22 ' j'!"'' ^'^ ^V"-hal-^^ ei, G7 
 
 Naval Authorities, A Question l^^ng^han ^fmes, 122 
 
 for the. (w '^Pinnacle.J Ihe, ai 
 New Ilapid, 102 
 
 Newchwani.', 3, 4, 5, G, 83 ^,, ^ , ,. 
 
 Newchwang Bar, 4 }}f}\' C'^P^., 13b 
 
 Newchwang Extension Lino, 5, G 1 ol'tical Japan 2/4 
 
 Ncwchwang Trade, IG Pomegranates, Ljo 
 
 Newspapers in Japan, 2G3 I omo as, loo_ 
 
 Nicholson, Mr., 157 Porcelain, 20;. 
 
 Niu Kan-t'an Whirlpool, 1G2 1 orpoises, 13.) 
 
 Nui-chia-tun 7 ^ ''^ Arthur, 2, 4, G, G7 
 
 Nutmc"-^ 1').") ^''^^^ Arthur, East Port, 79 
 
 '" ' ' : Port Arthur, Seizure by Russia, 
 
 ,, ^, . , _ , Port Arthur, Visit to, 7u 
 
 Officials. Chinese. 1.j4 t>,,.^ \fi,,. -(\r. r>.^,.(- t orv^^^,-, 
 
 ,,, _, , ^,' , lortArtliur, West lortLiagoon, 
 
 O Gorman, Col. The, 179 78 
 
 Okuma Count 275. 278 p^;^ n^^^^ii^on, 293 
 
 Open Door in China, 2o3 Potatoes, 5G 
 
 Opium, 130._ loo Povang Lake, 115 
 
 Oranges, loo Protective System, French Indo- 
 
 China and the, l84 
 Protestants, 129 
 Pagoda at Nankin, 112 
 Pagoda at Yo-Chau-Fu, 130 
 
 Paper, 19-5 Eailway Communication, 71 
 
 Pasteur Institute at Saigon, ISG Piailway Material, 195 
 
 Patung. 13G Railways of Ceylon, 209 
 
 Pawnshops, 17-3 Railways in India, 215 
 
 Peaches. 155 Railways in Japan, 2(31 
 
 Pearl Fisheries, 209 , Railways in Korea, 294 
 
 Peas. 155 , Religion, China, 45 
 
 Pechili, Gulf of, 75 ' Religion in Japan, 272
 
 318 CHINA AND THE PRESENT CRISIS 
 
 Eeligion of Korea, 300 
 
 Eevenue of Ceylon, "212 
 
 Eevenue of Korea, 209 
 
 Eice, 19o, 310 
 
 Eiver Life, Chinese, 101 
 
 Eoman Catholic Church at 
 
 Wuhu, 113 
 Eoman Catholics, 129, 309 
 Eus.~ia, Attitude towards Korea, 
 
 297 
 Eussian Hospitality, 8 
 Eussian Legation at Korea, 309 
 Eussian Intrigues, -53 
 
 Sago, 195 
 
 Saigon and Cholon, 183 
 
 St. Andrew's Day Ball, 180 
 
 St. Clair, Mr., 188 
 
 Salisbury, Lord, 17 
 
 Salt, 130 
 
 Sam Chun, 1G9 
 
 Satow, Sir Ernest, 27-5 
 
 Scenery of Korea, 30G 
 
 Scenery on the Yangtsze, 145 
 
 Schrameier, Dr., 92 
 
 Sea Wall, Great, 102 
 
 Seang-yin Eiver, 130 
 
 Secret Societies, 47 
 
 Secretary, My Chinese, 88 
 
 Selangor, Visit to. 189 
 
 Seoul, .307 
 
 Servants, Chinese, 140 
 
 Seymour, Admiral Sir E., 108 
 
 Sha-sze, 130 
 
 Shan, Mr. Him, 133 
 
 Shan-hai-kwan, 15, 54 
 
 Shanghai, 9, 95, 101 
 
 Shantung, 71, 107 
 
 Sheetings, 86 
 
 Shi-tao Bay, 09 
 
 Shimonoscki, Straits of, 284 
 
 Shinto, 272 
 
 Shipbuilding, German, 199 
 
 Shipping, Decadence of British, 
 
 196 
 Shooting Eanges, 70 
 Siam, 195 
 Silk, 130 
 
 Silk Filature Works, 103 
 
 Simon, Dr., 180 
 
 Sin T'An, 102 
 
 Singapore, 22, 187 
 
 Soubotitch, General, 77, 81 
 
 Sphere, The English, 69 
 
 Spices, 130 
 
 Sport in the Yangtzse Valley, 114 
 
 Sprent, Eev. Mr., 12 
 
 Statement made in the House of 
 
 Commons, 22 i 
 Sugar, 130, 155, 195 
 Sulphur Springs, 08 
 Sultiin, Lieut. Leresvett, 78, 81 
 Sumatra, 199 
 
 Sundyus, Mr., ILM. Consul, 3 
 Swettenham, Sir A., 195 
 Szechuan, 130, 154 
 
 Ta-liex-Wan-, 6 
 
 Ta-shih-chao, 11 
 
 Takashima Coalmines, 287 
 
 Taiping Eebellion, 112 
 
 Taku Bar 27 
 
 Taku Forts 29 
 
 Tamoshan, 90 
 
 Tapioca, 195 
 
 Tartar City Wall, 35 
 
 Taxation of Land in Japan, 264 
 
 Taylor, Eev. Hudson, 86 
 
 Tea, 155 
 
 Tea Factory, 125, 205 
 
 Tea Plantation, At a, 204 
 
 Tees Side Ironworks Company, 
 122 
 
 Telegraph Lines in Korea, Ja- 
 panese, 310 
 
 Temple of 500 Genii, 177 
 
 Temple of the Emperor, 177 
 
 Tien-tsze Shan 150 
 
 Tientsin, 27, 50,92 
 
 Tientsin, Trade of, 51 
 
 Tiger Teeth Gorge, 131 
 
 Tin, 189, 195 
 
 Tin Plates, 87 
 
 Ting, Admiral, 2 
 
 Titoff, Mr., 6 
 
 Tobacco, 56, 130, 155, 195
 
 INDEX 
 
 319 
 
 Tokvo, Arsenal, 20(5 
 
 Tong, Mr., lU 
 
 Tong-Ku, 2',) 
 
 Trackers, 13(5 
 
 Trade, Chinese Foreign, 2-53 
 
 Traile of Canton, 178 
 
 Trade of Chefoo, SO 
 
 Trade in Cliina, British, 50 
 
 Trade of Kiao-Cliau, IIS 
 
 Trade of Kiu Kiang, 115 
 
 Trade of Korea, 2',I.S 
 
 Trade Competition, Japanese, 84 
 
 Trade, Pos.-,ibilities of, 72 
 
 Trade, Debt. Taxation, and 
 
 Eevenue of Ceylon, 212 
 Tramway, Electric, in Korea, 
 
 :-50'.) 
 Treaty of Tientsin, 120 
 Tsinan, U2 
 Tsushima, 200 
 Tung-Ting Lake, 129 
 
 VEftKTAEi.i: Products of Japan, 
 
 2.-)9 
 Vladivostock, 7 
 Volcanoes in Japan, 2-"8 
 
 W.U.KER, Col., 189 
 
 Walnuts, l.")5 
 
 Water Supply, 82, 143 
 
 Waterspout oil Wei-hai-Wei, 6-4 
 
 Waterways of Cliina, The Inland, 
 
 97 
 Wax, 180 
 Weather, 145 
 Wei-hai-Wei, 1, G4, GG, 83 
 Wei-hai-Wei Bay, 2 
 
 Wei-hai-Wei Harbour, 69 
 
 Weihai-^^'ei, Transfer to Ger- 
 many, 73 
 
 West Biver, 171 
 
 Western Mountains, 131 
 
 'Wha-li-Tun,' 134 
 
 Wiiangpoo River, 95, 98 
 
 Wheat, 155, 195 
 
 Whirlpool, 1G2 
 
 Wilcox, Mr., 179 
 
 Wildman, Mr., 179 
 
 Williamson, Mr., 122 
 
 Willis, Mr. and Mrs., 200 
 
 Wilton, Mr., 131 
 
 Women, Japanese, 271 
 
 Women, Korean, 304 
 
 Wong Chi Tong Mines, 122 
 
 Woodburn, Interview with, 218 
 
 Woosung, 102 
 
 Woosung Forts, 95 
 
 Workmen, Japanese, 288 
 
 Wrecks and Wreckage on the 
 Yangtsze, 144 
 
 Wright, Mr., 15 
 
 Wuchang, 118 
 
 Wuchang ^Military College, 124 
 
 Wuchau, 172 
 
 Wuhu, 113 
 
 Wushan Gorge, 148 
 
 Y.VXGTSZE, 22 
 
 Yangtsze Expedition, 103 
 Y^angtsze, Expedition on 
 
 Upper, 136 
 Yeh-Tan Eapid, 140, 163 
 Yo-Chau-Fu, Pagoda, 130 
 Yokohama Arsenal, 260 
 
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