we are to judge of the utility of a government by ite effects on the wellbeing of ite subjects, we are driven to assign to that of China avery low rank in point of efficiency. The present famine in the North was foreseen months before nce. Yet no steps were taken state of affairs known to be impending. No facilities were offered for importing food at places along the coast, and no measures were taken for conveying it inland, even if it had arrived. More than this, no precautions wore taken for preserving sud of food as actually e: famine-stricken districts.
Tt seems, even, that it was no crime to plunder the stores of a rich man, as we bad an account last year of the burning of 8 wealthy individual's granaries, besides himself and his own family— without a hint of interference oF punishment by the Governing powers. We now see the result of all these things in the North. The people are starving all round, yet there are no markets, because through misgovernment nothing oan be brought to market. No food exists in the interior, and none has been brought to it because it was known that no protection would be afforded to the importer; or rather that he would be held up to publio-execration as & forestaller, one who meant to make himself fat at the expense of the people! People have goods to sell, but they are not food, and worth money es they they yet are inexchangeable because practically irremoveable. Seth people who have anything left have no resources but to quit their houses, and go wandering where they may exchange their last coin fora mess of congee water. These starving multitudes wandering about the country are an ugly fact, too apparent to be over-looked, 80 the local mandarins get a few matsheds ran up and dole out s starvation allow ance of congee gruel, taking care to claim credit for their paternal care, and for @ generosity exercised at the cost of their subjects. Yet, while barely sufficient food to sustain life can be afforded to the starving people, it is curious to observe how, even in the most distant distriote, money is found for ery thing except what is most needed. i Hung-chang, in the heart of the famine-stricken districts, find money enough to purchase steamers to ran on the river Yangtsze in opposition to regular traders, and with the almost
a mandarin monopoly, openly avowed object of making trade not © case of necessity, one of offering better facilities for the improvement of the country. On the contrary, it is done simply to interfere with unfettered trade, and what is worse, to do this at the expense of country in the throes of @ famine for which bad government is largely responsible. But useless expenditure does not cease here; and we hear continually of money being sent sbroad, not to purchase mining machinery, rail way plant, or any other of the thousand. may be spent so as to be remunerative to the nation spending it; but to be literally thrown into the soa in the shape of torpedoes, or planted on the mad in the form of artillery to keep off some imaginary enemy who desires nothing so much as to see China advancing, and is willing, if she will only take the initiative and start on the road, to let her go her own way and regulate her own pace. Truly, in these days, the old contest of East and West is beginning to assume ® more serious light. We have passed the age of crusades, nor has the nation which proposed to fight for an idea gained much out of the notion. Still, the West is pressing on the East slowly and steadily, and the latter must yield
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.