Possisty the British Government is right in its determination to make its interests in Egypt effective in the administration of that country. The Tesson taught by Turkey is one not likely to be soon forgotten. Nominally helping that country to recover its lost place amongst nations, it really afforded it the means to ruin its Inst chances; so that it is difficult now to foresee the eventual result of the causes which have been so long active, bat whose final denowemont has for one or other rea~ son been postponed for the Jast twenty years. It is, however, remarkable that after the collapse of the system adopted towards Turkey, a somewhat similar policy should mark British diplomacy in Ohina. It is quite true that, so' far as Imperial interests are con-corned, our relations with China are not of so immediate an importance. There is little or no fear of what has now become our great highroad to the East, being projudicially affected by any change in our relations with the "Sick Man" of the Far East. Yet our interests, though of a less important Kind, partake in a great measure of a similar nature, The self-same interests which have led the British Government to interfere with the advance of Egypt in Abyssinia, are also affected by the equally costly, and still more compromising attitude of China towards Tarkistan. A state of war between Chine and the Ameer is doubtless very satisfactory to Russia, as it gives that power the opportunity of acting the part of arbitrator when it suits her convenience; while for very similar reasons, it is equally unsatisfactory for our own interests, which are bound up with a state of tranquillity in Central Asin. We have no reason to believe in the ultimate success of China, while we know that our own mercantile interests suffer seriously, Not only is the trade with Eastern Tarkestan in a languishing condition, but our trade with China itself is seriously taxed to support a contest, the ultimate result of which must be hurtful to China, whether or not she is successful.
The English people must be sadly misinformed when they look upon the shipment of ammunition by the Gordon Castle as a matter needing official notice; while far more important attempts are being passed over daily without recognition of any sort. We do not expect the British Government to be so Quixotic as to attempt to interfere in all the quarrels going on in the globe. Its interesta and prestige would probably suffer from such a course, but we would certainly like to see it better informed than it appears to be, of the real position of affairs. The Gordon Castle was not the only offender in the particular of importing ammunition into China. The import of warlike apphanoes has become an important branch of Foreign trade in China; and nota Tittle has been done under the direct sanction of the British Government itself. It was commenced in the sanguine hope that China was about to regenerate itself, and that the best way to excite its self-respect was to help it to become strong. -We have good example how a similar state of affairs failed in Turkey, and we have no reason to believe that it will be any more successful here. But it is one thing to directly aid a state in its military preparations, and another to interfere with its purchasing only materials in the markets of the world.
After all, the whole of the continent of Europe, not to speak of America, is open to the Chinese Government. It at present finds it most convenient to import the balk of its warlike stores from England, but the effect of any interference now would simply be to drive it to other markets. So long as, nominally, we continue at peace with China, itis not easy to see how this condition of affairs can be prevented. Doubtless it is unpatriotic on the part of British subjects to deal in warlike materials with a country but just removed from a state of war with ourselves. Bunt even the shippers by the Gordon Castle could urge much in extenuation of their act. It seems morally certain that the difficulty anticipated when the order was given, was one with Japan and not with Great "Britain; and it would require a nicety of discrimination difficult to establish, which would lead dealers in arms to hesitate, when Great) Britain was certainly not at the moment inclined to interfere, in supplying one or both parties with the requisite warlike stores, 'THE LAWS IN CHINA AND JAPAN, Tus possibility of advance in Japan, as compared with China, is well illustrated by the manner in which the laws are, respected. In China, in fact, there may be said to be no laws, and no machinery for making them; each man, or collec. tion of men, being a law unto himself, which law he exercises till forced to submit by the similar or more powerful influence of the circle next to him, The little, or rather no effect of Imperial proclamations has often been made 9, subject of wonderment; but, in reality, it is only one feature of the general condition, The Emperor has doubtless as much right as any one else to make laws, but be has no power of enforcing them, and any attempt to do so would be looked upon as, to say the least, a. very curious and uncalled-for exercise of prerogative. China is even now not alone in this neglect of the lawgiver, More or less, most of the Asiatic nations suffer from the same absence of legislative power. It is, however, to antiquity that we have to look for the most perfect examples, The Egyptians, the Assyrians, and after them. the, ancient Persians, were very simi instances of the powerlessness of States' to make or enforce binding regulations, Even Greece knew little of Jaw in ite present form, and it was reserved for Rome not only to introduce a code of well digested law, bat also to habitually practise the machinery for making and amending it. The Government of Japan has wisely soon the advantage of retaining in its own hands the lawmaking power, and acts wisely in seo. ing that its powers do not become a dead letter. Accordingly, a regulation once published by the Government, bee comes the law of the land; and is observed as such from one end of the empire to the other. To take an example from passports. The principle on which they are issued is much the same in China and Japan, but the result is very different. The Japanese probably go in for too much formality with regard to them, but the very formality in cates a respect for established engagements, greatly at contrast with the difference shown in China. In Japan, care is first taken in issuing the passport that it shall in itself be a document entitling the bearer to respect. Without this document no foreigner will be allowed to proceed. It has to be duly shown at the places where a
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.