By Hiera pv Frenes, translated from the Oesterreichische Monatsschrift fiir den Orient.
The Chinese are reproached with tendent cies which are adverse to the influence of Western nations in the East, and China is often contrasted with progressive Japan, which runs towards the aims of modern civilization with rapidity, while progress in China goes on very slowly, and with decided reluctance, Of course the sympa-thios of Europeans incline more towards that side (Japan), where the least obstruction is put to the ingraftiuy of ideas which the European has inherited from his fathers or sucked in with his mother's milk, The sympathies disincline towards this side (China), which does not at once believe our assurances that our civilization is the best, because we proved it on ourselves, but follows the principle of "examining everything with critical coco and hooping the best." Which of the methods followed by the two neighbouring peoples is for us, the teachers, the more advantageous and more welcome one, on that point there is only one voice, as we are a0 convinced of the benefit of the result, that n" progress can appear to us quick suongh, However, whothoe we are justi6od in concluding a table prognosis for vitality of th 1" people in opposition to the Chinese, is a question which Upon the first glance is difficult to answer. When we direct our attention to the mode in which the undoubtedly existing progress in both countries has been developed, first of all find that the Chinese manifested acertain mistrust of the good intentions of the importers of new ideas. A scute of years pass before the knowledge of the necessity of an important progress of culture among the competent circles takes root, till at last the force of circumstances produces the appar-out voluntary determination for progress. A railway, enforced by foreigners to the country for imitation, is bought by the Chinese in order to tear it up. Famine and threatened war have worked in a turally digerent manner, as the near future will teach us: - the perception of the import-
facts and not by persuasion, is now about to ance of quick, means of transport, yamed by lay the first railway by government mean The Chinese dislikes to enter the saloons of Europeansineveningdressand kid gloves, and he is quite right. European clothes don't suit the Mongolian physiognomy and the one who has the fortune to have been born as a handsome man in Soochow, the proverbial home of handsome Mongo-inns, will become, not only for his countrymen, but also for the aesthetical eye of the foreigner, a type of ugliness as suen as he changes his tail for that polka-hair dress of Europeanized Asiatics—the Makua—with a frock coat. The Japanese think oth wise. The aping of European external is doubtless the least enjoyable spectacle in the progress of thia people, and if this propensity for dandyism does not bear any essential influence upon the destiny of the nation, on the other hand it seems to prove one thing to 1s,—that is, that the japanese likes to accept foreign customs because they are European, not because of an important feeling of necessity driving im to do it. When he exchanges the ancient customs of his people ina turn of the hand for new trans-maritime ones, without examining whether it is really better to make this exchange, he feels pleased to play the European, without in reality being one.
With the Chinese, as in the external reforms of dress, the same is the case with the more important internal wants of the state; here also the individual taste of both nations is shown. The Chinese dues not like to take off his old dress; the Japanese is coquetting with the new one. Atnong the very many good features which the Japanese have imported from Europe, by being naturally easily separated from their old customs, there are numerous measures which suit the position of the country; in like mayor as the high silk hat to the Japanese attache. If these reforms become a benefit, then it is more by accident, having been taken from a sound source, and not because the Japanese wore before hand aware of the importance of such a thing. The sudden pushing ahead against their former standing still and exclusion, naturally produces the impression of hastiness. In no country in the world, comparatively, have so many reforms been crowded into such short space of time as in Japan, the past history of which was surely' not preparatory to such an overthrow of culture. On the other hand the Chinese reforms bear the character of slow deliberation the people do not outrage the maturity which is the result of their historical development; they do not yet possess the far ight of Eucopeans and are satisfied with ch reforms of which they ace the immediate benefit. 'They shut their ear to suasion even for their own goud, but ike to uso the means of the West as' soon as the benefit effected thereby is not only important but also convincing, especially to their own ideas. Ca try to persuade the Chinese Government to introduce, for instance forestry, a reform perhaps more beneficial to the country than any other, would be a fruitless attempt. The firm standing truth with us that forests are necessary as regulators of the distribution of rain, and therefore as in direct preventatives of drought famine, is to the Chinese an incomprehensible theory, Afiction. To make sacrifices now for taking up such an idea,—the benefit of which, moreover, would only so to future generations—would aren to the most far sighted Chinese statesman appear as a speculation. But it is totally different when the subject turns to reforms in the navy, use of artillery, or the knowledge of international law.
Here mediate inst exist, which whereto the nce of the carrying on war as well as those cluding porce lead, the benefit of Keupp's guns, or of a navy in European style palpable and perceivable; tho knowledge of international law puts the diplomat in the position of reply to arsnments by counter arguments, and is considered a very useful acquisition, not on account of the science merely, but as sometimes practical benefit can be drawn out of it.
Of all the reforms which modern China, i ance c! foreigners has ministration, the institut of the Maritime Customs is to the native mind, on account of its utility, doubt-most perceivable. Originally also driven by force of circumstances to the adoption of this reform, the Government scun perceived its importance in con tion with the financial policy ut and granted th st favourable com for its development. his service, already existing over twenty years, and_administered by Europeans and Americans, is unique. It distinguishes itself considerably from the same institution of the Japanese. In Japan, the European fulfils the function of counsellor and not of an officer of the Government; there the influence of the foreign counsellor is_ far behind the influence of the foreign officer in China. The Japanese likes to govern his country in European style, but he likes to do it himself. The Chinese does not like either the one nor the other, but he leaves to the foreigner, whom he has learned to trust, carte blanche in regard to the means to be adopted for the collecting of a yearly revenue of about £4,000,000 sterling.
In order in a few words to remind the reader of the former situation, it must be mentioned that before the' so-called opium war of the English in 1840, the whole trade with Europeans was centred in the port of Canton; there thy traitic was carried on by the ships of the East India Company,—a commerce which even the one of to-day des not equal, At that time no fixed duties existed, and scarcely any written on paper. The super ear-o, as soon as the ship's load was inspected by the duty-levy-mandoring, agreed to pay a round sum for the whole ship's load, and he then could discharge his cargo or as much of it as ho liked without any further payment. That the bribery of the officers who had to fix the lump sum, played an essential part in this method, was a matter of course in the characteristics of the Chinese. Moreover, this method contributed to devo-lop the favouring of parties, and on account of its uncertainty considerably injured the regularity of exchange of goods and th calculation of the profits. Nomi these circumstances. were amelia the conclusion of the Treaty of on the conclusion of the peace with the English. By this Treaty, bovides Canton, the ports of Shanghai, Ningpo, Fovchow, and Amoy were opened to trade besides a tariff similar to the one of to-day was fixed for the principle imports and exports, and measures were adopted for opening the inland trade. As far, however, as the receipts of duties wore concerned, this was now as befure in the hands of the local mandarins, and this signified during that time, a system which as for as regularity was concerned differed little from before. The principal difference between that time and the present one consists in uses of the Customs revenues. What is now received in the name of and at the disposal of the Central Government (or placed at the disposition of the same), went formerly, for the greatest part, into the provincial treasuries, and was used for ro purposes. he Central Government could ut course restrain the provinces to their Iveal Cnatoms revenues, but it could not get into the position of calenlaupon the basis of correct reports, h these were, This awkward been abolished only since the blishment of the Foreign Customs Service.
The first impulse to that important [reform in the financial policy of the Empire was given by the Taiping Re-hellion, who in the year 1854 occupied Shanghai, without however showing themselves inimicable or hostile to foreign commerce. In the then prevailing uncer tainty of the situation, and in order to prevent the regular trade being disturbed, the representatives of the most powers who were in treaty relations with the Chinese Government, decided to establish a commission of foreigners consisting of one English, French, and American, j The object of this commission was, with the consent of the imperial Chinese authorities, temporarily to receive on aceou of the Chinese Government the duties w were levied from the trade varied foreign, that is to sayy not Chit vessels. Accordingly, the English, French, and America Customs inspectors nominated. Of the English there offic as such, among others, the present Minister of Her Britannic Majesty, Sir Tuomas Wade. In this so-called provisional shape,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.