In the first month I presented a petition, inviting the establishment of a Bureau of Mines by which the present difficulties may be alleviated. In advocating this matter there is no question of seeking for any personal advantage. China has now had intercourse with foreign nations for some 50 years. In the West, military, me tile, agricultural and industrial questions, and handicrafts are fostered, for they are considered important to the prosperity of a country and its people. As regards China, in these respects, they are entirely neglected. There is, however, one exception and that is the establishment of the Foreign Maritime Customs. Foreign officials have charge of it and at exch port there are branches of the Customs for the collection nf the duties on imports and exports, all conducted in the Western manner, without a single blemish, and yearly improving. These constitute A largo part of. the revenue of the State, and certainly not less than the Jand tax of the twenty-one provinces. The result of the employment of foreign officials is therefore evident. imines "ro very numerous in China, they are richer and more plentiful than in the West. They have been neglected for several thousands of years and have never been opened. At present, although there is little mining going on, it is not that the people in the different' provinees have no good systems, it. is owing to defects and blemishes. After the late war, the country had to borrow money to pay the wat indemnity and a great many plans were devised to meet this object, such as the construction of railways and the like. Without more than a thousand million trols these things cannot be carried out. The duties cannot be increased. 'To borrow money is not easy. The products of the mines are the advantages which Heaven sends, why not then think of a good method by which to reap these advantages? IE such Inrge sum in needed, where is it to come from If any danger' to the empire should suddenly arise, there will be nothing to do but to avait death, or allow -othors to encroach upon the country. Is this not to losw the advantages of one's land? ff you wait till the advantages and the land are Tost, and become conscious of the fact, it will then be to late.
I have been in the receipt of Customs' Vher yana plan which will bring with ay for many years. [have an idea which
it advantages and no harm. T have already sent you a petition on this matter, setting it forth fully. I have heard from another source that you have seen it and have, handed it to the Board of Revenue for consideration, That Board has the administration of the country's finances. 'The present is a time of great difficulty for this Board'to pay out monies. Now suddenly there' appears on individual who proposes a plan which, if adopted, must be adopted at once. If the measure proposed be thought inconvenient and impossible the proposer should be told at once that his plan is not feasible. It is already three months and you have not said anything. I do not-understand the meaning of this delay. Perhaps you l-ok upon. meos une quantity negligeable and: the subject of the Proposal not worth consideration. Tam a Westerner of not very high standing, my rank is only a Commissioner of Customs but I have been " resident in China for over 30 years, and I have been at all the ports, and have had dealings in commercial matters both with Chinese and foreigners, and wherever I have been I have obtained good reputation. I have drawn the country's pay and have done the country's work, which was riy duty. At Chefoo I assisted at the making of the treaty, and I transacted another matter for China with regard to a certain foreign country. I was sent on a mis-ion to settle certain religious matters which had been in suspense for many years, and which I carried through successfully, as well as the Kuang-chou affair. was the first one sent to Japan. 'These acts were all done in obedience to Imperial Edicts. When these were completed, the Chinese government gave me such' recognition that I was grateful and exerted myself for the good of the country; I used my strength and mind, but nevertheless, at the end I did not obtain the yellow jacket. I received asa favour from the Evaperor the decoration of the Double Dragon of the 2nd class and the premier button, and on this" account I exerted my best powers in the interests of the country tox still greater extent. At the end of last year I returned to China to offer for the construction of railways and to negotiate loans. China, however, was in a great hurry. My object was to lay a rolid foundation fr China but upon reaching Shanghai I heard that some-one ele was going to cmstruct the railways, on lines totally different from my ideas, and I could not, therefore, offer my plans. I gave Li Chung-tang two lotters troating upon the difficulty of borrowing foreign money and recommended a certain party who could manage aloud. I have finished all I have to ssy on these matters but in the matter of finance -g the loan, if the right person is not appointed, it will be like getting a wolf to assist you to bring homeasheop. You may provide everything tempting to induce the sheep to come, but it will not cor Chinese foreigners alike all agree in denouncing a certain individual. He thinks he can secure the assistance of the h officials; he assumes" much responsibility and speaks high-sounding words to the Throne; his language is at entire variance with his acts he is simply deceiving the Emperor, whi the danger of injury is concealed. ' What T have now said I declare to be the trath.
Formerly Russia was full of corruptions and errors. The great Peter visited all countries; on returning he borrowed foreign appliances to strengthen his country. The people he selected to assist him, if they were not from England or the United States they were Germans or French. Ho used their knowledge to strengthen his country. That country has now become large and powerful—there is no country tu be com-ared with it. Chins has reaped advantage rom the Customs and there have been great results, and my plan as to mines, is that they should managed like the foreign Customs. In my pinion China is in the position of one in the act of drowning. I wish to save her and establish the dignity of the country and remedy all its faults. I am returning very shortly to my own country. Idare not add more words. I am waiting to see China turning from the bad to the good. This is my sincere wish and I am afraid of having said so much.
Having been. in China for many years I know that Manchuria and Chili are exceedingly rich and superior in minerals to other parts of the country. Now that China is laboring under great difficulties, something must be done to remedy the state of affairs. Ifyou wish China t" become wealthy rapidly there is nothing superi-t to the opening of mines.. Hence, at my own expense I have brought out to China with m+ a distinguished German mining engineer, to investigate the regions nround Shanhaikuan. He rep rts that to open mines and d-selop them, they mast be in the prox mity of coal mines—the coal is necessary to melt the it-n—and there must also be speedy modes of conveyance so tht much money need not he spent on initial expenses. This is the English method, He examined the ores of various places he saw and he found them not at all inferior to those of Germany. Those which contained coal were found to be very convenient of situation, and if opened according to the 'Western' method the advantages would be great and speedy. Already have I written on these matters to the Yamen Ministers and they must be acquainted with them.
The ides of opening mines is to cause wealth to circulate, If you do nut. well calculate how thes" enterprises should be carried wut the money will be spent in vain; while you wish for tages, you obtain nothing but Formerly, in erecting the ironworks in Hupeh, HE. Chang Chih-tung, did not calculate the expense of smelting the iron when the works were opened. 'To smelt the iron requires coal, but the coat was very distint, the expenses were several ieans (several. tens of thousands of taels) which, with the cost nf apparatus and including' all expenses, was about the same ax buying English iron, Thin undertaking is like "riding the tiger. There is danger both in keeping one's sert on the animal as well as in dismounting." Them seemed to be no methods until there appeared on the scene Shdng Ching'ch'ing, who has under taken to manage the business, and who is becoming a substitute of another "in riding the tiger." Great honours and promotion have been bestowed upon him—he has been made an official of Metropolitan rank and Taich'angt:—Director of the Court of Sicrifical Ceremonies—and Director General of Railways, This is like opening the prison cage to invite people to eeupy it; but neither Chinese foreigners will buy. shares from him both denounce him nnd no one has confidence in his conduct of affairs. He is riding the tiger and looking about in nil directions without the least respect of help; he entertains the idea of feeding the tiger by cutting up the people. Belgium is x small country with wealth, but it has very little trade with China and there is no great friendship between the two countries. How is it that it can suddenly lend China such " large sum of money? The French, really, are the masters in this business, and the Russians help them, and s" Sheng has been able to arrange his lan with Belgium. This matter is now settled, but China's danger is ever present. For instance, the Russian railway as communicate with Manchuria and French railways will connect with Lung-chou. Franco has had her eye upon Hankow for many years. The North and South are very. distant but they are opposite each other. Their object is to obtain the central portion of China, At bot really it is France and Russia who are resent the money and name ate Belgian,
assisting in its completion. These two countries now possess all the advantages of this plan and leave China only one chance. When the time arrives and they see China occupied elsewhere, then will be th opportunity. Among the ten thousand countries of the world there is not one which gives toa single person the supreme power. For example, one man now has the control of your st ship company, the telegraphs, cotton mills, ironworks and such like, with the control also of relations with foreign countries. There is great
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.