29th Octuber.
"Tus is the heading of an article in which the "Spectator" discussed on the 13th ultimo the Treaty of Shanghai. Is began by saying: "We heartily agree in the: praises which have been poured upon Sir James Mackay for his arrangement of the Treaty with China which Was signed on Friday week. He has beaten all the regular diplomatists hitherto employed in that Empire, and has obtained for Burope that full liberty of trade which we have sought—not always by the most scrupulous means—for more than a hundred years. All transit duties are abolished, and all impediments to free traffic on the interior waters of China, steamers, which are the European means of conveyance, being expressly placed on an equality with junks, which are the countries that the "Spectator" men-Chinese. "Ifthe Treaty is accepted, tions as being already in commission jas we think it will be, by the Great are Tarkey, where Europe compels Powers, and if it is observed, Europe the Sultan to observe certain rules, will have at least as much freedom to pay certain debts, and to carry out, to trade in China as in Russia, and a certain far-reaching reforms: Egypt, market of enormous possible import-which is guided by England acting ance will be thrown open to the under th delegated to herby manufacturers of the world... There chis coming under is some local resentment among rection of England and traders at the increased payments, "Siam, where burning ques-the local feeling always being that tions are continually turning up, and China is toconcede all and receive where England and France, if they nothing; but trade adjusts itself to are to remain at peace, must, whether almost any duties if they are only they like itor not, come to some certain and honestly levied, its real agreement as to the degree to which obstacle being an uncertainty which Siam is to be controlled."
There are compels traders to insure themselves the Balkan States, which are under by enormous prices. To have con-the watchful eyes of Austria, Italy, vinced conservative Chinese Manda-and Russia; and the ill-organised rips and a Government like that of states of Central and South America, Peking that such a treaty is en-which, if they are to claim the pro-durable, and to have arranged its tection of the Monroe doctrine, have enormous mass of details, is a great also to submit to the benevolent service." id direction of the United States. In This, among many others in the fact, Europe and the United States London Press, is the opinion of one have had thrown upon them the white of the most thoughtful and moderate man's burden of supervising che rest of our weekly coutemporari of f the world, excluding Jupan, whose cannot be stid to show very com-marvellous success in asserting and plete knowledge of the subject: there maintaining her independence and 1s no recognition of the continuous quality with the best will forma and invaluable work done by Mr. brilliant theme for the future his-Dudgeon; there is a not unnatural torian. misapprehension of the real intention The drain that this burden is on of Article III of the Treaty; and the the resources of the highly civilised "Spectator" evidently does not share Powers is already being felt, and will at all in the feeling, which led fort; be pressingly felt whenever Europe five members of the China Associa-enters a cycle of lean years. Then tion to vote against approval of the the working classes in Europe will treaty on Monday last, that it is all] grow restive under it, and to that in favour of the Chinese, and that/danger will be added, says the British trade will get no benefit from "Spectator," the danger that the it. The main object of the "Spectator's" article, however is to show that the West is paying a dangerous price for the advantages it is securing by the Treaty. It is putting China in commission. Europe has made the treaty, says the "Sp-otater," "and Europe will have to secure its observance. The Chinese, like the people of India, though tricky while making bargains, are fairly honest in keeping them; but it will not be in n arm nature, if a mighty trade grows up in their country—and that is the idea and desire of the European 'Treaty-makers—to abstain from trying to skim some little cream off that rich milk. 'They will levy their share' we may be sure, either from the prosperous producers or the enriched importers, and in levying it they will occasionally find that they are stopping trade. Then Europe will interfere, with Great Britain probably as spokesman; China will deny all charges: and the end, whether after war or without war, will be a European control of internal revenue affairs as strict as that now exercised over Customs. China will, in fact, be added to the long list of States held in commission,—that is controlled as to internal as well as external affairs by European Governments." The control of the white men may irritate the controlled populations bred under other civilisations beyond endurance. Tt concludes by saying:—"'That danger exists everywhere in spite of the terrible strength of Europe; and in China it is grave, for China is a sea which can be readily cloven, but cannot be compressed, and China, in the slow and cumbrous way of an Empire to which time matters nothing, is accumulating armed force. The process of dictation must go on, for the European nations are deeply committed to it, and are, moreover, convinced that it is beneficial to them and to the supervised peoples; but we wish we could see more recognition, especially in our own land, that the work to be done is heavy, that the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.