(Faom "Tue Tiaras!" own Peking, 20th April.
After an absence of nine months I returned to Peking, my return being hastened by th representation of ti published in American and European papers, Alter landing at Hongkong on 15th of March I visited Canton, where terview with the Viceroy Teén Chun- the treaty porta on the West River, and then wont to Swatow, Amoy, Foochow and Shanghai before resuming my post here. An opportunity has been given mo to meet large numbers of people, Chinese and foreign, closely in touch with ituation, and the net result of my inquiry T can discover no reason for the rated fears with which the world regarding China for some time In this ya-t Empire with ita crude methods of; clice, its deplorable ad ministration of justice, ite national ignorance, and the credulity of ite people, lod disturbances may occur at any time, but there is no reason for Spprehension that the position of for-igners in China is more insoonre than at any time during the past 50 years. In each of the four disturbances occurring in the past your, at Lienchou, Changpu, Shangand Nanchang the causes wore purely local. In the first case enmity had existed for years, and the district is notoriously unfriendly and infested with smugglore and bandits. In Cha: autho cause was an indi on the part of two Spanish lives were lost, and the offi military and civil, acted well, and have 'i thanked by the British full reparation has already been made. In the Nanchang case, the Governor of the province was dismissed from office and the Provin Judge was suspended immediately on the receipt by the Throne of the report of Liang Tun-yon, she Customs Taotai tein, who was sent to investigate the circumstances of the outbreak.
The general condition of she country is not unsatisfactory. Kiangsi province, which formerly was the seat of perennial rebellion, is more peaceful and pro-rous than it has been for many in factory, the Customs sar Was by far the largest record, whether it be estimated in i silver or gold; and the postal si is uninterruptedly throughout: the entire Empire. European papers condemn the ery of "Chin Chinese," but surely, betok does the awakening of s consciousness of nationality, the movement is one requiring idly guidance and encouragement and not tnmessured condemnation. One neod only recall the severity with which the foreign Powers devastated this province in 1900. to bring one's judgment to a more correct balance, and one weed only now paying, especially the outrageous claims for railway damage, to consider it not unreasonable that China should desire to repurchase her own railways.
Artirupe oF THE GovenNMEyr.
There is no point of comparison be tween the present situation in China and that preceding the Boxer outbreak, for the Chinese Government cannot conceivably now have any sympathy with unti-foreign movement. China has everything to gain by keeping at peace with foreigners, and The slightest disturb an profound embarrassment and alarm. A whole army of missionaries and travel-on the which for the smallest symptom premonitory of danger. Before the loxer trouble the tendency evidence and to all over the Em. send favourable reports. Colonel Win-gute, the able director of our excellent intelligence department, has just concluded an extensive journey of some months' duration in Honan and Hupeh and has everywhere boon well treated, So too our military attache, who is now the southern provinces. also are the reports from the postal couriers who conduct now a wonderfully accelerated throughout even the most provinces, While the attitude of the Govern. ent shows no sympathy with any uti-foreign movement, it would be idle to deny that some features of the present situation are most unsatis factory. Foremost is the unbridled nature of the new-born native Pross, largely by students with a sin toring gui
of education from Japan, assisted by irresponsible Japanese. Several of the worst inflammatory papers are registored under Japanese protection. There an urgent necessity that Engl should concert with Japan to assist China to draft and enforce Press laws. Not all the papers, howe Some are good and have had a ben ficial effect contributing to growth of a ressonablo but the general tone is and even the best are remarkably inaccurate. The publication in the papers of the anti-slavery South election charges has had a nes, can only make Englishmen living in' Chins wond why retaliation is so infrequent. of inflammatory meetings in the central and southern i Control is Another is the failure of the ment to punish local notables promoting such of Catholic missionary in native lawsuits, 1 Inter to breaches of the peace and attacks upon the innocent. Surely the psychological moment has come when the Vatican should place itself in direct relations with the Chiness Government, should forbid indiscriminate inter-Iawauits, and should exercise dis ary control over its mission present position unsatisfactory and anomalous and doos injury to Franco and other Catholic Powers and to the good name of the Church, while it leads to constant trouble, much of which could be avoided by the appointment of x Legate or Nuncio to Peking.
Some of these unsatisfactory conditions are counterpoised by the abroad of Western knowledge, accompanying which is an extraordinary desire throughout the Empire for a knowledge of English. Bince the abolition of the old methods of examination the demand for Western literature has increased enormously. Litorature, modern, h thy, and instructive, is being brought into China by the ton. There mouse activity in the publ in Shanghai and Japan, and are in operation. often misdirected, and are attendant upon it, general tendeucy—a st ations interested in modern progress should regard with some measure of sympathy and encouragement.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.