Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/131

 1899.] Lord C. Beresford on China. [123

to the minds even of his colleagues, whilst the responsibilities it would create for this country rendered it altogether unpala- table to the Liberals. He was strongly in favour of the policy of the " open door," thinking that it would be beyond our powers to ear-mark the valley of the Yang-tsze as our special sphere ; and he urged that we should endeavour to set China upon her legs again by undertaking the reorganisation of her Army, her finances, and her civil administration — in other words by treating China as a second Egypt. He advocated a system under which the Chinese Army would be officered by Europeans, and he commented severely on the proposal that Bussia should be allowed to make a railway to Pekin, observing that this plan, if carried out, would enable that Power to exercise a paramount influence over the Chinese Government. The future of China, he thought, depended on an alliance between the United States, Germany, England and Japan. The Government, however, was as little disposed to accept such a task as it was to be enticed into a net- work of foreign alliances ; and Mr. Brodrick (OuUdfordj Surrey), replying for the Foreign Office, roundly asserted that the policy of the "open door' 1 had not failed. The provisions of the Treaty of Tien-tsin were observed, and trade could still go where it went before. Moreover, China had been held to her undertaking not to alienate any of the provinces in the Yang-tsze basin, and arrangement had been made under which British gunboats would patrol the river for the protection of our trade. Arrangements were likewise being made for the opening of additional ports and inland waters. Again, England was determined to hold the Yam6n to their agreement to allow the extension of the Burma Bailway into Yunnan. In their dealings with other Powers ministers wished to come to fair and just settlements, and to lay aside the policy of distrust. As to the proposed Bussian railway to Pekin, they inclined as a general principle to welcome any railways, by whomsoever laid down, which tended to open up the country to commercial enterprise. But the case of Pekin was peculiar, and it would be difficult to acquiesce in the establishment at the capital of a single great Power as a voice behind the Throne, for that would inevitably lead to the break-up of China. He added that within the last few days the demand of this country in con- nection with the Waima incident had been pressed on the French Government, and the strongest hope was entertained that the matter would be carried to arbitration and settled.

Sir Edward Grey (Berwick-on-Tweed, Northumberland) found but little to criticise adversely in the proceedings of the Foreign Office, and he welcomed the Anglo-Bussian agreement, if it should be carried into effect, because if there should be trouble in future it would be deliberately caused by one of the two contracting parties. Except for a question sudsing out of the claims of France to certain ground at Shanghai (June 30) the affairs of China were not again brought under discussion.