Page:The Truth about China and Japan - Weale - 1919.djvu/97

 tain local primacy, is pushing deeper and deeper into Continentalism and aspiring more and more openly to the political, commercial, industrial, and military hegemony of all Eastern Asia. The question which at once arises is—can these two facts be reconciled; that is, is it possible for the rebirth of China to be consummated in the face of the imperialistic ambitions of her neighbour? The answer is both yes and no: yes, if the dominant factor in the situation, the maritime Powers, adopt the right policy; no, if instead of enforcing an honest and well-balanced judgment on an admittedly complex and exasperating situation, they follow Pontius Pilate and wash their hands of the whole business.

We have said the maritime Powers—why the maritime Powers?

All the world knows that the British Treaty of Nanking of 1842 and the Perry expedition of 1853 broke up the ancient seclusion of China and Japan and introduced these two countries anew to one another, besides introducing them to Western civilization. But all the world does not know that, dating from this period of seventy years ago, the action of the whole group of maritime Powers, including even the smallest Western nations such as Portugal and