Secret Societies.
13.—The influence of secret societies is also prejudicial to reform. They exist in every province, but their objects are often merely local and devoid of revolutionary aims. Their existence has, however, been put forward upon more than one occasion in extenuation of popular excesses.
Some, moreover, like the "Kolao Hui," or Association of Elder Brethren, mainly formed of disbanded soldiers eager for employment, have spread widely, and could bring about serious trouble. Others, like the "Broken Coffin Society," so well repressed by the British among the vast Chinese population of the Straits Settlements, have predatory aims.
It is not, however, thought that the overthrow of the system of government, or of a dynasty, which has exterminated its rival, is held in serious contemplation, except by extremists, who may, however, get the upper hand. Very summary proceedings and execution tend to damp the enthusiasm of active agitation. Moreover, the difficulty the Southern Provinces, speaking Cantonese, or the Centre and Western Districts, speaking other dialects, have in making themselves understood by Northerners, speaking Mandarin, or the official language,[5] coupled with the practical absence of a press (besides the Official Gazette), restrains revolutionary propaganda by means more effectual than police edicts.
Intercourse with Foreign Nations.
14.—At the same time the intercourse of China with the outer world has undergone frequent change, and especially during the present generation. The leading incentor to French activity in the Far East, says—"Yesterday Chinese trade did not exist for Europe, but to-day it puts thousands of arms in motion in England, and amounts to millions."
This is literally true. The Dutch and the Portuguese were before us. Even as early as A.D. 971, a superintendent was appointed at Ningpo to overlook foreign trade, and before that, there was such a functionary stationed at Canton. Until the latter part of the last century the British flag had hardly appeared. But now we have outstripped the competition of the whole of the world.
Fifty years ago England sent to China barely half a million worth of goods. The first war Her Majesty was obliged to wage in the interests of British trade, brought about the opening of new ports, and in 1844 the English exports to the China Sea exceeded £2,300,000. Then were forced upon us the operations of 1857-58, and the war of 1860, resulting in the Treaty of Peking. Within the next decade British commerce rose to £9,000,000 a year. Now it is half as much again. Apart, then, from the indemnity, and the anterior cession of Hong Kong, become one of the greatest, as well as most beautiful, ports in the world, the cost of the operations has been defrayed many times over in increased wages to British artisans.
Benefit to China.
15.—Nor has the advantage been one-sided. The gain to China has been even greater. The value of the Chinese foreign trade for 1890 is given by Sir Robert Hart, the Inspector-General of the imperial Maritime Customs (an Englishman whose eminent services to China receive universal recognition), at 214 million Haikwan taels (the average value of which, for last year, was 5s. 2-1/4d.), say, in round numbers, £53,000,000, or double the total of a few years age, while in the last decennial period the imports have increased by 48 million taels, and the exports by 9 millions.