A long speech by Sir Edward Clarke is reported in
Tuesday's papers, but a more interesting one was made to the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, January 5th. In this speech Sir Edward Clarke combated a notion which we have repeatedly denounced in these pages, —the notion that when uncivilised parts of the world pass into the hands of European Powers they cease to be profitable trading grounds for British merchants. We are told that we must fight to keep parts of China from passing under the pro- tection of foreign Powers, because we can do much better trade in Chinese provinces controlled by natives than we can in provinces in the hands of Russia, Germany, or France. Now, as Sir Edward Clarke points out, during the last fifteen years China has been in the condition which we are told to regard as ideal. The door has been open and in the keeping of the natives. Yet in those fifteen years the trade has not only not risen, but has sunk by millions a year. In truth, there is always less of an open door for trade in a country held by an uncivilised State than in one held by a European Power. The beet thing, thinking merely of oversea trade, is to annex an uncivilised country ourselves. The next best thing is annexation by some other civilised Power. The worst is the uncivilised status quo. Hence our disbelief in the dog-in-the-manger policy, and our willingness to let other Powers take what we have not taken and do not wish to take ourselves. British trade follows civilisation, not any one flag.
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