MR. W. C. YOUNG'S ENGLISH IN CHINA.
THE substance of this little volume originally appeared in the Co- lonial Gazette, in a series of letters ; which have now been revised, condensed, and produced in their present form, the letters taking the shape of chapters. The first chapter discusses the subject of" Races ;" and infers, from an induction of historicalflicts, that the opposition of the Chinese law to a residence of foreigners within their empire is merely the expression of the popular will, and not, as sonic modern writers have held, an exercise of timorous authority ; while, so far from the Tartar Sovereigns being the authors of the re- strictions upon strangers, they have been compelled to sacrifice their own inclinations to the popular voice. The second chapter, on " Treaties," shows that all attempts at negotiation with the Chinese have failed, because their opinions, habits, and maxims, are totally opposite to those of foreigners, whom they look down upon as an inferior and bestial race, incapable of rising to "celestial" reason, and therefore to be treated differently from their own people; so that they would not keep faith in treaties, even if they could have been persuaded to have made any. The third division, called " The Past," is a compendious historical précis of European commerce with the East from the days of ALEXANDER and the PTOLEMIES downwards; especially dwelling upon the sudden prosperity and rapid downfal of the Portuguese and Dutch. The object of this survey is to show, that as long as foreigners have rendered their settlements merely emporiums for trade, avoiding even entrance into the more powerful states, so long they have been successful and rich: as soon as they aimed at conquests through war, their real downfal began,—an in- ference which British India cannot be held to oppose as yet, since we have not reached the end. Fronithe facts and deductions of these three chapters, the author draws the conclusion, long ago ad- vocated in this journal, and since then supported by the high au- thority of STAUNTON and DAVIS, that the only effectual mode of trading with the Chinese is to withdraw from their territory altoge- ther—to occupy some of the uninhabited or scarcely inhabited islands scattered within easy distance along their extensive coast ; using them only for emporiums or trading-stations, not for co- lonies. By this means we shall not only avoid all disputes, but command a greater trade with the whole empire than from the outport of Canton ; because its various provinces would be more directly supplied, while the fears and jealousies of the Chi- nese would be no longer excited by the presence of strangers. The fourth chapter, " The Future," enforces this. view by argument; points out some of the different islands fitted for the purpose ; and combats any moral ebjections that might be urged against taking possession of them, as they are beyond the actual jurisdiction of China, and " No-man's land." " Facts," " Opinions,' bring into a focus the pith of a good deal of reading, bearing upon the subject, classed under these respective heads ; and the seventh chapter " Peace or War," contains an energetic remonstrance against the war, as criminal and mischievous.
The views and porpose of the writer will be gathered from this analysis of his book. His matter is valuable, collected from a great variety of sources, and frequently curious or striking ; as, for ex- ample, in this extract of solid wisdom pithily expressed, from Sir TuomAs Ron's Letter to the East India Company, in 1618- " Warm and traffique are incompatible. By my consent you shall no maye engage yourselves but at sea ; where you are like to rmine as atoll as to lose. It is the beggaring of the Portugal, notwithstanding his many rich residencies and territories, that he keeps souldiers that spend it. Yet Ids garrisones are meane. He never profited by the Indies since he defended theni. Observe this well.
"It bath been° also the erronr of the Dutch, who seeke plantation here by the sword. They turne a wonderful stocke ; they prowl° in all places; they possesse some of the host; vet their dead payee consume all the gable. Let this be remitted as a rule, ihot, if you will pro/el, seehe it at sea, and in quiet trade."
The arguments of Mr. Yousn, too, are based upon facts, and legitimately deduced from his premises, even when they tend, as they sometimes do, to oppose the opinions of men who have a wide practical acquaintance with the subject ; his errors, if errors they be, arising from too narrow a view—deducing conclusions larger than the pemises. His style is clear, full, and agreeable; and the work may be usefully read, for the mere exposition of the Chinese character, and the fate which has attended all foreign in- tercourse with that singular people, or for its applicability to pass. int/. events. A very good map of China and the adjacent countries ads value to the volume, and illustrates its pages.
One of the best-elucidated points in the book is the failure of all attempts to treat with the Chinese, or to establish what European diplomatic jargon terms "political relations." There is a general notion abroad that the nation would be miserable which should be ruled by philosophers ; yet it would surely be better to be ruled by philosophers than by fools. Had a philosophical mind regulated our intercouse with China, it would have considered the genius and customs of the people in their own character, without regard to the peculiar habits of European life, equally artificial its their own. Finding that genius essentially opposed to diplomatic intercourse in European fashion, it would not have attempted to enforce it; but, if the trade were necessary, and could not be carried on in any other way, (though we have seen that it could,) it would have appointed a mere consular officer, or British bailiff, such as Sir GEORGE ROBINSON had the sagacity to make himself. Doing so, the failure of' Lord NArina, and his unthrtunate death, would have been avoided; and we should have at least escaped the difficulties in which the nation is now involved, the loss being limited to the loss of the opium.
Mr. YOUNG, ill his closing chapter, advocates the claim of the owners to compensation for the opium destroyed under the pledge of Captain ELLIOT. Had the Government immediately disavowed the act and dismissed their agent, the claim, in strict right, might have admitted some question. But the MELBOURNE Ministry, we conceive, have made the nation responsible for the amount by their subsequent conduct. They are accessories alter the fact. Although —assuming the claim to be resisted by Ministers—Captain Emor had so greatly exceeded his powers, and so grossly misconducted himself, they still continue their confidence and his command. Nay, after it was evident that Ile would very probably involve the nation in war, there was no withdrawal of confidence : he was still upheld in his place of mischief. And surely, a man who has authority to do acts involving war or peace, has authority to make
a pecuniary engagement. It would, moreover, be well to have the subject of claim cleared up ; and we trust the opportunity will not
be lost on Sir JAmns GRAHAM'S motion, to put the Ministry to question. What are we going to war fim? Let this point be dis- tinctly understood, nod not juggle the country into hostilities on some unintelligible compound of injuries. If we are going to war to recover compensation for the opiutn, or it' that forms any part of our manifesto, then the right of the opium-merchants seems un- questionable. All, in fact, hinges upon this origin of the dispute; and we trust some Member of Parliament will be found to probe matters and begin at the starting-point.
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