Among the Celestials : vol.1 / Page 100 (Color Image)

0100	Among the Celestials : vol.1

74 AMONG THE CELESTIALS. [CHAP. IV.

any case the country will advance. Even at

the time of our visit, a dozen years ago,

the pressure of the Russians had caused the

Chinese to construct telegraph lines throughout

the country. The establishment of an arsenal

at Kirin, for purely military purposes, forced

them to search for coal and so open mines.

And similar military pressure from the Japanese,

as well as the Russians, is now inducing them

to extend the railways from north to south.

So that military pressure alone has resulted

in the adoption of those measures which, of all

others, most conduce to industrial development.

And there is other than merely military

pressure bearing on Manchuria. Japan, India,

America, and all the states of Europe, are by

the advance of steam navigation brought along-

side, and London is to-day for practical com-

mercial purposes scarcely more distant from

the capital of Manchuria than is Peking. Last

century not one of these countries wished to

trade with Manchuria. To-day all are clamour-

ing for access to what may not inappropriately

be called a Land of Promise. All are striving

to obtain the means by which they may intro-

duce their own manufactures to sell to the

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