THE REFORM MOVEMENT. 379 



would entail a very large expenditure, and would neces- 

 sitate the presence of a number of troops, variously 

 estimated at from 3000 to 10,000 men. I do not pre- 

 tend to decide between the experts who are in favour of 

 or opposed to the fortifying of the port ; but even the 

 disciples of the latter policy appear to admit that a few 

 guns might be of advantage, as witness the words of 

 "Navalis" in 'The Times': "No one doubts certain 

 ports require a few efficient guns, but anything more 

 than this is a culpable waste of the national resources." 

 But where are the guns at Wei-hai-wei ? As I have 

 already pointed out, Wei-hai-wei presents to the aston- 

 ished gaze the sublimely ridiculous spectacle of five new 

 and scientifically built forts, which cannot boast of so 

 much as a pop-gun between them ! ^ And while we are 

 spending a modest annual sum of perhaps £20,000 a- 

 year on military and civil administration combined,^ 

 Germany, just round the corner at Kiao Chau, is con- 

 structing a harbour at a cost of £1,000,000, and is 

 willingly spending on her acquisition at the rate of 

 £600,000 a-year! 



The movement of reform was as astonishing as it was 

 transient. On January 17, 1898, was issued an imperial 

 edict which placed it on record, among much else, that 

 " the question of the present clay is that we begin in 

 reforming ourselves, and diligently reorganise our de- 

 fences." Once started, edict followed edict with be- 

 wildering rapidity, all overflowing with the expression 



^ Vice- Admiral C. C. Penrose Fitz-Gerald writes : " Had Wei-hai-wei 

 been given the modest fortifications which were decided upon three years 

 ago, not even Eehoboam in a gunboat would have had the temerity to 

 attack it, and, even if he had, it would probably have held out until the 

 squadron returned to relieve it." — 'Times,' March 31, 1904. 



2 A colonial grant of £9000 a-year is allowed for civil administration on 

 the mainland, while the cost of the 500 men to which the original Anglo- 

 Chinese regiment has been reduced probably amounts to £10,000 or 

 £12,000. The island is given over to the Admiralty. 



