Japan and the Pacific, and a Japanese view of the Eastern question

Preface

I feel that some explanation is due when a Japanese ventures to address himself to English readers ; my plea is that the matters on which I write are of vital importance to England as well as to Japan. Though I feel that my knowledge of English is so imperfect that many errors of idiom and style and even of grammar must appear in my pages, yet I hope that the courtesy which I have ever experienced in this country will be extended also to my book.

My aim has been twofold : on the one hand, to arouse my own countrymen to a sense of the great part Japan has to play in the coming century ; on the other, to call the io PREFACE.

attention of Englishmen to the important position my country occupies with regard to British interests in the far East.

The first part deals with Japan and the Pacific Question : but so closely is the latter bound up with the so-called Eastern Question that in the second part I have traced the history of the latter from its genesis to its present development. Commencing with a historical retrospect of Russian and English policy in Eastern Europe, I have marked the appearance of a rivalry between these two Powers which has extended from Eastern Europe to Central Asia, and is extending thence to Eastern Asia and the Pacific. This I have done because any movement in Eastern Europe or Central Asia will henceforth infallibly spread northwards to the Baltic and eastwards to the Pacific. An acquaintance with the Eastern Question in all its phases will thus be necessary for the statesmen of Japan in the immediate future. I have confined my view to England and Russia because their interests in Asia and the North Pacific are so direct and so important that

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they must enter into close relations with my own country in the next century.

I cannot claim an extensive knowledge of the problems I have sought to investigate, but it is my intention to continue that investigation in the several countries under consideration. By personal inquiries and observations in Eastern Europe, the United States, Canada, Australia, China, and the Malay Archipelago, I hope to correct some and confirm others of my conclusions.

I have to thank many members of the University of Cambridge for their help during the writing and publication of my book. To Professor Seeley especially, whose hints and suggestions with regard to the history of the eighteenth century in particular have been so valuable to me, I desire to tender my most hearty and grateful thanks. To Dr. Donald Macalister (Fellow and Lecturer of St. John's College) and Mr. Oscar Browning, M.A. (Fellow and Lecturer of King's College) I owe much for kindly encouragement and advice and assistance in many ways, while I am indebted to Mr. G.

12 PREFACE.

E. Green, M.A. (St. John's College), for his labour in revising proofs and the ready help he has given me through the many years in which he has acted as my private tutor.

The chief works which I have used are Professor Seeley's " Expansion of England," Hon. Evelyn Ashley's " Life of Lord Palmerston," and Professor Holland's " European Concert in the Eastern Question." The latter I have consulted specially for the history of treaties.

M. INAGAKI.

Caius College, Cambridge, April, 1890.

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Part I. Japan And The Pacific . 21

England and Asia — The Persian war — The Chinese war — Russian diplomacy in China — Singapore and Hong Kong — Labuan and Port Hamilton — Position of Japan ; its resources — Importance of Chinese alliance to England — Strength of English position in the Pacific at present — Possible danger from Russia through Mongolia and Manchooria — Japan the key of the Pacific ; her area and people ; her rapid development ; her favourable position ; effect of Panama Canal on her commerce — England's route to the East by the Canadian Pacific Railway — Japanese manufactures — Rivalry of Germany and England in the South Pacific — Imperial Federation for England and her colonies — Importance of island of Formosa — Comparative progress of Russia and England — The coming struggle.

Part II

Foreign Policy of England during the Sixteenth, Seventeenth, and Eighteenth Centuries 73

The Spanish Empire, its power, and its decline — Commercial rivalry of England and Holland — The ascendency

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of France; threatened by the Grand Alliance— The Spanish succession and the Bourbon league— England's connection with the war of the Austrian succession — The Seven Years' War— Revival of the Anglo-Bourbon struggle in the American and Napoleonic wars.

Foreign Policy of Russia during the Reigns

of Peter, Catherine, and Alexander . 95

Peter the Great, and establishment of Russian power on the Baltic — Consequent collision with the Northern States and the Maritime Powers— Catherine II. and Poland- First partition — Russia reaches the Black Sea — Russo- Austrian alliance against Turkey opposed by Pitt — Second and third partitions of Poland — Rise of Prussia — Alexander I. and the conquest of Turkey — Treaty of Tilsit — Peace of Bucharest — Congress of Vienna — French influence in the East destroyed.

III. The New European System . . . .116

The concert of the Great Powers ; its aims — It does not protect small states from its own members, e.g., Polish Revolution — How far can it solve the Turkish question ?

IV. Greek Independence. . . . . .122

The Holy Alliance — The Greek insurrection — Interference of the Three Powers — Battle of Navarino — Treaty of Adrianople — The policy of Nicholas I. ; Treaty of Unkiar Ikelessi — Turkey only saved by English and French aid — Palmerston succeeds to Canning's policy.

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The Crimean War 133

Nicholas I. alienates France from England by the Egyptian question — Mehemet Ali and Palmerston's convention against him — Nicholas I. in England — The Protectorate of the Holy Land ; breach between Russia and France — Proposed partition of Turkey — War of Russia and Turkey — The Vienna Note — Intervention of France and England to save Turkey — Treaty of Paris ; Russia foiled — Correspondence between Palmerston and Aberdeen as to the declaration of war — National feeling of England secures the former's triumph — French motives in joining in the war.

VI. The Black Sea Conference . . . .166

French influence destroyed by the Franco-Prussian War — Russia annuls the Black Sea clauses of the Treaty of Paris — Condition of Europe prevents their enforcement by the Powers — London Conference ; Russia secures the Black Sea ; England's mistake — Alsace and Lorraine destroy the balance of power.

VII. The Russo-Turkish War of 1878 . . .174

Bulgarian atrocities — The Andrassy Note ; England destroys its effect — The Berlin Memorandum ; England opposes it — Russia prepares for a Turkish war — Conference of Constantinople — New Turkish Constitution — Russo- Turkish War — Treaty of San Stefano — Intervention of the Powers —The Berlin Congress — Final treaty of peace.

VIII. Remarks on Treaty of Berlin . . .197

The position of affairs — The Salisbury-Schouvaloff Memorandum and its disastrous effect on the negotiations at

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Berlin — Russia's gain — England and Austria the guardians of Turkey — Austria's vigorous and straightforward Balkan policy — Thwarted in Servia but triumphant in Bulgaria — Relations of Greece to Austria — Solution of the Crete question — Neutrality of Belgium threatened — Importance of Constantinople to Russia ; the Anglo-Turkish Convention — England's feeble policy in Asia Minor — The question of Egypt — A new route to India by railway from the Mediterranean to Persian Gulf — England's relation to Constantinople.