OCR Text |
Show FRANCE France has followed in the wake of other nations, taking a secondary part in China until the seizure of the "Spheres of Influence" in 1898 by the four great powers. Sometimes she has been in close alliance with Russia; more often playing second to England in her dealings and aggressions. GERMANY Germany entered the Asiatic situation much later than the other powers. She did not take a prominent part until the Boxer uprising in 1897, when two German priests were killed, and, later, the German ambassador also. Then Germany seized Kiauchau, and in the settlements of 1900 demanded of China concessions, indemnities and punishments far in excess of all that was reasonable. Germany's attitude and spirit in relation to China is characterized in the alleged instructions of the Kaiser,- to lay upon China penalties so heavy that China would fear the German name for a hundred years. JAPAN In 1637 Japan shut her doors and sealed them against the outer world. An imperial edict proclaimed that, if the Christian's God himself should venture to enter Japan, he would lose his head. The doors of Japan remained shut for 216 years: until Commodore Perry opened them with friendship in 1853. The marvelous progress of Japan since 1853 is marked by a few notable dates. The Mikado was restored to the throne in 1867. Feudalism was abolished in 1871. A national constitution was promulgated in 1889, and the First Imperial Diet held in 1890. Japan overpowed China in the war of 1894-5. She joined the European powers in the relief of the besieged legations in Peking in 1900. Broke the power of Russia in the Orient in the war of 1904-5, and sat at the Versailles Peace Conference in 1918, as one of the five powers of the fifst order. Early in the late war Japan endeavored to get a strangle hold on China in the famous twenty-one articles. She is now encroaching upon the Shantung province, and is otherwise fixing her grasp upon things Chinese. There is a rational explanation of Japan's resolute measures on the main-land of Asia. Her total area is 146,640 square miles. California has 158,360 square miles. |