XII

THE AGGRESSIONS OF EUROPEAN POWERS

THE political force was set in motion partly by the
ambitions of European powers to extend their
influence in Asia, and partly by the necessity for protecting
the commercial interests referred to in the preceding
chapters. The conservatism and exclusiveness of the Chinese,
the disturbance of economic conditions caused by the introduction
of foreign goods, and the greed and brutality of foreign
traders combined to arouse a fierce opposition to the lodgment
of the foreigner. The early trading ships were usually armed,
and exasperated by the haughtiness and duplicity of the Chinese
officials and their greedy disposition to mulct the white
trader, they did not hesitate to use force in effecting their purpose.

But the nations of Europe, becoming more and more convinced
of the magnitude of the Chinese market, pressed resolutely
on; and with the hope of creating a better understanding
and of opening the ports to trade, they sent envoys to
China. The arrival of these envoys precipitated a new controversy,
for the Chinese Government from time immemorial
considered itself the supreme government of the world, and,
not being accustomed to receive the agents of other nations except
as inferiors, was not disposed to accord the white man
any different treatment. The result was a series of collisions
followed by territorial aggressions that were numerous enough