CHAPTER I BRITISH POLICY TOWARDS CHINA AND JORDAN'S CAREER BEFORE 1906 FROM the Opium War until the early twentieth century Britain's policy in China aimed at maximum economic benefit with minimum political involvement.However,on many occasions either her economic activities were endangered,or Britain was unwilling to undertake greater political involvement in order to protect her interests.There were times when troubles were caused by China,but they often resulted from inter- national rivalry to control and influence her. Whatever the situation,Britain always took the same cautious con- sideration.Thus,after much indecision,Britain actively intervened on the side of the Manchus towards the end of the Tai-p'ing Rebellion, 1850-1864,at the same time trying to minimize the scale of intervention. This intervention is attributed by J.S.Gregory to 'a simple issue of commercial advantage'.By 1862 it had become obvious that only direct foreign involvement could ensure 'a Manchu victory'which was impor- tant to Britain in defence of the treaty rights she had exacted from the Manchu government since 1842 and of the trading interests which had developed and,it was believed,would develop under their sanction'.1 For the rest of the nineteenth century Britain's aim in China was thwarted many times by the so-called 'missionary problem'.Anti- Christian and anti-missionary violence incited by Chinese xenophobia threatened the British economic position on both immediate and long- term levels.Such disturbances disrupted trade.The Boxer Uprising would have done so on a large scale had it not been for the protective policy towards foreigners,adopted by high Chinese officials in the central and southern provinces where British interests were most deeply entrenched.There was,however,a more far-reaching repercussion of the missionary question.In pressing for compensation after anti- missionary incidents generally instigated by anti-dynastic elements, Britain was undermining the prestige of the Manchus who had in the first place conceded her privileged claims in China. The British government's reaction to this dilemma was ambivalent: while it refused the Manchu request to curb missionary activities for fear of infuential opposition from the churches;on the other hand it did