134
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
THE NEW FRANCO-CHINESE TREATY. | gracious on China's part, no doubt, but she is not likely now to be asked to undertake the responsibilities attaching to sovereignty over the proposed State. Since 1893 a good many things have happened. In the conflict with Japan China has proved her helplessness for offence or defence, by the permission of vile outrages she has shown her anti- foreign spirit, and by the cession of Keng Hung territory to France she has added one more to the many proofs of her disregard for treaty obligations. If there is to be a buffer state between French and British territory on the Mekong it certainly should not be placed under Chinese sovereignty, But the whole idea of a buffer state appears to be a mistake. Let England clearly detine her own sphere of influence and then see to it that no other power trespasses within that sphere.
TRADE IN KOREA IN 1894.
Reuter informs us that the Franco-Chinese Treaty only agrees to certain rectifications of the frontiers at Chieng-Hung and not to the cession of the whole of that state east of the Mekong. The portion, however, con- ceded is so considerable that it is expected the Anglo-Chinese Convention of 1894 will be annulled. By that Convention Her Britannic Majesty, in consideration of the abandonment of the claims advanced by China to the territory lying outside and on the frontier of the Prefecture of Yung Chang and Sub-Prefecture of "Teng Yueh, agreed to renounce in favour of His Majesty the Emperor of China, and of his heirs and successors for ever, all the suzerain rights in and over the states of Munglem and Kiang Hung (Chieng Hung or Keng Particular interest attaches to the Con- Hung, as it is variously spelt) formerly sular report on the trade of Korea for last possessed by the Kings of Ava
con-year, when the country was the scene of currently with the Emperors of China; rebellion and war. The reports hitherto with the proviso that His Majesty the Emperor of China should not, without previously coming to an agreement with Her Britannic Majesty, cede either Munglem or Kiang Hung or any portion thereof to any other nation. The states of Keng Tung, Keng Cheng, and Keng Hung straddle the Mekong, the former being the most southerly, and Keng Hung the most northerly, border- ing on Yunnan. Over these states Burmah possessed suzerain rights, and while Keng Hung
abandoned was
to China, the Indian Government has recently practically asserted its rights over the other states by sending a force to garrison Sing, a town in the extreme east of Keng Cheng. The diplomacy of France has been directed to confining British rights to the right bank of the Mekong, but Great Britain has not conceded this point, her claims on the left bank, as regards the territory of the states above named, being clear and indefeasible.
as
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44
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| August 21, 1895, in packing, and the diminished cost of freight.
As
to the influence of low
some.
exchange, there may possibly be difference of opinion, but as to the advan- tages of cheap labour, cheap packing, and cheap freights there can be no dispute. English manufacturers have to face the fact that the Far East is becoming a great manufacturing district and that there is nothing in view likely to check its progress in this direction.
What British manu-
facturers have to do, if they still wish to exploit the market, is to adapt themselves to the altered circumstances, introducing new goods in the place of those which are now made on the spot and no longer require to be imported.
THE MILITARY CONTRIBUTION.
a
As was to be expected, both the Govern- ment and the unofficial members of the Legislative Council recognise that under the new system of levying the military contribu tion there are certain items of the revenue that it would be unjust to include in the general revenue and charge with the por pablished by the Chinese Imperial Maritimne centage of 17. In the Straits Settlements Customs of the trade at the Korean ports have the municipal revenues amount to rather more now, of course, ceased to appear, and the than one-fifth of the municipal and general greater value therefore attaches to the ex- revenues combined. It is proposed to place cellently written report of Mr. W. C. Hongkong in the same position as the HILLIER, the Consul. Instead of being pre- Straits, and as we have here no division of judicially affected by the rebellion and war, the municipal and general revenue, the the trade of Korea in 1894 exceeded that of whole being merged in one, at least a fifth of any previous year since the country was the revenue should be considered as munici opened to foreign commerce. Mr. HILLIER pal and be exempted from payment of the thinks the effects of military occupation may military contribution. This is a simple possibly show themselves later, and that matter of account and does not admit of any the commerce of the present year may feel dispute on equitable grounds. The point the reaction of last year's experiences, "dur- has evidently not presented itself to the. "ing, which so much has happened that minds of the inter-departmental committee
ought to paralyse trade."
"But,"
the which recently considered the whole question Consul adds, "this is country of sur- of the military contributions of the Crown “prises, and it contains so many latent Colonies, and no doubt when it is brought "resources which require only encourage to the attention of the Colonial Office it will "ment and fair play to develop them, that be considered somewhat unwelcome, as sanguine predictions as to the future aro the subject was thought to have been always justifiable." It appears, too, that finally decided and done with, but justice is the Japanese occupation has introduced so plainly on the side of the colony that the a large amount of money into the country, point must be conceded. The home Govern- which is calculated to stimulate trade, and ment, wishing to treat all the colonies alike, with the establishment of law and order the could not claim to levy 17 per cent. on probability seems rather in favour of a con- the whole revenue of Hongkong while tinued improvement in trade than a falling levying that percentage in other colonies only off.
on the general as distinct from the municipal revenue, as in that case Hongkong would be paying about one-fifth more than any other colony in proportion to its resources. stead of being $353,000 for the present year, the contribution ought to be only $282,000. It would be unjust to make the colony pay an extra $70,000 merely because it happens not to enjoy the advantages of municipal institu- tions. As the case is stated by Lord RIPON, instead of any relief being afforded to the colony the mulet would be actually increased. At present the amount payable is £40,000. Instead of that fixed sum in sterling the late Secretary of State proposes we should pay 17 per cent. of the total revenue, or, say, $353,000, with an addition of $25,000 for barrack accommodation, making a total of $378,000. At the rate of 2s. 2d. to the dollar, which is only a fraction over the pre- sent rate, that sum in dollars would amount to £41,000. On the whole, however, a per- centage of the revenue seems the fairest way of levying the contribution, even if the ex- change should run in favour of the home Government, as it now seeme likely to do; but it is essential that so much of the re- venue as can be described as purely muni- cipal should be exempted from the levy. The additional and entirely new charge for barrack accommodation also requires careful examination. The 17 per cent., we think, should be accepted as payment in full.
If China has ceded any part of Keng Hung to France she has committed an in- fraction of her treaty with Great Britain, for which Lord SALISBURY will no doubt call her to account. It will be impossible for Great Britain to admit that France has acquired any rights by such infraction and the best thing that could be done would be to occupy
In this increase of trade, however, Eng- the territory alleged to have been wrongfully land, it is to be feared, will possess but a ceded. It was intended that the so-called small share. The most noticeable feature buffer state should be carved out of the states in the import trade last year was the large of Keng Hung, Keng Cheng, Keng Tung, and increase of goods of Japanese manufacture. Nan, which latter lies further to the castward, The Manchester goods, Mr. HILLIER says, but since France has already begun to trench are undeniably better than the Japanese upon what was to have beeu constituted copies, but the difference in price is so great neutral ground Great Britain cannot give up that the latter bid fair in time to run Man- any of her claims. The buffer state was to chester goods very hard. Not only do they have been placed under the control of China, bid fair to do so, but they are already doing .but
the latter has shown her- so. "The low rate of exchange prevailing self ready to give away what she had "and likely to prevail, the cheap labour pro- no right to so deal with she could not in "curable in Japan, the saving which is of the nature of things be entrusted with the "fected by dispensing with tarpaulin and iron guardianship of larger interests. In 1893 "hoops in packing, not to mention tin-lined SIEH TA-JEN, the Minister to England, cases for the finer class of goods, and the wrote to the Earl of ROSEBERY:-" As diminished cost of freight are all powerful regards the buffer state which it is "factors on the side of Japan in her com- proposed to establish between the Bri-petition with England and America, and tish and the French possessions on the "at present the Japanese are under-selling "Upper Mekong, and which your Lordship Manchester goods with profits calculated "has been good enough to say Her Majesty's at from 15 to 30 per cent." These re- "Government are desirous of placing under marks are almost as applicable to the Eastern "the sovereignty of China, I have the honour markets in general as to Korea in particular "to state that in the event of its being of suff. and the competition is likely to become more "cient breadth, and the conditions attached and more keen as the projected Shanghai "to its acceptance free from any which, in mills under foreign auspices come into "the opinion of the Imperial Government, operation. In enumerating the advantages "would be prejudicial to Chinese interests, enjoyed by Japan over Manchester Mr. they would be prepared to accept it if form- HILLIER places low exchange first, but he ally offered to them." This was very mentions also cheap labour, the saving
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