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PROGRESS IN CHINA.
Not long since in this column we expressed the opinion that progress of any kind in China, whether political, administrative, or material, would be very slow; that, in point of fact, it was not likely to receive any great impetus by recent events, and might even, perhaps, be less certain and no more rapid than before the war with Japan. The crisis of affairs came and found the Government unprepared to meet it; the hour arrived, but not the man; and the Empire, weakened and disorganised, is yet unconvinced of the necessity for reform. True there are a few among the people who sigh for a change, and a still smaller number are perhaps ready to join in an attempt to overturn the existing régime even by force of arms, but there is, we believe, no general movement in this direction, no organisation having the smallest chance of bringing about a success ful revolution. Feeble as the Central Gov- ernment proved when confronted by a foreign | foe, it is, as compared with an undisciplined host of coolies or patriots, invincibly strong, and no rebellion has a chance unless it is promoted by a military man who can secure a base on the coast. There has been a good deal of talk about a rising in Canton of late; one abortive plot was prematurely exposed and crushed and others may be in process of incubation, but we do not believe that any attempted revolution will, under present circumstances and condi- tions, prove strong enough to give the authorities much anxiety. No really pa triotic rising, having for its objects the reform of the administration and ameliora- lion of the condition of the people is at all likely to have a military leader, and the ordinary Chinese trader or gentleman is, 180 far as organising a revolutionary outbreak is concerned, about as helpless as a babe, The mere collection of a rabble of coolies armed with weapons they did not know how to use would inevitably be dispersed on the first encounter even with the half disciplined soldiers of the EMPEROR.
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[February 19, 1896:
DIRECT TRADE IN JAPAN AND THE COMPRADORE SYSTEM.
In an
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
being sufficient for the purpose presumably. If this be true, it is a very important, cir- cumstance as indicating either a decline in the aversion to allow_foreigners to acquire Foreign, firms in Japan are threatened born conviction in the minds of the mandarins native merchants, who are preparing, have any property in the Flowery Land or a new with severe competition at the hands of of the necessity of availing themselves of indeed commenced, to engage in direct the help of outside capital to develop the trade with foreign countries. The danger resources of the country. What the French has been foreseen for a long time past and Government will say to British and Ameri- has been discussed with more or less in- can assistance being invoked when a special telligence by the foreign press in Japan, treaty with France stipulates that China generally with less rather than more. Even may apply to that country for aid in the the Japan Mail, with its pro-Japanese views, construction of railways it is hard to say! has maintained the indispensability of the No doubt they will see in it another foreign middleman in Japan and the in- instance of the perfidy of the Anglo- advisability of the Japanese attempting to Saxon and the ingratitude of the Celes-conduct their foreign trade themselves. tial. The real fact probably is that Dissertations on bis value and virtues may the Chinese Government have to the cheapest market for capital and middleman aforesaid, may tickle his vanity
gone form agiccable reading for the foreign · materiel. But however that may be, it is a significant fact, if a fact, that China should
and suffuse him with a grateful sense of his | at last have unexpectedly decided to resort
own merits and importance, but they are to foreign help in the construction of her way. The foreign middleman will be em- not likely to advance his interests in any main line of railway, would be easy to overrate it. For instance, the work themselves at less cost they will Important as such a step must prove, it if or when the Japanese find they can do ployed only so long as he is found useful;
it need not follow that the Chinese Govern- ment, well pleased to find so easy a mode of for doing it for them.
not continue to pay commissions to others raising the capital for what they believe merchant, then, maintain his ground? This Can the European will prove remunerative undertakings, will is not a question of sentiment, but of hard resort to the same means to obtain the funds business calculation. Greatly as we may for the construction of the southern section regret the supersession of the foreign mid- of the railway, from Wuching to Canton. dleman, superseded he will be unless by They may do so, but on the other hand they adaptation to the changing circumstances may tire of the work before the first section he can maintain his superiority as an agent is completed, and the southern line may re- for the particular work to be done. main à mere project for another decale or interview with a representative of the British two. in China, for in most cases disappointment Japanese merchant at present travelling It is well not to reckon upon anything Trade Journal Mr. HAKARU ISONo, a is the only fruit reaped. Some years back in Europe, foretold the rapid expansion of a line was projected from Canton to Kow-direct foreign trade, and, asked as to the loon, it received the Imperial sanction, a system of importing through English houses powerful syndicate was formed to construct it, a preliminary survey was nade, and niany
at the Treaty Ports, he replied :-
:-"The sanguine anticipations as to the develop
'foreign importer supplies the Japanese ments to be expected therefrom were in-
wholesale houses through the intermediary dulged in.
or bauto. Sometimes the bantos travel, Alas for the promoters of the enterprise; they had not sufficiently
and the importer leaves it to them or their The hope of any real progress from reckoned with the mandarink. The rapa-
employés to find buyers, either wholesale or within the Central Kingdom being so city of the then Viceroy was insatiable,
retail. The banto makes his own selling slender therefore, the only prospect is that and the railway remains to this day in
price, thus gaining a profit for himself. which will arise by reason of pressure from nubibus. Did it depend upon one or two
"But he also trades on his own account, and without, or the needs of the moment. In greedy officials, the line from Luikon to "ing the loss by extra-large profits on others. may sell below cost on some goods, recoup- dividual mandarins having spasmodic energy Hankow would probably make like progress and temporary power may also be expected towards substantial fact. Even now, we are
The English importer, knowing nothing to do something, though their efforts will inloth to credit any report until confirmed by the buyers; nor does he seem to care to of the language, cannot deal direct with some cases be ill-directed and their inteu-actual commencement of the work. So many tions partly thwarted by interested and schemes have been talked about, have even
associate with them. Thus he remains venal subordinates. Unfortunately for advanced towards commencement, and yet
"in the hands of the bantos. Under the China, honest and vigorous administrators have failed of realization, that it is wiser to
new and direct system of importing are extremely rare, and the good they do take all reports with a grain of salt. None
through a native agent, I am responsible to during their tenure of office is too frequently the less, unbelieving as we may be, pessi-
the English producer or wholesale house reversed by their successors. It is for this mistic as expertence has made us, we shall
here, and I come into immediate contact reason we are glad to hear that CHANG be delighted to witness the real commence-
"with the wholesale or retail buyer in CHIH-TUNG is to remain at Nanking as
Japan, and also, with the consumer. I ment of a railway system in backward China. know his wants and his peculiarities." Viceroy of the Liang King. His Excel- Who can doubt that the connection of Han- The comprador system has been inveighed lency LIU KUN-YI will not return, and the kew with Kowloon by railway would inau- against almost ever since the establishment various enterprises and improvements gurate a new era in the history of foreign of foreign trade in the Far East, but it has originated or designed by CHANG now stand trade with China, or that it would fail to held its own and is as firmly established to- some chance of being carried to completion. | greatly augment that trade. Neither could day as ever it was. The railway from Shanghai to Soochow and the growth of this colony under such con- however, when, in Japan at all events, the The time has arrived, thence to Nanking, which is one of His Ex-ditions be a matter of speculation. More foreign merchant must shake himself free of cellency's schemes, will no doubt be put than ever would Hongkong be a centre of the comprador or bauto or reconcile him- through, aud this will form a very import- British trade, and the necessity for an ex-self to the fate of gradual elimination from ant section of the line along the Yangstze tension of its narrow limits for the efficient Valley to Wuchang. If this line is only protection of its vast and ever growing in- pushed on rapidly it must prove a valuable terests would be still more urgently felt. It agent in promoting trade, and will serve as is to be hoped the rectification of the fron- a feeder for the Grand Trunk Railway, to be tiers will precede the arrival of the iron built from Luchow, near Peking, to Hau- horse in Kowloon. kow. This latter line, according to a tele- gram received by an evening contemporary, has not only been decided upon, but is to be partly financed by English and American capitalists, the funds from native sources not |
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77.7, on the 10th, and the minimum 51.6, on the The maximum temperature last month was 19th, the mean for the month being 62 The rainfall amounted to 1.73 in.
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64
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the trade. At present the foreign merchant prador wants auother for himself, and it is wants his commission and the banto or com- absolutely certain the trade will not much longer continue to support both. The vice of the system has had a recent illustration at Yokohama, where the comprader of arrested on a charge of embezzling suma Messrs. FINDLAY, RICHARDSON & Co. w: s
amounting in the aggregate to 70,003 you, but the case was compromised by the
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