480
bability that two nations may be set by the ears by some miserable piece of unveracity of this kind. All kinds of stories about
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
RAILWAYS AND FENGSHUI,
If any foreign syndicate or company were permitted to construct a railway or railways
>
Russia have latterly been in the air, and some of very doubtful seeming truth. in China oue of the first of the inevitable | hemp, and jute yarns; 8 per cent. on wool-
It
Russia has been accused of taking Korea under a protectorate, of aggression at of Formosa. It has also been asserted that Chefoo, and of secretly ordering Japan out she has proposed an alliance to Japan. Now it may be Russia's policy to push her way in Korea; it is possible she may think that her opportunities in China require a little cautious pushing, and she may be inclined to urge on the development of events. is also just possible that in pursuance of her reputed understanding with France she may have decided to develop a policy in the Far East unacceptable to Great Britain. But whatever may be the facts, or may ap pear to be the facts, matters are not likely to be improved by the dissemination of reports which can have no object except to create ill feeling between the subjects of the two Powers and to deepen the impression that their policy must necessarily be hostile to each other. There is actually no reason why Great Britain and Russia should not remain in complete accord on all matters of policy in the Far East. Their interests need not run counter, and with the single excep- tion of the commercial policy of Russia being, like that of most Continental Powers, strongly protectionist, there is no insur mountable obstacle to a close alliance be- tween them on Asiatic policy. The real stumbling block in this matter is no doubt Russia's obligations to France, but it would probably be a mistake to regard that under- standing too seriously. The alliance, such as it is, will last just so long as Russia finds France useful to her, as there can be little sympathy between the autocratic Govern- ment of the CZAR and the republican admin- istration of France. For the moment it suits Russia to run with France, and mean- time it is necessary for Great Britain to keep a sharp look out on the course of events. But it is not necessary, and it is most in- advisable, for the British Press to make mountains out of molehills, to imagine hostile intentions where none are apparent, or to attribute sinister intentions where none are harboured. Our business is to be pre- pared against all possible contingencies, to keep our powder dry and have plenty of it, to see that we are nowhere outnumbered afloat, that the garrisons of our coaling stations are adequate for self-protection, to avoid any needless interference with our neighbours and any gratuitous wounding of their amour propre. There is room in the world for the exercise of all our energics, if properly directed, but it is a mistake to suppose or to act as if we supposed-that we held the reversion to all the misgoverned territories in the world. If we are to avoid friction and possible war in the future there will have to be some give and take, for all the principal powers have acquired the belief that they require space wherein to expand, and are ready to quarrel with those who would for a moment question their claim,
Comment has been aroused by the nature of some of the goods imported under the regula tion which exempts from duty foreign pro- ducts intended for the use of the Chinese Gov- ernment. In one case, we understand, a quan- tity of foreign manufactured articles, unsuited for arsenals, were admitted free of duty upon native official assurance that they were for Government use. The number of such permits is also said to have shown a marked increase, and it is suggested that the goods in some instances have found their way into the ordinary com- mercial channels.-N. G. Daily News.
The
difficulties raised would assuredly be that of fengshui. Either the graves on the route would be alleged that they suffered from the would have to be interfered with or it maleficent effect of the innovation. officials, as is their wont, would strenuously support the contention, and prolonged delay would ensue until the rapacious claims of the persons interested and of the officials could be squared. The general plea of the authorities on such occasions, when the prejudices or superstitions of the people are in question, is that they are powerless to contend against the popular will, and that if the foreign demand be persevered in riots and bloodshed will result, for which, they go on to urge, they cannot be liable, after having predicted such issue. hollowness of these pretences had long been suspected, and of late years has been more than once conspicuously shown to be the veriest excuse for inaction or obstruction that could possibly be forged. The latest instance of this kind was afforded by the proclamation by the directorate of the Tientsin-Peking Railway now in course of construction addressed to the proprietors of land over which the line will have to pass, that "an Edict had been received autho
**
The utter
rising the payment of Tls. 10 per now, "and Tls. 8 extra for evey mow of land "which contains graves, irrespective of the number, on the land to be purchased by "the Railway Administration." This is very moderate compensation, and is to be made irrespective of the number No attempt at imposition of graves!
fixed sum, and will be tolerated: a that a small one, is to allowed to all who have graves along the route, and if they are not content they will be permitted to go without any compensation. The peo- ple will submit, for they know it will be useless to clamour for other terms. It would be interesting to know what terms the Chi- nese officials would consider fair compensa- tion to native property owners if a foreign company were building the line! It is well to take note of these incidents, as a time may yet come when they may prove useful. Railway construction in China must prove very slow work if it is all to be carried out by the mandarins.
THE TREATY BETWEEN GERMANY AND JAPAN,
Hopes have been entertained by Euro- pean residents in Japau that the new treaty with Germany would be somewhat more favourable to their interests than the treaty with Great Britain. At first it was stated that extra-territoriality was to be in part retained, but that was promptly con- tradicted. It was said, also, that valuable advantages had been secured for German trade, and, if that had been so, under the favoured nation clause the advantages would have been secured equally for the trade of all other treaty powers. The fact seems to be, however, that the German treaty follows strictly the lines of the British treaty in its substance, the variations being merely in matters of form due to the different usages of the respective nations in the drafting of international agreements. According to a Reuter's telegram dated the 1st May a list of the Customs duties to be levied in Japan under the new treaty on textile, iron, and steel goods has been published by the Deutsche Volkswirthschaftliche Cor-
[June 10, 1896.
respondenz. The duties are as follows:- Ten per cent. on velvet and on velveteen textiles; 10 per cent. on cotton textiles, pure or mixed; 8 per cent. on cottons, linen, len and carded woollen yarns; 10 per cent. on other kinds of yarns; 10 percent. each on half silk, satin, woollen textiles, covers, muslin, cloth, &c., linen textiles, iron wire, steel wire, and tin, steel, and iron. rods; 5 per cent. each on pig iron and on rails, whether steel or iron; 10 per cent. on gal- vanized tin manufactured from hard steel, on tinplates, and on tubing. This is simply the tariff of the British treaty, with some little difference of nomenclature, and any advantages that may have been secured for German trade therefore do not lie in the direction of decreased import duties.
THE ACTING-GOVERNORSHIP:
The following Dormant Commission passed under the Royal Sign Manual and Signet, appointing the Senior Military Officer for the time being in command of Her Majesty's Regular Forces in the Colony of Hongkong to administer the Government in the event of the death. incapacity, or absence of the Governor, and of there being no Lieutenant Governor therein, is published in the Gazette --—-—-
VICTORIA R.
Victoria, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Queen, Defender of the Faith, Empress of India: To the Senior Military Officer for the time being in command of Our Regular Forces in Our Colony of Hongkong, Greeting.
We do, by this Our Commission under Our Sign Manual and Signet, appoint you, the Senior Military Officer for the time being in command of Our Regular Forces in Our colony of Hong- kong, to administer the Government of Our said colony and its dependencies, during Our pleasure, with all the powers, rights, privileges, and advantages to the same belonging or ap- pertaining, whenever and so long as the office of Governor is vacant, or the Governor is incapable of discharging the duties of adminis tration or is absent from the colony, and there is no Lieutenant Governor in the colony, or the Lieutenant Governor is incapable of ad ministering the Government thereof.
II.--And We do in any such event hereby authorise, empower, and command you, the said Senior Military Officer, to exercise and perform all and singular the powers and directions con- tained in any Our Letters Patent for the time being in force relating to Our said colony and its dependencies, according to such orders and instructions as Our Governor hath already re- ceived or may hereafter receive from Us, and such further orders and instructions as you shall receive from Us.
III. And further We do hereby appoint that this Our present Commission shall supersede Our Commission under Our Sign Manual and Signet, dated the twenty-first day of August, 1891, appointing Our Colonial Secretary of Our colony of Hongkong, or the Senior Military Officer for the time being in command of 'Our Regular Forces in Our said colony, to administer the Government of Our said colony and its depen-
dencies in the events therein mentioned.
IV-And We hereby command all and singu. lar Our officers, ministers, and loving subjects in Our said colony and its dependencies, and all others whom it may concern, to take due notice hereof, and to give their ready obedience accordingly,
Given at Our Court at Saint James's, this thirty-first day of January, 1896, in the fifty- ninth year of Our Reign.
By Her Majesty's Command,
J. CHAMBERLAİN.
A baseball match was played at Yokohama on the 23rd May between a Yokohama team and one drawn from the First High School, at Tokyo. The foreigners scored only four points while their opponents made 29 and were heartily cheered.