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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND SIR CLAUDE MACDONALD'S TOUR. difficulty, and we have reason to believe that he will prove to have shown no little The trip undertaken by His Excellency Sir skill and ability in the recent negotiations Claude MacDonald cannot be described which ended in the conclusion of the as a pleasure excursion, though there has Burmah frontier Convention, under one of the provisions of which the West River is been nothing either arduous or difficult
to be opened to foreign trade and steam about it. The greater portion of his journey navigation. The cession by China to France from Peking has been made under comfort of the province or district of Kianghung has, able if not absolutely luxurious conditions. it is stated, been compensated for by the He has seen very much that has interested rectification of the Burmah frontier and certain concessions in connection with rail- and will interest him he has doubtless ways and the frontier trade, and advantage learned much that will be extremely useful was at the same time taken to press for the to him in the discharge of his duties. The opening of the West River, which will journey will probably prove healthful alike no doubt while benefiting foreign trade to body and mind) it will help to brace him generally also specially benefit this colony. We have therefore to congratulate the up to encounter further worries and to British Minister on the work performed, and enter upon renewed struggles with im- also upon his breaking with the old tradi- practicable mandarins in the Chinese tions of the Legation and coming south capital. He cannot fail to derive good to learn by actual observation the state of from the change, profit f the experience, affairs in the Treaty Ports. By this visit, and knowledge of local circumstances that which we should like to see repeated annually, will stand him in good stend in future con- Sir CLAUDE MACDONALD will be able to troversies with the Tsungli Yamen. But put himself in touch with the mercantile though there is nothing about the visit of communities scattered in China whose in- the British Minister to the Treaty Borts terests he represents, and having learned and Hongkong which can be regarded in something of their surroundings be will be the light of a great or special effort, or that the better able to grasp the questions which should be looked upon as anything unusual may come before him hereafter in his or out of the way, yet as a matter of fact it seclusion at Peking. It was largely due to really is an exceptional event. Few of the the isolation from his countrymen in China predecessors of Sir CLAUDE MACDONALD in which he lived, that Sir JOHN WALSHAM have ever succeeded in finding their way achieved so little during his term of office. even so far south as Shanghai, the proud commercial metropolis of China, except Still fewer of when passing through. the Ministers accredited to Peking since the establishment of the Legation there have managed to pay a visit to the Yangtze ports, the West Coast ports, or. Canton. This colony has usually been honoured with their presence only for the few hours the mail steamer bringing them out or carrying them home has tarried in port. Most of the
CHINA'S CONDITIONS FOR CON- CESSIONS OF TERKITORY.
The dispute which has arisen between the Portuguese and Chinese authorities with reference to the ownership of the island of Dom Joao, although to outsiders it may appear very much in the nature of a storm in a tea cup, is not devoid of interest
FApril 22, 1897.
still endeavour to guard it both by land and sen against smuggling. Further, we may be assured that if China were induced or compelled to assent to the extension of our frontiers she would endeavour to make it a condition that adequate measures should be taken for the protection of her revenue. Great Britain on her part could hardly fuse such a condition if the agreement for the cession of territory were arrived at by friendly negotiation. Sir CLAUDE MAC DONALD could not very well go to the Tsung-li Yamen and say Great Britain desired a cession of territory in der to facilitate smuggling and the de frauding of the Chinese revenue, and on the whole it appears rather unfortunate that any mention of the Customs cruisers has been introduced into the matter, as its effect must naturally be to make the Chi- nese more intractable.
It is possible-we are afraid to say probable -that the extension of our boundaries has already been set in train by the recently concluded treaty settling the Burmah frontier difficulty. It is only by degrees that the contents of that document are becoming known. At one time it appeared as though the opening of the West River was the only concession obtained as reparation for China's wrongful act in ceding the state of Kiang ung. It now appears, by last mail's advices, that there are certain territorial compen- "sations," including the state of Kokang, and that there are provisions as to the junc tion of the Burmese railways with any t that may be constructed by China in Yunnan and the establishment of new Consulates in that province. The treaty itself, however, had not reached England when the mail left and apparently the Government was not anxious to make a full statement of its provisions. It is possible, therefore, that when it is published it may be found to contain some surprises and that the territorial compensa
Ministers have regarded Hongkong as outing and instructive features. In réproductions mentioned by Mr. CURZON în the
side their jurisdiction, and probably con- sidered that the Governor and the Colonial Office were quite competent to look after its interests without much other assistance.
ing from the Echo Macaense a history of the House of Commons may include provisions case we refer to the article as being appar relating to the boundaries of this colony. If ently inspired. We have no authority for unfortunately it should turn out that nothing so characterising it except the internal has been done in that matter on the present And to some extent, no doubt, such a evidence, but that appears sufficiently clear. occasion we are afraid it will be a long time conclusion is a just one, but there are reasons Assuming the suspicion of official inspira- before the colony sees a fulfilment of its why this colony should possess a special tion to be correct some importance attaches desires, for the recent treaty will be taken interest for the British Representative at to the views attributed to China with as a settlement in full of all claims up to Peking. The island, lying so close to respect to the conditions on which alone date, and, in the absence of unforeseen oc- claim for further the mouth of the Canton river, and within she would be willing to waive territorial currences constituting a a stone's throw so to speak of one of the rights, these being probably a reflex of reparation, it will probably be many years wealthiest and most populous provinces of those expressed by the Viceroy of Canton before treaty negotiations are again set on South China, by virtue of which position in the interview the Portuguese Consul foot. But whether an extension of our one part frontiers has already been in principle de it has become a vast depot of the trade with had with him. We are told in China, where Chinese can and do carry on of the article that China will never cede cided upon or whether it is still an event of business with perfect freedom from molestaan inch of territory without compensation, the future it may be taken for granted that tion and to their own great enrichment, advantage, and preservation of her rights, when the actual extension takes place the must inevitably strike a clever diplomatist and, in another part, that if Portugal conditions will not favour the re-establish- as being inseparably connected with the wishes to secure an advantageous resolu- ment of the smuggling trade. Nor, quite Chinese trade, and as meriting all the as- tion of the delimitation question she must independently of considerations of equity sistance and support he can, give to it. satisfy China that she has no ambition to and good neighbourship, do we think that There is good reason to believe that it has extend Portuguese jurisdiction and that that is a matter of regret. The colony has so impressed Sir CLAUDE MACDONALD, who she will permit no territory occupied by lost little by the blow struck at the smug- undoubtedly sympathises with its struggles her to serve as a base of operations pre-gling trade by the Opium Agreement and and growth, partly owing, possibly, to his judicial to the Chinese finances or to the former association with it when stationed here security and tranquillity of the Empire. If as a subaltern in a line regiment some twenty these expressions are in reality a reflex of years ago, and partly because he is able the views expressed by the Viceroy of to appreciate its importance to Great Canton it is probable that His Excellency Britain as a trade centre well had present in his mind at the time he spoke as a coaling station. Hongkong, on his the claim of Hongkong for an extension of arrival hero, en route for his post at Peking; her boundaries. In this, connection it has gave him
cordial welcome because its been suggested that the inquisitorial habits residents believed that he was made of the of the Chinese Customs cruisers constitutes right stuff and would sturdily champion a reason for pushing back the frontier so as British interests. Nor has that belief proved to preclude any excuse for their presence in a fallacious one. Sir CLAUDE MACDONALD Hongkong waters. - We do not quite follow has exhibited a most commendable energy the argument, because however far the and tact during a period of diplomatic | frontier was pushed back the Customs would
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has gained a great deal. It is on honest trade that the colony thrives best. Viola- tions of our territorial waters must of course be guarde gainst and the proceedings of the Custous closely watched; but the ad- ministration of the neighbouring stations by Sir ROBERT HART'S great service has been such as to give little real cause of complaint. While on the one hand un- authorised interference with the trade of the colony and violations of her territorial rights are to be rigorously guarded against, on the other hand there ought to be no desire to see the Chinese revenue defrauded of its just dues.