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July 29, 1897.}
square to all parties, similar to what "is being done at Canton." Possibly when the Company declared itself willing to forego the import they knew it was case in which they had no choice. That the original intention was to import and monopolise was shown by the printed prospectus of the company; and what reason would there have been for raising a capital of $300,000 if the operations of the concern were to be confined to collecting lekin? As to the intention to extend their operations to piece goods and other articles of import, it is easy to deny anything upon which an actual formal decision has not been arrived at; but as the Kwangsi Kungsi, as the Com- pany is called, is a mercantile concern established for the purpose of making money, the managers would as a matter of course extend their business wherever they saw a favourable opportunity, and, in fact, would be fools if they failed to do so.
We are glad to hear that owing to pres- sure brought to bear through the Consuls at Canton and the Ministers at Peking the Kwangsi Kungsi is to be dissolved, as being a monopoly and consequently against the tions from the Tsungli Yamen, the Viceroy treaties. Acting under telegraphic instruc- of the Two Kwang has instructed the Gov- ernor of Kwangsi to put an end to the con- The matter is not absolutely settled, as the Chinese officials interested in it are fighting with their usual tenacity to keep it on, but they will have to give way, as the Company will certainly not be allowed to carry on the import business, and without the profits to be made in that way it would not pay the officials to farm out the collection of lekin at the nominal figure the Company was to pay for it.
"
cern.
"B.F.S.R." says: "If the Chinese Go- vernment can be induced to abolish lekin "and local taxes altogether, well and good, "but if this cannot be done, do you not "think it would be better to have a uniform "and fixed charge at the port of importation, "instead of all the irregular charges one "has to pay en route, as has been done "hitherto ?" We certainly do think so, but we have no faith in that result being arrived at by farming out the collection of revenue to any individual trading concern to work for its own benefit. Every trading concern naturally tries to get ahead of its competi- tors, and the right of collecting duty would give the firm or Company possessing it an enormous advantage over all others. Even if the rate of duty were uniform the farmers would still be enabled to pass their own goods with quickness and despatch, while throwing obstructions in the way of their competitors that would lead to delay and annoyance and so serve as an effectual bandi-
cap.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
including their own compradores. It is time that this tendency was arrested, and it is certainly the duty of Ministers and Consuls to see that their nationals enjoy the fair field to which they are entitled and are not opposed by illegal combinations or mono- polies,
THE NON-PROGRESSIVENESS OF CHISĂ,
As we have on more than one occasion noted, the work of railway construction in China, which it was so generally believed at the close of the Chino-Japanese War would be pushed on rapidly in order that a system might be formed which would the better enable defensive measures to be adopted successfully in the event of fresh invasion, is proceeding about as tardily as anything can proceed at all that is not really wished for in the Central Kingdom. There have been floods of official despatches, all sorts of intrigues, endless negotiations in reference to the raising of capital, and the Imperial sanction has been given for certain projects and con- of the Tientsin line to Peking, nothing tracts, but so far, beyond the extension. has been seriously commenced although two years have elapsed since the war. The notorious SHENG, with all his activity and talk, has practically done nothing the capital he professes to have raised for the construction of the Hankow-Peking line may prove to be mythical, like many other illusions, and the contract with the Belgian Syndicate, of which so much has. been heard, may yet collapse, or never be carried into effect: Even the offer by railways in Manchuria is said to have been declined. The offer was no doubt flatter- ingly considered for a sufficiently long period to enable the mandarins to recover their self-possession after the humiliation of the disastrous defeat sustained at the hands of little Japan, but there probably was never any sericus iutention of accepting it. If the account of a Shanghai contem- porary be correct, the Chinese Govern- ment have gone a good deal further than
Russia of a loan wherewith to construct"
that; they Inve refused to entertain the suggestion that the Chinese railways in Manchuria should be of the same gauge as the Russian, to the end that the cars might be enabled to cross each other's lines for mutual benefit. If this be true, it is evident that the mandarins have fully regained their ancient audacity and The lessons of the war are self-conceit.
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railway across Manchuria and thus save some six hundred miles in distance while securing a terminus on an unfrozen sea on the Pacific end of the line, will not calmly be baulked in her intention to acquire Manchuria. China is now to the Great Bear nothing more than a gross broken-backed hog that can, if necessary, be prodded into acquiescent action without any great cost, always of course provided that the swinish beast is not sustained by some other Power as a check upon Muscovite aggression or aggrandisement.
to be wholly disinclined to do anything to Meanwhile the placid porker would seem help himself. He will neither make rail- ways nor execute other needed public him. He is only anxious now, we believe, works, nor will he permit it to be done for to be let alone, to grub among the abomina- tions of his own corruption, and intends to do nothing in the dirction of progress or reform unless absolutely compelled. Every country in the globe will have a railway system before China; even Korea, the last of the
programme
Hermit-Kingdonis, will soon possess a rail-
in course of construction. In all probability way connecting its capital Seoul with the port of Chemulpo, the line being now actually the Desert of Sahara will be bridged by the railway and the iron horse be seen in Tim buctoo before the Chinese capital is con- nected by steam with the great southern commercial city of Canton! It might have been supposed that the dread of Russian aggression would have stirred the Chinese Ministers to some definite course of action in the direction of self-de- fence, in which improved means of com- munication, a reorganised army, a recreated navy,jand the encouragement of trade with and increase of articles of export, would foreign countries, including the fostering have been decided upon and steadily fol lowed. But although the necessity for all this was admitted at the close of the war, very little has been done, and no sustained has been adopted. Spasmodic efforts in this direction will be worse than useless, because delusive, merely tending to bolster up the absurd national vanity, which always declines to admit defeat. Meanwhile there is so little patriotic spirit in the Em- pire, so little interest taken in its affairs, that the lethargy of those who misrule it from Peking goes unrebuked and unnoticed, and any rebellion raised by a few energetic be speedily suppressed by the forces at the friends of progress in the large ports would
command of the Imperial Government, which, though inert and unwilling to move forward, has yet sufficient energy to crush rebellion in its inception. How long this difficult to estimate. Probably for a good condition of affairs is likely to last it is many years unless Russia's policy undergoes a change and it suits her to hurry the game. But the existing state of affairs in Peking is certainly not only unsatisfactory; it is most disquieting. Instead of being, as was be- lieved before the war, a passive factor in the maintenance of peace China is now by her weakness, corruption, and impracticability, a source of positive danger to the political equilibrium in the Far East, and a grave stumbling block in the path of civilization.
fading quickly indeed, and the Emperor KWANG SU may ere long find that he has been inviting another abusement. His Majesty's advisers may for a time again go B.F.S.R." further argues that, as has a long distance in the direction of spurning. happened in the case of the Yangtsze ports, Western advice and declining Western the trade at Wuchow is sure to fall into demands, but it is a dangerous course on Chinese hands, even though foreigners and which to embark now that the bubble of natives are treated alike, that Hongkong Chinese resource and endurance has been and Shanghai are the places for foreigners as so effectually pricked by the Japanese. far as import goes, and that it will make no Even if the inherent strength of the Empire difference whether the foreigners sell was sufficient to enable its Government to "kerosine in Hongkong for Wuchow or safely defy any attempt at dictation by "sell it at Wuchow." We think it makes Western Powers -- which at present it a great deal of difference. Foreigners are certainly is not the mandarins might at required to push foreign trade in China, and least have had the sense to conceal such although the Chinese with the advantage of a belief until their army, navy, and general working in their own country and at less forces were in a position to back them up
A Tokyo press despatch of the 14th July says expense than foreigners may secure the bulk in their pretensions. But the army is little
the Japanese Government proposes to order a of the distributing trade, it cannot be if any better drilled or more efficient than
Aagusaal diver to search for wrecks in the mited that any artificial obstructions } before the war, and the navy sull has to
vicinity of the rescadores, with a view to de- be placed in the way of foreigners. be re-created. Meanwhile Russit, whose nately ascertaining whether the cruiser Unebi, What has happened in the past we declared policy it is to push steadily south- waich disappeared seven or eight years ago know, how foreigners havé allowedward, having secured permission toƐmike | when on a voyage from Singapore to Japan, is themselves to be edged out by the natives, the final section of the Trans-Siberiau Į among them.
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