226
RUSSIAN AND FRENCH DESIGNS IN CHINA.
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[March 26, 1898.
The news contained in Reuter's message elsewhere published is important. It would continue the Burmah railways into Yunnan. ever, is emphatically of opinion that the in--- seem that the Chinese Government are
reluctant to part with their great arsenal Port Arthur, and as a compromise with the Muscovite demands they have offered to lease Talienwan to Russia and to allow the railway through Manchuria, provided that Port Arthur remains Chinese. This, we
8.
says
self. For the other matter, the prolongation | it pay. The caravan routes are extensively of the railway from Lungchow into Yunnan, used, and with the improved facilities to negotiate as we had to obtain the right to the French Government have as much right offered by a railway, the traffic would in- crease considerably. Mr. FRASER, how- crease would not be sufficient to make railway pay. "I disagree," he in his Contemporary article,
"with the "generally accepted statement that trade "always follows the railway line. Trade would, of course, be augmented by the building of a line, but Yunnan is pro- bably the poorest of all the eighteen "provinces, and the population is thin and "scattered and wretched. Traders should once and for all abandon the hope that "Yunnan is a rich mine, only waiting to be the proposed line, however, is a subject on tapped." The commercial possibilities of
which we should like to have more expert opinion than that of a cycling tourist, whose
sist
upon
tion guaranteering the integrity of the whole of South and Central China. That would be only consistent with her policy as recently declared by Lord SALISBURY.
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observation is confined to what he sees along his route. In the meantime the on and a year or two will see its com- non-aggres-line to Kualong Ferry is being pushed
pletion. The iron horse will then have reached the Chinese frontier and that it
We have no objection to fair competition, but we shall certainly oppose the cession of exclusive rights to another Power, especially when that Power adopts the selfish and silly policy of closing every port by means of hostile tariffs. If France endeavours to in- imagine, will hardly suit Russia unless in Kwangtung to herself and makes a the cession of a great strategic port accompained by the stipulation that Port further condition that no other Power is to Arthur shall not be fortified. Such a con-
have a similar concession, Great Britain will dition would, of course, destroy the import-be obliged to oppose such a condition in ance of the port, and would therefore be toto. On the other hand the British Go- unacceptable to the Chinese. Probably a
vernment would not be averse to a conven- further compromise will be suggested, but in the end Russia will get her way. The Teung-li Yamen are too weak to long resist the pressure of Russia, even if stiffened somewhat by Japan. Meantime the pre- parations for backing up her demands by force are going on by Russia. More men-of-war and more troops are being hurried out from Europe, and even now Russia is in a position to march a large army from Siberia into China. Neither the representations nor the wishes of China will avail to restrain the advance of these legions, and unless outside influence is brought to bear the Russian Minister at Peking will be sure to gain his way in the long run. Russia has apparently secured the neutrality of Great Britain by giving an assurance that any ports she may acquire shall be open to trade. Whether this pledge would
proye inviolable or whether it is intended as a temporary sop to Cerberus we are unable to say; pro- bably the latter. But like some other Muscovite pledges, it would no doubt serve its purpose.
will be necessary.
The impossibility, however, of main- taining an unselfish and sive policy grows daily more difficult. So many demands are being made by various Powers, and so many new developments are taking place, that a most watchful attitude last to speak of those who were suspected to France has been the meditate designs on the integrity of China, and she has, after disclaiming such inten- tions, opened her month widest of them all. And in order to enforce her demands she is reinforce her Squadron in these waters. sending out a considerable naval force to The cruiser Duguay Trouin has arrived at Manila en route, and the men-of-war Vauban, Brieux, Jean Bart, and others are within a short steaming distance of China. On their arrival we may expect further developments. Russia and France are evidently prepared to act together, and they intend to have a full set off to the German acquisition of Kiaochau. The British Government have Russian lease of Port Arthur, but they will no objection, or have waived it, to the
1.-That China shall not cede any portion demands of France in the South. In seek- most assuredly have something to say to the of the four provinces in the southerning to prevent any foreign acquisitions in portion of the Empire, to wit: Kwang the four southern provinces, France has tung, Kwangsi, Yunnan,
or Kwei-
given England the cue. The integrity of chow.
that territory should be maintained, and 2. That the railway from Lungchow
shall be extended into the province of England may perhaps not be unwilling to
assist China to repel aggression.
The statement concerning French schemes in China is more interesting and perhaps more important. M. HANOTAUX is said to be negotiating with the Chinese Minister in Paris for the following points:-
Yunnan.
3.That a coaling station shall be
granted to France at Luichow.
RAILWAY PROSPECTS IN YUNNAN.
Mr. JOHN FOSTER FRASER, one of the round-the-world cyclists, gave an address to the Asiatic Society of Japan, at Tokyo, on the 2nd March, his subject being his recent journey through Burmah and China. A portion of the address referred to the pro- spects of a railway from Burmah through Yunnan, a subject on which Mr. FRASER also has a paper in the February number of the Contemporary Review. He dwells on the difficulties of the project, owing to the mountainous character of the country to be traversed. "What engineers cannot do," he says, "it would be dangerous to guess, but "a railway over or through these hills
will ultimately penetrate into Yunnan we is not at once constructed, small branches entertain no doubt. If a great trunk line
will be made in one direction and another until at last the need for the trunk line will make itself felt. Sir ERNEST SATOW, who presided at Mr. FRASER'S Tokyo lecture, spoke of the project as that much talked
፡፡
of but probably never to be accomplished railway between Burmah and Yunnan," Similar doubts have been entertained re-. garding all great engineering projects, the Suez Canal, for instance, and the American transcontinental railway, but the projects make headway notwith- standing the sneers of the doubtful. As a purely commercial enterprise it would probably be a long time befe a railway it is very possible that the execution of across Yunnan would be undertakeu, but
reasons, and when once the line is made it the project may be hastened for political
traffic. will not be long before it begins to attract Opened up by railways Yunnan may cease to be one of the poorest of the eighteen provinces, and its population, in- ES thin and scattered and stead of being "wretched," become prosperous and con- tented.-
THE NAVY LEAGUE AND THE CHINESE CUSTOMS IN HONGKONG.
In the letter from the Hongkong branch of the Navy League to the parent Association on the Defences of Hongkong it is suggested that the cession by China to Great Britain of the islands to the south of Hongkong "would enable the Chinese Custom House
at Hongkong to be done away with." It is much to be regretted that a useful body like the Navy League should concern itself with political matters entirely outside its sphere. It is still more to be regretted that it should allow itself to fall into mis- representation. It is idle," the
This is a pretty wide programme, and it is clear that the French Foreign Minister has completely divested himself of any shred of political modesty or bashfulness that may once have clung to him. He is not content with the preservation of the status quo, although quite recently-about the latter end of last month-he informed Sir EDWARD MONSON that France had not the slightest intention of imitating Germany by seizing a naval base in China. France now demands a coaling station at Luichow. It would seem that at the very time this state- ment was made French men-of-war were surveying the coast near Hainan and Pak- hoi, and had discovered a suitable place for the coveted naval base. Kwongchau Bay is
"would be the most herculean task ever
"to blink the facts that the m admirably adapted for such a purpose, attempted." Not more herculean than the "tenance of a Chinese Custom House in but as it is close to Tonkin it cannot construction of a railway over the Rocky
"the main street of Victoria, and the pre- be required except for ulterior ag- Mountains, we should imagine, yet the sence at all times of armed launches flying gressive purposes.
Its possession would latter was accomplished years ago and "the dragon flag at the principal landing be the preliminary step towards the proved so successful from a commercial | “ place in the city awaiting the orders. acquisition of the whole of the Lienchau point of view that other lines have "of the Commissioner of Chinese Customs penisula, in order to control the trade of the since been constructed to share in the (an Englishman), give rise to serious West River, and this is foreshadowed by the traffic. As regards the proposed Yun-" misconceptions in the native mind and
be no doubt stipulation M. HANOTAUX is endeavouring nan railway, there can
"entail grave loss of prestige. The only to wring from China that no portion of the as to the feasibility of its construction; "plea-'convenience for this extraordin- four southern provinces shall be ceded the sole question is whether there is suffi- " ary anomaly might, the Hongkong to any Power-presumably other than her- 'cient traffic, actual or prospective, to make "members of the League think, equally be
says,
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