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RUSSIA IN MANCHURIA,
Years ago it was predicted that the imet would come when Russia would actively renew the forward and southward movement inaugurated in 1860, when she acquired the vast tract of Manchuria now known as the Ussuri Territory of Eastern Siberia. So soon as the Great Trans-Siberian Railway was projected, it became clear that that period was within measurable distance. Within the last two years events have marched at the double quick, and at the present moment, by the acquisition of Port Arthur, Russia is practically mistress of Man- churia, the ancient heritage of the Tatsing Dynasty. It is a signal indication of the utter helplessness of China that she should, without striking a blow, have -urrendered such a territory. The Emperor KWANG Su is, however, a weak and nerveless creature who has neither the will of an
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[April 23, 1898.
the British Government to see to it that, while Russia fulfils her destiny in the North, England is not squeezed out of her heritage in the south. There has, no doubt, been a policy of drift in the past with re- gard to the Far East, but recent events have hrought into the strongest relief the fact served open in the future unthiling vigi- that if our markets in China are to be pre-
lance and unfaltering decision will have to be exercised.
RUSSIAN ADVANCE,
Sir WILLIAM ROBINSON, our late Governor, has been expressing himself to a Reuter's interviewer upon the extension of Hong- What he had to say about the extension of kong and Russian designs in Manchuria.
our frontiers was calculated to produce a good impression and to further the project with which His Excellency so cordially as- sociated himself during his administration of the government here. To us in Hong- kong his remarks contain nothing new, but will be appreciated as a concise and able statement of the case on behalf of the colony calculated to secure sympathy and support at home.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
which the railway will pass, Russian railway liberal rule of the Czar with the oppression chant has already established an agency, are governed justly they care little whether offices are now being built, a Russian mer- of the mandarins. So long as the people and Russian troops march through the town with an air of possession which powerfully Peking, but they are naturally impressed their rulers are seated at St. Petersburg or impresses the Chinese. The correspondent by a show of strength, and no doubt they Tsitsihar and Petuna, a distance of 180 miles. is stronger than the grip of the Son of goes on to describe the country between have come to believe that the Russian hand He says the entire country has been under Heaven. The Russians are now beginning the plough. The "league-long furrow" is to reap where they have for so many years never ending. A few years ago, he adds, been steadily sowing, and we believe that "this country was a waste, but the stream it would be both vain and impolitic to "of immigration has been unceasing. Where attempt to check their advance in this "there were a few mud huts clustered round I direction.
It is now the business of "the post station there are now thriving villages, with countless busy inns catering "for a traffic that is always becoming greater. "The soil is rich alluvial." After reaching Petuna, a city of 60,000 souls, the numbers of which are steadily and rapidly increasing, the country, southwards to Kirin is among the autocrat nor the powers of a sovereign, Celestial Empire. The Times correspondent most fertile and most thickly peopled in the while his Ministers are a corrupt and cowardly group of worn out and ignorant
says. "It is the granary of Manchuria. Its officials, lacking alike the head to devise
harvests already supply the mills of and the ability to strike a blow for the
Siberia; its wheat will yet compete in the preservation of the independence of the grain markets of the world. Petuna, from country. Nor can the Chinese Government "its position on the navigable Sungari, will SIR WILLIAM LOBINSON ON THE appeal to the friendship of foreign states to
be an important depot of the railway, and aid them in their difficulty. They have, by
Russians are stationed here in considerable their repeated breaches of faith and by
"force." The city of Kirin is described by their undisguised dislike of and contempt
this correspondent as the second greatest for Western people alienated the sympathies will at no distant date take rank before city in Manchuria, and from his account it of Western powers. The letters of the Peking correspondent of The Times, who Moukden, the capital. He says Kirin is has been travelling along the route of the beautifully situated on a bend of the Sungari, projected Trans-Manchurian Railway ought and its wealth is enormous. "No advan to enlighten the British public and Govern-
tage of position or environment is wanting ment as to the true aims and the actual "to justify the Russians in selecting this as doings of Russia in that region. His letter
“the chief centre of the Trans-Manchurian | of the 20th December, published in The
Railway." At Kirin the railway will Times of the 12th March, is most instruc-
cross the Sungari and go east to Omoso, 120 tive. He there very plainly shows how the
miles distant, and then north cast to Ninguta, Russofication of Manchuria has already 100 miles further. From Ninguta to Pol- actually commenced, and the coming ab- tafka, on the Russian frontier, a practicable sorption is not even evoking remonstrance. route has been discovered, and this is the The rule of the mandatin is so much dis-only section of the line of which even the liked that the Russians are being welcomed rather than held in distrust and aversion, as is frequently the case with foreign intruders.
It must be conceded that the Russians mauage their negotiations with great fact, What is most remarkable is the manner and succeţi in paiding their cinde ia a most !in which the nativos gequiosce in the virtual remarkable manter. Thus, as the corres change zzi miers insenstoly going on. pondent above alluded to shows, the rail- | The Times_ correspondent states that at way has been tern.ed the Chinese Eastern Railway, a title ingeniously devised to "save the face" of the Chinese Government. Shares can only be held by Russians and by Chinese, but as a matter of fact every share is held by Russians, the Chinese having no pecuniary interest in the line whatever. It is to be built by Russian engineers, pro- tected by Russiau soldiers, with Russiau capital, and with Russian material, and it will run through territory which though now Chinese will, we believe, cease to remain so long before the term (80 years) is up when the Chinese Government will acquire the right to purchase the line. The railway is, moreover, to be financed by the Russo- Chinese Bank, the capital of which is ex- clusively Russian, and they retain the ex- clusive cool, management, and profits, the Chinese share being limited to the provision of clients, compradores, under clerks, and servants. The railway is to be completed and in full running order before 28th August, 1903, but so far the surveys have not been carried out, and the route is not wholly decided upon. It will, however, pass through a fertile and increasingly populous district, which will atone for the engineering difficulties which have to be encountered. in both of which countries she nas At Tsitsihar, an important city and capital proceeded cautiously, treating the natives of the province of Heh Lung Kiang, through' well and teaching them to compare the
preliminary surveys have been completed, Its length is 193 miles, and the principal engineering difficulty is a tunnel 1,400 feet in length.
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Sir WILLIAM's views on the projects of Russia in Manchuria coincide in the main with those that have been frequently expressed in this column, both in connection with the re- cent crisis and for many years past. His Ex- cellency does not believe that Russia's policy in that part of the world is necessarily in- imical to us. This is a view of the case that is calculated to serve as a wholesome correc- tive to the Jingo spirit that has of late taken possession of the Times and many other journals. Sir WILLIAM went on to say that "so long as we have free trade "Russia's action will not only not hamper
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Kirin the Rossofication of the city is pro- ceeding most obviously, Samovars are seen in every in. Russian engineers, escorted by Cossacks, drive in tarantasses through us, but will even be in some ways helpful." the crowded streets. "The Russians," he We would go still further and say that even adds, bave little more to gain in Man- if ultimately a differential tariff should be. "churia. They have the right to mine, the established the substitution of a civilised right to build houses and import machinery and orderly government for the present for railway and mining use. They have state of insecurity and anarchy would be "the right to unrestricted navigation of more than an equivalent advantage for inland waters, and they have the right to British trade. The policy of the open door protect themselves by force, independent of is an excellent one for the British Govern- "Chinese. And with it all the Chinese are ment to work for, but unless we are prepared coutent, and they are prepared to welcome to step in ourselves and either by direct any further chauge which would remove annexation or the exercise of strong and "them from the exactions of their own steadily maintained influence ensure the officials." "Another fact not without signific-orderly government of the territory to ance as showing how entirely the Rus- which the open door gives access we cannot sians have their own way, he mentions reasonably object to other governments doing that salt is imported through Poltapka and so, There is a good deal of wisdom in the fol- Vladivostock into Manchuria free of duty, lowing remarks made by a Mr. BENNETT at although in other parts of China this article the recent meeting of the Associated Chambers is a Government monopoly, and is spe- of Commerce:He must say he was very cially prohibited, by the Burmo-Chinese "dubious with regard to this policy of the convention, from entering Yunnan from
open door.'
There was a danger of that Burmah, Russia has for many years phrase becoming a mere shibboleth. He been preparing the way for her ascendency was convinced that the assurances they both in Manchuria and Mongolia, "received from Russia and France were
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not worth the paper they were written on. They had had instances of the value
" of such assurances in the case of Bussia.