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154
RUSSIA'S POLICY IN CHINA.
""
This
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
desire ΠΟ
80-
the
[August 20, 1898. protest is almost too transcendent for belief, but very strange things are at present happening in the Far East. Fortunately Lord SALISBURY seems fully alive to t necessity of protecting and supporting British enterprise. Reuter's telegram published to-day informs us that instructions to resist preferential treatment of foreign subjects in trade were sent to Sir CLAUDE MACDONALD in March and that renewed particular in- structions in reference to railway cou- These cessions were sent on the 13th July.
**
in
we place any faith in mere promises from St. Petersburg. The incidents in the uego- (Daily Press, 19th August.)
tiations with regard to Port Arthur and The semi-official Russian statement tele- Talien want would were other proof wanting, graphed out by Reuter is of equal interest be sufficient warning of the untrustworthi- and importance. It is of interest as coming ness of Russian assurances. It is well to be from an inspired source, and it is important
on good terms with all our neighbours, and as bearing out what we have on many it is most satisfactory when we can trust occasions asserted, that if England only them, but if we are unable to believe im- grips the Muscovite nettle boldly it will plicitly in their pledges then it is necessary prove innocuous and harmless. The state-
to be prepared to rely on ourselves alone. ment is to the effect that Russia is solely We might have been more than willing to anxious to secure her recently gained nd- work with Russia before our most recent 'particular instructions" were no doubt vantages in the Far East, that she con- evidence of her unscrupulousness; we must dictated by the dispute concerning the templates no fresh acquisitions, and does now be content to go cautiously, watching Newchwang line, but may also have not desire to injure the economic interests her with suspicion, though with no un- had some bearing on the question of of Great Britain. No doubt Russia's first friendly intentions.
the Canton and Kowloon line. It is and most pressing anxiety is to see the The publication of this semi-official state evident now, since the question of in- Trans-Siberian Railway completed, and, of ment by the Russian Government is, how ternational spheres has been raised, that course, carried to an unfrozen port.
ever, a useful sign of the feeling in St. the latter line must be made forthwith, port she has now obtained, for Port Arther Petersburg. There is, as we have always order to effectively assert the rights of Great and not Vladivostock will be the real Pacific
believed,
the part on
of Britain and of this colony. The idea terminus of the Great Russian highway. It Russia to become involved in war, es of seeing Hongkong out off from land com- will take some years before even Russia, with
pecially with a first-class Power. Russia munication with Canton except by some all her vast resources, will be able to bring has invariably preferred-and rightly problematical French railway of the distant her Siberian lines all into working order, to seek the attainment of her designs by future would be too intolerable to be enter- and when this is satisfactorily completed, it peaceful means rather than by appeal to the tained for a moment. In support of the is not improbable that the main item of
sword. War is costly and it is not always immediate construction of a British line, if the Russian dream will have been realised. safe. Russia is not at the moment prepared, there were any difficulty in raising the When, however, Russia says "she con either financially or in other ways, to go to necessary capital on the basis of an ordinary "templates no fresh acquisition we must
war for what she believes can be secured commercial undertaking, both Great Britain take the announcement with a grain of with equal certainty by waiting. She has and the colony of Hongkong might fairly salt. It is possible that for the moment her of late years seen her opportunity in China, be asked to contribute towards it, either in hands are sufficiently full, and she thinks and, backed by her very useful ally, has the way of a guarantee of interest or by that she needs all her energies for the de- taken it. The necessity had long been fore subscribing part of the capital. As a velopment of the territory she has leased or
seen for an outlet for the Trans-Siberian matter of fact, however, we believe the otherwise acquired from China in Manchu Railway in Manchuria, and China's ex- undertaking has already a sufficient fin- ria. But the time will come, we doubt tremity became Russia's opportunity, Hav-ancial backing, and if it is placed on the open not, when she will find it desirable to ask ing obtained permission to make the market as a public company no doubt for the remainder of the Mauchurian heritage railway through Manchuria 80 readily, the shares will be subscribed for many of the Ta-tsing dynasty. Just at the mo-Russia thought, and not unnaturally, that times over. It is to be hoped, however, that ment it might not be easy of assimilation, the time had arrived to make a bold stroke the line will not stop at Canton. Not but when the railway is in full working for a port, and it was made boldly. The re- only should it be extended northwards to order it will only seem the natural com-sult was a success beyond, probably, what connect with the northern railway system, plement of the territory lately secured. It M. MURAVIEFF had dared to hope for. but also westward to Nanning, where it would also be folly to ignore the fact that, But beyond this point the CZAR'S Gov might perhaps meet the French line, if at no distant day, Russia will wish to absorb
ernment are evidently not prepared the latter ever materialises.
This is what is Kashgaria, part of which (Kuldja) she was
to go-at present. compelled to disgorge through the energetic meant by the statement just given to the aetion of CHANG CHIU-TUNG, when he world. Russia has no quarrel with Great denounced the Treaty made by CHANG Britain, has no wish to interfere with her How, which agreement had left the pro- trade or commercial enterprise in China. vince in the hands of the CZAR,
It is not in any sense a backing down, but it is au acknowledgment that she is not prepared to fight for any point over which she may disagree with Great Britain. statement may no doubt be construed even in a larger sense. It probably means that whatever Great Britain may demand from China, however much Russia may secretly disapprove, yet she will not actively oppose it. Which means, too, that if France chooses to cry out against concessions to Great Britain she may do so as loudly as she chooses, but Russia will not lift a hand to help to make that outcry effective.
The assertion that Russia does not desire to injure the economic interests of Great Britain must be taken for what it is worth. No doubt the Russian Government have no wish, so long as England does not worry them, and so long as English interests do not clash with those of Russia, to cause injury to British commercial interests. But
❤
the moment the two cease to appear com-
The
patible, that moment Russia would be ready to scheme for her own advantage and to -adopt any measures that would seem to pro- mise to further her ends. Consideration for British interests, we may be sure, will not
FRANCE AND THE CANTON- weigh with Russia. when in the pursuit of
KOWLOON RAILWAY. her own carefully laid plane, which she pursues so patiently, pertinaciously, and
(Daily Press, 13th August). sagaciously, it is evident that other con-
It would be The twisting of the lion's tail goes merrily siderations must prevail.
The latest report, disseminated by the folly, therefore, to be led off our straight on. course by any red herring that the Shanghai correspondent of the Times, is to CZAR's Ministers may choose to trail over the effect that the French Minister has the scent. We may give M. MURAVIEFP protested to the Tsungli Yamen against the credit for all the good intentions in the negotiations for constructing a railway from world, we may meet him with the friendliest Kowloon to Canton by Messrs. JARDINE, language, and we may respond most freely MATHESON & Co., alleging that Kwangtung all his assurances of good will-for indeed is in the French sphere. If there be any we have much good will for, and not a little truth in the report it is to be hoped that it sympathy with, Russia in her efforts to will be made very clear to France that it is not within her sphere to interfere with legi- extend her commerce-but we should never make the mistake of relying on them. Even timate British enterprise either in Kwang- treaty stipulations, as we have seen in recent tung or elsewhere and that if she makes years, are not too sacred to be broken by herself obnoxious disagreeable consequences Muscovite hands; how much less, then, can may cusue. The effrontery of the alleged
France's protests, however, if any have been made, will perhaps evaporate as readily as Russia's in reference to the Newchwang line. It was stated the other day that Russia had threatened that if the Newchwang contract with the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank were carried out she might require the province of Ili or Kuldja as compen- sation. Thereupon the Chinese Govern- ment were informed that Great Britain would support them against any Power committing an act of aggression on China for permitting British subjects to construct or support railways or any public works. The telegram published to-day states that China has expressed her gratitude for Great Britain's support, but adds that no aggres- It does not sion has been threatened.
follow that as a matter of fact threats have not been held out. It is not an uncommon thing in police courts for a complainant, either under the influence of terrorism or of substantial inducement, to withdraw the allegations made at the commencement of China may be in a somewhat the case. similar position and may have reason to think that she had better not tales against her powerful northern neigh- bour, lest it be remembered against her in the distant future.
as
bear
The statements
to the domineering attitude assumed by Mr. PAVLOFF at Peking have of late been too frequent and categorical to admit of the belief that they are al- together without foundation. It is possible the threats may not have been reduced to writing and that even in the spoken words they may have been so wrapped up as to admit of their being explained