""
192
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
OF INFLUENCE" POLICIES.
(Daily Press, 2nd S:ptember). The pendulum of public opinion on the China question is now swinging in the direction of spheres of influence. Even the Times in a recent issue asked if it was not
Mr. JOHN DILL. Ross, however, who has | THE" OPEN DOOR" AND "SPHERES recently paid a visit to the Philippines, and who wields the pen of a ready writer, sends a letter to the Singapore Free Press in which be boldly contends that "it will best "suit the interests of the whole world for the Philippines to remain Spanish, and that is decidedly the issue which best serves "British interests." Mr. Ross does not at- tempt to establish the feasibility of this course, apparently taking it for granted, though a little further examination of his subject must have convinced him that on that point he was mistaken. The reasons he gives for favouring Spanish sovereignty are set out as follows:-
**
"
一篇篇
"
**
*
The
Spanish Government have, throughout all "their troubles, taken the greatest possible care to safeguard British lives and pro- perty. When I was in the Philippines I constantly came across Englishmen who spoke in the kindest terms of their Spanish neighbours, and with every reason. "Why, nearly the whole trade of the Philippines is now in British bands. "British houses ship nearly all the hemp, sugar, and other produce from these islands, the Hongkong and Shanghai "Bank finances the bulk of this trade, "the Manila railway is essentially British, "and even the big Philippine shipping company, with its fleet of twenty- "four steamers, is largely managed and owned by the Macleods! Assured of "their security, all that the English can reasonably demand of the Spanish Govern- ment is more commercial liberty, and a system of Customs duties designed on a more liberal scale and which would elimi- nate certain vexatious abuses now current.
"
#6
time for Her Majesty's Government to drop playing with phrases and to look at facts; and went on to say that to keep all China open to all the world had never been any thing but a pious aspiration, and that the other policy, ie, the policy of spheres of influence, for good or for ill was dominant and inevitable. We are afraid, however, the Times is inclined to go as much too far in the one direction as it formerly did in the other. Paradoxical as it may seemi, the policy of the open door and that of spheres of influence may to a great extent exist side by side; that is to say, we may have an open door for trade, while re- coguising that politically a sphere may be under the influence of one particular power. Thus Kiaochau is now practic ally German territory
and Talienwan
Russian, but at both those ports British ships and British goods have, under the terms of the lease, equal rights of entry with German or Russian ships and goods. Thus has our much aligned Go- verument preserved an open door for British trade at the particular points at which there seemed some danger of the door being closed. But in political matters, and in matters touching the construction of rail- ways and the opening of mines, spheres of influence must necessarily secure cognition, and Great Britain's true policy, a it has seemed to us from the outset, is to
re-
[September 3, 1898.
fined to the laying of a cable from. San Francisco to Honolulu, and now that the Hawaiian Islands have been formally incor- pornted into the Republie the execution of the scheme to that extent will naturally be recognised as imperative. But since An- erican interests have now been established at Manila the scheme will almost of neces sity be extended, both on political and financial grounds, for not only will the Washington Government naturally wish to have its own means of communication with its new possession, but Manila will supply a very considerable addition to the traffic, especially when the whole of the Philippines are thrown open to free development.
In the meantime the project of a British cable from Canada to Australia continues to be discussed and is favourably regarded by the home Government and the various colonies concerned, but some difference of opinion appears to exist as to the extent to which they should make themselves respectively liable on the financial side of the question. Some time ago Canada was reported to be willing to guarantee one third of the cost, but according to the latest information to hand she is only prepared to go to the extent of two-ninths; Great Britain is will- ing to subscribe three-ninths, and the Australian colonies are now considering whether they can undertake the responsi bility for the remaining four-ninths. The cost of the cable has been estimated at £1,500,000, and on the basis at present pro- posed Great Britain's share of the liability would be £500,000, Canada's £333,333, and Australia's £666,666. Even if we assume that the actual cost came to double the estimate, the extent of the liability incurred by the
This could surely be arranged without any, mark out her own sphere and to make it guarantors would still be a inere bagatelle
"loss of power or prestige to Spain." While Englishmen speak, as Mr. Ross says, respected, not interfering unduly with in the kindest terms of their Spanish neigh what goes on in neighbouring spheres so bours, they all concur in the opinion that long as the door is left open to trade in the the system of government has been wret- ordinary acceptation of the word. Under ched and that trade has been hampered the contrary policy we are likely to lose and impeded. The fact that the bulk of the everything and gaiu nothing. Thus while trade is in English hands does not in itself we have been pressing for the employment much affect the argument, for under a
of British money in the construction of the better system of government trade would Newchwang Railway a contract has been increase enormously and Englishmen would quietly concluded under which it is believed still have as much opportunity of securing the financial control of the railway from the bulk of it as they have had in the past. Peking to Hankow will be vested in Russia. Mr. Ross, needless to say, does not believe The latter line runs right into what, call it in the natives' power of self-government, by what name one may, is virtually the while as to republicanism in general he British sphere of influence. Better would holds that it is the most rotten and mis-it have been to have called it a sphere of chievous form of government ever devised by human folly. Mr. Ross is also opposed to American domination because wherever
American goes
his anti-British
<<
"
the
"
even more
tariff goes with him, dlosely than his very shadow." As to that argument, however, it must be remem- bered that Spain is protectionist as well as the United States and that the latter buy a much larger quantity of British goods than the former, not only in gross bulk, but also relatively to the population. There is also reason to believe that if the United States annex the Philippines they will do so on the open door" principle; but even with their tariff American rule would be infinitely preferable to Spanish.
As the result of a quarrel which three fishermen had the other day at To Kwa Wan they all appeared before Commander Hastings at the Magistracy on 26th August, one of them charging the other two with assault. He said he remarked to one of defendants, "You owe me some money; you had better let me have some fish," whereupon they both set upon him, ons striking him with his fist on the right cheek and the other hitting him on the right loin with an oar. Defendants were each fined $5.
influence at the outset and treated it as such, warning off all trespassers. The news con- veyed in recent telegrams would seem to indicate that the policy of spheres of infu-
"(
ence is securing official as well as unofficial are told that Sir recognition, for we "CHARLES STEWART SCOTT'S negotiatious at St. Petersburgh, defining the British and Russian spheres of influence in Chiua, are proceeding in a friendly spirit." If the negotiatious result in anything like a rea- sonable agreement, in which it is not all give and no take on the part of Great Bri- tain, it will afford genuine reason for satis faction.
PACIFIC CABLE SCHEMES.
in comparison with the enormous national interests involved. It is to be hoped there- fure that the schene will not be wrecked on the rock of financial differences and that its execution will not be long delayed.
COMPRADORES.
(Daily Press, 29th August.)
{
The Belgian Consul at Shanghai has been interesting himself in the compradore question. The compradore, he says, is an indispensable intermediary between the foreign and Chinese merchant, and he proceeds to explain the origin of this functionary as follows: When the first foreign traders came to China they dealt by barter, taking goods in return for those which they imported; but, the interior being closed to them, they were obliged to have
recourse to intermediaries to obtain what
they wanted. This method of dealing with the Chinese has been preserved, and attained its priucipal importance in the days of the merchant princes," when the profits realised by the heads of foreign houses were so large that they declined to attend to matters themselves and left everything to their compradores. The Con- sul goes on to show how the compradore waxed fat under these conditions." Now, however, he says, the course of trade has completely changed, the merchant princes have disappeared from the scene, and the (Daily Press, 29th August.)
telegraph and the Suez Canal have brought The acquisition of the Philippines by the another class to China, men of modest United States will give a fillip to the project capitul and sometimes of none at all, but for the laying of a telegraph cable across industrious, energetic, and economical. The the Pacific by an American Company. The position of the compradore has also changed; Washingtou Government will no doubt be he continues, as before, to attend to all per- found ready to afford very liberal support chases and sales of goods, but he adds to that of the to the enterprise, or, in default of a Com- these important functions
Under these cir- pany taking the matter up, might even lay supplier of funds. and work the cable as a national affair.cumstances, and having regard to the Hitherto the American scheine has been con- ' mercantile spirit of the Chinese race,