October 8, 1898.]
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construction of is not the one which it is now proposed to construct, the proposed route having been transferred from Queen's Road to Des Voeux Road (the old Praya). From a legal point of view, therefore; it seems probable that a commencement will have to be made de novo, but it is none the less satisfactory to find that the remaining members of the original Syndicate are at last, after the lapse of fifteen yehra, prepared to go on with the project. In section 3 of the Ordinance the Hon. F. B. JOHNSON, Mr. F. D. SASSOON Mr. C. V. SMITH, and Mr. W. K. HUGHES, For the survivors or survivor, "of them," were declared the promoters, and the powers conferred were vestel in them. The original enterprisc did not succeed in getting beyond the construction of the Peak Tramway, which was in fact an entirely separate undertaking with a different promoter and which was ouly in- cluded with the proposed low level tramways in one enactment as a matter of legal con- venience, the rights of the nominal promo- ters under the Ordinance being immedia tely assigned to the real promoter, Mr. FINDLAY SMITH, who carried it through successfully. The low level scheme languished. Bad times set in which were unfavourable to the raising of capital, and subsequently the Praya Reclamation scheme took shape, bringing with it the belief that it would be better to wait until a new aud wider road was available in- stead of proceeding with the authorised line along Queen's Road. In 1893,/however, a party of Canadian capitalists put in an ap pearance and applied for the concession, being apparently willing to take the risk of running the line along Queen's Road, notwithstanding the prospective availability of the old Praya with its wider roadway The original Syndicate, or its representatives, were willing to transfer their rights under the Ordinance, whatever those rights might be, and seemed anxious to do all in their power to further the enterprise. The Go- vernment, however, did not receive the proposals favourably: they were willing to sauction a tramway from Blue Buildings to Shaukiwan, but not a line running through the town, which was what the capitalists chiefly desired. The scheme, therefore, fell through, which caused some disappointment at the time, but it was perhaps as well that it was not proceeded with, seeing that DES Vœux Road, which is now almost ready, will afford a much superior route for the line. That the enterprise when undertaken will prove a financial suc- cess may be concluded from a giance at the great stream of traffic passing from east to west and west to east at all hours of the day. A correspondent, however, has drawn atten- tion to the competition the line will have to meet in the shape of jinrickshas. This point was referred to in an article in this column on the 1893 project fiu which it was remarked that there was fo instance in Europe or America of tramways having to com- pete with twopenny cab fares, which is practically what they would have to do here, where the/jiuricksha takes the place of the cab and the legal fare is five cents for a quarter-of-an-hour's journey. Now, alas! five cents represents little more than a penny. We believe, however, that if the tramway can carry a passenger the same distance as a jjuricksha for the same money it will command the bulk of the traffic, for, handy as the jinricksha is, it is not a vehicle that one would ordinarily select in pre- ference to a well appointed tram car, and, moreover, jinrickshas are not always to be found when they are wanted.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
MR. A. LITTLE ON THE OPEN DOOR AND SPHERES OF INFLUENCE,
account of
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(Daily Press, 5th October.) Mr. ARCHIBALD LITTLE, who is now at home, has been requested by the editor of the Contemporary Review to give some our own reputed sphere of influence" in China, the Yangtze Valley, and his contribution, which will be found exceptionally interesting, appears in the September number. Mr. LITTLE, as the pioneer of steam navigation on the Upper Yangtze and by virtue of long acquaint- ance with the region, is well qualified to describe the physical characteristics and the commercial potentialities of our reputed 'sphere." On those points we are content to sit at Mr. LITTLE's feet; concerning his political reflections we join issue with him. Although the Yangtsze Valley affords us a magnificent sphere of influence if it is really to be regarded as ours," says Mr. LITTLE, "it must not be supposed that "equally valuable regions are not to be "found outside of it. Thus to the south of "this region, which may be roughly de- "scribed as lying between latitudes 28 deg, and 32 deg. North, we have, between "latitudes 22 deg. and 28 deg. North, the five rich southern provinces of Fulkien, Kwangtung, Kwangsi, Kweichow, and "Yunnan, generally claimed as the French sphere, lying as they do to the north "and west (sic) of th French possessions "in Cochin-China and Annam,' By whom is this region "generally claimed as the French jurnalists, perhaps, but not for- French sphere? By a few hot headed
ally by the French Government, believe. Indeed, so far as Yunnan is con-
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we
corned Great Britain and France have mutually agreed that neither shall claim any exclusive privileges, while as regards the southern provinces in general similar
assurances
of non-alienation have been
to
Yet
given by China to Great Britain as France. As regards Kwangtung in par- ticular, that province is the hinterland of Hongkong and cannot be allowed to fall into the sphere of any foreign Power. Mr. LiTri. s casul reference to it as well as to the other southern provinces as being 'generally claimed as the French sphere rends almost like a tacit almission of the claim.
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| Hongkong is not a closed door can it be correct to speak of the free ports of Kiao- chau and Talienwan as closed doors? They may throw political influence into the hands of our rivals, in fact cannot fail to do so, but closed doors they certainly are not. To be strictly accurate we should perhaps differ entiate between the two ports named, since the formal declaration of the freedom of Talienwau has not yet been published, but that is merely a matter of time; the arrange- ments are ponding, just as are our own ar rangements with reference to the Kowloon territory.
Mr. LITTLE confesses himself a convert
?
to the "spheres of influence policy, but he seems to think that spheres of influence and the open door are antithetical terms, where- as they are quite compatible if by "open " door >>
we understand simply an open door for trade and by "spheres of influence " spheres of political influence. Mr. LITTLS,. however, with the enthusiasm of a convert, is prepared to accept spheres of influence in the widest acceptation of the term and without qualification of any kind. A strong sentimental regard for, if not admiration of, Chinese civilisation, coupled with a genuine liking for the people amidst whom he has spent his life, has, Mr. LeTTLE says, ever led him to point out the value to the world of supporting the independence of China, and permitting as well as aiding her to in her own
"work out her reformation
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way, as the Japanese were allowed to do, and, as he feels convinced, China in time would have done. But," he continues, the Fates have decreed otherwise! What, then, should Britain now do? Clearly the course of a wise man, when he finds the front door irrevocably closed (for we surely cannot fight France, Russia, and Germany combined in order to force it open again, let alone the fact that these Powers have just as good a right to their 'opinion of the best way to mend 'cracked "China' as we have to ours) is to try an-
other
round. Thus we have now way 'nothing but the ' sphere of iufluence' to fall back upon: if this is a mirage at the mo- ment, it need not long remain sɔ, provided our Government, with a united and deter- "mined nation to back it, will seriously tackle the problem and, not forgetting Bismarck's do ut des, not give it up until- by fair means if possible-our sphere in In his concluding paragraph Mr. LITTLE
"China is a firmly acknowledged fact, and sphere of in- says it is obvio is that our
not, as it is to-day, a subject for derision.” fluence" is a pure mirage as long as it is With the making of our sphere in China not acknowledged by our rival Powers.a firmly acknowledged fact we cordially The obviousness of that is indisputable. agree, but would go a step further and Mr. LITTLE then goes on to refer to over-advocate that as Great Britain in her tures alleged to have been made by France sphere will keep the door open to the trade and Russia to Lord ROSEBERY when he was Prime Minister with reference to the par-neighbours shall do the same in whatever of the world, so ought she to insist that her tition of China. "Lord ROSEBERY is re-spheres they may acquire, so that through- ported to have scouted the idea in toto, out the length and breath of China trade whereupon the partition, in which he might have had a preponderant voice, may be open to all nations on equal terms. goes on quietly without him." Refer- ence having been made to the recent pro- ceedings of Germany, Russia, and France, Mr. LITE says "The much-vaunted
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THE CRISIS AT PEKING.
THE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST KANG YU-WEI.
CHANG YIN-HUAN BANISHED.
open do has been rudely slammed in our face, and it is useless to worry more "about it." How and when was the door slammed? Is there one single spot in China in which an article of British origin (SPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE “DAILY PRESS."]
SHANGHAI, 2nd October. An edict issued by the Empress-Dowager in the name of the Emperor states that Kang
has been sold in which the same article cannot be as freely sold to-day? Is the establishment of open ports to be considered a slamming of the open door? Do we con-Yu-wei was just prevented heading an attempt siler the establishment of Hongkong was a slamming of the open door in anybody's face? On the contrary we are accustomed to speak of our own efforts as having opened the trade of China to the world at large.
But if
to surround Eho Park, capture the Empress. Dowager, and subvert the Manchu dynasty. Therefore Kaung Yu-wei and his partisana, are traitors and worthy of death.
Another edict banishes Chang Yin-huan to