December 10, 1898.]
gentleman's feeling of sadness at this "grab bing” and “ leasing." The chief reason for andness is that our Kowloon frontier was not rectified many years ago and that Great Britain neglected until the other day to secure a position of strength in the north.
FRENCH COLONISATION AND TRADE IN INDO-CHINA.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
France alone; incidentally the colonies themselves benefit from the establishment of law and order and are immeasurably better off than under native rule, but they do not make the progress they would if their markets were thrown open to the world at large.
·A PACIFIC TELEGRAPH CABLE.
(Daily Press, 3rd December). The determination of the United States to retain the Philippines renders the early laying a telegraph cable across the Pacific a certainty, A Washington press despatch
475
KOWLOON CITY AND CHINESE JURISDICTION,
(Daily Press, 8th December). The information conveyed to the public through Reuter with respect to the position of Kowloon city when the new territory is taken over, while in part it may lessen the administrative objections to the mainten- not render the anomaly any less extra- ance of Chinese jurisdiction there, does ordinary than it at first appeared. T
The city itself is an insignificant little place in addition to the garrison, and this is all with only a couple of hundred inhabitants
·
In refutation of the statement that the French are not colonisers the Echo de Chine publishes a series of tables from the Customs Reports showing the growth of the import and export trade of the French possessions in Indo-China during the past ten years. Ex- cluding treasure and goods in transit the of the 19th November states that the United that is to be reserved to the Chinese; the total value of the trade rose from 139,078,174 States representatives on the Peace Com-suburbs, stretching from the to the francs in 1888 to 205,231,545 francs in mission sitting at Paris had been instructed shore, and with a population of several 1897. This is certainly a fair showing on to acquire one of the Caroline Islands by diction. The administrative objections to the thousands, are to come under British juris- the face of it, even after making a deduction purchase from Spain, to be used as an in- divided jurisdiction will naturally be dimin- on account of Aunam, which does not ap- pear to have been included in the returns termédiary station for the Pacific cable, and ished in proportion to the contraction of the until 1891, but the external trade of goes on to lay down the proposed route of Chinese sphere, but they can never be which now amounts in value to over the cable, namely, from Hongkong to the wholly removed until the last trace of seven million francs. The total imports of northern part of the Philippines, thence to Chinese rule disappears. However desirous Cochin-China and Cambodia amounted in one of the islands in the northern Caroline the mandarin individually may be to dis value to 39,388,286 francs in 1888, and to Group, thence to the Hawaiian Islands, charge his functions with circumspection it 51,922,684 franes in 1897, the large increase and thence to the United States. As there may be accepted as a foregone conclusion being mainly in goods imported from is already a cable from Hongkong to Manila that his satellites will endeavour to make France, the value of which rose from it hardly seems probable that the United use of their position to squeeze and hector 9,687,119 fraues in 1888 to 20,825,931 States should wish to lay another on that over the surrounding population. Also in francs in 1897, while imports from foreign section. There are, moreover, agreements
cases of crime, if the criminal can succeed in countries only rose from 29,701,167 francs in existence which place restrictions on the reaching Kowloon city the police will only to 31,096,753 francs. In the import- landing of cables in Hongkong, the Eastern be able to effect his arrest on application to ant item of piece goods, which seem Extension Company being possessed of what the mandarin in charge, and the dignity of to be the staple most severely hit by is virtually an exclusive privilege. Possibly British rule will thereby be impaired the differential tariff, the trade is being however that Company may be entrusted the eyes of the ordinary population. rapidly monopolised by France. Thus in with the work of laying the American cable these and various unforeseen ways continual 1888 goods of this class from France figured across the Pacific and an agreement may be friction will arise which, although the for the whole of Indo-China at 1,944,138 entered into regarding the future operation of individual cases may not possess any great francs only, while in 1897 the value the line, in which case probably no difficulty seriousness, will inevitably cause a good had risen to 10,662,422 francs, foreign would be raised as to the landing of the deal of irritation. The mandarin is
appar- goods, on the other hand, falling from cable in Hongkong, should it be decided to ently to be left at Kowloon city to keep 13,452,917 francs to 7,248,983 francs. But continue it to this point; but if the new line alive in the eyes of the population the while the tarifft succeeds in transferring the threatened opposition presumably the Com-rights of the Chinese Government as the trade from foreign to French goods it places pany now in possession would stand upon its a strong check on the increase of consum- rights. At the half yearly meeting of the tion, as is shown by the fact that while Company held on the 26th October the in 1888 the imports of piece goods amounted Chairman, the Marquis of TWEEDDALE, said in value to 15,896,055 francs they had in he had on more than one occasion referred 1897 only risen to 17,911,405 francs, an to the probability of the establishment of increase which compares very unfavourably cable communication in the Pacific, and the with the increase in the total imports of the occupation of the Philippines by the United colony, although with an open market it is States had undoubtedly given a stimulus to in this class of goods that the largest in-efforts having that object in view, but, as crease might have been looked for. The tables given are not sufficiently complete to enable us to trace how the decline in foreign piece goods was counterbalanced by increases in other lines for as shown above there has been a slight increase in the total during the ten years-but metals and opium account for some part of the dis- crepancy and the remainder is probably represented by goods of Chinese and Japan- ese origin. Looking at the total value of the whole trade it must be admitted that the country has benefited in a commercial sense by French rule, but having regard to the course of the piece goods trade it is also
:
far as they knew, nothing definite had yet been arranged, and all he could say with respect to the matter was that they were carefully watching developments having that direction, and he felt that the share holders might rely on it that they were taking steps to protect their interest in every possible way. But a cable will undoubtedly be laid across the Pacific, whether it be ex- tended to Hongkong or not, and presumably there will bea considerable cheapening of the rates at present in force between the points to be served by the new line, which will induce a more than proportionate increase of traffic. One of the effects may be, by
lessor of the soil, and his presence will prove as distasteful to the British com- munity as that of a bailiff in a private house. We hope Sir HENRY BLAKE will take this matter up strongly and make such representations as may secure the abolition of such an intolerable anomaly as the maintenance of a Chinese enclave in British territory. If the administrative difficulties that were anticipated be re- duced by the fact that Chinese jurisdiction is to be confined strictly within the walls of Kowloon city, the political objections re- main as great as ever.
On the one side we have the British Government, jealous of any infringement of its jurisdiction, and on the other a Chinese mandarin entrusted with the special function of keeping con- stantly before the eyes of his countrymen the fact that the British occupy the terri- tory only on suffrance and by favour. In proportion as he finds himself divested of actual power this official will be induced to make large pretensions in the attempt to maintain a style and dignity that can have
state of
clear that French colonial expansion can force of example, to induce the Eastern no basis of substantiality.ble
things cannot fail to lead complications.
On the evening of the 21st November the Tenjin-maru, a large Japanese junk, collided off Uragi, Sagami, with the M. M. steamer Melbourne. The former vessel was so badly damaged that she quickly filled and sank. The
taken on to Yokohama. The loss of the Japanese
never be regarded favourably by merchants Extension to reduce its rates to Europe, a and manufacturers of other nationalities. consummation devoutly to be wished. While Our neighbours hope before long to in- welcoming the American enterprise there is, corporate Hainan with their Indo-Chinese however, one cause for regret, namely, that possessions, a hope which we believe to be it may discourage the laying of a British doomed to disappointment, but assuming it cable across the Pacific to connect Hong to be fulfilled goods of other than Freuch kong and Canada, and to some extent the origin would at once be subjected to a hostile laying of the projected cable between tariff there. There exists, therefore, very Canada and Australia may also be dis- crow of the boat were saved by the Melbourne and good reason why the acquisition should be couraged, for with an American line opposed by other Powers on commercial already touching at Honolulu the com grounds alone, irrespective of political con-mercial prospects of the British cable would siderations. The colonial policy of France be prejudiced to the extent of the lo.s of the is to exploit the colonies for the benefit of Hawaiian traffic.
091 30
vessel is estimated at 25,000 yen, and negotia-
authorities at Kanagawa and the French Consul tions are proceeding between the Japanese for an amicable settlement of the matter. Nagasaki Press.
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