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December 10, 1898.]
--Anything more monstrous, ludicrous, humi- liating, or imbecile it is impossible to cou- jecture. The unionist government had made a melancholy mess, our morals and prestige have gone, and our officials appear to have gone one step further, which cannot but weaken British influence in China, though it is doubtful if that be now within the bounds of possibility. It is understood that England, in consideration of the so-called rectification of the boundaries of Hongkong, has promised China liberal treatment in revenue matters. Consequently the Chinese government has opened its mouth very wide and asked for numerous rights and privileges:
2--The Commissioner of Chinese Customs in Hongkong to be officially recognized by the British Government.
3. The erection and continuance of Chinese customs stations for the collection of duties within British territory.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT
fraught with untoward consequences to British interests. Russia, in the meantime, has taken full advantage of England's feebleness, appears not to be satisfied with the acquisition of Man- churis, and her latest move on the board is an attempt, as audacious as it is courageous, to seize and secure the heart of China through becoming the owners and having the control of the Peking-Hankow railway, which would ultimately mean the ousting and the freezing out of Great Britain from the Yangtsze valley. How much longer and how much further Musoovite aggression will be allowed to go remains to be seen.
1. To open and establish a Chinese customs Negotiations had been proceeding satis- office in the midst of Hongkong for the collec-factorily between a substantial British syn- tion of opium and other duties.
dicate, Sheng Taotai, director-general of Im. perial railways, and the Tsungli Yamen for a railway concession from Canton to British Kowloon, opposite Hongkong, until two weeks ago, when the French Minister interfered and protested against the granting or leasing of any such concession-the French evidently presuming that Kwangtung province is within their sphere of influence. The concession or lease is shelved for the present, as no doubt the Taungli Yamen deem it inexpedient to move while the French protest remains in force, which is, no doubt, supported by the Russian Minister.
4.The Chinese revenue cruisers (officered and_manned possibly or probably by Russians or French) to be at liberty to visit the waters (British) of Hongkong at any hour of the day or night.
5. The special use of two wharves or jetties in the Hongkong harbour opposite the junk anchorage:
6.The right at any time to examine the Hongkong opium farmers' warehouses, stock of opium, books, etc., and a great deal more-too much to here detail.
Before agreeing to grant any one of these concessions might be interesting, if not instructive, were the British officials to ascertain the exact nature of the privileges which Russia, Germany, and France extends to the Chinese Government in re the collection of Chinese revenues and duties at Port Arthur and Talienwan at Kiaochau and at Kwongchauwan respectively. The British Government might just as well permit France to establish French onstom houses at Dover, Folkestone, or in the
Thames!
A preliminary contract for the extension of the Shanhaikwan-Newchwang (the latter is a treaty port) railway, between the Chinese Go- vernment railway officials and the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank and Jardine, Matheson & Co., was signed in June last, but so far the Russian Government has succeeded in prev ing the Chinese Government from ratif the said contract or agreement. In his protese -which was one of the strongest possible nature-to the Tsungli Yamen, M. Paviloff, th Russian Chargé d'Affaires, quoted section 3 of the St. Petersburg convention, and pointed out that the proposed railway loan comes under the provisions of the said convention and concluded his protest with the words, "A thousand times ten thousand times it cannot be agreed to."
Early this year Russian agents commenced negotiations with the notorious Sheng Taotai, the directer-general of Imperial railways, in re the contract for the Peking Hankow railway, which has now been transferred by the 80- called "Belgian Syndicate" to the Russo- Chinese Bank, alias the Russian Govern- ment. The money required to build the railway will be Russian-French, and the real owner of the line will be the Russo-Chinese Bank, who will work and control it. The con- tract has not yet been ratified, but in face of these facts it is impossible to realize the grounds on which Mr. Curzon can regard China's as surances respecting the Yangtaze as definite and binding, or how the Chinese Government can allege to our minister in Peking that Russia has no interest in the Peking-Hankow line.
Lord Salisbury's declaration in the beginning of this week, that England was prepared to sup- port China against any power committing an act of aggression in consequence of Chi- na's having availed of British assistance in the construction of railways or other pu- blic works, was most refreshing and wel- come. Britain's attitude hitherto vis-a-vis the China question has been feeble in the extreme-impossible by any process of rea- soning to dignify it by the name of a policy. If, however, the Unionist Government have at last decided upon a definite policy, we earnestly hope they will stick to their guns, but their indecision and insction has been
❘
It is most essential for the preservation of Great Britain's most important interest in China (80 per cent of the whole foreign trade) that the Celestial Empire should not fall under the dominion of Russia, and consequently one of the most grave questions of the day is whether it would be judicious for Eng- land, single-handed, to bolster up and defend the maintenance and integrity of the rotten, corrupt, and indefensible Chinese Gor- ernment.
Why, oh why, did we decry
T. H. W.
481
drift if no one competent man can be found to understand and grapple with the dan- gers which are steadily increasing and are destined to go on increasing. It was known throughout the world at the moment when Lord Salisbury's utterance was made that the Chinese Empire was having fat bits torn out of its body by any one who elected to annex a piece. Is Lord Salisbury the only statesman in Europe who does not now know that a hundred blue-jackets properly armed and led could take any sea-port in China without any great effort and probably without the loss of a single man? There is the so-called Imperial Government of China, but it is rotten, corrupt, regards reform from within and without foreign and effete utterly helpless and hopeless as sid. This has been its actual state for many years past. True, there is the Chinese Empire not a nation, but a geographical expression and the Chinese people, many scores of millions of the most virile race and possessed of all the best qualities requisite for the making of an army, unlimited as regards numbers, and physically unsurpassed in the world. If Russia is permitted to make use of this splendid material, and that it is available and waiting to be utilized there is no shadow of a doubt, the most disas trous results to the Anglo-Saxon race must ensue. Manchuria is a white man's land and olimate, and has a population of upwards of 20,000,000 of people, which territory is already under Russian protection and control. About Vladivostock, in the Amoor district, and in Manchuria, there are already upwards of 100,000 Russian soldiers, and this army is being gradu- ally increased by fresh arrivals of troops from Europe every month. Why, wherefor, and for what purpose?
"
From the perusal of the Blue Book laid be. fore the Houses of Parliament in April last our statesmen appear to have been amazingly guile. P. S-Since writing the foregoing inform-less, sadly deficient in foresight and lacking ation has reached me from two thoroughly entirely in determination and action. The independent and absolutely reliable sources that communications exchanged are simply astound- the Russian admiral was in receipt of definite ing-brimful with evidence of Russian dupli- instructions from St. Petersburg to withdraw city and bad faith. Lord Salisbury demanded the Russian ships from Port Arthur in March Talienwan as a treaty port, but dropped the last-at the time of the British naval demonstra- demand as soon as Russia opposed it. Our tion in the Gulf of Peobili-if the British Government's so-called policy-"open door," Government had insisted upon the withdrawal
'equality of opportunity," "maintenance of of the Russian fleet from that port. Russia no
our treaty rights even at the cost of war "has doubt, puffed up by her successful bluff in Port completely failed, and we have been diplomati- Arthur, has now bearded the lion in his den by cally worsted. We protested needlessly when acquiring as a naval base Rabeita, in the Straits too late. We were forced at the last moment of Babel Mandeb, immediately opposite Perim, to seize Weihaiwei as a "set-off" to the gains which base, if allowed to be fortified, will of Russia. The Unionist Government has completely neutralize our present commanding pursued a course which has placed England in position at Aden and Perin in the Red Sea. hostility to Russia, by drifting and through Ichabod, Ichabod, our glory has departed!
want of decisive action we have obtained the means of quarreling; not the means of emerging victorious from any quarrel. The point of vantage acquired will cost a great deal of money before it is of any use, and the value of Weihaiwei will depend entirely upon the use to which in future years it may be put. The deliberately gratuitous promise given by Lord Salisbury's Government that there is no intention to call in question Germany's rights in the Province of Shantung” irrepar- ably neutralizes the value of Weihaiwei, ine asmuch as we thereby deprive ourselves of all local supplies, including coal, which abounds in the province, and the right to connect Wei haiwei and Tientsin by railway. Port Arthur will speedily be connected by rail with the immense natural resources of Manchuria, with European Russia through Siberia. Port the Russian base on the Amoor river and with
Arthur will soon, too, via Shanhai-
Tientsin and Peking. To acquire Weihai- kwan, have railway communication with
wei and then to have thrown away all the advantages naturally attaching to its pos session is, to those who understand the situs tion, utterly unintelligible and as incomprehen sible as it is bewildering.
The mailed fist in China's eye, Swear that our rights we would stand by At risk of war our foes defy ? And then when Russia, slick and sly, Had done us with a thumping lie, Why, oh why, take Weihaiwei- Then swear we meant no business-why
Hongkong, 13th June.
Mr. Chamberlain, in his famous speech at Birm- ingham last month, truly said that the situation in China was most unsatisfactory, and there is no doubt that it really is so and is becoming more dangerous as time advances. If Russian predominance in China is permitted to progress at anything like the rate it has advanced in the last few years it is only a question of time when British interests in the Far East will be surely seriously jeopardized. Chamberlain's speech Lord Salisbury said that Subsequent to Mr.
The policy of Great Britain was not changed, and consists in maintaining the Chinese Em- pire." The policy may have been as described, but it was not in action and has not yet given evidence that it is in action. What reason is there for hope as to the future of British inter. ests in the Far East when Lord Salisbury can gravely utter "that he was unable to believe in the collapse of a nation of 400,000 of brave people ?" Coming from any ordinary authority such an atterance conld only be regarded as inane drivel. Can this result from ignorance or actual incompetence to realize the true situation ? Pitiable indeed is the condition of foreign affairs in England, and still more pitiably must the ship of state continue to
F
If a solid understanding and defensive alli- parts of the Anglo-Saxon people, the human ance could be arranged between the component race would be enriched and the sun would rise upon a nobler world. It would mean open com, merce an : de on equal terms to the whole universe.
greatest happiness to the greatest number.
the greatest prosperity and the
Permit me to urge upon you the necessity of communicating at your early convenience with the powers that be as to the steadily increasing