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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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April 29, 1899.
even to critics of the agreement, perhaps, at now made the entrance to Cunton British | declaration to mear, however, that, while first sight. Subsequent events have, how-waters she would stultify her past policy and the Government does not desire to pre- ever, brought them rather forcibly home to encourage other nations to take up equival- cipitate the partition of Chinn, if there is us here, and we trust the Government will
ent positions in respect of other treaty to be partition England will take her share. not fail to make the necessity for absolute ports. Sir CLAUDE MACDONALD, in his This implies some anticipation of partition. cession convincingly clear to the Colonial despatch to the Marquess of SALISBURY The British Government has gradually come office. When the iden of taking over the detailing the course of the negotiations to recognise how weak the Chinese Govern- territory was first mooted, the matter seemed respecting the Kowloon Convention, says ment rently is, weak both in material re- simple enough; it was believed the inhabit that he explained to the Tsungli Yamen sources and in morals, and how unworthy ants (who should be able to foresee the that "the withdrawal of our western frontier and incapable it is of being bolstered benefits they are bound to reap thereby)" somewhat to the eastward is induced up. The recent disturbances in the would most joyfully welcome British rule "hy our desire to give no foreign: Power Kowloon hinterland will no doubt have and all the advantages it carries. But that a pretext for interference with treaty ports contributed to the enlightenment of our dream has been effectually dissipated. The or the approaches thereto."
Government. If China cannot be relied better educated and more intelligent portion Although it is desirable that the integrity upou to honestly carry out such an of the inhabitants have welcomed the of China should be maintained if possible, agreement as the Kowloon Convention, it exchange of rulers and look forward we quite anticipate that England sooner or may be argued, and rightly, that she is a with satisfaction to the future, but the later will have to assume the government hopeless case. Every one would like to see mass of the villagers, being very ignorant of the greater part of the country, either China a strong, self-respecting, and progres- and quite unable to resist pressure, have under the form of a protectorate or by sive Power, like Japan, but so far little sign been carried away with the stream, or have direct annexation. But however events of amendment is to be discovered. The fled to escape ill-treatment by the rowdies, may shape themselves in that direction course of events is hastening on towards the and feel afraid to meet the troops and police, ¦ it is desirable that Hongkong should main- | ending or mending of the Manchu Govern- for fear they should be also regarded as retain its position as a colony and a freement, and present indications point to the bels. The position, therefore, is greatly al- port, and that it should not allow itself ending; but there is the consolatory thought tered for the worse, and until the populace to be relegated to the position of a mere that the ending of the Government have been thoroughly reassured and order dependency or even the nominal capital, | may mienn the mending of the people. generally restored, a military occupation of of the province of Kwangtung, even In the recent debate in the House of Com- certain places is inevitable. In order to though British sovereignty should be mons, Sir E GREY, after propounding the effectually provide for this, the garrison of established over the latter. This is a point question whether the Chinese Government the Colony will have to be increased by at which public bodies like the Chamber f❘ was growing wenker or stronger, went on to least another regiment of infantry, and a Commerce, the, China Association, and the say:-"If it is growing weaker, all these considerable body of Indian police will be Navy League would do well to bear in needed to patrol the country. If we are mind. There has been a great deal said thus to be plunged into a large outlay about the Chinese Customs and the injury necessitated by the treachery of the Kwang- they are erroneously supposed to do to the tung authorities, it is not too much to ask for trade of Hongkong. Now, nothing can bə compensation, and this must be sought in more certain than that if Great Britain the form of a better tenure of the property, took over the province of Kwangtung she a more practicable frontier, and the removal would continue the collection of Customs of Chinese officials from Kowloon city and duties as one of the principal sources of Shamchun.
revenue, and in that case much more stringent regulations than any we have yet had experience of would be enforced to prevent goods being smuggled into the province from Hongkong, supposing the island still to retain its status ₤18 វា colony. To regulations of that kind we do not see how any objection could be offered. But if Hongkong were incorporat ed as an integral part of the new dominiou, not only would smuggling be put an end to but the colony would itself become the seat of a Custom House, and duty would be collected on goods intended for consumption in the colony. None of us would like that or consider it conducive to our interests. While, therefore, we may advocate a forward policy for Great Britain in China, we believe that the particular interests of Hongkong will be best conserved by maintaining its present status as a colony and a free port. Assuming Chiua to come under British ad- ministration, we would have Hongkong re- main as administratively free of the new possession as Ceylon is administratively
THE NAVY LEAGUE AND THE DISTURBANCES IN THE NEW TERRITORY. (Daily Press, 26th April.) In connection with the recent distur- bances in the New Territory the Hongkong Branch of the Navy League is reported to have wired to the parent Association recom- mending, amongst other things, that the boundary should be extended to the East River. This would bring Great Britain close up to Canton an I give us command of the Bogue forts. There is, we think, no pros- pect of the suggestion being acted upon. In the first place, for the colony of Hongkong we do not want any such extension of our boundaries, and, in the second place, when Great Britain goes to Canton she will probably go in virtue of a protectorate established over the whole ora part of Chiua and to administer the territory in the name of the Emperor of China. If, unfortunately, the protectorate policy should prove impracticable and an- nexation be forced upon us, we would require vastly more than the territory lying between Kowloon and the East River, and the taking of that strip_at the present moment would be calculated to preci- pitate la scramble in which it is possible that British interests in other parts of China might suffer. None of the concessions recently obtained from China have inter- fered with any existing treaty ports, and the policy of the British Government has been to stave off any such interference. A good deal has been said about Russian influence at Newchwang, but Newchwang remains as much a treaty port as ever it was, and as free as ever to the ships of all the Treaty Powers. Great Britain having been careful herself to avoid any appearance of interfering with the treaty ports if she
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free of India. With the New Territory demarcated according to the Hon. J. H. STEWART LOCKHART'S
recommendations the colony will have as much territory as it requires for its development as a commercial emporium and industrial centre. Further extensions would be opposed to, rather than conducive to, our local interests.
CHINA'S HOPELESS C Sk.
(Daily Press, 25th April.) Speaking at the London Ch tuber of Com- merce the other day the Duke of Devonshire said that the Government did not desire to precipitate a crisis in China, but that it would endeavour to secure a due share of the unoccupied parts of the world. China can hardly be considered one of the un- occupied parts of the world, strictly speak ing. We take the Duke of DEVONSHIRE'S
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concessions which have been granted and "the very extension of trade will be apt to " lend to further trouble in Chi, az Wher- ever trade goes there goes a natural desire on the part of the Government to whom the traders belong that that trade should be protected. Whenever a railway is made, if that railway is interfered with. if it is not allowed fair play in the working, there will at once come demands to the Government to whose subjects the conces "sion was granted that they should inter- "fere with and protect the interests of their "own subjects." And that is precisely what will happen. If the Chinese Goverti- meetexhibit the east desire to act honestly and set its hous su in order Great Britain apald gladlyoanfford it assistance, either iù the direction of carrying out Lord CHARLES BERESFORD's plan for the creation of au efficient national army or in any other, way that the circumstances of the case might call for, but so long as the Chinese Government deliberately elects to persist in it evil courses nesistance on the part of well-wishers will be useless.
THE VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT,
(Daily Press, 22nd April.) The stimulus the Kowloon trouble häs given to the Volunteer movement must be
welcomed as part of the silver lining of
the cloud. While the addition of the new territory to the colony will necessitate an increase of the garrison, it will also render more important than ever a strong Volun- teer Corps. The officers are taking ad vantage of the circumstances to make an appeal to the patriotism of the young men of the colony who are not already enrolled in the Corps, and no doubt their appeal will result in a large addition to the ranks. In this connection we would invite attentive consideration of the letter of Mr. G. C. ANDERSON, published in another column, with a view to eliciting discussion on the important question of whether in in- crease of the units is likely to result in a strengthening or a weakening of the Corps. A carlinal point to be borne in mind is the smallness of the community from which the Corps his to be recruited which, it may be contended, should lead
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