186
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND THE NEW TERRITORY BLUE BOOK. | The Viceroy himself at the earliest moment
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September 2, 1899.
tariff being published, the only result vigorously repudiate it in writing. The would be that steamer-borne goods would misunderstanding, wherever the fault may
have to (Daily Press, 26th August.)
pay the full amount at every "station, wherens junks would continue as Oar columns are chiefly to-day occupiedie, constitutes no excuse for the Viceroy's
"now to act in collusion with the lekin lection of despatches bearing on the opposition to the occupation, or of his failure Sances that occurred in connection to preserve order in the territory until it "officials and get off with a much miller
was handed over, but it shows that the "payment. The truth of this is ex the taking over of the New Territory interview was not conducted with the skill | emplified even in the trade between Can« and clearness that might have been expectedton and Hongkong, the Native Customs and that it only served to encourage that at Canton underbidding the Foreign-Cue- high official in his evil courses. In view of toms in order to secure the trade for junks the clear proof of the Viceroy's connivance and the revenue thereon for the coffers of with the forcible opposition to the occupa the local officials. tion we think his dismissal should be per- emptorily demanded. Sir HENRY BLAKE'S mistake-in going to Canton to visit the Viceroy, if it does not call for an equally severe penalty, is certainly deserving of
effect of the despatches is more calcu- lated to strengthen than to modify the un- favourable impression entertained by the public with regard to the extraordinary muddling that took place in the earlier stages. When the crisis arrived and it be came necessary to put down the disorder by the use of an armed force all the officials concerned rose to their duty and acquitted themselves creditably. From that point ; onwards there is little room for oriticism. But of the delay in taking over the New Territory, of the absurdity of attempting to erbet Government buildings before the ter ritory was occupied, and especially of the Governor's ill-advised visit to the Viceroy › of Canton it would be impossible to speak ......in terms of too severe condemnation. The
Aerritory ought to have been occupied at as early a date as possible after the signing of the Convention, in order not to afford time for the sowing of the seeds of discontent seandthe organisation of resistance.
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censure,
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MR, BYRÒN BRENAN ON LEKIN AND INLAND NAVIGATION,
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THÈ CHINO-JAPANES. ALLIANC".
The only remedy is the aboli ion of the dual Customs system and the placing of the whole service, including the collection of lekin, in the hands of the Foreign, Customs. This would result in a large additional re- venue, allowing of a "just allocation for provincial services and the remission to | Peking of a much-handsomer sum than now. finds its way thither. The necessity for financial reform is gradually being borne in upon the Peking Government under the (Daily Press, 29th Angust.) Mr. BYRON BRENAN has a very clear pressure of the demands made on the pre- sent meagre revenue for the service of perception of the tortuous methods of the the foreign loans, and the treaty Powers in Chinese Government in respect of the general and Great Britain in, particular burdens laid on foreign goods, and in his would do well to make use of the report on the trade of Shanghai for last situation to try to drive the welge home. ypar
he again touches ou the subject in his The task will not be accomplished with to the erection of mat sheds, the occupa usual incisive style. We can only hope that
out difficulty, for the vested interests to be tion had ultimately to take place before during his present furlough in England considered are large and the opposition to these structures were ready, and it might he may be able to make clear to the reform will continue formidable for, some have been foreseen that to send small bodies Foreign Office the nature of the evil and time to come, but it is only by reform that of men to put up buildings, before the Gov- the means by which it can be remedied. China can be financially set on her feet arament was represented in force, would I his report he says:"A strict and in-again and that foreign trade can obtain the „ be calculated to needlessly exasperate the partial collection of lekin dues is not to large expansion of which it is capable. corpeople and invite opposition. If, however, | "be expected until the service is under some excuse may be advanced for commenc- "the control of the Foreign Customs; but ing the work on the ground that opposition" of this desirable change there is at present ~was not anticipated, operations should cer- no indication. When the lekin revenue
(Daily Press, 1st September.) stainly have been discontinued at the first" of certain provinces was given as security murmuring of trouble until such time as the
The reported project of an alliance between ** Government was in a position to prevent
China and Japan does not appear likělý to any disturbance of the peace.
eventuale at present. It is not, however, ***The most extraordinary blunder, however,
to be assumed that the report was altogether was the Governor's visit to the Viceroy.
without foundation. On the 'contrary, it Tappears that Mr. LOCKHART suggested
would probably be more reasonable to sup- that the Governor should send him (Mr.
pose that the recent rumours were allowed LOCKBART), which would have been a less
to pass into circulation with official conni- objectionable proceeding as it would not
vauce for the purpose of testing public have so directly compromised the dignity of
opinion on the subject, familiarising people Her Majesty's representative. The Go-
with the idea, and so preparing the way for vernor, however, attracted possibly by the
future action when circumstances may be fny- glamour of an official reception by an
ourable. The Japan Mail, which at first Orientalisatrap, came to the conclusion that
proclaimed the report a canard pure and if ahy one had to go he would go himself.
simple, now admits that there was something
•He went, and we should think he must have
in it. The grain of truth," says our con- Wished over since that he had not. Nothing
temporary, in the recently circulated but harm came of the visit, and as to what
rumour about a China-Japan “ülliance ap- transpired at the interview, with reference"
pears to be that the Commissioners enter- to one of the most important points dis- Mr. BRENAN's remarks on theinland waters tained ideas considerably larger than the cussed, that of the removal of the Customs, navigation are equally to the point :-“ The_ legitimate limits of their mission,' It is the Viceroy and Governor give each other open-ing of inland waters to steam naviga- sometimes convenient to anko the official what approximates very closely to the lie “tion has not been taken advantage of to limits of a mission somewhat smaller than direct. It seems evident that there most have
any large extent, either at Shanghai or else the verbal instructions to the commissionera been some unfortunate mistake on the point, "where. A few launches run with passen-would warrant, in order to admit of a little possibly due to the employment of a euphe- gers to places hitherto closed to them, but elasticity and the possibility of drawing hack style of conversation. However that" as carriers of merchandise they do nothing. without any open confession of failure. The therefore have be, we think the truculent old Viceroy "The uncertainty as to the treatment mer- Chinese Commissioners may therefo entitled to be considered honest in his "chandise will receive at the hands of the talked large” with a purpose and under stement of what he understood to be the lekin stations so thickly planted in this instructions. There seems some reason to Sort of the conversation, for on this point "region deters people from investing the believe that China in her extremity might has been consistent throughout. It will " money necessary to start lines of properly not be unwilling to accept guidance and remembered that on the publication of the "constructed steamers, The tariff of dues assistance front Japan, and Japan on her part Convention he sent certain suggested ...» re- "and duties, which it was promised would is understood to cherish a dream of bridging gulations to the Taungli Yamen which were "be exhibited before the end of the last into line the Astutic nations that still-re ubmitted by that body to Sir CLAUDE " Chinese year, not yet appeared, “and main independent and herself-playing the LAODONALD, >who returned them with a no
no merchant can tell by how much the part of leader in the future Asiatic concert. Bevere - and proper animadverson |:*
* cost of his goods will have been increase! As yet this is a dream only, and is likely to the Viceroy, Then Sir HENRY
“ by the time the journey is completed. A remain so for a lo g time to come, but an- in his report of his conversation tariff, however, would not tell him much, alliance between China and Japan would be "for at lekin stations the printed tariff hus a long step towards bringing about its nothing to do with the amount levied. realisation. It may therefore not bežis- Were we to take the Chinese Governinent | agreeable to Japan to have the possibility at its word and insist on the proniised of such an alliance publicly discussed***
Viceroy, while he says he Viceroy plainly that the Customis removed, «dosa, not i may that the Viceroy in any way accepted that position.
" for one of China's foreign loans, some "Chinese officials shrewdly remarked that “henceforth foreigners would cease to de- nounce the lekin táx as an illegal exac- "tion. Foreigners on their side said that "as lekin could not be abolished the next "best thing was to put the collection under "foreign control. As usual the provincial "officials have got the better of us. They " pay into the foreigu bauk the amount necessary to meet the interest on the "foreign loan, which satisfies the bond "holder, and they retain the collection in "their own hands. It requires no great experience of Chinese methods to foretell "that, as a result, the amount paid to "the foreign banks will be an additional "burden put on the back of the long-
enduring lekin victim."
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