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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND prepared to start on their long journey at a otherwise of the statement made. What moment's notice, and were therefore continually England's colonial expansion means to the on the qui vive for the message that would set other Powers has long ago been proved, in fact them off. The New York boy, living as he did it is a matter of history. Still we have great in the city where the order to start was to satisfaction that a man of Admiral Seymour's be given (it had been arranged that that order standing should have spoken as he did, especially should be issued from the office of the New York at this moment in Shanghai. It will help paper owned by Mr. Hurst) had a better chance of greatly towards clearing the situation in the getting to know when he would be wanted, and Yangisze Valley, and tend to the joint working consequently was able at last to start comfort of England and Germany, and in promoting ably for Vancouver, where he was to join the their respective commercial interests." C. P. R. steamer Empress of India. The San Francisco boy, on the other hand, got only a few minutes' notice by telegram to catch a certain train for Vancouver, his inability to do which would make the race impossibility or at least delay its start. However, he joined the Empress of India at Vancouver, and stepped on board with nothing but the clothes he stood in. The boys had a good time together as far as to Yokohama, where the New Yorker-who is to travel over- land-took train for Nagasaki, whence he goes to Vladivostock and across Siberia either to › Moscow or St. Petersburg. The San Francisco boy, who is to circumnavigate the globe, came down to Hongkong on the Empress of India. and arrived here on Monday forenoon_just in time to catch the French mail for Europe. Only an hour elapsed between his leaving the Empress boat and his sailing by the Natal. The young traveller goes to Colombo, and there tranships to another French mail boat coming from Australia-a vessel faster than the Natal. He goes overland from Brindisi, this bit of overland travelling being allowed, on the ground that it is the recognised passenger route.
As has already been said, the boys are to spare no money in reducing the time for the journey. In one sense, indeed, the race is really a test of what money can do. The progress of the two boys will be watched with interest.
A GERMAN CRITICISM OF THE YANGTSZE SITUATION.
The Ostasiatische Lloyd of the 14th inst., in an article headed The German Watch upon the Yangteze, comments on the remarks made at the annual dinner of the China Association at Shanghai, on Monday, the 10th inst. After saying that it was the British China Association who at all times asserted England's supremacy in the Yangtaze Valley, it continues: "It Was certainly no mere accident that at this dinner no mention was made of British Spheres of Interest in China. An explanation for this can be found in a lengthy article of the North-China Daily News, wherein it is remarked:-'Only after the massacres took place, only after the Tegations were bom- barded, did Sir Claude Macdonald's diplomatic acumen awake to the real danger of the situa- tion, and then it was too late-Russia had taken Manchuria, and Germany not only obtained equal privileges with England in the Yangtsze Valley, but also made her prestige and power felt in Peking, while the Americans had obtained dominant influences over the colleges and educational institutes of Chiun,' In the same spirit was Admiral Seymour's speech at the dinner. He said: Great Britain has to-day powerful rivals, who will rob her of her valuable trade. One is Russia, who is not a trading nation, but who with her well- known greed for land will try to undermine our commerce. The second is Germany, a rival to be equally feared as a commercial competitor and as a sea-power. Her fleet is growing daily, so is her commercial importance. With Germany England will have to reckon ere long, and she must take care not to forget the fact. A third rival of Great Britain is the United States of America, who in the last few years have made enormous strides in their advance commercially. The Americans will some day prove to be the most dreaded com petitors of England." The Ostasiatische Lloyd continues. In face of this the following words of Admiral Seymour gain added significance :-
England has no desire to cut off any power trading in any part of the world, nor does she wish to gain concession of lands for her own sole benefit,”” The writer here pleasantly remarks, "Remembering Great Britain's action in the past, we need not waste space, in discussing the correctness or
"
(June 22, 1901.
ADMIRAL SEYMOUR'S SPEECH AT SHANGHAI.
of the China Association on the 10th inst.. At the annual dinner of the Shanghai branch Admiral Sir Edward Seymour, responding to the toast of The Navy," proposed by Mr. G. J. Morrison, made some interesting remarks on affairs in China. We take the following extract from the N-C. Daily News report ---
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With great great self complacency the writer terests are concerned, is I think, foreign compe- The great question now, so far as British in. continues, attempting to put forth the reasons which, as he claims, have induced other Powers, vent anybody sharing in the trade of the world. tition. We as Britishers fool we do not want to pre- and in particular Great Britain, to assume a
What we do object to, however, is their not vastly different attitude than formerly. He says: doing so in an entirely honest and straight- Toward a weak autagonist, Great Britain forward manner, and what I personally object would Lever have made the admissions she did. to, and I think you agree with me that although Though the result of the fighting and diplomatic they come and trade under our flag and avail negotiations in the North may not have been themselves of what we have done in preparing as richly productive as one might have expected, China for trade they too seldom show us the there remains no doubt, however, that the energetic action of the German troops in
proper appreciation for having done so. Chihli--and we lay especial stress on this-body in this room knows more about commerce must not run away on this topic because every. and the developement of Germany as a sea- than I do, and very properly, as you might power on the coast of China and its large rivers, have caused the great alteration in the behaviour say the cobbler should keep to his last. With of the other Powers towards Germany Ger- very extraordinary. When our most gracious regard to the Navy the changes are no doubt many who in years gone by was considered a Majesty came to the throne nobody could have nonentity, whose citizens were charitably foreseen that the finest battleship present st permitted to help in the development of the colonies of other nations, stands to-day far from Japanese ironclad. I mention this to show the the funeral ceremonies at Spithead would be a home, with an equal voice in the Concert of extraordinary changes that have come over the Nations. This is the result of the expedition to China, though it has been devoid of securing vic- the future with reference to the Navy. Every world and what we might therefore expect in tories. No rival of Germany, not even England, nation is trying now to get a Navy. Our serious dures speak to-day of the Sphere of Influence in the Yangtsze Valley as being simply British. With regard to rivals in Chins, one is what is rivals in that respect are two or three in number. Germany has gained here now equal rights, sometimes called our Northern friend. but I which are publicly acknowledged. For this we have to thank, no doubt, largely the great squadron which His Majesty the Emperor sent to Chinese waters, and especially the fact that for months no nation was in a position to send such a large fleet to back its demands and wishes as the German fleet of armour-clads."
The rest of the article calls attention to the fact that it is not sufficient for Germany simply to have obtained this foremost position among the Powers, but that it must be maintained. Therefore the writer continues: “We are glad to know that not only is the present garrison at Shanghai to remain, but that it will be increased. Of course this news will not be greeted with gladness by all." the writer satiri- cally remarks. "Bat Great Britain, France and Japan consider it necessary to continue their garrisons, and can German stand back? Certainly not. She must be ready and armed, she must be able to point to her armed might if she is to take and keep her place among the Council of Nations. To do this, Germany will have to maintain, in those portions of China where she has commercial or political interests to uphold, s large fleet of men-of-war. Therefore we hope that the present strength will not only not be redated, but again increased, by a large number of the large and also smaller class of gunboats, especially on the Yangtze. Of course our lands forces will give considerable assistance. And we must call it a sign of particular political shrewdness on the part of the German Government that it has taken steps to prevent any closing of the. Open Door' to the richest and most important part of the Chinese Empire. To do this, and do it satisfactorily, is the arduras. and important duty of Germany."
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The French loan is a badly mixed-up affair, wrote the Corean correspondent of the Nagasaki Press on the 31st alt. I am now told that M. Cazalis in the loan represents the Yunnan Syndicate, a corporation registered in London, three-fifths of the capital of which is held by Britishers, among whom one of the chief is Mr. Pritchard Morgan, honorary Consul-General for Corea at London. So the French have fathered an English loan on Cores and the British are protesting against it. The French Minister has denied the Coreans' request to call it off. His position is that, as the papers have been signed and delivered, the loan must go through. The money will come to Chemulpo as per stipulations and be landed, and the Corean Government can do what it likes with it. In this, M. de Plancy is firm.
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think one other rival we have to meet is Ger-
many. Germany is a real rival in trade, and the German navy is a very rising thing, with which we shall have to answer some day, and lot no Englishman make a mistake about that. Their trade is now being pushed forward is fairly pushed forward, good fortune to it, by every possible means, and as long as it but some day there will be a very serious state of things with which we shall have to deal. The United States is a third trade rival, and perhaps the most formidable of all. With regard to China itself in the last three and a half years the squadron has been quite doubled in strength. We have now forty-four ships on - this station. We are all better equipped and far ahead of any other nation out here, unless we consider the Japaness, whose forces are close at home. Russia has made some advance in numbers, but I think, taking it all round, we may allow that the condition of the British Navy is decidedly satisfactory. The nation think it is only our duty as sailors to see that never grudges any money asked for it, and I
we shall do so. they get the best return for it, and I believe
CANTON.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT).
Canton, 15th June.
A PLAGUE SCARE,
H.E. the Viceroy Tao Mu has been suffering from a severe cough and laid up for days, and in consequence has memorialised the throne for one month's sick leave to enable him to rest quietly and be attended by his doctors. The wife of his grandson about s ́fortnight ago died of plague, which alarmed the Viceroy much; his son has left Canton to avoid the plague. A few days ago while he was sitting at a desk reading some official documents plague-stricken rat, nearly dead, dropped down from the ceiling on his desk, which frightened him more, and in consequence his illness is much aggravated.
THE HONGKONG REFUGERS.
During the prevalence of the bubonic plague, rules for dealing with the plague patients are very strict, and a large number of people have left your colony to avoid them. Some charitably disposed, people, here, have formed a society under the name of the In Son Tong to raise money by subscription. They have hired large boats, and anchored them opposite the big Budhist temple, Hoi Tong Tss, at Honam, to receive on board any patients...