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COLONISING METHODS.
(Daily Press, 18th November.) Modern colonies are apparently becoming an expensive luxury which only the richest of countries can afford to have. In ancient Limes, when a population found its numbers pressing on the means of subsistence, it did not hesitate under some energetic leader to collect and send forth a swarm to settle down in some new and unoccupied land, or, if that were wanting, to take possession of some choice spot already occupied by a less warlike people. After the usual farewells were bid, the new people went out on their own account for good or ill, and their affairs ceased to occupy the attention of the stay. at-homes. As they generally took with them images of the home gods, and could not, even if they wished, divest themselves of their language and folk-lore, there was always kept up on the part of the colonists a certain feeling of sympathy with the home lands; but this seldom resulted in their permitting any interference in the affairs of
the
[December 21, 1901.
connection with the British Government is that not only has that government at all times since our foundation left as to pay our own colonial expenses, but it has done its best in one way or other to put on the screw and compel us to pay imperial expenses as well. In spite of all this, the most noteworthy fact about the colony is that it has amidst all these burdens, reasonable or unreasonable, contrived to grow and prosper, and that its great engineering works in the way of harbour improvements, wharves, prayas, and docks, though abundantly made use of for imperial purposes, have all been paid out of the revenue of the colony, as a colony. Shanghai has never been a colony and of course never received any share of government assistance; indeed, as a matter of fact it has more than once been made to comprehend that it was after all nothing better than a step-child, and could expect nothing more than step-child's treatment. Still, as in the case of Hongkong, Shanghai continued to grow, and now presumes to hold up its head as one of the great cities of the world. If now we turn to Kiaochau, a curious contrast meets us in the treatment of this petted child. Thus, during the last year, a paternal government spent on this spoiled offspring a sum of over half a million sterling, of which the colony con- tributed just fifteen thousand. So far from being deterred by this account, the government of the Empire is going to in- crease the prodizal's allowance. This year it is to be £630,000 sterling, while the colony is only expected to stump up the trifle of £18,000, or less than three per cent. It is an interesting subject of enquiry, Where would Hongkong have been had it found an equally liberal nursing father? Would it now have been the first port in the East, or would it rather have continued as it began, a pensionary and drain on the home state?
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND this was done in the imperial interest and not in any way to benefit te planters, who as often as not little relished the inter- ference. The relations between the mother country and the colony were settled in no definite way, but depended very much on the temper of the moment, sometimes one, some- times the other advancing pretensions which were never adjusted. One class of settlers was, however, an exception to the rule that all had come of their own free will. The home governments were in the habit of sending out their criminals to the planta- tions. These were handed over under bond to the planters, who had to provide for them, but were entitled to their labour. A condition of slavery of the worst type thus sprung up; only too glad to get rid of their criminals, no questions were asked at home, nor were the colonial governments too inquisitive in looking after the welfare of the unfortunates. But even worse con- sequences followed; men were captured at home, taken on board the small ships that conducted the trade, and on arrival in the new settlement, or in the colony colony were openly sold. Such were the affording any ai beyond empty sympathy colonies of France, England, and Holland to the old country: nor, on its part, did the in the eighteenth century. The natural old country ever even contemplate offering consequence was disaffection, and this rose any assistance to its children who had once to a climax when England sought to tax left the paternal soil. This was the usual ber North American colonies for the support method adopted by the great colonisers of of a war in which they had no interest. antiquity-the Greeks, and the result was Every one knows the result. With the that many centuries before our era they loss of her principal colonies, Eugland had established on both sides of the Medi- practically grew indifferent to the rest. terranean independent colonies, each one of They might stop, or they might part, it was which was strong enough to act on its own all one. Naturally, less care than ever was initiative, and control more or less effectively taken of them. As they were quite free, the neighbouring territories. When in the nothing was to be spent except in as far as fifteenth and sixteenth centuries the Spani- they offered some advantage to the empire. ards and Portuguese, then the most enter- Coaling stations, docks, barracks, &c. had of prising navigators of the world, conceived course to be paid for, but the colony was the idea of spreading themselves abroad left in all other respects to do as best it through the world, a somewhat different could without aid or encouragement. When, principle was introduced. The expeditions however, in spite of all this apparent neglect, were fitted out at the cost of the state or of other countries began to discover that the private individuals in the first instance, but British colonies were becoming an import- the leader as a paid servant was to return aut political factor in the world. a general the profits to the individual or association desire to be the happy possessors of colonies (Daily Press, 16th December.) that had found the means. The natural became prevalent. England was the greater According to a telegram from Peking, dated the 6th instant, to the North China result of this system was that voyages thus because she possessed colonies, and the con- commenced degenerated to merely piratical clusion of the others was that if they only Daily News, Prince CHING, following the undertakings; and the wealth that was had colonies they would be great too. advice of the representatives of Great poured into the homelands was wrung out England had found that colonies were a Britain and the United States, has,, made of the vitals of the countries exploite. As thing of slow growth, but the idea of grow the four following suggestions to the Throne, in the words of the old poet, Big fleasing them in a hothouse presented itself, and viz., that the heir-apparent PU CHUN should have little fleas upon their backs to bite'em," it was determined to try the effect. England be disinherited, that the Grand Secretary the Dutch and English found it a readier had been laying the foundation of colonies YUNG Lu should be kept away from Court, means to profit, while at the same time in Africa, and they had only as yet taken a that TUNG FUHSIANG should be decapit- acting in the nominal interests of humanity, precarious growth, so Germany wished to ated, and that the so-called regency of the to plunder these plundering expeditions in try her new idea, and see what she could do Empress Dowager should be abolished. To their turn. The plunder thus taken was by a process of forcing. The end of this was the first and third suggestions, according to not, however, returned to the original owners, curious, for it compelled England to take up our Shanghai contemporary's correspondent, but was appropriated by the new captors. a line she had never done before. The first the Empress Dowager gave a reluctant The second and fourth she The result was, therefore, that both England colony to try the new system on was Uganda. consent. and Holland found it convenient and pro- In the course of time Uganda would pro- absolutely rejected. As is already well- fitable in much the same manner as the old bably have got round the corner, but Ger-known, an Imperial decree was issued from the 30th Greeks to found more permanent settlements, inany kept pressing her in East Africa, and the Palace at Kaifengfu on which could co-operate with their merchant showed so much disposition to occupy November, announcing that PU CHUN was fleets and afford supplies and assis Uganda, that to avoid more unpleasantness deposed from his position as heir-apparent tance when needed. It was thus that England had to follow in the course, and and ordered to quit the Court. However, it seems that the decree so far is a mere plantations" were by degrees established not only take over the dependency as a along the coasts of North America and crown asset, but, to preserve her right of South Africa, the former of which became way, had to begin to develop it, by making by degrees more especially English, the state railway. As far as the colony itself latter Dutch. These plantations were in is concerned, the experiment has been a some respects as independent of the home success; as far as England is concerned, it governments as were the Greeks themselves.
can hardly be called so as yet, and it is They owed little to the hoine folk; every man doubtful if as a mercantile transaction it for the most part had found his way out at ever will become so. But, like all new his own cost; the home government, with the fashions, the example has been contagious, exception of sending out a governor who and a curious instance is to be noted in the had little power or authority, and one or newest colony of Germany, Kiaochau. two law officials to keep things straight Hongkong was founded indeed by the really cared little how the planters managed British Government for imperial purposes, their own affairs. It is true they jealously but it cannot be said it was ever coddled, protected the colony from foreign foes, but Indeed, the distinguishing feature of its
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PRINCE CHING'S SUGGESTIONS.:
form, for, according to a private telegram received in Shanghai last week by the friend of an official connected with the Court at Kaifengfu, although Pu CHUN has been disinherited and also ordered to leave the precincts of the Palaces at once, he is still residing in the vicinity of the Empress Dowager's apartments and continues follow- ing her about. This, we are not surprised to learn, makes people doubt the sincerity of the Empress Dowager's decree. There were recently many reports about the disgust of the Dowager at dissipated character of her selection as heir-apparent, from which it was surmised
the very