March 10, 1902.]
into an international garrison town is mere illusion, if it is not conscious pretence. Germany can plead no constraint in defence of the maintenance of her garrison. The other Powers can at least point to Ger- many's refusal to evacuate as a reason for keeping their own soldiers there. hey do not wish Germany to lay claim to a pur ly artificial predominance in Shanghai, and they are obliged by her conduct to adopt measures which, to some of them at least, are distasteful.
16
+4
菌落
66
LL
"
16
THE FUTURE OF DALNY,
inav
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
"policy." Thus he sums up the prospects. If all his renders could be as sanguine as he is of Russia's coming change of commercial policy, "Hansa's" eulogies might be readily echoed.
He believes that, if the rapid growth of Daluy proves how an unrestricted trade may help a country, Russia will be compelled to administer her other possessions in the Far East from a more liberal stand- point—“a_consummation devoutly to be wished," he says in conclusion. The wish we may all feel, without being too confident of its gratification.
MARQUIS ITO AND THE NEW
ALLIANCE.
171
THE CHAIR AND JINRICKSHA
COOLIES QU} STION.
(Daily Press, 1st March.)
A Bill was read before the Legislative Council for the first time on the 27th ult. entitled "An Ordinance to provide for the more effectual control of chair and jin- ricksha coolies in private employ." It will be remembered that with the report of the Commission on this subject, dated the 6th 'November last, a draft Bill was submitted under the title of " An Ordinance to provide for the registration of chair and jinricksha coolies in private employ." For this altera- tion in the character of the Bill we were of course prepared by the decision of the Executive Council shortly before Christmas that the recommendations of the Com- mission with regard to registration of chair and ricksha-coolies should not be adopted. Writing on the 28th December last, we ventured to hope, in the interests of the community, that the question would be courageous attempt reconsidered and a made to deal with a very real difficulty in residential life in Hongkong. We regret to see that no such reconsideration has been made, and that we are only to get a maimed Bill. It will perhaps best show what is the difference between the Government Bill and the Bill proposed by the Commission if we consider the two together and notice the alterations made. In both alike the first two clauses (which are purely formal) read as follows
(Daily Press, 8th March.) A picturesque remark is attributed to Marquis Iro with regard to the recently concluded agreement between Great Britain and Japan." The Marquis while on the Kiautschon, just lefore her departure from Shanghai, was approached by the represen- tative of a Japanese newspaper anxious to gather from him some information about the negotiations which preceded the treaty Naturally the Japanese statesman was not to be drawn, He pointed to the Whampoa river and replied that it would be inpos- sible to judge the main stream of the Yangtsze by the tributary; there are several estuaries to the Yangtsze, and so it is with the negotiations regarding the alliance. The reporter, we are told, concluded by the attitude of the Marquis that he did not wish to speak definitely about it. However, Marquis Iro was a little more communica- tive when he reached Nagasaki, for in answer to his questioners there he admitted that he had had a part in the affair from the outset and paid close attention to it. At the same time he was not in a position to enter into detail; it was true that, several telegraphic messages changed between him and the Japanese Government about the matter. These guarded remarks sufficiently confirm the general impression that the Anglo-Jap.in- ese Agreement
was
were ex-
(Daily Press, 4th March.) In an article in the new East of Asia Maga zine dealing with the Russian settlement at Port Arthur, beside the description of Port Arthur itself, there is a very interesting account of the town of Dalny or Talienwan, to which Port Arthur with its storing defences s'ands in the same relation as Kronstadt to S. Petersburg. The writer. who adopts the pen-name of Hansa, shows a wide knowledge of the ports and his statements would seem likely to have been carefully considered. He has nothing but admiration for the way in which the Russians have set to work to make a great place of Dalny. The city, he says, "without exaggeration be called a City of Wonders, for what has been accomplished therefore is certainly amazing. The Russian Government, having perceived the necessity of placing their principal centre of commerce as near as possible "to the commercial centres of Eastern Asia, in order to enter into sharper com- petition, made all their preparations "for the building of this city silently, and without announcing their intentions. Then "commenced the immediate execution of their finishel plans, with inconceivable energy, and, what is more important, an unlimited command of money." 20,000 coolies, the writer goes on to say, are reported to be employed in Dalny, and every inducement is offered to make them stay instead of leaving with their money for
the result of no their own homes or the dissipations of sudden thought on the part of either nation, Shanghai. By this means, a plentiful but a very well considered scheme which has labour supply is kept on the spot, wages at length been brought to fruition. It was remain at a moderate figure, and the money also popularly held, however, in Japan and spent on the construction of the new town the Far East in general that Marquis Iro remains in the place, thereby assuring a had a considerable share in the negotiations, certain income to a great number of mer- and this idea is now too proved correct. chants. That commerce and industry Some day, no doubt, we shall hear some- expand rapidly in such a place goes with- thing of the course which negotiations took, "out saying." the writer concludes. "After but perhaps the full details may never be "the completion of railway communication made public. The story would be a very "with Europe, extremely low fares will interesting one; but of course the object of assuredly be charged to emigrants, and Blue-books is not to reveal the interesting Dalny may well hold the same position inside of diplomacy, but to give to the en- "the Far East as regards emigration as New York holds in America" With
Hansa, regard to commerce, according to the Russian plan is to close up Port Arthur as soon as Dalny can do justice.to all the demands of shipping. It remains to be seen, however, he confesses, whether Daluy can offer such facilities and privileges as will avail to draw off trade completely from Port Arthur. That Russia will kill the commercial importance of Newchwang by a skilful railway tariff policy he ex- presses no doubt. Dalny then, with the Manchurian railway behind it, will rise to the position of the great port of Northern Asia. Hansa," it will be seen, takes an extremely rosy view of Russia's prospects and he does not disguise his amiration. "The finished plan of Dalny, which aspires "to be a city of millions, shows what work "the Russians have done, and is also a proof that the Russian plans are not in the air, but are inspired by a far seeing commercial'
毒素
富易
*1
44
14
44
quiring public such details as may instruct them without betraying too much of the diplomatic mechanism.
!
1
1. This Ordinance may be cited as the Private Coolie Ordinance, 1902.
*
2. In this Ordinance, the word "Coolie means a Chinese employed as the bearer of a private chair or the puller of a private inricksha.
The Draft Bill had as a second paragraph to the second clause:-"The word 'master' means a non-Chinese employing a coolie." The new Bill therefore applies equally to coolies in Chinese and in European employ.
The third clause of the Government mea- sure answers to the fourteenth of the Draft, the words in italics showing what has been added in the former :—
"his
3. In the absence of any contract to the contrary, the contract of service between a coolie and his employer [formerly master "] shall be deemed to be a contract of service for one calendar month at least and, unless then determined, shall be deemed to be a contract of service determinable at one calendar month's notice.
The fourth elause of the Government measure is the thirteenth of the other, the words in brackets having been omitted:-
4. In the absence of any contract to the contrary, every [registered] coolie shall, by his contract of services, be deemed to have contracted to perform such additional services as carrying notes, running errands [acting as tenuis coolie] and performing such other light duties inside and outside the house as he may be called upon by his employer [master] to perform.
The fifth and final clause of the Bill which was read for the first time on Thurs- the Draft, the additions being printed. in day is nearly the same as the fifteenth of italics and the omitted words being enclosed in brackets
The Universal Gazette states that the Ger- man Minister at Peking had been trying to coerce the Minister of Foreign Affairs into granting Germans the sole right of open- ing certain mines in Shantung province,. promising to grant a royalty of seven per That paper" further learns that the general cent. on the output to the Chinese Government, commanding the German troops at Tientsin bad been heard to declare that only until the abore demands of the German Minister had
5. Every [person employed as a regis- been acceded to by the Chinese Government would the German authorities in the North tered] coolie who shall neglect his duty or the return absent himself from his duty without the withdraw their opposition to Other states that the Italians have succeeded cause (the onus of proof of which shall be of Tientsin to China.
same paper leave of his employer [master] without just in persuading the Chinese Government he concede to them the mining privileges of the upon such coolie), or shall leave his em- whole province of Chekiang, but that the ployer's service without giving one calendar regulations governing these concessions have month's notice to such employer [his master],
·or shall disobey any lawful and reasonable not been drawn up and fixed.
The