Mo 19, 1902.1
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felegram to London, dated the 30th April, says that “the Siamese Government having made an ipiportant movement of troops “the French Minister at Bangkok has made “* representations on the subject.' Further more, a Berlin telegram of the 10th instant to the astasiatische Lloyd states that France has demanded official measures from Siam to suppress the rebellion in the Mekong Valley, intimating that if nothing is done the French Government will proceed to see about protecting her own interests there. It was previously reported that troubles in Laos and Battambong were causing anxiety in Indo-China. Now, were it the fact that Siamese aggression or impotence to control Siamese subjects was the cause of difficulties to the French authorities on. the Indo-Chinese border, France would be justified in remonstrating and indeed in taking stronger measures. But is this so? The attitude of France toward Siam, down to the illegal retention of Chantaboon and beyond, has been one of constant encroach- ment. It is clear that there must be some limits to this. Siam, denuded one by one of its provinces bordering on Indo-China, will be of no use as a buffer state, and, therefore, we cannot sit still and see the process which menaces not only the existence of Siam, but our own frontier's ultimate security. BRITISH NAVAL STRENGTH IN FAR EAST.
(Daily Poess, 17th May.)
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
MINING REGULATIONS: THE PEKING DRAFT.
378
our naval strength here, should it be reservation of the land tax and “thế ground thought necessary. The Admiralty, how-needed for buildings, shafts, &c., there ever, has announced its attention of trusting absolutely no definition of the condition as to to ships rather than "bricks and mortar mining rights, drainage, roads (other than a in accordance with which decision Weihai-local taxation, &c. In fact, a mining associa
stipulation as the railways to the nearest port), wei is to be left almost unfortified, and it tion, on the strength of these mining regula. may be that in pursuance of this policy we tions, may have complied with every stipulation are to get an unexpected addition to our naval have obtained the consent of the local ad- strength in the Far East. Still, as we have ministration, have on this received Imperial anid, there is no confirmation from other authorisation, have purchased the soil required sources of this report which is circulated by for shafts and buildings, and yet discover the Japanese papers, so that it would be itself unable to raise a single ton of mineral. The main question likely to be unsafe to build any theories thereon.
raised in a mining concession is the right of working underground the area under which these rights extend; and last, but most important, who is the owner of the minerals lying underneath the surface. By a fiction such as underlies the whole Chinese edifice of government, the soil of the Empire belongs to the Emperor, and the tillers of the land are only tenants paying him rent for his permission, to cultivate it. Of course, in no crude, does such a law prevail, and in China country possessing an administration, however
private ownership is by law as firmly fixed and protected as elsewhere, but in China ownership of the soil does not always extend to what is below the more surface. ▲ man may own a grave, for instance, on a plot of land, and yet have no ownership in the soil and no right to vend; and the actual owner, though he have complete power of sale, yet has no power actually to convey. Nothing whatever is said on th's most special subject; so that on the reci- pient of the licence getting to work he may find a thousand claims for compensation, if not an actual injunction against his setting to work at all. The whole question here again is raised as to the complicated relations between the Imperial and the Provincial governments; and as in the case of lekin, it is hoped that the foreigner will step in and adjust these dif ferences between lord and underlord, but always
True to its traditional character, the Foreign Office at Peking has been trying its hand at drafting Mining Regulations," the chief features of which are the opportunities they would offer for the growth of a gigantic sys em proposed regulations are eminently satisfactory of fraud and bribery. In this respect the
-to the Chinese Foreign Office-but in all others they display that happy-go-lucky indefiniteness so peculiarly dear to all Chinese officials, whatever their rank. The following declaration is, however, interesting, as stating clearly that the concession of mining rights is to be open to the world without respect of persons or nationality :-
Applicants for mining licenses may be either Chinese intending to work on their own account, foreigners undertaking to do the work for Chinese, or Chinese and for eigners working together on joint account. The laud, however, being Chinese and the sanction to work thereon emanating from the Chinese Government, all persons engaged in mining, no matter who they be, are bound t conform to Chinese regulations; and China, exercising her sovereign rights, will undertake to settle all questions which may arise. inexpugnable were there any definition of what are the sovereign rights of the Chinese Govern- ment. Unfortunately this is the very point on which some definition is essential, but on which we look in vain for an explanation.
This of course is all right, and would be
So again there is little or no fault to be found with the following:
as
to price, &c., and as no private sale is per- missible, he must report for the purposes of registration the agreement arrived at.
Taken by itself, there can apparently be no cause to find fault with the above stipulation,
which is essentially fair and equitable in itself. In practise however, it, just leaves open the point at issue, and will certainty be construed by the first obstructive official into giving him the personal right to block effectively every promising opportunity. Similar stipulations exist in present treaties, with the result that by bringing influence to bear on the vendor all free arrangements, which it was the professed object of the stipulation to protect, are rendered unavailing.
It is eported from Japanese sources, but no confirmation has reached us from any other quarter, that after the Coronation festivities Great Britain will despatch to Far Eastern waters two more battleships, five cruisers, and three gunboats. These, it is stated, will be an addition to the existing strength of the British Squadron, and will reinstate the balance of naval power disturbed by the recent changes in the French feet in these waters. Now the most recent announcement with regard to the French fleet in the Far East was that it was to be
The owner of a property having a brought up to the following strength, natural right of objection, the applicant separated into two divisions: First must first come to terms with him Division-The armoured cruiser Montcalm Vice-Admiral MARECHAL's flagship; the fast cruisers Guichen, Chateau-renault and De la Gravière; and the protected cruisers Friant and Bugeaud. Second Division—- The fast cruiser D'Entrecasteaux, flagship of Rear-Admiral BAYLE; and the protected cruisers Pascal, Sfax, Catinat, Infernet, and D'Estrées. In addition to these, of course, there will be a number of gunboats, as at present, both sea-going and for river and coast service, etc. There are now in these waters ten French cruisers, including the Bugeaud, D'Entrecasteauz, Friant, and Pascal, which are to be retained here; while in place of the other six France will send out eight more, bringing the cruisers up to twelve in number, which will make the French squadron in the Far East the fourth strongest, ranking only after the British, Japanese, and Russian, In view of this increase, according to the
So far so good, but then commences one of Japanese report, Great Britain is to make those incomprehensible stipulations so dear to Chinese officials, and plaiuly intended to leave the above-mentioned addition to her fleet.
a door open for after exactions. Only sufficient Previously, it will be remembered, we were land can be acquired to sink shafts and erect told that, in consequence of the Anglo-buildings; any further purchase of land is Japanese Agreement; not only would it not prohibited. There is, however, a stipulation, be necessary to add to the strength of our apparently intended as a saving clause, which present fleet out here, but it was probably states in 20 many words: "Notwithstanding the ven to be reduced” slightly. We have owner's right, above referred to, individual herefore two ronflicting stories from which interests must defer to state requirements, and should the Government desire to open mines to take our choice. The earlier.
would one
on any private property whatever, it retains em to be
the mo
probable, all things the right of doing so on giving fair com- considered, but for the fact that the unusual pensation to those interested." number of launchings of new vessels recently. These are the sole provisions with regard to gives an unusual opportunity of increasing the property to be acquired in mines, and it will be observed that with the exception of the
The twelfth article is equally in principle unobjectionable. Private property sought to be acquired for mining purposes must be paid for at market rates; in the case of Government lands it will in all cases be leasehold. case the land required will remain subject to the ordinary land taxes.
-1
In any
at his own expenses,
One thing is not, however, forgotten, and that is what the would-be miner has to pay to Peking. According to the views of the Imperial clique, Peking would like to charge on coal and iron five per cent, on the output, on mineral oils ten per cent., on gold and silver fifteen per cent. and on precious stones twenty-five. It need hardly bs said that in most cases such charges would be simply prohibitive. But this is not all that
the one it would need five per cent, mors as export duty; the sole exemption-one not, be it observed, at its own expense-proposed to be granted is that products mined, after paying ex- portduty, shall be free in the interior from lekin.
Peking would desire to have; for on shipping
The whole affair is, in fact, an elaborate’joke, but Ministers have been so frequently taken in by similar pleasantries, and have received with such dutiful complacency the smile of scarcely concealed derision which greeted each successive essay at practical joking, always at their own expense, that it is no wonder the Dowager enter tainer should take full advantage of the bent of her guests.
TELEGRAMS.
:
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.] TROUBLES IN THE NORTH,
SHANGHAI, 9th May, 7.48 p.m. A serious famine is reported as being prevalent in the South-east of Hunṣu. Twent-three districts are affected. officials are apathetic. A rising is feared unless measures for relief are undertaken.
SHANGHAI, 13th May, 8.20 It is reported from Paotingfu H.E. Viceroy Yuan Shikai has, teleg to H.E. Sheng that the disciplined
the 9th inst.. troops on
The
Nankung [?], where the local had previously been murdered after a desperate battle lastin hours in South-western Chibli. trenches were choked with dead and dying. Yuan Shikai cavalry and; artillery,, dis the best work in the fighting.