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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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[February 9, 1903.
hoped to carry these negotiations through successfully. The work was done by an "Englishman with the prestige behind him of the p werful British bauk, without whose assistance it is safe to say no China loan could have then been floated in Europe. We obtained these advantages and we shared them witli Germany. And have had our reward," adds Dr. MORRISON. Ilo goes on to eution Sir JAMES MACKAY's journey up the Yanglaze Inst July to confer with the two great Viceroys with regard to the final draft of the treaty with Chinn. He continues : — "Now it happens that Germany is repre- "sented in Shanghai by an aggressive
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THE CANTON RUMOURS—AND Apolitical refugee unless he has been guilty of other crimes than liberty of opinion, and so long as the Government considers that (Daily Press, 31st January.)
its duty is to educate the Chinese youths in The fears entertained with regard to the the colony in those principles of sound rising in Canton city on the uight of the modern government, which arc ideal of the Chinese New Year have fortunately proved unfortunate reform:er from the mainland, to be unfounded. We made cautions en- so long shall we have enthusiastic and We have quiries at Cantou, but nothing was known patriotic reformers among us. to confirm seriously the apprehension of produced these people; it is our duty to the Government here. The arrests which, protect them and let them realise that their the Police have recen ly made at the in-confidence in the country of their adoption stigation of the Viceroy of Cauton betray is not misplaced. If the unfortunate coolies nothing beyond the existence in our midst and artisans now in the custody of the police of certain persons of the common class who are proved to have done wrong, it is right may or may not possess feelings of resent. they should be punished. It is hoped, ment against the officials of their native however, that in no case will they by handed official, Dr. KNAPPS, whose appointment "to the chief centre of British interests in country. There is nothing very remarkable ; over to the Chinese authorities. In this
China was the reward of services rendered in this, and we are not of opinion that any connection we may perhaps be allowed to serious secret undertaking which may have question the methods of our own police iu against England in Samoa. Dr. KNAPPE discovered to his own satisfaction that the for its ebject the reformation of China, or arresting persons on the information of the overthrow of the Empress-Dowager, in others whose identity is not revealed, and mission of Sir JAMES MACKAY, though whichever way it is accepte 1, is likely to be keeping persons in custody for several days purporting to be connected with the new brought about by the class of persons at before charging themn. We may be wroug treaty, had for its real object the obtain. present in the custody of the police. We in assuming that this was done in these cases, ing of the consent of the Yangtze are now in the position to know that the and are open to correction. In any case, Viceroys to England's conjoint occupation Viceroy of Cantou really desired the arrest however, it will be well for the Colony if it "with China of Chinking and the Kiang of a reformer of aggressive instincts, who is purged of bad and violent characters, Yin forts. It is not possible that he has escaped. In consequence the Viceroy whether they be reformers or weiyuens. "could have believed this story. He made on Thursday offered $40,000 for his capture.
no attempt to verify it, but communicate.] We think it will be generally agreed that ¦ ANGLO-GERMAN RELATIONS IN
"it to his Government as a fact. A day or it is unwise and unfair for the Colony to
"two later the German Chargé d'Affaires harbour men who are engaged in plotting
"in Paris, acting under orders from Berlin, or committing any crime against a friendly
(Daily Press, 3rd Febuary.) |
officially informed M. DELCASSE, and on power, and the police are in every way In no part of China and its immediate "behalf of his Government suggested that, justified in suppressing any such societies neighbourhood can the question of the as the question of the evacuation of as have this for their object. It must, friendly relations of Britain and Germany Shanghai would shortly arise, opportunity not, however, be forgotten that many of be regarded with greater interest than in might theu be taken to impose conditions our leading local Chinese, men of education this Colony of Hongkong, where we have in upon China which would avert the threat-
"ened coup." and intelligence, who of necessity sympathise our midst a large and influential German
Then happened the Cheng- with any rational and pacific movement for mercantile community living on the most chow massacre, which assisted the German the reform of their country, would for such amicable terms with the British residents intrigue, inasmuch as it could plausibly be sympathy alone, if expressed in China, be Anything, therefore, which concerns Anglo argued that Britain would inevitably regarded as criminals fit only for torture German relations in the Far East must be demand some concession in the Yangtsze and decapitation. The reform laws of the regarded with special attention here. In Valley, following Germany's example in
the latest issue to hand of the London Shantung. The young Emperor and the reactionary edicts
was the pre- issued and the crimes committed by thTimes there is to be found a letter from that sentation of German and French notes- Empress-Dowager are not yet forgotten. journal's Peking correspondent, the well for France was easily persuaded to co- At the present moment the Colony is in k own Dr. G. E. MORRISON, in which he operate in this matter-to the Wai Wu-pu Of these and of the fested with a number of spics of the lowest discusses these relations very explicitly in October Inst. class, prepared for any deed, sent here from We do not for a moment imagine that what results of the whole underhand d aling we Canton by the Chinese authorities. The Dr. MORRISON
be welcome have already heard. But we note that Dr. duties of these informers are to discover fi reading for those who wish to see Britain MORRISON says that when the German note they can any reformers here, to watch the and Germany working hand in haid i was sent to the Wai Wu-pu it was accom. more enthusiastic and militant, and to China to the advancement of their mutualpanied by a minatory verbal message that advise the government at Cauto. These interests; but, on the other hand, we do men may form a very useful branch of not see how any good end can be served by a police department as it is known to disregarding the arguments which Dr. tlie Chinese, but their methods should MORRISON puts forward. He wrote about find no favour or support from us. If the time of the Grian Emperor's visit crime is going on iu pur midst-if such England and before the evacuation of machinations of reformers can be called by Shanghai, but this does not affect the facts that title-we have our own police to deal which he with it after, it is hoped, civilised methods. The presence of these Chinese spies, who are known to our police, tempted by such a. reward, are a menace to the public peace, they are in every way undesirable charac. ters and should consequently be deported by the authorities. The murder on the 10th January, 1901, of the Chinese schoolmaster, who was a British subject, in Gage Street, is still fresh in the memory of many, and will remain so unfil our local Goveru. ment has brought the assassins to justice or explained its inability to do so. These spies are mostly of the same class of men- in fact the assassins referred to have sine. visited the Colony-and if they cannot secure their object here, they are likely to wreak their vengeance unchecked on the helpless families of suspects, resident in the interior. Our Government, which has a large and expensive police force, should be able to fulfil its functions without such aid of the Viceroy or his other methods. Eng- land has always provided a home for the
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the communication was to be kept secret from the British Legation. We must presume that he has certain information to this effect, At any rate wo know that Prince CHING did actually lie in the most open mauuer to Sir ERNEST SATOW, just before writing to agree to the two notes.
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mentions. Going back to
Then," says the Times correspondent, February, 1898, he points out that Britaju a curious thing happened. The German obtained from China a written undertaking Chargé d'Affaires, presumably acting under the orders of his Foreign Office, that China would never mortgage, lease, or cede any territory in the Yangtsze region "communicated to his colleagues interested to any other Power. In March of the sc "what purported to be the full contents of year Germany signed an agreement with the note, but what, as a matter of fact, China defining German rights in Shantung was only that portion of the note which "said that, as the occupation of Shanghai and making them virtually exclusive. On the 1st July the Weihaiwei Convention whe was conjoint, in any subsequent occupation signed, and a few days after the present Germany would participate. He ofuitted Premier made an unsolicited declaration “the conditions which were the important that Britain would construct no inland portions of the note. At the same time, railway from Weihaiwei. In May, 1899. an by a want of co-ordination in the members Anglo-German loan agreement-foll wing of the German foreign Legations, Count ou to other Auglo-Gerinan loans, in 1896 VON ARCO-VALLEY communicated the full and 1898-was signed with China for the "text to Baron KOMURA in Japan. The construction and maungement of a trunk' full text had been already communicated line of railway tr ex end through our
"to Lord LANSDOWNE in London, so that "within a few hours the deception was respective spheres of interest from Tientsin through Shantung to Chiukiang. All discovered." A truly remarkable ex- three contracts," says the Times correspon-posure! It may be admitted that Dr. dent, "were negotiated by Mr. E. G. HILLIER, of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank in Peking. No German could have
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MORRISON is not actuated by over friendly feelings toward Germany, but, on the other hand, there is no man who has shown