July 13, 1903.1
however small, which may arise. The pro- gress of events in Corea particularly must be watched with much anxiety, for au anti- Japanese outbreak there, secretly promoted by Russia, would as the expression goes, put all the fat in the fire. It is true that "the North-China Daily News publishes a despatch dated Tokyo, 1st July, to the following effect The Corean Govern- "ment has ordered the Treasury to pay to "the Japanese Embassy half the price of
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT..
FAST MAIL AND PASSENGER
SERVICES,
(Daily Press, 9th July.)
months on which some mention has not been Few days have passed during the last few found in the Press of the Far East of the new Trans-Siberian railway route. Traveller after traveller has given his experiences, and the very names of the chief stations be- tween Dalny and Moscow are beginning
19
THE NEW ADMIRALTY DOCK.
(Daily Press, 10th July.) We publish in another column to-day the Colonies to the petition forwards last reply from the Secretary of State for the April through H.E. the Governor, praying that the Admiralty Dock and Naval Yard be moved from the site on which it is now being laid out to some suitable in the eyes of
other spot more
"the war steamer purchased in Japan, and to be nearly as familiar as those of the This prayer, as was the petitioners.
(
various places passed or touched at on the old sea-route from Europe to China. The comments on the passenger service on the Russian railway have been for the most part favourable, an the appreciation of
BLAKE's attitude, when he received the by Sir HENRY deputation the Governor's strong approval. But the on the 26th March, had reply is nevertheless a very firm refusal to entertain the proposal of the petitioners. upon a letter from the Admiralty to the Colonial Office, dated the 9th March lust, an extract from which we also pub. lish to-day. [It is to noted that the Admiralty's letter is dated the 9th March. the Dock question, when a committee The meeting in Hongkong with regard to
held until the 24th March; and the was chosen to draw up a petition, was not.... petition was not published until April. TI Admiralty's letter, therefore, is not to be
*"has also adopted vigorous measures to suppress the anti-banknote agitation, Thus the political horizon is cleared at "Seoul." The torsion of mind in Japan, nevertheless, is very great indeed just now, and it is not only a few extremists the accelerated mail transport has been | Mr. CHAMBERLAIN's decision is mainly based who are urging the Government on to a manifested by the abandonment by business bolder line of policy It cannot be main-houses in Shanghai of the mail steamers run- tained that the Japanese are wrong in ning southward for their communications with suspecting Russia of attempting now to Europe. From some remarks which wequoted use Manchurians a spring-board from yesterday by Sir THOMAS SHAUGHNESSY, which to plunge into Corea. Of course we have often been assured that Russia does Company, it will have been seen that the President of the Canadiah Pacific Railway not wish to establish herself in Coran. possibility of a continuance of the maritime But it has been admitted by Russian conveyance of mail is not yet despaired of, writers that their country cannot see
if a fast Atlantic service can be counted the Gulf of Pechili turued into another. upon before the expiration of the next two Baltic by the establishment of a first-years, at the end of which time the Cana-looked upon as an answer to the petition,
class Power on the Corean coast-to which admission the corollary is that Russia must plant herself there first, Such aspirations are incompatible with the peace of North-east Asia.
Wherefore it is necessary either that they be renounced or that the question be tested whether Russia is strong enough to realise them. They may not be renounced without an arduous diplomatic struggle, but this struggle it is needful to make to save a war which must be ruinous to one side or the other.
(Daily Press, 4th July.)
dian Pacific Company's contract expires. Sir THOMAS SHAUGHN 88y's words certainly convey the impression that the sea-route between Britain and the Far East is not yet doomed beyond hope, if only the passage neruss the Atlantic can be shortened. Nevertheless the Trans-Siberian railwag, even in its present imperfect condition, has secured a great start, and doubtless its promoters will make every effort to quicken and improve their service in proportion as their competitors by sea exert themselves. The present success obtained by the Trans- Siberian line has had its effect in Australia, as various publications which reach us from The North China Daily News publishes the time to time show. The latest of these is a following telegram which is dated Tokyo, leaflet issued by the North Australian 27th June:-"The excitement in Japan over League of Melbourne, expressing apprecia- the Manchurian problem is increasing. tion of the action of Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBER "The nation is plainly resolved to support LAIN, Postmaster General, for having the Government in any measures which it "taken the first practical step to forward "considers essential to assert the country's the present movement in Australia of pre- rights and safeguard its interests. Mar-paring the way for quicker intercourse quis Iro and Marquis YAMAGATA, who have been hitherto supposed to advocate "a waiting policy, are now, it is generally understood, advising resolute action. The leading journals speak in a tone of remarkable firmness. Japan is
still "endeavouring to stiffen China's back bone." The important point in the above telegram is in the statement that Marquis Iro is now advocating resolute action." The Tokyo correspondent of our Shanghai coutein- porary we believe to be in position to gather with some degree of certainty Mar- quis Iro's views, and if that Japanese statesman has ac.ually departed from his, attitude of extreme caution, then we may looked forward to a corresponding change in the policy of Japan, for there can be no doubt of the great fluence of the man who has four times occupied the post of Premier of his country.
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25
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Arrangements live been made by the Japan- ese naval authorities for the standing squadron to be newly_organised as follows: The battle- ship Fuzi, Yashima, Shikishima, Mikusa, Asahi and Hatsu e: the armoured cruisers Iwate, Idzumo, Yakumo, Lazuma, Asama and Tokiwa, and eight torpedo-destroyers. This gives a total of 146,939 tons displacement. These vessels were all to as embe Muroran, Hokkaido, by the 10th inst. (to-day) and after taking in coil there they ur to cruise along the coast of Eastern Siberia and Corea, finally proce.ding to the Gulf of Pechili!!!
The
being written weeks before it. Mr. CHAM- BERLAIN wrote after receiving the parition, but the strength of his reply is in the A'Imi- ralty's letter.] Their Lordships state that "under no circumstances can they assent to abandon the present works, the early. completion of which they believe to be necessary to security." But, in their anxiety to place no obstacle in the way of the Colony's commercial expansion and in possible, of establishing naval stations full recognition of the advisability, where outside great commercial harbours, they
would not refuse to consider any offer from the Colony to re-provide equivalent accom- modation on an approved site"; the Navy would continue to occupy the present yard and anchorage until the new establishment could be handel over. Their Lordships kindly put out what extensive accommo- dation they would look for. Mr. CHAMBER- LAIN says in his letter enclosing this extract:"You will observe that this between Australia and Great Britain by the scheme would involve the Colony in very Trans-Siberian railway." This action, the heavy expenditure," etc. In fact the Almi- League's resolution remarks, affords auralty really asks not only for a more suitable example and an encitement to the Australian site but also for a better equippal yard, Commonwealth Government to stimulate while Mr. CHAMBERLAIN piles on the agony the authorised railway connection between with his remark about the Military establish- Port Darwin and Southern Australia. The ment now ajoining the Nival Yard. No League looks for quicker means of commu- wonder then that the Colonial Secretary nication between England and Australia by should have come to the conclusion that the he land routes across Asia and Australia expenditure required would be heavier than linked by a fast steamer service between the Colony could bear! Their Lordships of Hongkong or Canton and Port Dirwin. the Admiralty would indeed stand to win, The insertion of the words or Canton," when, having consented to some site, not on wo presume, indicates an expectation of the mainland, suggestel by the Colonial the ultimate connection of Canton, via authorities, they should have all the nɔ033- Hankow, with the Manchurian section of sary work executed to their own satisfaction, the Russian lines; but it leaves Kowloon, but entirely at the Colony's expense. The of course, out of the reckoning -a mistake Admiralty's proposal is, of cour e, simply which should not be possible, nor would by exorbitant, while it makes one dout the so but for the backwardness of the Kowloon- sincerity of the statement in the spcon l Canton railway scheme. In the mean- paragraph in the extract datel the 9th time the League's circular points out that March. Mr. CHAMBERLAIN's letter of June the South Australian Government has called, efféctually carries out the process vulgarly for bids for the construction of the Central known as "rubbing it in," Australian section, to complete the railway tioners have now only to bear the smart. liue from sea to sea. Tenders are to be sent They cannot regard themselves as fairly to the South Australian Railway Commis- treated by the home aut orities, nor coulil sioner, at Adelaide, on or before the 2nd May, any impartial judge consider that they live 1904. It is impossible to resist the conviction been so treated. In the midst of their dis- that a great revolution in inter-continental appointment the upholders of the schem cominunications is about to take place for removal, though they will not of course shortly. When the time comes, Hongkong feel any pleisure in the thought of the as a must see that it is not left out of account expense to the Naval authorities, may at punishment for having been too dilatory. least see a strong additional justification
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