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CANTON.
[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]
Canton, 5th September.
PUBLIC EXECUTION.
The man who attempted to steal a bag of treasure last week was executed on Wednesday almot at the scene of the attempt. He was strangled in one of the stages which adjoin the old Canton wharf. A great crowd assembled to witness the execution, and cheers were raised from the junks-a brutal display. The bonkers had made a point of getting the prisoner executed, although bis offence was not capital, and they had to pay 82,003 to obtain their desire, Whether the example will have the intended effect is uncertain, as the criminal appeared to belong to a desperate class. There has beeu no execution at the wharf since November of last year-perhaps a sign of the times, for the city seems from all accounts to be very quiet at present.
į
KWANGSI, Very little news leaks through from Kwangsi. The Viceroy is probably keeping his plans dark, as, if they became a matter of common know- ledge, the rebels might be able to checkmate them, I hear, however, that General Fung arrived in Kwangsi with 4,000 troops on the 10th ultimo, and found twenty battalions awaiting him. He is to take command of the army on the right bank of the river, while General Chong will lead the division on the left. It is to be presumed that the country will be drawn from one end to the other, but this will be a work of mouths, and if the rebels care to shut themselves up in their fastnesses, and do not risk giving battle, the war may be pro- longed indefinitely,
{
A GENERAL DŔGRADED.
Another general has been degraded and sent down to the capital, where lie lies in the Nam- hoi prison. This is General Pan Yik, and the story is not new-bribery and corruption, audun limited license among his troops. The military men in Kwangsi have until recently been able to do whatever they pleased. A foreigner who spent some time up the rifer gives an interest ing account of the state of affairs. Law and order had ceased to exist in the country districts, and life was held of no account. The soldiery plundered and killed whenever thee desired to do so with perfect impunity. In some places the gentry were compelled to take matters into their own hands, and had robbers who had been caught red-handed executed forthwith; a kind of lynch law seems to have existed. The one district where there was no disorder was that of Kwai Yun, where the magistrate Chun had put deadly fear into the population by his indiscriminate executions.
A POPULAR MAGISTRATE.
After this dark picture it is pleasant to turn to a brighter one. The Chinese papars state that Wong, magistrate in the Shun Tak district, which lies twenty miles . W. of Canton, has been presented with many precious gifts by the chief men of his district, which he is leaving, in recognition of the moderation and justice of his rule. I do not think that the sum spent in baying presentation gifts iu China for magistrates is very large.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
The Japanese battleships Asahi, Shikishima, Hatsuse, and Yashima, the cruisers Idzumo, Iwate, Tokiwa, Adzuma, Kasagi, Chiyoda, Chitose, and Yoshino, the gunboats Oshima and Chinnan, 18 destroyers, and a number of torpedo-boats have been lying at Sasebo, pre- pared for any emergencies, and awaiting orders from the Minister of the Navy. They have had three or four days manoeuvres between Kyushu and the Corean coast.
A Northern paper is quoted by the N.-C. Daily News as stating that the Chinese official in charge of the Bureau of Foreign Affairs at Kalgan has telegraphed to the Waiwupu that his agent at Kiachta has informed him of the arrival in that town on the 12th ult. and succeeding days of several bands of armed Russians, who looked more like sappers and meinbers of the Russian Engineer Corps than anything else. The agent further estimated. the total number of the new arrivals at nearly 200 men. These men seemed to be preparing to make a long stay in Kiachta.
JAPAN.
[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]
Tokyo, 29th Augast.
THE MANCHURIA QUESTION.
More than a month ago. the Japanese Government decided on addr ssing itself direct to St. Petersburg with regard to the Manchurian question, and though its enquiries wera couched in the politest of diplomatic phrases, nevertheless one of the most serious steps ever taken by the Mikad's Government w.s taken then and there, The St. Petersburg Government refrained from returning uny auswer to the communication until the return of General Kuropatkin to the Russian capital, and the answer it then returned w35 colourless as possible. I believe it requested time to reflect on the exceelingly grave questions Japan's honoured communication had raised. Negotiations are going on, however but how they will end is A questiou which it is not easy to answer. The Japaness are fully convinced that in opening these negotiations they have taken a step which a nation does not often take in a century. The seriousness with which they regard that step may be sean from the tous of a carefully worded and evidently inspired article that recently appeared in the Nichi Nichi. The articl naturally begins on an optimistic note. Tue writer of it has no doubt that the object kept in view by the two Governments in the present negotiations is to find out some peaceful arrangement by which their respective inter- osts may be satisfactorily protected. Although the possibility of the negotiations eading in a rupture ought not to be lost sight of, the Nichi Nichi fails to see how such a contingency should result, unless Russia is bent on a policy of mischief. for Japan's claims with regard to Core and Manchuria are not of such a natur, that Russia will find it impossible to accept them. The Japanese, continues the Nichi Nichi, are not pleased with Russit's railway nadertakings in Manchuria and the lease of Port Arthur and Dalny. However, these things
are now accomplishel facts, and it is now late to protest against Russia's doings in these respects. On the other hand Russia cauunt, says the Nichi Nichi (as translated by the Japan Times), ignore Japan's very important commercial and industrial relations with Manchuria and the increasing migration of
thither. Jap nes
Neither can Russia by blind to the fact that her encroachment on Corea, while it will be of
*
im.
little benefit to herself, will hardly bendured by Japan. "Sliould _Russia," says the Nichi Nichi, fail to taks due cogaisance of these patent facts and act in such a manner as to injure our existing rights and obstruct our path of progress, she must be propired to be held responsible for consequences of the gravost character." The Nichi Nichi then goes on to rebuke the irresponsible effusions of the extreme war party on both sides, and calls upon its countrymen ta bo determined and yet diguified now that the question of peaco war is to by decided by the issue of the present negotiations. It coucludes as follows:-
or
The principle of the maintenance of China's independence and integrity is operativa and intelligible only under the present state of affairs. It loses all its force the moment the Chinese Government voluntarily surrenders its sovereign rights or alienates any portion of territory. Supposing that unfortunately war breaks out between Japan and Russia, and further supposing that China was so unwise as to east its lot with Rus is, the consequence would be that England would, in compliance with the stipulations of her alliance with us, have to join in the fight ou our side. In that event, there would take place a fundamental change in the condition of things in the Far East and in the attitude of the different Powers, and how would it ander the supposed circumstances be practicable to talk of China's independence and integrity? It is idle to speak, as some people speak, as though the principle in question would be operative after our supposed war with Russis or to discuss the advis- ability or otherwise of Japan's taking possession of Manchuris, When the status quo in the
[September 12, 1903,
Far East is once disturbed with the resulting change in the attitude of the various Powers, there is no telling what may not happen. Who can tell that in that case the partition of China might not be found to be unavoid. able whether Japan liked it or not? Or who can tell either that it may not become our boundea duty to stand up for the preservatio of China's independence? This is why Japan and the other Powers are so reluctant to disturb the existing state of things. Of late some people seem to by perturbid by the news that the Chineo Government ha shown an inclination to rely on Russian friendship and that a scret agreement seems to have been concluded between the two countries. There is, however, no cause for uneasiness, for now that we are trying to settle the matter directly with Russia, it does not matter in the least even if China hd concluded a hundred secret treaties. Moreover, in the event of a rupture batween Japan and Russia, China's joining the latter The result country would be simply suicidal of the war would be to plaos the Chinese Eastern Railway and all the various undertakings at Port Arthur and Dalny at the disposal of Japan and other Powars. Uuder these cironinstances
WJ
are convinced that is not Japan that is afraid of war, but rather Russia and China."
"It is scare ly necessary to add," says the Japan Times in commenting on this remarkable article. "that we are now confronted with a situation fraught with possibilities of the most momentous description. We refrain from making any attempt at predicting the future course of events; it would be foolish to mike such attempts. All that we can say is that, whatever be the issue, the people are ready to support the Government so long as the Govern ment remains true to their well-expressed aspirations."
At present therefore the settlement of the Manchurian question has been taken out of the hands of the unreliable statesmen at Peking and, as the Nichi Nichi says, ng number of secret treaties concluded between China and Pussia need causa Japan the slightest appra.. hension. In fact full details of a secret conven- tion between the two countries in question were forwarded some time ago by the Peking correspondent of the Kokumin, but, for the reason I have just given, they excited little attention.
Details of the progress of the negotiations at St. Pe ersburg are of course shrouded in the completest gloom, but I should not be surprised if the world learned some fine morning 8003 that Japan and Russia had signed an arreement on the basis of Japan being allowed a free hand in Corea and free access to the Manchurian markets in return for ber acquieso nos in the status quo iu Manchuria.
Ons is inclined to ask what will become of the Auglo-Japanese alliance in case this Russo- Japanese arrangement is concluded. Well, it~ must sorrowfully be admitted that the Anglo- Japanese alliance has for all practical purposes cease to exist. The Japin330 speak of this defunct arrangement with the respect pro- verbially accorded to the dead, but in spite of their native politeness and their exaggerated sens of courtesy, they do not go the length of closing their eyes to facts.
The death of Lord Salisbury naturally leads them to think and write about the alliance and though they seem to be really very grateful to Lord Salisbury for being the first Premier of an European State to conclude an alliance with Japan on a basis of equality, their view of the alliance is such as I have represented. In their eyes, the Anglo-Japanese alliance is almost as the Anglo-German Convention that preceded it,
We mourn," says the Japan Times, speak- ing of Lord Salisbury's dɔatu, "we moura the loss of a statesman under whose administration was conoladed the Anglo-Japanese Alliance which, whatever its practical value may be, nevertheless marks the opening of a new and brilliant chapter in the political history of Japan."
Whatever its practical value may be"! The doubt expressed in this phrase is entertained to-day by many Japanese.
1
LORD CRANBORNE RESPONSIBLE.
If we were to follow the illustrious precedent set in the case of Cook Robin and seek to ascertain who killed the Anglo-Japanese Alli- ance, we might find that Lord Cranborne has as good a title to say ""Twas I" as anybody.