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RUMOURED ATTEMPTED OUTRAGE AT PEKING.
(Daily Press, 19th October) The abominable outrage amouncod by, REUTER as having been attempted at Peking will rouse general indignation and renew distrust of the Chinese authorities. According to REUTER's message, an attempt was made at the Bitish Legation ou Tues- day the 13th instant, to explode a magazine containing explosives and ammunition for the defence of the Legation. Wires were laid to connect with an electric battery, but for some reason the connection was not perfect. This was through no fault of the originators of the outrage, however; their will was good to blow up the Legation at a time when most of the members of the
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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[October 24, 1903.
|U.S. AND JAPANESE TREATIES | As there is not the slightest prospect for
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WITH CHINA.
(Daily Press. 21st October) The Chinese text of the new Commercial Treaty between Japan aud China has now been published, and English translations from it have been issued by two newspapers in Shanghai. We do not now quote the full terms of the Treaty, preferring to wait for the authorised English version, giving at present only an abstract in another column. But we wish to draw attention to the most noteworthy points, adding details from the preseut translations of the Chinese text. The second article provides for the establish- ment by Japanese steamship owners and companies of a system of bringing vessels over the rapids on the Yangtze River, various Legations were present enjoying between Ichang and Chungking, a ter the Sir ERNEST SATOW's hospitality. The per consent of the Imperial Maritime Customs. petrators of the outrage had chosen their This does not of course give the Japanese tine well. They knew the Ball was
a monopoly, and the system is not to be come off, and they had calculated upon allowed to block the waterway or hinder the Ministers and their staffs being much the passage of native craft on the river or· occupiel to be le to complete their of travellers on the bank. It will be infamous work without interruption. Had remembered that in Article V. of the MACKAY they succeeded, the situation would have treaty a similar clause exists, stating that been most serious aud the Treaty Powers until improvements be carried out (on the would have had a fresh bill to settle with waterway between Ichang and Chungking) China. It is more than sufficiently bad steamship owners shall be allowed to erect As it is. The attempt failed through a
their own hauling appliances, subject to the mere technical detail, and the tragedy same conditions as in the Japanese Treaty. contemplated has hot resulted. We are The third article provides that Japanese devoutly thankful that the barbarous vessels are to be entitled to enter any port, action was thus rendered null, but we in addition to the Treaty Ports after notifying canpot minimise the fact that the desire the Customs. The Shangha Mercury gives for the extermination of the foreigner the following translation of the Chinese still exists in the Chinese capital, and text: Japanese inland vessels are allowed opportunity only needed to give it ex- “to navigate and trade between inland ports pression. There have been several warnings after reporting their destination to the lately that the antiforeign spirit is again "Maritime Customs at the Treaty ports dominant, and that the Chinese are only too
according to the regulations stipulated in ready to strike if a safe opening. for the
the special Regulations and its supplement blow appears. The desire for murder is
agreed upon by the High Contracting still there, just as much as it was before the Parties." The clause requires elucidation, outbreak in 1900. The difference now
which is not at present forthcoming. The consists apparently in the fact that, instead seventh article provides for an attempt on of openly proceeding by force of arms, the the part of China to establish an uniform Chinese are possessed with a desire to strike system of weights and measures, in addition in the dark. These movements of the to the uniform coinage promised in the sixth secret assassin are infinitely more to be clause as well as in Article II. of the MACKAY dreaded than the open attempt of the enemy treaty, and Article XIII. of the U.S. treaty. to strike you down. The outrage will The eighth article states that China consents: certainly tend to impair the relations be to revise the Inland Navigation Regulations, tween the Manchy Government and the the reforms being mentioned in an annexe Treaty Powers. How can the latter feel which we have not before us. Article X. of ary confidence in a Government that either the MACKAY treaty and Article XII. of the sanctions or permits such exhibitions of U.S. treaty may, however, be comparel; it hostility to the representatives of Foreign is under the MACKAY treaty that Kongmoon States? What interest can the Treaty is being opened. The tenth article is the Powers take in a Government that appar- most novel in the treaty. By it it is ently plots to destroy them? The present mutually agree that upon the withdrawal dynas y is not acceptable to the Chinese of the foreign troops in Chili, and of all people, but has been suffered to continue the Legation guar.is from Peking, China merely from failure to discover a possible shall at once open Peking as a place of successor. But the patience and en-internation trade." Au annexe to this, durance of the Powers have already been translated by the Shanghai Times, states taxed to breaking point, and it will soon that China also stipulated that the foreign become a moot question whether such a settlements must be outside the Inner City, Government is not worse than a number of and that the land or buildings owned by smaller states ruled by Chinese viceroys. The natives and required for foreign use shall Chinese plate is so badly cracked that further be leased in the regular way, by paying fracture will inevitably bring about its a fair price; the right of roa-making and dissolution into parts and its independent bridge-building must remain in the hands existence as a whole may cease to Le of China herself, together with the adminis. expedient. The pressure of Russia on tration thereof; no distinction is to be Manchuria is tending in this direction, and made between Chinese and foreigners in the suicidal folly of the Government is likely the Peking settlement, with regard to the to accentuate the danger of partitionment. obedience both shall yield to the municipal [Since the above was written we received and police regulations; the consent of the a message from our Shanghai correspon- Chinese authorities must first be obtaine den contradicting it. But, as on more before any municipal or police system occasious than one Dr. MORRISON has proved can be established in the settlement; right and the Legation authorities wrong, and foreign residents who have hitherto we cannot yet consider the story disproved | lived scattered over Peking shall remove and therefore let stand what we have inside the settlement and shall not be written].
allowed to live outside the foreign arva.
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many years to come (and never under present conditions), of the Powers being willing to withdraw their troops, this portion of Article IX. is not of much practical use. The article also mentions Changsha, Mouk- den, and Tatungkou as to be opened to trade, the two latter afte: the ratification of the treaty, and the first named six months after that ratification. An annexe says that Changte (Hunan), Hukao Nganking (Auhwei), and Suifu (Szechuen) (Kiangsi),
shall be opened as soon as circumstances allow. The remaining articles do not call for particular attention. It is to be noted that the opening of ports is not made in the Japanese treaty, as was so unwisely done in the MACKAY treaty, to be dependant on con- ditions practically impossible. Article VIII. of the Anglo-Chinese treaty stands more than ever revealed as a gross blunder.
(Daily Press, 22nd October.)
As we mentioned yesterday, the Japanese Commercial Treaty with China provides for the opening of Moukden, Tatungkou, and Changsha, the Manchurian towns imme- diately after the exchange of ratifications between the contracting countries and Chang-ha six mouths later. By the revised treaty between the United States and China. Moukden aud Antung are to be opened after ratification of the agreement, Antung having been substituted for Tatungkou. Thus the opening of four new treaty
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ports" is promised by China, three in Manchuria and one in Hunan, in addition to Kongmoon in Kwangtung, which is opened by the MACKAY treaty. Leaving aside for the moment the question of the effect of opening towns in Manchuria, we find that Japan and the United States appear to have made a better bargain than we have, though we were the first in the field. For though the Manchurian towns are to be free to all, yet only Ameri can and Japanese trade is likely to be benefited by the new markets. Changsha is an important addition, and cannot be said to be earmarked by any nation as yet. It is on the route of the Canton-Ĥankow Railway, and will be a big place some day. As for Kongmoon, its opening may certainly be expected to benefit British trade more than that of others, but it exploits no new district, merely offers greater facilities to trade in a region already opened. The principle was no doubt recognised by Sir JAMES MACKAY and his advisers that the removal of restrictions on trade in the South is of more importance to Great Britain than any attempl. to increase trade in the Far North. unfortunately the best means of removing restrictions in the South was not adopted. Seing that Japan and the United States have been able to secure the concessions which they desired, it is impossible to think that Great Britain could not have got more than the opening of Kongmoon. As we have explained before, Waichow is the important place in the neighbourhood of Hongkong whose opening would maku the most difference to this Colony. By putting Waichow in that Article of the MACKAY trety which is practically a dead letter, Britain his committed a
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grave error. No other Power is likely to care the proverbial twopence for the opening of Waichow, at all events until the Canton-Hankow line begins to run brauches down to the sea-const. Had the MACKAY treaty stipulated for the opening of Waichow after exchange of ratifications, in the same way as the United States, trea'y has stipulated for the opening of Moukden and Antung and Japan's treaty
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