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18
THE NORTHERN CRISIS.
(Daily Press, 6th January.) "The Japanese Government regards the situation as practically amounting to a state This is the alarming conclusion which our Kobe correspondent draws from
of war.
95
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
expected. Beyond the fact that the Humber is northward bound, nothing certain can be elicited as to her destination. Among various suggestions hazarded there is one that she is bound only for Amoy. It is not, however, probable that there is a call there for British troops when marines would serve
(January 11, 1904.
most readily be averted by such meaus. We recognise that Britain has little or nothing to gain in Corea. Only Corea closed, and in Russian hands, means the extinction of all but Russian influence in North-east Asia. Britons have every reason to wish to see Japanese aspirations in Corea
the notification issued yesterday by the War the purpose of coping with disturbances / fulfilled, even did they extend so far as to
Department at Tokyo, prohibiting the news- papers from publishing the movements of troops or anything calculated to disclose strategical plans. And indeed it is hardly possible to draw any other conclusion from this ominous step. Compared with such action on the part of the Japanese Govern ment, news of a pacific nature arriving from 8. Petersburg or from Paris and Berlin, inspired by S. Petersburg, counts but little. We have before spoken of the unwisdom of trusting much in the peaceful prophecies which have their origin in the Russian capi- tal. It was only too obviously to Pussia's interest to persuade the nations, most of them readily credulous, that she desired only peace. As long as Tokyo remained hopeful, prospects were fair; when doubts succeeded, there was ground for fear; and
include the absorption of Corea by Jap.in. But we do not believe that Japan desires the conquest of Corea. Th Tokyo corres- pondent of the Times, in an article which appeared last month, summed up the posi tion thus:-" Certainly the earnest wish of
Japan is to maintain a strictly correct "attitude in the sight of the world. She is "determined that Corea shall not fall into
now it must be admitted that the "cloud in iately or in the near future, Corea is the this that Britain must be prepared.
the East" looks terribly dark. A rather significant departmental change in Japan is to be noted in a telegram from Tokyo to the North-China Daily News on the 29 h Decem- ber, which stated that an amendment issued from the Imperial Military Headquarters places the Naval Department on an equal footing with the General Staff, which hitherto had precedence. It is interesting in this connection to mention that we have just been enabled to see an opinion on the position in the North at the end of last year by an authority (neither Japanese, Russian, or British, we may mention) well competent and in a position to gather the state of affairs. In the first place he did not believe in the likelihood of an outbreak before the spring The Japanese Navy, however, was anxious to act at ouce, but the Army was in favour of delay. The eagerness of the Navy is easily explicable, when we recall the presence of the Eastward-bound Russian squadron in the Mediterranean. Whether the extra weight now given to the Navy Department Las produced any change in the situation is perhaps worth consideration. There is certainly very great strength in the argu- ment which we have attributed to the Japanese Naval experts, if war is inevitable. In this unhappy event, it is essential that Japan should not wait for the Russian fleet
to outnumber hers. Should war break out at this moment, Russia's reinforcements canuot reach the Far East, for want of coal, which the demands of neutrality must prevent any nation's coaling-stations from supplying to her, under penalty of bringing into operation the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. As friends of Japan we must hope that, if war cannot be prevented, it may commence at once and enable Japan to put the Bus
sian fleet out of action. Nevertheless we
still hold that Britain and the United States, if they had some time ago acted in the har- mony for which their community of interests called, could have averted a struggle; whether it is now too late, we cannot say.
(Daily Press, 9th January.) The air has hourly become thicker with rumours and, in the absence of authentic nows, with rumours more and more alarming. Amid these there are certain tangible facts, one of which is that H.M.S. Humber is ready to leave for the North at once with 250 of the Sherwood Foresters on board. This was rumoured very late on Thursday night and confirmed yesterday morning. She did not, however, sail as
(
(Daily Press, 5th January.)
He
equally well. Next there is the possibility of Weihaiwei being the destination; but 250 men would be an entirely inadequate num- ber for Weihaiwei were there a need to garrison the place. Newchwang being ice bound, it is not likely that a demonstration there will be attempted, especially as this would be an extreme step unless something very serious had occurred, of which we have no intimation. The favourite theory is that
foreign hands, but she would fain attain the Sherwoods are bound for Peking. But
"that end by recourse solely to the most why? The Legation garrison at Peking is
"highly-civilised weapons of modern in- ample, there are reinforcements within easy
"fluence-railways, telegraphs, commerce, reach, and no particular danger is known to
"and industry. She wants to keep cannon- threaten the Chinese capital or the European
"balls out of the account.” This appears residents in it. If we must venture a guess, the situation. But, as the Times correspon- to us a thoroughly sound estimate of it must be that the possibility of having to
dent adds, the danger is that events may protect the British Legation at Seoul is con- templated. If troubles break out immed-prove too strong for Japan. And it is for
assured scene of the first outbreak, and there is no guarantee of the safety of foreign tions which must occur. Since writing residents in that country amid the complica- GREAT BRITAIN AND CHINESE
RAILWAYS. this we see from a telegram in Worth- China Daily News that one hundred U.S. inarines have been landed at Seoul, where the In his paper read beforefthe Royal Geogra Government is in a panic.] If we are right phical Society in London on the 23rd in our guess, the Humber will no doubt pro- November last, Lieutenant-Colonel C. C. ceed to Weibaiwei first, hut not with the MANIFOLD, dealing with the subject of "Recent view that the Sherwood Foresters shall Exploration and Economic Development in stop there in garrison for long. It must be Central and Western China," dwelt especially confessed, however, that the secret of the on the potentialities of the Upper Yangtsze past week's naval and military movements re- Valley and the province of Szechuen high naval and military authorities. All maius one locked up in the hearts of the pointed out that at present foreign com- merce in Szechuen is represented by a single that outsiders can know is that great pre-resident British merchant, two French, and Parations have been going on in Hongkong, several Japanese merchants, and there are which are undoubtedly connected with the two Chiness agencies of British firms. The movements at home such as those announced province contains all the elements for a great in REUTER's telegrams published in to-day's manufacturing development. It possesses issue, by which it appears that the British vast mineral wealth; silk, wool, and hemp Admiralty is acting with extraordinary offer opportunities for the development of vigour. Not only, moreover, is the Ad- textile industries; paper might be manufac miralty busy, but the rest of England is tured, and oil and sugar produced, while decidedly stirred. What are we to make there is an abundance of cheap skilled and of the 120 British Reservists, with ten industrious labour. The rich Upper Yang- officers, leaving, amid enthusiasm and cheers, tsze regions, he continued, above all others for Genoa to man the two newly-purchased in China afford the greatest opportunity for Japanese cruisers, which are to sail for the the development of British commerce, but it Far East soon and require men to is only by studying the problems of communi
This is an in-cation and distribution that this extensive navigate them hither? dication of feeling which we can hardly field can be opened up to British trade. Our believe will pass unnoticed by Russia. London evening contemporary the Globe, The strength of the pro-Japanese feeling is which always takes a keen interest in plainly growing daily, and the advocacy of Chinese affairs, commenting on Colonel active assistance has been carried on for MANIFOLD's remarks, insists that "there has never been a time in our history when one time in more than one London journal. For ourselves we can only repeat what we access to fresh markets was more impera- tively necessary. In these days, when the have said before, that we think the best preservative of peace would be a strong tariff wall is rising higher and higher- show of determination on the part of Great
"round us, and one European nation after Britain, and also, if possible, of the United another closes its doors to our exports, we States. With regard to the latter, a repre- sentation has already been made to the
"must go farther and farther afield if we "are not to be starved to death while doc House of Representatives favouring the "tors debate as to the symptoms and cure establishment of U.S. Consulates at Moukden
"of the disease. ~;
If the natural and and Antung, which China has promised the also the artificial barriers to trade on the
Were Britain
Upper Yangtsze could be removed, a United States to throw open.
“demand for British manufactured goods now to bring vigorous pressure to bear upon Corea to have the required ports opened to “would give an impetus which would be "felt through all the arteries and veins commerce, the effect could but be beneficial
"of our industrial fabric. But to bring on the situation. The presence of a few
"about anything like an adequate expun- British warships in Corean waters and the possibility of a Legation guard at Seoulsion of our trade, or to give a fair chance "for China to develop her resources, Colonel would be all that is required. And herein, it must be remarked, we are not counselling "MANIFOLD is convinced that water transit war; but we are convinced that war can«is inadequate. The process of tranship-
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