38
THE NORTHERN CRISIS.
[January 16, 1904.
down to Dalny, but would have to run to its originally intended terminus of Vladivo stock. In this event it is possible that Russia might drop the Trans-Siberian mail service, though should she decide to con- tinue it the increased time would be com paratively slight, the railway journey being shorter, in partial compensation for the lengthened sea-voyage. The same applies to the passenger service. However, we will refer to a recent writer in the Noone Vremya with regard to the actual value to civilisa-. tion of the great railway, and if we quote him at some length it is because we prefer the case to be judged by what a Russian critic has to say than by anything we could say ourselves. The writer in question says:-"Aud what is it that we export, or "can export from China? Other nations "make a great deal of money by the export Of these of wool, tea, rice, and silks.
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gools, only the more costly, tea and silks, can bear the charges o. railway freight
over ten thousand versts (6,600 iniles).
But the demand for silks is insignificant,
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the import duty on tea entering over the "Manchurian frontier by six roubles the pud (£40 sterling per ton). If the import duty on tea were the same at "the station, Manchuria and at Odessa, every pound of tea would go by sea. "That is to say, the Siberian and Mau-` "churian lines, carrying, let us say, nearly "the whole of the tea consumed in Russia,
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one and a-half to two million pads (24,000 "to 32,000 tons), earn on the whole distance to Moscow five roubles per pad (£31 "sterling per ton), or a total of seven and "a-half to ten million roubles (£800,000 to
"E
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
iustant will be read with the utmost atten- tion. I will be noted that the leading (Daily Press, 11th January,)-
English paper is reported as adopting a At last we receive apparently authenic stro iger tone than hitherto, and, while information of the nature of the last Russian advocating first the negative policy of pre- Note to Japan. As will be seen, the tele- venting other Powers from joining Russia gram conveying this ought to have reached against Japan, going on to declare directly us in time for our issue of Saturday, but that England cannot in any circumstance was delayed in Japan by a censorship now afford to see the dominion of the Far East evidently exercised over telegrams leaving pass into the hands of a single unfriendly that country. The fact that the telegram Power or look ou and see Japan obliterated has passed the censor seems a guarantee or reduced to second-rate rank. We rejoice that the news contained in it is correct. It to see the opinions which we have cou- appears therefore thit we may accept it assistently expressed thus supported by the certain that the Japanese Government, so weight of authority of the Times. The far from looking on Russia's reply as satis- view expressel seems to us so undoubte lly factory, only sees therein a Russian, ruse to correct and the principle involved so vital delay matters stil further. In the North
to the continuance of any British influence China Daily News of the 5th instant there in North-east Asia that we should like to se apparel a telegram from Tokyo, bearing the whole of the British Pre's at one in the the date of the previous day, which stated matter. From recent telegraphic informa- that the Paris advices forecasting the un- tion it seems a fact that all the more favourable tenour of the Russian answer responsible Loudon journals are adopting had reached Tokyo, where they encouraged this attitude, while public opinion has given the pessimistic views already held; and that some remark ible proofs of its trend in the it was confirmed that Japan's main conten-last few weeks. It would be impossible to and the carriage of tea by the railway is tions referred to Manchuria, while Russia's find a parallel in the expression of good-only artificially maintained by reducing recent reply proposed the partition of Corea, will, and more than mere cool-will, toward It was added that Japan wishes to place an Asiatic nation that has been shown to- Corea under her exclusive protection, but ward Japan of late. We are almost t mptel objects point-blank to partition. Our Kobe to think that an inkling of the real telegram bears out the statement as to the meaning of the present crisis has penetrated tenour of Russia's reply, and confirms its into the minds of the British public, usually utter unacceptability to Japan. Still earlier
3. unreceptive of right ideas regarding the we read in the Kobe Chron cle, whose in. Far East. If this is true, we caunot think formation as to the progress of events of the Government shutting its eyes and recently in Japan has been very correct, that letting pass so great an opportunity of even then (a fortnight ago) it was feared repairing the countless errors of policy of that hope must be abandoned of a pacific the end of last century. This can be done settlement, since the Japanese Govern without war, if it is done now; later it would ment had already come to the conclusion
inean war, and indeed it is difficult to see that Russia was not sincerely desirous of a that we can in any case avoid being involved peaceful solution. The Chronicle also said in a war should Japan and Russia be at that, though diplomatic relatious were not blows to-morrow. We must, at the risk of broken off, action was to be taken as if the being tedious, once again express the result were beyond question. Hence we see opinion that the United States are with a clear reason for the prohibition issued to ourselves vitally interested in stopping a the newspapers not to publish details of any struggle of Japan; single-handed, Tagainst strategical movements and for the establish the aggressions of Russia.
If there fs. any ment of a censorship of telegrams, Japan meaning in the Chinese-American com- in fact has now taken every step, compatible nercial treaty of last year, the States with the preservation of peace, to show that cannot wait for its interpretation until Russia must act openly and choose whe-after a Russiau 'triumph in the North. In ther she means to fight or not. According his message to Congress on the 7th to a Berlin telegram Japan's preparations December President ROOSEVELT spoke are making an impression in S. Petersburg.
in lispensable condition for This elegram (which is dated the 4th the advance and development of our com- instaut, anlis published in the Ostasiatische merce in Man huria-China. has opened to Lloyd) notes a change of attitude of the foreign commerce the cities of Moukden and whole Russian Press, and quotes the Novoe Autung." The full measure of develop Vremya as condemning the Manchurian meat which our commerce may rightfully entanglement in principle for diverting expect," be continued," can hardly be looked Russia from her historic tasks in the Orient
for until the settlement of the present presumably in the Near East and in abnormal state of things in the Empire, but Central Asia. But still we cannot attach the foundation for such a development has so much importance as Berlin does to at last been laid." Where will that founda S. Petersburg or other Russian Press state- tion be when Russia is predominant at ments. The Press in Russia is more wout Peki g and Secul ? Doubtless buriel than that of any other country to say what under a hep of polite assurances' pouring the Government wishes it, or at least not to from the mouth of Count CASSINI. The ay what the Government does not wish magnetism or the terror of Russ a must said. A, plainly procrastinating tehour in indeed be great if it can induce the two the Russian note to Japan is far more great English-speaking nations to watch her significant; 80, 100, is the diplomatic illness s rike the deathblow to all further concern of Baron VON ROSEN, which now seems to of theirs in North China and Corea. be turning that gentleman into a hypochon- driac, much to his Government's distress, uo doubt. It would be of great interest to know how far the high Russian authorities really think it is safe to go in the game of patting Japan off. It has been suggested that they are only doing so in order to be able to "climb down" less ungracefully. In that case, surely they have gone to a more than dangerous length already?
The article in the Loudon Times quoted by REUTER in his despatch of the 8th
of
"an
(Daily Press, 18th January.) Very much has been and is still being talked of the great value to civilisation of Russia's Trans-Siberian and Manchurian railway line, an it is even urged that the driving of Russia out of Manchuri would be a loss to the world in general, as destroy- ing the railway communication between Paris and the Gulf of Pechili. It must be admitted that, with Manchuria non-
a-Russian, the Trans-Siberian line cɔuld not well run
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£1,000,000 odd sterling), while the Cus- "toms Department loses from nine to "twelve million roubles (£950,000 to "£1,250,000 sterling). There is very little sense in such use of a railway! But, fur- ther, Russia would lose absolutely nothing "if the tea now going via Dalny were to go by Vladivostock. The cost would not be a farthing more, while the railway freight would be lessened by the charge for about "a bundred miles, this route being so much "shorter railing. Consequently even for "the carriage of tea this branch of the Man- churian Railway south to Port Arthur and Dalay is utterly useless to us." The Novoe Vremya writer goes on to show that the enormous expenditure on harbours, quays, warehouses, etc., is wasted commer- cially and will call for tremendous sums of public. money for many years, while the aims are impracticable. The "civ sing mis- sion," in fact, to which Russia lays claim, does not appeal to this Russian, who has the insight to see that it is an empty ex- pression, the programme of which will drain the country of enormous resources An apposite criticism of the alleged mis- sion may bere be quoted from the Moscow correspondent of the Standard. He says:- For half a dozen years past all the resour ces of the Empire have been steadily "directed towards the Pacific, With what object? Assurally none of those '80 assiduously promulgated by Russia ; not "in any disinterested 'civilising mission in the Far East': not with the unselfish "desire to provide the 'commerce of the world' with a short cut across the hemi- "spheres; not to champion the cause of the "white man against the yellow peril. Yet "all these high-sounding missions' have "been set forth as Russia's objects in spend. ing upon an impracticable railway across two continent more treasure than is wasted in many a modern war."
and this is To resume: Of course ·
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