242
THE CAPTURED “ NIGRETIAľ
(Daily Press 8th April)
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS, AND
seem to have supposed, that he ought to have known, or at least suspected, their character, should his ship be confiscated The answers to these questions will be eagerly looked for on or about the 15th inst. ; although Japan opinion seems to hold out small hope of the restoration of the Nigretia. On the other point, what the Times calls Japanese "grim humour" in acting as if it were a foregone couclusion, we note that our Kobe contemporary sees no impropriety n the course taken, reminding us that in the event of successful appeal, the Japanese Government holds itself responsible for the ship and cargo.
THE WAR AND TRADE,
Daily Press, 10th April. There is a general hope that the outcome of the struggle which has taken place in these parts will be an improvement in trade in the Far East-that is, of course, on the supposition that the Japanese are able to maintain the position which they have won at such cost.
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[April 17, 1905
All that has
and influence after the war may be at least minimised. Such was no doubt the object. of the ridiculous story that was sonie) time hack circulated with grim seriousness in Paris Matin as to the supposed letter of a former Japanese Governor in Formosa written in 1902, in which he is represented as declaring that Japan intended to attack both Ku-sia and France, dealing with the former first aud Cochin China next. The shrewd editors of that paper must have smiled and wondered how much of this first class canard would be swallowed by the most credulous of their readers. The state- ment has been absolutely denied officially, and it bears evidence in itself of being com-3. pletely unfounded. We have seen enough of Japanese shrewdness in diplomacy to be pretty sure that, if an enthusiastic Governor had any such idea for a moment, he would- be very careful in giving it utterance and certainly would not be so simple as to place it on record in an official document which might at any given moment come to light: Even if at one time such an idea was entertained, there can be very little doubt that it is not what Japanese states- men hold at the present time. come to light in this direction shows that their policy is really what they declareil it to be before the outbreak of the war namely, to do all in their power to preserve the peace, towards which, in common with the most enlightened European nations, they consider the preservation of the integrity of They see China an essential element. clearly that a strong position on their own part cannot be maintained by the adoption of any 'dog in the manger' policy, even if by instinct they were disposed to that course. Their idea is to continue to co-operate with foreign nations, not to oppose them; and, in furtherance of this policy they have takon every opportunity of throwing open new ports to foreigners, recognising that this is the best way to obtain their support. But it is argued that it will never do to allow an Eastern nation to have a dominant influence in the East-a position which seems to be a somewhat strange one upon abstract grounds, but which it is attempted to justify on account of general Eastern exclusiveness, of which we have had too much experience, the fact being ignored that Japan has long given up such exclu- siveness and that her whole policy, for many years past has been shaped in the opposite direction. If Japan becomes a dominant factor in Eastern politics there is every leason to conclude "she will be willing to exercise her power in favour of European nations, and all reasonable ground for opposition to her influence will have ceased to exist.
The case of the captured British steamer Nigretia continues to afford new points of interest. Comment has been made upon the precipitancy of Japan in selling the cargo, re-christening the ship the Ulpan- | maru, and actually arranging a new in- surance charter to dat from March 6th, while the vessel is still nominally British. The question of ownership re-opens on the 14th instant, so that all this looks as if the Japanese had virtually anticipated the verdict of the higher Prize Court to which appeal has been made. In December last, the Nigretia left Shanghai for Vladivostok with a cargo of oil in case. The Japan Chronicle is informed that the Japanese Consul at Shanghai, Mr. ODAGIRI, had already assured the captain that the Japanese Government did not regard kerosene as contraband, either conditional or absolute. This is news to us, and in oue opinion helps to confirm the truth of thr
The state of matters is some- captain's protestations of innocence with
Here are China, regard to the escaping prisoners, who are thing like the following. now to be mentioned. She was captured Corea and Manchuria which all offer great when passing through Tsushima Straits; opportunities for the development of foreign and as two foreigners were found on board trade and intercourse. If they come under whom the Japanese officers believed to be the authority or infitience of a Power which Russian, the Nigretia bad to go to Sasebo. will throw them open to foreign commerce, There the two passengers admitted that great results may be looked for at no dis- Russia has stepped forward and they were Russian officers. Meanwhile the taut date. Japanese authorities were informed, pre-endeavoured to persuade the world that she sumably from Shanghai, that Russian is clearly destined to fulfil this, and that officers who had given parole at that neutral should she obtain the ascendency all foreign port were missing; and further enquiries nations will be vastly benefited by the elicited the damning fact that the Nigretia's impetus which she will thus give to civiliza- While, however, as- two passengers were of the captives who had tion and progress. pledged themselves to the Chinese Govern-surances of this kind have been freely ment to remain peacefully in Shanghai given, all her acts show but too clearly that This, Russia would be as exclusive as China uutil the conclusion of the war. presuming his innocence, was a staggerer herself, and that her policy would be direct- for the Nigretia's captain, who promptly ed against all competition from other That this would be the case has protested that he had been deceived; that nations. passages were sold to them in the ordinary been very generally known; but for the way of business; that they claimed to be, most part it has been looked upon with one a German, and the other an Austrian; complacency, as a general hope has been and that until now he had believed this to entertained that should Russia obtain an be true. The Prize Court in the first in ascendency in the North, there would be au stance has apparently decided that this plea opening for others to do the like in other does not exonerate the ship, and their directions. Recent events, however, have decision seems to be accepted as so much made more apparent than was formerly the a matter of course that the Osaka Shosen case, the vast responsibility which a nation Kaisha has proceeded, as stated above, to obtaining territorial jurisdiction in any part actions implying that in their opinion of China would incur; and the idea of there is no prospect of the decision doing so has become very much modified. being reversel. In equity, supposing the Under such circumstances the practical truth of the captain's statement to be question is--What is Japan likely to do in admitted, it seems to be prima faci unjust this respect? The notion has been indus- that any ship sho uld be restrained for what triously circulated that a victorious Japan then appears as
an almost unavoidable is certain to be something like a wild accident. As our Japau contemporary just-animal let loose with no other idea than ly observes, such a decision on such a ground that of spreading conquest in all directions; places all passenger-carrying steamers in and that the peace of the Far East and all Those parts in a very serious position. hope of fair development of trade will of CANTONESE CHARACTERISTICS. More than two of the Shanghai prisoners necessity be endangered. In reality, how. have broken parole and disappeared; aud ever, there is little foundation for such. it is almost certain that many of them have fears, which have been suggested with obvious ultimate objects rather than taken passage to Europe without informing the shipping agents or capt ins as to their founded upon any solid facts. Those who book of "Cantonese Love-songs," directs true identity. That the two on the Nigretia have long cherished hopes of conquest in attention "to a side of the Chinese charac- were bound direct to Vladivostok makes China, and of being able thereby to ter which tends often to be overlooked.” establish restrictive and exclusive trade "The extreme sentimentality of the Can- little difference, siuce a Russian officer can
now see clearly that the existence in the tonese," which "tinges the temperament rejoin his country's forces just as surely, if
Far East of a strong and determined nation even of the collest business-man, or the less quickly, by the European route. Would
most uncouth coolie," is a matter that comes- a P. & O. wail boat, overhauled, say, at like Japan must be a standing menace to
The attitude which that within our province; and before ha Singapore, ou informatiou received," and their plans. found to have such a passenger on board, country assumed with respect to Russia over Mr. CLEMENTI's handsome voluc a future the tender mercies of our reviewer, we be liable to confiscation? It would be just might well be taken up at
Power who consider some of the statemen:s and as impossible for the captors to prove that time against the captain of such vessel did know whom might threaten her independence or parisons that are made in the intro-luc he was conveying away, as it is for the cipher legitimate spheres of commercial | Rightly or wrongly, the Cantonese enj tain of the Nigretia to prove that he did not activity; and it is, therefore, thought reputation for being the most hard h know who or what his two fatal passengers to be good policy to raise as much feeling of all Chinese business men ; and it is t
Even supposing, as the Japanese as po le against her, so that her power fore surprising to have his alleged
were.
**
any other
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(Daily Press, 11th April.)
Mr. CECIL. CLEMENTI, M.A., in his new