858
THE WITHDRAWAL OF BATTLE-
SHIPS FROM CHINA.
(Daily Press, 10th June.)
a
So long ago as January 24th, we ventured to suggest that a decisive victory of the Japanese navy would be followed by considerable reduction " of the British China Squadron. The important announcement made in a neighbouring column shows that we were justified in that prediction. All battleships are being withdrawn, and (with the exception of HM.S. Glory) are proceeding to England forthwith. The departure of the Glory is merely post- poned a little. No one in Hongkong is in a position to give us the precise reason for this startling proceeling but we entertain certain opinions which we have some con- fidence in expressing. There have been drastic changes in the British Admiralty, which now, thanks to the initiative of Admiral Sir JonN FISHER, has a definite and carefully studied policy, which arranges itself to make use of every counter in the game, and bids for all-round excellence unmarred by any even miuor points of weakness. The principle animating the whole is that of maintaining an effective war basis at all times, no matter how peace ful the international arena may appear. The removal of such a powerful squadron from Far Eastern waters will make some British readers entertain uneasy doubts, and cause them to ask
some anxious questions. One question that will certainly be asked will concern itself with the fate of Wei-bai-wei. Is it possible that Great Bri- tain contemplates the evacuation of that port, now that its vis-a-vis, Port Arthur, is in the hands of Britain's ally? A place ouce occupied, the Englishman does not like the thought of leaving it; and we must admit, that while there have been no definite official assurances on the point, there has been a popular conviction that some arrangement would be made whereby Great Britain would continue to occupy the northern port. Yet it may well be that this conviction was too After all, Othello's lightly acquired.
occupation is now gone; the raison d'etre of Wei-hai-wei went when the Russians evacuated Liaotung; and the terms of the British lease are now notorious, that it was only for so long as Port Arthur was Russian. Port Arthur, as a fortress belong- ing to the Ally of Great Britain, no longer threatens; and, it is equally apparent, the supreme naval power in Far Eastern waters being also vested in Japan, Great
the
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
NORWAY AND SWEDEN.
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(Daily Press 12th June.) A good many sensational headlines have been provoked by the misunderstandings of Norway and Sweden, which have just re- sulted, as our readers know, in the former country demanding a new king to be all its
own.
There have been sensational com- ments as well as sensational captions. It has been suggested that this national divorce case marks ar epoch in European history, and that war sooner or later must be its inevitable consequence. Russia, for instance, Not yet dead is the habit of mentioning Rússia when possible aggressions are on the carpet; but its end should not be long Russia, for instance, would seize the opportunity offering by dissension in the Scandinavian peninsula to give Western scope to the acquisitive energies that have just been choked off in the East by Japan. It does not seem to be the fact that the recent incident is capable of any great dis- turbing effect upon the map of Europe. Apart altogether from the consoling reflec- tion that while the Bear is sick he does not go a-hunting, there is the doubt whether the change is really much more than a change in name. The change may slightly wound Swedish amour propre while it emoliates that of Norway. It may enable big changes, in internal administration to be made. Small changes of official appointments will be the only points at which foreign neighbours will be involved. Really, the united Scandin- avian spirit will continue to preserve the geographical status quo; for there is nothing sufficiently serious for modern men, Swedes or Norwegians, to kill each other for. It is no new thing either. There has always been the same parochialism working as a repelling force between east and west; and there have always been the same joint needs
and interests pulling the people together again. In the eleventh century, full four or five hundred years before the Russian menace became visible across the Baltic, the two peoples united in the most amicable manner to raid and harry England. Norway seems to have been always the weaker part- ner; probably because of its wasteful habit of dethroning, killing, and murdering its kings. In the middle of the twelfth century it was over-run with civil war, there being at least four determined candidates for the uneasy throne. Two hundred years later there was a visible decline of Norwegian prosperity; the crop of kings was exceedingly poor; and it had to borrow its King from Sweden. Norway, Sweden, and Denmark were all three united toward the end of the four Britain finds less need for
con- teenth century; and from then on continued tinued presence of the China Squadron. to separate and re-unite in a most extra- Certainly, while there is nothing out of ordinary manner, the historian being hard which we are entitled to make scare,'
put to it to disentangle them properly. European prospects are considerably less Norway and Denmark would kick peaceful than are those of the Orient just unison against the Swedish pricks; then now. There is a feeling that the English Sweden and Norway would turn navy should be "ready, aye ready," and Denmark, and cast it into outer darkness. that while "aye" means "always," there is Early in the seventeenth century Sweden no time like the present. The naval opinion began to show her might, even Russia obviously is that concentration is the secret having to cede Finland to her in 1617. of strength; and this latest recorded move-Eighty-three years later, Russia entering ment spells concentration in British waters. upon a war of revenge, PETER THE GREAT War came suddenly in the last example, was totally defeated by CHARLES XII. and there would have been no time, had Russia waited nine years more, and returned England occupied Russia's place, to con- the compliment, CHARLES XII. having to centrate her scattered navy in the storm flee into Turkey. Sweden absorbed Norway centre. The addition of these homogeneous by treaty in 1814, but the Norwegians at battleships from the China Squadron must once did what they have just done now. prove a wonderful stiffener to the Channel They issued a declaration of independence. Fleet. That Great Britain takes this early Swedish troops entered Norway and, finally, opportunity of demonstrating its trust and after one elected king had abdicated, the confidence in the Anglo-Japanese Alliance Norwegians being too strenuously exacting, is a step of the widest political significance. CHARLES XIII. of Sweden was proclaimed,
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on
(June 12, 1905. the basis of agreement being the union just dissolved, by which Norway remained free, independent, indivisible, and so forth. After seven years of peace and quiet, the Norwegians, who seem to share some of the temperament of the Irish party, abol ished the nobility. It was not really until 1881 that the present dispute began. It was then nominally a question of constitu- tional rights. Ten years later there was plain, out-and-out talk of independence; and complete autonomy in foreign relations was demanded. In 1893, twelve years ago, the Storthing first formulated its claims for a separate consular establishment; and several attempts to promote a modus vivendi have since failed. The Norwegians in 1898 were refused permission to have a purely Norwegian flag; and this little disappoint- ment, coming just when Norwegian com. merce was increasingly flourishing, appar ently precipitated matters. The Storthing decided two and a half years ago to establish the separate consular system and, the Swedish ministers obstructing, they have now separated altogether. But it is thought unlikely that Sweden will fight about it especially as Norway is asking for a king out of the Swedish Royal Household.
HONGKONG
JOTTINGS.
5th June.
The almost complete annihilation of the Russian armada has speedily restored con fidence in business circles. That the transport
Hardinge has at last been permitted to take away the time-expired troops from Hongkong and the further fact that H. M. S. Ocean leaves for Home to-day is a clear indication that in the opinion of the British Authorities- the danger of interna ional complications is now remote. The Ocean and the Centurion are to be relieved by the Goliath and Canopus according to present arrangements, but having regard to the turn events have taken it is not improbable
that the Admiralty will consider it unneces-ary to maintain the China squadron at its present strength. The dozen destroyers, which were recently at Colombo, have not arrived here yet, but I gather that they will come here in due course, as it is recognised that the squadron is too weak in this class of vessel.
It surprised a good many people I fancy to read the contention of Mr. Ahmet Rumjahn
at
the last meeting of the Sanitary Board that the demand in the Colony for house accommo- dation for Europeans is not in excess of the supply. Does Mr. Rumjaha believe that European families would crowd into the hotels hong-s at rentals within their means? I am as they are doing if they could get suitable perfectly certain they would not. is a slump in rents and that seems extremely unlikely for many years the prospect for hotel proprietors is an excellent one.
Until there
Mr. Rumjahn, in further support of his contention, mentioned that the Hotel America had had to be shut up, and also a boarding house
in Ice House Street. As regards the latter I understand that there were reasons other than
of the establishment. The Hotel America, Mr. Rumjahn will be interested to hear, has been re-opened by Mr. and Mrs. Cameron (formerly of the Occidental Hotel, Kowloon), its name being changed to Hotel Baltimore, and I am told that an addition of 18 rooms to the building is contemplated. That rather knocks a hole in Mr. It cannot be gainsaid Bumjahn's argument. that there is a scarcity of European houses of moderate rental "in certain neighbourhoods only "if you like; and that people are finding it much cheaper to live in the hotels than to If the directors of the Hongkong keep house. Hotel were not satisfied that it would pay them to heighten their building they would not be asking the public authority for the necessary power especially just now when they are about to add to the accommodation of the hotel the top floor of the new building known as "Hotel Mansions."
those implied by Mr. Rumjaha for the closing
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