912
many important directions in this Colons — such as some of their Commercial C¡m- panies, and to some extent also in the Legislative council—we have good reason to believe in their power of governing by representation in minor masters. T. apply this, without modification, to the larger affairs of state would, no doubt, be ve ture- some and might pre danger us; but a careful study of the system in its 18 important forms, and the formation of a constitution on the basis of t e facts thus in ev dence, and a study of the het models in Europe and America, would in all probability lead to satisfactory results. It is this which (no doubt at te sugges- tion of Japan) the Chinese appear at the present time inclined to essav. Twe've years certainly appears a far-off date at which to hope for practical results; but still in a matter of this kin it is well not to move too rapidly. If, however, the Chinese are really in earnest, we may hope for substantial results at a much earlier date. There seeins no doubt that at the present time the Chinese are taking definite steps to acquire a critical know- ledge of foreign institutions, and if they are wise enough to ado; t such knowledge to the wants of their country i is not beyond the range of hope that they may succeed in establishing some form of representative government, which would undoubtedly go far to remove many of the difficulties under which the country has so long laboured.
WHERE EAST AND WEST DO MEET.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
11
[November 4, 1905′
His Majesty's Government observes with satisfaction that this point was readily - couceded by Russia in the Treaty of Pence recently concluded with Japan, and they have every reison to believe that similar views are held by other Powers with regard 10 the relations which should subsist b. tween Japan and Corea,”
BONGKONG SANITARY
BOARD.
A mee'ing of the Sanitary Board was held on the 31-t October at he B ard Room,
Hon.
Dr. F. Clark (presiden) presided, and there were als present: Dr. W. W. Pe rse, M.O.§., Lt. Col. Jo-ling.
Mr. A. Rumjiba, D.
Maofa lane, Mr. F. J. Badol y, Mr. A. W. Brewin, Hon. Mr. W. Chatham, Mr. H. E.
It is certaiuly s mewhat strange that, at country. It is, however, expressly provided the very time when matters seemed to have | that such measures must not be contrary reached a more hopeful po ut out here, a to the principle of equal opportunities for new and very important element has been the commerce and industry of other developed in Europe, which fresh aspect of nations. The new Trenty no doubt differs affairs threatens to be »s difficult if not at this point con picuously from that of more difficult to deal with than that which | 1902. It has, however, become evident has hitherto hnd to be accepted. The Far that Coren, owing to its close proximity to East is no longer important only in is the Japanese Empire and its ability to direct bearings, but may at any time have staud alone, must fall under the coutrol a wide-spread influence up nolitical affair‹ | an tutelage of Japan. in Europe, Anything in the way of a dis- turbance in this direction is, in the present day, likely to assume an importance such #8 y pr duce marked changes in the balance of power in Europe. In former days a war in the Far East was in reality what Russia, with curious self-d cep.ion, has endeavoured to persuade herself the recent war was, namely only a
little war,' of merely local imp riauce aud, at most, of such small dimensions that it i volve no very seri us issues. It has, however, been shown that war in these parts may prove so exhaustive and so wide-spread in its effects as actually to endanger the posi- tion of a large Euro ean Power, which hp pened to be the losing party; and may thus end in seriously disturbing the ordinary balance of power in Europe. This eff. ct. was produced by the unexpected weakening of Ru-sia which was bought about by the war; and it gave a very d. ngerous opening to Germany, of which at one time there seemed reason to believe she might possibly avail herself. At all events, very strong opinions were prevalent in this direction, and whether they were well-founded or not, there can be no doubt that consideration of this circumstance con- duced, in no small degree, to the desire to bring about peace. How far Japan wa- influence by representations made to her it is, of course, impossible to say. It may, however, be assumed that ber statesmeu would be able to appreciate fully the im- portance as to her own interests of this bearing of the subject; while its being one which would not be understood by the people at large would account for the dis- content which was popularly manifested. Certainly the lesson as to the future is ona which it will be well not to overlook. The fact has to be laced, in the present day, serious difficulty in these parts is likely to affect polit cal relations between
European nations; and Eastern question is likely to become as thus the Far
ser ous a matter in its relation to European politics as the near Eastern question has for been. so long
that
any
Paller, K., M. an Chu Pak, Mr. Fung Wa Chun ad Mr. G. A. Woodcock (seor tary),
BI LS OF HEALTH AND PLAGUE.
Mr POLLOCK pursuant to notice · f motion, moved—” That in view of the small number and the intermittent occurrence of cases of plague at the close of the plague season, it is de irable that the present practice as to granting clean bil's of health in connection with plague cises should be modified." He said that in support of the change wich he sub. mitted should be introduced in the present prau ice with regard to granting clean bills of health at the close of a plague epidemic, he woull refer to the fures for the last three y ars; 1903-04 from the 1st July to the 1st Decembe, an this year from the 1st July to the 30th September. As mst members of the
Hoard were aware, the question of granting el an bil's of health in this Colony depended upon the provisions of what was known as the Venice Convention, to whion the colony had adhered.
Under this convention no ares in
which the plague hd xisted was cons dered
+
as infected until no death or case of plague had recurred for a continuous period of ten days. That was a very onerons ondition to apply
with reference to the termination of an epidemio
plague, and it seemed to him rather an illogical condition to be imposed in view of the fact, which was well known, that this colony was no consider d as in ected with plague in an epi 'emio form In the Paris Convention, to which this colony did not adher, but to which the United Kingdom did, an ares was not con. sidered to be infected until several cases of plague had ocurred. The trend of modern
THE ACTUAL STATUS OF COREA,onventions with regard to plague was not to
(Daily Press, 3rd November), It would have been considered very much out of the usual order of things, some years back, that the political state of Europe should directly affect any question in the Far East; but there can be 1.0 doubt that such was the case with r gard to the peace between Russia and Japan. It is to this fact that the discontent which manifested itself in the latter country is to be largely attributed. It was felt by the Japanese that there was something behind the peace negotiations themselves which influenced them, quite apart from the actual position of the belligerents, and also quite apart from the direct interests which either Japan or Russia had to safeguard in coming to terms with their respective opponents.
has taken place The change which marks a very important era in affairs in the Far East; and will add no little to the complications which have always sur. rounded all Eastern questions. Hitherto such questions have been dealt with in
(Daily Press, 3rd November.) accordance only with the interests in the A FEW days ago we ventured to say in East of the different powers concerned; but plain language what diplomats have heen even within these limits, sufficient com.hinting at and what most people have quite plications have arisen on account of the diversity of these interests combined with the necessity for something like common action on any given occasion. The ex eut to which this state of affairs has been made use of by the Chinese, in order to obtain heir own ends, is notorious. They have been able to pit one nation against another with such success as to keep all at n respectiul distance; and this rolicy they will no doubt try to keep up to the end of time. Of late there have been some signs that such a line of action may not be so easy in the future as it has been in the past, as there is always oue nation, namely Japan, which is too close to China and too well acquainted with her ways to be capable fo being bluffed in this manner,
·
understol, namely, that Corea is no longer an independent nation, and that it wa time to recognise this as an accomplished fact. The correctness of that view appears to be a ply confirmed by a paragraph”in a despatch from the Marquess of LANSDOWNE to Sir C. HARDINGE, "British Ambass: dor at St. Petersburg, a copy of which reached us from Eng'and yesterday. I says:
"Article III., dealing with the ques tion of Corea, is deserving of especial a tertion. It recognizes in the clearest terms the paramount position which Japa at this moment occupies and must bruce forth occups in Core, and her right to take any measures which she may find nec sary for the pret c ion of her political, mil.tary, and evonomic interests in that
consider an area as infected simply because a few sporadic caves occurred, and he thought it only logical that the colony should not be considered infected because a few cases Venice Convention, however, the colony was occurred here and there. According to the still considered inf sted. and s'ill had to show foal bil's of health; although it was quite obvious from the returns that the plague no longer existed in an epidemic form. On the 28th October, 1903, the colony was finally considered free from plagns, and it seemel absurd hat with only eight cases in 31 days be considered infect d. For 1904 Hongkong from Angst to September, the olony should
was not consid-red free under the provisions of the Venice Conve tion until the 24 h September. Taking the last two months, from the 25th July to the 24th Annst. there were 34 oses in 21 days, and from the 25 h August for 1904 w-re, perhaps, not so striking s
the 24th September, 10 cases. The figures
they were for the year 10. as in the latter year the plague began to atate com- paratively early, and a very long time before the period of ten days required by the Venice
*