December 11, 1905.]
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
THE MANCHURIA NEGOTIA-
TIONS.
(Daily Press, 6th December). Public opinion, as we have already pointed
899
In consequence,
seemed (by its legal success) to simplify an intricate, troublesome,
the lensed territory and the arrangements and expensive business so much. But that again is a
for safe-guarding the Railway must be con- matter for testators, with or without their
ceded; and that the Chinese are apparently legal advisers, and we must leave them to
making a grave error in seeking to call this in question may be at once taken for granted. wrestle with it alone. It is the extra-out, is not quite in a position yet to assess ordinary cross-examination, the object of at their proper value the negotiations which in a much better position now than they did In one respect, however, the Chinese stand which Sir HAVILLAND DE SAUSMAREZ, for the last month have been going on at when dealing with Russia. the Judge, was absolutely at a loss to Peking between Baron KOMURA, on behalf the territory was, as recorded in black and The lease of understand." If Mr. H. P. WILKINSON, of the Japanese Government, and the Wai- white, for twenty-five years, of which seven the cross-examining counsel, be correct in meaning what he seemed to mean, there are
wupu, regarding the restoration to China have already expired. It is quite true that of the Manchurian territory. Some have Russia for her part assumed that her term very few of us who can be trusted to act little doubt that, dazzled by the brilliancy with complete sanity. He suggested that of the prospect held out by the new alliance
was as long as she liked to stay and, as she strong views about the opium traffic were
was the tenant in possession and mistress with Japan, and indisposed to put a check of the situation, abe persistently refused to symptomatic of mental unfitness to testify on the latter's rising ambition, the British discuss the question. that speculations as to the fate of the lost Government has been viewing, with a non- tribe of ISRAEL are mentally unsound; chulence almost amounting to apathy, five years remained as a limiting term to when she assigned the lease, the twenty that a hypothesis tracing Chinese Japan's new claims, which have lately which Japan as the consignee is legally derivations for words in other languages seemed to imply conditions not only deroga- bound. It is to the credit of Japan that was impossible to a mens gana. He did tory to China's Imperial rights but directly she has implicitly accepted these conditions, not appear to think that, given a sinologue opposed to our own commercial interests in and it would indicate a better spirit on the "fonder of his books than of his wife," the Manchuria; and which, it is feared, may part of China to equally implicitly accept explanation might rest with the lady, eventually be made the foundation of still although the humorous point that a book
on her side the conditions as to guards, etc. more injurious demands in the near future. China, too, has the right of pre-emption, can be male to shut up must have occurred Very naturally, in concluding his treaty when she is in a financial position to do to some married meu in court. Another with Count DE WITTE, Baron KOMURA so; and Japan will probably, if approached question asked suggested that the late desired to exclude as far as possible external in a friendly spirit, no doubt be prepared Dr. EDKINS shaies ST. PAUL'S opinion conditions which would have complicated in her own of the proper place of women and wives its execution.
interest to meet her in a in social life; and this, as well as Mr. retirement of Russia from Manchuria, and as to the apparent unreasonableness of much The main point was the reasonable manner. Having said so much WILKINSON'S triumph when he elicited au in fulfilment of this the request of China to ❘ of China's contention as to alleged inter- admission that Dr. EDKINS Was a mau he made a third party in the agreement was without guile, entailed implications that consistently refused; but in merely trans-point out that after all, as being mainly ference with her sovereign rights, we may uust have sounded shocking to the ferring to Japan such rights as she ha matters of interpretation of arrangements missionary world. The suggestion that acquired, this by no means implied a ratifica" | deliberately entered into by China, the Dr. EDKINS refused to believe in the tion by China of Russia's claims any further | subject is pre-eminently one for submission existence of evil was indiguantly denied, than they could he found to have legal | to the Hague Tribnual, which will doubtless yet there are saue meu of science who foundations, and to be consistent with other be prepared to enter on its consideration cannot perceive evil that is evil per se. obligations entered into by China with out- In another part of this paper there appears side Powers.
with due regard for the national sus- an extract in which Sir F. TREVES' philos-success in having brought to a satisfactory
Fortified by his diplomatic ceptibilities of both parties. ophy of disease appears in order to startle conclusion his difficult task of uegotiating in a mutually satisfactory
Beyond this matter of the settlement, the orthodox and stimulate more enquiring the treaty of Portsmonth, Barou KomURA
manuer, of iniuds. We will refrain from odorous com-
the moot points remaining over with is supposed to be trying to carry the regard to the diplomatic struggle still further, with the Manchurian Railway, there are
future control of the apparent object of negotiating an under- of an international description in which others standing, which may at some future period other nations, and markedly Great Britain, be held to imply a practical suzerainty over Manchuria, such as Japan has recently
are deeply interested, and it is to these acquired over Corea.
more especially that we desire to draw However satisfactory attention. Japan does not desire to with- from an Imperial point of view may be our draw her promise that with regard to the present alliance with Japan, and we think | future of Manchuria she is prepared to no one will now accuse us of deprecating uphold the policy of the " its importance towards preserving the peace but the phrase is of English invention, and Open Door,"
of the world, with our allies it has a some-
is certainly not interpreted in Japan as it what different meaning. instauce, been looking forward to the Tariff acknowledges the principle of equal We have, for is in England. Nominally, the Japanese restoration of Manchuria to China as the advantages for inauguration of a period of enormously converted into att
all; practically, it is eminently protective enhanced trade, and have been contemplat- implement. We may admire the ingenuity ing in advance the beautiful landscape with which British traders have been quietly of our own self-created "Open-Duor," is this quite the idea that presents itself to that as long as British goods are sold in But edged out of Japan, and flatter ourselve Baron KOMURA and the Japanese Govern- Japan, and that in increasing quantities, last reference hasty conclusions; but on ment and people? We deprecated in our the immediately distributing medium makes further reflection feel inclined to point out
but little difference. This is doubtless that the Japanese view
true from a general standpoint, but it is differ with the British.
must inevitably hardly all the truth, and there is no doubt that the Home system which has been so far successful in expelling the trader, will eventually, it is hoped, be effective in render. of elaborate blue books intended to show ing s perfluous his trade. This, in spite the contrary, is certainly the mainspring of much that we see going on under our habit of closing our eyes. Although we eyes, but to which we have been in the
are far from conceiving that our trade has suffered any serious detriment from these
they measures, the fact remains that so far as
and that very considerable dissatisfaction they have been successful, does actually exist amongst British merchants in Japan the undis guised preferences
shown by the authorities all round. It may be uncon-
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parisons of the respective sanity of the famous doctor and the Shanghai counsel. Mr. WILKINSON has acted as a judge at Bangkok, and one shudders to think he may one day adjudicate again, if he retains the idea that men who believe or profess things that his OWN in telligence rejects are necessarily on compos mentis. A missionary witness said that Dr. EDKINS did not believe in the verbal inspiration of the Bible. There are a great mauy who do; but we agree with the CHIEF JUSTICE of Shanghai that even so they may have a reasonable idea of what they are doing." On the whole, after reviewing the cross-examination, we should not have been surprised if the JUDGE'S Comments had been stronger. When the late ST. GEORGE MIVART, the Roman Catholic who wrote a learned but heretical "Epistemology," was denied a Catholic burial, his son grievously offended his late father's admirers by appealing to the ecclesiastical authorities and declaring that his father was insane and so not responsible for his heresy. We can make allowances in that case, for a combination of filial piety and fervent faith prompted the as- persion on as sane a brain as ever worked. ¡ In the case of the Shanghai counsel, as we sympathise with the lady whose means of aintenance are going to swell the coffers of a missionary society, we might have smiled indulgently at barefaced legal subterfuges Lo right a wrong. The attempt was, however, clumsy and offensive; and was further marred by the crowning insult of claiming friendship with the deceased. That was surely unnecessary. Or is it that the learned counsel hopes to climb¡ on stepping stones of his dead frien is to higher things?
It is true, and we have no desire to gainsay Baron KOMURA's explicit statement, stood pledged at the beginning of hostilities that he quite accepts the position that Japan not to demand for herself any territorial concessious nor make any claims derogatory himself he quite understands that Japan's to China's Imperial sovereignty; and for claim for exclusive privileges would really defeat their own purpose. It is also the negotiations have been well kept. Still it case that the councils of both sides in the has been impossible from the very nature of the case to prevent the main points of issue from becoming k.own. That under the agreement with Russia Japan stands in the same position as that Power with regard to
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