September 30, 1907.|
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
THE TIENTSI、 POST OFFICE.
(Daily Press, 25th September.)
The Tientsin newspapers are up in arms against the decision of the Government of Hongkong to close the British Postal Agency in that port at the end of the current month, and we observe that their protests have evoked an expression of sympathy from the N-C. Daily News. We could sympathise too-on the same terms-but from the point of view of the tax-payers of Hongkong we do not regard the decision of the Government as being open to the con- demnation that is being heaped upon it.
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appears that the Chinese papers in the North have been considering and discussing the
Had that anticipati›n been realised, we need for a common language throughout
have no doubt that the "peremptory order" China. So far as we can gather at second-
for the closing of the Tientsin agency would hand, they have not got to the length
not have been sent. At the next meeting of the Legislative Council, when the of suggesting the Esperanto expedient.
Estimates will probably be discussed, it Perhaps it would te correct to say they
would perhaps be useful if one of the have gone far beyond that, for their naive
unofficial members were to elicit from the and simple recommendation is the general
Government the reasons for the closing of adoption of the Kwanbwa or Mandarin
the agency. One Tientsin journal a-sumes speech. As a recommendation it has merit.
it to be " It would be well, we suppose, assuming the
official routine on the part of some colonial nothing more than an incident of general consent to adopt a uniform tongue,
subordinate who has been actuated by the that the language selected should be "the
wording of the agreement, which was that language of the senate, the language of the
the experiment was to be put in operation forum, the language of the rostrum and pulpit, the language of the schoolroom and
for one year." We charitably assume that more sarcasm was intended to be shown in the language of the Press." One common The British Pastal Agency in Tientsin this remark than in elligent perception. tongue would undoubtedly be a great has been established just twelve monthe, Maiters of this kind are not left to the advantage, and it might as well be the best and many of our readers will be familiar decision of "subordinates," aud our contem- selection possible. Some people are so
with the history of the negotiations leading porary may take it for granted that good constituted mentally, however, as to seem up to its establishment. The proposal reasons exist for the decision to close the unable or unwilling to recognise that there originated in 1905 with the East India and are desirable reforms that cannot be brought China Trade section of the London Chamber that the agency "fully pays its own agency. Another Tientsin paper understands about by fiat in this way, not even by the of Commerce who represented that it was expenses," but in the very next sentence fiat of the intelligent majority which a little felt to be an anomaly that whereas there says: "it is only a question of the payment argument and reasoning is expected to were German, French, Chinese ad Japanese of bringing mails up here from Rongkong." collata into existence. Probably every Post Offices at Tientsin there was no British Now this, as Sir MATTHEW Nathan remark- Chinaman in the Empire would instantly Branch Post Office nearer than Chefoo, the ed, represents the larger part of the cost of admit the advantage of having only one result being that whilst a letter could be the Agency. On referring to the approved form of speech. Their passion for uniform-sent from London to Chefo for one penny Estimates for 1907, we see that of the total ity, born of much long drilling, would seem the forwarding of the same from Chefoo to to encourage hope of the desired reform. Tientsin (a distance of only a few miles) for $7,600. If the British post office at vot of $12,898, transit charges account As that disposition has not prevented the cost two-pence half-penny. The Chamber Tientsin does no endurance of many dialects, we take it that urged that the recent momentous events in
more than
pay "its the speech of masses of people is not a the Far East, meaning the Russo-Japanese, of Hongkong to provide $7,600 a year own expenses," and leaves the taxpayers plastic thing, permitting arbitrary modifica. war, bad rendered it desirable that Great to tion, but that it is a river too wide to bridge, Britain should be in all respects as well mails, there is ample justification for the cover the cost of the transit of toa strong to dam. It must run as it listeth, equipped commercially with essential faci-step taken by the Government, especially as the laws of Nature ordain, rather thau lities as other European nations. At first when we take into account the expectation as the laws of man. The illustration is not the Postmaster General in London was inapt from the point of view of those approached on the subject, but the Chamber postal rates, the Hongkong Post Office that, in consequence of the revision of the pleading for a change, the disunity fostered was informed that the British Postal will next year incur a heavy loss. The thin the Empire by variety of speech is Agencies in China were uuder the control, revenue estimated for 1908 is only $315,000 as much A "China's Sorrow as the great not of the Postmaster General, but the river itself. It has always been a stum- Colonial Government of Hongkong. The in 1907, while the expenditure in 1908 as compared with the estimate of $418,200 blingblock with big empires a id federations, London Chamber thereupon forwarded the is estimated at $410,514. Faced with a but whether to regard it as a cause or as correspondence to the Chamber of Commerce decline in the Post Office revenue amounting an effect of the “ parochial" instinct that here who came to the conclusion that for persistently divides race from race and clan the greater convenience of 3ritish trade, as the position of not being able to reduce to $103.000, the Government finds itself in from clan, we would not care to decide. It well as from an Imperial standpoint, the its expenditure on the Post Office by more is evident that if, as we readily admit, "the arguments brought forward by the London than $4,164. An estimated loss of $95,514 possession of a common language should Chamber of Commerce are incontrovertible” tend to centralize governmental power, and and they were unanimously of opinion Office next year. In this difficulty the is therefore shown on running the Pat bring the widely separat d provinces and that it was advisable steps should be Tientsin community may find Hongkong's dependencies of the Empire into closer rela taken to open an ag ney at Tient-in with tionship and union with Government," the us little delay as possible. The Government
answer to its appeal. However much we lack of it must operate reversely. It seems acquiesced, not very enthusiastically appar-inconvenience and
may sympathise with Tientsin in the grave to us, however, futile to discuss possible ently, for when the Governor (then Sir selections, to argue the superior merits of MATTHEW NATHAN) made his speech on the any one language, until we see how the cat Budget which included an appropriation of is to be belled. If the universal language $12,898 for the Tientsin postal agency he be a universal need, we have faith that it commented on it in the flowing terms: will evolve itself, in time. But as some, "This agency was urged on the authorities considerable time has elaps d, without evo- at Home by the London Chamber of lution showing its hand, it is possible that Commerce as being required for e rrespond- there may be some natural law which forbids a linguistic utopia. Were we a little more superstitious, we might even draw the obvious moral from the fable of Babel, and suggest that "there's a divinity which objects to men building utopias beyond a certain elevation. Meanwhile, we put the subject of universal language into the same pigeonhole with universal brother- hood; only to be taken out
for gentle academic exercise when more pressing matters are not to the fore. When Mr. KEE Bar-dee, socialist Member for the Whampoa Division, arises in the Chinese House of Commons at Shanghai to propose the abolition of the Chinese House of Lords, the day for one language for China may appear to be downing. It is not yet. If it were, we would not recommend the adoption of Mandarin. We would vote for English
"f
ence between Tientsin and London and was
supported by the Chamber of Commerce here as tending to the convenie ce of British Merchants in China, and therefore to the enhancing of British prestige. I have remarked that when British prestige is to be enhanced in China, and when some expenditure is involved thereby, the Houg- kong Government is called upon to bear that expenditure." The local Chamber of Commerce had, however, given some consideration to this phase of the question, and wrote the Government to the effect that while they were aware that the Treaty port postal agencies were not always sources of revenue to the Hongkong Government, and that any loss fell on the local ratepayers, they believed that in the ese of Tientsin, one of the la ger ports, it might reasonably be anticipated that no actual loss would
occur.
the serious financial
loss to the community which the closing of the British postal agency involves, the Post Office revenue of the Colony clearly does not at the present time warrant the Government in continuing a postal agency which malets the tax-payors of Hongkong to the tune of six or seven thousand dollars a year. One of the Tientsin newspapers General Manager of the Chin-se Engin‹er- understands that Major NATHAN, the ing and Mn ng Co. - to whos· efforts and assistance the establishment of the office at lien sin, it says, was originally due-is prepare to carry the mail from Shanghai No doubt the Government of Hougkɔng to Tientsin free by the st amers of his line. will give to such an offer is most favourable consideration, but if its acceptance would still leave a burden on the ratepayers of the Colony, the Government can hardly be expected to cancel its decision to close the agency.
.
It is stated from Peking that ́ H.E. Yana Shih-kai is rally earnest id hjä endeavours to get a coas itution for China withʊnt d-lay, When advised by friends apt to be hasty for fear of untoward cironistations, bis. Exosliency declared that he was relyéren to mariños life and fortune to gain, jin