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February 17, 1908.)
JAPANESE POSTAL SITUATION IN MANCHURIA.
(FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.)
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REFORT.
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not lacking, in fact i; is the very recurrence of such incidents, consistent in they nature, which ia impressive, At Liaoyang, in January, a Chinese Imperial P. U. bag, прадід the presence of the local Chinese Postmaster by Japanese officials who refused to surrender either big or contents on the plea that "they wanted to see what was in the bag. Two works have elapsed without a reply to the protest sent by the Chinese Commissioner to
districts. The whole system has the double advantage of bing, in the first place, a national institution, representing the newly awakened desire ou the part of the Chinese for thorough public service, and it is, in the second plsea, under a Mukden, February 2nd.
management of tried, prosed, and A knowledge of the Japanese postal system in
acknowledged efficiency. And just here lies Manchuria since the war
the crux of the matter. With the coming of Reems to show an attitude on the part of the Tokyo government
ar Imperial Commissioner and thorough at variance with treaty agreements with China.
recognized competency in the Manchurian Not only does the aggressive policy of the postal serien, the Japanese promptly strength. Dalay. Japanese in the matter of the posts ignore, or seem to ignore, China as an independent power. it is also quite out of accord with the positionin of other powers, those allied with Japan as well as those unallied towards Manchuria. Owing to the ancient policy of the Chinese govern- ment, their difficulties in dealing with the Japanese have been witheld from publicity whereas the Japanese interests have either bo stated in a manner quite naturally partisan and biased, or have continued to thrive under cofer of the alliances and the secrecy which they know they might traditionally depend upon the Chinese to maintain.
Quite recently the Wai-wu-pu, in desperation over the protracted negotiatious in the case of the Manchuria telegraphs, has allowed a few facts regarding that situation to be published and, in view of that attitude, similar facts with regard to the Chinese and Japanese Imperial Post Offices should contain peculiar interest.
During the war Chinese po-t-offices were closed throughout Manchuris, the Japanese and Russians operating their own military postal services. Owing to the exigencies of war the Chinese postal system in the three eastern provinces practically ceased to be during the period 1904 (5. When, in accordance with the stipulations contained in the Treaty of Ports- mouth, troops were withdrawn in April 1997, the Japanese Post Offices, so far from a oorresponding retrenchment in conformity with the lessened necessity of their Manchurian establishment, on the contrary continued as formerly in operation. Sicce that time. i.e. during the past ten
months' the system has been constantly extended and increased. At every station the South Manchurian Railway the Japanese maintain a pet office, which does not confine itself to military or railway uses. but receives public patronage and accepts foreign mail of all classes with Japanese postage. Not content with so much, which of course is a direct blow to Chinese postal revenue, the Japanese have been extending their system to points off the line of the Railway such as Kirin, where as elsewhere their offices, not only handle Japanese mail tor Japanese subjects and destinations, but parat. in direct competition with the Chinose postal service.
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position. They have Dow Inthus at one extenling their owa postal recalled their small fry from the directorata Rys'-m throughout Mincharia without and placed only their high postal officials ¦ justification or necessity, and, through their Japanese Postal Commissioner at
the Manchurian management. The ownership of the south Manchurian Railway has been placed thera as an equal in rank with
Makden checking, and interfering with the free oper- ation of the legitimate and now thorougly the Imperial Commissioner and bas therefore
· fcient Chinese Posts, the Japanese appear, as since his arrival in Septembar, he has never been quite naturally tried in spirit. becauso,
in Korea, to be farthering a great political moment which is totally at variance with ben officially recognized by Mr. Watson. their express and reiterated declarations. Their
preseul attitude and operations, in the matter of the telegraphs, as well as in that of the Posts sufficiently strong tentacles into this territory ean only be defined as a means of getting
to solidify their present position in Manchuria and hold futur claims as yet only indicated.
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DEATH OF MR. WILLIAM DANBY.
Nothing, seemingly, could be more clear. once the matter is fairly brought to the light. The railroad military exense for the further extension of a Japanese portal system ein of course no longer obtain, and as for the inability of the Chinese Government to provide An adequate postal service for their three eastern provinces, such a contention is every day pred more false even to an ordinary observer. Indeed the Japanese pstal service with consineing the converse of such a proposition reacte upon
We regret to announce that Mr. William effect. Two incidents may suffice. The ('hinese Danby died at the Government Civil Hospital officials in Makden have been protesting at 2.15 pm.on F-brusry 12th from injuries recently that the Japanese carriers in that sustained by falling down the granite stairway city when unable to deliver their Own of the Hongkong Club on February 10th. mail, quietly drop it into the collection boxes of A residence of thirty five years in the Colony, the Imperial Posts in various parts of the city. | his professional standing as a civil engineer, sad These boxes hare sometimes been found half-fall | his social qualities ombined to make Mr. Dan. of undelivered Japanese mails. Turea larga} by a familiar and greatly esteemal figure in the Imperial Post early in January were lost by to dwell upon the painful impression created packages delivered for transportation by the life of the 'slony. It is superfluous therefore the Japanese, and all requests for recompense by the sad acrident resulting in injuries to the gored, until the Commissioner threatened to head which were so gavure as to preclude say take the matter up at Peking. Even then neither lopa of r-oovary. Mr. Danby remained the parcele nor explanations were forthcoming neonscions after the accident till the end. The but only a perfunctory payment of minimum deepest sympathy is expressed for the widow damages.
and family in their sad breavement
In addition to these shortcomings of the invaders the complaints of interference by the Japanese Post Office are many and well for- ded. As mentioned in Dr. Morrison's recent letter to the time, all mails coming from the south into Central Manchuria via the South Man. churian R. R. are Japanese. From the North also the Chinese cenriers from Harbin mast hand over their mai bag to the Japanese ut Kwangchengizu, and although still in Euro- pean or lines bags, fle mail is distributed
that, and all other points south in Man churia from Japan-sa Post Offices. Frequent complaints are filed with the t'mmissionog ný In April 1907, at the same time with the delaying Chinese mails, both outward and in- withdrawal of the troops and with the under ward bound, in order to expolito the forwarding standing that the Japanese postal interests would of Japane mails. By this process continually follow,in a reasonable time, a policy of retrench-repeated, the Japines service is made to appear ment corresponding to the decreased necessity quicker than the Imperial Posts. Quite recent- for them, W. C. Hames-Watson of the Imperially another res riction has been imposed upon Chinese Customs, was appointed Postal Com- missioner for Manchuria and proceeded to his post at Mukden to take charge. Under his efficient direction, the Chinese Imperial Post in Manchuria, which is a branch of the Imperial Customs and therefore in position to profit by the established organization and competency of the latter institution, developed rapidly and thoroughly.
Since April 1907 the Manchurian servic. bas been doubled: i.e. from 43 offices op-n at the time of Mr. Watson's arrival to 84 at present in full operation. New postal routes have been opened up, mounted courier deliveries started in Kirin and Heilungkiang provinces, and local services with post boxes inaugurated in the Before the close of the present calendar year 150 offices (ie. Gd in addition to those already open) already planned for, will have been established in commission.
the Chinese Post Offers, The Japanese hasa refused to admit Chinese parcels as mail matter for transportation on their railroad, accordingly all such articles must now go ss freight. Such action is, of course, purely arbitrary in prin leple and in this inst how y tawithout proend.
chief cities.
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ent, warning or explice !! Simult in gl with Thir
Let i the Imperia Posts, the Japanes Late: 1- starbed a pir post gert.oned træirusa, by angel, new arran ment they can transp {t3, wn parc-ls their own lies: gar pal rates, se parcels bei og an - ly
xmpt from any likin or post-custoins charz won rate Che partly. on the contrary, em• n as fright for both likin and pet sessments, serious disadvant- age which will, if e uese, der-pal' parcels post to the Japanese service.
To meet his handicap, the Commissioner has proposed a crst-m of revenue s'amp', to lo This thorough postal operation in Manchuria attached by the Chinese P. O, which will clear is, of course, only division of the service pare-ls of all duties, thus allowing them to which the imperial Government is establishing; pass, at a slight extra charge, expeditions'y throughout China. Mr. Watson is the fourth without inspection or further custody But i of the Postal Commissioners to be appointed, this proposal the Japan se demur withou* *1. the previous appointees bein
those at Canton, pressed reasons for so doing. Here then is Shanghai and Paking. Since April 1977 twa! their position apparently indicated, since it is more Postal Commissioners hav- b en app iuted | couted that they desire rather than cooper respectively to the Fo chow and Hankow ation. Other indications of this position are
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Mr. Danby, who was nearly sixty-six years of age, came out to Hongkong in 1973. He wa Yorkshire man, sod it was at Leeds that he gerred his articles as a civil engineer, He rega ta becom chief resident engineer of the borough. Mr. Danby came ona' to Hongkong as assistant to the Colonial Surveyor-treneral, and during the five years he remained in the servic of the Colmial ovaromat he had charge of many important public works and surrors, including the surveys and boring of the ytam waterworks. He resigned in 1879 tot up in private practice, and miny old residents will be familiar with the important works with which he ha- bo associated as civi engineer ad arch tact.
Mr. Danby was an old volunteer and was a prom neat Mason, bang a Past D.S.G.W., of ibe Hongkong and Shata Cuina Lodge.
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EXPLOSION ON AN OIL SHIP.
An explosi in, as reported briefly in last issue, VOCALPE 1 on baard the oil steamer Nerite on Sunday, and caused the death of two Chinesa When the oil had been mp ved at the Ducks.
cd from the tanks on bard, the vessel was the Kowloon ocks, off which she was lying when the accident happened. It is customary, before entering these tanks with s precautions drive out the
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this done in the present instance, but apparently some of the oi fames rem sined, for as soon as two Chia-se fittery and a bav entered the hold with a lamp there was a terrific explosion which blow the men with great foras agai ist the top of the hold, and shook the vessel from stem Two of the fitters Weru killed
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tu taka the uocessary
tur stern.
stantly, but the bay was plackily rescued by Mr George White of the Dock Co. He wa «riously injured however, sad had to by ramov. -l to hospital. The outbreak of flame following the explmion caused an arm of fire to be raised, and the Yaumati se ion of the brigade and the service were not required. The damage done fire fat pat in 30
appearance. bat their
to the ship is estimated at $500.