:
306
be in China? There is an apophthegm that "Correspondence is the offspring of advanced civilization." From time immemorial there has been correspondence in China, and we all know how forward in certain special aspects her civilization has been. Now however, that such correspondence is to be carried safely, wiftly, under the control of a well ordered service it will be multiplied, and its offspring wll create a civilization visible in all aspects. In which hope I ask you to wish all prosperity to the Post Office and its officials and to con gratulate the Chinese Government through Mr. Harris on the acquisition of the New Swatow Post Office, which appars be adtairably adapted for the present necessities, though I hope it will before long prove too small
to
The Director of Foreign Affairs, Tantai Liang, added a few words in Chinese and English.
In returning thanks on behalf of the staff, Mr. Harris remarked on an interes'ing e incid ence. The day of the opening of this new Post Office, fortuitously selected by the Taolai of the Circuit is the day which sees the departure from China on furlough of Sir Robert Hart, and he called upon the company to join in wishing him a pleasant voyage and furlough and his successor, Sir Robert Bredon, prosperity and success in his difficult task of fllowing in the footsteps of such an able administrator.
TIENTSIN.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT. ]
Tientsin, April 19th. NOTES FROM PEKING.
A props the recent visit of the British Minister, Sir Jon Jordan, to Hongkong aud Canton, there are complaints in British aud Chinese circles in North China that British diplomacy in the Chinese capital is at present being conducted on lines not terding so much as they might do to further true British or Chinese interests, and that, in regard to the latter, the United States and Germany are acute enough to make use of their opportun ities and are posing successfully in Pekiug as the particular friends of China. The attitude of the Washington Government and its repre- sentatives in Peking and Mauchuria is held to bear out this view. But there is little sympathy bere amony foreigners other than Americans with the attitude of Mr. Fisher at larbin, More sympathy has been expressed with the position assumed by, or ascribed to Mr. Straight at Moukden, but that is probably because an ex parte view of the case only bas been published. Mr. Kato, the Japanese Consul-General, who used to be Consul General Consul- ia Tientsin, and before that was General at Seoul, has so far maintained as regard the press and the public strict reserve and reticence in relation to the affray. This allows judgment to go by default so far as the general public are concerned, and many do him injustice if not also injury. If the matter be oritically and impartially examined, it was a paltry squable between domestics and coolies not worthy of the interposition of any foreigner, much less a Consul, But here as elsewhere in the Far East any stick is good enough to beat Japau and the Japanese with; and the two newspaper correspondents | at Moukden appear to have recognised this and made the most of the incident in the most approved yellow journal style,
THE BOYCOTT.
One sees the anti-Japanese bias in the al- tempts that are made by foreigners to instigate the Chinese to pursue and develop their boycott instituted in consequence of the "Tatan Marn incident and its sequel. Americans. Garmang and French as well as Belgians and Dutch are trying to utilise the boycotting campaign of the Cantonese and other Southern Chinese to push their own commercial interests They do not see-or, if they do see it, they ignore the fact, which is quite patent to all with any economic knowledge, that if the boycott grows and is effective from the point of view of its promoters, it will damage both the Chinese and Japanese financially, and the last state of things com- mercial will be much worse for everybody all round, self-seeking foreigners included, than the original condition of things.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
THE IM.C.
On March 26 Sir Robert Hart was received by their Majesties the Empress-Dowager and the Emperor, who gave him presents aud thank. ed him for his faithful service as Inspector- General of the Imperial Maritime Customs for so long a peried. and expressed the hope that he would speidily return, restored to fall health, to resume his duties. On the 16th inst, all Poking attended a rec p'ion held by Sir Robert and Lady Bredon for the purpose of affording an opportunity of saying ban rayago and goodbye to the distinguished chief. This week Sir Robert Hart leaves P-king for Chiu- wangtao, where ha sails in the Chinese revenus cruiser Pingching to Shanghai, there to embark
Yorck May 2nd in the N. D. L. 8,5. for England. Opportunity will thus be afforded to his many friends and admirers la Hongkong to greet him on his journey hom after au absence of 39 years without home leave.
on
his absence.
2.
Sir Robert Bredon has commenced his régime as Acting Iapector-General exceedingly well from the standpoint both of his own and of the general interest. It is not generally knowu what fierce opposition there was to his being appointed to fill ir Robert Hart's place during The most indefatigable efforts were made by his bitter opp nents, the Shaughai clique and the China Association wirepullers to secure the appointment of another candidate move favourable to the spa ial oultivation of their own ficancial interesis. It is curious to note that one of the main charges against Sir Robart Bredon was that he was pro-Chinese! Surely this is not a very grave fault in a Chinese Official. It might be levelled with equal accuracy against Sir Robert Hart. What do these Anglo Chiness financiers want? They ara still persisting in their campaign against Sir Robert Bredon. They say and expect that Sir Robert Hart's home leave is merely a prelude to final retirem-nt, and openly avow their intention of upsetting the successi in of Sir Robert Bredon before the aged Inspector- General actually tenders his resignati n.
I am sorry to have to re.ord that the British Minis- ter in Peking is reported-and my authority is highly credible-to have expressed himself as siding with the enemies of Sir Robert Bredon- a very injudicious thing for a diplomat in his position to do.
the North.
Tientsiu, April 22nd,
TAKU BAR.
Sir Robot Bredon has just come forward to help the port of Tioutsiu out of a serious dif- ficulty. As all shipping people, in Southern as well as in North China, are aware, the Taku Bar has long been an impertiment to the progress of lientsin as the principal shipping port in The improvement of the Peiho Chaunel is equally u-cessary and pressing. For tbree years past the Haiho Conservancy Com- missiouors, the Toutsin hongs, the British Municipal Consuls, and the leading shipping firms using the port-all of which latter hve head offices or important branches in other ports also, have been discussing various schemes, en- gineering and financial, for the improvement of the Bar and river from the navigation point of view. But even in connection with this one matter the special interests of all these bodies are not identical. All may be said to be pro-Tientsin and pro-river-and-harbour im. provement except the shipping companies, amongst whom I include the Tag and Lighter Companies (Messrs. Butterfield and Swire being one of these and the Taku Tug and Lighter Co., another). These latter are not the future of particularly concerned about Tientsia as
a purt so long as they can land their cargoes and take freight aboard at Tanku or Chiuwangtao. Aud so when called upon to pay their share of the cost of Bar and harbour and river improvement works they have some- times demurred, and always delayed and deferred the matter.
For two years past the Haiho Commissioners have had the services of Mr. T, Ferguson, now Commissioner of Native Customs in Tientsin, a Dutchman and an amateur Engineer of unusual
ability and orginality. Mr. Fergussu adapted
improvement for the purposes of bir
at
the mouth of the river a raking appliance, the use of which, at comparatively small cost, added several inches to the depth of
the channel soross the Taku Bar. But this
[May 11, 1908.
year opened without any funds being forth- The Halbo coming to continue the work. Conservanoy Commissioners had two schemes of operations-oue for a continuation of Mr. Ferguson's. raking work in the New Channel this being only temporary in character and effects; and the other a permanent scheme based on a report and recommend stions by Mr de Rijike, the engineer, of Shanghai. But the shipping companies, without positively objecting, dallied aud delayed, and only last week consented to a scheme of temporary taxa tion for this year only to enable Mr. Ferguson's raking work to be carried ou during the present summer and autumu. Even then there were certain formalities to be gone through which would have postponed till late in the year any practical work in the Bar channel, and when autumu came the channel might have silted up.
Now, however, Sir Robert Bredon, Acting I.G., I M.C., has come forward with a loan to the Haiho Conservancy-Commissioners, and this will enable work at the Bar to be commenced forthwith and will render the Commissioners independent, for this year at any rate, of the shipowners. Sir Robert's action has the strong approval both of the Chinese authorities here and of the Chinese Central Government in Peking. Corresponding. ly it has caused the action of the shipping interest to appear in a more unfavourable light than Fature developments will very interesting to watch.
ever.
THE LATE ME. F. O. SEATON,
be
Hongkong and other South China readers will hear with regret of the death at his rosidence, "Shameen," Brighton Road, Purley, Surrey, on March 25, of Mr. Frederic Ongly retired from the British Seaton, who was Consular Service on account of a breakdown of health. He was British Vice-Consul at Macao from 1898 to 1906. He was 53 years of age, and was well and favourably known in Macao, Hongkong, and Canton for at least twenty years prior to 1906, when he returned to
Englaud.
Mr. eaton was a son-in-law of Mr. add Mrs, C. J. Cole. Mr. Cole too was well known in Hongkong and Macao, as well as in Singapore aud Penasg; he was on the staff of the Eas ern Extension Telegraph Company successively at Singapore, Penang, Rangoon, Malacoa, Singa- pore again, Shanghai; and in charge as Number One at Macao, Labuan (British North Borneo), Penang again, Adelaide (3. Australia), Perth (W. Australis), and Penang again. He is now Number Oue in charge of the Tientsin offfee of the company. Mrs. Seaton spent the greater part of her life in the Far East, and there is some possibility that she may come out here instead of spending her widowhood in England where she has comparatively few friends.
HART HONOURED.
Sir Robert Hart had a magnificent send off from Paking. The Chinese Government sent 1,00 troops as a guard of honour, this being equivalent to the guard of honour of a prince of the blood. All the Foreign Legations sent guards of honour, and there were several bands
he is so naturally proud, including Sir Robert Hart's own Band of which
Tientsin, 24th April, Quite unprecedented in point of numbers and representative character were the scenes both at tho Railway station in Peking and at the City and Settlement Railway Statious in Tientsia on the occasion of the departare of Sir Robert Hart on the 22nd inst,
It was noted with satisfaction that the Inspector-General was looking robust, vigorous, and young. His appearance was much more, healthy than it was several months ago when he
was very seedy indeed, He looked better than he has done any time these past two years.
What he said, and what those in close touch with him said, rather tended to silence those who, pretending to be in the know, will never return to China to take up his duties have beea confidently asserting that Sir Robert
again.
In Tientsin Settlement Station the biggest crowd on record gathered to say farewell to Bir Robert. Among the many incidents of the platform was one comical episode. There has short stay the Inspector General made on the recently joined the I.M.C. staff in Tientsin Mr. Mansfield, son of the British Consul-