July 11, 1908.]
dissolvell without having done any better than attempted to impeach the ministers, It was clearly evident that no parliament chosen in the promiscuous way in which these Dumas had been could be expected to succeed.
It is characteristic of the state of decay into which the Government of Russia has fallen that instead of making proper regulations for the election of the third Duma, which the advisers of the TSAR felt had become a necessity, the unconsti- tional and irregular method of directly forcing the choice of representatives was had recourse to. The event seems, however, to have been fairly sucessful, and the House, by timid steps it is true, has proceeded to business, and its advice has been, nominally at least, accepted by the Government. This, however irregularly it may have been arrived at, is perhaps a subject for con- gratulation. The great thing needed was to have an influential council outside the regular ministers, who are at best compelled to be mere creatures of the TSAE. The election of a parliament is perhaps the least important part of it constitution. Granted that it is independent, any two or three hundred men selected at random, the more at random the better, can be worked, or can work themselves into an efficient council. At all events while not openly contradicting the government, the Duma has been suffi- ciently independent to make its influence felt, and having accepted its help in matters of finance it would seem to be difficult for the Government to dispense with it in future.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT,
be not always wisely. We have witnessed | large a scheme; and that it is no more acceditTM not a few of these misdirected efforts of ible than the present refuge. But does tãe late years, where the feelings of self Government propose to do away with the restraint inculcated in these moral precepts Causeway Bay shelter? We have perbr of the old sages have by evil minded and understood the demand as being for designing men been turned to the worst single shelter at one end of the har. purposes. We may instance the Boxer bour, but, rather, for one at éach trouble of eight years ago, undoubtedly pro- end. There is force in the argument as to ceeding from a misapplication of moral the inaccessibility of the proposed refuge if principles deeply imbedded in the mind of it is intended that the boats working in the the nation, and which in the hands of evil Eastern end of the harbour will have to run designing men were turned to the worst for shelter to Mongkoktsui instead of to purposes. We have seeu a spirit of the Causeway Bay. It would be a serious mis- same nature lately fanned into mischief and take to contemplate the closing of the wrong in the City of Canton, and we see present shelter. The reasons the Shipping designing men turning to wicked and se-se- Firms have urged against the new scheme less ends the national longing of the Chinese are, as they point out, all in, favour of first as a nation to recover their former in-improving the Causeway Bay site, and it dependence in the face of the world. China is satisfactory to observe that since the has in fact, while preserving in her moral Shipping Firms called attention to the code, these exalted precepts, by long con- present disgraceful condition of the place tinued apathy, and political slothfulness the Government has paid some at1éntín to suffered them to fall into dissuetude, so the complaint and calle for tenders for that they bave in a manner become dredging the shelter. When we come to atrophied, and this is the gr at danger calmly reflect on the great typhoon of 1906 under which she lies, he would do well, we fear the statement must be a ¡mitted but she has lost the power of converting her that "for a typhoon, uosignalled, as im go d iute tions into action. Whether the 1906, no refuge of any sias or description at results of obtaining Parliamentary or situation would be of any avail" and if Government would result in strengthening it be admitted also that" lighters and large- politically and commercially her position as juuks can ride at anchor as they bare a nation, or would result in her utter down. always done, and small craft ega be well fall, like Persia, is one of those questions that accommodated at Causeway Bay in ordida y can only be decided by actual experience. typhoons," we practically deny that any Under wise coun-els, and tempered by dis- necessity exist for another or eved a larger cretion and experience, there can be little shelter. It is late in the day to g va doubt of China's capacity; but the iu expression to auch views as these, but portant question arises, can she depend on coming as they do from the representatives obtaining those wise councillors, and the of the British shipping firms in the Colony, necessary discretion to erry her safely the Government must give them their dae through
the preliminary period of weight. temptation?
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THE TYPHOON REFUGE QUESTION.
(Daily Press, 10th July.)
When we come to look back to Persin, there seems no glimmer of hope whaterer; from the very beginning the SAR has been plotting secretly against his newly called Parliament, and the principal members of the Parliament have in an equally under- band manner been plotting against the SHAH. Worst of all in this contest of plat and counterplot neither SHAH nor Parlia ment has taken the slightest thought of the country; the contest is not even one of A week ago the Hon. r. MURRAY party, much lees of policy, but an ignomi- STEWART, who represents the Chamber of nious squabble for the power, and above all Commerce in the Legislative Council of the emoluments of office. Neither SHAH, the Colony, incidentally emphasised in a Parliament, Army, nor People have in fact speech that " Hongkong is a wharf" and any higher aim than personal pelf. All this, that its other functions as a warehouse, u we can readily see has a not unimportant mart and distributing centre--are secon- effect on Chinese politics. Seeing the dry. That this is a correct view of the disastrous effects of an attempt to introduce Colony's position few will be prepared to parliamentary rule by its neighbours the di-pate. It is strongly emphasised in the Government itself, which was the first to answer returned by the Shipping Firms to contemplate its establishment in China, is the Memorandum prepared by H. E. the without doubt beginning to doubt its utility. GOVERNOR in justification of the Govern. Its commissiouers sent abroad to study ment's proposal to temporarily raise the European and American constitutions have light dues in order to provide the necessary been by no means unanimous in recommend- revenue for the construction of an extremely ing their introduction into China; yet of all costly Typhoon Harbour of Refuge. While countries in the world China was at least it is perfectly true, as His Excellency states, one of the very first to appreciate the duty that there is no point which has been more owing by the State to the individuals of strongly emphasised by the representatives whom it is composed. This has always been of the Community in the Council than that the theury, and at China's brightest the construction of the refuge should be moments has been the practice of the pushed on with the utmost rapidity, yet it Empire, and in this respect China stands an can certainly be said that they have never immeasurable distance ahead of her Asiatic contemplated a scheme half as costly as the compears. Be not content, the Shu King one just announced. The scheme the advises the prince, at studying your Engineer recommends for botshelter at reflection in the mirror; look rather Mongkoktaui will cost over a million and at the countenance of your subjects, a half of dollare, and after geconsidering the for there you will see the reflection of your
matter with a view to bringing the cost of own actions. It is true that the Govern- the works within more moderate limits he ment of China has at all times paid little as worked out a scheme costing $883,000. attention to these lofty precepts, and that He points out, however, that this reluced at the present time it stands prominent for scheme has many obvious objections, and he corruption. Amidst all it is however note. declares emphatically that "nothing but worthy that the people themselves have a complete breakwater would be of any use." always preserved the precepts in their The Shipping Firms however, declare that minds, and from time to time have shown there are various objections to the site; their ability to act on them; it may well that there is no apparent necessity for so
The Shipping interests would naturally be expected to protest agmnst being burdened with the cost of a new shelter in the manner proposed by the Govern- meut. It is not, however, a purely selfish protest. The ground on which they make their protest demands the most serious consideration of the Governmeat and the Community generally, for the proposals of the Goverument strike fatally at the policy to which Hongkong has owed its development. "The satisfactory develop- ' mnt of our prosperity "declared Sir John
BOWRING when he was Governor of the Colony, "is mainly due to the emancipation of all shipping and trade from fiscal vexations and exactions." Well may the Government be warned to tread cantionsly in the direv- tion of increasing the burdens ou Shipping. Of course, it is not the Shipping Companies who would in the end bear the burden. As they point out, they can always even up' on rates, so that ultimately all additional taxation is met by consumers.
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The difference of even half a cent par pivul might mean that transuipment of th msaada tons of oarge would be diverted from Hong- kong and delivered direct to Mail, Shanghai, Canton and elsewhere. The Shipping · Com- paies can view such a transfer of t.ade with equanimity, because they can deliver and colle st eqasi facility, but the Hongkong Goverment cargo in Manila or Suanghai or elsewuere with would realise, when perhaps it was too late, that they had driven trade into the bands of a com peng port, willing and anxious to secure the trade.
Hongkong will have no reason to fear its rivals so long as the traditional polity of the Government is maintained, but we can- ot fail to recognise that Hongkong stands greater peril to-day from any increase in taxation of shipping than at any previous time in the his ory of the Colony. Port of Mauil, by its freedom from tonnage and light dues and he improved harbour accommodation, has already developed
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