September 5, 1908.]
like nature.
THE EXPANSION OF
ARMAMENTS,
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
165
improvements and other undertakings of a arme on land and sea as being an important | appears to be highly satisfactory ; but this sa- No authoritative announce-factor in the maintenance of that peace, tisfaction is heavily discounted by the news ment has yet been made of the postponement and finally declares that Germany is that piracy bas again become abnormally of the Grand Exhibition arranged to be determined to maintain and develop her forces prevalent. A flotilla of thirty gunboats, one held in 1912, but the report has been and interests without fear or favour. Herein would suppose, would be able to guarantee circulated that this was one of the projects lies the answer to the petition which the 144 complete immunity from piracy on the River, the Government proposed to sacrifice for a members of the British House of Commons but, large as it is, the flotilla must be re- time, and it has evoked very strong criticism. have addressed to the Prime Minister. So garded as a very ineffective force in view of Our Tokyo correspondent's telegram did not long as the other European Powers continue what is reported to be daily taking place. mention this as one of the proposals to develop their naval and military forces, Probably no announced by the Government, and possibly no British Government is likely to be learly than the Chinese Admiral LI CHvN, one recognises this more this question has been reserved for further influenced by appeals for reductions, who has consideration. A proposal to postpone the Successive Governments in England have kong to see how the four new gunboats, recently been visiting Hong- Exbibition evokes general disapproval on committed themselves to the traditional which are being built on the ground that the national prestige would measure of naval strength known as the model in the Colony's shipbuilding yards, the foreign suffer thereby, and opposition is threatened two-Power standard, and if we may judge are progressing. These four fast gunboats in the Diet if the Government put it forward from recent telegrams foreshadowing a huge will in all probability do far more effective for approval. Doubtless many other details naval loan, the Government is, happily, in in the Government's retrenchment scheme
work than the whole of the thirty compris- no frame of mind to depart from a traditioning the present fleet. All that can be said will evoke complaint and regret but the which the vast majority of the British at present, in view of these reports from postponement of works estimated to cost public regards as eminently sound. A the West River, is that the Chinese £20,000,000 can hardly fail to be appreciated Service paper, we note, takes the Little authorities are endeavouring to fulfil the by the general body of taxpayers.
Navy party to task for thinking that understanding on which Admiral MoOBE expenditure on armaments has anything to withdrew the flotilla of three torpedo-boats, do with the increase or decrease of popula- four destroyers and three river gunboata tion, and tells these Socialistic-Radicals that which he had detailed for patrol duty there they must really understand that we do not in consequence of the attacks on launches build one battleship to so many thousands flying the British flag, and the delay in scale. But we can give Mr. AsquITH credit Government in respect of the piratical of the population and so on down the naval settling the claim made upon the Chinese for being fully aware of that when he used attack on the steamer Sainam the previous the figures to illustrate the increasing year. The combination of the British and true that to introduce a method of calcula- certainly effective in putting a stop to burden of armaments. It may be perfectly Chinese naval forces thus formed was tion in accordance with the relative size of piracy and giving to the shipping craft on the population defended, the British Empire the river a sense of security from attack. with its 400,000,000 of inhabitants would Although need a force six and a half times the strength of Germany's; but the use of that the same time, imply that the cost of method of calculation would, at maintenance would be distributed according to population! The object of the petitioners evidently is not to preact either of these things, but simply to show that the cost of armaments to the 40,000,000 inhabitants of the United Kingdom has been growing enormously--and there is every likelihood of the burden increasing. rednotion in expenditure will not succeed, we The appeal for a may be sure, so long as other Powers are increasing their naval forces, and the only hope of the British public for a lightening of the burden lies in the prospect of the Colonies bearing a larger share of it.
(Daily Press, September 3rd.} We had occasion yesterday to allude to the protests voiced in Japan against the increasing burden of armaments. It may be remembered that a month ago it was telegraphically reported that 144 members of the British House of Commons had addressed to the Prime Minister a plea for reduction in expenditure on armaments. Yesterday's Mail brings the text of the remonstrance. The signatories remind Mr. ASQUITH of his Budget statement for the year 1906-7 in which he broadly surveyed the financial situation of the country in the hope that it would impress upon the House, as it had impressed upon himself, "a much needed lesson." In that speech Mr. AsQUITH, as Chancellor of the Exchequer, pointed out that in the preceding ten years, while the population of the country had increased by only 10 per cent. the national ex- penditure on Imperial account bad in creased by 89 per cent., or over £40,000,000. Of this increase, as much as £21,000,000 Was to be put down to the army and navy. In 1896-7 the numbers voted for the army were 156,000, and the cost was £18,270,000. In 1906-7 the numbers voted were 204,000, and the cost was £29,796,000-an increase in numbers of over 80 per cent., and in cost of over 68 per cent. For the navy the numbers in 1896-7 were 91,500, and the cost was £22,170,000. In 1906-7 the numbers were 129,000, and the cost was £81,869,000 per cent.,
44
--an increase in numbers of 41 and in cost of 43 per cent." This survey, the petitioners said, gave them a large part of the case they desired to present, and for the rest they based their plea, first, on the accepted principle that armaments depend upon policy; and, secondly, on the fact that since 1908 the United Kingdom had been pursuing with pre-eminent success a policy of peace. Under the guidance both of LORD LANSDOWNE and Sir EDWARD GERY re- lations had been established with foreign powers which have, by common consent, removed many of the dangers with which England has been confronted. The bur den of their complaint is that there has been no corresponding reduction in expen- diture.
J
In this connection we may direct atten- tion to the speech which the KAISER has just made at Strasburg. His Majesty proclaims his firm conviction that the peace
of Europe is not imperilled, but at the same time lays stress on the strength of the German people in
PIRACY ON THE WEST RIVER
ä
(Daily Press, 4th September.) Notwithstanding that, according to report mentioned by our Canton corres- pondent, there are now thirty Chinese gunboats" patrolling the West River, piracy in the Canton Delta seems to be as rife as ever.
C
British patrol,
at the commencement of the
Customs at Canton reminds us
as the Commissioner of in his annual report, there was much excite- ment among the HOTSPURS in Canton Qity fleets was marked by the utmost cordiality "the actual intercourse of the two patrolling and goodwill. Commander B. L. MAJENDIE (Cadmus), the senior naval officer in charge of the British flutilla, and the Chiue.e Admiral handled the situation in a manner calculated to enhance the growing reputation of 'naval diplomacy" and there is every reason to hope that the object-lesson will not be lost on the Chinese Navy." It has evidently not been lost, but there is an happily evidence also that a Chinese "naval demonstration is not striking the same amount of terror into the hearts
flot illa did. of the pirates and robbers that the British No doubt the recrudescence of piracy reported is attributable to a large extent to the destitution among the
floods, and "what is bred in the bone" may riverine population caused by the great always be expected to show itself at much times. That, however, is only an argument for increased vigilance on the part of the naval police force.
10
to, we presume the cases are purely Chinese, With regard to the piracies now alluded and do not call for foreign intervention. We note that the Commissioner of Customs mentions that the direct intervention of the British Commander-in-Chief has been most useful in drawing official attention to the question of the status of foreign steam-launches in these waters; and "it is understood that the British su-
Our correspondent reports daring piratical attacks on two launches plying between Canton and Waichow, in which several military officials and members of the crews are stated to have been brutally murdered, and the pirates, about 50 in number, were able to make away with about $10,000 in money and much valuable merchandise. Our correspondent adds that the recent recrudescence of piracy in the Delta and brigandage on shore has been
abnormal," and that it would fill a thorities are contemplating some addi- couple of colamos every day if all the|tional enactments to ensure the bona eases were reported." We presume it must have been some knowledge of this Commissioner adds
fides of claimants for the flag." The "If other foreign state of affairs that prompted the British Governments elect to co-operate and to Minister at Peking recently to inquire of inquire more closely into the genuine- the Chinese Government what steps had of ownership, the occasion for been taken to suppress piracy in the Canton the present anomaly of foreign inter Delta. If there are thirty Chinese gunboats vention to protect the patrolling the River, the Chinese Govern- property of Chinese subjects from ment is in a position to give Sir JoHN depredations of native pirates may Jordan & reply which on the face of it|expected to gradually disappear.", The site
ness
lived and