:
April 26, 1909.]
much less for steamers, while the roads are merely mountain paths fit for no transport but pack mules and ponies. Moreover, the distances from sea ports and even from navigable rivers are very great, so that the railway, we imagine, will soon create a considerable traffic where scarcely any now exists. The Chinese appear to realise the possibilities of the railway, for there has been great competition for land in the vicinity of the stations, even along sections of the line not yet completed.
66
[2
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
331
THE FLOGGING OF CRIMINALS.
exciting the jealousy and suspicion of the | themselves into an association, irrespective others. We remember the old days of the of race and religion, to protect the Father- Armenian atrocities when Britain was land, and with the hands of the government blamed for not attempting to carry out the strengthened there should be little fear that bag and baggage" policy by clearing the steps will be taken to suppress these outbursts unspeakable Turk "put of Europe. The of sectarian feeling in the outlying provinces Concert of Europe could not agree as to the of the Empire. Admittedly there are many course of action to be taken, but neither obstacles in the way of a healthy regenera- Russia nor Britain, the two Powers most tian of Turkey, but the past year indicates directly interested, dared interfere. They that that achievement is not improbable ; vrere mutually jealous while the attitude of and when we remember that it has taken the other Powers did not help to a solution The opening of the line over its entire of the difficulty. Now it looks as if the old advanced nations of Europe from the centuries and streams of blood to free the length of 535 miles will doubtless serve to question of interference may have to be oppression of tyranny we shall not expect revive interest in the many schemes which revived, and that at a time which is less Turkey, which is not much beyond the stage have been put forward during the past filty opportune than ever it was before. Turkey of the Middle Ages, to skip over the period or sixty years for a British railway fron has shown her bona fules. She has shown Burma into China. This, if it comes at all, a desire to travel on the path of progress
necessary for its historical development. must come through Yunnan. In three re- and enlightenment, she has shown herself cently-published books the subject has been willing te grant equal rights to all the treated at some length. Mr. CoLQUHOUN various peoples and religions within her discusses it in his autobiography. The EARL borders, and she has made some advance or RONALDSHAY has also dealt with the towards constitutional government. Just subject very fully in the second of the two
AB the new regime is volumes entitled "A Wandering Student in from
emerging trials the Far East", while the book by Major perilous state, and just as the experiment is which placed it in a DAVIES not only gives the reader a most beginuing to justify itself, it is suddenly interesting account of his extensive travels be set with new dangers which not only in Yunnan and the neighbouring provinces, imperil the success of the attempt to govern but treats exhaustively of the need for the the country constitutionally but suggest the construction a British line through Yun-intervention of foreign Powers which may Dan. The purpose of such a line he ex- again disturb the peace of Europe. plains are twofold:-(1) To draw the trade of Yunnan towards Burma, and thereby prevent the trade of Western Yunnan being taken from the British by the French; (2) To reach the rich province of Szechuen, there to connect in the future with the pro- jected Hankow-Chengtu railway, thus form- ing a through route between India and Shanghai-a link in the grand trunk line which will doubtless some day connect Calais and Eastern China with India. The author admits that the railway cannot be made as an immediately paying speculation, and be devotes himself to a discussion of the question at to whether it is worth the while of the British Government to spend money on the construction of the whole
or
any part of the Yunnan Railway, Major DAVIES appears to have solid reasons for his faith that it would in course of time prove a remunerative enterprise, but mean- while political and commercial considera- tions combined are important enough in a country which marches for hundreds of miles along British territory to warrant an impartial reconsideration of the whole question of railway connection between India and China, on which former Viceroys of India have poured the cold douche of ridicule.
THE REVOLT IN TURKEY.
(Daily Press, April 20th.) "Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upwards." Such are the words of holy writ which present rather a pessimistic outlook on life, and without being unduly pessimistic, they might be applied to the "Near East." That little quarter of the earth, with its varying ethnological elements, its innumerable creeds, seems also to be destined to trouble. Certainly it has become the scene of almost perpetual unrest, but the worst aspect of this recurring strife is not the unhappy state of the unfortunate people which it reveals, but the danger it creates to the peace of Europe. So many conflicting interests are involved in the supervision and protection of an empire which has sunk so low as to be incapable of defending itself but which offers a tempta tion for some of the stronger powers to dispossess it of some of its fair provinces that no one power can intervene without
21
(Daily Press, April 21st.) We drew attention about a month ago to comments in two of our Japan contempor- aries deprecating the punishing of criminals
by the Japan Mail that the practice " by flogging in Hongkong. It was remarked on without interruption " in the Colony-an goes observation which might give to the readers of our contemporary in Japan the idea that our Judges habitually order this form of punishment, while, as a matter of fact, they do 80 but very rarely indeed. We are reminded of these comments now by noticing in our Indian contemporaries the report of in the Legislative Council at Calcutta on a a discussion which has recently taken place Bill to amend the Whipping Act in the direction of mitigating the severity of the rect to speak of the flogging of criminals punishment. It would apparently be cor-
that the Indian members of the Council as a "practice" in India, and it is noteworthy spoke strongly against the Government measure t limit the powers of the Courts to sentimental objections ' In this direction. Giving way too much
used by Mr. DADABHOY, while the NAWA
were the words
OF DECCA urged that the hands of the magistracy ought to be strengthened rather than crippled and he desired to record his legislation has been virtually forced upon "humble protest at the way this piece of
the Government at the instance of irres. ponsib e members of the ultra-Rad cal party in the House of Commons." DADABHOY, while proclaiming that his personal feelings were against any system of corporal punishment, said experience com- pelled him to recognise that the present law had a deterrent and wholesome effect on old and habitual offenders and a decidedly deterrent effect on juvenile offenders. Our Yokohama contemporary when referring to the subject of flogging said English cri- minals are no longer flogged. That is not, we believe, a strictly accurate statement, for the Judges still have the power to order whip- pings and they exercise it when the circumstances of a case appear to them to warrant it. There is no very marked distinc- tion between the practice in Hongkong in this matter and the practice at Home, though it is quite possible the percentage of cases in which floggings are ordered here is higher than the percentage in Great Britain. We notice that when Mr. DADABHOY WAS referring to a comparison of this kind in the course of his speech in the Indian Legislative Council be remarked: "It would hardly be correct to compare England with India, where there is not much of healthy public opinion a d social refinement, both being confined to the elucated classes and professions." May not very much the same be said of the comparison between Hongkong and England? If a Judge of an Assize Court in England were to be con-
We have seen Turkey undergo what was practically a bloodless revolution. We have seen other smaller States attempt to take advantage of the situation by which Turkey has to devote all her energies to internal affairs by endeavouring to improve their Austria brought Europe to the brink of war own positions, and we have seen how by violating the Treaty of Berlin and annex- ing two provinces which were given her to police. Having passed through that period of anxiety to a satisfactory conclusion, it is, to say the least, decidedly unfortunate that the whole question should practical y be reopened by the events of the past week in Turkey and in its Asiatic province of Armenia. The revolt is not particularly easy for outsiders to understand. It appears to be largely an acute divergence of opinion. between political theorists but as their methods of settling differences do not belong to the school of pea eful persussion, the result is civil war. Amit all the strife and turmoil one feature stands out clear; it is the non-interference of the Sultan. From a despotic autocrat he has apparently passed into the most harmless constitutional ruler, little better than a figurehead. Ministers are changed, but not by the Sultan. All power seems to be lodged in the hands of the Committee of Union and Progress. Whether they can maintain their position remains doubtful in the light of recent telegrams, but the change, following the appointment of a new Cabinet, cannot be very serious as the new Grand Vizier was a member of the previous administration. What is perhaps more serious is the outbreak of the massacres of Armenians. These people, who are not unlike the Jews in that they have preserved their racial individuality and their religious individuality, perhaps enjoy as great freedom under Ottoman rule as under the sway of a nominal Christian power, but it frequently happens that fanatical outbreaks, for which both Moslems and Armenians have been to blame, disturb the peace of the land and help to call attention to Turkish misrule. What-ver justification there might have been for this in the past there can be little doubt that Turkey should be given full opportunity to work out her own salvation. The Jossibility of sucess is by no means remote, as is evident from the fact that all sections in the country have formed |
Mr.