May 10 1909.]
factory step that the Regency has urgently pressed on Sir ROBERT HART the advis- ability of his immediate return to China. The hoard piled up in the time of China's most dire distresse, by the late DOWAGER REGENT, while it emphasises the fact that the Central Government has no legitimate means of existence beyond what may be mildly described as organised piracy: also shows that even in the present inefficient system of Provincial finance, there is abundance to worthily support the Imperial dignity without having recourse to extra burdens on the people at large. The intro- duction of regular finance, in lieu of the present system of plunder in succes- sive grades of the lower official hierarchy by their immediate superiors in office, which is finally by the lowest brought to bear on the Jeople at large, would, of course, put out of court all the present methods of official promotion; and so far would engage against it all the sympathies of the hierarchy. That there are men in all grades of that hierarchy who see and feel the incubus of the false position in which they are placed, speaks well for the possibility of the eventual change coming from within.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. reply from the new REGENT informing him | that on account of the importance of the post, and his capable dealing with its difficulties his request for leave would cause inconvenience to the service. The other items of the memorial are not replied to, but meet with no censure. Reading between the lines it is rendered clear that the fault lies not with the wishes of the administral tion, but with the opposition of the Provincials; the Board concerned is, in fact, quite willing to advance the funds as far as lies in its power, but is quite unable to requisition the provinces, and has no legitimate revenues of its own; he is, how. ever, requested to keep the REGENT well informed privately by telegram as to all that is going on, especially as to that "other nation" which he suggested might in future show a desire to take the lead in Tibet, which the REGENT quite agrees with the Resident would be a thing likely to lead to regrettable consequences in the near
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Imperial Chinese Government, or in other words stealing things lawfully.belonging to China," This is the forcible way in which the matter is placed by Chinese Public Opinion, which urges that the Japanese Government should at once see to it that the stolen pro- perties are restored to China or that she is properly indemnified. We do not know whether this represents the attitude of the Chinese Government on the subject; if it does, there can be little prospect of a speedy settlement of the incident. A series of ably written articles on the subject has been appearing in our Peking contemporary, in which many authorities on International Law have been quoted to sustain the con- tention that Japan has no legitimate claim whatever to the island or its products. Authority has been quoted for the state- ment that "title by occupation is gained by the discovery, use and settlement of territory not occupied by a Civilised Power," and that " 'discovery gives ouly future.
an inchoate title, which must be confirmed The whole is an instructive instance of by use or settlement." One authority is the difficulty in introducing even prelimin-quoted by our contemporary as affirming ary reforms where, as in China, the body that "All mankind have an equal right to politic has once permitted itself to become things that have not yet fallen into the A curious instance of the variant lights in atrophied. Peking, alike with the Pro- possession of any one, aud those things which the position reveals itself to an official vinces, is well assured that the Empire is belong to the person who first takes posses. high up in the service of the State is afforded tottering under its burdens, which all admit sin of them. When, therefore, a nation in a recent memorial of LIEN Yu, the Im-
are quite capable of remedy, yet each fears finds a country uninhabited and without an perial Resident at LLASSA. LIEN YU has had the immediate effect on his own fortunes owner, it may lawfully take possession, &c." three years' experience of the present system. should he be the first one to attempt to That is precisely the Japanese He bas, what not many officers of equivalent remove a rotten plank. Decay has gone so The Japanese Syndicate found a country rank are in receipt of, a regular salary, but far that is it uncertain what the removal of uninhabited and apparently without an it is founded on old precedents, and is a single plank may bring about as its owner. Geographically, Pratas Island, no altogether insufficient to meet the require-immediate consequences; and although, doubt, belongs to China, but the whole ments of the post. He can do like the others,
trouble has been that the island has not been and commit "abusive acts," but the con-
continuously occupied by anyone. Chinese science revolts at this. Affairs in Tibet are
fishermen have been accustomed to resort very important, but the country at large has
to the island at certain seasons of been mismanaged and its industries ruined; the climate besides is very rigorous, and he despairs of being able to bring about better conditions unless he he placed in funds, and asks for an advance of at least a million taels to enable him to revive the industries of the land. a thing which he points out is in the interest of China herself. As evidently he has little hope of Peking acceding to this request of his, he asks to be permitted to come to Peking to Imperial Audience, when
(Daily Press, May 4th.) he would have the opportunity of personally Apparently no settlement has been explaining the situation. There is, of course, reached between the Governments of China much more in the memorial than at first and Japan regarding the Pratas Island sight meets the eye; under the late régime While Japan has shown no desire to claim no provincial official willingly underwent the sovereignity over an island lying in the formalities of an audience, much less applied steamer track between Hongkong and for one. When LIU K'WENI after the events Manila because a Japanese subject makes the of 1900 received a pressing invitation from absurd pretension of having discovered it, the late REGENT to go in audience to Peking, yet Japan has asked for the protection of the aged Viceroy knew well that it was his the interests of the Japanese syndicate which life that was required. Still he did not has been exploiting the resources of the hesitate; he had done his duty, and Con-island. We observe in a Japan contem- fucianism at least teaches a man under such porary the statement that the Japanese circumstances to face death with dignity. Foreign Office recently required from Mr. Much as the DoWAGER would have desired NISHISAWA, the head of the Syndicate, his death, even she hesitated, and in a statement showing the amount of face of the bold dignity of the officer felt she money he has invested in the island, dared not give the final order. But LIEN and the amount is returned as "about Yu actually asks for the audience to explain 400,000 yen." It is inferred that the his scheme. The fact testifies plainly to the Government of Japan is prepared is settle real change in the position under the new the dispute either on the basis that the Regency. Moreover he has had the un- Chinese Government will afford protection precedented effrontery to ask for a rise of to the business started by Japanese subjects pay and allowances. Under the late régime there, or that they will pay compensation such a request would have elicited as much for disturbance. Judging from the attitude wonderment, as when OLIVER Twist before of the Chinese papers it is not improbable astonished bumbledom asked for more. The that the Chinese Government will hesitate least under the circumstances LIEN YO might to do either the one thing or the other; for have anticipated would have been immediate it is urged by the Chinese newspapers that dismissal, followed by confiscation of all inasmuch as China's claim to ownership of that he possessed; and he might have the island cannot be disputed, the Japanese considered himself fortunate if he escaped syndicate has been " unlawfully removing with his head, or at least without banish- valuable products from Chinese territory ment. Instead, he obtains a sympathetic without the knowledge or consent of the
were all united, this danger could be safely faced, in the present disunited condition of parties, where each one is striving after his own hand, no one has that confidence in his neighbour which will induce common action. This it is, and not the immediate difficulty of the task, that renders the immediate future fraught with uncertainty; and seems to foreshadow the almost utter hopelessness of looking for a peaceful solution.
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PRATAS ISLAND.
the year, but it is probably true that when the Japanese went there to ship phosphates they found the place uninhabited. Our Peking contemporary has said that to ask China to furnish proof of ownership of this island is on a par with asking Japan to produce her title deed to B small island in the Island Sea. We fancy Japan would be able to produce immediately very conclusive proof of owner- ship, and be able to show that there is no island in the Inland Sea over which 'the rights of ownership have not been continu- ously exercised. But China has so neglected to exercise sovereignty over the Pratas Island that it was only at the end of last year that the discovery was made that Japanese were exploiting the phosphates there, though they have been doing so for a number of years past.
SLAVERY IN HONGKONG.
(Daily Press, May 5th.) Complaints are fairly rife among the Chinese of the Colony that kidnapping has become unusually prevalent of late, and though the matter is, as usual, engaging the attention of the police, there seems to be little redress or solace for the bereaved parents. It may be said, of course, that with such a large proportion of Chinese within our borders it is impossible to expect to be free from many of the offences and crimes peculiar to China, and that kidnapping is one of them. The thought is not a pleasant one. Already in this column we have pointed out the extent of the trafficking in human life which goes on in and out of the colony, and we have urged that measures be taken with a view to help- ing the police in their work. At present the criminal law does not assist them as much as it ought. Where a purchase has