490
THE UNIVERSITY PROJECT.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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his
seen,
[June 12, 1909.
TIENYOW,
directors. Mr. JEME the proposal. Appearances point to the conclusion that Mr. CHIROL, the Foreign Engineer-in-chief of the Peking and Kalgan (Daily Press, 7th June.)
Editor of the Times, and Dr. MORRISON, the Railway, and a thoroughly trained Eng. We observe with much satisfaction that the
well known Peking correspondent of the ineer, whose work in the North would be a Waiwapa has recently been giving favour leading London journal, are, with the consent credit to any engineer of whatever nation. able consideration to the appeal made to the of the two Governments most directly con-ality, is named as the Consulting Engineer Chinese Government by Sir JOHN JORDAN cerned, acting the part of mediators or
of the line, which, however, he bas never for friendly interest in and financial support | arbitrators. They have interviewed the and which certainly shows few, if any of the project to establish a University in leading statesmen of Japan; the Times has signs of his fostering care. Mr. JEME has Hongkong. "Educational movements such published from Tokyo Japan's explanation been granted the rank of Taotai, and this as this" says the Peking Daily News, “always of her attitude towards China's proposal to in his case probably meant that he was have the sympathy of the Imperial Govern- refer the matter to the Hague Tribunal; granted substantive as well as honorary ment, and while it is hoped that the scheme and following closely on this comes the rank, which it would apparently have been which has been initiated by the generous announcement that China has formally better to give bestowed on Mr. Hsu as well. offer of Mr. MoDy and strongly supported withdrawn her proposal. Now we have the Probably in such a case the work would by prominent members of the Chinese com-
further news that both Mr CHIROL and have been finished and handed over in munity in Hongkong will be put through Dr. MORRISON have gone to Manchuria better trim. It is interesting to note that successfully, it is feared that, owing to the
where they remain for some weeks. We may one of Chinese speakers at the opening, Mr. great many derands upon the treasury of the assume then that they will make on the S. K. TSAO was not deterred by any fear country whose financial position as it stands
spot an exhaustive investigation of of consequences from openly expressing his at present is not a very sound one, not a
the case for and against the new pro- opinion that the Government ought to very handsome donation could be spared ject. A letter from a British resident in abolish the Likin taxes, "in order that from the Imperial Treasury." Possibly by Manchuria recently published in The Times, merchants may enjoy to their fullest extent this time the amount of the Chinese Govern- protesting against British criticisms of the the privileges supposed to be conferred on ment's contribution to the endowment fund Japanese attitude in regard to the Fakumen them." The utterance of such a sentence has been settled, and whether the sum berilway, emphasised one aspect of the matter at such a time in the presence of the high large or small we feel sure that it will be which is generally ignored in these criti-provincial
authorities is certainly a received as welcome evidence of sympathy cisms. The Chinese, the writer says, do | wholesome eigu that the Chinese Govern and practical interest in a project which not seem a all concerned about the alway ment, as such, is in its present condition cannot fail to be of real and enduring hen-fit for its own sake. Their interest centres upon quite prepared to listen to the expression of to China. It is also gratifying to learn of the prospect of its eventual extension to the public opinion, and prepared to shape its the active support which H.E. the Viceroy of north. The Japanese know that when the course accordingly. We have always eet a Canton is lending to the scheme. Not oly line reaches Fakumen there will be agitation high store on the capacity of the Chinese has His Excellency appealed to the wealthy for its continuation to Tsitsihar to effect a people for self-government, especially in residents in the two Provinces under his junction with the Siberian line. This, by financial affairs, and welcome every indica- own rule for their support, but has also, providing an alternative route to the Mantion of an approach to mutual confidence. according to the native papers, suggested to thurian railway, would deprive the Japane p Still, as Mr. Tsao reminded his audience, the Throne that the appeil should be made of a valuable source of income. The recent the line was but an “experiment by Chinese to the wealthy classes throughout the difficulty over the question has servel to who had acquired their knowledge in Europe Empire of China. Whether this advice is force an early settlement of the dispute and and America." It was the insertion, indeed, adopted or not remains to be seen. Perhaps it would occasion no surprise in Japan to of the sharp end of the wedge, but the wedge no great sum is to be expected from an
learn shortly that this has been effected by had to be driven home, and judging from appeal in districts far remote from Canton, the unofficial ambassadors of The Times, the present outlook that would be a work of but as evidence of the light in which the
extremely slow progression. The line was project is regarded by the Provincial Goveru-
open, and had a terminus somewhere near ment at Canton, the Viceroy's suggestion
Shanghai; within the last year or so the adds weight to the appeal which Sir JOHN
city authorities had made great progress JORDAN has made to the Chinese Govern-
with their own communications. It was ment. Less than a month now remains On the 30th May the second instalment of now possible to drive in an ordinary car- for the canvass for subscriptions towards the railway line from Shanghai to Hong-riage the whole way from the Foreign the endowment fund to be completed, chow was opened in state by H. E. FAN Settlement through the Nanto suburb of but with the interest of the Chinese TSENGHIANG, the Provincial Treasurer, on the city right up to the Railway termins, a authorities enlisted in the project both at behalf of H. E. TUAN FANG, the Viceroy of distance of close on three miles the whole Canton and Peking, the prospect appears the Province. The occasion was noteworthy, of this suburb, a very important one, with very hopeful that H. E. Sir FREDERICK inasmuch as the line was the first in Mid
a population of probably quarter of a million, LUGARD, at the end of the present mouth. China to have been carried out by a was now traversed by well paved roadways, may be able to announce that the whole of bona fide Chinese Company, with Chi. and building on vastly improved linea was the endowment fund is in sight. We may nese money, and under a Chinese en-
now progressing rapidly. More,—sanitation add that prior to the announcement of the gineer, Mr. Hsu. On the other hand, was being attended to, the formerly fetid generous dona' ions from the laikoo Hong the line is distinctly what might be pools and creeks were being cleansed and and associated companies, we noticed that
cheap and nasty." with soft-wood drained, and well made sewers were being the absence of European contributions to sleepers, and a single track, and though laid everywhere. Recently water-works have the Endowment Fund was briefly com- hardly so bad as represented by th Times been constructed for the supply of the city mented on by one or two of our Chinese Correspondent, can scarcely be quoted as an and suburbs, and though as yet the supply contemporaries, but we have little doubt example of what a line passing through a that when it is seen that the establishment rich and populous district, and intended in of the University at Hongkong is favour. the near future to be au important main ably regarded by the Chinese authorities, line should be; nor can the c st, acknow Mr. Mopy and the Taikoo Hong will not ledged to have been two million taels, for be the only foreign names in the list of such a line, 38 miles, say £6,300 stor! contributors.
ing per mile, be considered cheap; and, indeed with cheap and flimsy American rolling stock, scantily supplied, too, must be looked upon as decidedly dear. On the other hand, it is only right to mentiou that the line seems to have been fairly well laid out, is distinctly well ball- asted, and carefully laid. It is probably true that, as stated by the Times Correspondent, the rails had been rejected previously, and we are informed that they are certainly neither in quality, nor in section such as would have been willingly passed by au independent engineer.
are, however, probably not the fiult of the Engineer, who was seemingly compelled to make the
THE FAKUMEN RAILWAY QUESTION.
(Daily Press, 7th June.) There is, of course, nothing that is new in what The Times bas just published as Japan's explanation of its attitude of opposition to China's proposal to refer the dispute re- garding the Fakumen railway project for settlement by the Hague Tribunal. We have heard many times before that Japan opposed the reference of the matter to the Arbitration Tribunal because she considered that the question had not reached a stage in the diplomatic negociations to warrant
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called
SHANGHAI-HANGCHOW RAILWAY.
"
(Daily Press, 8th June.)
These defects
best of the materials placed in his hands by
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aves much to be desired, it is an indication that the spirit of progress is about. In fact it is questionable if this reform, which has been carried out so quietly that few of the residents are aware of it, is not a more wholesome sign of progress than the Railway itself. The railway, as we said, has a ter
ins; but þere all Chinese railways, so far at least as we have seen, bave entirely faile i to grasp the necessary conditions. Though a road has been made, the situation is in the last degree inconvenient. It is remot, and entirely cut off from the business section of the city and settlements, and occupies nearly as long to arrive at as does the journey from Shanghai to Sungkiang, slows that is. Moreover there are absolutely no means of carriage of goods, or if goods arrived is there any means o conveying them on the railway. The first object of an engineer worthy of the name in carrying his line into shares with Calcutta the ambition of being so important a port of Shanghai, which