June 26, 1909.]
JAPANESE POLICY IN MANCHURIA.
MR. CHIROL'S TELEGRAM.
Tokyo, May 30.
In conjunction with your Peking Correspon. dent, who joined me here last week, I have been engaged in discussing exhaustively with Japanese Ministers the questions at issue between China and Japan. Only the question of the Fa-ku-menn Railway involves indirectly Iritish interests; but, in, view of the terms and purpose of her alliance with Japan, Great Britain could not remain indifferent to any con- troversy likely to affect Chinese and Japanese relations. The best friends of Japan would here been slightly disappointed had she dis- played the uncompromising attitude imputed to her by the Chinese; and very full and authoritative information has been placed at my disposal to correct misapprehensions upon the subject.
I must reserve a more detailed statement for the post; but the rejection of arbitration as proposed by China has provoked so much adverse criticism abroad that it seems important to set forth certain facts hitherto inadequately appre- hended. It must be remembered that the course of the recent negotiations has been treated here hitherto as confidential at the request of the Chinese Government, just as the Peking Pro- tocol of December, 1905, was made secret out of But, just as out of consideration for the British alliance and for the large British interests in the adjacent hi- nese railway system Japan deemed it her duty to communicate to the British Government the clause inserted in the Protocol restricting rail- way competition for the protection of her South Manchurian line, so she now deems it her duty to explain her subsequent action.
deference to Chinese wishes.
HISTORY OF THE DISPUTE.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
When in the summer of 1907 the Japanese learned that China was engaged in negotiations with British firms for the construction of the Fa-ku-menu line, they hastened to remind the Chinese of the stipulations which from the be ginning had been specially intended to prevent the construction of that particular line, than which none, in their opinion, would more injure the South Manchurian Railway, especially if it were subsequently extended northwards so as to divert the traffic of Northern Manchuria before it even reached the Japanese railway. China disregarded the warning and signed the contract. The Japanese then formally protested, and & desultory correspondence ensued, the Chinese denying the competitive character of the line and finally requesting a definition of the area which Japan regarded as competitive. On the question of the competitive character of the proposed line opinions altogether differ; but the Japanese claim the benefit of the doubt for their own contention, and in respect of the question of area affirm that each case must be judged on its own merits, as the question is! never purely one of mileage.
JAPANESE MODERATION.
China might, perhaps, be justified in demurr- ing to the vagueness of these replies, had the attitude of Japan remained otherwise uncom. promising. But after the abortive conferences last year Japan decided upon the following important step, which seemed to offer a fresh starting point. In February last she com- municated formally to Peking two alternative proposals, one that the Chinese should build a railway from Fa-kumenn to the South Man- churian Railway instead of to Hsim-min-fun, or that the Japanese should build a railway from the South Manchurian line to Fa-ku-mean and thence to the North, in which case Japan would withdraw her objection to the Fa-ku-menn- Hsin-min-tun railway, provided that China undertook not to extend the line beyond Fa-ku- menn without a previous agreement with Japan.
THE ARBITRATION QUESTION.
Chien-tao, were adjusted to her satisfaction. The Chinese had repeatedly intimated that the territorial question of Chien-tao was one to which they attached the chief importance. Nevertheless, China rejected all these overtures without further discussion, and, as is known, proceeded to propose the arbitration of all pending questions.
The Japanese believe that, had China dis- closed this phase of the negotiations before announcing to the world her desire for arbitra- tion, public opinion in England would have recognized that these questions have not yet reached the stage when The Hague Tribunal can properly be invoked, and that their refusal of arbitration was therefore legitimate. Japan is nevertheless, prepared to resume direct negotia. tious with Peking with the sincerest desire for a reasonable settlement; but she expects the Chinese to remember that, without the interven- tion of Japanese arms, Manchuria would have been altogether and irretrievably lost to them.
THE ANGLO-JAPANESE ALLIANCE.
Nothing seems to me more hopeful for the usefulness and permanency of
the Anglo- Japanese Alliance than the anxiety which I have found here to remove all misconceptions concerning the moderation and loyalty of Japanese policy. Never during previous visits have I received more abundant proof of the value attached to British friendship, and of the universal belief in the necessity of maintaining
the alliance between the two countries.
I received the highest possible confirmation of these sentiments in an audience which his
Majesty the Emperor graciously accorded yesterday to me and to my Peking colleague.
comment on this telegram said that it "cannot. Renter's telegram giving the gist of the Times
be read with sincere pleasure by all friends of Japan and of our alliance with her." What the Times said was exactly the reverse. the telegram
It said that
pleasure," etc.
cannot fail to be read with sincere The Times concludes its com. ment as follows:-
66
There can be little doubt that of the objects pursued by China in her handling of Man- churian questions has been, and is, te create friction between Japan and other Powers. giving the contract for the Fa-ku-menn Rail- By
informed that Japan would regard the con- way to a British firm, after they had been struction of the line as Protocol of 19-5. Chinese statesmen, there can a violation of the
be little doubt. hoped to embroil us with our allies. In this they have been disappointed. Our alliance and our friendship with Japan are based too firmly on countries to be seriously affected by such the interests of both
transparent maneuvres.
A RAILWAY TRAGEDY.
Before Mr. J. H. Kemp, sitting as coroner, and a jury. an inquiry was held at the Magis. death of a coolie named Yat Fung Tin, whose
the 21st iust. into the cause tracy ou
of body was found under some earth of the South
face of the Beacon Hill tunnel on June 11th.
of the Kowloon mortuary, deposed to making a Dr. W. W. Pearse, medical officer in charge
of opinion, from the condition of the heart and post-mortem examination of deceased. He was
condition of the brain, that death was due to lungs, the congested state of the liver, and the
asphyxia.
Even if China were not disposed to accept either of these alternatives offhand, they were surely conceived in a sufficiently conciliatory spirit to afford a basis for friendly discussion, especially as Japan offered at the same time to waive her claim, advanced on behalf of Korea, for the readjustment of the boundary of Chien-covered with earth. tao, provided that all other questions, including that of jurisdiction over Korean settlers in asphyxia, following an accident.
Cheng Moon, a foreman of works, engaged on the Beacon Hill tunnel, said he was in charge of a gang of coolies between 6 p.m. on the 10th and 6 a.m. on the 11th. Deceased, who was one night, but as he was often going away sick of the gang, was missed at eleven o'clock at
witness thought he had left again on that account. Sergeant Angus deposed to visiting the south of June 11th, and finding deceased's body face of the Beacon Hill tunnel on the morning
where deceased was discovered witness found partly covered with earth. Near the embankment
a blood-stained stone. He was of opinion that rolled down the embankment, and then got deceased had struck this stone with his head,
The jury found the cause of death to be
ANTIMONY IN HUNAN:
563
Mr. W. M. Hewett, H.B.M.'s Acting Consul at Changsha, has the following references to the trade of the port in Antimony:-
The increase in the export of crude antimony and the decrease in the export of ore are both noticeable. The local notables who control the antimony works are in touch with London and are kept fully informed as to the prices ruling in the London market. It seems probable that the export of ore will continue to decrease owing to the erection of new machinery and the more perfect handing locally of the ore, and that
the export not only of crude but of refined antimony (regulus) will steadily increase.
nature
The increase in the export of crude is no doubt due to the presence of a foreign buyer in Changsha. The old difficulty still exists of inducing the sellers to realise the binding of a contract, but constant personal contact between the native seller and the foreign buyer ought, with patience, to remove this serious obstacle to a satisfactory working basis, and it seems likely that in future contracts will be more punctually fulfilled.
The price of crude, Changsha sales, varied from 1 . 138. 4d. to 11. 68. 8d., and of ore from 4d 138. 4d. to 6. 138. 4d. It is hoped with the new machinery to produce refined antimony con- taining at least 99-60 per cent, and possibly 99-80 per cent. of pure antimony. The relative value of refined to crude will be about 261. 138. 4d. to 1. 108. 4d.
During the past years the ore in Changsha has been so crudely smelted that waste ashes have been found to contain 30 per cent. antimony, many thousands of tons of such ashes have, frem time to time, been thrown away and money has been made, to my knowledge, by at least one enterprising foreigner who bought up all the ashes he could. This form of speculation is, however, now at an end.
A Hunan student in Paris bought new plant and engaged the services of two French engi neers to proceed to Changsha to supervise its erection. This was completed towards the close of the year. It is hoped with new machinery to produce the refined antimony mentioned above.
Another point should be noted. In the past low-grade ores have been rejected owing to the imperfect furnaces in use, but with the new perfect machinery all low-grade mines should also become valuable and the export of antimony be greatly increased.
A foreigner, well qualified to give an opinion, states that the richest ore found in Hunan is only equalled by one mine in France.
THE LATE BISHOP HOARE.
A very interesting ceremony took place at Ningpo on Monday last, the 14th instant, when the foundation stone of the Bishop Hoare Mem- orial Chapel was laid by the Right Rev. Bishop lolony. The weather was very inclement, rain fully 250 people were present, prominenta falling incessantly, but notwithstanding this, mongst them being, H. B. M. Consul, Mr..
L. H. Barr, Mr. Bertram Tarrant, architect for the building, and Mr. Robert_Silby, representative of Messrs. Howarth Erskine supported by several of the Chinese clergy, & Co., the contractors. Rev. W. 8. Moule,
address, explained the object of the work. The officiated, and in-the course of a very impresive
service was in Chinese and was a translation
of the Canterbury Diocesan service used in the observance of such ceremonies.
As a memento of the occasion, Bishop Molony was presented with an elaborately fash- ioned trowel and mallet, executed in teak
and silver, and bearing the inscription, "Pre- sented to the Right Rev. H. J. Molony, D. D., Bishop in Chèkiang, on the occasion of the
Chapel to Bishop Hoare." laying of the foundation stone of the Memorial Jea was afterwards
the building is a free treatment of late Gothic, partaken of by those assembled. The style of
and the fabric is of dressed Ningpo stone with design surmounted by a small bell flèche. There brick and rough cast. The roof is of hinese is a small chancel and a nave capable of seating 150 students with stalls for twelve masters.-- N. C. Daily News.
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