GERMAN TRADE METHODS
IN CHINA.
be
read
THE OLD METHOD OF TRADE.
THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, TUESDAY, MAY 11, 1915.
behariour of German missions and political relations towards the Central Government.
DESERT TREASURES.
DISCOVERIES IN CENTRAL ASIA.
ORIGINAL LAND OF THE KUNS.
In addition to the general offices which of Shantung, or the marked overbearing were staffed by European assistants ably helped by theis compradores, some trained native assistants were appointed to many smaller interior towns, with a
GREAT BRITAIN AND CHINA. A ILLUMINATING REVIEW.
view of thoroughly wovering the rast
The writer holds no brief to defend territory which goes to make up
China, At a time when the British Government and the whole organization from the Ger- either Great Britain or Japan, but is the
A communication has been received at is considering more drastic monsured”
man Foreign Ollies down to the lastens of the former it may be mentioned in regard to the question of British sub-joined native assistant worked harmoni. that the empire holds some three million fcois trading with the enemy in China the busty for the financial and political Chinese subjects, who under fair govern the toyal Geographical Society from Sir betterment of the German Empirement, equal opportunities and industrial Aurel Stein giving some account of the following statement written some six Diplomatically Germany's efforts have security have developed into as good months ago by a British subject who has been much underrated by her opponents, citizens as any that own allegiance to the further work of his official expedition to ravelled extensively in China and has and even to-day it is open to grave doubt King, whilst materially they are often as Central Asia from April to November, if Peking fully understands the method rich or richer than our own people in the 1911. The letter is dated November 22nd. d exceptional opportunities of study in Germany's seeming madness in put- same locality. In Malay we owe much of ing. Gorman trado and the financial ting highly paid and technically trained the success of the tin industry to them from Tarfan, at the eastern foot of the Europeas in place far removed from in Burma much of the import and gen Celtstial or Tian Shan Mountains, some methods of obtaining it at the expense of present day transport, and preceat day oral business; in British Columbia they 200 or 300 miles west of the province of the Provinces, will
was to continue the work of investigat- with operations; but when it is realised how have proved thoir sterling qualities as Mongolia. Sir Aurel Stein's main object
thorough have been her efforts to locate pioneers, and now reap the benefit of interest:-
every mineral deposit, potential industry, Carlier efforts by the side of our owning the romains of the old wall which he Hongkong they have discovered, and traced for a very con- and strategic position in the Republic,ettlers, and in
main siderable distance, and among the ruins Up to 1800 the old method inaugurated and how steadfastly she has moved in made and still constitute the
of the forts of which he found so many order to keep local governments in her trading community. at the beginning of the nineteenth cen-ebt, to cause pealousy and stir up rival In China itself our Government has interesting relics.
The expedition started in April from tury by British and other traders of factions in China in order that Mesra.never prostituted itself in undermining
Krupp & Co. might benefit by orders, the power of the Central Government, but Tunhuang, where the expedition had selling goods against guild guarantees and Teking remaio the nominal head only has consistently adrecated and endeavhaited for a short time to recover from prevailed, and up to that time and even of China, whilst the local governments oured to obtain greater federal power beyond it the word of a Chinese was his spent the revenues unchecked by the for the Peking officials, and by its action its trying winter campaign in the Lop- bond, and seldom, if ever, was there found higher treasury, department, the officials in maintaining the open door, in staying nor desert, between Turfan and the of the Central Government, perhaps may opium importation, in refusing to help northern boundary of Tibet. Sir Aurch any trouble in collecting accounts, see light through many of the provincial its nationals to obtain concessions which Stein paid another visit to the cave tem
Ho making deliveries, or selling goods. The wiles to escape anything which appeared, it considered detrimental to the welfare ples of the Thousand Buddhas near Tun- honour of the Chinese commercial compto curtail the liberty of action of pro- of China as a whole, should merit at least huang and was richly rewarded.
greater consideration, at the hands of followed the wall for close on 250 miles vincial officials.
Chins than it seems to obtain
eastwards. Along almost the whole of munity became proverbial, goods were
this distance the wall, with its watch- GERMAN LINES OF TRADE. bought only to fill dersand, seldom in
towers, and small military stations, had German trade with China consisted for bulk for purely speculative dealings; the most part of aniline dyos and Whatever else Japan has done, and the been built across what already in ancient every bayer belonged and was in good indigotine and other chemical products, writer admits that politically her policy times was absolutely sterile desert. The China has ・at the best wall itself was a very remarkable con- etanding with his guild, and whilst com- small hardware, lampware, etc., a small towards
little. calculated to inspire struction, built of carefully secured fas petition existed, us was necessary for good percentage of piece-goods, and a large been
used cines-of-reeds or brushwood, with layers the Empire has and increasing quantity of machinery confidence,
European aid
of clay or gravel between them. It was munitions of war, armaments, steel and Europcars brains, trade, it was fair competition unfostered!
and its own potential resources to develop specially adapted to withstand that most by secret agreements, heavy discounts, iron of constructional and other varioty.
Small wares and piece-goods, were hand Japan from a third class pation to a first destructive of natural forces in this Comshaws, or entertainments, and both sides made decent profits, and kept good led by the smaller terman merchants who class Power within the last fifty years region, alow grinding but relentless wind This, with the absence of more or less had to fend for themselves, and therefore offers China an example erosion. and who obtained business solely by of what a comparatively small, remote, human interference during all these giving credits, by taking chances no other and relatively poor country can do, when centuries has left a rich store of remains bouses would consider, and by inducing it embarks upon a campaign of indus- speculation amongst the smaller Chinese trial, economic and political expansion, for the explorer. In many places there and its alliance with Great Britam remained on the wind-worn surface clear trading houses in const ports
shows at least that Japan realises what evidence in the shape of pottery, coins, Chion has still to learn-that the power metal fragments, and other hard debris of Great Britain is not a military power, which indicated with accuracy the posi but a power of good government, equal tion of the post ones guarding the opportunities, open door, and striet offi-Chinese border. cial morality, amongst all the hundrede of nations, tribes, and others that go to make up the Empire.
to
faith..
Such methods of dealing were only possible so long as both buyers and sellers Were pen in good standing, solidly backed by banks and guilus, and-opera- tions were confined to sound principles..
THE ADVENT OF GERMAN MERCHANTE.
WHAT JAPAN HAS DONE.
Machinery, armaments, steil and iron products, ships, munitions of war, indus rial plants, were handled together with chemical products by the two great
As the expedition proceeded beyond. Germany's advent inte Eastern markets groups, and all Germany's organization gradually broke down the old safe, system was bent on getting orders out of treasury
the sharp bend made by the Bu-lo Hu officers, by any and every means that
valley the physical difficulties greatly of trading which had been built up from opened. The writer has been able to sen
Compared to Japan China is richer in increased, largely from want of water, years of experience in developing colonial blessrs. Krupp's agents working on their
patine heath, so to speak, in provinces for practically everything that goes to make but there was reward in the ample finds trade, for whilst British and other mer removed from const ports, and it must up a great country a thousand times, ber of ancient records on wood, of furniture, chants worked and traded as individuals, be confessed that the Chinese coal offi- mines, minerals, and agricultural wealth and implements of all sorts which were Her stations. Conclusive evidence shows that Germany entered the market as a nation, cials for the most part fell in with the being perhaps greater than that of ay brought to light at the ruined watch
German offers of anbanced official bank area of equal size in the world. and from the commencement of her opera-balances with hearty good will, and did trading community is as claver, more all these had been left behind by the tions her Foreign Offloc, Trade Bureaux, everything possible to show tho Central moral and at least as wideawake as her Chinese soldiers who during the first Government Press, Consular, and Legation Government the fully of expecting local neighbours, but ebs lacks to day official century before and after Christ had kept officials to pass along revenues to Peking unity of purpose, official, sincerity, and
Sir Aurel Stein was very much in service and State banks, in addition to without taking a discount from foreign morality, and the power to form and keep guard over this most dismal of frontiers. pressed by the engineering skill which her commercial community, were pressed houses, and in the cassof cortain Western to a policy of general expansión.
was required to adapt the defensive line into service by the German Government provinces the local government took pio cautions to give the order and siga the
of the wall to different local conditions. to follow a well-though-out and carefully contract before they informed Feking of
In May he started on a fresh line of conocived policy which had for its object the necessity that existed in their juris
investigation, the object of which was to munitions,
follow the united course of the rivers of Suchou and Kanchou down into the ultimate domination of the East.
"The writer has no inteation of belittling armaments, etc.
In one instance German house even
Southern Mongolia, and to explore what ancient remains might be found along it in any way Germany's organised intelli-persuaded the local officials to appro-
and in its terminal delta. The early geuse, commercial or political code, or of priate a salt gabelle payment for local under-estimating its power for good and use,, instead of sending it to Peking (my readers en check this statement by off-
diction
decade.
increased for
As money has been the cause of the failure of the small official so has money been the cause of China's lack of energy generally, and foreign loans, contracted for by irresponsible and insincere govern- ments, have prevented China from or rising to the place she deserves to occupy amongst the nations.
CHINA'S DUTY.
INTIMATIONS
LANE
ORAWFORD & Co.
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APPLICATIONS FOR AGENCIES IN
CHINA AND JAPAN.
Skould be sent to our Agent:---
ME. Τ.
RUDDIMAN - JOHNSTON,
18, Mikawadal-machi, Asabu-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
history of this region attracted him SHACKELL, EDWARDS & CO., LTD.
The end of the war will 800. a
earliest nomadic masters of Kansu, the Britain will be not less powerful than part of the wide dominions hadd by those "Great Ynehchi," or Indo-Soythians, they are now, and in addition their allies will be dominant in Asia-herce the time and the Huns whose successive migra is ripe for China to reconsider her political policy, to determine as Japan tions westwards so de ply affected the has already done, the alliance and course destinies of Central Asin, as well as ef of policy that will give her the greatest India and the West.
politically, economically. safeguards,
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evil, being convinced that if Grent cial orders issued to Yunnan last year) reorganised Burope, and Japan and Great Breatly, as he has no doubt it forraed Britain could see her way to co-ordinate and at least half the provincial govern her foreiga to her commercial and Gaan-ments have been designedly kept in debt to German groups during the last cial policies in a like degros that both China and Great Britain would ultimate Price, quality of goods, necessity for ly bonefit.But the manner in which Gergoods provided, had little to do with the
A REMINISCENCE OF MARCO POLO, many has all through her carcer in the question from the German standpoint but conversion of purchasing-officials to
While Sir Aurel Stein carried out his Far East wilfully transgressed every the German view was the crux of the and generally, which will enable her to
and whole matter, and German legation and develop China to her best advantage, and explorations to the northwards, his-sur commercial, technical known
consular officers were pressed into us to generally to reduce to order the chaotic
veyor, Lal Singh, proceeded in another political low of trade between two persuade these gentlemen to whom money conditions of her house. As the greatest direction to carry out surveys of practi
trader in the world the condition of nations, using her money and power only made small appeal..
The writer knows of one case where China is not without interest to Great cally unexplored regions. He still found for her own uses, disregarding everything
was contracted for Britain, and before criticising British and remains of the wall to the northwards, but her own benefit, bribing, corrupting, arsenal machinery pandoring, threatening as the object with Messrs. Krupp in the face of a Japanese methods it might be well for and the observations which he made upon suited her, is worthy of the spirit which tender per cent. bolow the lowest China to examine into her debit and the hydrography of this now practically traces of extensive irrigation, animated the Kaiser when he instructed Krupp offer, and small chance existed credit accounts with Germany during the desert region, are full of interest. HeOF EVERY DESCRIPTION EXECUTED AT THE OFFICES
da for any right-minded Chinse to protest last two or three decades, in order that found his soldiers prior to the march Peking. In order to lay the foundations against jobbery when the great majority no mistakes may be made in future which, for some reason, had been-aban- securely for, first, a great trading interest of the officials in a provincs-were either in Chin, and, secondly, political ascendowing money to the contractor's compra- ancy, Germany established two great dore or were jadebted to the European trading groups, and the D.A. Bank; agent in sundry other ways. thoes constituted her first line of attack. Behind this line, there was gradually formed, first, consular and trade bureaux and intelligence departments, travelling commercial attaché department,
losses incurred.
The
and funds.
A WORD TO CHINA.
SEVEN YEARS PRIME MINISTER.
doned long ago. He examined the
OF THE
ruined town of Khara-Khoto and the HONGKONG DAILY PRESS,”
position, and remains proved to hissatis- faction that this could be no other than Marco Polo's "City of Etaina," where in ancient times travellers bound for Karakaram, the old Mongol capital, had to lay in victuals for 40 days in order to cross the great desert, where there was no habitation or halting place.
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If China will analyse her position in
MR. ASQUITH'S RECORD., regard to German Srms and the German
The Parliamentary Correspondent of the nation she will see that the extravagant expenditure of Legation and consuls, of
Seven years ago to-day Mr. Asquith became and the financial and commercial depart trades agents, and State banks, of the Timer on the 7th ultimo wrote:-
Here Sir Aurel Stein colleted many ment of the Legation, these all being intelligence and publicity breaches of the Prime Minister. He began his long term
valuable rolie-Buddhist manuscripts, China Bebind these again were German organization, were all paid fe with a journey for which there was no pre- Press Bureau, the Foreign Ofice, and the by China, and that as a nation she has
Edward was at Biarritz witen and prints, many fine stucco relieves and Eastern mer. wonderously constituted
little to show for the hundreds of millis Sir Henry
Sit Henry Campbell-Bannerman resigned Frescoes, miscellaneous records on paper lust
being chants guild, these
in of dollars that have passed from China
to the South of France to kiss lands as his ornamente-in-metal-and-stone, etc., were Göricyny.*
Everything pointed to the The trading groups were, when first to Germany during the last three decades. the Premiership, and Mr. Asquith travelled and household atonsils. Finds of
There has been nothing that Germany saccessor. There is overy prospect of his abundant founded, composed of banks and manu. facturers, whose object was to break the sold. China that she could not have mal-ending his term by setting up a new standard conclusion that the abandonment of the British preponderance of trade, by giving factured herself, cheaper than Germany in the continuous tenure of his great office settlement must have been caused by could, owing to difference in the price of In less than a month's time Mr Asquith will difficulties about maintaining irrigation. credits to Chinese buyers, anderselling labour, sew freight, customs, and other have been Prime Minister without a break In the course of these journeys Sir Aurel
agents by using the State bank and governmental backing to force sales, and generally to charges, but so long as German for a longer period than any of his predeces: Stein met with au unfortunate accident sors since the Reform Act. Lord Salisbury's which hampered him very easiderably, got business in any way possible, looking gixo the so-called discounts to the Germpla Government and mer buyers, so long will China's potential and last Premiership, from 1805 to 190 though after a short rest he continued the
UB- remonia industries
work of the expedition. reproductive
Other Prime Ministers who were continu-
Altogether before. the expedition chants guild in Berlin to take up any developed owing to lack of official interest extended over seven years and a few days.
in office for over six years since the eusiy To carry the organization a step fur
Certain items China did produce her Reform Act were Lord Melbourne, Lord arrived at Turfan, many valuable audi- both archeological and ther, steamship lines were subsidised carrying German eargo, the German tariff self before, the German invasion, notably Palmerston, Me. Disraeli, and Lond Salisbury ticns were made to the previous work of was devised with a view of helping the indigo, the chemical substitute for which, his second term, 1850-92). In a few weeks the leader. trade to its utmost limit, and the pert of indigotine was imported in 1912 to the time Mr. Asquith will have outstripped all geographical. Around Turfan there are Tsingtau was nunde regardless of cost. value of $11,014,500, and to-day vegetable these historic figures. Then, to find a Frime many ruined sites of Buddhist times to a few months, while his surveyor would to provide an object lesson to China of indigo is as early stamped out a Minister who has enjoyed a longer continu- which Sir Aurel Stein proposed to devote UNDER EXPERIENCED EUROPRAN SUPERVISION, AT REASONABLE
industry as it is in India through the ous tenure of the office, one will have to go
back to the days before Reform and point find ample work in mapping the exten German power and German Kultur"
Instead of helping China to correct the to the examples of Lord Liverpool and sive and little-known desert ranges of The Political Department of the Lega same cause.
course, the Kurak-tagh between Turlan and 1ion understood better than any diploma- Le corps in China the necessity of morality of her officials Germany has Mr. Pitt. Several Prime Minister, fostering good relations between provin- tottern, used the offer. 1 1 of my have held their office for a longer period Lop-nor depressions cial governments and its morchants, of to achieve her own ends, and neither in in the aggregate than Mr. Asquith. Lord keeping the power and authority of the China nor in German colonies has sh: Salisbury was Prime Minister for nearly 14 provincial governments nadiminished, made any recompense to China for the years, Ir. Gladstone for 124, and Lord and of doing all it possibly could to campaign of open bribery, corruption, Falmon for 9. Still Mr. Asquith's seven prevent Peking dominating MACHINE-RULING, GOLD-LETTERING, MARBLING, ETC.
catches which are current there. vial viceroys or exercising any rights for the last thirty years. Even as a party nine cases among the 37 bolders of the office from school specimens of the topical
BURVIVORS OF THE 1808 CABINET. over provincial expenditures, fully under- to the Five-Power Group loan, Germany since Sir Robert Walpole,
could not keep faith, and at least one of
Of the Cabinet of 10 which Mr. Asquith a well-informed Miss of fourteen en-
quires: standing that federal government from her great groups offered leans to the pro-
What would you say if you met a vinces in spite of the Central Government formed in April, 1908, 10 remain in harness, Peking spelt rain to German aims and
which begun the long objects.
AT PRICES WHICH COMPARE FAVOURABLY WITH THOSE OF ANY Agencies of the two chief German decrces against such business as infring-Only seven, however, are left of the Lampe German lady and she said. 'Guten, mor-
Gott straf England! '?" ing on the prerogatives of the federal Bannerman Calanet
Having learned by experience that it groups were established, not only at the Government. Again, the Boxer claim by Liberal régie niue and a half years ago, gen
on these occasions, OTHER ESTABLISHMENT IN THE FAR EAST. treaty ports, but also in most of the pro-Germany against China of 278 million They are Mr. Asquith, Sir Edward Grey,
ESTIMATES FURNISHED. vincial capitals, and
compradores marks, constituting as it does 20 per cent. Lord Haldane, Lord Crewe, Mr. Lloyd is best not to "bite
"Well," save the querist, I'd say selected with care from the ranks of of the total amount claimed by 14 coun- George, Mr. Harcourt, and Mr. Hirrell, Of you give it up. Chiness officials, preference being given tries, does not show any more good will these Sir Edward Grey is the only Cabinet to those who had knowledge of Chinees or helpfulness toward the country than Minister who has held the same office during 'Don't you think you're very Hun-lady-10A, DES VŒUX ROAD. provincial polities.
did the seizure of Tsingtau, the closing the entire period.
The children, writes a contributor to a
1
like?"
Thus
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