Armour or Seghalin Hver
MAP N° 1.
203
Nagasaki
Nagasaki.
Summary.
Conclusion.
12
winds except those from the northward, and has depths of 5 fathos and upwards, affording fair anchorage with good holding-ground for a few vessels. Supplies are believed to be plentiful, as the trade is extensive, and a quantity of rice is exported to the coast of China-moreover there are large Govern- ment coal-mines in the immediate neighbourhood, the output of which in the first half of 1881 amounted, it is said, to 80,000 tons. A large quantity of coal is shipped also by the Government transports and is used in the Foo-chow Arsenal and by the Chinese vessels on that station. The mineral is good for domestic purposes and for steamers making short voyages, but is otherwise unsuitable, as it burns rapidly, cakes the furnace, and chokes the tubes. The following remarks by Commander Bax, dated 20th March 1878, are worthy of being quoted :-
"In the event of a war with China, the coal mines in the north (of Formosa) near Kelung would be of great service, and they are so situated that a very small force could take and hold them, if it was not desirable to hold more of Formosa. By seizing the town of Kelung and the Kelung Valley" (8 miles in extent commanded by heights to the north) "which cuts off the coal mines from the rest of Formosa to a great extent, we could not only supply our own vessels with coal but render the Chinese Navy nearly useless, as they have no depôt at present at Foo-chow."*
It must also be remarked that the non-Chinese inhabitants of Formosa are not particularly well affected towards the Government, while the Chinese population coming from various parts of the mainland are frequently at feud among themselves. The defences of the place consisted in May 1881 of a mud fort in course of construction open to the rear, and the place was reported as easily capable of capture by a small squadron. It seems likely that, the defences have since been completed, and armed with heavy guns, but as to this there is no definite information.
Could the benevolent neutrality or co-operation of the Japanese Govern- ment be assured (and the probability of such support has been recently mooted) the magnificent harbour of Nagasaki would form an excellent base for a squadron operating in the Gulf of Pe-chi-li. Supplies of all kinds are here plentiful and easily obtained, and coal can be readily procured, though of inferior quality. There exists also a patent slip and a steam factory. It seems difficult to discover any other place in the neighbourhood which would effectually fulfil the same object.
The foregoing observations may be summed up as follows:-The Chinese Government derives a revenue of about 4,000,0001. per annum from Customs dues; the foreign trade of China amounts to some 45,000,0001., of which three- fourths is with British possessions; the local trade amounts to some 25,000,0001, of which one half is carried on under the British flag. A complete blockade of Chinese ports would thus affect British interests to nearly the same extent as Chinese.
BCA Sky
To blockade even the main outlets of Chinese trade--the Pei-ho, the Yangtae-Kiang, and Canton-France has at present no sufficient force available in the East, and a considerable time must elapse before an adequate fleet could assemble in these waters, even supposing that the French Government were not hampered by the question of coal supply for their vessels en route.+
France has no possession nearer to the coasts of China then Saigon, and suitable depôts close at hand would be necessary for a blockading force watching a coast line 3,000 miles in extent. An occupation of some portion of Chinese territory would therefore seem to be an essential part of such an undertaking.
An effectual blockade carried on under these circumstances would involve the employment by France of a large portion of her navy at a vast distance from home, and at an enormous cost, so that it may be concluded that, if war between France and China is declared, the zone of important operations is not likely at present to extend beyond the Delta of the Bed River.
*
• The sources of the Chinese coal supply are not well known. There appear to be, in addition
to Kelung, the Kaiping mines already mentioned, and a Government depôt on the Pescadores which is spoken of in the report of Her Majesty's Consul at Tamsuy, 23rd February 1881.
↑ On this subject, see paper on "Coal Supply of French Transports, &c., Operating in Tong- King." Intelligence Branch, 1888.
MONGOLIA
PERING
Gof Pe-chili
Yangtae-Kiang
NANKING
simhag
Whihu
husar
Mug yo
lankow
Iching
Pie Kang
Wen-chow
C
H
Tongking.
Hanoi
SANTON
Carton R
Fakow
Kalung
Formosa
Mamedot an. NI 334.
CHINA
Treaty Ports underlined.
17.783,500
100
200
300
400
100
600
700
PUBLIC RECORD.OFFICE
Reference :-
LLC. O.587
33
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
600 MILES.
BELA SOUS.