Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL.
No. 1.
C.O.
2148
14
[December 14.]
99 JAN 04]
SECTION 1.
Sir C. Scott to the Marquess of Lansdowne.—(Received December 14.)
(No. 428.)
St. Petersburgh, December 10, 1903.
My Lord,
I HAVE the honour to transmit to your Lordship herewith a copy of a Memorandum drawn up by Mr. Spring-Rice after a conversation with the United States' Ambassador, recording the impressions of the United States' Consul at Formosa, on the present situation in Manchuria from the commercial point of view.
It is worthy of note that Mr. Davidson is under the impression that discrimination in favour of Russian vessels exists in the matter of harbour dues at Port Arthur, though he does not appear to possess any detailed information on the subject; and that, in his opinion, the existence of Tariff differentiation against foreign goods at the ports, which can be prevented by Treaty, is of little importance compared with hostile treatment on the Railway in the matter of freight rates, the possibility of which, as American experience has shown, no Regulations can exclude.
I have, &c.
(Signed) CHARLES S. SCOTT.
Inclosure in No. 1.
Memorandum by Mr. Spring-Rice.
Russia in Manchuria.
MR. DAVIDSON, United States' Consul in Formosa, has just passed through St. Petersburgh on his way to America.
He has spent four months in Manchuria, with the intention of preparing a guide to the railway and country. He was shown every sort of civility by the Russian authorities, and has collected a mass of material, on which he will base a Report to his Government, as well as his promised "guide."
The following are some of the points mentioned by him in conversation with the United States' Ambassador :----
Port Arthur and Dalny.----Dalny is not frozen over to an extent sufficient to impede navigation. Ice forms there in the winter inside the breakwater, but it is too thin to be a serious obstacle. Dalny will remain the chief commercial port of the peninsula. Port Arthur (that is, the new outer harbour) is used for commercial purposes, but mainly for the ships conveying supplies for the garrison and population of the town. The discrimination in tonnage dues (which he thought existed) was due, he considered, to the navigation laws as to coasting trade—that is, Russian ships trading between Port Arthur and Russian ports are allowed certain advantages over foreign shipping. Dalny was a free port.
The Country. He thought the country was capable of great development. Beans are grown in great abundance, and the cultivation of wheat had commenced. He thought the milling trade of America would suffer, as the local price of wheat was already lower than the price of American imported flour, and mills were being set up. The cultivation was carried on by Chinese. No Russian settler had a chance of competing with the Chinese peasant.
All along the line a strip of land on each side was being marked out for cultivation and settlement. Comfortable guard houses had been constructed for the Cossack guard. He did not think any attention was being paid to any district at a distance from the line. There would be a great future for American agricultural implements.
Moukden. The new line passed between the fortress and the tombs. The old line had been laid down at a distance of ten miles. There was no arrangement, however, for the shipment of merchandise at Moukden itself. Two large stations existed north...
[2260 -1]
Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
)!
IINA TRADE.
NFIDENTIAL.
No. 1.
C.O.
2148
14
[December 14.1
99 JAN 041
SECTION 1.
Sir C. Scott to the Marquess of Lansdowne.—(Received December 14.)
{o. 428.)
St. Petersburgh, December 10, 1903. y Lord,
I HAVE the honour to transmit to your Lordship herewith a copy of a emorandum drawn up by Mr. Spring-Rice after a conversation with the United atos' Ambassador, recording the impressions of the United States' Consul at Formosa, the present situation in Manchuria from the commercial point of view,
It is worthy of note that Mr. Davidson is under the impression that discrimination 1 favour of Russian vessels exists in the matter of harbour dues at Port Arthur, though e does not appear to possess any detailed information on the subject; and that, in his pinion, the existence of Tariff differentiation against foreign goods at the ports, which an be prevented by Treaty, is of little importance compared with hostile treatment on he Railway in the matter of freight rates, the possibility of which, as American xperience has shown, no Regulations can exclude.
I have, &c.
(Signed) CHARLES S. SCOTT.
Inclosure in No. 1.
Memorandum by Mr. Spring-Rice.
Russia in Manchuria,
MR. DAVIDSON, United States' Consul in Formosa, bas just passed through
St. Petersburgh on his way to America.
He has spent four months in Manchuria, with the intention of preparing a guide to the railway and country. He was shown every sort of civility by the Russian authorities, and has collected a mass of material, on which he will base a Report to his Government, as well as his promised "guide."
The following are some of the points mentioned by him in conversation with the United States' Ambassador :----
Port Arthur and Dalny.----Dalny is not frozen over to au extent sufficient to impede navigation. Ice forms there in the winter inside the breakwater, but it is too thin to be a serious obstacle. Dalny will remain the chief commercial port of the peninsula. Port Arthur (that is, the new outer harbour) is used for commercial purposes, but mainly for the ships conveying supplies for the garrison and population of the town. The discrimination in tonnage dues (which he thought existed) was due, he considered, to the navigation laws as to coasting trade-that is, Russian ships trading between Port Arthur and Russian ports are allowed certain advantages over foreign shipping.. Dalny was a free port.
The Country. He thought the country was capable of great development. Beans are grown in great abundance, and the cultivation of wheat had commenced. He thought the milling trade of America would suffer, as the local price of wheat was already lower than the price of American imported flour, and mills were being set up. The cultivation was carried on by Chinese. No Russian settler had a chance of competing with the Chinese peasant.
All along the line a strip of land on each side was being marked out for cultivation and settlement. Comfortable guard houses had been constructed for the Cossack guard. He did not think any attention was being paid to any district at a distance from the line. There would be a great future for American agricultural implements.
Moukden. The new line passed between the fortress and the tombs. The old line had been laid down at a distance of ten miles. There was no arrangement, however, for the shipment of merchandise at Moukden itself. Two large stations existed north
[2260 -1]
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