2
that His Majesty's Government considered Japanese interests in Manchuria predominant. I am prepared to defer to Sir John Jordan's opinion on this point, at least so long as Tong Shoayi remains Governor of Mukden. suggestions put forward by Mr. Parlett I am in full agreement.
As regards the other I have, &c. (Signed) CLAUDE M. MACDONALD,
Inclosure in No. 1.
Notes by Vice-Consul Parlett on a Journey in Manchuria.
The Railway Systems-Japanese and Russian.
IT is now possible to make the through journey from Talien (Dairen) to Kwanchengtzu (Kwanjoshi), where the Japanese trains transfer their passengers to the Russian, in a little over twenty-four hours; but in the case of the journey herein described this course of direct travelling on the way north was not followed. In order to make inquiries on the subject of trade and of Japanese enterprises along the line, I got off at Liaoyang, Mukden, Tiehling, and Changchun. The results of my investigations will be found in their proper places under the different headings of this Report. They are very poor, I confess; but with the limited time at my disposal that could scarcely be avoided. Weeks, not days, of patient inquiry are necessary for the compilation of a really satisfactory report.
Of the South Manchuria Railway it is as yet not fair to make any criticism. The line is avowedly in a state of transition, and though it was at one time hoped that by June the whole of the new material ordered from the United States would be available for use, this, owing to an unforeseen accident to the vessel carrying the saloon and other cars, was found impossible of realization. Accordingly certain of the third-class carriages already received were by means of temporary fittings converted into first-class of fair comfort, or into second-class of very indifferent. On the whole, I was very favourably impressed with the efficiency of the line under its new owners, though I noticed that in its anxiety to obtain material at as low a cost as possible the Company has sacrificed good workmanship to cheapness.
In every carriage in which I travelled, the fittings of the doors and window-sashes, with the sashes themselves, were of very indifferent quality, and showed already, though they had been in use but a few weeks, evident signs of falling into disrepair. There is, in fact, a general air of shoddiness about both carriages and locomotives which does not augur well for their lasting power. The probability is strong that the same will be the case with the new dining, sleeping, and saloon cars, which are, I understand, to be of considerably cheaper make than was originally intended. It must at the same time in justice be owned that too short a time has elapsed to permit of the drawing of hard-and-fast conclusions, and further that, in the case of locomotives, the Americans, who made them, affirm that attention is never paid to outward appearance.
Of the railway guards and their behaviour, the subject of such bitter criticism a few months ago, I can only say that, though no rudeness was offered to me personally, I was not at all favourably impressed by the general behaviour of these men. They are still far too much in evidence, and the manner in which they appeared to me to pass unnecessarily up and down the first-class cars is distinctly calculated to give umbrage to foreign travellers. Their demeanour is, as far as my own observation goes, in marked and unfavourable contrast with that of the Russian guards between Kwanchengtzu and Kharbin. The question, however, is a trivial one, and I do not wish to emphasize it, though my remarks are not unsupported by proof. In a recent issue of the "Japan Daily Mail," I noticed that it was reported that Lady Jordan and other travellers had expressed their great satisfaction with the treatment they had received whilst journeying along the South Manchurian line. this, the "Japan Mail" drew certain conclusions.
On the strength of With these I am at once at issue. A very clear distinction must be drawn between the experience of distinguished travellers journeying under the aegis of official attention and those of the ordinary person. For the former, the way is made as smooth as only Japanese officialdom can make it; the latter must take his chance.
The behaviour of the ordinary railway servant is, on the whole, unexceptionable, though here again it will probably be necessary before long for the Company to draw
3
the attention of its employés once more to the stringent Regulations issued by Baron Goto at the beginning of the year. It is so obviously to the interest of the Railway Company to induce the general travelling public to make use of its road that I cannot but think that even the small shortcomings which came to my notice will gradually disappear.
Russian Line.-Kwanchengtsu-Kharbin,
This is a line well laid and with exceedingly well-built carriages. This is almost all that can be said of it. Though the distance between Kwanchengtzu and Kharbin is only about 140 miles, eleven hours are taken covering it. At Kwanchengtzu not one official at the station speaks any language but Russian; passengers from Kharbin to the south are only carried as far as Kwanchengtzu, where they must alight and purchase another ticket for Hsi-kwanchengtzu, the Japanese terminus, a couple of miles further on; and the arrangements for registering baggage are so complicated that it is advisable, wherever possible, for the traveller to carry his belongings with him into his own compartment. I myself saw on the night of my departure from Kwanchengizu scores of Chinese passengers entering carriages with huge bundles, which must have represented practically all their worldly belongings. It can thus be easily understood how space really intended for travellers is monopolized by luggage. But the whole line is run in a "go-as-you-please" manner, which seems to reflect with fair accuracy the peculiar ineptitude of the Russian in matters of commercial organization. If he does not rouse quickly from his apathy, he is likely to be rudely awakened by his strenuously energetic Japanese rival.
While in Mukden, I had an interview with Major Sato, an army officer who has been lent by the Japanese War Office to the Railway, and of him I made guarded inquiries about the reported purchase of the Changchun (Kwanchengtzu)-Kharbin section. He laughed at the idea, saying that, glad though Japan would be to see its accomplishment, the scheme was hopeless. Russia would not sell, or granting even that she were willing to do so, her price would be such that Japan could never buy. At the same time Major Sato gave me to understand that Baron Goto had been successful in making an arrangement with the Chinese Eastern Railway authorities in St. Petersburgh by which certain of the Japanese trains--"wagons-lit," I presume---- would be fitted with convertible gear and allowed to run as far as Irkutsk. (This information Mr. Willis telegraphed to Tokio and Peking.) Simultaneously, an understanding was arrived at on the question of transfer from one system to the other at Kwanchengizu and Hsi-kwanchengtzu," and the present unsatisfactory arrangements are even now in course of being remedied, Mr. Tanaka, the Director of Transport on the South Manchuria line, having already gone north to negotiate with the Russian railway authorities at Kharbin.
Captain Salmond in his Report on conditions at Kharbin lays particular stress on the strategic value of this portion of the Chinese Eastern Railway line.
I am entirely in accord with his opinion. It appears to me a matter of vital importance, both for the integrity of this part of China and also for our own commercial interests, that under no circumstances should the line be allowed to pass into the hands of the Japanese. They are already a sufficiently serious menace; it is not necessary to allow them to obtain possession of another weapon of aggression. I gather, however, from the tone of his Excellency Sir Claude MacDonald's despatch No. 251 of the 30th October, 1907, that there is something in the alleged secret Agreement between Japan and Russia which would militate against the acquisition of the line by the Chinese Government, which is what Captain Salmond suggests. This is in many ways to be regretted. With the section in question in Chinese hands, and under the management of the Imperial Railways of North China, we should probably hear less, not only of preferential treatment further south, but also of Russian and Japanese designs for erecting a ringed fence round the north of Manchuria. It must at the same time be confessed that this change of ownership would be fraught with peril. China would be in a position to dictate what terms she pleased to Japan, and could, indeed, limit the activities of the latter to the comparatively less fertile regions south of Changchun. It seems to me highly probable that, in her present mood, she would not be slow to avail herself of the weapon placed in her hands, with results that might easily become dangerous. It is, however, so improbable that Japan would acquiesce in any
* When the Changchun-Kwanchengtzu section is completed, the junction for both lines will be Changchun.
509
2
that His Majesty's Government considered Japanese interests in Manchuria pre- dominant. I am prepared to defer to Sir John Jordan's opinion on this point, at least so long as Tong Shoayi remains Governor of Mukden. suggestions put forward by Mr. Parlett I am in full agreement.
As regards the other I have, &c. (Signed) CLAUDE M. MACDONALD,
Inclosure in No. 1.
Notes by Vice-Consul Parlett on a Journey in Manchuria.
The Railway Systems-Japanese and Russian.
IT is now possible to make the through journey from Talien (Dairen) to Kwanchengtzu (Kwanjoshi), where the Japanese trains transfer their passengers to the Russian, in a little over twenty-four hours; but in the case of the journey herein described this course of direct travelling on the way north was not followed. In order to make inquiries on the subject of trade and of Japanese enterprises along the line, I got off at Liaoyang, Mukden, Tiehling, and Changchun. The results of my investigations will be found in their proper places under the different headings of this Report. They are very poor, I confess; but with the limited time at my disposal that could scarcely be avoided. Weeks, not days, of patient inquiry are necessary for the compilation of a really satisfactory report.
Of the South Manchuria Railway it is as yet not fair to make any criticism. The line is avowedly in a state of transition, and though it was at one time hoped that by June the whole of the new material ordered from the United States would be available for use, this, owing to an unforeseen accident to the vessel carrying the saloon and other cars, was found impossible of realization. Accordingly certain of the third class carriages already received were by means of temporary fittings converted into first class of fair comfort, or into second class of very indifferent. On the whole, I was very favourably impressed with the efficiency of the line under its new owners, though I noticed that in its anxiety to obtain material at as low a cost as possible the Company has sacrificed good workmanship to cheapness.
In every carriage in which I travelled, the fittings of the doors and window-sashes, with the sashes themselves, were of very indifferent quality, and showed already, though they had been in use but a few weeks, evident signs of falling into disrepair. There is, in fact, a general air of shoddiness about both carriages and locomotives which does not augur well for their lasting power. The probability is strong that the same will be the case with the new dining, sleeping, and saloon cars, which are, I understand, to be of considerably cheaper make than was originally intended. It must at the same time in justice be owned that too short a time has clapsed to permit of the drawing of hard-and-fast conclusions, and further that, in the case of locomotives, the Americans, who made them, affirm that attention is never paid to outward appearance.
Of the railway guards and their behaviour, the subject of such bitter criticism a few months ago, I can only say that, though no rudeness was offered to me personally, I was not at all favourably impressed by the general behaviour of these men. They are still far too much in evidence, and the manner in which they appeared to me to pass unnecessarily up and down the first class cars is distinctly calculated to give umbrage to foreign traveliers. Their demeanour is, as far as my own observation goes, in marked and unfavourable contrast with that of the Russian guards between Kwanchengtzu and Kharbin. The question, however, is a trivial one, and I do not wish to emphasize it, though my remarks are not unsupported by proof. In a recent issue of the "Japan Daily Mail," I noticed that it was reported that Lady Jordan and other travellers had expressed their great satisfaction with the treatment they had received whilst journeying along the South Manchurian line. this, the "Japan Mail" drew certain conclusions.
On the strength of With these I am at once at issue. A very clear distinction must be drawn between the experience of distinguished travellers journeying under the aegis of official attention and those of the ordinary person. For the former, the way is made as smooth as only Japanese officialdom can make it; the latter must take his chance.
The behaviour of the ordinary railway servant is, on the whole, unexceptionable, though here again it will probably be necessary before long for the Company to draw
3
the attention of its employés once more to the stringent Regulations issued by Baron Goto at the beginning of the year. It is so obviously to the interest of the Railway Company to induce the general travelling public to make use of its road that I cannot but think that even the small shortcomings which came to my notice will gradually disappear.
Russian Line.-Kwanchengtsu-Kharbin,
This is a line well laid and with exceedingly well-built carriages. This is almost all that can be said of it. Though the distance between Kwanchengtzu and Kharbin is only about 140 miles, eleven hours are taken covering it. At Kwanchengtzu not one official at the station speaks any language but Russian; passengers from Kharbin to the south are only carried as far as Kwanchengtzu, where they must alight and purchase another ticket for Hsi-kwanchengtzu, the Japanese terminus, a couple of miles further on; and the arrangements for registering baggage are so complicated that it is advisable, wherever possible, for the traveller to carry his belongings with him into his own compartment. I myself saw on the night of my departure from Kwanchengizu scores of Chinese passengers entering carriages with huge bundles, which must have represented practically all their worldly belongings. It can thus be easily understood how space really intended for travellers is monopolized by luggage. But the whole line is run in a "go-as-you-please" manner, which seems to reflect with fair accuracy the peculiar ineptitude of the Russian in matters of commercial organi- zation. If he does not rouse quickly from his apathy, he is likely to be rudely awakened by his strenuously energetic Japanese rival.
While in Mukden, I had an interview with Major Sato, an army officer who has been leat by the Japanese War Office to the Railway, and of him I made guarded inquiries about the reported purchase of the Changchun (Kwanchengtzu)-Kharbin section. He laughed at the idea, saying that, glad though Japan would be to see its accomplishment, the scheme was hopeless. Russia would not sell, or granting even that she were willing to do so, her price would be such that Japan could never buy. At the same time Major Sato gave me to understand that Baron Goto had heen successful in making an arrangement with the Chinese Eastern Railway authorities in St. Petersburgh by which certain of the Japanese trains--" wagons-lit," I presume---- would be fitted with convertible gear and allowed to run as far as Irkutsk. (This information Mr. Willis telegraphed to Tokio and Peking.) Simultaneously, an understanding was arrived at on the question of transfer from one system to the other at Kwanchengizu and Hsi-kwanchengtzu," and the present unsatisfactory arrange- ments are even now in course of being remedied, Mr. Tanaka, the Director of Transport on the South Manchuria line, having already gone north to negotiate with the Russian railway authorities at Kharbin.
Captain Salmond in his Report on conditions at Kharbin lays particular stress on the strategic value of this portion of the Chinese Eastern Railway line.
I am entirely in accord with his opinion. It appears to me a matter of vital importance, both for the integrity of this part of China and also for our own commercial interests, that under no circumstances should the line be allowed to pass into the hands of the Japanese. They are already a sufficiently serious menace; it is not necessary to allow them to obtain possession of another weapon of aggression. I gather, however, from the tone of his Excellency Sir Claude MacDonald's despatch No. 251 of the 30th October, 1907, that there is something in the alleged secret Agreement between Japan and Russia which would militate against the acquisition of the line by the Chinese Government, which is what Captain Salmond suggests. This is in many ways to be regretted. With the section in question in Chinese hands, and under the management of the Imperial Railways of North China, we should probably hear less, not only of preferential treatment further south, but also of Russian and Japaneso designs for erecting a ringed fence round the north of Manchuris. It must at the same time be confessed that this change of ownership would be fraught with peril. China would he in a position to dictate what terms she pleased to Japan, and could, indeed, limit the activities of the latter to the comparatively less fertile regions south of Changchun. It seems to me highly probable that, in her present mood, she would not be slow to avail herself of the weapon placed in her hands, with results that might easily become dangerous. It is, however, so improbable that Japan would acquiesce in any
* When the Changchun-K wanchengtzu section is completed, the junction for both lines will be Changchun.
509
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