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There are signs of a guilty conscience both on the part of the American Government and of the American press. A few days after the communication of the convention, the American Minister, who, two days previously, had not been able to come up to Peking from Pei Tai Ho about the identic notes on the subject of the Hukuang Railway Joan, suddenly appeared at the Wai-wu Pu, under instructions from his Government, to communicate a message to the effect that the United States Government had carefully examined the convention, and saw nothing in it inimical to China. I understand that this explanation caused more amusement than satisfaction at the Wai-wa Pu.
The extracts from the American press which have been telegraphed out here appear to be all in the same strain, striving to minimise the effect of the new convention, and to show that there is nothing in its terms prejudicial to the rights of China in Manchuria, or the principle of the open door, while some state that they have ample proof that Mr. Knox's proposal for the neutralisation of the Manchurian railways did not lead to the convention.
I have the honour to enclose a résumé prepared by Mr. Ramsay, third secretary in His Majesty's Legation, of the comments published in the Chinese press, native and foreign, on the subject of the new convention,
Sir.
I have, &c.
W. G. MAX MÜLLER.
Enclosure 1 in No. 1.
Wai-wu Pu to Mr. Max Müller.
July 21, 1910. I HAVE the honour to inform you that the Board have carefully perused the new Russo-Japanese Convention, concluded on the 4th July, 1910, copies of which were recently handed in personally to the Board by the Japanese Minister and the Russian chargé d'affaires.
I fully realise that since the convention expressly states that each of the High other Contracting Parties engages to respect the treaties, conventions, and arrangements concluded between China and Japan, China and Russia, and between Japan and Russia, it therefore accords with and confirms the Treaty of Peace betweeu Russia and Japan of 1905, and the treaty concluded also in 1905 between China and For by the Portsmouth Treaty the Japan relating to matters in Manchuria. sovereignty of China in Manchuria was recognised, as well as the doctrine of equal opportunity for all nations, and, further, the two Powers agreed to assist China in any measures which she might take for the development of the commerce and industry of Manchuria. Again, in the China-Japan Treaty of 1905 it was decided to open Manchuria.
The Imperial Government will therefore, in the future, act in accordance with the principles declared in the Russo-Japanese Treaty of Peace, and execute the provisions of the treaty and agreement with Japan, maintaining with increased efforts such matters as measures arising from the exercise of China's rights of sovereignty, the principle of equal opportunity, and the development of the commercial and industrial prosperity of the three Manchurian provinces, with a view to the promotion of the best interests of all parties.
Notes in this sense have been addressed to the Japanese Minister and the Russian chargé d'affaires, and I have the honour therefore to communicate this note to your Excellency for the information of His Majesty's Government.
I avail, &c.
Enclosure 2 in No. 1.
PRINCE CH'ING.
Résumé by Mr. Ramsay of Comments published in the Chinese Press respecting the Russo-Japanese Convention.
THE editorial opinions of the leading papers in Europe, America, and Japan have been freely reproduced, and conspicuous among them is the assertion of the
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"Tägliche Rundschau," that the agreement originated with British diplomatists, in order to create a quadruple alliance against Germany and America in the East. But while most of the foreign press in China seize the opportunity to air their views on Far Eastern politics in general, and the agreement in particular, it is a curious fact that native papers in Peking, and in many other parts, have maintained an attitude of reticence, which can only be attributed to prudent measures of precaution taken by the Government to prevent the dissemination of inflammatory material among the ignorant masses.
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As far as the native press indulges in comment, it is to lament the loss of China's sovereign rights in Manchuria. A leading article in the "Peiching Jih Pao," of the 17th July, points out that it was to the interest of Japan and Russia to prevent America securing political interests in Manchuria. Japan was the prime mover, and, having by her close relationship in race and language a thorough grasp of conditions in China, was bent on increasing her power at China's expense. done by alliance with an European Power. The article finally states that Eastern This could only be Asia is Japanese and not Chinese. In a later number the same paper alleges that secret clauses exist embracing all the provinces of China north of the Yellow River.
The "Chung Wai Jih Pao," of the 8th July, and the Chung Kuo Pao," of the 16th July, states that the agreement is the answer to the Knox proposal, and is aimed at the Chinchow-Aigun Railway project. The latter traces the Manchurian difficulty back to the Sino-Japanese war, when Russia was allowed to get a footing in Manchuria, and states that the exclusion of third parties is an infringement of China's sovereign rights, the recovery of which in Manchuria is now beyond hope.
If absence of comment characterises the attitude of many of the native Peking and the provinces, the "Peking Daily News" and the Shanghai weekly,
papers
in "National Review," both Chinese owned, and printed in English, are troubled with no such scruples. These publications may be said to reflect the ambitions of " China," and they have not hesitated to give full vent on this occasion to the erratic Young vapourings of Chauvinistic patriotism, enlarging on the violation of China's sovereign rights, and the many sins of the various Powers in their past dealings with China. The "Peking Daily News," whose foreign policy favours America, and is anti-British, regards the convention as a counter-move to the Knox proposal, which, it affirms, would have checked the monopolising tendency of Russo-Japanese ambition, and enforced the policy of the " open door," and equal opportunity. China is exhorted to demand an explanation from the contracting parties, and take action to secure better respect for her sovereign rights in Manchuria. In the opinion of the Peking Daily News," the early results of the agreement will affect China as regards extra-territorial claims in Manchuria and the Sungari and Amur River navigation questions. In this respect the assurances of the two Powers are not to be trusted. After quoting treaties in which Japan and Russia recognise China's sovereign rights in Manchuria, it contrasts the action of those Powers in not consulting China before concluding the agreement, with their attitude a few months ago, when China, in the exercise of her rights, granted a concession for the construction of the Chinchow- Aigun Railway, only to be informed by the same two Powers that she was not at liberty to make this contract without previously consulting them.
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Arms."
The "National Review," a well-edited weekly periodical, had a cartoon representing a Cossack and a Japanese soldier carving in two the Manchurian piece of a toy map of China, regardless of the latter's meek claim of ownership, and published two violently patriotic articles, entitled, "The Great Betrayal" and "Robbery under The first article points out how Great Britain, the United States, France, and Germany have all, in one way or another, pledged themselves to the defence of the integrity of China, but with the conclusion of the present agreement the utter worthlessness of these guarantees is demonstrated. Faith in the United States was shaken by the signature of the Treaty of Portsmouth, when the solemn pledge of Corean independence was virtually disregarded; faith in Great Britain has been undermined by the hopeless incapacity which she has shown to act for herself since the entanglement with Japan. The history of the Japanese absorption of Corea is being repeated, and foreigners will soon be deprived of exterritorial status in Manchuria. The article terminates by declaring that it finally baugs, bolts, and bars the door in Manchuria, not only to the nations of the West, but to China.
The article entitled, "Robbery under Arms," is similar in tone, and proceeds to show by various instances how neither Russia nor Japan bave refrained from violating China's integrity. The "National Review" surmises that the important part of the agreement deals with Mongolia, and though it is being kept secret for the present, it
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