January 30, 1896.)
THE CHINESE CHAMBER OF
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
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mirrors arriving at their destination | intended that Colonel CHAN should take in fragments. This, it is said, discredits the the leading part in the ceremony, but as he Red River route to the advantage of the put in an appearance, being a subscriber to land route (by which we understand our the Chamber, he was asked to officiate. contemporary to mean the Pakhoi route), The original intention was that one of the where those in charge of the goods have Chinese mercantile community should have them constantly under their eyes and where played the principal part the Customs charges, notwith-tanding the obeisance to the god, but when Colonel CAN in offering squeezing propensities of Chinese officials, unexpectedly appeared precedence was are less than in Tonkin. Our contemporary, given to the latter. There were very few of after lamenting that Haiphong is not a free the Chinese community present and the port, concludes by remarking that there is general feeling towards the new institution some talk of extending the plombage systein, seems to be one of indifference. It would that is, marking the packages, to cotton yarn. therefore be unfair to hold them as a body This frank criticism of the administration of responsible for the proceedings at the open- the Red River route, from a French source, ing, which should rather be regarded as a is at least interesting. If the Chinese were private show" of Mr. Ho Amer's. The to build a railway from Pakhoi to Nanningfu spirit by which that gentleman is actuated is and establish an honest administration of clearly displayed in the letter he addressed the native customs service the Chinese route, some days ago to one of our evening con there is every reason to believe, would temporaries, especially in his sneer at Dr. command the bulk of the traffic.
Ho KAI and Mr. WEI YUK for "ignoring their Chinese parcntage by styling them selves British subjects." The two gentle men named, though of Chinese race, are natural born British subjects, having been born in Hongkong, and their allegiance is due to Her Majesty the Queen, That the parties responsible for the pro- deem it hecessary to make a public ackdow- When they cedure observed at the opening of the Chinese ledgment of that fact Mr. Ho AMEI eqmes Chamber of Commerce were guilty of a forward to sneer at them for so doing, show- grave impropriety there can be no doubt.ing thereby the feelings. by which he him A special pleader has no difficulty in show- ing that they were not guilty of high treason or of any other criminal offence, but all that is nothing to the purpose, because they have not been charged with any criminal offence. Let us take an example: A man may remain covered while the National Anthem is played if he is so disposed and there are no legal pains and penalties attaching to the act; it is a discourtesy which any British subject may countenance | or assist at without fear, but it is none the less a grave impropriety. It is the same with regard to the ceremonies observed at the opening of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce; there was nothing actually illegal about them, nothing which a British subject could not have
COMMERCE
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countenanced and assisted at without in- curring any risk, but none the less they had every appearance of being intended as an insult to Her Majesty's Government and can only be construed in that light.
II.
The letter from a Member of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce which appeared in our yesterday's issue, while it may perhaps be taken as showing that there was no desire on the part of the general body of members to exhibit disrespect towards Her Majesty's Government, does not place Mr. Ho AMEI's conduct in connection with the opening ceremony in any more favourable light than that in which it previously appeared. No general meeting of the members was held, the trustees taking upon themselves the entire responsibility of the arrangements. The trustees are Mr. Ho AMEI, Hon. Dr. Ho KAI, Mr. LI SHING, and Mr. WEI YUK. The last named, however, has for some time past ceased to take any active interest in the institution and his name did not appear on the invitation cards. These cards, issued in the names of the other three trustees, after stating the date fixed for the opening, said "You are invited to attend and worship the god of war, wearing your "official robes." How Dr. Ho KAI could have allowed his name to appear on such
an invitation we do not understand,
but at all events he did not attend the ceremony, which seems to have been arranged entirely by Mr. Ho AMEI. We are informed that it was not originally
self is animated towards British rule. As to the Governor having been ignored in connection with the opening ceremony, Mr. Ho AMEI endeavours to throw the re- sponsibility on Dr. Ho KAL. The latter scems to have acted with a singular Jack of discretion and common sense in the affair, but that does not relieve Mr. Ho AMEI of his personal responsibility. Dr. Ho KAT may have said this, that, or the other, but Mr. HO AMEI was not bound to act upon his advice or suggestions and in fact no one knew better than Mr. Ho Amer himself what was the right and proper course to pursue in the circumstances and it is no use his trying to throw on other people the responsibility for a wrong course having been pursued.
CHANG CHIH-TUNG.
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will that their plans came to nought. The old Viceroy was also wary. He took the measure of the would-be rebels pretty care fully, knew probably what chances they had of raising a revolt, and was able to check them before they had really developed firmly in the saddle and all signs of dis- any matured plan. It was not until he was affection Government summoned him to Peking to were at rest that the Imperial assist the Grand Council to concert measures to cope with the Japanese invasion.
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If the Nanking correspondent of our Shanghai morning contemporary is rightly informed, there is a strong chance of CHANG CHIH-TUNG returning to Canton as Viceroy of the Two Kwang. CHANG is at any rate to be transferred from Nanking, where for about two years he has replaced LIU KUN yi as Viceroy of the Liang Hu. He is hot, it is reported, to return to Wuchang, where for some five years his activities found such scope and where he spent such vast sums in large enterprises, some of which were well cou ceived though badly carried out. LIU KUN Yr, who is said to be about to return to his former post at Nanking, is now in Peking for the purpose of having audience with the Emperor to report the complete evacuation of the Liaotung peninsula by the Japanese on the 22nd ultimo. LIU is a trusted servant of the dynasty, and the EMPEROR can rely upon him to keep the Liang Hu quiet. Years ago it was stated, on apparently good Chinese authority, that these pro- vinces were honeygonib with sedition,. and that only Liu KUN-Yi cou!!e the restless spirit: connected with the secret societies from overt acts
of resellion, Whether this was strictly accurate or not it would be hard to say, but the Kolao Hui certainly were accused of plotting treason, and it was probably more to their lack of efficient organisation than to any want of
His Excellency LIU KUN-Yi will, it is Now that his work in the capital is done, believed, return to Nanking, and CHANG Cam-TUNG will take up some other post. Report assigns him to Canton, though his projects at Wuchang are still far from com- plete, and it would have been reasonable to sup- pose he would be allowed to return to carry them out.
It is possible, however, that these undertakings have so drained the provincial treasury at Wuchang that it is not throught desirable to send him back to that city. It may be, too, that the Central Government wish to place CHANG at a con- siderable distance from Peking, both on original ideas with regard to the construction account of his independent spirit and his of railways. There is consequently a certain he may return to Canton. The prospect amount of probability in the rumour that would, on the whole, be welcomed in the City of Rams. CHANG is honest himself whatever the faults of his underlings, and of funds there is at least something to show though he is a rather extravagant spender for the outlay. He established the Mint at Canton, and, had he remained, it is possible several industries would have been started, and the projected railway from Kowloon to Canton might have been ere HOW an established fact. The insatiable greed of his successor LI HAN-CHANG effectually prevented that work being com- menced, and although a survey has been made and the Imperial sanction obtained, it still remains a project. While, however, CHANG CHIH-TUNG is to some extent a friend of material progress, as represented by the adoption of foreign inventions and improvements, he is a sturdy foe to all attempts by foreigners to either obtain further commercial concessions or to acquire the smallest interest in any industrial under- taking on Chinese soil. He is willing to make use of any Western innovation if it can be shown that profit is likely be derived from its introduction or if it will put a weapon in the hands of China wherewith to keep the foreigner at a distance. He is patriotic if a little narrow minded, and he is determined not to allow prejudice to blind his eyes to his own or his country's advantage. Such a one, though he may bear us no love, is far better to deal with than a seeming friend, and more dependence can be placed on his pledges. His return to Canton, there- fore, would rather make for foreign advan- tage than otherwise. Of one thing, however, we feel absolutely sure; CHANG would ve hemently oppose any rectification of the boundaries of the Kowloon peninsula and the cession of the islands to the south of Hongkong to the colony. He would, if in his power, disestablish us to-morrow, and send the Portuguese flying from Macao. Being, however, by no means destitute of common sense is never likely to advocate any attempt to dispossess the present owners, but he would strain every nerve to resist extension of foreign influence in his vice- royalty. The German Government would stand little chance of acquiring Lappa or any other territory in Kwangtung if the decision rested with CHANG CHIH-TUNG.
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