330
RUSSIAN DESIGNS IN KOREA AND THE POLICY OF GREAT BRITAIN.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
KK
[April 23, 1896.
13
Asia are being more closely watched. We | meetings had been recently held at the For do not advocate any idea of attempting eign Office in London to consider the matters to checkmate Russia; on the contrary, it mentioned and others, the later meetings If the announcement made by Reuter to should be the policy of England to be on being under the direct superintendence the effect that the Korean Government friendly terms with her great neighbour in of the Hon. G. N. CURZON. That is propose to hand over the province of Hang Asia. But she should not shut her eyes to certainly encouraging, for Mr. CURZON Yeng as security for a loan to Russia be facts or neglect her own interests. While shown in his book on the Far East, has a true this may be regarded as the beginning treating Russia as a friend she should take correct appreciation of the situation in of the end: the instalment of the Czar care to keep pace with her. This rise of China and of the attitude to be adopted in fnstead of the Son of Heaven as Suzerain of Russian power on the Pacific should be the dealing with the mandarins. It remains to the land of Morning Calm. The importance signal to consolidate her own. At present be seen, however, whether he will be able of this latest development of Russian this colony of Hongkong, the farthest out- to put his principles into practice or whe diplomacy can hardly be over-estimated. It post of the British Empire, is absolutely ther, when his wit is matched against that was always believed that the Russian Gov-defenceless against a well conceived attack, of Sir HALLIDAY MACARTNEY, China's real ernment had an eye on Korea, and having and is far removed from any reach of suc- representative in London, he may not be regard to the necessity they feel for the cour if invested by an enemy. The British fooled into compounding England's claims for acquisition of an open harbour on the Squadron is incapable of coping with the a great deal less than what ought to be con- Pacific, no one would have been surprised had Russian fleet in these waters, and even sup-sidered the irreducible minimum. That there they sought to secure one years ago. But posing that it could hold its own, it could is some danger in the situation seems to be during the war between China and Japan, by no possibility defend the island and pro- indicated by a remark which Sir CLAUDE. and during their intervention after the tect British merchant shipping afloat. It MACDONALD let fall. "The remedy," Hiş settlement of peace negotiations, they sought should be strengthened to such a point as to Excellency said, "would appear to lie in to pose as disinterested on-lookers, save for be able to meet the strongest possible com- the direction of obtaining a sufficiently the fact that they admitted their interests bination against it in these seas. The boun- "attractive quid pro quo to induce the would have suffered by the establishment of daries of the colony of Hongkong should at "Central Government to grant the conces Japanese rule in the Liao-tung peninsula. once be extended to the limit suggested by "sions set forth in your Chairman's re- It did really seem as if Russia had deter- military experts, and no quid pro quo offered, "marks." Was this an idea which merely mined to postpone her reward for this inter- because we already have heavy claims suggested itself to His Excellency ference on behalf of China to a quite distant against Chinh. The garrison should be in the moment and to which he gave date, not, of course, to the Greck Kalends, creased to ten thousand men, the fortifica- utterance without due consideration, or does but to some date in the rapidly nearing tions added to where necessary, a powerful it represent the attitude of the Foreign Twentieth Century. No indecent haste guard ship stationed here in addition to the Office? In either case it is to be regretted was to be exhibited; matters might well Wivern, and the torpedo flotilla trebled. If that it has ever been entertained and still wait until the completion of that great en- we are to hold our own in the Far East we more that it has been publicly expressed. terprise the Trans-Siberian Railway, when must be prepared for all eventualities, and For what is the quid pro quo to be given ? the Russian Government would be in a position as China cannot be trusted to observe her The opening of the West River would be to insist upon any territorial acquisition she most solemn covenants and treaties (ride the as much to the advantage of China as to might desire to make either from Korea or recent cession to France of the territory that of foreign trade, while the observance from her greater neighbour China. The most lately assigned to her on the express cond of the transit pass regulations should be casual student of Far Eastern politics re- tion that she was not to cede it), the British insisted upon as a matter of common honesty. cognised that with the opening of the great Government ought to resume possession of For neither of these could a quid pro quo railway would commence the development Chusan. A naval station further north is be given. There remains the extension of of Muscovite influence in China, but perhaps almost a sine qua non to the maintenance of the colony's boundaries. Is this a matter few suspected that it was to have an earlier British sea power in the Pacific and just as for which compensation should be given, or beginning. Whether there has been any necessary as an open port to Russia to secure should the required extension be demanded acceleration of movement in the Councils of an outlet for her trade. It is vain to attempt in part satisfaction of England's outstanding St. Petersburg it is hard to say, but it cer- to baulk Russian ambition in this direction, claims against China? Undoubtedly the tainly is not probable that Korea has taken but as a means to self-preservation it is es latter. China has put herself seriously in the the initiative in this matter. In any case sential that we should hold a coaling and wrong in ceding territory to France that she something of the kind was expected to hap naval station where, in the event of foreign had covenanted with Great Britain not to pen later on, and it is most unlikely that embroilment or of Chinese treachery, the surrender, and the rectification of Hong- the British Government will intervene or British warships would have a place to coal kong's boundaries might appropriately be take any action inimical to Russin. We and refit. The proximity of the Chusan demanded as part of the compensation have neither the wish nor the right to Islands to Shan glini, where such enormous China is to be called upon to pay. There endeavour to check the natural expansion British interests are developing, and the ca-
is in addition a long list of outrages, culmi- of the great Slav Expire southwards. We pabilities of the harbour of Tinghai render nating in the horrible Kucheng massacre, sympathised with Japan in her struggle the group peculiarly suitable for the pur- still unatoned for. With England's large with China, but few Europeans thought it pose. It is to be regretted that, when last outstanding claims against China, to talk of would be for her permanent advantage to in possession of Chusan, the British Gov- giving the latter a quid pro quo for what abandon her insular position and be com- ernment ever evacuated the islands, for then might to be demanded as a right, as a satis mitted to a contest for supremacy on the there would have been no necessity to par-faction for injuries sustained, is indicative of mainland with China and Russia. She has ley with China on the subject and no out- won Formosa and completed the chain of her cry on the part of foreign journals, which island territory, an addition that will give would now of necessity have to be faced. her population room for fresh enterprise and effort. Had she annexed a portion of China she might ultimately have attained the Sovereignty of that Empire and would in turn, like the Manchus, have been absorbed. The two great empires of Russia and China are about to be brought into close contact, and who can say with what reeult? China's millions cannot be absorbed by the Slav, but they may be held in subjection, and unless a very marked and surprising change comes over the Chinese race this seems likely to happen.
Meantime what is to be the policy of Great Britain? It would be interesting to know whether the British Government are prepared for these momentous changes in the Far East, or whether a policy of drift is still the order of the day at the Foreign Office. We hope not, and are encouraged by the language used by Mr. BALFOUR and Mr. CURZON to believe that events in Eastern
SIR CLAUDE MACDONALD AND A QUID PRO QUO FOR CHINESE CONCESSIONS,
The conference between Sir CLAUDE MAC DONALD and the Committee of the Chamber of Commerce, held during His Excellency's brief stay in this colony on his way to take up his new appointment, appears to have been of an interesting character, although there was little that was new said on either side, the subjects touched upon being all well-worn. Mr. MCCONACHIE, the Chair man, drew His Excellency's attention to three points, namely, the opening of the West River, the recognition of transit passes, and the extension of the colony's boundaries, and concisely and forcibly showed the import- ance of each of them. In reply Sir CLAUDE MACDONALD recognised the importance claimed for them, and mentioned that
a lack of that firmness without which no real progress can be made in negotiating with the arrogant and overreaching man- darins of the Tsung-li Yamen. The only quid pro quo to which China is entitled is a
decisive
you must,"
THE OPENING OF THE WEST RIVER AND FAMINE IN KWANGSI.
It is worthy of note that, while negotiations in connection with the opening of the West River and its affluents to foreign trade_and steamer navigation are proceeding in Lon- don, one of the arguments urged in favour of the step from a Chinese point of view is being specially emphasized. As is well known, the provinces of Kwangsi and Kweichow are periodically desolated by famine, and at the present time this scourge is ravaging Kwangsi to such an extent that the miserable peasants have been reduced to living on leaves and the bark of trees, while many have been driven by despera-
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