458
GERMANY AND CHINA.
According to our telegraphic advices from Shanghai, China has accepted Germany's terms in order to secure the evacuation of Kiaochau. Those terms were as follows:- "(1) Tls. 200,000 indennity for the two "German missionaries killed at Yenchou.
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that he was
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
chapel, and the punishment of the officials are things that will weigh comparatively lightly with China and be soon forgotten, but the forcible alienation of a part of her territory would have hit her hard and the lesson would have been remembered. [According to a Reuter's telegram of the 12th Dec., the statement re the evacua- tion of Kioochan and the occupation of Samsah (Fukien) is positively denied at Berlin.]
GREAT BRITAIN'S RIGHTS IN CHUSAN,
The Times, Reuter informs us, anticipates a redistribution of power in the Far East and recalls the rights of Great Britain under the Convention of 1846 to the group of islands at the mouth of the Yangtaze The article adds that the time may come when Great Britain will have to claim them. The islands alluded to are Chusan
in
never be ceded to
December 16, 1897.
THE PROTECTION OF CHINESE BRITISH SUBJECTS.
↓
The British Government has apparently taken up a firm position with respect to the non-recognition of Chinese British subjects in China who neglect to register themselves as such at the Consulate of the district in (2) The rebuilding of the chapel destroyed
which they reside. From the telegrams we in the riot. (3) The payment of Ger-
have published from Singapore it will have many's expenses incurred in the occupation
been learnt that a Straits Chinaman has got "of Kiaochau. (4) Li Ping-heng, retiring
into trouble at Amoy, that he has been Governor of Shantung, to be cashiered and
thrown into a native gaol, and that the "dismissed from the public service. · (5)
Consul declined to recognise him. There- "The severest penalties upon the murderers
upon representations appear to have been "of the German priests and upon the, local
made by the aggrieved man's friends to the "authorities where the riot took place.
Governor of the Straits Settlements, who (6) a. Germans to be given the sole right
communicated by wire with the Consul at to open coal mines throughout Shantung
Amoy.. The latter functionary then referred 'province. b. Special privileges to be
the matter to Peking, with the result granted Germans in the matter of railways
that Sir CLAUDE MACDONALD declines to in the said province, and c. Germany to be
take up the case. Against this decision the Governor of the Straits has protested, and given the privilege of storing coal at
the matter will no doubt be referred to the Kinochau in perpetuity; i.e., Kinochau to "become a Germau naval coaling station." and its dependencies. By the Convention authorities at home, with whom the final It is said that in the Grand Council of 1846 concluded at Bocca Tigris by Sir decision will rest.
Some five months ago a the Emperor declared
JOHN DAVIS, Governor of Hongkong, and similar case occurred at Shanghai, where a willing to grant articles 1, 2, and 5 of the Imperial High Commissioner KI-YING it well known Chinese resident was arrested the demands, but as for Articles 3, 4, and 6, was stipulated, on the part of the Emperor and thrown into prison by the native au- "he would rather lose life and throne itself of China, that on the evacuation of Chusan thorities on the ground of some alleged "than give way to such preposterous de- by Her Britannic Majesty's forces the irregularity. The aggrieved person in that
mands." It would seem, however, that said island should
case also claimed to be a British subject, but, reflection has led to a wiser determina-ny foreign Power; while Her Britan- not having registered himself as such, the tion and that the expeliency of settling nic Majesty consented, upon her part, Consulate declined at first to recognise him. the matter promptly has been recognised. case of the attack of an invader, Ultimately, however, influenced no doubt Section c of Article 6, giving Germany the to protect Chusan and its dependencies. by the strong representations made on the right to store doal
Kiaochau, is In the present critical position of affairs
man's behalf, action was taken and his ambiguous, but it apparently means less it is important that Great Britain's rights in release secured. The Shanghai case would than the annexation of territory, though this matter should be unmistakably asserted. no doubt give rise to a consideration of the it will form a convenient stepping stone
It was an error ever to abandon Chusan, whole question of the status of Chinese thereto should the adoption of that course
which, had it been retained as a British British subjects in China, and from the be deemed desirable in the future. Whether colony, would in all probability have out-attitude assumed in the Amoy case it the right to store coal implies also the right stripped Hongkong in the extent of its may be inferred that the decision arrived to maintain on Chinese soil a sufficient force trade and material importance. The British at was that recognition could not be accorded
have, however, kept ain €2ses for the protection of the coal, or whether Government
of non-registration. Speaking that duty is to be thrown on the Chinese watchful eye upon the island, and when generally that decision must be considered authorities as an ordinary matter of police, complications between China and otherwise one.
Powers have been in progress a British man- The special privileges accorded to Ger-of-war has generally opportunely visited the many, our correspondent informs us, are to place. If there is to be any breaking up of follow the precedent laid down in the fifth China Chusan would certainly be included article of the Gerard Convention, that is, the in Great Britain's share, but circumstances Franco-Chinese Convention of 20th June, short of an actual breaking up of the un- 1895. By the fifth article of that instru- wieldy empire may necessitate effective oc- authorities and to give a great deal of ment it is understood that China, for eupation of that point. If other Powers trouble to the various Consulates. Chinese "the exploitation of its mines in the pro-
are to establish naval stations to the north who are entitled to claim British protection are as a rule fully aware of the importance "vinces of Yunnan, Kwangsi, and Kwang- and south of the Yangtsze it would seem
'tung, will address itself in the first in- only a matter of common prudence that of securing the necessary recognition, and stance to French commerce and engineers, Great Britain should possess a station at the when they fail to do so it may generally be "the exploitation remaining otherwise sub-mouth of that important artery of trade, in assumed that it is because they con-
better pay them 'ject to the rules and the edicts of the Im- which her intersts far outweigh those of sider it will
perial Government which affect national any other Power. Germany, it appears, is to pass themselves off as Chinese subjects industry." This provision, in the case of have a station on the Fuhkien coast, and and are willing to take the risk that course Russia will no doubt in course involves. Under such circumstances it Germany and Shantung, will also apply to railways, and the Berlin Government will of time occupy Kiaochau, presently seems only reasonable that they should be ' no doubt use its influence in favour of to be evacuated by Germany. In the required to abide by their election. Every the speedy development of the province's event of China's being engaged in war with rule, however, has its exceptions, and where resources. It may be doubted, however, either of these Powers, or any other Power, reasonable ground can be shown it may be whether China's prompt acceptance of the no dependence could be placed upon the proper for the British Government to inter- vene and claim jurisdiction over the person terms imposed will be welcomed at Ber-observance of Shanghai's neutrality, and the lin, for the obtaining by Germany Yangtze trade might under existing cir- concerned, notwithstanding his failure to of an effective point d'appui is there- cunstances be completely dislocated. But register. Such failure may be the result of by deferred. Some disappointment will with Chusau in the possession of Great an oversight, inadvertence, or ignorance, and not only a under such circumstances it would be a hard- also be felt amongst the foreign munities of the Far East, by whom it was place for the establishment of a com- ship to leave a British subject to the tender hoped that an effective lesson was about to mercial emporium, but also a naval station mercies and severe squeezes of the native be taught China. It would have been from which protection could be readily authorities. We know nothing ofthe circum- better if Germany had never raised the afforded to our trade with the Yangtze and stances of the Amoy case and cannot say question of an indemnity or advanced any Northern ports as well as to Shanghai itself, whether it possesses nuy special features of the demands embodied in the other terms, where British interests so largely prepon entitling it to exceptional consideration. man may have honestly but had simply taken possession of Kiaochau, derate. It would be an excellent thing if Possibly the marked out the extent of territory suitable the cession could be arranged forthwith, but thought his Straits passport sufficient for her purpose, and notified her intention to if that policy does not cumintend itself to protection without registration at the Con- retain it as a German colony in satisfaction Her Majesty's Government at least no doubtsulate, though Straits Chinamen are as a for the wrong committed. The payment ought to be allowed to exist as to the effec- rule wide-awake men who appreciate the of the indemnity, the rebuilding of the tiveness of the lien we possess on the group. | risks they run from the native authorities
"
remains to be seen.
**
com-
Britain
we would
have
It is most undesirable: to have a class of men in China passing as Chinese subjects while all goes well with them and then as soon as they get into trouble setting up a claim to be treated as British subjects. The existence of such a class is calculated to
cause needless friction with the native
to
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