162
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[March 5, 1898.
DECLARATIONS OF THE FOREIGN | winked by fair promises. So far we appear | H.E. the Acting Governor at once declared
POWERS AND BRITISH INTERESTS IN CHINA.
The assurances received, first from Count MURAVIEFF to the effect that any port in China occupied by Russia will be open to the commerce of the world, and secondly from M. HANOTAUX that France has no inten- tion of imitating Germany by seizing a naval base in China, are satisfactory so far as they go. They would be most completely
to have scored, morally at any rate. We have maintained our prestige in China and have supplied her financial necessities, re- ceiving in return a concession the benefits of which all the rest of the Treaty Powers will enjoy equally with Us. But the opening up of the inland waterways of China to foreign commerce, though beyond question a most important point, is not all vast trade, built up at so tremendous an or everything Great Britain requires. Her so if other circumstances were corroborative of the pacific intentions professed.
outlay, requires constant and adequate pro- Of
tection, and to ensure this she needs, first, course, a far as France is concerned, a great deal must be allowed for the colonising to render this farthest outpost of the Em- zeal of many of her officers and agents, who, pire. impregnable to attack; and secondly, in their desire to do something to distinguish to secure another coaling station farther themselves, are very apt to exceed their north, which will protect Shanghai, in which instructions, as was obviously done by the port such extensive British commercial and French Agent at Sokoto the other day. It industrial interests have grown up. With will, also, only be fair to Russia to credit out, therefore, laying herself open for a her with liberal intentions so far as the moment to the charge of seeking territorial aggrandisement or of coveting the posses- opening of new markets in China is con- cerned. We can very well understand that sions of the Celestial Sick Man, Great Britain may reasonably ask for such an the Russian Government would willingly throw open to commerce a port in Manchu- extension of the boundaries of the Colony ria as a sop to Cerberus in order to divert of Hongkong as will enable her to effec- attention from their future designs in that tively protect it from outside attack, as well as the retrocession of Chusan for a coaling region. It would be a small matter to open one port to the commerce of the world in station from which to guard the interests of a large province, even if the policy of British trade with Central China. Even the act from a financial and commercial these demands would not be put forward point of view did not commend itself were it not for the well founded conviction to them. But unfortunately for our peace-only too well demonstrated by recent of mind, the course of Muscovite policy events-that China herself is incapable of in the Far East has not hitherto been preserving Chusan from aggression and by of such a character as to impress us
her weakness may any moment precipitate with either its liberality or straightforward- a rupture in the Far East. Great Britain ness. It is not for nothing that Russia is must therefore be prepared for eventualities accumulating the major portion of her naval and place herself in such a position that, strength in these waters, nor is it merely for whatever happens, she will be able to keep the seas with her warships, leaving the coal- the protection of her existing interests that she is gradually massing an army at ing stations to take care of themselves. The Vladivostock. It is readily understandable value of British trade with the Far East that the refusal of Great Britain to participate has at last been recognised in the United in any movement for the partition of China Kingdom, and the statesmen and newspaper has in a way compelled Russia and France organs of all parties are agreed that that to assume a virtue if they have it not. trade must be preserved at all hazards, even --as Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH pithily Moreover, it is quite in accordance with Russian diplomacy in past times to attempt puts it-"at the cost of war.' -to lull mistrust by frank assurances of the most harmless intentions. If, for instance, the receipt of such an assurance as that offered by Count MURAVIEFF would induce Lord SALISBURY to abandon all thought of the re-occupation of Chusan and negotia- tions for the extension of the Hong- kong frontiers in the hinterland of Kow loon, it would not have been made in vain. If, even, the assurance served to throw dust in the eyes of the British Cabinet and led to the suspension of military preparations for the better pro- tection of the Far Eastern Colonies and to the reinforcements to the British Fleet in
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these waters being countermanded, there would be scarcely suppressed chuckles both on the banks of the Neva and at the Quai d'Orsay.
It may be quite true, and probably is so, that neither Russia nor France has any desire to precipitate a war. They are, per- haps, not yet prepared for such a tremendous cataclysm as a contest between the Great Powers, whether its theatre be in Europe or Asia, must infallibly prove. But though they may not wish for a breach of the peace now prevailing-though the said peace is daily growing more into the semblance of an armed neutrality--they are certainly quite ready to grasp at any opportunity for self aggrandisement which the trend of events or the wheel of fortune may render apparently safe or easy. It is therefore devoutly to be hoped that the British Lion will not be caught napping, or be hood-
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22
LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS AND INTERESTED MOTIVES.
this attack to be unfair, but the hon. mem- ber inmediately repeated that "the hon." "gentlemen opposite," meaning Mr. CHATER and Mr. WHITEHEAD, "have been unable "to set aside their own interesta." Mr. WHITEHEAD, 80 far as we are aware, is not personally interested in property and his name may therefore be left out of the ques tion. As to Mr. CHATER's interests, it is well known that of the buildings now in course of erection and projected on the Reclamation every single room has been let and the demand for offices in that locality haring outrun the prospective supply recent applicants have failed to secure accommoda- tion.
There is no question, therefore, of ensuring the immediate occupancy at high rents of the property, as a good deal of it has been let on leases of twenty one years, and the shortest term is five years. The value of the property in question would, -more- over, be more likely to be enhanced by the erection of mercantile offices than by
the erection of a Post Office on the site
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in question, as in a commercial quarter continuity of commercial offices adds to the value of the whole section, and the breaking of the continuity by the interposition of non- commercial buildings detracts from the value. It may be said that the Post Office is not a non-commercial building, but as a matter of fact it is comparatively seldom that the European staff of foreign firms have occasion. to go in person to the Post Office, their business with that establishment being con- ducted by means of chit-coolies. If the lot in question is put up to public auction there can be no doubt as to its finding eager buyers, and if the owners of the surrounding property acquire it they will be able to make a good deal more out of it than would gain by the erection of they
the site. When the Post Office on it was originally proposed to transfer the Post Office from its present site to the Praya Reclamation no word of objection was raised. Lately, when Mr. ORMSBY brought forward a scheme for retainining the establishment on the present site, it met with approval and the preponderance of public opinion seems to be decidedly in its favour. There are some, however, who still believe the transfer would in the long run prove to be for the benefit of the colony, and they are fully entitled to hold that. opinion without having corrupt motives imputed to them. It is much to be re- gretted that that element should have been introduced into the discussion.
THE SITE OF THE NEW POST OFFICE.
The Director of Public Works stated in
It was unfortunate, we think, that the Hon. E. R. BELILIOS should have deemed it necessary at the Council meeting on Monday to make an attack on the senior unofficial member and impute to him un- worthy motives in respect of the controversy with reference to the site of the new Post Office. It is true that Mr. BELILIOS's right to vote on a particular proposition had previously been called in question by an- other member on the ground of pecuniary interest, but that was as a matter of general the debate in the Legislative Council on the principle, and it was not directly sug- site of the new Post Office that the resolution gested that the hon. member's judgment proposed by him, which was carried, did not was in fact biassed by self-interest. Nor was commit the Council to any action. The it by Mr. CHATER that the objection resolution was in fact merely an expression was taken, but by Mr. WHITEHEAD, and of opinion, and if it should be thought that when the latter brought the matter opinion was a mistaken one it is not too late forward in Council he was not supported by to alter it. H.E. the Acting Governor Mr. CHATER. Mr. BELILIOS, however, said that "the Government has been most seems to have supposed that the objection" anxious to know the real wish of the 'colony on this subject, because it does not. was really taken on Mr. CHATER's behalf
"affect us one way or the other, but it and he replied with a direct charge of cor-
"affects the colony for all time, or at least rupt motives against that gentleman. "removal of the Post Office and Treasury "for the next sixty or seventy years.” As "to the Praya would," he said, "of course a means of ascertaining the real wish of the materially enhance the value of the ad- colony it might be advisable to invite joining lots, by ensuring the immediate an expression of opinion on the subject occupancy at high rents of the great blocks from the Chamber of Commerce, which "in course of erection or to be erected is a sufficiently representative body to "there, and hence my hon. friend's anx- give weight to any opinion expressed by iety to see these offices removed thither." In decisive majority of its members. The
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