April 2, 1898.
domain she is now opening up by a railway, which is approaching completion, but she has no port on the eastern seaboard that is open all the year round, Vladivostock, her most southerly port, being ice bound for several months of the year. As a terminus for the great Trans-Siberian railway Vladi- vostock is therefore unsuitable. But ad- joining Siberia at its south-eastern corner is the Chinese province of Manchuria, with its ports open all the year round and which would serve admirably as an outlet and inlet for the trade of Siberia. If Great Britain were circumstanced as Russia is nothing on earth would keep Manchuria out of our possession; we would be willing to buy it if it was for sale, or to fight for it if it could not be obtained otherwise, but we would have it by some means or other. Human nature is much the same all the world over, and we cannot be surprised that Russia should pursue a policy that we know very well we would ourselves pursue under similar circumstances.
In
But it may be said that the principle of doing as you would be done by has no place in the code of international relations and that every question must be looked at solely as affecting our own interests. In considering the subject upon that ground the conclusion arrived at must be that to fight with Russia about the sovereignty of Manchuria would be a stupendous mistake. Victory would no doubt attend our arms, but the net. result of the campaign would show a big balance on the wrong side. the first place, even if it were granted that it was desirable to keep Russia out of Man- churia, and supposing that that object was attained, the advantage
would prove ephemeral, for Russia would immediately recommence working for the attainment of her own end, and would in the long run get all she wanted, not by means of open fighting, but by quietly and steadily press- ing onward and taking advantage of every opportunity that offered. But, in the second place, it is not to our interest that Russia should be excluded from Manchuria, and to try to exclude her is suggestive of the operation of cutting off one's nose to spite one's face. We do not like Russia's methods of government or her protectionist prin- ciples, but making full allowance for all drawbacks of that kind it must nevertheless be admitted that Manchuria would be much more profitable to us in Russia's hands than in Chinese hands.
a
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
:
is well that England should uphold the principle of the open door, that she should assert herself, and recover the prestige in the Far East that she forfeited by her negligence (rather than her weakness); but it is not well that she should oppose the opening by others of doors that she is not in a position to open herself. Where Russia touches British interests, as in demanding the dismissal of British subjects in the employ of the Chinese Government, or in endeavouring to secure control of the Chinese Customs, or in any like ways, it is the duty of the British Government to cry hands off, but it is neither our duty nor our interest to oppose the legitimate develop ment and extension of Russia's Siberian possessions.
237
assisted the Chinese Customs authorities, other traders passed in goods almost with- out supervision, the Chinese having no Consular aid from other Powers. The cons fusion from want of proper machinery of administration, after the withdrawal of the British Consular aid to the collection of the revenue, was increased at Shanghai by the Taiping Rebellion of 1853. Then came the establishment of what we know as the Foreign Customs. The Tientsin Treaty provides that the Chinese Government may select any British subject to aid in the administration of Customs revenue and in the prevention of smuggling. The interposition thus established between the Chinese Customs authorities on the hand, and the British traders on the other hand, was meant, the article in the Journal THE INSPECTORATE GENERAL OF says," not only to supply all that had been
CUSTOMS AND BRITISH
INTERESTS IN CHINA.
The Board of Trade Journal for February contains two articles which, appearing at the present juncture, may be considered to possess special significance. The Journal is edited by the Commercial Department of the Board of Trade and its contents ordin- arily consist of abstracts of official reports, British and foreign, and reprints or transla- ticns of newspaper articles bearing on trade questions. As a rule the editorial work con- sists of compilation and condensation only and does not include any original writing. The February number, however, furnishes an exception to this rule. The article on "British Commercial Relations with China "and the Establishment of the Inspectorate- 'General of Chinese Imperial Maritime "Customs," though a compilation, does not profess to be a mere summary of any parti- cular public document, but embodies in and appears to have been written spe- dependent deductions and conclusions, cially for the Journal, or, which is per- haps more probable, for the information in the first place of Her Majesty's Minis- ters, being then placed at the disposal of the Board of Trade for publication, with the view not only of enlightening the public in general as to our interests in China, but letting foreign Governments also see the position from a British stand- point. At all events, whatever the origin of the article, it is a useful and significant
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"useful in the Hong merchants before the "treaties of 1842-43, and in the British "Cousuls afterwards, until withdrawn by "Lord PALMERSTON in 1851, but also to
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the construction and administra- up "tion of a new and improved system of
Chinese Customs under Art. 46 of the Treaty, representing, as towards the "Chinese authorities, the views and re-
quirements of the British traders, and.- "as towards the British traders, the views and requirements of the Chinese authori
It was fully recognised that the officer to be appointed by the Chinese "Government as Inspector-General must, in "the order of things, be a British subject, "whilst the Commissioners at the Ports and "the foreign members of the Service, ap- pointed by the Inspector-General himself, "should be subjects of the various Powers with whom China had treaties-the prin "cipal feature of the service therefore being a Cosmopolitan staff, and its first essential being one Chief, and such Chief British subject." An attempt was recently made to wrest the office of Inspector-General from British hands, but was frustrated, and it has now been formally agreed that as long as British trade with China exceeds that of other Powers the Inspector-General shall be a British subject. It is satisfactory to know that the point has been so decisively settled, anditisalso satisfactory to have a semi-official the Journal of the ground taken up by the announcement such as that published in British Government. The article is fol lowed by statistics compiled from the Chinese Customs returns for 1896 showing that Great Britain carries 82 per cent. of the total trade with China under foreign
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Another article in the Journal is entitled "The Trade and Shipping of the Yangtsze "kiang," in which a good deal of informa tion is given regarding the working of the transit pass system, and statistics are com piled showing the share of Great Britain in the trade. The article concludes as follows :— "It may be again pointed out that the
one. After a brief reference to the con- ditions prevailing in the pre-treaty days a Russia with а population only
summary is given of the various changes quarter as great as that of China, and that followed the opening of the treaty ports, notwithstanding her protectionist prin- leading up to the establishment of the ciples, buys from Great Britain nearly Inspectorate-General of the Chinese Im-ags and pays 76 per cent. of the dues and twice as much as China. She will also perial Maritime Customs. By the General duties collected on that trade. prove a good customer in Siberia, and Regulations of Trade issued in pursuance it is not to our interest to try to cripple of the Nanking Treaty, the Chinese Superin- our customer. The immense possibilities of tendent of Customs at each port was to Siberia are only beginning to dawn upon adopt the means that he might judge most the world, but that extensive domain is in proper to prevent the revenue suffering by truth one of the most promising fields fraud and smuggling and the British Consul of trade amongst new countries, and was to be security for all British merchant as the possession of Manchuria is essential ships, and in the event of any instance to its proper development it is to the inter- of smuggling coming to his knowledge est of the world that Russia should have the Consul instantly to apprise Manchuria. The completion of the Trans- the Chinese Authorities of the fact.” Fol- Siberian Railway and its extension to Port-lowing the British Treaties France and the Arthur or Talienwan may mean some diver- United States also concluded Treaties, but sion of traffic and may cut into some existing neither of these contained any provision for interests, but on the other hand it will afford Consular nid in the collection of the Chinese a vast market for British goods and give em- Customs revenue, as did the British Trea- ployment to British shipping largely exceed ties. Unavailing negotiations with regard ing in amount any that it may take away. to the trade in opium continued for several" central provinces must all find
"via the treaty ports of the river to their To Hongkong the Siberian trade will pro- years until at length, in 1851, the British bably in course of time become more valu- Government resolved to withdraw the Con-proper outlet at Shanghai and thence to "the markets of the Western world? This able even than our extensive and rapidlysuls from any interference with the Chinese growing Pacific trade, and therefore from a Customs. The chief British grievance was is the reason why England is so determined.
were that the Yangtsze trade shall not be inter- local point of view we certainly can have no this, that while British traders interest in trying to thwart Russia. It strictly supervised by their Consuls who'fered with in any way. There appears,
was
"
40
great river is the chief commercial artery "of China, down which will eventually "be carried the principal products of the Empire. The vast mineral resources, the copper, iron ore, and coal of Yunnan, Szechuen, and Hupeh, the white wax of "Szechuen and the Indian ink of Ngan- "whei, the China clay of Kiangsi, and the "silk and silk manufactures of
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