THE RECORD OF THE YEAR.
(Daily Press, 31st December.) The year just closing has been one of feverish unrest in the politics
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
at work on both. The line from Peking to Paotingfu is under construction, the Rus- sians are pushing on with their lines in Manchuria, the Shanghai-Woosung Railway
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January 7, 1899.
be. An impression prevails, however, that it would be dangerous to grant the islands full independence, both on account of pro- bable internal dissensions with their re- cessions for various other lines have either possibility of the country being hereafter an- been granted or are in course of negotiation, nexed by some other Power The probable amongst then being a line from Tientsin to solution of the difficulty will be the granting Chinkinug, one from Shanghai to Hang- of autonomy in the internal affairs of the chow, and another from Kowloon to Canton. islands under American protection with Work on all of these will shortly be in American control foreign relations. course of prosecution, and with the railwayWhatever decision be arrived at as to and telegraph in operation throughout the the details of the form of government, how- tampire, graphiin opith them fleas of proever, the peaceful development of the rich gress and enlightenment, reform in the resources of the islands is now assured and administration must inevitably follow, the volume of trade flowing to and from the whether it be effected by peaceful means or Far East will thereby be vastly augmented by violent revolution. In the meantime and the opportunities for the profitable___ the weakness of the Chinese Government is employment of capital increased. such that it has been found necessary by the Powers to send strong guards to Peking for the protection of the legations and the foreign community. An event significant of change, however, was the reception by the Emperor and Empress Dowager the 13th December of the wives
East. When opened the partiti the Far has been opened during the year, and consulting anarchy and also on account of the
that foreign ladies have been received in the Palace at Peking and that they were conveyed through the grounds on An electric tramway one is compelled to believe that the hands of the clock of progress move a little, even in the Chinese capital. The conditions surrounding the reception appear to have been in every respect satis- factory, and the reports of the function that have appeared in the press have placed the Empress Dowager before the public in a more favourable light than she has hitherto appeared in. If the reception was accorded with that end in view it must be regarded as a clever stroke of policy.
unsatisfactory from a commercial point of In Hongkong the year has not been view, the depression in the ordinary import trade and the unusual accumulation of stocks with its concomitant tightness of the money market having been more than dered by the American operations | în compensated for by the activity engen- the Philippines, the prosperity of our local banking institutions and industries, the growth of the Pacific trade, and the opening up of new lines. The Hongkong and Shanghai Bank in understood to have made phenomenal profits, the Hongkong and Whampoa Dock Company has exceeded its previous high water mark, the sugar re- fineries have been actively and profitably employed, and the growth of the smal- ler industries of the place has con- tinued, one instance of which may l be men tioned in the supplanting of Japanese matches by matches of local make. The
of China seeined to have commenced, Germany having annexed Kiaochau and Russia being in- stalled at Port Arthur, while rumours were in the air of French designs upon Hainan and Great Britain was credited with the inten- tion of securing compensatory advantages. The
designs resolved themselves Into the annexation of Kvengchowwan, a port on the coast of Kwangtung, while Great Britain secured a lease of Weihaiwei, the naval stronghold in Shantung province which had been held by the Japanese as security for the payment of the Chinese in deninity. Throughout the year Russia has been active in Manchuria, where she is constructing a line of railway to connect with the great Siberian line, and the belief that that country was being transformed into a Russian province and might ultimately become a closed market so far as non-Russian trade was concerned caused considerable of the Foreign Ministers. When one reads irritation and anxiety amongst the British mercantile community, which was reflected in Parliament and in the home press, the action or nou-action of Lord SALISBURY'S Government being severely criticised. The agitation has borne fruit, inasmuch as Lord CHARLES BERESFORD has been sent out to study the question on the spot and focus the views of the British communities at the various ports. Upon this mission his Lordship is still engaged. Now that the reconquest of the Soudan has been brought to a brilliantly successful conclusion and the hands of the British Government are freer than they were it is anticipated that a stronger policy The most notable event of the year has will be adopted in China and that the work been the evolution of the United States into of reforming and reorganising the Govern- a colonising and Imperial Power. The ment and the army and navy of that coun- friction with Spain arising out of the Cuban try will be taken in hand. The necessity rebellion reached its culminating point of reform has been amply demonstrated in April, when war was declared. The during the year. Local risings have oc- American squadron on the China station, curred in various parts of the empire, no-which had previously assembled at Hong tably in Kwaugei and Szechuen, which bave kong, left towards the end of that month materially interfered with trade; several for the Philippines in search of the missionaries have been murdered; and in Spanish fleet, which was found at September a Palace revolution once more Cavite ou the 1st May and utterly de- placed the notorious Empress Dowager in stroyed. Earlier in the year the Philip power and again reduced the Emperor to a pine rebellion had been renewed and position of tutelage. For some time His the blow the Spanish power received from the Majesty's fate was in doubt and strong sus-destruction of its fleet by the Americans picions that he had been poisoned were en- materially aided the Insurgents, who, tertained. The young man is still alive, moreover, received direct countenance and however, and is allowed to appear on cere support from the victors. On the 13th monial occasions in company with the August, a strong military force having in Empress Dowager, the idea of supplanting the meantime arrived from the States, the him on the throne having apparently been Americans took possession of Manila, the abandoned. The nominal reason of the Insurgents acting in concert with them. Emperor's being deprived of effective power As a result of the peace negotiations in was that he had handed himself over to the Paris between the Spanish and American guidance of a reforming visionary named representatives the Philippines were de KANG YU-WEI, at whose instigation decrees finitely cede to the United States, the were daily being launched of a revolution- latter agreeing to pay $20,000,000 gold ary character, but the real explai ation is therefor. The Spanish West Indies have believed to have been a contest for power also passed under American control, and within narrow limits. between rival cliques, the reform question the wish of the Hawaiian Republic to be In official and social circles the year being merely the shuttlecock with which the incorporated with the States having at last has been one of changes. In February game was played. The Empress-Dowager is been complied with, the close of the year | Sir WILliam RobinSON retired from greedy of power and self-aggrandisement, finds America in possession of a great the office of Governor and until the but is said not to be opposed to changes for colonial empire. Cuba no doubt will arrival of Sir HENRY BLAKE a few weeks the benefit of the country so long as her shortly be granted independence under a ago the administration was in the capable personal interests are not prejudiced thereby. native republic, but the future of the hands of Major-General BLAOK.. - The Certan it is that no attempt has been made Philippines is still shrouded in uncertainty. General's own term of office having also to interfere with any of the railway schemes The Insurgents have declared an indepen- expired His Excellency left the colony Tast that have been launched. Concessions for dent Republic, with AGUINALDO as Pre-week, carrying with him the good wishes of lines from Peking to Haukow and from sideut, and they have shown creditable skill the community, and by the last mail his Hankow to Canton have been obtained by in organisation and administration, and have successor, Major-General GASCOIGNE ar- Belgian and American syndicates respec- proved themselves far from the savages they rived. Admiral BULLER has been replaced tively and survey parties are now actively have in some quarters been represented to by Admiral SEYMOUR, and several important
exteusion of the Kowloon frontier, which has been secured during the year, may be expected not only to materially add to the safety of the colony from a military point of view but also to contribute greaily to its industrial activity. Amongst other advant- ages of the new acquisition the colony will be able to make its own bricks, of which the increasing building operations render a larger supply necessary every year, instead of being dependent upon Canton, where the price is enhanced by likin squeezes. Un- happily the colony was again exposed to a visitation of the plague and a larger number of Europeans were affected than in the former visitations. The heart of the com- munity was especially touched by the deaths of Sisters GERTRUDE and FRANCES, Sisters - of the Government (ivil Hospital staff who contracted the disease whilst in the dis- charge of their duty. The memory of these ladies is to he perpetuated by a memorial erected by public subscrip- tion: The shadow of the plague is again hanging over us, the disease having made its reappearance in the neighbouring province, but it is to be hoped that by wise sanitary measures its invasion of the colony may be prevented or, should it unhappily obtain an entrance, that its ravages may be confined
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