184
out people forming the population of that portion of Kwangtung. And while the natural defences of the sphere of influence thus created are insufficient, no steps have been taken either to strengthen the garrison of Hongkong itself or to increase means available for coping with any trouble which might arise. Further on Mr. KRAUSSE considers the question of the garrison of this Colony, which he sets down at three thousand men of all arms including Volunteers. This estimate is probably very close to the mark, for though the Estimates for 1898-9 put the total strength of the Gar- rison at 8,428, exclusive of the Volunteers, the third company of Royal Artillery so long promised has not yet arrived and the diffe rent regiments and corps are seldom up to strength. As Mr. KRAUSSE remarks, the garrison is not too much to "hold the island in case of emergency and is totally inade- uate to "allow for the sending of bodies of men to protect the outlying portions of the mainland. It may indeed be said that the inlandis so feebly garrisoned as to invite attack, and the defences of Kowloon are utterly inadequate to the importance of the place. "He then goes on to show how eradily a force could be landed here on the southern shores of the island, which are still innocent of any fortifications, and how hos sile ships could lie six miles off from shore and dropshells into Victoria or the docks a Kowloon.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
+
"
[August 26, 1899.
On the reserve
2x
..
share
all, is leased for a term of ninety-nine years at the same time subtract from it a portion | All of these the Hongkong and Shanghai
Referring to the boundary, Mr. of its most efficient branch.
Bank possesses, and with the prudent. continues "The boundary Mr. KRAUSSE is right in his main con- policy of building
and adopted under the recent Convention for tentions. The boundary first chosen is keeping £1,000,000
it in sterling the.. extension of that lease is delimitated undoubtedly an unsatisfactory and im shareholders may look forward to the future arbitrary line incapable of defence practicable one, and should be revised. with confidence. It is true Mr. GRAY open to the aggression of the turbul-Seeing that the British troops are still ensounded a warning note as to future earn- camped close to the frontier and the future ings, and the warning may not have been of Shamchun has not, apparently, yet been uncalled for, for in view of the magnificent decided, there is ground for hope that the profits of the last few years some sh first line selected will not be adhered to holders might be inclined to form altogether altogether. It is almost too much to hope, unreasonable expectations as to their con- however, that Lord SALISBURY's Govern- tinuance. Mr. GRAY accordingly thought ment will insist upon a really suitable and it right to point out that as far as the satisfactory frontier in part réparation for directors can see it will be an impossibility. the obstructions and hostility to the British to continue the profits upon the same scale, occupation of the New Territory. Yet this in the future."Ordinary exchange bank- would be a very light punishment for the" ing with finely cut margins," he s said, breach of good faith of which the Viceroy can only yield moderate profits. We of the Two Kwang has been guilty. The “ ean congratulate ourselves that while the. frontier should fall back to its natural" opportunity for making extraordinary barriers, and the whole of the Sunon Dis-"profits lasted we took full advantage of trict be ceded to Great Britain. The term "it and placed the Bank in position for which the lense was given by the con-
of immense strength and security. vention, viz., ninety-nine years, should be While taking due note of Mr GRAY's warn- changed for cession in perpetuity, which ing it may also be permissible to Buggest would be more beneficial to both the Gov- that with the opening up of China the ernment and the Chinese population. A Bank's business will probably not be cou- permanent military post or camp should be fined to exchange with finely cut margins, maintained close to the frontier, and two or but that there will be many opportunities three small posts establised in the Kowloon in the future of putting through large fin Territory and manned with Indian troops.ancial transactions and making good profits Regular steamer service should be main- thereon.. tained with the Mirs Bay and Deep Bay dis The China question, Mr. GRAY said, still tricts and with Lantao and Cheungchow, keeps prominently before the world, and is The garrison of the Colony should be im-likely to do so for years. "The great trading mediately raised to six thousand men of all nations," he continued, ** want a prosper arms by the addition of one British and two ous China and equality of opportunity ina Indian regiments and another battery of commerce. I sincerely hope that such may artillery. If there is any difficulty in
"turn out to be the end of all the rivalries obtaining Indian troops, recourse should be" of recent years." That hope, we think, is had to the West Indies and two new regi- likely to be realised, of even if the policy of ments raised there for service in the East. spheres of influence prevails the Powers, The Police Force should at the same time creating spheres will only be allowed to do so be thoroughly and efficiently reorganised, on condition of according commercial equa so that it might, in case of emergency, be lity to all nationalities. But a material called upon to assist the Garrison, the element in contributing to the prosperity of European contingent being doubled and the China would be a sound currency, and on mass of the lukongs replaced by Indians of this point Mr. GRAY's remarks are cal others of British origin. An old ironclad culated to cause some disappointment, not; of the Ajax or similar type, to act as guard only because they do not express any anti- ship, should be stationed here and the oipation of an early reform or any ins flotilla of torpedo boats should be largely tention on the part of the Bank to press increased. Lastly, the southern side of the such reform forward, but also because island should be defended by batteries at they evince what appears to be an certain salient points, and the approaches incomplete appreciation of the facts of to Mira Bay and Castle Peak Bay secured the case. Speaking of India Mr. GRAY as far as possible consistent with a moderate says: Whatever the policy of the Go- outlay. Hongkong would then, if not ren-"vernment of India may be with regard to dered invulnerable, be at least in some sort of a position to repel attack and to gradually- develop into what it ought to become a first class fortification; arsenal; and military centre, from which the British power could look forth complacently upon foreign schemes or native squabbles, at all times in readiness to take any necessary measures to protect British interests wherever and whenever menaced in China.
› Unfortunately this is all true and has been patent to the War Office for years, but nothing is done because funds are short and troops are scarce. So far from adding to the Garrison the latest-aunouncement iu- Parliament on the subject was to the effect that it was proposed to transfer two or three companies of infantry from the solitary British Begiment of the line quartered here to Weihaiwei and replace them by a similar, number of companies of Chinese coolies now being alowly licked into shape by Major BOWEB. We do not want any more Chinese coolies here; we already have a corps of Submarine Miners, who should by good rights be transferred to Singapore and their place filled by a Malay Corps from that place. Chinese troops cannot be depended upon to oppose to Chinese, and they are most undesirable from many points of view. It has been stated that Chinese from the North would be true to their salt if em- ployed in the South and vice versa, and this may be true to a certain extent, but only to an extent. They could not be wholly relied upon, and the experiment of training Chi- nese as✨ soldiers is not one that should be encouraged. If there are different clans, sae, and dialects, the Chinese of all pro- noes have at least a common written lang-
and a common reverence for the Chi- one classics; they have too, customs and habits and modes of thought common to all, above everything, a common bond of athy in their antipathy to people of origin. The British War Office making an experiment at Weihaiwei, it may be confined to that It may possibly answer there, here in no need for the services of the Chinese Regiment " in the field, but we should be very sorry to find it extended, have no wish to see a portion of the hon transferred to this Colony. It rely on the present small 1.to increase the number and
THE HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI BANK MEETING.
ure
currency, the people of India will cons "tinue to use silver, it is their money, and "commodities will be measured in it for many "a day to come." Now commoditicą have. already ceased to be measured in silver in. India. That, we think, is a simple fact that.
Commodities a admits of no dispute. measured in rupees, and rupees represent, not the given amount of silver they cou-. tain, which is worth less than a shilling but the fifteenth part of a pound sterling, or one shilling and fourpence. Commodities, therefore are in effect measured in gold. So in China, when the conversion takes place (Daily Press, 21st August.)
commodities will continue to be measured in The shareholders of the Hongkong and taels or dollars, but the tael or dollar will Shanghai Bank again had a pleasant gather no longer represent only the value of they ing on Saturday morning on the occasion of silver it contains, but a certain part of the half-yearly meeting. The Chairman's re-pound sterling. And the sooner the conver ferences to the strong position of the Bank were received with applause and the allusion to the honour recently conferred upon Sir THOMAS JACKSON, to whom the institution is chiefly indebted for having brought it to that position, afforded special gratification. A Bank, as Mr. GRAY said, wants three things, namely, good character, good man- agement; and solid resources of its own.
sion comes the better will it be for China both politically and commercially and for the foreign merchants engaged in trade. with that country. It is true, as Mr. GBAY - says, that for some time past the China exchange has been almost as steady as that of India, but in the nature of things that cannot continue. The price of silver may rise, or it may fall, but there are certais, tea
t
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