302
thereby known by the public in general and not known by the Governor,
But in spite of all this defendants were fined and sentenced to heavy terms of imprisonment! | The defendants have appealed to Goa against the decision of the judge and it is hoped that justice will ultimately be done.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
appeared, under the beading of “The Situation | in China." in your issue of the 28th September. The portion which I propose to deal with runs as follows.—
|
10
Questioned on matters of wider political significance he expressed his absolute disbelief in even the remote possibility of the partition The effect aimed at by the prosecution seems of China among the European Powers. The to be to gag the press so as to prevent it from administration in accordance with European exposing the legal responsibility of the Governmethods of a single Chinese I'rovince would ment in the affair and thus to shield it from render a veritable army of officials necessary. the knowledge of the Lisbon Government, but To mention one difficulty alone, it would be I am afraid the efforts in this direction will be
almost impossible to heat up a sufficient fruitless, as the Lisbon Government will be number of interpreters 10 carry on the duly apprised of all the facts in connection necessary communication between the Adminis. with this very unfortunate business.
tration and the populace. In an interesting Thanking you for the insertion of this letter passage the ex-Ambassador asserts the absolute and enclosing my card,—I remain, yours faith-impossibility of any collision between fully,
interests of Germany and Russia in China. For the present,' he says, Russia evidently does not cherish the intention of acquiring any further territorial possessions of no e It must further be beld in mind that immense distances divide the Russian spheres of influence from the district of German operations in Kiaocbao. Moreover, Germany has no object in seeking further expansion. German commercial in terests, like those of all other trading nations. gravitate towards the Yangtsze Kiang, which, as the greatest waterway of China, naturally constitutes the centre of attraction for trade
Hongkong, 29th September, 1899.
X. Y. Z.
THE HON. F. H. MAY ON HIS RE- MARKS AT THE SANITARY BOARD.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS. Sir. With regard to what I am reported to have said respecting the Insanitary Properties Bill at the Meeting of the Sanitary Board held on the 28th instant, I find on enquiry that there is no foundation for the report which had reached me to the effect that some influence was being brought to bear to bock this Bill and that the Land Investment Co. wished to build certain houses before the Bill became law. I have therefore to express my regret for the observations made by me.—Yours obediently, F. H. MAY. Hongkong, 30th September, 1899.
THE TRANSVAAL.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS. Dear Sir, Your correspondent Another
*
Britisher" formulates a long list of grievances against the Uitlanders in connection with their irruption into the Transvaal. He speaks as one having knowledge. We can accept his state- ments and yet not feel very much sympathy for the Boers, knowing that their title to the land rests on the very same footing; they desired the land and they did not ask the Kaffire anything about their feelings in the matter bat took it. It has been the same all though the World's history from Caanau to California.
"1
What I would like to ask him, however, is this: Has Britain always been the wrongdoer, is their nothing on the other side, is there no different ante-penultimate chapter in the his- tory of the dealings between Britou and Boer? Another Brit sher seems to be well posted in the matter, I am not, and it is more for the sake of information that I ask what was the state of the country preceeding its annexation by Sir Theophilus Shepstone, and what induced a majority of the people to sign a petition for the British to annex it?
4
the
in the Empire. I have observed, therefore, with un stall pleasure, that the North German Loyd Company has recently de ided to establish its own steamship connection between Shanghai and Haukow. It is a measure calcnlated to promote in the highest degree the interests of Germou trade.
The latter portion of the quotation of the Baron's views is sensible enough, uamely, that the establishment of a great German steamer line on the Yangtsze will lead eminently to the promotion of German trade in that region. It will. however, tend likewise towards the
complication of the political situation in that sphere, and that does not mean the promotion of peace and good order. We now have Britain, France. Germany, Russia, and Japan, each striving to establish large rested interests in the Yangtese Basin, which ought properly, if Britain had a backbone in her political policy as regards China, to be a British Protectorate. When she, however, meekly submitted to a Russian railway from Peking to Hankow she prepared the way for the entry of all the Powers hained abore. Doubtless they would, with the exception of France, unite to resist the Rus- sian conquest of that region, but their own Interests in that case would be so conflicting that it is doubtful whether in trying to over- reach each other that combination would not fall through. Without a question there is a nice Irish stew in process of formation in the Yangtsze Valley, and all the result of British_ political incompetence.
[October 7, 1899
Britain in resisting her advance must push up to the Yellow River. If Britain has to alone bear the burden of this holding back of Russia, Germany may expect scant ceremony from her iu giving bør the final shove over the Shantang Peninsula. I do not think this will be the out- come of events now formulating in Eastern Asia, but that Britain and Germany will be found standing shoulder to shoulder in resisting the Russian advance.
lu speaking of the administration of spheres of influence in China the Baron scouts the idea ou the ground that a veritable army of officials will be required to administer them and that sufficient interpreters could not possibly be tound to attend on this swarm of red tapeists. It will evidently never do to send the Baron out to inaugurate the administra- tion. He seems to have ideas of the necessity of administrating on lines followed in Ger many, where if a German invites a friend to spend a few days with him, or a friend 'arrives ou a visit of more than twenty-four hours, he has immediately to rush off to the plice station to report the matter,or,il neglecting to do so, render himself and his friend liable to be looked up. This is only giving one example of how matters are administered in Gortuany. Such methods i rince Henry will would never do for China. dave to send a few German officials to India to learn there how Britain administers vast tracts
of territory and hundreds of millions of people with a handful of officiams, in the same way tuat he sent German ofiteers to Wellalwei to learn how to raise and drill Chinese troops. They can, too, go over to the New Territory belong. ing to this colony and see the moipient ad. ministration of British China, which means to let the people rule themselves, only holding the village elders responsible for order and levying a fine on villages that commit grave irregulari- ties in their area of country, such as palling down telegraph wires, etc
Perhaps the wordy Darou has Irish blood in his veins and may be depended on to develope surprising inconsistencies. If so I take back all I have said, for i nave an immense adiniration for the Irish character taken as a whole, while very much tickled with its pecunities and va- garios. Taking this view the Baton may yet make an able administrator for Germany's new sphere in China. To give an illustration of Irish inconsistency as exhibited in regard to the China Question. Lord Beresford came out here and vigorously advocated the integrity of China, gave what he considered excellent reasons for tuat and for maintaining the Open Door, which, according to him, could only be kept open by maintaining China's integrity; he went home and declared publicly that China was not in the least likely to disintegrate, that she had plenty of vitality, etc., then he wrote a book and called it, of course, The lutegrity of China," or The Open Door, or some other suitable title one would naturally conclude. Not much. His book now circulates under the title of theBreak-up of China" and doubtless the facile Lord will in due course be found vigerously attacking the home Government for not occupying Paning belore Russia or Germany get established there.
41
If a handful of British merchants with a few
of their own troops conquered and administered India, another Company took over and admin- istered Nigeria, another, British East Africa, another, British South Africa, aut another
Turning to that portion of the Baron's views which treat of the regions to the north of the Yaugtsze Valley we find him hopelessly out of The matter did not interest me much at the
bis depth.
Ho says that Russia has no inten- time but it seems now that I can remember
tion of acquiriry any futher territorial posses- reading of the deplorable state into which the
sions of note. Does the Baron really believe this? Republic had fallen. no money even to pay If so, while not wishing to be impolite, we may officials, the whole machinery of government consider him more or less of a simpleton. disorganized, and threatened attacks from the Why on earth, then, is Russia pouring out her surrounding natives there led by powerful troops to the Far East by tens of thousands? chiefs. From that state of collapse was it not England's hand saved the country, and has she Why is it that she has her soldiers at Hankow pulling up British fences? Why is she adding not since by her actions ended the constant battleship after battleship and cruiser after crui- danger that threatened the Boer of uprisings ser to her fleets in these waters? Why is she us- of the natives in revenge for their brutal treating every sadeavour to get into railway comm.ni. cation with Peking by seyoral different routes? Why did she propose to the British Government to make the Yellow River the boundary of their mutual spheres, or, in other words, to divide China between them? The Baron saya that immense distances divide the Russian spheres of influence from the district of German opera- TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY. PR488.' in Kiaochao Well, I was under the impression that the Yellow River passed through Slantung, but perhaps I am wrong,
ment of them?
I write very vaguely as I am not sure of my ground, but if
Another Britisher" will give some reliable information on the facts I am sure it will be appreciated by many, as most of the question is very imperfectly understood. With thanks for the favour of insertiou, I am, deur sir, yours, faithfully,
L
Hongkong. 29th September, 1899.
BARON VON HEYKING'S EXPRESSED VIEWS ON THE SITUATION IN CHINA.
If the worthy Baron really respresents Ger- many's policy in China, which, by the way, I for one do not believe he does, Germany will cer- tainly in the long run be squeezed out by the collision of British and Russian interests as each TO THE EDITOR OF TUR DAILY PRESS. is advanced towards the Yellow River. Russia is Sir, I should like to review the late Gertheonly Power who shows clearly what she wants man Minister's reported utterances which · and what she means to have if she can get it, and
#
British North Boruco, it is not beyond the resources of Germany to take over and adminis- ter the Yellow River Valley or of Great Britain to hold the Yangtane Valley.
OLD CHINA HAND. Hongkong, 1st October, 1899,
THE PLAGUE IN HONGKONG.
>
SIR, Out of the 1,400 fatal cases of plague that have occurred this year in Hongkong in no less than 700 of these cases the dead bodies of the unfortunate deceased have been found lying in the streets, having been removed from the houses in which they dwelt. As the streets are patrolled at night by police it seems strange that no persons have been taken up by the police for this offence.-Yours,
DEAD BODIES IN THE STREET. Hongkong, 22nd October, 1899.
#1
i
1
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.