1
April 21, 190o, 1
|
should be free to carry goods anywhere in the Empire of China; and yet, to gut goods carried from Hankow to Changsha in Hunan, they are forced to be taken up to Yo- chow in one steamer, discharged there, de- clared at the lekin barrier and sent in an other steamer to their destination. It is true that, as far as we are aware; it is the only case where any real attempt has been made to carry out the terms of the agree- ment, even in the restricted sense put upon it by the Chinese, and for this Mr. MORSE, the Commissioner, is justly congratulated by the Daily News, but the nature and effect of the restriction imposed does not appear to have struck our northern comtemporary, as the leader referred to goes on to say that the natural course would seem to be that the new port of Yocho should be the depot from which large light-draft steamers should run with passengers and goods up the Siang river. On the contrary, we says it is no more the natural depot than would be the entrance of the Lyemoon Pass if the Government of this Colony forced all ships arriving from or going to Europe, to dis harge and load o there; the goods and passengers to be brought to and from the City of Victoria in other vessels.
Or if, instead of steamers going up to the City of Canton, they were stopped at the Bue Forts and compelled to transfer everybo ly an everything into other steamers which go thence up to Canton. And this due
по
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
SHANGHAI MUNICIPAL GOVERN- MENT.
269
deal of harm, inasmuch as it effectually | to a colony-ench as providing for its own stops direct steam traffic between the great defence. Beginning its municipal existence cities of Changsha, Siangtan, and Hankow. as a city of refuge, when the whole of the ing ground both at home and in the Far of rebellion and overrun by the hordes of n appreciation of this fact is largely gain- lower valley of the Yangtse was in a state East, due to presistent and repeated repre- the Taiping insurgents, it has during its sentations madei n the columns of this paper, entire existence been a standing temptation - and such men as Mr. WALTON and Sir to the surrounding elements of disorder. THOMAS JACKSON, amongst others, have From long experience it has learnt th· utter gone home fully im: ressed with the neces- incapacity of the Chinese Government, how... sity of bringing it forcibly before the Gov- ever well affected, to afford it any assis- ernment.
taude; but the Chinese Government has not always been well affected, and at various times the administration of the Settlements has had to show that it was prepared to de- (Daily Press, 18th April.)
fend its own. True, these occasions have We have before us a small pamphlet, en-
been rare, and for the most part the pro- titled Debates, Proceedings and Votes of the admirable accord with the municipality, but vincial governments have worked in Shanghai Ratepayers in Public Meeting an occasional reactionary Viceroy has from assembled, which presents some topics of in- time to time afforded indications that he terest to a Crown Colony as to the means would, did he dare, make the further exig which recommend themselves to a community tence of the Settlement impossible. From which is almost untrammelled by govern- the instinct of self-preservation the com- mental interference, and which has been munity has ever found it necessary to left to work out its own anlvation along the uphold an efficient body of armed volunteers, lines of least resistance. The first thing and to provide them with the most approved, that strikes the reader is the orderly man- ner in which the debates are conducted, and hai from being at one period of its exis arms and ammunition. Again Shang the ready acquiescence of all in the rulings tence a merely temporary resting-place, has of the Chair. The meeting, probably a fair specimen of others, evidently entered on its hundreds, if not thousands, of European now become the settle. residence of many task not only with a full knowledge of what families; it possesses a healthy climate it had come to discuss, but with a determin- and has already a large juvenile com ation to permit each subject before it to be munity growing rapidly into import- natural obstacle such as want of w.ter,
discussed on its merits; more than this, itance; and on its own shoulders rests the &c., but simply to arbitrary and obstruc- showed the knowledge of constitutional obligation of providing for their education. tive regulations drawn up in the first place practice, and a due regard for legal prece For the European portion of the population by Sir RoBELT HART and agreed to by the
dent, and the appeal made to its judicial steps were taken a few years ago, and have British Minister; the latter actuated, as we faculty as to the legality of the action of proved eminently satisfactory; but over have often said, by an entirely mistaken the Municipal Council was met by a refer- and beyond these children of European iden of the nature of trade in China; ence to past precedents bearing on the case. extraction, there are thousands of Chinese and the former by au only too accurate The topics under discussion included sub- children who are being brought from year knowledge of the way to stop what hejects of education and sanitation, such as is not, or thinks he is not, prepared to seldom enter into merely municipal discus- civilisation, as
to year in closer contact with the higher sion, and it is worthy of remark that they pledged to local ties. Accustomed to the well as becoming more were dicussed, not from the narrow view of freer life under foreign rule, the rising mere municipal finance, but as involving generation of native settlers is becoming as questions of statecraft, and on the wide much attached to its new home as the others, princip es which concern their bearing here- and is rapidly losing its singularity. The after on a rising community, which feels that feeling of common citizenship is growing up it has an important part to play in the in an unwonted soil, and a fusion of in- future development of a great city, if not on the future of China. Still more remark this feeling has been displaying itself terests is bringing about a fusion of feeling; able is the fact that, although the native lately in many ways. The ordinary opinion element is not directly represented at these that the Chinaman as an individual is en- meetings, the foreign residents are fully tirely without patriotism has in the Foreign conscious of the duties they owe to the large Settlements been proved to be founded on a native population amidst which they live, misconception, as he has evinced a very and evince no desire to shift their burdens on sympathetic interest in the affairs of the to the shoulders of their unre presented fellow nation. Left free to have an opinion, he citizens. This conduct has met with appre- has not been backward in expressing it, ciation, and won the coufidence of the Chinese and to a man native opinion is loyal to population. It has done even more, for in the the Emperor. More especially is he at one Proclamation issued last year by the Viceroy with the Emperor's desire to improve the of the Kiangnan Provinces, extending the system of education, and this he displayed government of the Settlements over a large in a very practical and characteristic additional area, this good government was manner by offering to erect a school for the made the ground for the concession. The better education of the youth of the Settle strongest proof, however, of the generalments, if the Council would assist it in the good management prevailing is that, where- same manner as it already does the present as in the year 1890 the total revenue of the Public School for the education of the Eu- Municipality amounted to 462,000 taels, the ropean youth. This proposal was brought Budget for the coming year as laid before up at the Meeting of the Ratepayers, and the ratepayers amounted to 995,000 taels, it is worthy of note, as indicating how or more than double within the short period sible of their responsibilities are the ordin- of ten years. As part of the ordinary work-ary voters, that the justice and expediency ing of a large city, the Council, a small body of nine men annually elected, has to look after the lighting, maintenance and police of a city of upwards of three hundred thousand inhabitauts, in itself uo light task; but it has to do more, and this is the distinguishing feature of the situation. Shanghai is not a colory, yet it has to assume functions more especially belonging
tackle.
-
The comparison we make is strictly applicable to the case of Yochow, and the foreign merchant has shown his appreciation of the fact and his common sense by not embarking any of his vessels fu an under- taking which is bound to prove unprofitable, for the very simple reason that there will be no cargo for them to carry. The tea trade affords an excellent illustration. A very great deal of this comes down from Tung- ting Lake to Haukow but none under transit pass, which is proof positive either that, lekin is cheaper than the trust dues, or else that some other counterbalancing drawback is attached to the pass. This tea can under existing circumstances be brought down the Lake to Yochow at its mouth, paying (theoret cally) the same taxation as if juk borne. At Yo how it is all turned out of the steamer that brought it down and put into another one to be taken to Han- kow. For this latter privilege a duty and half will be levied on it as a contribution to the Imperial Treasury. This is what Sir ROKERT HART is pleased to term "keeping separate the Imperial and Provincial re- There is not the slightest doub: that it will be effe tual, but so effectual that we should be inclined to call it killing th goose that lays the golden eggs! Hankow is the proper and natural entre from which steamers should be allowed to run to the Tungtung Lake-or auywhere else; simply because it is a large city and a large centre of trade. Until that is done the fact of opening what is practically a bouded warehouse" of no great size at the mouth of the Lake, under the name of a treaty port inunan, will certainly do no good and will, we havé nu hesitation in saying, do a
venues."
+4
་
Ben-
of the proposal were acknowledged without a dissenting voice, and the discussion turned on the paactical issue as to how such a scheme could be brought to render the beat effects. Amongst the other numer- ous questions which have to occupy the attention of the community are those con nected with such usually extraneous matters to a municipality as railways, telegraphs,
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.