384
INDEMNITIES AND THE TARIFF.
(Daily Press,: 7th May.)
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
on
[May 11, 1901.
of
agree
some specious plea of public ex-Concessions is rather to be viewed with pedience, then it will be time to appeal to equanimity. Russian designs on Tientsin the nation to take the reins from im- and on Chibli generally are more likely to potent hands. Months ago the Chamber be checked by a strong combination of other Confirmation of the rumour that a major- of Commerce and the various branches of Powers interested in the freedom the ity of the Foreign Representatives at Peking the China Association pleaded for a strong port and province, and every Concession are favourable to a loan to China for pay. British Minister at Peking. That plea imposes a responsibility on the Power taking ment of the various indemnities was afforded
was disregarded, and Sir ERNEST SATOW it up. This is certainly so, and we in our London telegrams yesterday. Dr.
was suffered to remain in charge of with our contemporary that the more in- MORRISON, the Times correspondent at all British interests. We do not wish terests there are established in the metro- Peking, telegraphs that the Foreign Minis- to disparage or depreciate that gentleman; politan Province, the greater will be the ters generally favour a loan of sixty-five he is all able and conscientious check to the insidious pretension of Russia. millions under international guarantee. Minister, but neither by training nor It is possible to carry the claims on China They (presumably the Ministers favour-by experience has he acquired the weight for land too far, as has undoubtedly been able to the scheme) unanimously recom- or the prestige necessary to enable him to done in the case of the Legation area at mend as securities the Imperial Maritime cope with Chinese craft on the one hand Peking. The situation at Tientsin, how- Customs and an increase of the import and Muscovite subtlety on the other. If ever, is different, for there is ample room tariff, effective at 5 per cent." What is only he is properly supported by the Secre- at present to meet all the requirements of meant by the word "effective" we are at a loss tary of State all may yet be well, however, the Powers, and provided that one piece to know; but it is at any rate perfectly and to this end we trust that the various of ground is not sold twice over, as seems clear that the hungry Ministers are ready to Chambers of Commerce in the Far to have been done in the matter of the land sanction an increase in the tariff, mak- East and the branches of the China Associa-on which the disputed siding was being ing it 10 per cent. ad valorem instead of tion will raise their voices in unwavering constructed, there seems little danger to be 5 per cent. as at present. We cannot denunciation of the course proposed to be anticipated from the expansion of the vari- believe for one moment that the Bri- taken with regard to the indemnities. Let ous foreign ́ areas. The Chinese owners of tish Minister would sauction such a that be settled first; the question of the the ground presumably get the price which measure as this without exacting ample increase of the tariff should be taken in they ask, and are content. The only risks guarantees and concessions in return, for to hand subsequently and free action left to are run by those who take up the Conces- agree to such
an increase without such the Ministers in the matter.
sions, for they have before them the task of conditions would be absolutely suicidal.
trying to make them pay. It is all very well for Powers like Russia, which possess little or no sea-borne trade with China, to agree to such a reckless proposal; they would lose little and might, in the case of Russia, even gain by some of the Chinese trade leing diverted overland; but for the Powers engaged in the sea-borne trade it would mean a serious blow, alto- gether out of proportion to any advantage gained by prompt payment of the in- demnities. Great Britain and the United States are not in such urgent want of a few millions of taels that they are ready to sacrifice their trump card for the redress of commercial grievances the hydra- headed monster of lekin; the endless barrier stations, whereat exactions are multiplied until the goods can get no farther, and the markets of the interior are hopelessly lost
CONCESSION-HUNTING AT TIENTSIN.
(Daily Press, 8th May.)
THE COREAN LOAN.
(Daily Press, 9th May.)
A short time ago our Tientsin correspondent It seems probable that there is much wrote to us concerning the zeal manifested exaggeration in the recent reports which for concession-hunting by the Powers at have come to us through Japanese. sources Tientsin. A leading article in the last number with regard to Corea. There is no con- to hand of the Peking and Tientsin Times firmation of the statement that the MCLEAVY deals with the same subject, and some of BROWN incident has been re-opened; and the remarks there made are worth quotation. certainly none that he has again been Our contemporary says:-"There has been deprived of the Commissionership of nothing in the recent commercial history Customs. We cannot imagine that even the "of the Port to justify the extraordinary and Corean Government is so weak as by such "roseate future now predicted for it, or to action to invite again the disaster only just' "account for the eagerness of the six Great escaped within the last few weeks. With "Powers, Belgium and Japan to establish regard to the French loan, soberer eritics "themselves in self-governing Settlements are making themselves heard, and the first
K
to them; the invention of new and illegal" on the Pei Ho. It is true that there are outery seems to have been without sufficient
'taxes en route, when merchandise has left the treaty port; the competition of native with the foreign-managed customs in order to secure declaration of goods there, thus robbing foreign steamers of all chance of sharing in the carriage of produce; and the shallow and impudent devices resorted to in order to nullify the benefits looked for from the opening of the Chinese waterways to foreign navigation. We can only hope that, as they do not feel the monetary pressure, they will not join in the action of
蓄着
"
44
"
some grounds for modest optimism in justification. As it is pointed out, there is "estimating the future of Tientsin; the no proof whatever that the French Govern- place is still the natural outlet for the meût is concerned, however strong may be "trade of three whole provinces and of vast the suspicions thereof; and there is no "territories belonging to two others; in its argument to oppose to M. PAVLOV's de- "hinterland there is a population of some-claration that Russia is not concerned in thing between eighty and a hundred the affair. The money is furnished by the "millions of people with whom foreign trade Yunnan Syndicate, which consists of French, "is in its merest infancy, and who are able Belgian and British capitalists, and the "to produce many things which the West Russo-Chinese Bank has no part in the loan. "and Japan need, as well as to consume Japan is of course sensitive in all matters "some that they supply. On the other concerning Corea, but she cannot expect the needier and less interested hand, it is equally clear that Tientsin will to prevent Corea from borrowing money reign representives. If supported strong- "not much longer have a monopoly as the when she requires it, especially as she ly at London and Washington they will Northern emporium: as railways and cannot herself well supply Corea's wants at stand firm, but unfortunately both the "other trade routes are multiplied, we may the present moment. As the Japan Mail British and American Foreign Offices are reasonably expect the rivalry of Tsintao puts it, Corea is not to be kept in a sadly wanting in grit when affairs in the "and Chingwantao to become more acute; state of starvation because Japan has Far East are concerned. They are, too, as they wax, our chief hope that Tientsin not the means to supply her with bread. liable to yield for the sake of preserving the "interests will not wane, lies in that increase They are very ill-advised friends of Japan, "concert of Powers." If they could be "of the volume of trade which is pretty therefore, who in the English and verna- brought to understand that in Peking there "certain to follow better political and social cular Press of that country talk about the is really no such thing as a concert, or that conditions.
At the present moment, possibility of war being necessary to coun- if there is a concert it is of the European we have eight nationalities almost tumbling teract "this Franco-Russian move." The Continental Powers against the Anglo- over each other in their anxiety to secure suspicion may be justified in time that the Saxon and Japanese, then some kind of an "extensive Cor cessions, for be it known French Government is concerned, but proof end might be put to the process of-to use "that the infection has spread to the is lacking, and it is absurd to take the tohe a vulgar, but expressive phrase-“ wiping | “ possessors of the older Settlements, and adopted by some of the Japanese papers in our eye." It is some slight consolation to "that all are now keen on extending their the matter. When, however, the Japan know that the Times will not fail to act as 'borders." Mentor to the Foreign Office in London. The great London paper is well posted not only on current wants but also as to the full and, we may justly add, the fatal signi- ficance of the step now proposed. That it will eak plainly we have good reason to hope, and if the warning is disregarded
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The northern journal goes on to point out that it is not the immediate prospects of trade which occasion this rush for land, so much as the resolution to secure coigns of advantage which may lead to part cipation in trade benefits later on. From the point of view of higher politics, the multiplication of
Mail, after deprecating such an attitude on the part of Japan as her irresponsible ad- visers would have her take, and stating the only facts known about the French loan, goes on to say that "France's policy in everything relating to Far Eastern affairs has been moderate and conservative of Iste years," we cannot help feeling surprised.
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