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THE INDEMNITY AND THE TARIFE.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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of the Tariff before agreeing as to any details, and there will be no great difficulty in obtaining a fairly unanimous one rier and customs stations and consolidating as to the desirability of abolishing the bar. the numerous imposts into one duty, which shall frank the goods to any destination. It is by this means alone, that the large in- crease in the Tariff can be justified, and by this means, too, that trade can be developed with the interior markets now practically closed to foreign goods. Perhaps these remarks may prove a little premature, for no agreement has yet been actually arrived at, but it is encouraging to note that it is within something like measurable distance, and we trust that it will not be long before an actual basis of settlement is come to. The fact that the Chinese Imperial Court is expected to arrive at Kaifeng-fu next month would seem to point to a belief that
The Court will not, we may be sure, tarry longer than necessary at Kaifeng; the Emperor is reported to be extremely anxious to get back to Peking with as little delay as possible. If the position is irksome and expensive to the Treaty Powers, it is no less awkward and costly to the Chinese Government.
RUSSIA AND MANCHURIA.
(Daily Press, 11th May.)
MSDOEFF
[May 20, 1901. such thing as past history. With regard to the conclusion that Count and his colleagues have been actuated by Russian Government in the affairs the principles which invariably guide the East and in their relations with other the
Powers, position we are not concerned to deny; , as the Times says, is a pro- nobody need question that Russia's action has been strictly in accordance with pre- cedent, but those who know her diplomatic history best will be the least disposed to. draw from the fact the inference she desires. Dr. MORRISON declares that at Peking there ations and assurances. The Times correspon- was no pretence of believing Russian explan- dent's actual words, contained in a telegram of the 7th ult, were"The Russian oir- "cular to the Powers respecting China's rejection of the Manchurian Convention "might have impressed the Chinese mind
now assumed were in less glaring contrast “with the violence and threats which pre- ceded its rejection. The Chinese fully
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(Daily Press, 15th May.) The special telegram received yesterday from Shanghai, and |ublished in our columns, has no doubt been read with much | interest. The Chinese Government, it is reported, now offer to pay an indemnity of Tls. 450,000,000 in thirty equal annual instalments, including Tls. 10,000,000 from Salt Revenue, Tls. 2,000,000 from natiye Customs, and Tls. 2,000,000 from lekin. They also stipulate that the Tariff shall be increased. From this it would seem that the Chinese Government at any rate proposes to continue the present pernicious system of two Customs services and to perpe- tuate the lekin levy, If so, these decisions to be regretted, and will, we hope, yet be abandoned. According to the N-C Herald of the 8th inst, if the Chinese Go-a modus vivendi will be found before then."more if the air of injured innocence vernment agree to pay the amount claimed, the troops will be withdrawn from Peking, except the necessary garrison, the Emperor will return and take the reins of govern- ment, order will gradually be restored in the North, and trade will resume its beneficent task of smoothing over racial hostilities. The present proposal of the Chinese Government for payment of in- demnity is less than the sum named by the Foreign Ministers, to wit £65,000,000, or roughly Tls. 480,000,000, but it is probable this difference will be bridge without much difficulty, and it is satisfactory to hear that the Foreign Ministers have agreed that any increase of the Tariff is to be conditional on the abolition of lekin on foreign goods. As our Shanghai contemporary says, while this is a step in the right direction, it does not go far enough, because it will leave open a door for endless disputes, arising from mis- takes as to what are and are not foreign goods. The Chinese official is so ingenious that if a crack be left through which he can insinuate his way, he will, cockroach-like, flatten himself sufficiently to do so. It is also reported that Sir ROBERT HART pro. poses to collect the duties at a fixed rate of 68. 8d. for the Haikwan Tael, which would be équivalent to more than doubling the tariff. If this be the case, the Powers could not consent to the Tariff being raised to 10 per tent, ad valorem, or the duties would be quadrupled. We should think there must be some mistake here. It is gratifying to learn that the Powers have not overlooked the question of the opening of the inland waterways to foreign trade and navigation. This privilege, nominally conceded to Sir CLAUDE MACDONALD, is to be converted into a genuine concession, unfettered by ridiculous stipulations such as those which rendered the opening of the West River a costly and
and disappointing farce.
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If the news given by our Shanghai con- temporaries be correct, then the protests recently sent home by the Hongkong and Shanghai Chambers of Commerce will be unnecessary; but it is just as well they were made, for there are still some points
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The papers which reached the Colony by yesterday's mail bring further details of Russia's official and semi-official defence of her attitude with regard to China, particu- larly in the matter of Manchuria. We have already had the bare outlines of this defence, but it is worth while to quote a few of the actual words which were used by the Journal de St. Petersbourg on the 8th ult. This semi-official organ, commenting on the Government exposition of Russia's policy, said:"The Russian Government had been obliged to send troops into Manchuria, "while entertaining none of those schemes "of annexation which certain foreign news- papers had wrongly ascribed to it, and pretending to no protectorate. The rail- way in question [the Chinese Eastern Railway] is one of universal interest, but “it is due to the efforts of Russia that it "has come to be constructed. It was, "therefore, necessary to make certain that "the work could be prosecuted in the future "in all security, and it was the obtaining of guarantees in this respect that the Bus "sian Government had in view in the recent negotiations with the Chinese Government. 'It is self-evident that no military measures "for the gradual evacuation of Manchuria "could be adopted until these guarantees were given by China. From the moment when the conclusion of an arrangement to “this effect became impossible, by reason of the obstacles encountered by the Chinese Government, Russia, while abiding faith "fully by her political programme as laid 'down more than ouce, resolved to wait until a normal state of things should be *re-established in China and a central Gov-
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realize that this contrast is due to the atti- "tude of other Powers which Russia "afford to disregard. Nor can the main- I cannot tenance of occupation which Rusɛii now “announces make much impression, as the difference between this and the so-called ' restitution under the proposed convention "is scarcely appreciable. The ascendency of "Russia in recent years in Peking has been "based mainly on the Chinese belief that "Russia was the only Power whose threats must be taken seriously, because her night was irresistible. This belief has "received a blow all the more severe be- cause Japan, whom the Russians affected "to treat with the utmost contempt, has month has elapsed since these words were
had the largest share in dealing it.” written, but recent events have thrown no further light on the Manchurian question. We have reproduced elsewhere an article by Prince KONOYE, which appeared in the new Japanese bilingual magazine The Toyo, wherein the question is discussed in an in- teresting manner. It is plain that Japan is becoming more and more convinced that Russian domination in Manchuria a standing menace to the peace of the Far East and to the position of Japan her self in particular. The opinion of Europe is divided between those the majority, we fear-who have come to the conclusion that Manchuria cannot escape Russianisation and those who agree with the Japanese view. We fancy that there is little doubt among the more far-seeing commercial men settled in the Far East that a Russian Manchuria means a closed province. The China League has taken the lead at home interests in China in the task of converting among other bodies who
watch over British
Great Britain generally to this view. We trust that it may succeed in creating a strong enough public interest in the matter"" to encourage our irresolute Government to act with decision, and with as little delay as possible in seeing that Russia carries out her pledges about Manchuria. We are told
to be insisted upon, and in any case it is "ernment, independent and that the shelving of the Manchurian Con--
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of the highest importance that the views of strong to offer guarantees against the two most important commercial bodies."newal of the recent disorders, should be in the Far East should be set clearly forth" restored to power." at a crisis like that which has now arisen in China. The question of internal taxation
so large and difficult that too much attention cannot be paid to it at the present moment. The British Minister will no doubt redeem the promise made by his predecessor Sir Claude MACDONALD to the Chambers of Commerce at Hongkong g and Shanghai, to afford them the chance of expressing their opinions on the revision
It will be seen that the universality of the interest in the Chinese Eastern Railway is insisted on, the fact that Russian efforts led to the line's construction being used sas a plausible excuse for Russia's action in Man- churia, while the Manchurian Convention is pointed to as
as an attempt to guarantee its security. The case is very well put, from the Russian point of view, and might calculated to deceive us if there were no
more than an initial success, which promises, ? vention was a victory. It is really little
victory for the cause of the however, if followed up to result in China
egrity
Japanese
Li Ha
pedition,
Pasting fu,
Imperial Court at Hsian-fu. effect of furth
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