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July 1, 1901.1
GERMANY IN THE FAR EAST.
(Daily Press, 24th June.)
It requires no special penetration to see at the present time that Germany is taking her new position in the world very seriously. Whether we read the home or the coloumi Press of Germany or listen to the speeches of the Kaiser himself, the burden is invari. ably the inevitable rise of Germany in the scale of inations. The Emperor WILLIAM declared at Hamburg last week that the future of the country ly upon the waters. Among all who have read the brief report of his speech, residents in the Far East are the least likely to doubt his foresight. Within the past two years we have seen more and more shipping pass under the German flag. Like Mr. PIERPONT MORGAN the Germans know the advantage of taking over old established business rather than creating new in opposi tion to that already existing.
By the simple process of paying money down, Germany has lately transformed a modest trade in South-Eastern Asia into a most
we may seem
80
•
.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
(Daily Press, 29th June.)
Bo,
able
ccupa
So too have Japan, the United States, any or what he did not do, at all European Power, and they are all equally agreed that he had been, entitled to assert it if they choose. Equal somewhat adroitly, the Emper Britain has always insisted on for the been brought about by Count rights for all 1 commerce is what Great to point to the good understandi Tangtsze, as also, with varying success, in SEE. If any political lesson the rest of China. It perhaps in the speech, so far from point the consciousness of Germany's monopoly in connection between Germany and the exploitation of Shantung which makes it rather indicated that Russia would have our Shanghai
Contemporary s so uneasy done better if, instead of trying to work The German
at Shanghai is now out merely her own aggrandisement, she had pointed to as the guardian of the "Open thrown herself in with the lino indicated by is "a sign of particular political shrewdness questionable attempts to force Door" on the Yangtze, and its maintenance the Count and had abstained from her private on the part of the German Government."
convention on China detrimental to, The "Open Door" seems to be of the kind interests not only of Ching, but doorstep to keep it open. At any rate our there is some explanation of a cour which requires four policemen sitting on the Europe generally, If auch be the case northern neighbour is to enjoy for some subsequent action otherwise difficult to indefinite time more the doubtful privilege comprehend. Germany is doubtless sincere Great Britain, France, and Japan. We do tion from which she understands, of four foreign garrisons-from Germany, in wishing to terminate a military not feel confident that the residents will plainly as Great Britain, that she gains no cordially accept the prospect.
advantage equivalent to the drain and expense. She is moreover anxious in the valuable commercial asset. In her o
possession
face of Russia to avoid a misunderstanding on the Shantung coast she has established
that would give the latter Power a plausible hereself firmly in North China. The Yung- It is one of the favourite functions, appar-excuse for continuing her occupation, so, tsze region remains. In the old days (asently, of the present German Emperor from while as far as possible withdrawing from call them now, so remote do they time to time to astonish the world by some the north, she yet wished to have her troops British politicians and writers could oracular utterance, the meaning of which is handy in case of emergency. To withdraw talk lightly of the "sphere of influence" left to be interpreted, as the Delphic Oracle them to Kiaochau was doubtless open to secured for the'r country in the valley of old, by the result. The interpretation misconstruction, so, as Shanghai_in_the of the Yangtze, and they could do furthest from the Emperor's intention is in Kriegspiel has hitherto been considered without challenge from Continental the majority of cases placed upon some a no-man's land, where spare troops and critics. Then Germany and Bussin had simple sentence, and the most bizarre progi.stores could always be dumped without not gained their foothold in China. nostications for the future are founded on infringing the rules of the game, it Now they have, and with the bulk of the simplest indications. The usual explana apparently seented that the forces with Europe be'ind them they can
turn tion of these supposed oracular utterances drawn would if landed there be out of the attention to Mid-China. They have lost no is that the Emperor in the fulness of his calculation. This was probably at the time in so doing. The German Press in heart, lets slip at unexpected moments bottom of the suggestion, rather than that Europe and in the Far East has taken up something of the current of his private any unfrienly action with regard to England the cause as a labour of love. We gave last thoughts. According to these interpreters was intended or thought of. Shanghai hag week the gist of an article in our German the Emperor is no more capable of keeping already the pleasure of sheltering not only contemporary in Shanghai, Der Ostasiatische his secret thoughts to himself than was the German but British, French, and Japanese Lloyd, in which the situation on the Yangtze, Lydian queen who, having vowed to tell to troops, not as a hostile step, but as a from a German point of view, was fully dis- no mortal her tale, confided to the listening convenient backwater, out of the eddy cpssed. Coming as it did just after, Admiral reeds the secret of her soul that her of international whirlpoola ; and to continue SEYMOUR'S warning utterances at the China husband had asses' ears. Unfortunately we the utilisation of the place a little longer Association dinner on the 10th instant, the in China are at the moment being made the doubtless seemed at first sight-reasonable, purport of the article is not likely to be innocent victims of the whims of the latest But it unfortunately happens that the missed. The Ostasiatische Lloyd writer interpreters of the oracle. So lately as position of affairs there, though hitherto tells us that the change in the situa- the 18th May, the birthday of the TSAR of with a good deal of mutual-forbearance it tion is due to the increased respect of the RUSSIA came about. The Emperor WILLIAM has been possible to maintain a show of Powers (and, in particular, of England) for had arranged to be present at a review of good feeling, is by no means satisfactory; Germany. He thinks that the energetic his troops about the time, and, it being the and there are appearing ominous signs that action of the German troops in Chihli has custom on his Court that the representative the joint and several occupations, cannot had an effect a statement which it is of each crowned head should in person visit much longer be maintained, and as Great permissible to doubt, for it cannot be made the Emperor on the birthday of his sovereign Britain has long since acquired & certain out that Germany did more than other and receive the customary congratulations, senior rights, which although long held in nations, and in some respects her arrange the Russian Amassador was present. As abeyance are never been surrendered, it ments broke down badly. But it cannot be an act of courtesy to his neighbour, the becoming clear that some definite course of _doubted that the rise of German commerce German Emperor did the graceful act of action must be arrived at. It is under and sea-power together have very powerfully postponing the review till the actual birth- these circumstances that the proposal has affected the position of affairs in China. day of the Tsar. If Sovereigns were, on naturally excited a good deal of opposition. With regard to the Yangtsze valley, how account of those national struggles and We have nothing to complain of in the ever, in spite of the fact that our “ sphere jealousies which until the millenium must conduct of Germany, and -for- German of influence” used to be g ibly talked about, always exist between adjacent states, to troops we gave nothing but good to say, but there was never any desire among level-carry into their private lives every petty joint occupations have at all times been headed statesmon and writers to see this cause of national difference, the coveted fertile mother of difficulties, region annexed to the British Empire. It station of sovereign would indeed not be England nor Germany ha was indeed claimed that if such a cata worth the striving for. So thought the break the good strophe as the dismemberment of China Emperor WILLIAM II, and so doubtless existing, we trust that t were to take place, no other Power could be thought the majority of his subjects, Plea | his site see how fraugh allowed to take over the Yangtze Valley, but all the time such dismemberment was strongly condemned. Now the Powers generally whether all in sincerity or not cannot be said, have pledged themselves against n partition of China, and there is no longer any question of any one annexing the Yangtara region. The Germa i- blu on the point therefore appears to us superfluous" Germany has gained here now equal rights, which are knowledged," says the Ostariatusche Lloyd.
sant acts were doubtless all the better for the accompaniment of pleasant words, and the Emperor apparently introduced the last little incident of current talk. A break in the clouds that had been hanging over China. had just appeared, and it seemed for the first time possible to remove the rule of brute force, and bring Count,von 88% licme. here hnd 1
good friction about this chune Count vor A DEESBE, ALE willing to acknowledge that he had done his best ; and what he did
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be the carrying out of situation all round is a complice hitherto unprecedented one, premonitory symtom of wha in the future reduce, stand o – oints of frictio
orld in Shan
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