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CHINA AND THE WORLD'S
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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[October 12, 1901.
has abated one jot its intentions, while the danger is more imminent than ever that, while the attentions of the others are diver- ted elsewhere, some one of the number may introduce a short-circuit, which may induce a premature explosion of the whole. If the world were in a less nervous state there would be but little danger, but unluckily nervons ess is just now epidemic, and nervous ess and rashuess are too frequent companions.
BUILDING AND SURFACE-
CROWDING IN HONGKONG.
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to his obliging friend. On the foundation thus laid, Russia did not fail to at once set PEACE PROSPECTS.
about the erection of a vast edifice. In the! (Daily Press, 8th October.). then unpeopled wilds of Western America What is likely to be the condition of pioneer spirits did not fail to see that the affairs in China in October, 1902 ? The first problem towards introducing a popula- question may seem almost impertinent, yet tion was to provide some way of entrance; on the issue may depend much of the future rails were laid on the open prairie without history of the twentieth century. There is, fhe usual requirement of survey or levelling. of course, no particular reason why the leaving to a succeeding generation the task commencement of a century should make of completing the road. Russia in North any ripple-mark even in the course of Asia was equally careless: her foundation international affairs. The 31st December, was notoriously rotten and insecure, but of 1900, marked no one peculiar feature more that, provided she could run up a “look-see than any other 31st December in history house of lath and plaster she is profoundly any more than the growth of the moon as indifferent. Hitherto the sham elifice has visible from the earth makes any conceiv- serve her purpose of overawing China, and
(Daily Press, 7th October) able change in the conditions that actuate warning of Great Britain. Certain un- Since the Petition relative to the sanitary weather; yet in all ages men have looked to comfortable rifts incident on such a strue- Į condition of this Colony was forwarded to changes of the moon as correlative with ture, however, commenced to appear: the the Colonial Office, the local Government changes of the wenther. Some people, even German Emperor gave one or two slight has wisely displayed commendable activity. in the flood of light thrown upon subjects hints that he ton had noticed them. It in the matter of publie works and sanitary scientific during the last hundred years, are was manifestly unsafe to go on, and here measures necessary to bring the Colony up still ready to believe in the influence of the the marvellous astuteness of the Russian to the standard of excellence it was officially moon on weather, and even sober men of diplomatic mind came to the rescue. If reported to possess. It is unnecessary now science, with the unerring records of Green- Li HUNG-CHANG be the willing, though to compare the abject apathy of the Givern- wich at their fingers' ends. think they have unwitting, tool of Count LAMSDORFF, Princement which existed previous to the memor- discovered in those records indications of FERDINAND is his no less unwitting zany : able agitation in matters sanitary with its the truth of the popular belief. Similarly and mud, it is to be remembered. is as present feverish desire to fulfil the duties the commencements of each of the centuries i easily stirred up on the lower Danube as in required of it. That may be left to another from the sixteenth have been distinctly the valley of the Peibo itself. But appar-time, and, from the experience of the past marked by important movements that have ently the move has been even more surces-ful in Hongkong the community after all inay for good or ill affected for long periods the than its author could have anticipated, for be devoutly thankful that, even so august a Colonial Government history of events, and indications are not Sultan ABDUL HAMID has been moved to an institution as wanting that the twentieth century is about make himself objectionable again and show may have its periods of feverish moods. to follow in the course of its immediate how little hope there is of the Turk. Not that most people will endorse actions predecessors. Perhaps there is some reason ADBUL HAMID, like his predecessor, can undertaken under such conditions, because deeper than mere fancy for this, and men's hardly be looked on as altogether respon- they are not healthy, and are generally inade- superstitions or desires have had more to sible for his actions, and one of his most quate. A recent action of the Government say to the coincidence than might at first dangerous hallucinations is that he fancies is a case in point. Whilst commending sight appear. For the last quarter of a himself the successor of a EuLYMAN, and the present activity of the Government century it has in many quarters been a that like him he is strong enough to face and appreciating the effect, subject of belief that before long the sub- the entirety of Europe. France, ever ready much speculation as to the actual cause. Is the Government in real earnest in ject of China was bound to be one of world- to act on a wink from her only friend," wide importance. There were not a few has been stirring up some mysterious griev- its campaign of reform, is it actually who openly stated that China would be the auce. as incomprehensible as the historic striving honestly to accomplish its duty, question of the twentieth century; and dispute about the duplicate key to a church or is it merely a passing performance there is little doubt that to a certain extent in Jerusalem (which, insignificant as it was, produced by fear of pending investigation the wish has been the father to the thought. proved the prelude to a big war), and the and spasmodic remorse for past indifference? The extraordinary coup d'état of September, Sultan, proud of the chance of doing a bit We regret that we are inclined to the latter 1898, though conceived in Chinese minds of self-assertion, has been posing for a opinion, for the reason that, notwithstanding with whom the European century has no Donnybrook row. The unfortunate part the present promises of the Government significance, was brought about, however, of such petty disputes is that, however and its actions of repentance, pecasional in a great measure by the reflection of things trivial, they provoke a stat of mind emin- inconsistencies testify to an absence of We live in deeds, not words," European. Foremost amongst the watchers ently likely to lead to fisticuffs; and we sincerity. for the century was Russia, and it was as find that ABDUL HAMID overpowered by and though H.E. the Governor and the the instrument of Russian intrigue that his efforts to get someone to tread on his Honourable the Colonial Secretary may HUNG-CHANG, the real instigator of the tail, has been contemplating an unprovoked write graciously of what is necessary for Palace revolution was led into steps that outrage on his neighbar of Persia. Once the improvement of this Colony, and of what resulted in the young Emperor kicking him upon a time Europe desired nothing more the Government will do, we prefer the deeds ignominiously out of his councii. Unfor- than to see its two great eastern rivals to the promises. H.E. the Governor in his tunately Lord SALISBURY, at the time under at loggerheads, but the position is different recent report lays much stress on the enor- the influence of Lr's creature, the Chinese now that we have entered on a new century, mons revenue of the Colony, and refers Minister at London, failed to comprehend and think we ought to create its policy in frequently to the gratifying possibilities of the gravity of the situation, and quietly its first decade. As Count LAMSDORFF is given increase the local taxation presents, forget- acquiesced in the subsequent supercession to believe that he has some recondite interesting that such a surplus should never be of the Emperor. The massacres of 1900 in both Turkey and Persia, a little squabble shown in a Colony that is so impoverished were the inathematical result. Without about a few square miles of territory is in public works and so absolutely backward being believers in the theory that all evil puffed up into an European difficulty, and in means for the protection of public health. comes from BEELZEBUB, the "Father of we have notes and counternotes interpass- H.E. the Governor in paragraph 9 of his Lies," and that BEELZEBUB's nearesting, any of which may produce sufficient report to the Colonial Office says: representative cn earth is Russia, there is friction to draw a spark capable of igniting much to prove that the present crisis in the the large stores of dynamite purposely left Far East has been much assisted by an about. Now the worst of this electric intrigue commenced at the time of the Tsar's state is that there is actually as much, coronation. LI HUNG-CHANG was moment- if not positively more, dauger in any at- arily the most powerful man in China, and to tempt to discharge artificially the over- Russian statesmen of the day the winning charged accumulators than in leaving them to over of so powerful an interest to Russian silently discharge through the atmosphere; ends was worth almost any sacrifice. Li and it is generally from the most unex- proved an even more gullible fish than the pected quarter that such outbursts appear. most sanguine at the court of the Tsar could This is then the position of affairs towards have anticipated. Paraded in a gold coach, the close of the first year of the century, the outward sign, doubtless, of an inward and China, though not so much in evidence and substantial grace, the wily statesman as some months ago, is really the most dan- left Russia no longer a free agent, but one gerous element in the battery. There is no bound by the strongest ties of self-interest evidence that any of the Powers engaged
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One of the most important questions of the immediate future is the problem of "reducing the surface population, the den- sity of which in one health district of Victoria is, in round numbers, six hund- "red and forty thousand to the square mile, and this in a city crowded under the precipitous northern slope of the Peak range of hills that effectually shut off the south-easterly
breezes of the summer "months. The abatement of surface crowd- "ing by the resumption of houses and opening of streets and lanes will probably cost some millions of dollars, as the value of house property in Victoria is very great, houses being sold at from six
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