THE RECORD OF THE YEAR.
Baw
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
his departure at the close of operations, though the state of unacknowledged wa has not been revived, all has not been peaceful. Brigandage in Chibli proved very difficult to cope with until the approach of the cold season, and in Manchuria it is still rife. Conflagrations, suspected to be the result of incendiarism, have occurred, and the two on the 1st November, one involving the Royal Welsh Fusiliers' barracks in Tientsin and the other in the British barracks at Sin-ho, seem difficult to explain otherwise than as the work of miscreants. In the South, as recently as October, an anti-missionary outbreak, unconnected with disturbances in the North, resulted in the destruction of some property of the German Basel Mission in Kwangtung, but in no loss of life. Severe floods in the Yangtze Valley led to fears of an outbreak at the beginning of October, but these were fortunately unrealised, and Chinese and foreigners alike have been contributing to relieve the distress.
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[January 4, 1902.
and of her revenues-a fortunate termina- tion for China to a war brought about by her almost unparalleled outrage against the rules of international conduct. Nor is China te suffer territorially for her offence, unless Russia's aggression in Manchuria is weakly allowed by the other Powers to become successful. That the Convention which practically surrendered the province to Russia still remains unsigned is due to death of LI HUNG-CHANG, certainly China's greatest man but unfortunately not a factor in the advancement of his country. His decease in November last postponed the occurrence of a very dangerous state of affairs, and the fate of Manchuri remains one of the problems to be solved in 1902.
(Daily Press, 1st January.) The year which closed yesterday, the first year of a new century, has been one full of incident and marked by some great catas trophes. In 1900, in spite of the vigorous continuance of the South African struggle, events in China succeeded in attracting the eyes of the whole civilised world, and public attention was directed to this quarter of the globe in a manner unexampled before. With the change of the contest between China and the Powers from a military to a diplomatic one, general interest in it natur- ally waned, and those whose business did not bring them into contact with the Far East easily allowed their thoughts to be
In Hongkong the past year, if not notable distracted elsewhere. Not only was this so,
for any very remarkable occurrences, has Commercially the however, but we in China have this year
been fairly eventful. had our attention abruptly called away to
trade of the port, like that of South China, other than local affairs. 1901 will long
has not been satisfactory, Trade in piece be remembered as the year which
goods and imports generally has been for the deaths of Queen VICTORIA and Pre-
the most part restricted to the supply of sident MCKINLEY, the one in January, the Meanwhile the signature, after long pro- immediate requirements, dealers being dis- other ju September. Two such events, s crastination on the part of the Chinese, of inclined to buy largely, partly owing to the still different in their circumstances, but both the treaty between China and the Powers unsettled condition of affairs in China and befalling one section of the human race, has been hailed by the more optimistic as partly to the state of disorder in the interior cannot but leave a mark on the history of the first step toward a new era in the of the Two Kwang due to piracy. This the time. In both cases he to whom the history of the Empire and denounced by restriction has been further accentuated by The soberest the continued fall in exchange. The opium lot has fallen to succeed so popular a ruler the pessimists as a farce. has declared his firm intention of faithfully judges take a middle view and trust that if trade has, on the other hand, shown con- following his predecessor's policy. Under China be kept to the observance of the siderable activity, owing in some degree to the British system of constitutional govern- terms of the treaty a new state of affairs the lessened output of the native drug. ment it was not to be anticipated that the may indeed be gradually brought about; Freights ruled steady for the first half of accession of a new monarch would, even did but they stipulate that the reactionary the year, ut latterly there has been a that monarch wish it, produce any essential advisers of the Empress Dowager and that marked decline in rates and less employ. changes in the conduct of domestic or lady herself must first be swept away. ment offering for tonnage. The local history foreign affairs, Nor was it to be expected That this task will be an easy one no one of Hongkong in 1901 has been marked by that the man who followed Mr. McKINLEY imagines, for the Emperor seems as much a several attempts to improve the conditions at the White House would make any puppet as ever, and a suitable heir appar- of living in the Colony. A very strong material departure from the course mapped ent in succession to PU CHUN remains to be agitation was carried on early in the year out by the murdered President. Neverthe found. Nevertheless, the Court is well on against the admittedly unsatisfactory state a result a Special less, President ROOSEVELT has already its way to Peking, where it is expected to of sanitation, and as shown signs of originality, and it may be arrive on the 15th instant, and the return 'Commission has been appointed from Eng- held certain that his rule will not be of a to the old seat of government can but be, land to investigate affairs. This Commis. wavering or invertebrate nature. The con- followed by considerable changes. The sion is about to commence its enquiry, and clusion of the Isthmian Canal treaty within influence of the Yangtsze Viceroys has been the result of its studies is anxiously awaited. the first three months of his presidency exhibited by the way in which they fought. The opinion has been growing for years bears promise of the best of relations the late LI HUNG-CHANG over the Man-among the residents here that unless some between the United States and Great churian Convention, and there is also no change be introduced, whereby Hongkong can be freed from the visitations of plague, Britain, and there are not wanting other doubt that their pressure has done much to indications of a closer bond between the bring about the recent departure of the with its attendant evil consequences on the two great Anglo-Saxon nations of the Court from Kaifeng-fu. Their success en-commercial and labour questions, the world: In a time of constantly varying courages the hope that by their aid the prosperity of the port will be gravely A very bad epidemic has raged friendships and estrangements like the remnants of the reactionary party may be menaced. present, this bears additional significance. defeated, and a moderate government set during 1901, the mortality among Euro- peans being the worst on record in Hong- The drawing together of Britain and Ger- up at Peking, friendly to reform but not so
as those advisers of His kong. At one time a strike among coolies many, which seemed imminent at the begin- unbalanced ning of the past year, has been checked by the Majesty KWANG H-u who brought about was thought possible; a large exodus of the absolutely unjust and often malignant attacks the coup d'état in 1898. With such a working-class Chinese actually occurred, made upon the British army, not only by government in power alone can it be ex- and labour was hard to procure. Our irresponsible publicists and foolish senti- pected that the commercial negotiations intercourse with neighbouring ports was mentalists but even by educated men and about to be conducted as a sequel to the seriously hampered, and a dislocation of women in Germany. The outery in the treaty of peace between China and the business was the inevitable result. less reputable sections of other Continental Powers can be brought to an auspicious strong attitude of those who took upon nations, if less marked of late, at least conclusion. Of the lines on which these themselves to promote a Petition to the leaves no room for doubt that our enemies negotiations will be carried on it would be Secretary of State for the Colonies, are as vigorous in language and as ill-willed premature to speak at present, but it is however, has borne fruit and, as Es ever. The dark side of international satisfactory to think that the China Asso- have said, a Commission is now about relations has been sadly illustrated in China ciation and League and the various Cham-to enquire into the existing state of affairs. during 1901. The many disputes at Tien-bers of Commerce have been energetically Locally two commissions have been ap- tsin, certain incidents at Peking, and the stirring up the British Government to an pointed, which the public hoped would not The Private. Chair Nagasaki affair in April--some of which appreciation of what commercial men in be without their use. ́ended in several deaths-manifested how the Far East see to be necessary for the and Jinricksba Coolie Commission's report, hard it is to maintain side by side troops advantageous conduct of trade and the unfortunately, appears to have been shelved of nations whose interests are widely at mutual good feeling between natives by the Government, whether permanently The investiga- variance, even when united nominally and foreigners in China. The new tariff or not remains to be seen. against a common foe. That Count voN has been in force for a month and ation into the Public Works Department is WALDERSEE, the Commander-in-Chief of half; but until the conversion of ad still pending. Attention was called to the the Allies, did his best to control an unruly valorem into specific duties (which accord- unsatisfactory state of affairs in connection collection of contingents is not to be denied; ing to the promise of the Foreign Office to with building operations in the Colony by a number of house-collapses, including the n fact, had he not made the mistake of the China Association will be expedited as magining himself an orator when he much as possible) little comment can be terrible disaster in Cochrane Street on the returned to Germany, his share in the made on its working. The final result of 14th August. This is a question which history of the campaign against China the commercial negotiations should be to can only be solved by an increase in the would have been much to his credit. Since bring about a vast increase of China's trade numbers and efficiency of the Public Works
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