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THE ANGLO-JAPANESE AGREEMENT,
(Daily Press, 15th February.) Some further details of the Anglo- Japanese agreement, the signature of which we announced yesterday, are brought to us by the REUTER's telegrams which are published in to-day's issue. In the first place the agreement was made for a period of five years, terminable at one year's notice. In the preamble the two Powers declare that their sole desire is to maintain the present position and general peace. The special interests of Great Britain and Japan are stated to be the maintenance of the independence and integrity of China and Corea and the securing of equal oppor- tunities for all nations. The agreement itself, which has six articles, is summarised by REUTER, and from this summary it appears that the alliance is not exactly an offensive and defensive one. The contract ing parties bind themselves to maintain strict neutrality even should either become involved in war with another Power, but should either be attacked by more than one Power the other will assist it. To take an imaginary case, therefore, should Japan come to blows with Russia alone, Great Britain will apparently observe strict neutrality; but, should France, for instance, in any way aid Russia, it would be incum- bent on Great Britain to join forces with Japan. No separate arrangements are to be made by either nation with a third prejudicial to the agreement, and where the interests of the agreement are in jeopardy the British and Japanese Governments are to communicate with each other frankly and fully,
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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[February 24, 1902.
he says,
it seems to be one of reflection | general look with favour on the agreement, "rather thau of welcome. There are no the Sydney papers believe that it " signs of a ch nge of opinion about Russia. the future of a white Australia.” She is still believed," as she has always not of course in a position to judge from as "been believed, to be incapable of con- intimate a knowledge as our Sydney con- trolling her own aggressive impulses. temporaries as to the "Japanese Peril" in "Any halt that the peace party may effect Australia, and we are therefore naturally "white "in her advance can only be temporary. At inclined to regard the cry of a "all events, nothing is less likely than that Australia" as somewhat of the nature of a Japan should conclude with Russia fetish. Presumably the Sydney Press any agreement from which England considers that the agreement between Bri- "was excluded. That is cardinal." Wetain and Japan cuts at the root of an anti- This view is sup- see now that the improbable has not Japanese exclusion act. come to pass, but on the contrary Japan ported by the action of the Canadian Govern- has concluded with Britain an agreement ment in advising the Government of British from which Russia is excluded and which Columbia that the clauses in recent bills is universally regarded as being aimed at excluding Japanese will require amendment, Russia. But we may point out that if The question of anti-Japanese legislation in Russia were to act up to her professions the British Colonies is too large to discuss of the restriction the agr、ement would affect her no more here, but, in view than any other Power. She has professed placed in Japan itself on emigration, it is to be ready to restore Manchuria to its difficult for us to believe that the menace to rightful owner as soon as her interests white labour in Canada aul Australia is so in the province are guaranteed by the serious as certain speakers and writers in establishment of peace. She has professed those Colonies would have us believe. In any that she wishes nothing more than the case the opinion of the Empire in general integrity of Corea. But her actions have on the new agreement is so widely favourable at 10 time been consistent with these that we cannot believe that those parts of professions, and it is against this double-the Empire which profess especially to dread faced policy (which unfortunately can only the Japanese immigrant will not abate their be regarded as traditional with the Mus-prejudices to the fullest possible extent for covite) that the Anglo-Japanese agreement is to be looked at as a protest.
even
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(Daily Press, 18th February.) Since we wrote on Saturday concerning the new Anglo-Japanese agreement, there have been received in the Colony a number of telegrams through REUTER'S Agency, giving a summary of the opinions of the world in general on this most important The reception which has been accorded convention. The main feature has been to the treaty by the Continental news- the immediate acquiescence of the various papers-to what countries on the Continent nations. So far not a word of protest has No matter whether the these belong is not specified-is gratifying. been heard. We have yet to learn what has been the effect countries to which the critics belong have produced in Russia by the announcement been previously friendly to Great Britain or of the convention, for the cpinions quoted not, the attitude taken up toward the treaty by REUTER do not of course emanate from has been marked by an absence of jealousy Russia. The European Press looks ou the or dissatisfaction, In Germany, a land agreement as directed at Russin aggression where at the present moment Great Britain (for no other Power at present threatens the is by no means in favour to express the status quo), but nevertheless sees a simplifica- situation in no more explicit terms-there tion of the situation. The readjustment of has been a remarkable absence of animus. the balance that is by the correction of As for Russia, we are told that in official the preponderating weight of Russian in- quarters the prevailing sentiment fluence is looked on as favourable to peace,
equanimity, and
satisfaction." while Britain's position is admittedly Hence we may expect to learn that the strengthened enormously. It is confidently Russian Press will refrain from inimical expected that in the United States of comment. French opinion we have yet to America the agreement will command learn. In the United States, as was con- sympathy. This anticipation of our neigh-fidently anticipated, "benevolent sympathy' bours in Europe may be looked upon as is the general attitude. On all hands the Bafé. The States are one of the nations agreement is regarded as tending towards which stand to gain by the vigorous policy the peace of the Far East. In view of the of the commercial, as opposed to the recent outburst of feeling against the British "land-grabbing," l'owers in the Far East, nation, it might be thought that so grave and a benevolent attitude toward the new
a step on our part as an agreement which Anglo-Japanese move is dictated by policy. only just stops short of being an offensive What will be awaited with the greatest and defensive alliance with Japan would interest now is the comments in Russia arouse unfriendly remarks. But the fact on the agreement. Russia's recent policy of the matter no doubt is that the trend of toward Japan has been, as the Tokyo events in this part of the world has for some correspondent of the Times styled it the time been in the direction of a closer union other day, of an emphatically conciliatory between two countries whose interests are character." The flattering reception ac- so much in common as are those of Britain corded to Marquis Iro during his visit to and Japan. It is a welcome feature, too, S. Petersburg was but one token of this. that the agreement was communicated to On all sides the overtures of Russia to the the Washington Government before its Japanese have been visible, and the Russian publication. By this we are assured of a Press made the most of the advantages common understanding between three of offered by Russian friendship to the the four great commercial Powers interested Islanders. The impression produced in in Far Eastern trade, while the fourth, Japan by this change of policy was summed Germany, offers no objections. In fact the up justly by the correspondent whom we most unfavourable criticism which has yet have just mentioned. "As for the attitude reached us is from Australia, where, though "of the Japanese towards these overtures," the Federal Premier and the Press in
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the public good. The loyalty of the Colonies has been so splendidly demonstrated of late that we have every confidence that they will all put Imperial interests before their own particular advantage.
RUSSIA AND THE FAR EAST.
The
(Daily Press, 20th February.) Though there is absolutely nothing to connect the two, the point of greatest inten- sity of the political world has leaped over a the change has been continent, and coincident with the shift from the nine- In other teenth to the twentieth century. words, the world, which but a few years ago seldom thought of the Pacific but as a mere geographical abstraction, now finds its main interests centred in the lands which bound, east and west, that mighty ocean. change had been long predicted by those who had watched the process of evolution in the Far East, who foresaw that the great problem of the twentieth century would be the settlement of China and the problems of political funambulism thence arising; but no one probably suspected that the termination of the very first year of the new cycle would be marked by one of the crucial events which have for ever scored the face of future history. Curiously the commencements of the enough eighteenth, nineteenth, and now the twentieth, centuries have been marked by treaties which have deeply affected the current of affairs. After long negotiations, in 1713, the Peace of Utrecht closed the long struggle for supremacy of the previous century. In 1814, after the previous pact of Amiens in 1802 had proved insufficient, met the Congress of Vienna, whose deliberations really controlled for the entirety of the nine- teenth century the affairs of the civilised world. And now closing the very first year of the twentieth, we find an alliance, practically offensive and defensive, entered into between England and Japan to keep in hand the progress of events on the Pacific Most probably, as in seaboard of Asia. the abortive peace of Amiens, the present compact will prove but a temporary stop- gap, but none the less it indicates an important stage in the settlement of Eastern affairs, and as such will leave a mark on the history of the future no less important than that of the Treaty of
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