y-10-1902.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
ore on vesselson which the lien has existed. It is unnecessary to point out how just is appears from another the claim of such an institution, the object mbination, it telegram, automatically dissolves in case of of which is to afford instruction and train- a war concerning Great Britain, the Uniteding in the treatment of tropical diseases, on States, or Germany. The main cause for the assistance of Hongkong, Singapore, and alarm is therefore removed, but there are also like places, where the problem of the treat- involved, as Mr. BALFOUR said, many com-
ment of illnesses different from those of plex questions. Without careful investiga- more temperate climates is constantly before tion, he stated, the Government could not the medical man. When the London School be expected to depart from its traditional is put upon a sound footing, not only will the policy of allowing unrestricted competition. latter be able to learn what are his difficul- It is satisfactory, in view of this, to know ties before he comes out to the East, 'but that an Admiralty commission is considering afterwards he will be encouraged to go back the whole question. The difficulty of pre- and give the benefit of his experience to venting British subjects from selling out those at the School. Hongkong, subject as to foreigners is not one which will be it is to the attacks of several violent minimised out here, where within the last diseases, could not afford to turn aside from few years we have seen numerous instances the invitation extended by the represents of the practice. But, considering the display tive of the School of Tropical Medicine. of "spread eagle-ism" lately attributed to Nevertheless it is pleasant to learn that the Mr. SHAW, the United States Secretary of reply to this invitation was even better than the Treasury (a man whom most would
was hoped for. An excellent beginning has think too level-headed to boast in the wild been made, and it only remains for the way in which he is reported to have done), Hongkong public to follow, within the when he talked of the Stars-and-Stripes in limitations of their means, the good lead future waving over the Pacific, the com- which has been given them. The local mission may well in its deliberations look representation remains in the hands of Dr. at the question whether the British mer- RENNIE, the secretary of the committee cantile trade would not be the better for which was appointed on the 1st instant, and more Government encouragement and
we may therefore rest assured that the whether more generous treatment would not work will not be allowed to suffer from check the present readiness to sell out to neglect. Hongkong should be able in the the highest foreign bidder. We have, as Lord futurefto aid materially in the prosecution of SELBORNE said at the Academy banquet, the difficult study of tropical hygiene, without good reason to be proud of our mercantile
a doubt to the ultimate great benefit of the marine's work, nowhere better manifested Colony itself, as well as of our neighbours.
than in connection with the South African War. When the First Lord of the Admiralty openly asserts that the continued enjoyment and possession by Great Britain of this mercantile marine is indispensable to the prosperity of the country, we may surely be justified in hoping that Admiralty will in the future offer every inducement for this "splendid marine" to continue under the British flag alike in peace and in war.
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· HONGKONG AND THE TROPICAL SCHOOL OF MEDICINE.
THE WATER FAMINE.
(Daily Press, 5th May.) H.E. the ACTING GOVERNOR has courteously supply the public with fresh water. The scenes informed us that every effort is being made to
which are daily enacted are pitiful, and the results of the water famine in this colony will be most disastrons from a sanitary view unless providence or a burst of real official energy intervenes. The present state of affairs is without a precedent in the history of the colony; it is a disgrace to our past administration and will, it is trusted, nover be allowed by the community to (Daily Press, 8th May,)
ocour again. To a colony that can boast of a surplus of considerably over a million dollars It is gratifying to hear that the visit to
it is, to put it very charitably, a sorry spectacle. Hongkong of Sir FEANCIS LOVELL in A correspondent informs us that in various connection with the London School of places on the mainland tons of water are Tropical Medicine has been attended with daily running to waste." We have no means satisfactory results. We wrote last week at present of verifying this, but it is conceivable that we hoped that equal success could be that even our undermanned Public Works De looked for in this port to that obtained partment has. It is possible that if there be in the Straits, and this we learn from Sir sufficient water on the mainland to keep three FRANCIS LOVELL is almost certain to be the public temporary tanks going on the Praya there is also enough to keep a dozen tanks supplied. case. Indeed the results of the visit have Our engineers, it is said, hesitate to start new exceeded anticipations. The Government, tanks because of the difficulty of conveying the we understand is preparing to make a water across. But, with a surplus of a million generous grant of £100 a year for five years, dollars, is the Government to sit down two or three of the leading local firms and contemplate difficulties of transport have already subscribed $500, and several Are the residents on the higher levels to be others have followed with smaller, though compelled to send their servants to scoop up still very useful, donations. The local paddles of contaminated water, with plague, cholera, small-por, and diptheria increasing in Chinese community has as yet barely
our midst, because our engineering or some been approached, and in view of the nearly other department hesitates to spend money on approaching Coronation celebration nothing chartering boats to transport water? If any much can be done just now; but, seeing water is running to waste on the mainland that Dr. Ho Kat and a few others of our
it should continue to do so no longer; we principal Chinese fellow-citizens are strongly want every drop of it, and the community in favour of the School's work and have should see that they obtain it. If our water pledged themselves to commend it to their Boats are not enough, then charter more. If our engineers are not sufficient, then engage countrymen here, we have no doubt what-
some temporary men; it does not require a ever that ample support will be forthcoming postgraduate of civil engineering to supervise from them in due time. As we stated a
the conveyance of water. The famine has few days ago, the London School of Tropical lasted long enough, and passive resignation will Medicine has so far been self-supporting, not produce a remedy or a rainfall. The com- but there is a debt of £4,000 still remaining ing jubilation over the Coronation might well be to be paid
I off on the School buildings, and preceded by a week's humiliation for past benighted administration, which has brought us in order to maintain the efficiency of the to such a state, and earnest supplication for an teaching provided improvements and improved and enlightened executive in the additions need to be taken in hand at once, ・ future.
THE ANTECEDENTS OF THE ANGLO-JAPANESE AGREEMENT.
(Daily Press, 9th May.)
The discussion which has arisen over the East has brought many interesting ideas new arrangement of Powers in the Far into being and has helped, on some points, to elucidate what was previously obscure. Much that has been written, of course, comes under the category of mere conjecture, while the origin of certain statements is Last month the London Daily Chronicle purposely kept vague, for diplomatic reasons.
of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, the opinions published a page in the secret history" and facts being elicited from an authority whose position behind the scenes entitles him to more than ordinary respect." We have to rest content with our contemporary's testimonial to the authority in question, as there is no internal indication who he may of how Japan came to welcome as she be. The account, however, which he gives. did the prospect of alliance with Great Britain is decidedly worthy of atten- tion. He begins by taking the situation after the signature of the Treaty of Shimonoseki in 1895. Up to that period, he says, in the field of both military and administrative reform, Germany had been the preceptor of Japan, thus creating for herself a secret friend in the Far East, who might have easily been induced to pounce down upon Russia at Vladivostock if ever that Empire made war on Germany, even though there was no positive understanding to that effect. However, when the German Foreign Office learnt that France and Russia were about to join hands in the Far East, "forgetting the wisdom of the good "old English maxim that two are company,
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but three none, Germany offered to join, "and was accepted, though whether to the satisfaction of the other two is not clear.” The reason for this change of attitude on the part of Germany the Daily Chronicle's informant does not go into; this is one of the pages of secret history which still remains to be exposed, if indeed it is ever likely fo be. But, he says, so rapid was the change of Germany's policy in the Far East that at this time the German Minister at Tokyo was actually in possession of the Chain of the Black Eagle to present to the Mikado, when there suddenly reached him the order to offer Japan the "friendly advice" to give up the territorial acquisitions which she had obtained from China! Thus Germany joined for the Dual Alliance, and thereby lost the public opinion of Japan entirely and caused the Japanese nation, so to speak, to throw itself into the arms of England who then and there might have had a trenty of alliance. The Chronicle's informant concludes:-
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time
the
Whether it would have been better to "conclude this alliance at that time, when "Russia was not yet in possession of
Manchuria, and, above all," had not yet occupied Port Arthur, is a question which it would now be superfluous to discuss but it is certain that Germany never did a stupider thing than when she forfeited “the bold which she had already established
од the gratitude and attachment “Japan." This account of the the Anglo-Japanese compact is said, worthy of attention, and who furnished it may claim long way toward convicting Ger mistake in policy when she helped Japan of a great part of the f victory over China. But, of cour understanding with Russia long a keynote of German diplomacy
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