July 14, 1902.1
become a most valuable asset. Administered as there seems every probability of its being done, little better than financial ruin seems imminent in China; and neither England nor the United States could afford to look complacently on such an event.
JAPAN'S TRADE IN 1901
(Daily Press, 5th July.)
G
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
21
to maintain and increase their commercial | the report that much remains to be done. interests in the peninsula.
It is to be hoped for the sake of our new ally that these efforts will be continued unsparingly and that success will ultimately crown the task, which, it must be admitted, is far from a light one.
encouragement of lines running to Australia and Bombay, and also to increase the efficiency of the steamship service in the sea of Japan and along the coasts of the Hokkaido. The amounts of the subsidy are:-for the Australia line not more than £53,660 per annum ; Bombay line, £18,250; Sea of Japan, £15,312; Hokkai lo, £3,885 and £2,516-all for a period of five years. A guarantee is to be furnished in respect of each of the lines which are to be subsidised, amounting to about 10 per cent. of the subsidy in question.
With regard to shipping, most of the Japanese ports, following the course of the year's trade, showed decreased imports and increased exports, but Nagasaki showed a falling off in both. As regards tonnage of ships entered, Kobe and Osaka came first, Moji second, Nagasaki third, and Yokohama fourth. 1,677 British vessels, with a ton- nage of 4,110,766 tons, visited ports in In considering two days ago the report of Japan in 1901, an increase of 87 vessels Mr. A. H. LAY on Japan's foreign commerce and 289,962 tons compared with the pre- in 1901, we arrived at the consideration of ceding year. There is still no direct mail a large decline in British imports into Japan. steamship communication between the Many of the principal exports from Japan United Kingdom and Japan, says Mr. LAY, into the United Kingdom also showed a and the German and Japanese mails, in falling off, but the large increase in rice, particular the former, continue to secure camphor, and copper more than counter-the bulk of the passenger traffic. French, balanced the loss, so that the total increase | German, Russian, and United States ship in exports amounted to £22,408. Turning ping entered at ports in Japan all showed to Germany we find the fact that there was an increase as regards tonnage compared not a large decrease in the imports from with 1900. The number of Japanese-owned Germany attributable more especially to vessels and their tonnage showed a further the enormous quantity of sugar-alinost increase in 1901 Under the Japanese flag three times as much as in 1900-which was there were at the end of the year 969 steami brought from that country in order to vessels of 577,660 tons, and 3,565 sailing escape the higher duty leviable from vessels of 326,618 tons, making a total of October. Owing to the diminution in the 4,534 vessels of 904,278 tons. The ques- importation of mousseline de laine, the tion of subsidies to shipping is exciting French import trade declined considerably, much discussion just now, which lends an Exports to France were in a flourishing additional interest to Japan's policy in this condition. The great falling off in the matter. In March, 1901, the grant of fresh quantity of raw cotton imported from shipping subsides by the Japanese Govern- America caused the United States importment was announced. These were for the figures to be much less than in 1900. Kerosene oil, locomotive engines and machinery, other engines, and iron and steel all showed notable increases. With regard to the question of American . British locomotives, we may quote the following from Mr. LAY's report:-"The Govern- "ment Railway Bureaur for the Main Island "had specified for British locomotives only for some years past, but the last tenders, opened about the end. of 1901, included one American maker, the Schenectady Locomotive Works, and four British makers. The order went to the United States, the cheapest British price for all locomotives being £86,795; the amount for which the contract went is £77,442. This is the first time that the "Government have placed British and American makers in competition on the same specification. The specification was just such on one as British makers had "been asking for, yet they were beaten in the contest. No doubt, however, they "could bave supplied a better finished and "higher class machine than will be furnished." American makers continue to monopolise practically all the bridge-work atul bicycle trade. As might have been expected trade with China revived in 1901. Exports from Japan to China were last year larger in volume than they were in 199, before the troubles arose. Cotton yarns and tissues, matches, European unbrellas, sea-weeds, and other marine products, and coal in particular, were marked by a considerable expansion in export as compared with the preceding year. One illustration, says Mr. LAY, may be cited out of many of the attention being devoted, industrially and commercially, both to China and Corea. A Bill has just been passed by the Diet pro- viding for the exemption of persons proceeding to these two countries from the operation of the law for the protection of emigrants. The purpose is to encourage, or, at least, remove obstacles from the path of Japanese who wish to betake themselves to China and Corea to engage in labour. The Japanese are determined to do their best to develope their trade with Corea, and
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ANGLOPHOBIA AND RUSSO- PHOBIA.
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(Daily Press, 8th July.) A recent reviewer in n home paper remarked that any one who takes the pains to read the succession of books by English authors on the threat of Russia, the threat of Germany, the threat of the United States, and the deplorable backwarduess of England, becomes hardened to "threats after a time. The reflective reader is com- forted when he opens a German book, or a Russian book, or a French book, to find that England is threatening all these nations and their interests. It begins to be obvious that there cannot really be such a state of mutual terror as might be imagined from the ex-parte statements of the varioua writers, each with his eyes fixed on some possible source of danger to his own country. But it must be obvious also that some of the " threats to which attention is thus called are genuine enough, Events proved that the menace to British posses. sions in South Africa from their Boer neigh- bours, for instance, was by no means exag- gerated; nor, in justice it must be admitted, were the Boers in the past wrongly appre- hensive when they trekked North to avoid dangerous contact with the British., It would be easy to quote many other examples of standing menaces to the safety of different countries, which though they have been exaggerated by certain over-imagina- tive or unduly partisan writers, are quite actual. However, we only wish to refer here to the British dread of Russia and the Russian dread of England, about both of which a good deal has been written and Mr. LAY's concluding remarks emphasise will be writ:en for a long time to come. chiefly the need of foreign capital in Japan, It is but a month ago that St. Petersburg which was realised in 1901 perhaps more correspondents were writing of the dis- clearly than ever before. Particularly is appointment expressed by all classes of the necessity felt with regard to private Russians at the termination of the South railway enterprise. It is hoped," says the African War, and of the gloomy anticipations report, "that British and other foreign of the Russian Press, shared too in official capital may now be available to assist in circles, which profess to be apprehensive "railway extension in Japan, and negotia- lest the liberation of Great Britain from "tions are on foot with that purpose. The her South African entanglement, coupled point of difficulty is the question of, with the access of Chauvinism which they "security.
Public opinion in look for as the result of her present triumph, "Japan seems gradully coming roundto, may embolden her to accentuate more than belief in the wisdom of removing the ever her Imperialist policy, which is "disability on the part of aliens to own regarded in Russia as a continual menace “land." The mining laws with reference to the general peace and to the stability of to foreigners do not seem sufficiently liberal good relations between Great Britain and to induce the investment of foreign Russia. capital, and here too it appears that Japan must do something to attract the capitalists of whom she has need. The thought in the minds of many Japanese prior to the revision of the treaties, that foreign money and enterprise were merely awaiting the opening of the country and would then invade Japan in a manner that might even be prejudicial to the national interests, is now recognised to have been un idle fancy, Mr. Lay says. The question now is how to t mpt the investment of such capital on terms that appear satisfactory to the Japanese would-be borrowers them selves.
Further efforts were made in 1901 both by the Japanese and by foreigners interested in the commercial and industrial development of the country to relieve the financial pressure by the introduction of funds from abroad, but it is evident from
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The alarm professed by Russia, it is bardly necessary to say, is at the idea that Great Britain may try to check that expan- sion which Russia thinks necessary for her welfare, and not at the thought that Britain wishes to deprive her of territory already hers. On the other hand, the fear expressed by Britons of Russia is that Russia will atteinpt to spread, as far as possible all over the Asiatic continent.
Even many who look with benevolent eyes on Russia, like Mr. HENRY NORMAN, see Russia speading over Manchuria, and Mongolia, over
China proper,
over l'ersial and Afghanistan. There are some indeed who would have Great Britain acquiesce in such expansion, pointing to the gain to civilia tion--but not, we may remark, paying any attention to Blagovestchensk, kinland, or even Moscow. Others doubtless are too
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