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THE OUTLOOK IN CHINA.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
even
[August 11, 1902.
FRANCE AND MACAO.
still further the present disproportion the latest effusion attributed to him betwech silver and gold. As if this were is the absence of those qualities of (Daily Press, 4th August.)
not serious enough, the United States sound commonsense which have hitherto That things should work themselves into a Senate, by its impracticable attempts to distinguished bim. If the Chinese Govern- tangle during a China summer is a natural introduce into the Philippines the free ment have had sufficient influence over Mr. enough phenomenon; and this year the pro- coinage of silver, has still further com- HIPPESLEY'S Actions to compel him to cess has doubtless been assisted by the plicated an already sufficiently tangled accept the authorship of this reactionary Coronation, the illness of the King, and the affair. However irregular and erratic has document, what are we to expect for the changes in the Cabinet. Meanwhile in been the currency of the Philippines, it was success of a scheme, which he proposes to China itself most of the things which we theoretically at least foundel on a gold place un 'er the control of the Shanghai were led to expect would under the new basis, so that the darling fal of the Senate Harbour Master, himself an officer of conventious be immediately settled, arc, as
has no foundation in the past, and is in the Taotai, and liable to dismissal at any is customary at this time of year, still drag-fact a reversal of all that has been sanc moment? Altogether, though affairs may ging their slow lengths along, and we are tioned by past tradition.
momentarily look hopeful, reaction is in left largely dependent on recent utterances Of scarcely less importance to China is the air, and it is always necessary in China in Parliament for cur knowledge of what is Sir JAMES MACKAY's endeavour to assim- to draw a broad line of distinction between actually being done. One or two state-ilate the duties on native and foreign trade. things promised and things performed. No ments made by Lord LANshowNE as to the This, of course, would practically require Government on the face of the carth is possible early evacuation of Newelwang by the abolition of the existing happy-go-lucky more willing to make promises, as proba- the Russians, and a statement in the Com-methods of taxation, and the substitution bly Sir JAMES MACKAY is beginning to mons that the Government proposes to take for the present farming system of a regular discover, but no Government is so shifty some steps with regard to French encroach-collectorate, It is the best proof of the and so helpless when the time for per- ments in Shanghai, may be taken for what wisdom of the step taken of consulting formance arrives. they are worth, but would appear to directly with the provinces that such wide- indicate that there is some possibility at spread measures of reform have last of the Government waking up to the obtained a hearing; and if the agitation fact that there is very serious business against Sir JAMES MACKAY's first crude remaining to be done, and that the position scheme have had no other effect than that in China is by no means as satisfactory as of pringing him into contact with the real we and British residents generally would taxpayers, this may be looked upon as a like to see it. As concerns the settlement complete justification. Of less immediate of the long outstanding dispute with regard importance, though nccessary in case the to the handing back of the railways in others should be carried into practice, are Chihli, affairs seem at last to be approach. measures for improving, or rather creating, ing some sort of a rough settlement, but a mercantile law for China; and most here there is, of course, the danger that in pressing in this respect are the laws of its anxiety to bring events to a conclusion partnership, of trade combinations and the Government may be disposed to make limited liability associations. Of the latter further concessions to Russia, ignoring the Chiua possesses the rudiments, but like her unfortunate fact that every concession other institutions of international trade the already given has been merely made the law of patents and trade marks is con- occasion for still further demands. In this stantly becoming of greater importance, respect Russia has inadvertently done us a and here, though the principle is understood, good turn by showing us the folly of yield. there is an utter absence of any juridical ing further; and Lord LANSDOWNE ought groundwork. to have by this time had sufficient experi- ence of the methods of St. Petersburg to expect that anything is to be gained by a policy of compromise. Still it is so far as it goes satisfactory to know that the evacua- tion of Newchwang may be expected to proceed pari passu with the restoration of Tientsin city, and as that is arranged for the 15th August we may hope to see a determination of the other before the end of the month.
Of hardly less interest again in the face of the growing commerce of China with foreign countries is the conservation of the harbours and approaches; when there- fore Lord LANSDOWNE informs us that the matter of the approaches to Shanghai and Canton is under serious contemplation, we are forced to contrast his statement with the apparent absence of any activity in China. The Protocol of 1901 defined the steps to be taken, and the formation of the But although much appears to have been local board at Shanghai to carry out these done, there still remain huge arrears of stipulations. The object of the Board was work little less pressing. The most of to transfer to local authority à measure these are concerned with the rearrangement which in the hands of the central authority of the Tariff, but there are many other sub- had proved hopeless. The circumstances jects blocking our present intercourse with here were not peculiar to China, although China. One of the most serious of these is increased there by that excessive centrali the coudition of the currency; the fall ofsation which has been the bane of the some fifteen per cent, that followed on the Empire. Wherever attempts have been signature of the Protocol fixing the indem-made at the control of harbours and docks nity came as an apt representation of the | by a centralised administration, failure has dangerous precipice on the edge of which been the invariable result; and this rule is rested Chinese finance. There are, too, by no means peculiar to China, but is well- many plain indications that this last nigh universal. The Chinese Government drop has so seriously interfered with the in its inordinate desire for centralisation purchasing power of the East generally has since the signature of the Protocol left that we find the export trade at home badly no stone unturned to hamper and destroy crippled. The inchoate nature of the the local element in the constitution of the Chinese currency has long been a source of Board, and it is rumoured in the failure of danger in the Chinese trade; and this last its attempts at dividing the principal Powers, fall, coinciding as it did with the necessity has been intriguing with one of two of the of imposing additional duties, has shown others whose interests are practically the necessity for taking some steps towards infinitesimal. Mr. HIPPESLEY in the a reform. As matters stand, while China Universal Gazette has been credited with is held bound to pay her iudemuities in the production of a memoral on the gold assessed at the level of 1901, she is subject, which really proves its only allowed to collect duties at the rate of refutation. Mr. HIPPESLEY is well known the day. This, looked at from any stand- as an able administrator, and has from point, mercantile or logical, does not recom- time to time rendered valuable assistance mend itself as a triumph of political finance; and afforded timely advice to both China and practically has a tendency to depress and the Powers. The chief peculiarity of
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(Daily Press, 6th August.) Owing to the fact that the accuracy of certain statements which have appeared in these columns and elsewhere, with reference to French activity in the immediate neigh- bourhood of Macao, have been officially questioned at home, we have taken the.- opportunity to investigate matters more closely in Macao itself, and the result has been to confirm amply what has previously been said. The report about the acquisition of Ca Tai by the Missions Etrangères and the intention of the French Government of taking over the land as the site of a naval and military sanatorium appeared originally in these columns last May and we published fuller details on the 18th June. On the 30th of the same month, in reply to a question by Mr. GALLOWAY WEIR, Lord CRANBORNE admitted
that a piece of ground near Macao had been purchased by Freuch missionaries for the erection of a hospital; from his answer it was evident that no importance was attached officially. to the affair. Nevertheless the well in- formed Macao correspondent of our junior evening contemporary on the 28th ult. was able to add still further confirmation to our statement and hinted that besides the hospital scheme the French had in contem- plation the building of a railway. More recently yet he telegraphed that the sub- prefect of Chiusan
and a naturalised Portuguese subject hal been arrested by order of the Canton Viceroy for an alleged trespass by the second of the two prisoners ou French mission land. Our information goes to show that the arrest was made directly on account of the sale of Ca Tai, the land sold containing some two hundred graves. The Telegraph correspondent, however, places the place where the alleged tre pass occurred nearly to the Porta da Cerco. This part of the matter is obscure, and requires clearing up.
In the meantime the Yeh-ti affair bad occurred, the first information on the subject being published, we believe, in the London Daily Chronicle early last month. Lord CRANBORNE, when asked whether it was a fact that the French flag had been hoisted at Yeh-ti, between Macao and Canton, coa- tented himself with saying that he was, informed that the report had no foundation. We can only say, upon information which we have every reason to believe, is more intimate that any possessed by Lord CRANBORNE, that the French flag was certainly hoisted at Yeb-ti.
The circum- stances were these. A party of French
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