August 30, 1902.]
to give Russia an opportunity of breaking faith with a show of justification. China was of course powerless to make the proper retort. The Tsar had given "a new proof of his love of peace and of his sentiments of friendship toward His Majesty the Emperor of China," as the convention so nicely phra- sed it, and if he proceeded at once to show that the new proof was as valueless as the old, China alone could not insist on the observance of the treaty. It is now be- lieved in official circles in St. Petersburg that Russia will formally annex the whole of the right bank of the Amur River as far as the Khingan mountains, the border range of Mongolia, wherein the source of the Amur is to be found. It may be remem- bered that after the infamous massacre of Blagovestchensk a large extent of the right bank was, without previous sanction from St. Petersburg, declared Russian territory with a grim mockery of a religious service of thanksgiving for the "victory" achieved. Officially, however, Russian soil still ends north of the Amur River, where MURAVIOFF fixed it in 1858 by the treaty of Aigun. This defect it is apparently proposed to remedy by retaining the whole of the right bank of the Amur. It would be interesting to know in what way officiul circles at St. Petersburg consider that Russia's position will be rendered less "perilous" by getting rid of a boundary formed by a strong natural feature such as the Amur. Doubt- less the annexation of the whole of the Hei-lung-kiang division of Manchuria would make St. Petersburg officials feel much safer. The precautionary extension of the Siberian frontier might thus be continued indefinitely. There is ouly one thought which might occur to interrupt so pleasant a reverie about the expansion of the Tsar's dominions, and that is: What about the Powers which have great legitimate interests in Manchuria? China was urged on by certain nations to reject various drafts of the Manchurian convention and only finally signed an agreement in which Russia made many fair promises. The commercial Powers will merely stultify their previous conduct if they now resign themselves to seeing the convention of April, 1902, torn up and Russin given a free hand to absorb at I er leisure as much of Manchuria as she chooses. Russian good- faith has long been a byword in the Far East. The Manchurian negotiations are likely to make its name still more odious if the matter has to be settled between Russia and China alone.
+
161
FRENCH PROJECTS AT KWAN- CHAU-WAN.
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seems
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. annoy the Indian Government. The whole thing is no doubt an inspired attempt to draw a red herring across the trail of Rus- sian schemes in the Far East. Far too
(Daily Press, 27th August.) much attention to be pleasant at St. Peters- We can hardly regard as new the intelli. burg is at present being given both by the gence telegraphed from London in our issue British Government and by the British of to-day, that the French authorities are Press to Russian movements in Manchuria. considering the project to establish a naval It is becoming increasingly evident from base at Kwanchau-wan.
This project is the tactics pursued that the Russian Go- mentioned in the book which we reviewed vernment have no intention of willingly yesterday, The French in Tonkin and withdrawing from their occupation of South China, and the creation of a naval Manchuria. So far is this from being their base on the spot was one of the schemes of intention that the garrisons maintained by the restless M. DOUMER, who predicted just them, avowedly for the protection of the before he left Indo-China that Kwanchau- railways, now number some eighty thousand wau would become one of France's great troops. This is really an army of occupa- naval establishments. Furthermore, tion, by which they hope to maintain their recently published report of the Director hold on the country. British attention to of Public Works for Indo-China announces their projects is, however, very unwelcome, that a naval base is to be set up there. and if by any device they can divert this Perhaps the news intended to be conveyed attention to another quarter they will be by the London telegram is that the only too glad to do so. It is quite sufficient authorities in Paris have at the present to have the Japanese watching them with time under deliberation the speedy carrying profound suspicion and mistrust, and a fixed into effect of such a plan. Fort Bayard, intention to call check when they think the mentioned in the despatch, is the civil game has proceeded far enough. The settlement of Kwanchau-wan at the mouth British Government and Press, however, are of the river and Nivet is a short distance not likely to be thus gulled. They are off nearer the entrance of the bay. There pretty well posted as to the course of affairs, can be no doubt that the site is well and are presumably prepared to endorse chosen. The Director of Public Works any action the Japanese mav take in the report referred to above points out- presently to compel the Russians we quote from Mr. CUNNINGHAM's book— to evacuate Manchuria. We note that that the Bay of Kwanchau-wan General DORWARD believes that Russia naturally destined to be the point d'appui of will only retire at the last moment, and the French fleet in the Far East, as there when actually threatened with war. She is ample accommodation in it for a large has everything to gain by delay, and will squadron, and for more than ten miles there defer such evacuation to the very last is an average depth of twenty metres. In moment," in the hope that something may conjunction with Admiral POTTIER he intervene, either by Great Britain or Japan went fully into the question and they becoming elsewhere embarrassed, or by a recommended the government to under- change in the policy of ouc or other of them take two docks, coal-wharves, an arsenal being effected. Russia has set her heart and fortifications, and dredging opera- upon the ultimate annexation of Manchuria, tions; the latter are very necessary, as and she will not retreat from her present there is a sand-bar to be got rid of. position while the least shred of hope that estimate of the expenses of such a scheme she will be permitted to work her will exceeded twenty-eight millions of francs. there remains. It is on some counts to be The cost as given in our London correspond- regretted that some amicable arrangement ent's despatch is £1,250,000, which is a cannot be come to whereby Russia might be little more. The idea is an ambitious que permitted to secure at least a strip of and if carried out thoroughly will give territory for her great railway to its sea- France an admirable base for her navy in ward terminus, but unfortunately past South China, well situated and naturally history has so conspicuously shown that she strong, and is within a few hours of the cannot be trusted that therefore such a prosperous coalfields of Hongay where a concession cannot be allowed. We have to second-class naval station is to be established. deal with the facts as they are, not as they ! It will also without doubt largely decide might be, and the most patent fact is that the question of the future prosperity of Russia, when in pursuit of her own ends, is Kwanchau-wan, particularly if, in accord- troubled by no scruples, restrained by no ance with the advice of M. DoUMER, it is consideration for (Daily Press, 29th August.).
the rights of other maintained as an open port and not brought It was Muscovite policy is always tortuous, and Powers.
no doubt the absolute under the protective system which hinders Russian statesmen are pastmasters in the conviction of this circumstanco that induced the growth of Indo-Chinese trade. If the art of bluffing. At the present moment
Lord SALISBURY 80 far to forsake the confidence of the natives can be restored, nothing seems more desirable to them than traditions of British policy in the past as to the situation of the French port gives it a the diversion of public attention from what enter into an alliance with Japan for the great opportunity of capturing the transit is proceeding in the Far East. Very oppor- pro ection of our mutual interests on the trade at present starting from and coming With the addition of a rnilway tunely for the policy of the Russian Chan- Pacific coast. And having once entered to Pakhoi. cellor an article has appeared in the Novoe into the compact, Russia may be very cer- (which is not altogether undreamt of by
ambitious French Colonials), Vremya asking whether the time has not tain that neither party to it will prove some arrived for Russia to secure the right to particularly accommodating to her schemes revolution might be effected in the trade of penetrate within the borders of Afghan. in Manchurin, nor will they be found ready South China. We do not even hazard a istan, to develop her commercial relations to swallow the first bolus that may be pre-guess whether such changes are probable. with that country, and to send a reprezenta-pared to induce them fix their attention in But their possibility is something which tive to reside in Cabul. Of course the Novoe some other direction while the Bear proceeds Hongkong cannot afford to lose sight of, in affects to consider these aspirations as most to carry out his projects in Eastern Asia.
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legitimate and indispensable. But as a matter of fact the St. Petersburg journal probably cares very little about the in- terior of Afghanistan, which is pretty well known to Russians; still less about the development of Russian trade with this country, which is practically nil, and could never become much; while the desire to have an accredited representative to the AMEER is probably limited to the wish to
The
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the comfortable confidence of her present prosperity. In the political aspect of the The Formosans are cutting their hair at a matter, too, Hongkong is vitally interested. great rate, says a correspondent of the N.-C. Kwanchau-wan is but two hundred miles Daily News, and as this means acceptance of froin Hongkong, and did it. become under the established order of things, the Japanese French rule a first-class naval base it is government is delighted, and official accounts useless to shut our eyes to the fact that are regularly sent home of the number that the strategic position of Hongkong would present themselves daily at the barbers. be materially affected. However friendly cuiteirgo, a place somewhere or other in the southern part of the Island, the number has the Power, the close proximity of a great naval base and depôt of that Power to one reached 1,300.
In
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