458
JAPAN AND ORIENTAL
SUPREMACY.
[FROM A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.]
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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be
ed to this function it may become the clearing house for trade between the East and the West. Hence in conventions negot ated by its diplo. ¡ matic agents, in the facilities that its ports may foruish for handling merchandise, and in the improved industrial equipment that may be ex- Tokyo, 24th November. pected with the help of foreign capital. it hopes Among the celebrations which turned all to reach. its ambitious goal. Diplomatic i Japan into a festival ground, when the Anglo-re'ations have b en well guarded so far be the Japanese conveation was signed, the one at the body of able representatives it keeps abr: al. northern port of Hakodate included a procession There is no reason to suppose that these men, in which a berculean figure in the nuiform of a or their coadjutors at home, will be less ealou | Japanese admiral smiled benignly down upon for the fature thau they were in negotiations England, dressed as a midshipmite The little which have advanced Japan to a favoured nation fellow clung to the hand of the big protector, plane; outlay on improvements for the benefit. into whose face he looked appealingly, and the of commerce has been undertaken on a generous expression of the bluff giant conveyed as plainly scale; and publi: discussion points to such as words an assurance that the lad might calm liberalisation of the law as to invite outside his fears, for he was now out of danger. Pro- capital and insure it safe lodgement. bably that device would not in any part of Japan Paternalism in government has a hold so embody an estimate of the relations of England! strong in the Japan- se nature that for purposes and Japan in respect to the integrity of Coren, of press t practical consideration it my for agitation upon that subject and upon considered fixed in the national policy. Through threatened Russian encroachment there bad the many cantu ies of feudalism, when the lords too long excited this country to leave the least of the soil did the thinking for the masses, informed iga rant that the preponderanes of nearly all industry had to be fastered by direct immediate benefit from such a convention was help. That practice judured a habit of depen | decidedly with Jap n. But the demonstrations dence in such affairs which the Government is of enthusiasm with which the device was greated forced to recoguise. The collapse of the boom typified none the less the estimate in which in industrial speculation, by bringing disaster Japan is held at home, in comparison with other upon many bold ventures in capital, served to governments, and it points to ambitions for the deepen the sense of timidity that commonly future which shall compel universal recognition attached in other years to unaided enterprise, of such superiority.
The horizon here does and if the Government has in mind relief for not extend beyond the East. with the spaces itself at any time from the importunities of outside of that sweep, political thought con those who expect its help in their private cerns itself only diffidently. Within it Japan undertakings, the time is not yet ripe for the aspires to dominate. Any countervailing in-disclosure of such a purpose.
Hence subsides are But Europe
the fashion, and in fluence will be classed as inimical. and the United Stat s are expected to under- apparent general favour. The railroads have stand that while their friendship is sincerely them, as do the steamship lines; there are desired, the sooner they make Japan a confidant bounties in certain directions, and in others been secured and adviser, and entrust to her the immediate the effect of bounties has guardianship of international interests in the by a tariff wall so high as to shut out com- East, the sooner may they expect the romoval petition. Government monopolios exist in camphor and tobacco. In furtherance of a of political friction in these longitudes.
scheme to help out the finances of Formosa, it has been proposed to institute a Government lottery on that island. There also steamship competition has been destroyed, driving off the only line that ever gave really efficient service. Since government there is colonial and in a sense experimental, it may perhaps not be fairly held to the standards expect d' at home, and possibly the operation of a broadening policy here may in time induco there administrative changes designed to persuade the return of the foreign capital which gave to that island before it passed to Japan greater commercial activity thau it has since enjoyed.
National spirit manifests itself in the smallest details. From Colombo to Vladivos ock the seaport merchants display to visitors stocks gathered from many fields. The Cingalese views with equal pleasure profit from good made in India, Malaya, Siam, China, Japan As little concern over the Europe, or America. origin of his stock burdens the Chinese trader, the Phillippino storekeeper, or the Russian. In Japan goods are Japanese. When foreign articles come in they come responsive to special call, except in lives not made in Japan. It never enters the mind of a native salesinan to' tempt purchases on the grouud that goods are imported. His nature will not admit the sup- position that anything Japan can make cab fail to be superior to a similar article made elsewhere; and with no assumption of offensive superiority, but quite as a matter of course, he tenders to callers Japanese goods, taking care to mention that they are such.
The same spirit extends to larger affairs. In calling "check" upon the diplomatic chessboard in the East, Japan may feel primarily that the convention with England has at le st deterred the approach of Russia to the south end of Corca, where its military or naval presence might menace the Japanese coast. Yet the thought of self-preservation is not uppermost. Japau has at no time doubted its ability to hold its own with Russia, were a contest forced. A barrior like Corea, established in connection with another Power, is thus a convenisace rather than a ne- cessity, so far as the welfare of Japan is alone concerned. The convention approves itself to Japan in a much larger sense. Russian on- croachment would threaten something more serious than a conflict off this coast. It might mean the absorption of Corea, i. vasion for permanent account over the borders of May churia, and threaten the peace of the world. By promising to avert the calamity, Japan feels that the convention provided a safeguard fr commercial progress, and advanced the day for such confidence in this government that the grasp of fellowship which other governments have extended will Lo longer be an act of friendly tolerance but of sincere good will.
It is in line with the actuating force behind all development here that Japan shall become the agency of progress for Asia, growing thus in political stature; and that in being accredit
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Harbourimprorements at Osaka are in line with the policy to promote commerce and domestic industry. Always the chief indust. ial city of the emp re and now the most modern and busiest in appearance, Osaka could not hold its own in a forward movement of maguitude with its present harbonraccommodations. A bar shuts it off from the head of the Inland Sea, except for janks or other light-draught vessels. Industrial growth occurred in the long period when outside commerce was forbidden and all heavy vessels of sea-going tonnage were destroy- ed. With changed conditions, the fortunes of the port would naturally be influenced by the facilities for transportation it could command. With the Inland Sea in frout of it, and the Pacific around a neighbouing headland it semed absurd to rely on the railroad, which at best could quote only inland freights at prices as low as could be obtained by part water traffic, and which for large purposes must add needl. ssly to the cost and trouble of shipments. It was decided to cut a channel through the bar and to deepen the harbour for the accommoda. tion at all tides of ship drawing 32 feet. That work has involved the outlay of millions of yen and progress with it so far has demonstrated that it cannot be completed within the eight years originally planned for it. The work has occupied five years. Determination to complete has no wiso abated by the discovery that it is more of an undertaking than had beu supposed, and if it cannot be finishel in another five years
there seems no doubt that m re time and millions will be devoted to its accomplishment,
While this improvement is of prime import- ance to Osaka, it has a bearing cn much larger plans. Kobe owes its growth and prosperity to
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[December 15, 1902.
the fact that it has been the port for Osaka In the offing at Kobe, ships f any draught inay anchor. The indus'r.es in that city are minor ones. If mere convenience to shipping had induced there the establishment of plantsand had thus created a rival to Osaka improvement w. ull have been too venturesome to undertake. Omission to c eate rivalry now argument against the improvement of Kobe harbour on a large scale. for now no prospect lingers that capital will attempt to match the industrial progress of ac ty that has long passed the stage of experiment in this line, and which is only twenty miles away.
serves rs an
So it is proposed to reserva Kobe for uses peculiar to itself, by making it a free port. It occupies a location central to the commercs of Japan. The ability of all ships to go there must continue to attract the ocean carriers provided the basiness to be had may make it worth their while to drop auchor. That must of course be their stopping place so long as the shipping of Osaka shall come there. If deprived of such shipping at this time, Kobe would not only lose its place as the first port of Japan, but it would become comparatively insignificant. Quite apart from the consideration that a harbour of this kind is not common enough in Japin to justify neglect is the fict that uses, new, dis- tinctive, and in harmony with the largest plans for commercial growth, may be found for it.
With
If Japan is to occupy the place to which it aspires in relation to the commerce of the East. and to become the clearing-house for general trade, it must make such commerce easy and inviting. The customs tariff was not devised Its application to g ods with that view. brought here for transhipment would not One encourage enterprise in that direction. way of promoting such a movement would be to give goods so intended free entry somewhere. Kobe has been proposed as the place, for the reasous stated. The general plan of providing distributing centres for cargoes not destined for Japan contemplates the establishment in the North of facilities similar to those which are offered by Hongkong and Singapore. that view, so far as Kole would figure in such a plan, a free, district would be set off, to be guarded by customs outposts, and within that be district no duties of any kind would imposed. Shanghui ceed not be considered such a scheme, promotion of in te
which from
trade except as might be diawn, results depending upon con- reniences offered for transhipment. With the growth of Japanese trade in North Chion, and the coutinuance of the ship subsidy policy, it is thought that shippers from the United States would certainly prefer to send goods for the North China market by this direct route, than round about through Shanghai, and that the cheaper freights possible might also attract goods from Europe destined for the North.
a source
Japan's location with reference to Asia suggests so str.kingly the location of Great Britain with reference to Enrope as to have prompted forecast of the development of other resemblances.
offset
In the last three years the Japanese have consumed more rica than they have grown, exports of four million piculs, for which they received twenty and three- quarters million yen, having been
seven million piculs, for by imports of which they paid nearly twenty-seven million yea. The increase of exports in that period from 214 million yen to 252 million yen was mainly of industrial products. Economic dis- cussion in the debates in the Diet has fairly settled opinion that production of the agricul- tural staple having already fallen below con sumption, Japan must look beyond husbandry for its support; and the advance in industry. points the direction which progress will take. This prospect confirms the Government in its purpose to apply its chief energies in the pro- motion of industrial and commercial growth; and in the directions indicated, as well as in others that may by evolved, adranco may he ascribed to a belief that the future holds for Japan rewards no less gratifying than those which manufactures have bestowed on Great
Britain.
The total amount of gold coined, less recoin- age, in Japan to date, is 293,079,200 yen, of which the sum remaining in the country is only 73,046,423 yen.
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