3
done we are giving Russia the chance of selecting her own time and place for begin- ning the conflict.
HUMILIATED CHINA.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
YUNNAN RAILWAY QUESTION.
(Daily Press, 30th December.)
An interesting paper was read before the Royal Geographical Society in Fondon last · month by Captain C. H. D. RYDER, R.E., on the subject of his explorations with an expedition sent by the Yuunan Company, with supervision by the Indian Government,
(Daily Press, 31st December.) Surely never was any great country placed in such a humiliating position as is China at the present date. Reduced by thein 1898 and, after a short interval, in 1899 natural process of decay, the misgovernment into the province of Yunnan. Not only did of her rulers, and the pressure of out this expedition survey completely the more side peoples to a state which is practically important part of this province, but in 1900 impotence, China is constantly being called it proceeded ria Szechuen and Tibet to the upon to repudiate the engagements which Yangtsze, down which it travelled to she has made with one Power or another. Shanghai, arriving there soon after the It is not often that she has much to say, middle of the year. Yunnan is a province even in entering originally into the engage, which has been much discussed, owing to ments; still less is she allowed in the matter the varying estimates of its probable worth of the repudiation. Every Power in turn to European enterprise and to the burning which is "interested" in China-to the question of the possibilities of entering it by great detriment of China's interests, as a railway from Burina. Captain RYDER has general rule-squeezes from the helpless no doubt as to the province's great future. and often prepaid officials at Peking some Close both to British and to French concession giving special advantages over possessions, it abounds in minerals, has a other Powers. In time the transaction is fine climate (in contrast to low-lying and made public, and at once it becomes a feverish Tonkin and Burma), is entered by question whether compensation must be the magnificent rivers Yangisze, Mekong, given to the rest of the nations or the first and Salween, and by tributaries of the bargain denounced,
In any case it is Irrawaddy, and has every variety of eleva- China that suffers, and but for her very tion above the sea-level, all the cultivated inertness it would be difficult to see how the plains being from 5,000 to 8,000 feet above Empire could have lasted. Compelled con- this, while the three large rivers in the stantly to act in a way damaging to her own north-western corner of the province flow at strength and reputation, and misled by a height of 7,000 feet. On the main plateau the authorities at Peking, China dragon of Yunnan, between the Yangtze, West, an inglorious existence. One or
two and Red Rivers, are the greater number of nations claim to act as far as possible for the seventy to eighty cities of the province, her good; the others more cynically allow but Yunnan is full of plateaus, all in. that the guiding motive of their conduct to habited by the Chinese, the Shaus and ward Chiun is acquisition. Recently Britain, Lolos having been driven into the hills and the United States, and Japan have shown valleys. Yunnan suffered terribly from the certain compunction and in leed almost effects of the Mohammedan rebellion some friendly feelings toward China, but unless thirty years ago, and the ruins of towns these feelings induce them to co-operate in still remain to mark the devastation of that building up her position to a certain extent time; but the province is recovering now the open aggression of other nations will soon and will not, according to Captain RYDER, bring the whole fabric to the ground. An be behindhand in the coming expansion of example of what China has to suffer iste Chinese Empire. Could only rapid furnished in the London telegram which means of intercommunication be provided we publish in another column, which states a large trade would soon arise between that Russia has brought pressure to bear Burma and Yunnan in food-stuffs alone, on China against employing the Japanese Burma sending its rice in exchange for instructors whom she had contemplated for Yunnan's crops which flourish in a "colder her army and that Japan has in consequence climate such as that province has. appealed to Great Britain to support her with mule-back traffic and rough carts, as claim to be considered on an equal footing at the present time, such tradě has little with the other Powers. This claim of chance, If a railway is impossible, we Japan, we are glad to see, is acceded to by gather, Burma cannot compete seriously for Lord LANSDOWNE, and it may be hoped the trade of Yunnau. that Russia's interference may be held in check. But the real humiliation of the affair is not for Japan but for China, who cannot even be allowed to engage military instructors of one nationality without one of her "friends" stepping in to protest. It is only natural that Russia, the country which has wrung most of the unfair con- cessions out of her helpless neighbour, should be the one to attempt to prev ut other Powers from doing anything which may be to the benefit of China. A policy of un- blushing aggression against China and of underhand deceit towards the other
claimants to China's favours has become a tradition with Russia, and China alone is absolutely unable to put an end to the existing state of affairs. The ideas of reform, about which we heard so much when the Imperial Court was on its way back to Peking, have apparently faded away into nothingness, and China is doomed to get on as best she can amid, and indeed, to a great extent, because of the jealousies of the Powers watching around her. It is impossible to imagine a nation in a more pitiable condition,
But
to
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[January 3, 1903.
out to help to dispel this ignorance; but we inust confess to feeling uncertain still whether the case has been finally settled against the possibility of the railway. After Lord CURZON's speech to the Rangoon Chan)- ber of Commerce a year ago, we were con- vinced that no Government help to any such scheme could be expected. After the paper read before the British Association nt Belfast, we imagined that the most exhaus- tive surveying had proved the feasibility of the line out of the question. But the remarks addressed to the Royal Geographical Society by the author of the paper read to the British Association still leaves us in doubt. There seems to be some inconsistency in the views expressed on the two latter occasions.
HONGKONG SANITARY BOARD.
A special meeting of the Sanitary Board was held on Wednesday afternoon in the Board Room for the purpose of considering what action, if any, the Board should take in view of the fact that four cases of plague had occurred in the city during the mouth of December. Dr. J. M. Atkinson. Principal Civil Medical Officer (President), presided, and there were also pre- Works; Hon, Dr. F. W. Clark, Medical Officer seut Hon W. Chatham, Diretor of Public of Health; Colonel Webb, RA.M.C.; Mr. C. McI. Messer. Aoting Registrar-General; Mr. EOstorre, Mr. Fung Wa Chuu, Mr. Lan Chu Pak, and Mr. G. A. Woodcock (Secretary).
PLAQUE IN FONGKONG,
The PRESIDENT-Gentleman, my excuse for calling you together at such short notice is that three cases of plague bave occurred within the and in one part of the Fourth District, the last twelve days, two within the last 48 hours
neighbourhood of Wo On Lane. I have called you together to see whether the Board think it desirable to Like any measures with reference to clearing this block of buildings of their inhabitants. If these measures are to prove of any use they must be taken immediately; other wise I would have given you longer notice.
The SECR TAY read a minute on the sub-
ject, prepared by the Medical Officer of Health, recommending the closing of the houses and that the Government be approached with a view to making provision for the accommodation of the displied inhabitants,
Mr. FUNG WA CHUN-This is a very narrow lane, is it not?
Hon. Dr. CLARK-Fifteon feet wide. will be displaced by the clearing of the block Mr. EUNG WA CHUN-How many people
of buildings?
Hon. Dr. CLARK -About 1,500 people of the chair-coolie clas. All of them will not go into the houses: provided for the displaced in- habitauts; many will find quarters of their own.
The
PRESIDENT-You will recollect that similar measures were taken in January with reference to two cases that occurred at Jardine's
Dock. I move that the Government be recom- mended to rent certain house to provide accommodation for the people displaced.
Mr. OSBORNE seconded.
Mr. FUNG WA Chun-May I ask if there proposed to be taken for the housing of these will be enough accommodation in the houses
roople?
Hon W. CHATHAM-There will be enough. The motion was agreed to.
The PRESIDENT-It is necessary for the Board to order the immediate closing of these houses. The Board has power under the Bye- laws for the Prevention or Mitigation of Epidemic, Endemic or Contagious Disease,
At the meeting of the British Association at Belfast in September last Captain RYDER read a paper on Yunuan, much of which was substantially the same as that read to the Royal Geographical Society at the end of November. From the former paper, how- ever, it appeared that the Yunnau Company had conclud d that it was necessary abandon any idea of a Burma-Yunnan railway, owing to the mountainous nature of the country and the poor prospects of traffic. Judging from Captain RYDER'S more recent paper, we should not be inclined to dismiss the idea as entirely hopeless. He speaks of one possible through line only from Burma into China; but if there is one line only, and that is feasible, it is evident that hope need not be abandoned yet of a British line entering Yunuan. The route referred to is from the Kunloug Ferry, up the Nam Ting Valley, and via Tuli-fu to Yunnan-fu. Captain RYDER says that in the matter of Burma-China railway com- munication a great deal of hopeless ignorance of the country is displayed in the various proposals put forward. The Yunnan Mr. OSBORNE-Twenty-four hours is a little Company's expedition was, we take it, sent too soon; give them 48.
on the certificate of the Medical Officer of Health or other qualified practitioner, to close houses that are unfit for human habitation (that certificate is here), and the occupants may be removed after 24 hours notice.
We can give them such notice as the Board think necessary. 1 move that the houses Nos, 1 to 17, Wo On Lane, Nos. 15, 17, 19, 21 and 21a, D'Aguilar Street. for human bab tation. and No 19, Wing Wah Lane be closed as unfit
Hon. W. CHATHAM seconded.
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