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February 28, 1903.]
"each person must be allowed oze thou- "sand cubic feet of air space-thus neces-
sitating a larger floor aren."
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
"be assured by taking as the basis of "calculatio the lowest anuual rainfall of,
say, the last twenty years."
We make no apology for so long a quota- tion, for the matter is absolutely vital to
PORT HAMILTON. the Colony. It cannot be wondered at that the death rate is so high, se ing that so (Daily Press, 26th February.) much remains to be done-and so much, we Sixteen years ago to-morrow the British might add, to be begun-in the improve- flag was hauled down at Port Hamilton ment of the sanitary conditions of the (otherwise the Namhow Islands, off the inhabitants. Yet, though our death-rate is southern end of the Corean peninsula) after exceedingly high, having regard to the fact an occupation of little less than two years, that the population is so largely composed and the place, which had so suddenly of young adults, it is, as the Medical sprung into prominence, reverted to Corea Officer's report says, satisfactory to find and to obscurity. The story of its momen. that, in spite of the persistence of plague, tary fame in history is curious. Coren the denth-rate shows a considerable reduc itself had hardly come within the sphere of tion during the past ten years as compared European politics more than a few years with the previous decade. The average before the Port Hamilton incident occurred. annual rate has dropped from 27.27 to The country's relations had been entirely 23.57 per 1,000. The total number of with China and Japan, and Russia had only deaths registered during 1902 was 6,783, as just begun to come on the scene. But the compared with 7,082 during the previous advent of Russia speedily attracted British year. The death-rate for 1902 was, there- attention, and the question of our interests fore, 21.7 per 1,000 as compared with 23.5 in the China Sea was 800n involved. | in 1901, 23.9 for 1900, and an average of Russia's most southerly harbour in the Far 23.0 per 1,000 during the past five years. East was then Vladivostock in 43.7 N. These deaths include 582 from plague. The latitude, and her encroachment further birth-rate in 1902 was 3.8 per 1,000 ns south was not regardel in England with compared with 3.6 in 1901, 3.3 in 1900. that toleration which prevailed at the time and 43 in 1899. But the number of of Port Arthur's seizure. In 1885 Russia Chinese births registered does not give au was more than suspected of having designs accurate record of the total number of births on Port Lazıreff at the beul of Broughton of Chinese that have occurred in the Colony, Bay, and the strategic importance of the for many of the infants that die during the Namhow Islands lay in the fact that they first ironth or so of life remain uuregistere.. | practically commanded the natural out t It has been customary, therefore, to add to from the Sea of Japan into the China the registered births the number of infants Sea. of one month old and under that die in the various convents, or are found by the police in the streets or in the harbour. The number during 1902 was 239 males and 364 females, making a total of 603; and the addition of these figures to the registered Chinese births gives a total of 1,569 as compared with 1410 during the previous year. The corrected birth rate is 6.1 per 1,000, while among the Chinese alone the rate becomes 5.3 per 1,000.
two
To one other matter only in Dr. CLARK'S report do we propose here to refer, and that is the rainfall of 1902, a matter which, it will readily be understood, bas a close cou- nection with the health of the Colony, The total rainfall during 1902 ' was 97.5 inches as compared with 55.78 in 1901 and an average of 77.66 during the past ten years. These figures might surprise those of us, living in enjoyment of a hours daily supply of water, who have forgotten the heavy rains which we Occasionally experienced list year. The greatest amount of rain which fell 011 any one day was 806 inches on August 2nd, while no rain fell on 223 days of the year; the relative humidity of the at mosphere throughout the year was 75.6 per cent. as compared with 75 per cent. in the previous year; while daring March to August it averaged continuously over 82 per cent. The average daily amount of sun- shine throughout the year was 5.3 hours and on 51 days no sunshine was recorded. Dr. CLARK
comments: -' In my annual report for 1899′ I- showed that average rainfall during the decade ending "that year was elevou and a half inches less than the average rainfall during the pre seding decade. The above figures "show that the average has fallen still further, for during the past decade it has been more than sixteen and a half inches less than during that ending 1892. Any estimates of water-supply, therefore, based on previous records of rainfall are subject “to a very considerable discount from this cause, while a continuous supply can only
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With Port Hamiltou in our hauds, it was considered by competent authorities, Russia's establishment on the eastern coast of Corea would be checkmated; and a base of operations gained if it became necessary to attack Russia in the North-west Pacific. The British Government decided that wo could not risk Port Ham Iton falling into Russian hands, and on the 14th April, 1885, telegraphed to Admiral DoWELL to occupy it.
Three British warships procee led at once to the harbour and on the arrival of a Russian volunteer cruiser on the 10th May hoisted the Union Jack. So, simply and briefly, was effected the British occupation
C
of Port Hamilton," writes Mr. R. S. GUNDRY in his China and Her Neighbours. Twenty- "four hours previously, it may be safely "affirmed, hardly one European in a million had known that the islands exist ; nor was "the proportion much greater of English.
men who knew where they are situated, "when news came of their occupation." China, Japan, and Corca herself were im mediately informed by the British Guvern ment of the step which had been taken. The two former countries acquiesced in a guarded fashion, and it seems probable that they must have at least been sounded beforehand; but China later on, evidently under pressure from Russia, refused to sign a sgreement with Great Britain formally recognising the occupation of Port Hamilton. Corea ineanwhile hii entered a
+
protest and showed signs of Russiau influence. So the matter went on unt April, 1886, when Lord RoSEBERY, who the hal now taken
up the
se.il of office, definitely proposed an evacuation if Caina would propose to
Russia and other Powers interested to enter into nn international arrang me it guaranteeing Crea's integrity. On these lines (which were those already hinted at during Lord SALISBURY's regime) a solution of the question was arrived at finally. But during the end of 1885, the defensibility of Port Hamilton hal been strongly impugue i. except at a considerable expense on fortifica- tious. The Admiralty in March, 1886,
151
stated that unless the island were fortified and garrisoned it would not be advisable to retain possession of it. The responsibility thrown on the British fleet on the C Chins station was felt to be too heavy and the Government was not prepared to construct a strong fortress. It was felt also to be unwise to arouse China's ill-will by prolong. ing the occupation, especially as China had. obtained the suggested promises from Russia. There was no difficulty, therefore, in concluding an agreement whereby Britain. encuated Purt Hamilton on the faith of Russin's guarantee to China that she would not occupy Crean territory under any circumstances whatever. Accordingly ou the 27th February, 1887, the British flag was hauled down and the episode closed. The guarantee which Russia gave in rəturn for the British retirement has so far stood the test of time, though it has frequently appeared on the point of being broken. Since 1887, however, Japan's position in the Far East has altered so completely that Corea's freedom from Russian aggression has other safeguards than Russin's truth to her word. The Port Hamilton affair was useful in that it held Russia in check until other factors made the absorption of Corea by her northern neighbour a task which could only be accomplished at the expense of a terrific struggle, if at all.
CHINESE LABOUR FOR SOUTH AFRICA.
(Daily Press, 25th February.) The question of the import of labour into the Rand is at the present time occupying considerable attention outside as well as in South Africa itself, and, in view of the strong support given in some quarters to the proposal to secure Chinese labourers, interest must be felt in the matter even out here. It will be seen from Beuter's telegram that Johannesburg has sent out a special commissioner to make investigations
China, via London and California. "In the papers brought by the last mail from home' there are numerous references to the Rand labour problem and some interviews with peo- ple qualified to speak with authority. Mr. LEOPOLD ALBU, "interviewed by the Daily Chronicle, expressed himself most strongly n favour of the importation of Chinese. In fact he went so far as to say that there is only one possible source of labour-supply;
and that is China." He expressed him. self, moreover, as hopeful that Mr. CHAMBERLAIN would eventually agree to the introduction of Chinese, concluding with the words: "After all, what is the founda. tion of all the objections to it ? Simply sentiment. We have been living on sentiment for the past four years. Now we want business." This is at least admirably concise. These views are supported by the London manager of the firm of Messrs. GoɛRZ & Co., who told the Financial Times that enquiries satisfied the firm that of all the outside labour available Chinese was probably the best, and that he considered Chinese bad been proved to be superior to Indian labourers. With regard to this latter point, it will be remembered, ve recently quoted some remarks from Mr. HUGH CLIFFORD's report on the Federated Malay States; but of course the circum. stances in Malaya and the Rand render the cases very dissimilar.
Now it is a familiar fact that the op- pɔnents of the importation of Chinese are yery many ani very outspoken, and we have heard of the sympathy expressed in Australia with those who would keep Chinese out of South Africa recent writer in the Daily Mail restated forcibly,
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