MANCHURIA.
(Daily Pres. 7th April.)
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
the Convention the complete evacuation of the Russian troops" should have taken place, Russia will not be lacking in excuses for failure to fill her engagement,”\
THE SITUATION IN CHINA.
(Daily Press, 9th April.)
April 11, 1903.
on
is that these two leailers juro deposing the present Emperor - on the Throne the ex Heir Apparer CHUN, who is now with his father Prince TUAN at Ninghsia in Kansu, They
n ultimatum.
the reported to have sent Empress-Dowager to this effect, threatening to take the two provinces of Sbensi and Kansu, and make them a separate kingdom with its capital at Hsian if their demanda arenot granted. What amount of truth there remembered that before
months ago to-morrow the Gonven-- signed at Peking by which H.M. the Emperor of all the Bussins out of a desire to give a new proof of his love of peace and of his sentiments of friendship towards H.M. the Emperor of China" agreed to restore to the Chinese Government the right according to New York telegrams appear is in this story, we cannot say. It will be
·
.
at
11
A few days ago we had something to say about the alarmist rumours which to exercise governmental and administra ing in Manil papers have been and still tive powers in Manchuria as they were are agitating the public in the United before the occupation by the Russian troops. States with regard to the situation in It will be remembered that Russia agreed China. Reports which have been circulating to evacuate the province in three stages at in the papers of Europe have been of an half-yearly intervals. Six. mouths after equally alarmning nature. A correspo..dent the signing of the Convention she under- sends us for example an extract from a took that the Russian troops from the Lancashire paper which under a general south-west portio of the province of heading gives three or four telegraphic Mukden as far as the Liao River should be despatches on the subject from different withdrawn and the railway restored to places-from Tientsin, Odessa, and St. China. The railway has been restored, but Petersburg- all of them agreeing as to the for the withdrawal of the troops, no one inevitability of a great anti-foreign re- outside the British Foreign Office appears belion in China in the course of a few - satisfied that Russia 'hus fulfilled or has any months or even weeks. Nearly the intention of fulfilling the terms of the bind-whole Celestial. Empire," according to the ing agreement. The accounts of all who Odessa despatch, "is ramified by a huge have studied the subject on the spot agree network of secret Boxers' committees, who that what Russia means by a withdrawal of only await the opportune moment, and a her troops is that they shall be withdrawn given signal to make another and more to strategic points along the line of railway desperate attempt to sweep the detested nominally for the protection of the railway." white barbarians out of the country.' Virtually Russia's evacuation" is such as The Boxer organisation, it is added, is does not to any appreciable degre re-far more widespread and complete, more linquish her hold upon the province. powerful and more determined than it was. During the last six months, according four years ago. The St. Petersburg teles to the terms of the Convention, Russiagram is of similar purport, and mention- should bave withdrawn her troops from the absurd report that "the Japaneso the remaining part of the province of are taking an active part in organis. Mukden and from the province of Kirin, ing the next movement, and that their and during the ensuing six months she has spies and agitators are work in undertaken to complete the evacuation by Manchuria and elsewhere." Such a state- withdrawing the remainder of the Russian ment bears its own · refutation, for if troops in the province of Hei-lung-kiang. any movement of the kind is maturing Very little information about the movements the Japanese are not likely to find them of the Russian troops in Manchuria become selves in a position different from other known to the outside world, but the Tartar foreigners in th country. The Standard's Generals are naturally keeping a keen eye special correspondent at Tientsin gives on all that happens! They have noted this colour to these alarming reports hy concentration of Russian troops along the telegraphing that "everyone is talking of line of railway, and the Generals stationed the anti-foreign movement believed to be near the Russian frontiers have also reported inevitable within the next few months," the arrival of considerabile accessions to the that the few Chinese really friendly to strength of the force in the province. Dr. foreigners are emphatic in their assurance MORRISON, after touring through the pro- that a deep-laid plan underlies the extreme vince and noting the rapid growth of cordiality shown to the Legations by the Russin cities, and the other abounding Court, and that the elaborate scheme of indications of permaneut occupation, has entertainments prepared at the new year expres-ed the pinion that only armed not only in the Palace but by all the lead- force can now drive Russia out of Man-ing officials had been prepared with the churin, the armed force of some other object of lulling to rest any suspicions Power than Chinese. Not long since a which gossip might perchance arouse. Chinese paper gave what purported to be the text of a number of proposals made by Russia to China which in effect amount to joint administration of the province. It is abundantly clear that Russia has no intention to restore the governmental and administrative rights in Manchuria to the Chinese Government and it is important to bear in mind that Russia's engagement to withdraw all her troops is contingent upon the following
umstances:-That the Chinese Govern-scopic fears, ent assumes the obligations to protect by very possible means the railway and its and is equally obliged to safe Fin Manchuria the security of all sian subjects in general who may be and all enterprises undertaken by them These * enterprises, as we have frequently pointed out, are being developed with marvellous energy, and it may be said with the utmost – confidence that when October arrives, by which time according to
No wonder that residents in China are. beginuing to receive letters from friends at home who have become anxious for their safety. Whilst we deprecate alarm, and are prepared to heavily discount many of the rumours which have been current dur ing the last six months, it would be idle to ignore altogether the fact that from a variety of causes, China at the present time is in such a state of unrest that what to-day may be regarded as "micro- as a correspondent describes them, may to-morrow be fears which need no microscope. The chief element of danger we think, is in the province of Kansu. It is here where the notorious Prince TUAN and General TUNG FU-HSIANG are surrounded by a very large force who are described as ready for action, and the soldiers, we have further been told, bcast that their object is an anti-foreign one,
"
and
this time no one is to escape." The which has been prevalent in Hupeh
2
Boxer outbreak
the Empress Dowager, when she wished to- deposc H.M. KWANG HBU sought Prince TUAN's assistance,, bribing him with the promise of taking another Emperor from among his sons. The present story from Kansu therefore all the more readily obtains credence, but it has been current for some time past, and the only comment we can make upon it is that the "ultimatum" either gives the Empress-Dowager an un- consci uably long time to consider the demands, or else the rebel leaders are unprepared to act upon it.
-
THE CHINESE AND H.E. THE GOVERNOR.
THE PETITION TO THE COLONIAL
SECRETARY,
We give below the full text of the petition which, as we mentioned on the 3rd inst. has been largely signed by the leading members of the Chinese community in the Colony. Hon. Dr. Ho Kai's lot'er to H E's Private Secretary and
Sir John Keane's reply are also given.
Hongkong, 3th March, 1903. SIR-I have the honour to transmit to you a Petition in triplicate addressed to the Right Honcurable the Secretary of State for the Colonies by the Chinese inhabitants of this. Colony.
leading
The Petition has been signed by the members of every section of the Chinese Community here resident, and I am requested by them to beg His Excellency the Governor to forward the same to the Secretary of State by an early mail.
As the matter is an urgent one, I am further requested to ask His Excellency to be so good as to send a telegram to the Secretary of State acquainting him with the subject matter of the Petition and stating by what mail the same is being sent. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your
most obedient servan!,
Sir JOHN KEANE, Bart,
Private Secretary.
To
HO KAI
the Right Ho ourable Joseph Chamberlain, P.C.M.P. His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Colonice.
The I umble Petition of the undersigned,
Inhabitants and Firms of Hongkong on behalf of themselves and every section of the Chinese Community. Respectfully Shewethi:-
1.That Your Petitioners are the leading Chinese Residents and Firms of and in the Colony of Hongkong and its Dependencies, who, together with the rest of the Chinese Community, constitute close upon ninety-goven per centum of the total inhabitants of the Colony and about seventeen-twentieths of the rate-paying Community.s
2. That most of Your Petitioners have either been born or naturalised as British subjects in this Colony, or have resided permanently there- in for a very large number of years, and all of them without exception have considerable staka and int rests in the land an commerce Colony.
British Crown a d since the paziod of which Your Petitioners have any remembrance the Government of this Clony has been conducted with ability and justice, for which Your Poti- tioners together with their Chinese follow citizens are truly and profoundly grateful,
4. That during the last five years tince the arrival of His Excellency Sir Henry A. Blake, G.C.M.G., as Governor of Hongkong, the
3. That sincs the cession of this
US
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