272
idence to the Obser- als of which have been criticise the report and ter the enggestions of the ship matter we, of course, are unable to decide. But there is delay somewhere whe time is precious, and we strongly deprecate such delay. The suggestions forwarded to the Government for the
mas
ovement of the service of storm-warn-
ings were the outcome of the practical experience of the persons most interested, namely the shipowners and shipmasters, and they were offered in no carping spirit or with any desire to find fault with the system at present in vogue, but simply and solely with a view to render the work of the Observatory more valuable by being more instantly available. We trust, therefore, that the suggestions will be received in the spirit in which they were made and that the Government will not hesitate to adopt any practicable measures that will render the storm-warnings clearer or more timely. In a matter of this kind red tape or formalities. of any sort should be set aside, and quick despatch be the first consideration. Time and tide wait for no man and the winds that blow will not turn aside to await the pleasure of a government. Whatever is done in the shape of providing storm- warnings should be done with the utmost promptitude so that the beurfit should be real and not merely seening.
1
THE UNREST IN CHINA.
†
(Daily Press, 17th April.) For a long time past, in fact almost ever since the return of the EMPEROR and EMPRESS DOWAGER TO Peking, there have been continuous run ours of unrest in the far north-west of the Chinese Empire. Prince TUAN and General TUNG FU-HSIANG are the personages around whom the stories of plots and machinations gather, and their movements appear to be followed with a more or less languid interest by foreigners, and with real or feigned alarm by the Peking officials. So far, it is true, neither of these doughty leaders has accomplished ything beyond some brag and bounce, Huh, which, rightly or wrongly, they are ited. But their presence in Kansu Shensi serves at any rate to inspire easiness at the Court in, Peking and to seros erop of reports, few of which colitain more than the merest of truth. The latest rumour comes Northern Hueb, and is to the effect that Prince TUAN and bis fellow con- spirator. Tuxo FU-HSLANG have sent an ultimatmes
The EMPRESS
DOWAGER
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
calling upon her to carry out formally what she virtually accomplished years ago, namely, the deposition of the Emperor WANG Hsu, and to put the discredited heir apparent, PF CHUN, son of Prince TUAN, on the Dragon Throne in His MAJESTY'S place. The consequences of a refusal to comply with this request are stated briefly as the loss of the provinces of Kansu and Shens which the conspirators
the same time threaten t5 grect into a
empire, with Hsian-fu as its capital. pondent of our Shangbai morning
writing from Faucheng, on iver, in Hupeb, asserts that über of Hunanese soldiers, who
up from W
Vuchang in boas, Fauchieng on the 12th ultimo Hsian-fu. As it is very unusual
Chinese insurgent leaders for the deposition of the EMPEROR. It is also of opinion that the EMPRESS DOWAGER is suffering from fears that Prince TUAN an 1 his colleague are really potential enough to work mischief in the north-western corner of the Empire if not to organise a descent in force on Peking. No doubt the Hunanese troops, who are believed to be loyal to the dynasty, are also being sent to Hsian-fu with direc tions to garrison that city and to stiffen the backs of the officials there or supersede them if necessary. It does rot follow, however, that they will be allowed to reach the capital of Shensi. TUNG FU-HSIANG'S troops may intercept them, and the chance of this may explain the EMPRESS DOWAGEE'S uneasiness. The old lady appears to be now hovering between Ecylla and Charybdis. On the one hand she dreads the reformera whose hope was in the Emperor KWANG HSU, and on the other she fears the reactionaries who are represented by the fugitivo Prince TUAN and the disgraced General TUNG. What will be the upshot of all the unrest, disaffection, and anti-foreign feeling which are now rampant. in North China it is hard to predict. l'essimists there are who confidently predict a fresh and more formid- able rising than the one which rendered the closing year of the nineteenth century so sadly memorable, but we hope that the lesson then read to the Boxer leaders and the anti-foreign officials was sufficient to act as a deterrent to violence and outrage at any rate for some decades, long enough perhaps to inaugurate a healthier feeling and more friendly relations with the foreigner. is, however, well to continue precautions, and the Legation guards in Peking will obviously have to remain. an institution for many years to come. It would never do for the Treaty Powers to relax their precautions or to accept the bland assurances of the Tsung-li Yamen that all danger is past and violence will never be meditated again by a Chinese mob. Neither will it do for the EMPRE: 8 DOWAGER to discuss terms with the outlawed leaders.. Both Prince TUAN and General TUNG were among the foremost the campaign against foreigners, and had they been able to work their will would undoubtedly have carried out a policy of extermination. If there is any coquetting by the EMPRESS-Dowager or the Tsung-li Yamen with these arch-enemies of the Western Powers, there is bound to be serious trouble, and, a. the least, it will lead to new complications with foreigners, ending possibly with a fresh and greater
advocates of
War.
It
Replying to Sir Charles Dilke in the House of Commons on the 9th ult., 1.ord Cranborne said:-With the exception of the Hankow Cantou line, in which, the British and Chinese Corporation are no longer interested, the remaining British Railway concessions eun. merated by. Bir C. MacDonald (about 2,500 miles in all) are still existent, but only the Peking-Newchwang line, with its extension from Peking to Tangchow (about 600 miles) is open to traffic. The branch from Chung- low-so Simminting is approaching com- The Feking Syndicate line from
(April 20, 1903, THE CHINESE PETITION.
(Daily Press, 17th April.) Dr. Ho Kat's lengthy defence of the Chinese Petition for the extension of Sir HENRY BLAKE's term of office ns Governor of the Colony does credit to his industry as well as to his ingenuity. But we should like to point out that no one has questioned the fact that HIS EXCELLENCY's adminis- tration has been greatly appreciated and admired by the Chinese community. It is only when the petitioners come to enume rate the acts which have marked His EXCELLENCY's administration that criticism is provoked. Dr. Ho KAI seems in his reply to have missed the point that the criticismi is largely excited by the fact that personal credit is given to HIS EXCELLENCY for philanthropic, educational, sanitary and other improvements when it by no means necessarily follows that because all these things have been accomplished during His EXCELLENCY's term of office the honour and the glory therefor belong essentially to him. We differ entirely from the view expressed by Dr. Họ KAI that it is immaterial whether the measures were initiated by HIS EXCELLENCY or whether they had been pressed upon him by local organisations or popular agitation. The answer to our comments with regard to the failure to collect Crown rents in the New Territory constitutes one of the weakest, lamest excuses conceivable, collected" on account," as HIS EXCELLENCY These rents in disputed cases cannot be in August, 1900, said they would be, because of the "extreme reluctance" on the part of the owners and occupiers of land to pay rent before their claims had been demarcated, investigated, and allowed by
the Land Court. Dr. Ho KAI further ex-
plains that in order to distrain for rent the Government "must have a rent roll and must be able to identify by map each plot of land on the rent roll." The alleged owners surely have a clear idea of the limits of each plot which they claim belongs tó them and to abandon the considerable revenue which ought to be derived from this source on such flimsy pretexts is a confession of extraordinary weakness.
Nearly one column and a half is occupied in defence of the paragraph in the Petition in which it is claimed that the police measures adopted have tended to preserve the peace and good order of the Colony in
a manner
the most effective and unsur-
+
passed." We asked how this could be reconciled with the statement in the latest polico returns showing that during the past five the increase in "serious offences"
years in the Colony has been 30 per cent. com. pared with the figures for the previous five years. Dr. Ho Kai answers that in that time the native population has increased 64 per cent, which is a very good point to make, as the increase in the Police Force has not been in the same proportion. Doubtless, if detection of crime was more certain than it is now, the police returns would show a more favourable tendency, and the community will be pleased to learn through Dr. Hồ KAI that a detective branch is to be soon added to the district watchmen force, which is maintain- ed by the voluntary contributions of Chinese ratepayers. We are indebted Dr. Ho KAI for the light he has been able to throw the causes of the delay in the provision of those public buildings and certain administrative reforms which have so long been promised, and we trust that at
the Honan coalfields is in e nstruction, and their line to under negotiation. Surveys have made for the lines from Sooshow to Hangohow and Ningpo and from Canton to Kowloon, The British and Chinese Corpora- tion have just concluded a fresh agreement for the construction of the line from Shanghai to Nanking. I informed the House on 4th inst. of the action taken by His Majesty's Gover our contemporary to the other lines, no action, so far. His our unpleasant duty to again refer to them inclined to onnect this movement with Majesty's Government are aware, is desired by as unaccomplished items in the list of the alleged demand by the disaffected the Concessionaires.
from Hunan to be sent north toment in regard to the Pakou line; with regard the end of another five years it will not be
7
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