The-Hong-Kong-Weekly-Press-1903-09-12 — Page 2

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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND

HONGKONG'S NEW GOVERNOR. | he will also be able to handle the most

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arduous native question here, with satisfac- tion alike to Europeans and to Chinese, He is the first substantive Governor here holding active military rank, and he is also an Engineer in a Colony where a great ordinance concerning buildings is about to operate. The fact cannot be disguised that the new Governor of Hongkong will have before hiu an exceptionally difficult task. That he may be found equal to undertaking it will, be the fervent wish of all."

JAPAN AND RUSSIA.

to be remote from the truth, as Japanese interests in Corea are already recognised by Russia in the protocol of 1898," We cannot attach much importance to this telegram. It is only natural, of course, that the Japanese Government should wish to prevent any premature notions about its negotiations with Russia gaining general currency. The statement that Japanese interests in Corea are already recognised by Russia in the protocol of 1898, if it is part of the official denial reported by the Tokyo correspondent, is not very appropriate. This protocol contains the following articles:

(Daily Press, 10th deptember) The announcement made yesterday of the appointment of a new Governor to this, Colony of Hongkong gave an answer to a very natural anxiety for hews on the subject, among the resident coinmunity of Hong- kong. As is by this time generally known the selected official to succeed Sir HENRY BLAKE is Major Sir MATTHEW NATHIAN, K.C.M.G., R.E., Governor of the Gold Coast, West Africa, since 1900. Among the list of possible successors to our present Governors Sir MATTHEW NATHAN's name was not previously mentioned, so that the

(Daily Press, 9th September.) appointment comes rather as a surprise, and The correspondent of the North-China no little curiosity was expressed yesterday as Daily News at Tokyo states in a telegram to what were his qualifications for the post. of the 4th instaut that an official denial has A brief history of our future Governor will been given at the Japanese capital to the therefore no doubt be of interest to our report from London, via Berlin, that the readers. Sir MATTHEW NATHAN Came bisis of the Russo-Japanese negotiation is originally of a well kdown Jewish family the recognition by Japau of the interests and was born on the 3rd January, 1862, acquire by Russia in Manchuria, in being thus between 41 and 42 years of age exchange for the recognition by Russia of and exceptionally young for a Governor of Japanese interests in Core. He continues: Hongkong. Adopting the Army as his "The fact that negotiatin is going on is profession, be passed first into the_Royal | admitted, but the above bases are declared Military Academy at Woolwich. H: also passed but first and gained the POLLOCK Medal, which is given to the best all-round man at the R.M.A., and the Regulation Sword, which is awarded by Government to the best conducted mau during his time at Woolwich. His record, therefore, at the Royal Military Academy (where he was partly contemporary with two officers well known in Hongkong, Major KINO, R.E., and Major DOPPING-HEPENSTAL, RE.) was exceptionally brilliant, and he gained in parti ular the reputation of an excellent disciplinarian. He became lieutenant on the 19th May, 1880, and in 1885 he served with the Nile expedition. On the 31st July, I The Imperial Governments of Russia | 1889, he gainel his captaincy, serving that and Japan recognise definitely the sover- year with the Lushai expedition on the North-eignty and entire independence of Corea, eastern frontier of India, securing the medal and pledge themselves inutually to abstain and clasp. From 1895 to 1900 he acted as from all direct interference in the internal Secretary to the Colonial Defence Com- affairs of that country. mittee, during which period he became Major on the 1st September, 1898. In 1899 he administered the government of Sierra Leone, gaining his C.M.G. the same year. In 1900 he succeeded Sir F. M. HODGSON as Governor of the Gold Coast, where he has been since then. Sir MATTHEW NATHAN thus has had not a long, but still a distinguished career. He is unusual Iv young for appointment to Hongkong, He has won the best of reputations as a disciplinarian and as a military expert, particularly in the matter of fortifications. He is known to be an exceedingly hard- working official. In military circles his appointment will no doubt be welcomed, if only on accouut of the reputation which he gained in his early career. He bas an elder brother in the Royal Artillery and, The article which is most favourable to if we are not mistaken, relations in the Japan is the third, which certainly gives Colonial Service. Those who know him Japanese commercial and industrial inter- speak highly of his social qualifications. ests in Corea a special place, guaranteeing He is, as far as we know, still unmarried, that Russia will not hinder their advance- In coming from the Gold Coast to Hoagment. We do not see that Russia's action kong, Sir MATTHEW NATHAN makes a with regard to Yong-ampho can positively distinct advance in Colonial promotion, but his elevation to Hongkong is looked upon among those who should know best as a proof that the home Government recognises the critical positio in the Far East at the present moment, appointing therefore a strong man, whose repitition justifies the hope that he will be able to deal with such difficulties as may arise during his term of office. As he has apparently been a successful Governor on the Gold Coast, where the native question is a large one, civilians may b: justified in hoping that

II. Desiring to remove all possible cause of misunderstanding in the future, the Imperial Governments of Russia and Japan pledge themselves mutually, in the event of Corea having recourse to the advice and assistance either of Russia or of Japan, to take no measure in respect to the appoint- ment of military instructors or financial advisers without arriving beforehand at a mutual agreement on this subject.

III. In view of the wide development taken by the commercial and industrial enterprise of Japan in Cores, as well as the large number of Japanese subjects residing in that country, the Russian Government will not binder in any way the development of commercial and industrial relations between Japan and Corea.

be said to contravene this provision; yet undoubtedly if successful it would be a great stroke of policy for Russia and a menace to Japan's position in Corea. The latest news about Yong-ampho is contained in the same telegram of the Tokyo corres pondent above quoted. He says that the laud lease question is in suspense owing to the opposition of Japan, by which the Corean Foreign Office is deterred from signing the agreement, while M. PAVLOFF threatens to consider the agreement effec- tive, signature or no-a childish threat,

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September 12, 1903,

worthy of M. PAVLOFF, wh› appears to have lost his temper completely. The Japanese Government surely cannot deny that some question of a balance between Manchuria and Corea is involved in the admitted negotiations between Japan and Russia, though not perhaps as outlined in London- Berlin reports. It is the line of policy over- whelmingly dictated by the circuinstances of the case. Our Japan correspondent, in the letter which we published yesterday, was very pessimistic as to the effect which a Russo- Japanese agreement on such lines would have on the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. We cannot believe the prospect as black as he painted it. It is true that in the treaty sigued at London ou the 30th January, 1902, Great Britain and Japan mutually recognised the independence of China and Corea and agreed not to enter without consultation, into separate arrangements with another Power to the prejudica of each other's interests. The recognition of the status quo in Manchuria may be looked on, justly, as permitting a violation of China's integrity, while an extension of Japanese power in Corea would not tend to the fuller integrity of Corea. But at this period it is obviously too late to demand the restoration of Manchuria to China except at the point of the sword; and a closed Corea under the present rule is certainly of little importance to Britain. There is no reason for the lapse of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance because of an understanding between Japan and Russia. It might be objected that if the Alliance could not prevent the alienation of Manchuria it cannot be of much use for the rest of China. To argue thus is to ignore the fact that Manchuria was lost before the Alliance was formed. Britain and Japan have great interests in common all over China, and to denounce the 1902 agreement because of what occurred before it was signed is an absurd policy

QUARANTINE AGAINST

SHANGHAI.

(Daily Press, 7th September.)

On Saturday, at a special meeting of the Sanitary Board here, the port of Shanghai was declared infected with cholera. It was with great reluctance, it may well be understood, that this measure was adopted, though it has been clear for over a week now that such a step would have be taken, except in the most improbable event of news reaching us from our Northern neighbour that the disease has ceased to trouble European residents there. Merchants and shipping men here, as might be imagined, are most loth to see any restrictions placed upon free intercourse between Shanghai and Hongkong. They very naturally point out that a certain amount of cholera, or, as somo clain, a sickness resembling cholera, prevails annually in Shanghai, doing little harm outside the native city. It has therefors been urged that we should be very slow in Hongkong to put Shanghai into quarantine. The argument about the injury done to commerce by a sanitary embargo against one of our largest customers must be recognised as powerful. Yet we feel bound to commend the action of the Sanitary Board, which in fact we recommended a week ago. terrible dangers following on the intro- duction of epidemic cholera into Hongkong will be disputed by none. We had an experience of the ravages of the disease last year, and have no deira to see the possibility of a recurrence treated lightly. It cannot be denied that, while bubonic plague is deadly enough, cholera is more fatal still to the community in general, both here and in all parts of the East.

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