October 19, 1903.]]
reason why Japan regards Corea as of so much importance to her is because she finds it im- possible to feed her 42 million inhabitants. For Japan ison the whole a poor, unfertila country, and if you saw, for example, the atten- tion they have to pay there to their crops you would at once realise the economic needs of this people,They tend each individual plant, and have to struggle with a rocky soil. But in Corea the soil is good, and at the present moment hundrede, thousands, millions of Japanese live in Corea or on Corea,
JAPAN'S FEARS.
"But the Japanese fear that if Russia takes possession of Corea they will be gradually .displaced from that country. I believe that these fears are groundless. Take, for instance, the case of Vladivostock. There we have ouly got about half a score of Russian merchants altogether, the rest are Gorman or Chinese. The personal servants and the small shopkeepers are for the most part Japanese, and they are getting on excellently in Vladivostock. As a matter of fact, Russia has not enough people at her own disposal to populate her enormous empire. But in Japan this is not eredited, and any step which Russia takes towards the occupation of Cores will be regarded by the Japanese as a casu‹ belli.
ADMIRAL ALEXIEFF.
"What will be the upshot of it all I cannot say, but I shall give you the opinion of the newly appointed Viceroy, Admiral Alexieff. a man who belongs to that school of Rusian officers which makes of each officer a diplomatist, and who
is оде of the ablest men I ever know, lu a conversation I once had with him he spoke to me as follows:
WHAT RUSSIA WILL DO.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
and the question will finally be brought before the Hague Tribunal.
ISOLATED -J PAN.
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"The Japanese cannot expect help from any quarter. The English have so arrange the alliance that all the obligatious are on the side of the Japanese and all the advantages on the side of the English. Nevertheless, the conclusion of this convention made a very painful impression happened to be at a big dinner in the English on the English people living in Japau. I Legation, given by the English Minister, Sir Claude MacDonald, on the occasion of the conclusion of this alliance. The Englishmen who were present at that dinner did not con. ceal their disapprobation of the step which their Government had taken in concluding an alliauce with the Japanese, who took no pains to conceal their hatred of all Europeans. Add to this the fact that the worthy Minister knew nothing of the tresty until it had! actually been concluded. All the preliminary negotiations had been carried on bohind his back, and the treaty had been signed in Loudon before suspected what was going on. I remember one somewhat comic incident in this connection, friends drew the attention of the British One of my Minister in Tokyo to the fact that an Anglo- Japanese alliance was being arranged just as such an alliance was on the eve of being con- cluded, but Sir Claude MacDonald ausw red that his colleague was probably joking, as there was no basis whatever for this fable.
"I make a resume of my views. A war between Russia and Japan is pretty certain to take place in the near future, as in the opinion of Russia, the possession of Corea and the com- mand of the Galf of Pecbili are necessary for her establishment on the Pacifio. Japan will fight, but she will be completely beaten. l'he result of her defeat will be an unparalleled massacre of the foreign residents in Japan." Such is the opinion of oae who knows Japan well.
H.E. THE GOVERNOR.
MEETING AT THE TUNG WA HOSPITAL.
In the event of a war with Japau, the Russians will adopta Scythian plan of campaign they will retreat, it will be impossible to find them. The Japanese transports will then land some 200,00) men in Corea, and the maintenance of such an army there will mean financial rain for Japan. The Russian fleet, which the Japanese assert that they can send THE CHINESE COMMUNITY AND to the bottom Jof the sea at any moment, will retire to Port Arthur and the Russian ships will content themselves with preventing provisions from being conveyed from Japan to the Japanese army in Corea, for, of course, such an
army can only be provisioned by sea-borne stores. And after a while, when the Japanese are tired and are overcome by the climate (for, as you know, the winter in Corea lasts for eight months in the year and the summer for only four months), then the Russians will make their appearance and will be victorious more quickly than they think. The Japanese army will be defeated, nay, more, it will be wiped out.'
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MORE ABOUT JAPAN.
"I must say," continued the diplomatist, "that I agree with these views of the Admiral. The Japan of to-day is very different in its civilisation from the Old Japan. The Japanes is in the highest degree lying and deceitful, he is Chauvinist, and he hates the foreigner residing in his country with a hate which you do not find even in China. Add to this the bad financial condition of the country and the crushing nature of the taxes which do not give the Japanese an opportunity to breathe freely. The Japanese pay proportionally higher taxes than, for instance, the Frenchman or the citizen of any other country, and it all goes to keep up the army. Is it to be wondered at that the Japanese people want to make some use of this expensive army? Undoubtedly the bulk of the people want war. Although, from an Asiatic point of view, the Japanese army might be regarded as a model army, it cannot be compared for a moment with the army of an European Power. The Japanese will be beaten-that is the long and the short of it and when they are beaten there will take place in Japan, in my opinion at least such a massacre of the foreign inhabitants as history has not hitherto recorded. You have no idea how the Japanese hate the foreigners who are living in their midst, not only the Japanese people generally, but Japanese official circles.
"For instance, they are going to promulgate a special law, in virtue of which the European will be forbidden to acquire immovable pro- perty They even desire to take away the immovable property. The Powers protested against this, but, appears to me, in vain;
At the Tung Wa Hospital, at 12 o'clock, noon, on the 10th ins, a meeting of the leading Chinese of the Colony, called by the Tung Wa committee, assembled to consider what steps the Chinese community should take in view of H.E. Hongkong. Among those present were the the Governor's approaching departure from Hon. Dr. Ho Kai, Messrs. Fung Wa Chun, Lau Chu Pak, Ho Fook, Leang Pui Chi, Yuen Lai Chuen, Kwo Fai Shan, S. W. Tso, Chau Sui Ki, Tang Li Chun, Tang Lau Kuk (Chairman of the Tung Wa committee), and many others.
Mr. Fuse WA CHUN seconded, that the Hou, Mr. TANG LAU KUɛ having proposed, and
Dr. Ho Kai should take the chair,
drawing attention to H.E. Sir Henry Blake's The Hon. Dr. Ho KAI addressed the meeting,
career as Governor of Hongkong, and his ap- proaching d parture at the end of November for Ceylon. He asked whether those present preferred the idea of giving a banquet to His Excellency or of making a presentation to him. He pointed out that no present of intrinsic value could be acc·pled by him.
Mr. LAU CHU PAK said that Sir Hoary Chinese affairs in Hongkong, and had been Blake had always taken the greatest interest in notable for the fairness of his treatment of the natives. According to Chinese ideas, he pointed out, if a Chine e official dil but one good act to the people it was worthy of record. He proposed a banquet and a memorial.
Dr. Ho KAI asked whether this memorial should take the form of a s'atue or something of the kind? A statue would take a long time its erection might be decided upon later. But something ought to be done to-day. He sug- gest d a banquet to His Excellency and a presentation to Lady Blake, of whose character he spoke in terms of great honour. If subscrip- tions should come in sufficiently, then s permanent memorial might be put up.
Mr. Lau CHU PAK thought that all three proposals should be considered at once,
Mr. Ho Fook said that a large commi tee should be appointed; and that, if the funds subscribed should allow, the Committee should decide whether to erect a statue of Sir Henry
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Blake or to found a scholarship as a memento, at Queen's College or elsewhere.
Mr. LA CHU PAK theu proposed, and Mr. TANG LI CHUN seconded, that a banquet should be given to His Excellency; that a presentation should be made to Lady Blake; and that a memorial of some kind should be considered; and further, that a committes be appointed to look after all three.
i
two
that, while the banquet, presentation, and Mr. FUNG WA CHUN moved an amendment
memorial should be under the direction of separate subscription lists,
one committee, there should be
one for the
tion and memorial, since there might not be baoquet and the other for the presenta-
to subscribe, nevertheless, to the other list. room at a public banquet for all who might like
Mr. Ho Fook seconded, and the amendment was carried unanimously.
of a committee, the following being selected:-
The meeting then proceeded to the election
(Vice-chairman), Messrs. Fang Wa Chun and Hon, Dr. Ho Kai (Chairman), Hon. Wei Yuk
(hou. treasurer); the Chinese members of the Lau Chu Pak (hon. secretaries), and Ho Fook
men's committees; the permanent members, of Justices of the Peace and of the DistrictWatch-
the Po Leang Kuk committee in 1902
and
1903; the first three membe s. of
foundation, and all the members of this year's the Tung Wa Hospital committee since its and last year's committees; Messrs. Wei On, 8. W. Tso, Chan Ki Shao, Chan Lan Hai, and Chan Chun Tsun; with power to add to their numbers.
After a vote of thanks to the chairman had bren passed the meeting termiusted,
approach the European community with a view The Hon. Dr. Ho Kai was requested to
the Governor. to their taking part in the testimonies to H. E.
U.S. AND JAPANESE COMMERCIAL TREATIES WITH CHINA.
On the 8th inst. at Shanghai the commercial trealy between the United States aud China was signed, the following being present at the Treaty Commission's officas:-Messrs. E. H. Conger, John Goodnow and John F. Seaman, United States Treaty Commissioners; their Excellencies Lü Hai-huan, aud Sheng Hsuan. hnai. Chinese Treaty Commissioners; Mr. E. Drs. Hykes and Barchet of the U.S. Consulate; T. Williams, Chinese Secretary of the Legation,
Messrs. Yang and Liu, principal secretaries of the Commission; Mr. R. E. Bredon, Deputy Inspector of Customs, Mr. F. E. Taylo, Commis. sinner of Customs, and Dr. Ferguson, secretary to the Taotai. After the Treaty had been signed the Chinese Commissioners gave a tia to
evening the United States Treaty Commis the U.S. and Japanese Commissioners. In the
sinners gave an official dinner at which the Consuls, the Chinese Commisoners, the Com- manders of Warships in port and other officials were present. Orders from Washington state that the text of the Treaty is not to be published until it has been submitted to Congress. The Commissioners have sat almost continuously since the ead of March. The N., Daily News points out that the United States and China had not concluded any international agreement since 1858,
China was signed at Shanghai on the morning The new Japanse Commercial Treaty with
of the 9th inst. after the Commissioners had sat up at night. Several verbal corrections were r quired t be made, and this delayed the actual writing of the Treaty for some time. Messrs. Odakiri and Hioki signed for the Japanese Government and their Excellencies Lu Hai-huan and Sheng Hsuan-hai on behalf of the Chinese Goverment. Dr. J. C. Ferguson, the Taotai's Secretary, was present all through the sitting. The Eng ish version is not yet ready for publication. The anxiety of the Japanese to get the Treaty signed gave rise to the rumour amongst the Chinese officials that
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war between Japan and Rusia -- being imminent, the former Government had given instructions to its Commissioners t to make every haste to complete the Treaty, so as to leave the hands of the Government fres to devote its sole attention to the coming hostilities."---
The text of the U.B. treaty will be found in another page.
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