380
INTERNATIONAL||RELATIONS. !
(Daily Press, 2nd November)
It rather look at the present moment as if a period of greater calm in international affairs were about to begin. As we have
seen, both in the Far and the Near East (ns these divisions of the world are con ventionally called), the prospects for the coming winter are encouraging to those who hope that peace can be maintained. Japan's admirable conduct in the face of most trying circumstances appears likely to gain its reward, while in the Balkans both Turkey and Bulgaria se:m to be striving honestly to avoid an appeal to arms. The most remarkable feature in
European politics this fear has been, and still is, the number of international visits. The most notable of these perhaps have been King DWARD's trip to France, President LOUBET's return call to London, the journey of the King of Italy to Paris, and lastly Count LAMSDORFP's visit to the French capital. To follow these there is now coming the meeting of the Tsa” of Russia and the German Kaiser, about which the European Press is busying itself not a little. Perhaps the interest excited by these irter. national courtesies would be extremely slight out bere, were it not for the fact that the situation in the Far Ea-t depends very greatly upon the relations between certain of the Powers of Europe It is plain from telegrams that the meeting of the German and Russian sovereigns has been suspected in the Press of their countries as not being devoid of significance as far as their foreign policy is concerned,aud particularly, perhaps, their policy in the Far East. But the French newspapers it appears, are at pains to make out that the Press of Germany and of Russia is attaching too much im portance to the Kaiser's and Tsar's meeting; they take Count "LAMSDORFF's visit to Paris to be a set-off against this meeting, and to be intended to reassure France as to Ru-sia's intentions. There is no prospect, it is declared, of a renewal of th Dreikaiserbund, the understanding betwes Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Russia. We should hardly think that such renewal was anticipated except in most nervous circles in France. Russia has no desire to drive France out of the Dual Alliance, as an approach to Germany and Austria-Hungary must inevitably do; and, though Germany still fondly pursues BISMARCK's policy of coquetting with Russia. she does not wish to bind herself to a pro-Russian attitude, particularly when the Balkan question remains as it is. As regards the Far East, Russia stands to gain very much more from a berevolent attitude on the part of Germany than Germany from Russia's friendship. The newspapers of Paris declare that the Russian Foreign Minister has brought strong assurances of Russia's pacific inten. tions in the Far Est. We trust that this
Ą
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
and supports
Russian aggression in return Į for Russia's support of hers, then she can only end by provoking a struggle which menaces the continuance of her rule in Indo-China. It is to be trusted that an Anglo-French understanding with regard to South-China and Siam is not out of the question. The present situation is one of mutual distrust. Yet both nations (and, we are bound to say, we think France inore e-pecially) have much to gain by a policy of goodwill toward one another and of friendliness to their Asiatic neighbours Could we be assured of France's peaceful intentions, we need have no dread of trouble in Asia beyond that caused by Russia's ceaseless scheming France appears eager to believe that even Russia wishes for peace. We must perforce wish so too, but we are not so ready to believe, a fact which can hardly occasion surprise.
[November 7, 1903,
vernment is absolutely disinclined to depart from its attitude of benevolent ignorance. It is true that Ministers, when hard pressed, have taken refuge in the statement that it is the British concessionaries who are to blame,
in that they do not hasten to take up their grants. The Ministers have a strong card to play in showing up the commercial men's apithy. It exists, and its existence is a disgrace. But the Government's lack of encouragement is also disgraceful. Even in the neighbourhood of this Colony, wherein we have been established for sixty years, we have waited to see the railway rights pass into other hauds, and what petty concessions are British-owned remain idle and look likely to be so for years to come. The serious aspect of the matter as it affects Hongkong never seems to trouble anyone. That the Colony is vitally threatene in its position of business-centre of South China is comfortably ignored. Yet what is the ground for assuming that, if a suitable FOREIGN RAILWAYS IN CHINA.deep-water terminus can be found in the Canton Delta somewhere below Whampa (and experts say that it can), steamships will continue to come rather to Hongkong? Will it be from love of us, or from gratitu le for our former hospitality? No doubt the present prosperity of Hongkong will last our time-if we are not too young now. What, however, will be the feelings of successors toward those who have suffered
(Daily Press, 3rd November.) REUTER'S telegram published to-day re- ports an announcement by M. DELCASS, the French Premier, to the effect that the French Minister at Peking and the Chinese representative (Prince CuING, we presume) live signed an agreement for the con- struction of a railway to Yunnan. This agreement gives the final official sanction of China to the French scheme of con- necting the capital of Yunnan province with Hanoi by rail and so bringing the head waters of the Yangtze River into
connection with reasonably close
the principal port of French Indo-China. There has, of course, heen no doubt that France would get China's consent. China is not in a position to refuse any suc request, if only she be pressed sufficiently, The untions which take advantage of this fact a e wise, and, provided they have also the neces-ary commercial ability must benefit greatly in the near future by their foresight. The competition as now become severe, and the number of concessins which it is possible for China to graut is limited. Therefore those first in the field are promised a rich harvest from the results of their present energy. According to Shanghai native papers, the Italians have entered the field in Chekiang province, and with the assistance of a Tuotai and another influential Chinese have secured the railway and mining rights of the province. The Tastai, who is a Chekiang man, is vehemently attacked by the vernacular Pres of Shanghai as a traitor who has sold his fellow countrymen. But such protests are of little avail, unless backed up by more than mere academic remarks on the duties of a patriot. It is the great warkness of the Clin se system of government that, with so feeble a central authority as now exists at Peking, the provincial officials can nourly always line their pockets with impunity and valuable For the present as we have said, the grants can be signed away without the prospects of peace secin good; but we have public gaining aught. Not that Italian no warrant of Russia's designs, say, after railway and mining privileges in Chekiang the advent of next spring. It is plain that neel damage China's position. Italy has France does not wish to be entangled in not yet made her appearance as a land any Russian plots, and this is in itself grabbing nation in China. There is no one guarantee of praec. France, if only reason why she should not help in the she can hold in check fer so-called Colonial opening up of China; nor indeel is thers party, has an excellent chance of pushing such objection against any Power that do's her enterprises in South China. If she not make a gain of similar privileges au refuses to listen to those who are forexcuse for territorial aggrandisement. grasping at Yunnan province and beyond, as The question which conce ns as most in well for the easteru and better half of Siam, then she has an opportunity of building up her Indo-Chinese empire commercially. If, on the contrary, she essays land-grabbing
is so.
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our
the Colony's greatness to be destroyed for want of a little foresight and a certain amount of energy and public spirit, it will perhaps be possible to imagine. Yet there are in Hongkong now many who recognise how necessary
it is, if we are to resist the strong competition arising, that we too should employ that most potent commercial instrument in an unexploited country, the railway line. Can these people, for their credit, to put matters on no higher ground, afford to keep silent? The question is not merely rhetorical. It calls for an answer nw. Time is in the essence of this struggle for the commerce of South China. Ten years ago Hongkong was overwhelmingly favourable position as regards this trade. It is not so now, and in another ten years Hongkong may be out of i..
in an
REPORTED ANGLO-FRENCH
AGREEMENT.
What
(Daily Press, 4th November.) The reported pact between Great Britain and France, which our London correspon. dent's telegram published to-day announces, will, if correct, prove au event of the highest international magnitude, and a fitting con- clusion of the recent drawing together of the two great neighbouring Powers, is to be feared is that the news is too Both nations, it must bo good to be true. admitted, have shown a most praiseworthy desire during the past few months to remove all petty cau es of irritation which hive hitherto so unnecessarily embittered their mutual relations. The signaturo of the Anglo-French arbitration treaty last mouth was an earnest of batter things, but it did not go very far, seeing how much its provision limited its scope in the interpretation of treaties between the two countrie
Rumours have ben plenti- ful of late thit an understan ling with regard to Morocco was pen ling, but they could be traced to nɔ trustworthy surce. More ver, they suggested no adequate this connection is still whether in this co-equivalent to Great Britain for so great a petition for concessions from China Great concession as a free band for France in Britain is to be content to do nothing the North Africaa sultanate. A recɔgnition whatever. It looks as if the British Go. of Britain's position in Egypt would
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