February 8, 1904.]
way, the Chinese had two batteries on Kowloon peninsula, according to the late Mr. Dennys, in his Treaty Ports of China and Japan. Those days seem truly remote from the present era of Taipo police administration and shooʻing expeditions in the New Territory,
BANYAN.
THE NORTHERN CRISIS.
(Daily Press, 29th January,) The Japanese papers state that at a recent meeting of the bankersconvened by the Minister of Finance at his official residence to discuss the financial bearing of a war with Russia, the Minister estimated that a war would cost Japan not less than four hundred million yen (about £40,000 000). It appears that arrangements have been made for the prompt issue of Exchequer bonds to the amount of 100,000.000 yen, should the occasion require it, and the opinion is expressed that the Banks of the Empire are in a position to supply that sum and more without difficulty,
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
Chefoo reports that every steamer leaving | Port Arthur has to be towed out by a ing and to carry a special pilot, so that in the event of anything happening to her she can be towed out of the channel before she sinks, and so the entrance will be kept clear.
The first meeting of the Supreme Military Council of Japan was held in the Palace at Tokyo on the 25th ult. Later in the day. Counts Matsukata and Inouye, former Minis ters of Finance, and Baron Sone, the present Minister, were received in audience by the Emperor, who asked their co-operation regarding | the important financial programme which is to deal with the present contingency. Next day the principal Ministers and the Elder Statesmen met at Count Katsura's residence to arrange the programme.
At Seoul, despite the trickery of Russia, a wind favourable to Japan is now reported to be blowing, the Corean statesmen feeling confidence in Japan's sincerity
The Kobe Chronicle of the 22nd ult, thinks that, if Russia still refuses to accept the de- The Kobe Chronicle of the 21st inst. has a mands made by Japan, and if for the time ecathing article on the way in which the being relations are broken off, the natural censorship is being exercised over Press tele- consequence will then be, not an attack by grams in Japan. It appears that whatever the Japan upon Russia either oa land or sea, but censor objects to in message he deletes, the resort by Japan to those measures for safe- and the message is then forwarded to its guarding her interests of the nature of which destination in its emasonlated form, with- she has already informed Russia. That is tor out any intimation of the mutilation being say, Japou will send her troops into Corea, given to the sender. It may be explained that declare some sort of a protectorate, and set to Press messages are now forwarded from Japan work to erect the peninsula into a bulwark on the receiver-to-pay" system, and though against the further southward advance of the receiver would, of course, be charged only for Russia. Our contemporary believes that Russia the number of words he receives, it is con- would der no active opposition to such action. ceivable that if the sender were informed that she may make it the subject of protest to Japan the censor had deleted essential portions of his and the other Powers, but in the end the Russian message. he would, in the majority of cases, Government would virtually acquiesce, for the decide that the balance of the message was not present at any rate, in measures that might | worth the cost of transmission.
leven b· regarded with secret approval as giving her a certain right to remain in Manchuria. resolutely taken the matter into her own hands, It is by no means improbable that Japan having Russia will withdraw her agents and remove her works from Northern Corea at the Japanese demand, thus acknowledging the Yalu as the real boundary between a Manchuria dominated by Russia and a Corea dominated by Japan. There seems to be no probability that Japan will attempt the tremendous task of attempting to drive Russia from Manchuria.
(Daily Press, 2nd February.) In the midst of anticipations of the gloomiest kind, Hongkong still continues with little de- finite news The Japanese Consul had not, up to yesterday, heard that war had broken out. As far as he knew, Japan was still waiting for Russia's reply, which would decide the matter one way or the other. It is understood that a telegram has been received by Chinese to the effect that war has broken out, but this, per. haps (most likely, in fact), is from Chinese else. where who, thinking peace at this stage impos- sible, were previous in their announcement,
(Daily Press, 3rd February.) Several telegrams are understood to have been recall of the transport Dilwara, first made Local news was scanty again yesterday. The received by various parties, all to the effect public in our Singapore telegram in yesterday's that war is expected. But that is not new.
issue, was confirmed in service circles, but no The Russian 8.8, Manchuria, which arrived definite explanation of the move was forthem- from 8. Petersburg on Sunday, left for Porting. It is also known that the H.K.V.C. is Arthur yesterday afternoon. She has 50 tons of ordered to be in readiness for any eventuality. explosives and 1,300 tons of general cargo on It will be seen, from the telegram in another board. The Russian &8. Eduard Bay, which column, that the two new Japanese cruisers arrived from Odessa on Sunday, with 4,500 Kasuga and Nisshin have arrived at Singa- tons of cargo for the north, has not yet pore and after coaling yesterday were to said at once for the North. On the 28th ult. the Tokyo Municipal Assembly resolved unani- mously to take charge of the financial arrange- ments for the proposed entertainment welcome the crews of the Kasuga and Nisshin.
to
cleared.
Various items of news in connection twithhe, crisis are contained in the most recent issue of the N.-C. Daily News. It appears that eighty Russian soldiers arrived at Koupangtzetation on the 22nd ult. from Hsinmingtun, Koupang Not counting two vessels from up river, the tze is the junction of the Hsinmingtun and steamers Mee Foo and Hangsang, there was only Shanhaikwan-Newchwang lines, Russia is likely one arrival at Hongkong up to date in the to reoccupy the Chinese railway outside the afternoon yesterday. The solitary steamer was Great Wall in the event of hostilities, and is the Holstein, and she arrived at one o'clock in laying new lines of telegraph from Tatuugkon, on the Yalu, in the direction of Moakden, and between Moukden and Tunghoa, a place ou the high road from the Yala to Liaoyang, from which it is about 30 miles distant.
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the morning. Her last port was Tourane; and the cargo consisted of coal, mostly for the north. Such slackness in shipping is a record for Hongkong. Many connected with the harbour, Japan is also paying attention to railways. k wo such a thing before. The absence of so say, in all their experiences, they have never On the 25th ult. au Imperial ordinance was many Japanese steamers, of course, makes a published in the Official Gazette at Tokyo great difference to the port. The withdrawal of with reference to the military employment of the Japanese Hongkong-Manila, Japan-Europe, the private railways. It specifies the facilities Hongkong-San Francisco and Japan-Australia required, and the tariff to be observed for the liners naturally makes a great difference; besides use of these railways for military transportation, this, too, many non-Japanese steamers have It is stated that in the event of war the been chartered to replace Government hired Chinese Eastern Railway Co.'s steamers will be Japanese vessels on runs foreign to Hongkong. withdrawn from the Dalny-Nagasaki and while several other foreign vessels. again, have Dalny-Shanghai routes. It is contemplated to been bought up by Japanese. The war-scare put the two passenger steamers Manchuria and has long affected shipping and commerce Mongolia under the Red Cross flag, and use practically all the world over, but such them as hospital ships, for which they are a marked change at Hongkong is significant. admirably adapted; but the Manchuria is in dock at Nagasaki, her engines having been taken out in order to strengthen their bed.
The freight market, moreover, has taken a re- markable change, freight, from Bangkok to Hongkong, jumping from 13 cents per picul
*101
to 20 cents per picul in, comparatively speaking. per pical has been paid in one instance. As a few hou s; it is said that as much as 25 cents soon unusual activity is to be observed: the rice as the vessels arrive from Bangkok
Another significant feature, too, is a strong bags being turned over and re-marked “Japan." demand for time charters; shipping, indeed, has taken a turn for the better all round, there being no difficulty in securing good freights either for voyage or otherwise.
There is a Eduard Bay and Manchuria, the latter with rumour that, as soon as the Russian steamers fifty tons of explosives on board, left Hongkong for Port Arthur, a telegram was received to hold them back.
The Tokyo correspondent of the N.-C. Daily News reported on the 27th ult, that the flota- of various taxes were imminent. The Imperial tion of exchequer bonds and the enhancement Household has decided to subscribe to the forth- coming exchequer bonds.
The same correspondent says that a number have formed a secret society in communication of Belgians, Russians, and French at Seoul with some of the higher Corean officials, recent declaration of neutrality is an ontcome The of this.
the N.-C. Daily News published this telegram Under the heading of "Providing the Funds". dated Tokyo, 28th January:-The Premier and the Ministers of Finance, Foreign Affairs, War, and the Navy are giving dinners to-day and to-morrow to prominent bankers and financiers throughout the country.
ordered to mass troops on both sides of Shan- Yuan Shi-kai and General Ma have been haikwan. it being repor ed that Russia i planning the seizure of the Hsinmintung- Peking. Phanbaikwan line, so as to open the way to
the early part of yesterday, the war whether (Daily Press, 4th February.) In spite of the absence of any fresh n ws in impending or not, was the main topic of con- versation in the Colony yesterday. Fuel was added to the flames by the fact that three local residents engaged in journalistic work were stated either to have left or to be leaving at once dents. As a matter of fact, one did actually for the North in the capacity of war correspon. leave on the 8.8. Empire-Mr. W. H. Donald, sab-editor, China Mail. It may be remarked expect the facilities of previous campaigns iu that, if there is to be war, correspondents cannot China. The Russians are not allowing any foreign correspondents t› attend their forces military or naval, and it can hardly be antici- pated that Japan will welcome the orowl of writers anxious to watch and describe her
movements.
will not herself return to Hongkong, bat will It is now stated that the transport Dilwara continue homeward with the women, children, and invalids. The troops and officers on board, however, will come back to Hongkong it once. It is expected that our garrison in the North will be strengthened immediatly in event of war breaking out; hence it is necessary to have of th local garrison. a surplus in Hongkong to avoid a large depletion
(Daily Press, 6th February.) that considerable activity has been evinced dur
In Naval circles in Hongkong it is reported ing the past few days. Vengeance are both heavily provisioned with The Ocean and the war rations and are expected to sail this morn- bably for the same destination for which the ing, ostensibly for Mire Bay, but more pro
departed. The sloop Vestal is also ready for cruisers of the British squadron have already sea, with war provisions and munitions on board. l'omorrow 50 Sherwood Foresters are due to sail by the 8.8. Borneo.
morning was Major Baker-Brown, R.E., who Among the arrivals by the Seydlitz yesterdıy only left Hongkong on the 21st ult, homeward bound on the Dilwara, his term of duty having expired. He has been recalled to duty—a fact which is significant.
and Kasuga were expected to arrive at Yokosuka
According to Japanese papers, the Nisshin: on the 10th inst. ! Our contemporaries do not seem to have allowed much time for the:: distance between Singapore and Japan.
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