April 9, 1904.]
г
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
rest.
Tibet will proceed to carry out its mission, Meantime the British Expedition in which will, we trust, include the opening of the mysterious city of Lhassa to the outside world and of Tibet generally to trade and civilisation.
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the community. further restricting the supply of water to
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that some action should be taken by the ruler of so many millions of Buddhists to come to a proper understanding with the spiritual head of that faith. Not only has
the direction of securing a constant supply A brief resume of what has been done in Russia schemed to secure the absorption of Tibet into the Tsar's dominions, but some
will not be out of place here. By paragraph of the provincial Chinese authorities have
56 of Mr. CHATHAM's Report, which refers also endeavoured to place all kinds of ob- stacles in the way of commercial intercourse HONGKONG PUBLIC WORKS IN 1903. recommended in Mr. COOPER's Report of to the City and Hill District Waterworks, between Tibet and India.
learn that most of the works Thus the Chi- nese Amban at Lhassa has consistently. sought to keep up the dislike entertained
(Daily Press, April 4th.)
the 9th May, 1896, have been executed, by the Tibetan Lamas for British officials Gazette are occupied with the Report of the recommendations for the improvement of Forty-five pages of the latest Government expenditure of $319,285. Mr. COOPER'S together with certain additional items at an and the British Indian Governmeut. sharp lesson just taught the hostile Here the general public has brought under out, but the conduit has been thoroughly The Director of Public Works for the year 1903. Pukfulam conduit have not yet been carried Tibetans by the British expedition has its notice the multitudinous duties and res- not, however, been without its effect on the ponsibilities which a Public Works Depart- regard to the Peak supply it is stated the cleaned and freed from obstructions. With Chinese Representative at Lhassa, or he has perhaps received peremptory instruc. Colony like Hongkong. Land sales and for maintaining the supply to the Peak have ment is required to assume in a Crown pumping plant and rising main required tions from Peking to assuine a different surveys, attitude, for it seems the Amban has now schemes, the construction and maintenance capable of raising 72,000 gallons per work-
waterworks and
reclamation been indented for. The new engine is to be written to Colonel YOUNGHUSBAND sayingo: public roads, bridges, sewers and nullahs, ing day of twelve hours. In paragraph 64 that he wished to meet him, but that the Dalai Lamu refused to give him transport and maintenance of Government buildings, account is given of what has been done to sea-walls, piers and lighthouses, the erection referring to the Tytamiuk scheme an facilities. He was, however, now coming to Gyangtse to meet him. This is satisfactory, ings generally-all these and many others, works can be established, the dry-weather
the construction and arrangement of build-render available, until for it serves to show a change of frout on
some pormanent the part of the Chinese Government.
even to the issue of squatters' licences-come a matter of fact, it is the interest of China Department. And on each and every one
As within the province of the Public Works ultimately intended to impound. A small flow of the streams, the water of which it is to see British influence dominant at Lhassa, of these subjects something has to be said pumping plant laid down capable of raising dam has been constructed and a temporary and the Russians kept out of the country. in the Director's annual report. It is not half a million gallons per day from the The British Indian Government have no possible in the space of a column, or even Tytamtuk valley to the gauge basin at wish to extend their territory by the nn- nexation of Tibet; all they desire is to subject dealt with in the Report is of engine started work on the. 1st November,
two, to touch upon all these topics. One the entrance to the Tytam tunnel. establish direct commercial intercourse with
The the country and to prevent intriguing by the space we are able in this columu to
sufficient public interest to monopolise all and notwithstanding the occurrence any other Power in a State on the Indian devote to the consideration of the Report the quantity of water pumped up to the end frontier that should be in the most friendly to-day. That subject is the water supply. of the year amounted to 20 million gallons. some bursts in the rising main at the outset, relations with Calcutta. The Chinese While the community is still restricted to a Some account is given of the sinking of Government have exactly similar aims, and it is equally their interest to do their utmost
two hours' daily service, the progress of the wells for the purpose of ascertaining the to check any
waterworks is a feature of the Report depth at which a reliable foundation for a attempt by Russia to establish a secret protectorate over a race attention. The improvement in the service appeared obvious from the results of the which will naturally command especial dam will be met, but Mr. CHATHAM says it which has for SO long done homage in 1903, as compared with that of 1902. trial works that a lengthened period must as a tributary to the Dragon Throne. looseness of the tie that has hitherto bound the incidence of the rainfall, was, it is could be definitely prepared, submitted, and The though admitted to be principally due to elapse before a scheme for the low-level dam Tibet to China, however, has unfortunately satisfactory to learn, contributed to by the carried out, and therefore a scheme for a given an opportunity to Russian agents to installation of temporary pumping plant in dam ou auother site bas been referred home attempt to undermine the Chinese suze. the Tytamtuk Valley and by the Tytam to the Secretary of State for the Colonies as rainty and to convert the tacit mistrust Bye-wash entertained
reservoir by the Dalai Lama of the advanced to enable about twenty million
being sufficiently affording the most realy and economical Indian Government into active hostility, agallons to be impounded in September. In over, while at the same time it will not means of enabling this interval to be tided feeling the Chinese Amban has done the year 1902 recourse was had to the inter- hamper or interfere in any way with the nothing to dissipate. Lord CURZON has mittent supply on the 1st November; in carrying out of the original scheme. This accordingly been compelled to take action to neutralise Muscovite schemes and to that it was deemed expedient to put the million gallons of water, and the entir 1903 it was not until the 15th December
new scheme is for a dam to impound 194 convince the Dalai Lama that the Indian Colony on Government cannot be trifled with
"short commons.” So far we cost, including pumping station, rising flouted. The Viceroy of India altogether necessary to have recourse to
aware that it has been found and suction mains, and certain declines to recognise that Russia has any for importing water from the mainland The scheme had not
measures ronds, is estimated locus standi in
to be $780,000. ibet. Russia has dis- avowed the reported secret treaty, and but we regret to note that the quantity of but
as was done during the spring of 1902, | sanctioned
been "4
definitely by the close of the year, she certainly has no right to make such an water in the storage reservoirs of the Colony necessary drawings, etc., to enable a contract
the Report states agreement with the tributary of the Em- on the 1st January this year was 24 million to be let were proceeded with and were in a that the peror KWANG Hsu, without first consulting gallons less than the amount in the reser- forward state at the close of the year. This that sovereign. It is difficult, therefore, to see upon what pretext Russia could intervene No fears or alarms are expressed in the been "
voirs on the corresponding date last year. indicates that though the scheme has not in the Tibetau trouble. It may be true that Report concerning this rather disquieting sonable hope of full sanction being obtained. she has furnished
definitely sanctioned there is rea- arms to the Tibetan statement, and perhaps no one need euter. It is to be hoped that the decision of the rulers, with the express purpose of fighting tain them. But it is worth while pointing home authorities will speedily be made the British Indian troops, but that is out that the returns given in the appendices known and that there will be no unnecessary hardly an act of which she would like to show that the development of the Hill and delay in the commencement of this obviously boast, or on which to found a claim. She the Higher Level Districts has resulted in has no trade with Tibet, and the Tsar has largely increased demands for water, com-
urgent undertaking. comparatively few followers of BUDDHA in pared with the requirements of previous his wide dominions. For many years Rus- sian
emissaries have been assiduously water in the storage reservoirs must be all teers for three years' service will be enrolled,
years, and as a natural
In the fall of the current year, says a Ham- consequeuce the
burg letter, a larger number of military volun. labouring to seduce the Mongols from the more rapidly exhausted. their somewhat shadowy and capricious noted, too, in this connection that we have found fit for tropical service, as they will be It is to be but only such men will be accepted who are allegiance to the Dragon Throne, in order so far had less rain this year than last, and transported to Kiao-chau as relieving troops in pave the way for the ultimate absorption the fact that there was less water in the the spring of 1905, and will return thence in the of the whole of Tartary into the Russian reservoirs at the beginning of this year than spring of 1907. It has been reported that Empire. The magnitude of Muscovite at the beginning of last therefore takes on principally tradesmen, such as masons, carpen- ambition has, however, overreached itself, and by its very breadth and all-embracing continues.
a more serious aspect as the dry season
ters, tilers, joiners, painters, tinkers, glaziers, greed has at length aroused a storm in the
Fortunately for this reason we
bootmakers, tailors, &o,, will be preferred. The Far East that will not easily be laid to
are now approaching the end of the dry are sixpence higher than at home, will be able men going out there, besides their wages, which season, and trust no need will arise for to do a good private business.
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