|
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
June 4, 1904.] uninjured, no doubt, refers to these godowns as to the righteousness of its own intentions, on the wharves. There are two docks at could long tolerate. Moreover, the Indian Dalny. One is a granite dry dock 380 feet overnment were credibly informed that long, 50 feet wide at entrance and 18 feet Muscovite intrigue was not only steadily on the sill; and the other, which we believe undermining Chinese influence at Lhassa, is not yet completed, has a length of 600 but that it was also preparing the way for feet, a width of 90 feet at the entrance, and Russian predominauce in a state on the 30 feet on the sill. Attached to these Indian frontier which should naturally fall ducks are extensive repair shops. It is within the scope of British influence. That obvious how valuable the acquisition of intrigue must have gone far, for where, Dalny with its docks and buildings practi.otherwise, could the Tibetans have procured cally uninjured is likely to be to the their arms and ammunition ? Japanese now that they have established an effective blockade of the Liant ung Peninsula south of Pitsuwo, and are investing the fortress of Port Arthur.
were
;
i
1
415
withdrawal of that official from Tibet, together with all pretensions to suzerainty, which they can neither render effective nor exercise with discretion. In this way can we give the best answer alike to the secret intriguing of Russia, the treacherous weak- ness of the Chinese Representative in Libet, and the insolent defiance exhibited by the Lamas. Now that the sword has been appealed to it should only be sheathed by the victor ou terms consistent with his diguity and consistent with the interests of the great Indian Empire,
HONGKONG JOTTINGS.
Far East.
(Daily Press 30th May.)
When the Mission was first despatched by Lord CURZON—and the wisdom of send- ing it is now generally undisputed except by a few political cranks, who would object It is astonishing that the Russians to any move on principle-it was hoped should have left Dalny practically intact that the Tibetans would soon recognise its A Manila newspaper has been trying to show for the Japanese to walk into and possess. pacific character, that the Dalai Lama that the Philippine capital is an excellent place Perhaps, they believed the abandonment of would on its arrival in the country be willing to live in, and after reading its remarks one is the city to be a merely temporary expedient to receive it, and that the Chinese Amban inclined to wonder why people come up to but that consideration does not dispel the; at Lhassa would afford all the assistance he Hongkong from Manila to recruit. Certainly astonishment which such a disatch as we could to its head. In most of these conclu-
the character given to this Island by our present Medical Officer of Health in his just able to publish yesterday by the sions we have proved to be mistaken. The published report is not alluring. Dr. Pearse is courtesy of the Japanese Consul creates. Tibetans themselves at first exhibited a speaking, of course, of Hongkong in the sum- For even if the Russians did hope to hostile frout, though subsequently many mer months. He is obliged to state that the speedily return and hold the place in have come to see that the object of the condition of the atmosphere in the City of strength, it must have been patent to the Mission is really a friendly one, and that no
Victoria during these months is very depressing, Russian commander that if the Japanese aggression was
ever intended. But the owing to the humidity and heat combined. And were once allowed to occupy it they would Lamas have evidently been thoroughly the Island and at the foot of the hills cuts it further, the City's position on the north side of not be driven out again before they had poisoned by Russian and, perhaps, also
off from the winds prevailing in the hot season, wrecked everything likely to be of assistance Chinese, misrepresentations, and they cling while the steep site, the narrow streets, the to the enemy. The abandonment of with a tenacity worthy of a better cause to high buildings and heavy verandahs all tend to Dalny represents an immense financial the impression that the British advance is produce stagnation when ventilation is most sacrifice on the part of Russia, for the ex-a menace to their power, and a threat to the desirable. Not a pleasant picture, but a true penditure on public works since Russia independence of the country.
This impres one. I fear. Yet, if we judge by pital statistics, acquired the usufruct of Dalny must have sion it will be difficult to remove, as the Hongkong is not an unhealthy city for the amounted to many millions of dollars. Chinese Amban has apparently gone out of
Apart from the bracing effects of the cold season. I am inclined to attribute the The whole scheme of public buildings and his way to defame the British Mission. That
favourable health figures to two causes. The improvements involved an expenditure of misrepresentation is likely to die hard, and first is that the Chinese population is transitory something like forty million dollars, and a the British Government have no doubt to a great extent and does not stay here to die; very large part of that scheme has been found occasion to address some awkward and the second, that the European community is carried out. A visitor to the port befor questions on the point to the Imperial Chi- in the habit of taking occasional holidays at the outbreak of hostilities says of this
nese Government. The advice given by the home, even though it has become more of a unique place: It is a city in all senses Ainban was at once gratuitous and unfriend-residential community than it used to be. For
of the word save one. It has as yet no ly. They have therefore had good reason people." But the Russian authorities
to complain of the manner in which their entertained very sanguine expectations of the effort to bring about improved relations future of Dalny, for in laying out the town with Tibet has been received at Peking, the European reservation was designed to accommodate 30,000 inhabitants. perhaps, a wise provision, for the terminal port of a great trunk line of railway ought to develop into a big city very rapidly, but Russia's withering attitude towards com- mercial rivalry, we fear, would always keep it pretty much in the same stage of develop ment as Vladivostok. It would be pro- fitless to speculate on the future of the Manchurian railway and its terminal por: at the present stage of the war. These interesting questions must remain until
hostilities have ceased.
It was,
THE TIBETAN QUESTION.
•
(Daily Press, 3rd June.) The little war with Tibet into which we have been forced by the hostile attitude of the natives and the warlike reception accorded to the British mission to the Dalai Lama, scems to be developing into an obstinate contest to prevent them reaching Lhassa. It was, of course, well known that the Tibetan authorities would refuse leave for Colonel YOUNGHUSBAND to enter Lhassa, but it Wus hoped that A resolute demeanour and a s'eady persistence in a policy necessitated by continued slights would bring even the Lamas to their senses. But it seems that once more we had reckon ed without the host. The deuse ignorance which wraps the Lhassa Lamas as with a garment made them blind to the peril which they were courting in thus continually per- severing in a course of slights which no self-respecting Power, however well satisfied
It is siacerely to be hoped that there will be no counsels of weakness in the Foreign | and Indian Offices on this question. We have been bearded, insulted, defied, and in jured by the Lamas.. We have been put to much needless expense, we have lost many valuable lives by the mingled distrust and treachery with which we have been faced over this question, and we think that the time for concession or even toleration has wholly gone by. The eyes of the entire Eastern world are upon us, and as we deal with the truculent Lamas so we may expect to be met in the future by other Powers, such as China. If we are to get out of this little war with credit we must be firm and just, just to our own prestige and con- siderate for our reputation among the frontier tribes on our Indian Empire. We can no longer afford to receive apologies and to acquiesce in requests that the Mis sion may stop short in its progress towards the sacred city of Lhassa. We must not only press on to that jealously guarded capital, but we must insist upon the Mission being personally received by the Dilai Lama, as any Mission from the head of a great Power to an inferior State should be received, with all honour and deference. We should also require, in the future, that the Dalai Lama should place himself under the protectorate of the EMPEROR of INDIA, and that a representative of His Imperial Majesty should be allowed to reside in Lassa or in some convenient centre in Tibet. We should, moreover, require from the Government of Peking an apology for the conduct of the Chinese Aшban, and the
.
these two reasons, it seems to me, the bad effects of our depressing and unhealthy summer are not allowed full influence on the vital statistics.
A local resident writes me a lengthy letter on the vexed question of the Great Unregister- ed. The Government is obstinately adverse to the registration of domestic servants, but, he hopes, as we all do, for its conversion. Mean- while, however, my correspondent suggests that some improvement is desirable in regard to the licensing of chair and ricksha-coolies. The licence which the coolie obtains at a trifling expense from the Police, permits the coolie to ply for hire with a numbered ricksha or chair; but this, my correspondent points out, does not prevent the coolie from accepting any other employment that might be offered to him. Probably in eight cases out of ten the bearers of private chairs are holders of licences enabling them to ply for hire with a numbered public chair, and it not infrequently happens that considerable annoyance and inconvenience is caused to the man who regards himself as the coolie's employer. But owing to the scarcity of coolies willing to undertake this work, there is, for chair-bearers. "and employers are only too as my correspondent says, a constant demand pleased to get them on whatever terms and conditions the coolies stipulate." They are certainly well paid-overpaid-but complaints of the insolence and independence of the coolie are plentiful. A coolie, however, has no right to leave his employ without notice, and I may remind my correspondent that an employer What my has his remedy in the police court. correspondent would like to see is that a licence issued to a coolie to enable him to ply for hire on the street should restrict him to that employment; if he wanted to enter private employ he should be required to take out a special licence, and no coolie should be allowed to take out both licences concurrently. Whether special legislative enactment I must leave for this suggestion thrown out is feasible without the consideration of the powers that be, but of the need and utility of some such system there can be no two opinions.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.