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December 8, 1904.3
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
of the masses who cannot obtain a “classical of construction shall not have been education" to do something in China similar begun on the main line, this Supplemental to what appears to have been done in Corea | Agreement is to become null and void." so as to bring something in the form of That period has long been passed, and the education upon China's own lines within main line has not, so far as we are aware, the reach of the large masses. The extent been commenced at either end. It is not to which, even as things are, the common surprising, therefore, that when the Ameri- people obtain a mastery over the uninviting can Company sells its rights to a foreign characters which to make up the body the Chinese Government should turn Chinese language is a marvel to Europeans, restive and decline to be a party to the pro- among whom, even those who devote half posed transfer, more especially when they their lives to the study, there are few who have reason to suppose that the Power that can trust themselves to read an ordinary ¡ has given them so much trouble in Man- Chinese document without assistance fromchuria is to take the place of capitalists a teacher. Possibly the faculty is hereditary, who might reasonably be supposed to enter- and the Chinese bave an inner-consciousness | tain no political aims or ambitions, of the Three Character Classic " from their birth, as Heine said the lucky Roman babies knew their accusatives in “im" in their cradles; but, allowingfor all this, the fact still remains that any mastery of the Chinese language must be an impossibility to the large mass of the people, and that on the whole their knowledge must be very restrict- ed. Anything which would improve this state of affairs would be an enormous bene fit to the country, and though it is likely to be some time before the Chinese are suffi-
ciently enlightened to take this view of the subject, still something might be done, on the Ines adopted in the Corea, to enable many of the masses, who cannot hope to become finished scholars, to acquire a wider acquaintance with the general subjects of education in their country, and to have the means of more readily acquiring formation upon current matters.
THE AWAKENING OF THE WAIWUPU.
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RICHES OUT OF REACH.
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(Daily Press, 1st December.) Szechuan, or, as the Report spells Ssüch'uan, is the subject of a report pre- sented to both Houses of Parliament last month. It is by Consul-General Hoste, and Sir ERNEST SATow recommended it as interesting and valuable.” The most casual glance over the hundred odd pages
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is sufficient to show that Mr. HOSIE has made an exhaustive study of the products of this province, its manufactures and its mining resources. Its name means Four Streams," referring to the four rivers which flow from its northern limits - The action of the Chinese Government to the Yangtaze. Szechuan is the largest in this case may perhaps also act as ä and richest province of China. At present stimulus in other directions. There has it is the eastern half which is productive, been a gr. at lack of vigour in carrying out but Mr. Host states that the western half railway construction in most cases where is undoubtedly rich in valuable minerals. concessions have been given. The case of There are huge salt deposits. the German syndicate who had the conces "Red Basin," as eastern Szechuan is called, sion for a railway from Tsingtao to Tsinan- from its frequent outcrops of red sandstone, fu, the capital of Shantung, was a notable there are evidences of the existence in pre- exception. That line was completed to bistoric times of a race of cave-dwellers, Tsinan last spring, and the fact reflects who were adep's at cutting out little apart- much credit on the energy and push of the ments in the folid cliff, making fittle doors, syndicate. The British syndicate who hold and occasionally a tiny window, and even the concession to construct the Kowloon- decorating them with rude stone carvings: Canton railway have not yet commenced One reason given for Szechuan being so the work despite the vigorous outcry well developed and rich is that the workers raised, and even now is unprepared to start are mostly immigrants from other provinces. work, six years after obtaining the right. Mr. Hosix entertains the idea that the We believe that negotiations are proceeding inhabitants of the undeveloped west ar in-between the British and Chinese Corpora- descendants of the cave-dwellers. The plain tion and the Colonial Office for some sub- of Ch'êngtu, being artificially and well sidy or guarantee for that portion of the irrigated, deserves the name of "the garden It contains seventeen cities, line passing through British territory, of Szechuan." and these negotiations appear to have but the bulk of its population is essentially been going on for the greater part of the rural. The climate in this district is o year. The same Corporation has the con- mild that the swallow remains through (Daily Press, 30th November.)
cession for the construction of the Shanghai- the winter. The methods of irrigation The announcement that the Chinese Nanking line, for which a loan has at and manuring appear to be similar to Government had notified Mr. CONGER, the length been floated, but the work has not those in other parts of China. The Consul- United States Minister at Peking, that the yet been commenced. Why do not these Geueral mentions the rice at Chéng-tu contract agreements with the American worthy people endeavour to make a start which is dyed red, and boiled with the China Development Company of the 14th and show themselves in carnest? Why these meat to give the latter a nice, fresh colour. April, 1898, and 18th July, 1900, to con- endless delays? It is true that in China, Having frequently," he says, struct the proposed Hankow-Canton Railway the Government and people-like most are cancelled must have come as a rather Orientals-take no note of time, even by its unpleasant surprise not only to the Com- loss; but there is, or may be, a limit to pany itself but also to the Belgian financiers their complaisance in this matter, if one day who had agreed to purchase the American it should appear to suit their interests to rights. The belief entertained by the take advantage of the time limit of the Chinese that the Belgian capitalists repre- agreements. Nor is this the only danger. sented other nationalities (to wit, France | It might suit the purpose of British capi- and Russia) seems to have stirred up a most tali ts to offer to undertake the construction determined opposition to the transfer in the two Kwang, and several meetings have been held in Canton at which the withdrawal of the American capitalists from the enter prise was severely criticised. The repre- sentations made by the people of Kwangtung and the Hunanese have had the effect desired. The Waiwapu, influenced con siderably no doubt by the success of Japanese arms, plucked up sufficient courage to respond to the appeal of the Southern Chinese and have cancelled the concession made to the American Belgian Syndicate. They had good and sufficient reason for so doing. The main line had not been commerced, and they did not consider the construction of the Fatshan to Samsbui line a sufficient pledge or indication of the concessionaires' intention to carry out the main scheme to constitute any excuse for the sudden retirement of the American company from the field. Moreover, the time limit has been reached and passed, and
Chang Chen-heuan, the wealthy Singapore on that ground alone the Chinese Govern merchant in Bingapore who was recently ap- ment could, we imagine, proceed to cancel pointed Commercial Superintendent of the the agreement. It is laid down in Article 41reaty Ports and Director-General of agricul of the Supplemental Agreement that, "if after the expiration of twelve months from the date of ratification hereof the work
of the Hankow-Canton railway, and if the Kowloon-Canton line were well on the way to completion there would have been a good chance of obtaining this concession. But when the Chinese Government note the tardiness of the British concessionaires in carrying out their undertakings they may doubt the expediency of granting more con- cessions, and endeavour to carry out the work with native capital. The fact that this is not readily forthcoming for enter- prises fathered by the Chinese Government will probably prevent the early realization of such schemes, even if the mandarins were prepared to accept the task. In any case, however, the considerations above noted should be sufficient to wake up the British capitalist, and perhaps the British official, who is sometimes a little too much inclined to create delays and difficulties.
ture, mining and railways in Fukien and Canton, will start his work in Canton, as he is most familiar with that part. He will leave Peking after the birthday celebrations.
struck with the abnormally healthy appear. ance of odd pieces of meat on street stalls and in the baskets of pedlars, I felt impelled
to inquire how it was done, and the above explanation was given to me in the strictest confidence." Rape is the chief winter crop, with wheat a good second. The yield of wheat per mow is 320 lbs., giving 192 lbs. of flour, which is far from white, and retail-- ed for 36 to 40 cash a pound. All the known grains are represented in this well- tilled district, however; and there is one (the product of which is used for making cakes) which Mr. Hoare could not identify. It is planted after rice harvest, and reaped in late autumn. After giving a most at- tractive list of the other agricultural pro- ducts of the province, and the manufactures therefrom, Mr. HosIE gives an interesting account of the methods and results of sugar
manufacturing. Under the head of tea, we learn that Szechuan not only supplies its own tea, but sends a very respectable sur- plus regularly to Tibet, about 1,860,000 - taels worth every year. It is not hard to guess, therefore, at the vested interests which led to much of the Tibetan opposition to Indian supplies. A taotai of whom Mr. HosIz requested information on this point, and who had formerly held office in Shang- hei (Yen CH'A TAO), attempted to deceive him with a much minimised return of the Tibetan trade, but he overdid it. When urged to give a more accurate return, he said that the Consul-General was too exacting as to details," and refused to re-open correspondence. Considerations of forbid the present treatment of much
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