}
180
i
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[March 20, 1905.
the furtherance of her commercial interests take if that such an idea is not likely to be | compared with the previour 236,260 tons. in China. This has been the position revived, unless some other nation should The increased trade in also apparent in the always taken up officially, when it has been attempt to or succeed in acquiring domina reported receipts of the Chinese Maritime necessary to make any formal announce lion, which is not, as events have turned out, Customs at Teingtau, which were 3818,000 ment on the subject, and this declaration by any means so likely a contingency as it last year, and in 1903 only $441,000. There of policy may be fairly taken as being the was formerly, Russia, we may hope, will be was a corresponding increase in the value. only thing that has been consistently, ad- checked in her designs in this direction of goods in transit. It must not be for- hered to amidst much that was. anything after the conclusion of the war; and there gotten, when estimating the commercial but consistent. The principle is simple is no other nation which is likely to be progress of our northern competitor, that enough; but its application has proved by anxious to push an aggressive policy without the Russo-Japanese war, these no means so easy; and it is not surprising in these parts. It has been shown that it returns would have been greater. The trade that in the view of many it was considered is one thing to assume such a position, and shipping with Japan was suspended that the end in view could not be attained but a very different thing to maintain it, when the war began, and though it is again in any other way than by accepting respon- and so far the policy of upholding the in- resuming, the official report under review sibilities in China, which the Home Govern- tegrity of China which has been pursued was published before the further increment ment was very little inclined to assume. has proved in the long run to have been the could be taken into account. On the The obstinate resistance which was made right one; and if the factor of Russian | landward side of the German Protectorate by the Chinese to anything in the direction aggression in the North be eliminated from business. is shown to have flourished, the of progress naturally suggested the idea the contingencies that have to be guarded weekly number of passengers conveyed to that the only way to further foreign inter against, there can be little question as to and from by the Shantung Railway being course and commerce would be by the the wisdom of continuing the policy which | from four to five thousand more than was acquisition of territory and, the asumption has hitherto been followed, and which, the case in the previous twelve months. of the powers of Government; and at one though it might be open to question in The goods traffic on this line exhibited a time such a policy would not have been former times, has so far proved to be the still more remarkable increase. Figures seriously opposed by the majority of the only sound and reasonable course that could given relate to the first nine months of other foreign nations; who knew that they be adopted. If once the fear of Russinn each year, and an increased volume of over would share in any advantages to be. ob- aggression in China can be removed, a way two hundred per cent. is shown. Eighty- tained. Such a policy, however, never will be opened to maintain a sound com- eight thousand tons were carried in the recommended itself to the British Govern-mercial policy in which the interests of 1904 period, against twenty-seven thousand ment or public, and was always opposed to foreigu nations can be furthered in a man- in the first three quarters of 1908. The the views of the United States, who favour- ner which was necessarily impossible while Shantung export consignments of silk, ed the idea that improvements in China China constantly laboured under the fear of plated straw, crockery, etc., were practically might be obtained by other and simpler aggression in some quarter or another and all diverted from road to rail. In a short China was and undoubtedly still is the partition of the country was discussed time, no doubt, the goods traffic will be ins by no means a desirable country to take in as an open question. The influence of Japan creased by the addition of much agricul- hand, and a guarded policy with respect to will be a strong factor in all future policy.tural produce, the natives thus being able the assumption of responsibility in any If that country were averse to foreign to find speedy market for the perishable direction became recognised as that which civilization her influence might be of a commodities they raise in large quantities. was at all events the safest. It has, how dangerous character; but, so long as she The German port appears to have become ever, always been apparent that some ranges herself on the side of legitimate com. increasingly popular as a tourist and health consolidation of and improvement in the mercial progress, which has certainly been resort. Five hundred foreign visitors were Government of China was essential; though her policy hitherto, and which policy it is registered at the big new hotel during the the hope was clung to that China, like Italy, alike her interest and her inclination to year; and the natives are said to have con- would reform of herself.
follow, her co-operation with for ign nations templated this invasion with equanimity, if in furthering legitimate intercourse and the not with unmixed. satisfaction. The native extension of commercial facilities will be a officials were glad to send Chinese con- valuable aid in the Cause of progress; while stables to study the German police system. her policy must always lie in the direction Socially, Tsingtau is also a go-ahead place, of safe-guarding the integrity of China, as numbering over a thousand population, and Japan is well aware that encroachment on boasting two German newspapers and two the part of any one nation would be the Chinese. Excellent bathing facilities are sigual for similar action on the part of there to tempt holiday-makers from Shang- others and would be productive of confusion, hai and neighbouring places. H.E. the end of which it would be difficult to Governor TRUPPEL has cause to be proud foretell.
of his charge.
means.
The question now is: how far after the lapse of more than forty years, since the Treaty of Tientsin, China has verified this hope. Some progress has undoubtedly been made, but it has been of a slow and un- decided character. New ports have been opened and railways have been introduced; but still China in the main has not advanced essentially from her old world ways. The Government remains as weak and at the same time as arbitrary as ever, a strange mixture of autocracy and feebleness, and the hope of any internal reform of a sub- stantial character has been almost abandoned by its best wishers. At the same time it cannot be denied that China has at least shown herself capable of development. There is a large and now increasing class in China who are well aware of the advantages which she could derive from the adoption of foreign ways The middle trading class who have intercourse with Europeaus and whose numbers are yearly augmenting, are quite aware that foreign appliances, and even foreign learning, are not to be regarded as mere curiosities of barbarism; and this class would be glad if China, while still preserving the bulk of her old traditions, could in some way follow the example of Japan, and come more directly into line with European
:
KIAOCHAU,
|
TRADE PROSPECTS IN CHINA.
(Daily Press, 17th March.) Kiaochau may be regarded as the German Hongkong, albeit it is as yet only the Hongkong of years ago. The same remark- able commercial and urban development is apparent, however; a recent "White Book" showing how satisfactory has been the progress made, both economic and general. The opening of the large harbour, for which two jetties were put into use last year, and its railway connection with Tsinaufu, the capital of Shantung, encouraged the already promising increase of shipping. Adequate godown accommodation on the wharves is being provided; and there are expectations that the large floating dock will be ready for use immediately. The two-hundred- | With these changes, the idea that this end and-sixty-five miles of trunk railway, by the could be brought about only if China were way, was finished well within the time taken in hand by some European nation, stipulated, an excellent example that should which was at one time popular, has gradually stir emulation elsewhere. A branch line been modified; and with the proof of what in the Po-shan Valley, twenty-seven miles such responsibility may involve, that has long, has also been opened. The immediate been afforded by the Russo-Japanese War, result of all these facilities has been an this remedy is likely to be still less considered increase in the Colonial receipts for 1904, as one within the domain of practical £25,097, or £9,845 more than in 1903. politics and so far as Great Britain or the The number of vessels entering Kisochau United States who are in the main at one was increased from 273 in 1903 to.337. last on this subject—are concerned, we may | year, the total tonnage being: 388,323. as lɛ were
!
nations.
(Daily Press, 18th March.) The Journal of the Society of Arts for February 10th contains the full text of Mr. BTEON BRENAN's paper on " British Com- mercial Prospects in China," with ample reports of the ensuing discussion. As we surmised, Mr. BRENAN's utterances had suffered somewhat by condensation in the Home newspapers. Not that anything he said. was misreported, but parts of the context of more importance than the ex- tracts quoted were omitted, and in some cases, the impossibility of relating state- ments that should have been brought together, made it impossible to give Mr. BRENAN full credit for what now appears · as an excellent and eminently valuable paper. The comments of some of the Home journals, to which we have already referred, were directed to preliminary passages, and ignored many references that were of much greater importance. With regard to his reference to the uselessness (in the sense that no use is made of them) of newly opened ports like Nanning, to which no foreign merchant has paid attention since it was declared open six years ago, there
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