Sptember 9, 1905.]
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tent with the position she could legitimately claim in her own territori 3 Th's is really all that Japin ever dan in led of her, and it is the last that is necessary for the main. tenance of peace in the Far Ea3*.
It may, of course, suit Russian amour propre t represent that in coming to some such understanding with Japan, she was entering into a species of alliance with that country instead of yielding to terms which the latter might dictate. Fine distinctions of this kind seem to have an enormous charm for the Russians; but they cai have very little effect upon the practical bearing of political events. An alliance between Russia and Japan, whatever form it may take in theory,, can only mean an agreement on the part of Russia to give up an aggressive policy so far as China is concerne.l. The Japanese are far too astute to do anything that would assist Russia in that direction; and they liave had too much experience of what Russian good faith amounts to, to think of, coming to any agreement with her, which would leave the door open for a renewal of Russian attempts at agraulise neat. The cynts of the war ust have had the effect of drawing Japan and China more closely 10gether as being concerne! in withstand ing a common enemy; and at the present time Japan would undoabte lly be more benefite I by an allianes with Cain than by one with Russia. It is further not lik dy that Japan will overlook the great advantages, moral and mate il, which sh: his derived from her being at on with Great Brita and the United States in the policy which she is followed now for many years past; and it may be assumed that this consideratioa las weighed with her, in re spect tv the understanding that she has come to with Russia. Japan has not any desire for conquest in China, nor is she anxious to extend her dominion further than is ab olutely necessary for her own security. There is, therefore, no real benefit she can derive from Russia beyond that of being let alone.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
THE IMPORTANCE OF WEIHAIWEL
(Daily Press, 7th September.)
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167
eyes on Port Arthur. To act in some mea- sure as a check, but not liking to set the example of being the first to commence the partitionment of China, the British fleet In 1842 and for many-years afterwards the was ordered to occupy the islands forming British pople use 1 to be treated to whole the harbour of Port Hamilton, while the sale diatribes on the uselessness for Imperial Acetewas sent into the Gulf of Pechili with purposes of the "barren and pestiferous orders to prevent the occupation by Russia island of Hongkong, and economists and of Port Arthur. The idea was feasible, aud litle Englanders of all shades urgel its bad it been adhered to, would doubtless immediate abandonment. The British have saved the situation and avertet any Government, then presided over by Sir occasion for the present war, as it was well ROBERT PEEL, was probably better informed, | known that. Russia was not prepared to go for at all events, more alive to the interests to war, and her fleet had orders to of the nation than the little Englanders, withdraw in case of any armed opposition and refused tɔ abolish tle then unpromising Unfortunately Lord SALISBURY permitted dependency. The history of Hongkong for himself to be drawn into a wordy contro- some twenty years is not altogether pleasant versy as to the ownership of Port Hamilton reading, but in the end, owing to its magni claimed by both China and Japan, and the ficent capabilities for trade, the barren rock result of which, as might have been gradually developed into one of the first expceted, showed that en strictly legal ten trading maris of the world. Coy grounds the occupation was indefensible. fessedly the retention of Hongkong in 1842 Not, Lowever, coutent with retiring from as a trading and anchoring ground, free the islands he was fatuous enough to trust from the perty restrictions customary in to Russian assurances that her only object ports under the severeignty of China, was in the occupation of Poft Arthur was to at first but an experment, and the Govern facilitate the making of her trans-Siberian ment of the day, though recommended to railway, required, she had the address to hold on to the Island of Chusan, as similarly affirm, merely for the pacific and inudable situat d with regard to the trade of the purpose of opening to foreign commerce basia of the Yui gtse as was Hongkong the rich lands of Siberia up to that time towards that of the Canton River, made up shut out from their access to the trading its mind, apparently somewhat reluctantly, centres of the world. What other influence to restore it, practically unconditional y, to was brought to bear will probably never be China. The high-handed action of China. known, at least to the present generation, but brought on another war, and Chusan again the cn was that the British fleet which lay pas et into Pritish Fands; on the close of with decks cleared for action, was suddenly the war those who best unde:strol the ordered away, and the Russians quietly course of trade with the Far East again steamed into Port Arthur, which they at arged on the Home Governm.ut its reten. once proceded to fortify as conquered tion. Lord l'ALMERSTON WAS then interritory, and all allusion to the commercial office, but the Government, though nominally opening of Siberia, the desired end having liberal, was at the berk and call of the Con been gained, was consigned to perpetual servative section, then decidedly reactionary oblivion. Ge:may assured that the way Lord ELGIN, too, who had been seat out was now open, and that the B itish Govern- with extensive powers to conclude a treaty, ment could, after its acquiescence in Russia's proved himself unequal to the task, and establishment at Port Arthur, offer no permitted himself to be talked o er by the objection, proceeded quietly to make pre- The effect of the war has no doubt been reactionaries, with therr, sult that Chusau paratious for a decent on Kinochao. Expect to change the balance of power in the was a second time abandoned in deferenceing possibly that China might offer some Far East to the extent of making Japan the to the cutery of the economists, who use dominant factor; but it will not have the with regard to it exactly the same argu. effect of changing the chief seat of Farments as bad in the case of Hongkong been Eastern diplomacy which will continue to be at Peking and not at Tokyo. In respect to matters of general policy affecting the integrity and the future policy of China Japan will, there is every reason to believe continue to be at one with the European Powers and the United States; and will be far less clear headed than she has all along s own herself, if the dos no fully realise that her true interests he in this direction and not in the direction of any special arderstanding with angone Power, to run together in a dir etin c:unter to th vicws of the others. Such a policy would unquestionably defeat its own ends by the amount of opposition which it would nccessarily draw against it. At the present t me the United States have as large on interest in affairs in the East as any other nation; and it may Le taken as certain that they would use all their influence with the Japanese to prevent their Lecoming entangled with Russian selen.es, contrary to American interests in e-mmon with those of other foreign nations, and more especially of Great Britain. Russia's true policy is ow precisely what it was before the war, had she only been sufficiently wel advised to have percived it that is to be coutept with the posses ions she legitimately has, and work loyally with Japan and foreign nations for the mainter ace of práce an the furtherance of their common interests in the East.
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scattered to the winds by the inexorable logic of facts. The best refutation of these councils of timidity is to be found in the fact of the almost unprecedented progress of Shanghai, which from little more than a village bas during the forty odd years which lave since elapsed, and in spite of all the obstacles thrown in its way by Chinese misrule and obstruction, developed into a city already of the first rank, in com- merce, salubrity and general good order, and already aspires to be the metropolis of the northern Pacific lands.
show of resistance she took the precaution of docking and putting her fleet in order at Shanghai, where she did not even take the trouble of concealing her intention. By one of those curious coincidences which some- times affect the future of nations, on the morning of the very day arranged for the sailing, news came of the murder in Shan- tung of a Gemau missionary bisløp and two of his piests. The fates who have generally aided Chira for once. were con- tray. Gonary did not fail to take full advantage of the situation; the murder was blazoned abroad, and the missing pretext for the expedition was found in the fost factum outrage. The diplomatic world, quite It is peculiarly instructive to find in the aware that the cecupation of Kiaochao bad face of the fals.fication of the two former been planned long prior fo the murder, was confid, ut predictions of the croakers exactly quite willing to accept the pretence of similar arguments being made use of to-day justification, and without a single piolest to force the ab: ndonment of Weihai. It is Germany becnie the owner, disguised under more oteworthy yet to find that is the nufue of a lenee, of the southern coast of Majesty's present adv's rs, in spite of the Ebantung. Fren at the time there was fact that they have hitherto failed to meet some good renson !
to suspect collusión... with the slightest encourag ment from any between Germany and l'ussia, and as the of their offices in China, who presumably policies of the two countries were so far in might be thought worthy of confidence, union that both contemplated the practical have from the very Leginning sought some closing of the trade of north China to all excuse for shuffling out of the dependency, but their own subjects, it became necessary 11 is, of course, the fact that the occupation for England through whose hands passed the of Weilini was not undertaken with any greater part of the trade to take some decided aggresive intent, but was practi ally forced step. The occupation of Weihai was the on the British Government of the day step d cided on." Affairs had in fact been Resin ad grown discontented with brJermitted to drift so far under the easy non- acquisition of Vladivostock, which did notch lence of Lord SALISBURY that it was readily lend itself to her intended abcorp difficult to find any other alternative; yet tion of Manchuria, and was casting longing' eveu bere a grave diplomatic error was com
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