926
RAILWAYS IN CHINA.
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND I and the pretended eunuch Li; not to speak of her arch-traitor Li Hungch'ang went too far, and Russia had, very much against her will, to pretend common action with the other Powers. The result was that mainly, through the action of England and the United States China was momentarily saved, and the Imperial Government restored in Peking. Russia, foiled in her previous scheme of aiding China to commit political, suicide, now proceeded to make herself at home in Manchuria and, from her base there, to threaten Japan in Corea; with the ulterior object of rendering helpless Japan, now the only serious obstacle in the way of her attaining the mastership of the entire of the northern Pacific. The result is bis- But the same party that was instrumental in inducing China to put her head in the lion's mouth, from which she was only extricated by external assistance and almost miraculously, is, although scotched, by no means extinct, and its latest effort is to try and stir up the masses of China to prevent the building of railways. This it has learnt cannot be done by direct measures, the nation as a whole having learnt practically the benefit of the rapid and easy method of inter-communication afforded by the iron road.
(Daily Press, 4th November). One of the most apparent signs of a return ing feeling of self-consciousness of the Chinese nation is to be found in the popular desire to get rid of the engagements into which the state has entered with regard to the construction of railways through the Empire. The redeeming part of the agita- tion is that unlike the position only a few years ago the agitation is not directed against the railways, but against their em- ployment of foreign capital, and its inevit- able result, their passing for a term of years under foreign control. Were the agitation altogether genuine it would mark a whole-torical. some change for the better in the body politic, but a it stands it is only too plain that it is fundamentally but a recrudescence of the old exclusive policy which within the last century was rapidly bringing on the destruction of the Chinese Empire. Unpleasant experience has shown to the more enlightened of the rulers of China that an obstinate adherence to antiquated ways, while the rest of the world was changing, was rapidly beginning to undermine the very foundations of empire. The last serious attempt to return to exclusiveness, the Boxer troubles of 1900, instigated as they were by the then government of the state, almost ended in the final destruction of an empire which for upwards of two thousand years had kept alive the traditions of civilisation in the East of Asia. The chief actors in that movement, unsupported as they found themselves to be by the better informed classes through the country, had to take refuge in flight, and for a time the old Empire was paralysed. Fortunately the great Viceroys, better councilled than Peking, held aloof; with the result that with an infusion of new blood the Peking Government was restored to the capital. Of course the salvation of the Empire has been due to the fact that the interests of certain of the Great Powers, notably Great Britain and the United States, are closely bound up with the independence of. China, and towards the attainment of this end, and to prevent the division of Eastern -Asia amongst a crowd of hungry European speculators, the best efforts of the diplomacy of the well-affected states has been
directed.
Now it is undoubtedly true that in placing herself unreservedly in Russian hands with regard to the Manchurian Railway, China brought herself to the very verge of extinc. tion, but the danger was of China's own creation. China had been well warned by her well-wishers of the jeopardy of the game that she was seeking to play, but her leaders preferred to take the bit between their teeth and rush with closed eyes into destruction. It was not Chinese wisdom nor Chinese circumspection that saved her, but the fact, that Japan and England had vast interests in the Far East, and that these interests included the integrity of China, and for this end the advance of China to a position where she would be able to walk independent of outside aid. We do not propose to exhibit this as an effect of magnanimity, disguised or otherwise. The inception of the policy doubtless proceeded from a sense of justice, but in interna- tional, even more than in commercial policy, the old maxim that honesty is the best policy has its surest justification. This is shown pretty well on some of the railways in China, and it is not impossible that a From the beginning the British Govern- contrary idea may have ment has been pressing on China the neces-bringing about the present movement.
some effect in sity, as a matter of life or death, of improv. is true that Russia was the instigator of the It ing her internal communications as the first line from Peking to Hankow, and that at step towards rest her national positionl her request, which at the time when it was the events of 1900 brought this fact home made meant her command, the construction to China herself. Great Britain had already of the line was nominally given over to induced China to open a small section Belgian Syndicate; Belgian indeed in name, of state railways in Chili, and the but except that its patron Russia had kindly advantage of the better means of communi. permitted Belgium to do the financing at cation at once became evident to the people her own risk, in all other respects Russian. of the district, who from being in opposition | Doubtless Russia intended to use the Luhan became ardent supporters of the line. But Railway as she had used the Manchurian the Government of the day was steadily line as an aid to her military projects ou set on excluding these new-fangled ideas: China, but this immediate danger is past, and when Russia offered her sympathies, and does not seent likely to be revived. and engaged to dispose of these ideas for At all events, save that the patronage of ever, did China but give her a free hand in Russia, while it lasted, has had its not un- one or two little matters which would cost usual effect of causing the contruction of Chin nothing, she explained, it blindly the line to be inefficient, and that its assented. Russia did not, it is true, fulfil opening is in consequence likely to be her promise of extinguishing the national indefinitely postponed, China under present desire for reform, but she got meanwhile so conditions does not seem to be in any im- firm a grip on Manchuria, and North China, mediate danger. Much the same may be that when Peking gently reminded her of said of the German line in Shantung; but the promise, her only reply was the annex with this partial exception China now ation in form as well as deed of the entire enjoys without cost to herself the initiation of Manchuria, from the Amur to the ex-
of a system of trunk railways from which tremity of Liaotung. Fortunately for China even already she is beginning to earn a her trusted advisers, Yuluh, Li Pingbeng, substantial increase of her revenue.
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November 13, 1905.
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Turning to the other side, is China in a position to manage, much less to construct, her railroads without outside assistance ?. On the Chili Railway, where everything has been done to assist the native authori ties in the management of the line, it was not till the most extreme pressure had been applied that the slightest check could be imposed on receipts and expenditure; which otherwise would have been left to take care of themselves in the customary in official quarters throughout China. Even with the assistance of a foreign Traffic Manager, carefully suber. dinated to a board of Imperial Commis. sioners, the management of the line an example of general inefficiency, and DO
inade attempt has been develop the enormous possibilities of the line, more especially in the way of goods traffic. With the usual propensity of the Government to exact the very uttermost from its own subjects, the Likin levies have been carefully looked after, and the traffic to and from the stations is carefully fleeced Down in Shanghai where the short railway at the expense of the general revenue. to Woosung has been constructed and managed without outside interference, the state of affairs is still worse. No attempt to furnish accounts here has ever been made, so that the takings of the line, except to the board of management, are kept a mystery ; it is, however, understood that they scarcely suffice to cover running expenses, and this is quite understandable at a glance to auy- one accustomed to the most elementary principles of railway management. there should be a questions asked in the case of its going through the Foreign Settlements, the line was carefully kept outside the limits, aud ends in a cul de sac, which, for the same reason, is not permitted to connect with the Settlement streets. At Woosung the same rule obtains, and there is no station and no accommodation for
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passengers or cargo. In the old days when the affair was run by a private company, double the number of trains were run, and everything done to attract traffic, more especially the market traffic from Woosung. Now this is jealously excluded, so that the line is scarcely used either by natives or foreigners. On the whole it has been a direct benefit to China that she has been hitherto compelled to go to the foreigner for the construction and control, so far as the latter has gone, of her railways. China
been slowly learning better methods of has been undoubtedly progressing, and bas administration, but the day when she will be and control of her railways is still far in in a position to undertake the construction
the distance and, judging from recent appointments, cannot yet be said to be on the road to begin.
THE MURDER OF MISSIONARIES.
(Daily Press 6th November). The shocking affair reported at Linchow on the North River, seems to call for com. ment, yet the subject of missionaries and mission work in China is such a thorny one that it is a task of delicacy to refer to it, and at the same time to avoid transgressing some article of faith, canon of good taste, or rule of debate. The latest sad incident, involving the cruel murder of women and children, illustrates one side of the matter, one drawback of the movement; but to treat only of that is to ignore the very genuine secular usefulness of these embar rassing invaders of China, their educational and medical work. The long list of femin ine and juvenile martyrs, however, of which the additions of this latest catastrophe
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