:
December 23, 1905.]
American VICE-CONSUL; that is to say, none beyond indicating that a lively anti- foreign feeling has at last come to a crisis. There will be the usual hasty conclusions, of course, that it is "the boycott," and so ou; but although the boycott is a part of it, it is only a part, and was from the beginning only a part. The spirit of 1900 is not dead. It does not even appear to have been effectually "scotched." With good reason or without, the Chinese both high and low hate the foreigner. Their dislike is a part of them, an inherent characteristic, and it is perhaps the only satisfaction to be got out of the affair that their foolish foreign "friends," who have helped to fill them with ridiculous ideas, have to enjoy an equal share of this insane prejudice. The object lesson of Japan has been wasted on them. The Japanese do not love the foreigner-perhaps they have not too much reason so to do-but they have had the sense to tolerate him while they set their house in order. They "dissemble their love," and bow him out of the house politely: China, misguided China, cannot resist the temptation to kick him down- stairs. But how childishly she goes about it. It is not ignorance, nor helplessness, nor misfortune; but sheer stupid arrogance
that makes her behave so. For their own sakes, and for fear of themselves, the Powers make pathetic efforts to preserve the integrity of this national Humpty-dumpty, who wilfully persists in falling off the wall; and who promises 8000 to reach that condition in which all the King's horses and all the King's men cannot put her together again. We are strongly tempted at such a time to wish it all over; to pray that the worst may coine at once, and be got over; that we may be relieved of these constaut excursions and alarms.
This Sbaughai affair is not such a bolt from the sky to all that it may seem to some. The crisis has not been reached without symptoms.
Every single loophole served to let out shafts of malice. The proposed road to the Hills was an opening for venting a feeling almost as old as those hills. Ever since it has been unsafe for a foreigner to walk in that district alone and unattended. The American boycott, which was born at Shanghai, was a god- sent chance
to
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
these occurrences did not get into the press; but the state of the surrounding villages seems to be fairly indicated by a correspondent, who wrote to our Shanghai contemporary as follows :--
"Those who pay any attention to the reports of native cases in your columus are well aware that all round the borders of this settlement are vill ges which are the haunts of ramblers and loafers of the worst typ. These ma blackmail the respectable Chinese who carry on business in the S-ttlem af and t rrorise the industrious artisan class.
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said that "the wave of exaltation that has come over the Chinese (since Japan it becomes dangerous." defeated Russia) must be checked before
TRADE OF KOWLOON.
(Daily Press, 20th December.)
We have received the second volume of the Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs annual trade reports, dealing with the
uthern ports. These carefully compiled and comprehensive books take so long to prepare that it is inevitable some of the of it, however, is not accessible until it information should appear stile. The bulk
domes in the familiar yellow covers. this volume is incorporated the interesting
In
Every now and then we read of some atrocious crime. A man's eyes are gouged out or some. one is found backed to pieces in the neighbour hood of som one of those vlliges. transpires invariably that the victim is someone It who has dared to complain to the police of the others ar done to death and the crime never oppression of those scoundrel‹. How many discovered no man knows. Now that the port on the Post Office working in China, question of the jurisdiction of the Foreign and
with which we are dealt already. The Chinese authorities in Shanghai is up for st next in point of local interest is the tlement, it seems to me, this would be an Kowloon Trade Report for 1904. which opportune time to demand -any request will be takes our thoughts back to the " useless that the plice power may be extending feeling of uncertainty entering into harass- so that they may arie-t criminals without all commercial transactions, as a result of reference to the magistrate, anywhere within ten miles of Shanghai, perfectly well that as soon as they ask for
The police know!
the war... and of a fluctuating exchange." These partly explained the anything but warrant at the city yamen their quarry is brisk state of trule in the Kowloon district he has plenty of time to make his escapa. I warned by his god friends inside the gates and during 1904" There were other handicaps public meeting and lay the whole matter before
the enmpetition of steam in freights" would suggest that the Council should call a
is mentioned-but not the least deterrent
should be su impressed on the ratepayers aud that the urgency of th· case
was "the ever-present element of pirney in the locality." our Minister at. P-king and on the Foreign Office at home that they will insist on the present anarchie state of affairs being brought to an immediate termin. tion. Those who do not realise how serious the con ition of affairs is may live to learn that this qu
stion affects not only the safety of our fires and those of our wives and rhildren are Chinese fellow-citizens in Shanghai; our men
als › at stake."
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That was written on December 9th, at the time of the fracas in the Mixed Court. We read that at the next sitting of that Court, when the BRITISHI ASSESSOR's place was taken by a German, a large Chinese crowd had assembled in anticipation of another fight. No doubt they were disappointed, and it may be that this outbreak was engiucered in order to gratify them. We have at present no right to offer any serious accusation against the Chinese officials there; but in view of their persistent policy and conduct, we cannot regard ventilate anti-foreign them as above suspicion. It s ems clear prejudices on the plausible ground of that Shangbai has been invaded by a American illtreatment. We recognised
host of those turbulent spirits from the this at once, and pointed it out, at a environs; and that they entered with a time when others were content to void set purpose, and with an inspiration we can namby-pamby clap-trap about dawning only guess at. There is, of course, patriotism," and "national unity." There occasion to fear the ultimate outcome. is nothing that brings people together Shanghai's excellent volunteer forces alone surer than a mutual hatred; but that is should be able to cope with the trouble not patriotism. It is no use to tell us now that this is only the misbehaviour of the wickeduess may be wrought-has, we feir, until it is over; but in the meantim» much proletariat. It must be remembered that already been done. The loss of property the proletariat flocks into Shanghai | must be serious, even if that of life he ordinarily to enjoy its comforts shelter; that it can
and happily small. The residential quarters are behave gratefully widely scattered; and we cannot but feel and well 83 well As mischievously; anxious until we know the worst. It is, if and that it is notorious that previous such a consideration be proper at such a actions of the proletariat pround Shanghai | time, also very 'ad for business. Already have been prompted by certain officials serious inconvenience has been caused The cur bas barked when the master raised here; and that at a time when there was his stick. Within the past few weeks, no need to make heul worse. It is to two ladies went riding in the environs be hoped that, in the first place, this of Shanghai where there End been no affair may not prove to be more serious graves disturbed and no roads proposed than our fears suggest; and in the second to be made. They were foreigners, and that such a subsequent lesson will be in apparently helpless. That was enough, culcated as will settle for a long time to A mob attacked them; and if the brave come the status of the foreigner in China, ladies had not had the presence of mind and more particularly the status of the to charge right through the rascals, exciting Shanghai settlement. In conclusion, it their ponies to a vigorous display of hooves, does seem that the words we quoted as there is no knowing what would have well-chosen, so recently as the 14th inst. happened. For some reason or other all were justified. Our Shanghai contemporary
1
It will sound strange to
readers in England that piracy should pre- Vail and make life an property insecure so bear to a naval base like Hongkong; and although we can make more allowance for local difficulties than they can, we are not convinced that our naval representatives fully justify their presence. The British navy used to regard pirates all over the world as worthy of attention; but it looks as if the local ones are left too much to the Water Police, who are presumably suffi- ciently occupied by maintaining order in the Harbour. Surely the spirit that used to be manife-t-d in chising slave dhows in African waters might be called forth in defence of trade and freedom here. It is not as if the pirates pursue I their nefarious business solely in Chinese waters.
The total trade for 1904, it appears, was, even in face of the troubles referrel to, slightly better than in 1903; and the value of the cargo passing the Statious in the Can- ton River Estuary (foreign imports) was approximately seventeen and a half million taels, or about one million taels more than
"K
the previous year. Native exports, however, decreased a million and a half. Thes? results, however, have to bo considered in connection with the enhanced values of many items; and the comparison of quantities shows that it was, like 1903, at best a poor year, On the other hand, that is the point of view of the customs wu, He bewails, what we cannot be expected to do, the success of steam transit against junk transit. The competing day and night boats to and from Canton, with freights down to barely paying level, are doing all they can to attract cargo; and the time saved in transit of goods and the greater security against robbery offered by steamers are strong inducements to the
native shipper to adopt the new means of carriage in lieu of the old.”
The spring and autumn crops harvested in and around the district were said to be "fair," although heavy rains ruined nearly twenty per cent early in the
ye tr. Yet money remained tight throughout, and the year's revenue was the poorest recorded. It was eleven thousand trels less than in 1903, the falling off being chiefly in opium and likta duties-which to some will appear as
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