74
THE ALLEGED DECLINE of FREAT GRITAIN-
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"
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[Februray 5, 1908.
effect:
prone to describe that world as rushing re-iteration, become an axiom the truth headlong to ruin. Count HIROsawa may | which is instantly admitted with not be a quack-doctor, but he comes from resignation, and with discouragin an impressionable university, and he seems Optimism is an asset that should not be too to have taken his prototypes altogether too much written down by business men 4 it is? seriously. It is almost safe to assume that ‚ form of the faith that moves mountains, he subscribed to the Times Encyclopedia, for the simple reason that he could not resist the impressive announcement that there was "only one day more.' The British Empire's days are not so nearly ended as all that.
-AND OF GERMANY.
The destroyer of self-confidelice in worker is a destroyer Filtdeand. the same self-confidence desirable national asset.
COREA AND JAPAN
the independence of Japan as opening the door to any ambitious Power which might step in and take it under its control. Having succeeded in preventing Russin from doing so, it was hardly likely that Japnu would.
allow Corea to remain a ready spoil to any ambitious Power. Japan hnd, by her successful military operations, thoroughly established herself in the country, and it would be aberd to imagine that after having gone through such a struggle, she would entirely abandon the vantage ground which she had gained with 30 much
* (Daily Press, 24th January.) Count HIROSAWA, a Japanese who passed through Cambridge University with some credit, and who has recently revisited England uns said 'some startling things to a Standard interviewer, about the deterioration of the English which he thinks he noticed. The COUNT meant well, it is evident, and his remarks make very interesting reading; but we do not think that Englishmen will feel particularly
(Daily Press, 27th January.) concerned by them, either to take offence,
That Corea would full under the tutelage or to flee the wrath to come. The Japanese
(Daily Press, 25th January). of Japan, in the event of the latter being oritic of the people among whom he got In so happens that the remarks ensuing successful in the late war, has long been a knowledge has merely turned the tables follow yesterday's "by fair sequence and foregone conclusiou. All the circumstances upon the average writer of books about succession." We referred to recent criti-pointed to the necessity of Japan's securing Japan. He saw a little, read more, and by cisms of England and the English, and some kind of influence in the administration an empiric feat of adjustment, arrived at a tried to minimise the terrors and tremours of that country. In its weak state, Corea verdict more imposing than important. Too aroused by the discoverers of bogies and
was bound to continue to be a menace to fond of pleasure, and not fond enough croakers in general. Our point was recently of self-sacrifice, is one of his indictments of happily expressed at Dover by the Right JOHN BULL, He has heard of CHAMBER- Honourable GEORGE WYNDHAM, M.P., who LAIN, and blames the English for buying said the danger of our times is, not that we their food from abroad; he has read the shall be too idle; but that we shall brutalise "back to the land" agitations of the half- ourselves by too much worry and excite-be so unmindful of her own interests as to penny papers, and notes" the concentrationment over industry and politics, and thus of the masses in towns; he has heard prevent our being in the full sense truly quotations from KIPLING and SANDOW, human beings. Extremes either way are and regrets the absence of physical to be avoided, and we have to attack one training; and we cannot guess his in-ata time. This croaking and worrying has spiration for lamenting the absence of "the become quite a vogue of late; hence the teaching of patriotism.' If any branch of deprecation. It is not confined to treat learning is neglected in England, we can Britain, though. We seem to see signs of assure him it is not the cult of patriotism. Į it in a pamphlet issued by the Directors | difficulty. At the same time it was well o Every Englandér is
born a little Liberal of the Hamburg-America Linie, dealing | known that Japan did not contempla or a little Conservative," it has been said; with German trade interests in Asia. If audertaking greater responsibilities abroad and it may be added that the infant is nar. the crɔnkers on both sides are studied, it at than were absolutely necessary, well know-de tured on patriotism, or what ought to make once becomes apparent how exaggerated areng there would be opposition of a character ⠀⠀ for patriotism. Count HIROSAWA says, their views. The British ones (and their she would rather not provoke, if she adopted "But I find in your public life a great many Japanese echo whom we dealt with yester- the attitude of having conquered the coun men with axes to grind in Parliament, in day) have it that the Germans are winning try and being entitled, by virtue of such” the army, and on the Press. There are far all along the line; the Germans are con- conquest, to take it under her control. A too many legal men in your Parliament.vinced that they are being left behind in middle course was, therefore, generally ex- More business men are wanted in both the race for prosperity. Both cannot be pected as that which she would naturally Houses. The business element is needed right, but both may be mistaken. Besides adopt; and the event has proved that this in all Governments, but in England more these so-called warnings are generally view of the subject was correct. According than anywhere." Columns of comment uttered with a purpose -a sort of "hang- to the declaration made by Marquis Ito in could be written on that, but as it might man's whip to hold the wretch in London Japan deprecates any action which lead to one of those intermicable discussions | order." In the pamphlet referred to, will have the effect of overthrowing the like "Do we · believe?" or "What is Herr VON BRANDT, an old China-band, Corean Empire and has given assurances whisky?"
we will leave it as a mental completely reverses the aphorism of Count that she intends to interfere in Corea only stimulant, to be taken "neat." Our critic HIROSAWA (vide yesterday's lender) and so far as foreign relations are concerned fut is still parrot-like in his echoing of the tells the Gerinuns that they must route and that she will respect the authority of idiotic suggestion that the Anglo-Japanese themselves to recover lost ground; ground Corea with regard to all other matters of Alliance (where it implies military help in lost, by the way, owing "their want of administration. In short, this amounts to India if needed) is a symptom of decadence. adaptability in trade!" He particularly saying that she intends to establish a kind... With equal sense it could be argued that mentions their neglect of the cotton industry, of Protectorate over Cores similar to that any nation with paid troops is decadent; and for which China offers the biggest market established by Great Britain over Hgypt. that only those with conscription or, better in the world, and says this is another It is natural to speculate whether such an still, with every citizen a fighting-man, are "gloomy example of their shortsightedness arrangement may not, as safe. Carried to its logical end, this which has been especially disastrous in its resemble that Protectorate more closely would make the Zulus the advance guard of effect upon German shipping on the coast than some persons would desire to see; civilisation. The COUNT's point of view of" The China, bulk of the pamphlet is and that the position may prove such apparent in the remark, "I do not think by another hand-an anonymous writer who that nothing short of virtual government that the commercial struggle for the markets states that he resided forty years in China. of the Empire will be sufficient to secure of the Far East will be so injurious to Ger. His theme is chiefly the opposition to be the ends which she has in view. many as to England. German methods of offered by Japan in China. He points out weak people such as the Coreans are trade are efficient, and Germans work harder that Germany's share of China's collective known to be are likely to fall so much han the British will consent to do. I think imports in 1895 was 6.2 per cent. of the under the sway of a determined nation the commercial rivalry between Japan and total, while in 1904 it was only 5.7 per like Japan that little by little the tutelage Great Britain will be acute, and that Britain cent. Japan's share, on the other hand, which the latter exercises may be pressed will auffer. But it is not worth while only 4.8 per cent. in 1895, had riseu to points outside its immediate and declared following all the melancholy forecast, which to 188 per cent. in 1904. And so forth. object; and thus the independence of Corea is but one more example of the croakings and so on, with other figures, all of which, may be ultimately lost. Whether thing: that have been sounded in British ears
as is well known, while they appear to be will be the case or not must largely depend**** more or less regularly during the last two able to prove anything, generally prove upon Corea. Japan wishes to educate Core hundred and fifty years. It is possible that nothing. Another reference in the same and induce it to come into line with modern bas? too much is made of the axiom that a pamphlet leads us to think that the object international necessities; and if she nation must either rise or fall, that there was to encourage the organisation of the big this without assuming the respons can be no standing still; but without stop. German exhibition to be held at Tsingtau. of actually taking over the country ping to split straws, it is certain that very That is very proper, and very desirable; but be the better pleased. But the one often much depends upon the observer. A the method is a dangerous one
The gond necessary is that Corea should be faddist who sees the world wagging along and the spur may be overdone. What is so such a position that she will Indifferent to his reforms and panaceas is meant to encourage may, by iteration and
as time goes on,
be regarded as species
ca
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