184
THE JAPANESE IN CHINA.
to
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[February 24
the
5,000 each, and they are still growing. | lines, railway of Representatives of many large Japanese and are ablo to (Daily Press, 19th February). firms engaged in various enterprises hiv Japanese. This i According to a frequently noticed, but as
been investigating the possibilities of the but is managed in ma yet imperfectly understood rule in vital country, and are impressed with its wealth." always apparent. Trade and the
Atistica, that pericds of great nationa It is true, as Engineering remarks, that mant of national industries excitement, or during which a nation is
we cannot complain of this, for economic buttresses of the Japanese called on make an unusual display of conditions and efficiency of work and is under this system of modified and thinly national energy, are frequently, if not organisation ultimately decide the industrial veiled protection that Japan lo rapidly invariably,
ompanied by an increased position of any country. Our economic becoming the most important factor, not birth-rate, it might be anticipated that the conditions are rapidly changing-at least merely in the politics, but in the industry population of Japan is a rapidly increasing relatively to those of other countries-and of Eastern Asia. From neither point of one. This is amply borne out by statistics. our efficiency has lost much of the advant-view can we afford to shut our eyes to From the beginning of 1872 to 1905 the age it once showed over that of some of remarkable growth of extra-insular Japan; population of the Empire proper, exclud- our competitors. Our evident duty is to though comparatively a small thing at pre- ing Formosa or residents out of the Islands, make the most of our resources and to sent, yet even in its smallness not to
increased from 33 millions to nearly 48 maintain our efficiency at the highest | looked upon in trade or politics as a hob
matters, and returning to the condition of each man for himself. In this respect the wonderful power of organisation, which more than anything else led to the success of the Japanese army in the field, is shown with equal clearness in the success which has attended their efforts to capture the commercial and industrial position. The victory at the polls of the opposite faction who would substitute for united action the disconnected units of personal opinion, however it may be according to first prin ciples, is especially illimed at the present moment, when it comes in contact with the astonishing results of combined action.
millions, or as near as may be fifty per possible standard." Of course, we cannot able quantity, the foundations are being cent. At the latter date deusity of the restrain this overflowing of a rapidly laid deep for a future campaign having for population amounted to as nearly as possible growing country, nor is there in the phe its object the capture commercially as 322 per square mile, which considering nomenon itself anything to excite alarms. well as politically of the entire eastern that owing to the mountainous nature of Looking at the movement from the outside seaboard of Asia. Well used we have the country, more than half the land is it is distinctly in our favour. The intro- nothing to lose in either particular, and forest, or otherwise untilled, must be taken duction of industries in a new country of may eventually make it fit in with our own as an unusually high rate. This, however, itself cannot but be advantageous to our aspirations political, social and commercial; does not include the whole of the increase.trade in the long run; and Manchuria with but are we using it well, or is their any During the last eight years the population a large element in its population of energetic indication that we have the slightest ink of Formosa had grown by six hundred
workers must necessarily be more profitableling of its importance? One of the worst thousand, of whom practically the whole
than Manchuria under the fitful and dis-sequelae of the diseased Free-Trade of the were Japanese, while continually greater orderly management of China. Were we in Cobden Club is the indication it affords numbers have since 1880 been settling in Corea, and since the war in Liaotung, and settlers in this new and hitherto neglected power of
a position to adopt with Japan the role of that we are rapidly as a nation losing the combination in commercial for the last two years since the fighting country, we might make a struggle to with Russia, the Japanese settlers in Kirin compete, but the nature of the case shuts are becoming a by no means unimportant out competition of this kind. Note the element in the population of Manchuria. less, it is doubtful if we have taken to heart This growth of an outer Japan is in effect fully the new situation. We have, there is one of the more marked developments in little doubt, been too content to accept the Far East, and constitutes an element without challenge the position that our which politically cannot be lost sight of. economic conditions in regard to other In Shanghai, where but a few years ago countries are rapidly changing, and to the number of Japanese residents within
afsume as inevitable the result that our the settlements was insignificant, the
eficiency has lost its former advan ages; Japanese population now ranks next to the
we are, in fact, permitting ourselves to English; and as it is being recruited at a descend from the standard of an industrial more rapid rate it may be anticipated that
a tomere shop-keeping nation. In regard to it will soon constitute the largest element this we may learn much from the Japanese. in the foreign population. Even in the It is quite true that the Japanese densely populated districts along the settler in himself is little more than a petty Yangtsze valley, where it might be anti- cipated that room did not exist for a single able degree the power of organisation, and shopkeeper, but he possesses in a remark. nhabitant over and above the present num-organises in his new country his household
the Japanese succeed in obtaining a
as if he were in Japan; his servants, even, foot-hold, and scarcely a town in the in- down to the most menial offices, are all terior of China is too remote or too in- Japanese, and every one engaged however Aignificant, but that under one form or
remotely in business or household is of his other a search will unearth a little colony. of Japanese, each of whom to the utmost forms an outpost of a great industrial army own nationality. His household, in fact, of his personal ability is engaged in promot-of occupation, and like a regularly organised ing the influence and interests of his own country. Lately Engineering has drawing attention to these most recent plifications of the increasing popula- on of Japan in partibus, and its remarks are worth quoting :-
been
We learn that arrangements are being ade not only for the utilisation of the
resources of the territories which have come
army is regularly supported from the main body, relieved at intervals, and regularly visited by trained and commissioned officers from the home industrial associations. It is indeed in the organisation of these latter that the greater part of the success of the system resides. They not only assist the settler in his financial arrangements, but under the influence of Japan, but also for they make themselves through his instru. mentality intimately acquainted with the the settlement of large numbers of Japanese requirements of any particular district, and in them: The system of colonisation adopted by the Japanese in Corea has also report to the home bodies so that the want may be at once supplied; or if not at the been introduced in Manchuria on a con-
moment manufactured the home bodies will. siderable scale. Japanese civilians have if the demand seem sufficient at once set been permitted to enter the country freely, about its production. In the same manner and Antung, Renghwangcheng, Mukden, the productions of any district are made Dalny and Newchwang have already become known in Japan in the shortest possible populous Japanese cities. Newchwang, time, and if any commend themselves the where there were only about 100 Japanese Kome organisations know where to lay their before the war, and 1,000 a year ago, hand on it instantly. Even without gov- has now 6,000 Japanese inhabitants, and ernment aid or subsidies of any sort, the this number is being further swelled by Japanese merchant in his national talent **the arrival of from 50 to 100 immigrants for organisation possesses a most powerful The military authorities are engine for advancing the national trade. working a light railway between Antung But the Government does aid, and that and Fenghwangcheng In early summer betimes very successfully. Practically all these places had a population of more than the larger and very many of the smaller
daily
*
PROTECTION OF MISSIONS IN CHINA.
(Daily Press, 20th February.) Some time ago, it may be recollected, statement appeared in the German papers to the effect that Germany contemplated taking in hand the task of the protection of Catholic Missions in China, which had hitherto been undertaken by France.
Shortly afterwards it was asserted that this was not to be the case, and, so far us we know, nothing further was heard of the matter. It now appears that the subject was under consideration, but in -very different
way to what was made
surmised at the tim appear. As we Germany was not in any way inclined to undertake the task of standing as the champion of all Catholic Missions in China, but, apparently, was ready to extend her protection to German Catholic Missions, which she is,
she would give it to any other as
who German subjects in Chinav night require it. This seems to be the true nature of the discussion on the subject
Be course, bound to give,
which took place, judging of it in the light
of the remarks which were made in the
Report of the Committee for Foreign Affair of the Chamber of Deputies which
pre sented for the year. The writer M GERVAIS, does not hesitate to declare that the idea of placing French at the service of Chris abandoned, as the those elements to which have only mediocre esteem our Government on the part
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