202
TRADE WITH KOREA AND MANCHURIA.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[October 1, 1906.
owing to China's failure to set up Custolas often cast envious glances towards her stations on the railway. Japan, accused of neighbour. However that may be, it is grabbing too much land at Antung, has undeniable that of late years Japan has offered China sufficient for a Customs actually been occupying many of the fringes station, but China is delaying-and losing in a manner not to be distinguished from revenue all the time-in the hope of retriev-colonisation in mass. Physically the ing more of that acreage. Then there is Koreans are a much finer race than the another involvement, thus referred to :
Japanese; originally of a blond stock, they The entire problem of trade with Manchuria have preserved far more of their original over the Korean frontier is at present com character than any other race in eastern questions are, by the past dealings of Russia plicated, as so many of these Manchurian Asia, and, especially in the eastera districts, with China. It seems that so far back as 1881
brown hair and eyes are characteristic, of- she extracted from China a privilege for the fering a curious contrast to their smaller free transit of merchandise across a strip of this and swarthier neighbours both east an frontier more than thirty miles wide. The west. Nor are they mentally on a lower Russian version of this astonishing agreement level, though owing to the fact that on both has not been published in the Far East, and no sides they have abutted on more powerful issued by a learned society in Tokyo. The wonder; but the Chinese text has lately been
nations they have almost lost their inde- practical interest of the matter is that Japan, pendence of character, and have been driven by her treaty with China of December, 1905, is entitled to most-favoared nation treatment for her trade over this frontier. It would, there- fore, seem that, as a matter of striot law, she has the right, as between herself and China, to pour her goods into Manchuria by this route duty free.
(Daily Press, 22nd September.) Japan having, contrary to the prophecies of her ill-wishers and to the natural fears of reputable traders, opened Tairen to foreign trade as a free port, we would like to be able to say that everything is now in favour of foreign trade, especially British, having a fair field in the Far East. We fear, however, that British commerce will still find legitimate cause of complaint. With regard to British trade in Korea, and its chances as indicated by one of our correspondents, we are naturally disap. pointed but cannot feel surprise. We looked upon Korea as a lost market immediately upon the recognition of Japan's protectorate, and considered it prudent to prepare our renders for a state of things that appeared inevitable. Whether there is anything yet to be done politically, or whether it would be a case of crying over spilt milk, we do not see how any man can say. This "open door" policy is not such a fine thing as its name would promise ; it is bound to breed dissatisfaction; and in the case of Korea this is more than that Japan is not seeking for any exclusive years she has had the opportunity of in.
Evidently there is now a disposition to been painted, and the Times is even assured admit that Japan is not so black as she has
favours for herself.
They happen to be they are making the most of their tem- first on the ground, and, not unnaturally, porary opportunities." Reasonable as that may be, it does not soften the fact that British and American merchants and
ever likely. We may add that we have every confidence in the ability of our corres- pondent to form a true estimate of the position. In Manchuria Japan's position is not so strong, and thoughher conduct at Tairen is, as the Times says, a welcome earnest of the good faith of our.
r.allies, and of their readiness to act up to the profes-shippers are feeling at a greu disadvantage sions with which they went to war," we are
compared with Russia and Japan. not optimistic enough to believe that in the race for Manchurian trade Japan cau be said to "start from scratch." If it were only Japan we had to deal with, we might reasonably expect a satisfactory arrangement of the involved Customs question; but, as everybody knows, China is the chief factor of obstruction; and there are no signs at present of our enjoying the promised equality of opportunity." The Chinese do
not see why the trade of the world cannot wait until they have assured their political position as between Japan and Russia. Probably Russia's attitude in this three- cornered discussion at Peking is no more conducive to business like expedition. The Times, which has the great advantage of being coached by Dr. MORRISON in these matters, has recently taken up a view ex- pressed long ago in this columu, with regard to the Japanese merchandise which has been getting through into Manchuria all this
while. Our contemporary anys:
•
It is not the business of the Japanese army of occupation to look after the Chines revenue, if the Chinese do not choose to take steps to look after it themselves. It foreign goods are landed in any considerable quantities at the same port, it would not be surprising should some of them, which have been consigned to the leased territory, and have thus enjoyed the privileges of the new free port, afterwards leak over into the Chinese possessions. China can
prevent the danger of such leakage by giving Japan at Dalny the position in this respect which, to her own great advantage, she has given Germany at Kiao-chau. Japan would then collect the Customs for her and nobody can doubt but that the collection would be efficient--and pay the balance over to her, after deducting twenty per cent. for the cost of
collection.
THE POSITION IN KOREA.
to take refuge in the last resort of small nations for long confronted with larger and more powerful, that of intrigue. In fact Korea has contrived to maintain a sort of semi-independence for twenty centuries solely by balancing alternately China statesmanship rise no higher than now aud ngainst Japan, and her highest efforts of
then some despicable intrigue. Of late
triguing with a third Power, Rusan, against her two former bugbears, and the last Power has taken full advantage of the circumstance to push her own ends. Under these conditions, Japan having show herself the only Power in Asin capable of contending on equal terms with the col ssus of the North, it was but natural that the chief European Powers should have showu them- selves perfectly complacent when Japan offered to take over the protect rate of "the peninsula.
(Daily Press, 24th September.)
Such undoubtedly would have been the flies from the mainland of Japan, and with of her own responsibilities, and of her Only a hundred and ten miles as the crow case had Japin showed any reciprocal sense that interval divided by the stepping stones willingness to take over the duties as well of the islands of Iki and Tsushima, both
as the profits of the situation. Such is, ssentially Japanese in every way, and the however, far from being her object; her atter only thirty miles distant, it is not to be plain intention being to treat Korea as a wondered at that Japan has ever found conquered country and exploit her simply of the neighbouring peninsula. it necessary to look closely into the affairs for her own immediat profit. The case is,
Even
as we felt sure it would be, one of super- Era China had sought to gain a preponderat (so-called) EMPEROR is a prisoner in his before the commencement of the Christiau session, not of protection. Already the ing influence over the country to which the
own palace, surrounded by Japanese guards, fishermen, from hardy Shantung
the while the capital is occupied by a large brilliant glow of its fantastic hills as they Japanese garrison, and the streets ordere appeared at early dawn, had given the by Japanese gendarmes. At every one of name of Chao-sien, "Morning Glow" and the open ports the same state of affurs is Japan, as soon as the empire of the Mikalos seen, and these Japanes garrisons are had consolidated, recoguised the importance gradually spreading everywhere, and on of keeping herself in evidence, lest by any every pretext into the interior. It is quite chance China, having appropriated the
true that the existing admistration hal country, should he found knocking at her become s utterly corrupt and inefficient own gates for admission. In consequence that in undertaking the protectorate Japin then of her position between the two, Koren had the entire sympathy of the European has ever since been a bone of contention well-wishers of Korea, who between the two rival empires, each in turn, as disposed to give her a free hand, even to were well one orother was more ably ruled, gaining the the extent, should such become inevitable, preponderance in the internal affairs of the of annexation. In either case Japin, in kingdom. Since Japan has opened herself assuming control, assumed likewise the to the world, the population has grown by task of carrying out Korea's engagements leaps and bounds from about 27 millions with the foreign Powers. This, however, to 48 millions, and is increasing at the is what Japan has already shown she bas rate of about 1 per cent per annum. Already it amounts to some 330 per square possession of the Customs administration is not the slightest intention of doing. Het mile, which considering that no less than already inade use of to hamper all outside 64,000 sq. miles are occupied by forests out trade to the advantage of her own people, of a total of about 150,000, much of the while her police contrive to interfere in remainder being mountain land or other the private affairs of the foreign residents. wise not cultivable, must be considered By treaty the foreign resideut
under the protection of his own laws; by practice he is at the nol and beak of every petty Japanese police officer, and practically no redress is to be had, however insulting be the conduct complained of. Curiously, as if to accentuate their dignity the more, the British resident is made the moṛə
China, however, has been standing out for an arrangement more suitable to what she regards as her prestige." The excessive. Customs staff must be Chinese, say the Wai-wu-pu, which is quite in keeping with the modern spirit as exhibited in various ways. Meanwhile, so far as foreign in- terests in Manchuria go, Russia has been getting even a bigger start than Japan did,
On the other hand Korea with an are of some 45,000 sq. miles has a population of about eight millions, or some 175 per square mile, and as much of the land, especially towards the east, is actually richer than that of Japan, it is perhaps understandable that the latter country must
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