-
302
THE C.I.P.O. AGAIN.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
|
[November 11, 19 07
CHINESE AND THE POWERS.
| HART accordingly commenced by making | This is too absurd to be listened to for a overtures to the Shanghai Municipal Coun- moment by any reasonable man. On the (Daily Press, November 2nd.) cil, which meeting with a favourable re- other hand China has almost as well founded China affords un instructive instance of sponse, the entire was taken over. On this, a cause of complaint when she finds foreign how difficult it is for a nation that has once as a foundation, he commenced to build up cuntries, especially Germany, raising a let go adrift the instinct of self administra- the larger structure, and everything had to be revenue from postal matter carried through tion to recover its lost ground. Long commenced ab ovo, as no precedent existed the interior of the country at actually no centuries of delegation of all its powers to a for the state undertaking the carriage of expense to themselves. China's complaint central government has atrophied the con- private mails. Few people either connected amount almost ta confession of impotence, sultive faculties of the nation at large; while with the Government, or outside it, looked but that is hardly an excuse for Germany's the fact that it had no neighbours sufficient upon the new departure as containing the action; while on the other side, in attempting ly advanced in the arts of civilisation to act germ of success, and this feeling was to right herself, China has no right tɔ com- as & check
on its own extravagances emphasized when the Inspector-General had mit a second wrong. This is the moral of insensibly had the effect of lowering the the temerity to ask for an initial subsidy the tale, in fact, that two wrongs do not official tone of the whole. One after another from the Customs receipts. Little by little make a right; and never can. the European nations are discovering the the new service commenced to make its way. weak points of the government, and under being confined in the first instance to the pretence of setting things to right are ports open to foreign trade, where there was leading up to still further complications. the staff of the Custoins to draw on. China is sensitive of the fact that affairs are Amongst others it excited the jealousy of (Daily Press, November 4th.) not going properly, and that now and then the German postal service which had been In an article in the Bibliothèque Universelle her neighbours, seeing her weakness, take the taking advantage of the want of postal con- in which he dealt with the probable drift opportunity of encroaching; and, having veniences to push its branches into the of events during the present century, once gained a footing, prepare to make it interior. Of course China was in the first M. TALLICHET, the well known political good as a fulcrum for further interference. instance herself at fault for not having writer, ventured upon a prognostication as China, in fact, has xvery good ground of Booner supplied the requisite accommoda- regards foreign relations with China, which complaining of the continual supercession tion; so soon as China was able to under- has proved singularly correct, and is of of her "sovereign rights," but she forgets take the work herself this necessity ceased, special interest at the present time. Refer- on the other hand that complaints of this and China had a good cause of complaint ring to the virtual failure of the joint nature, without the ability to correct them, that Germany was actually raising a revenue expedition directed by Field Marshall von are really only acting as au advertisement of out of carrying mails in her territory. No WALDERSEE, which did not result in her weakness and holding out an invitation nation is so jealous of any interference anything that could be looked upon as solid, to still greater encroachments in the near with her own rights, real or pretended, as he points out that from this time the ideas future. An instructive instance of this Germany, and her action in the affair is, to of partition of the Chinese, which had then phase has recently occurred with regard to call it by the least opprobrious name, in been looked upon as a possible solution of the Post Office, to which subject we have distinctly bad form. Had the public in- the Chinese question, became very much referred once already. It is of sufficient terest been in any way subserved by Ger- modified. The facts which that expedition moment, however, to warrant the fullest many's action in the matter, this might brought to light showed very clearly the discussion. Except to despatch its own have been offered as a prima facie excuse, dangers which would attend any such couriers and keep its higher officials inform- but this can hardly be said. As a fact the partition and the doubtful benefits which ed of the course of affairs as well as of the foreign residents find their interests in no
would accrue 6.0 those who might be orders of the Imperial Government, China way assisted, but very much the reverse by concerned in such a step. The writer per- had not risen to a conception of a postal the multipliction of Post Offices each in- tineatly asks: -“What would European service; and the vast body of commercial terfering with the other, and complicating Powers gain even if a partition could be intelligence necessary for carrying on the needlessly postal affairs It is of no
arrived at amicably as among themselves?" commerce of the Empire at large, was advantage to the residents, for instauce ( and he adds : Europe is not capable of carried by private institutions, who kept of Shanghai, that they have a choice digesting so heavy a piece. There is among their own couriers and often competed with of si or seven post offices to do the the Chinese people, a power of passive the government in the diffusion of general work of one, each with its own system of resistance in face of which foreign conquest news. Under the circumstances the establish-currency. The public interest there would is bound to fail. Probably only Japan ment at the various ports of foreign be very much expedited by the establish- might be capable of effecting a branch post offices for the distribution of ment of one central office. It is doubtless formation, because she is Asiatic and has letters carried by the various mail services true that so long as the present system of achieved such a transformation in her own became a matter of absolute necessity. carrying ocean mails exists, the Powers country; but between Europeans and Chi- Again on the arrival of letters at the ports making China their terminus will need a nese, the abyss is tro wide to be filled up by where alone the mail steamers called, there local agency, but it is quite possible tɔ force. In reality what Europe desires is the was absolutely no regular way by which the combine this with the other, to the advantage opening and development of a large market mails could be conveyed further to the of the service so far as the public is con-
for its industry and commerce. One of lesser ports where foreign business was cerned. Here, however, the Chinese Govern- the most certain ways of paralysing and carried on. In the old days the letters ment, even with the aid of Sir ROBERT HART annulling this would probably be to seize were received by the large houses direct has been placing itself hopelessly in the upon it by main force, thus to induce from the steamers, but with the growth wrong. China pays no subsidies of any sort the Chinese to combine secretly against the of the foreign residents, and the fact for the carriage of the foreign mails, yet she intruders by boycotting their wares." that many were not directly interested has been complaining through her mouth- in business and bad по agencies, piece, Sir R. HART, that she does not receive business nor otherwise, with the large full international postage on mails which mercantile establishments, the distribution have not cost her a farthing. If then China of letters became a difficulty. For a time have on the one side a good cause of com- the foreign municipalities at the various plaint, on the other she is herself to blame ports acted as distributers, but the almost for her, (ou the face) absurd claims to right entire absence of co-operation and the want of collection on full continental terms on all of due supervision and system when each postages received or dispatched at the ports. petty municipality became a law to itself in pursuance of this claim she has recently soon showed that something better WILS been refusing to carry foreign mails along needed. It was under such conditions that her railways. In this, at first sight, she is Sir ROBERT HART made the first approaches within her ordinary rights as a sovereign to an Imperial Post Office to be directly Power, but only on the understanding that under the control of the central government she shares the cost. As she does not bear as represented by the Imperial Maritime any portion of the latter, some allowance is Customs. Of the various post offices started due, and this it is that Sir ROBERT HART under municipal control the only one that seems to have forgatten. The situation is exhibited any approach to organisation was eminently oue for compromise. England that at Shanghai, and so far as it went, it by the payment of a heavy subsidy is” able certainly met a want, and was trustworthy;t bring letters regularly from Engian 1 to the same could not be said of the others, which were for the most part merely amateurish with no proper staffs. Sir R.
Shanghai at the rate of a penny each; for allowing the letter to be land on the shore China raises a claim to two pence halfpenny!
trans-
With respect to the last suggested step, the writer overestimates the danger. The instincts of the Chinese for trade are such that, fond as they are of combinations, these do not work so much injury as might in an ordinary way be expected. This is probably to be accounted for partly by some underhand evasion of the boycott by the Chinese themselves; and partly becaus the boycott is not adhered to for a sufficiently long period. It is not in respect to com- merce that combinations would have to be chiefly feared, though considerable incon- venience might, as has often been the case, be experienced from them. The political combinations are the chief difficulty that would have to be faced; and it is scarcely likely that any European power would be able to deal effectively with them. The Chinese are past masters in the formation and conduct of secret societies. The Empire is riddled with such factious combinations in all directions, and they are notoriously the chief obstacle to effective government
ور
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.