The-Hong-Kong-Weekly-Press-1909-03-29 — Page 4

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GOTAMA himself, whose highest conception of good was total extinction

Altogether Chinese literature is not exhausted; and there are many truths, historical as well as religious and philoso- phical, to be unearthed from its study; but unfortunately the deadening influence of men like DES GUIGNES and WADE have led anxious searchers off the track, until sinology has become a hyeword amongst studies, as leading to no possible end.

THE GAME OF BEGGAR-MY- NEIGHBOUR.

[March 29, 1909.

THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND

will cease at the earliest date possible, better foundation than the other story that is to say in 1915. Unless one of possessed, but it has received an amount the contracting parties has notified to the of attention out of all proportion to other twelve months before the expiration of its importance. Pratas Island is situated the ten years term the intention of terminat-between Hongkong and Manila, and is ing it, the agreement will remain binding | usually well in view of the steamers running until the expiration of one year from the between the two ports. It is about a mile day on which either of the High Contracting and a half long and half a mile wide. It is Powers shall have denounced it. This latter composed of sand, and a description of the proviso is usually overlooked in the references island says that not a particle of mould or. which are made to the question. It is early earthy matter could be found on it. Its yet to say what may happen in regard to this shape is that of a horse-shoe, enclosing a matter in 1914, but in naval matters, as shallow inlet or lagoon, which runs into its the experts tell us, it is essential to take western side for abcut half a mile, affording long views, and therefore such an opinion as | shelter to the Chinese fishermen who have (Daily Press, March 24th.)

the following given by an expert in a been accustomed to proceed there to fish The statements on our naval position recent London paper will doubtless carry early in the year. It is not an attractive on which to found a Colony, made in Parliament during the past week its due weight. "I repeat" he says, "and it island by the Premier and the First Lord of the cannot be too often repeated, that the time for it is waterless and inhospitable to the Admiralty afford food for many and various | against which we have to make provision utmost degree, and nobody would be reflections. Shortly after the Parliamentary now, is the time when we shall have to keep inclined to remain there a day longer than Session began an Amendment to the Throne a great fleet, estimated by Germans at 40 the business speculation which brought him was tabled by a group of members described per cent., of our armoured strength, in the demanded. What has attracted Japanese as the Reduction of Armaments Committee | Pacific. It is not in the least implied to the islands are the phosphates obtainable we read, "are numerous, -the dreamers probably referred to in that our relations with Japan will become there. "Gannets the Premier's remark that "there are old unfriendly, but either we or the Americans and may be knocked down with a stick. women of both sexes who dream of peace"- have got to provide a counterpoise to the Consequently it is a place where phosphates asking the House to express regret that Yellow Empire, and if we leave the task to may be presumed to exist in considerable "despite the continued and increasingly the Americans, to the Americans will the quantities, and it is no secret that Japanese friendly relations with Foreign Powers, and white men of Australasia turn." Interest- have been coming to the Pratas Island for the repeated promises of Ministers to effecting as this view undoubtedly is, it has had several years to ship phosphate to Japan reductions in the outlay on armaments an little or no influence in forming the deter where there appears to be a market for it. increase in that outlay is foreshadowed inmination of the people of Great Britain and According to Chinese reports, the Japanese the Gracious Speech from the Throne."

have made upwards of a million yen out of To discuss such a motion would have been

the business, but this statement should be sheer waste of time, and apparently in

taken cum grano salis. The story that there deference to some such view taken by the Speaker, the supporters of the amendment acquiesced in a suggestion to defer this discussion to a more suitable occasion, such as is afforded in the debate on the Estimates for the Navy. Possibly ther have had their little say, but their

protest has carried по weight. If

the amendment they formulated were meant to be a mere academic expression of regret that an increase bad become necess. ary, it would receive unanimous assent, but there will be little sympathy in the House or the country at large with the

the

and the Colonies to maintain at all costs an effective Navy at a two-Power standard, There is no need to fear the alienation of Their attachment to the the Colonies. Motherland has been proved in the past and is being proved again. In this de- mand for the maintenance of an effective Navy

Colonies

are recogni-ing their obligations and the enthusiastic support which is being given Australasia to the proposals to present two or three Dreadnoughts to the Navy shows that Great Britain is well able to hold her own in what Mr. BIRRELL has called this game of beggar-my-neighbour.

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thirty Japanese and forty Formosans permanently living on the island one not to be credited. It is is also probable that the Chinese fishermen who returned to Canton with the story of the annexation of the island by the Japanese encountered there one of these periodical expeditions from Formosa or Japan. The Viceroy sent a deputy down in a warship to investigate. This is probably the first time that China has taken any official interest in the place. It has always been regarded as 着房 no man's land," and about the

year 1860; JAPAN'S ALLEGED SEIZURE OF being wrecked on the Pratas Shoals, the owing to the frequency of British ships

PRATAS.

#

British Government was asked to erect a (Daily Press, March 25th.)

lighthouse there, but the Board of Trade. Pratas declined to move in the matter. When it came under our notice a week or two ago that the Chinese newspapers of

Island does not appear to have been Canton were working up a sensation over recognised then as territory over which the the presence of a few Japanese on Pratas Chinese Government exercised sovereignty, Island leading to the assertion that and the Japanese official communique we this forbidding bit

of territory

had published yesterday shows that Japan has no present knowledge that it belongs to Chiua; nor does the Japanese Government regard it as belonging to the Japanese Em- pire merely because a few enterprising Japanese traders have gone there in the belief that no Power exercised sovereignty there. It is not a prize to be coveted by any Power, and if China is able to establish her claim to the island, the Japane e Government says it is quite pre- pared to recognise the sovereignty of China over it. But the Japanese Minister in Peking should have little difficulty at securing the Japanese subjects concerned whatever interests they may have peacefully acquired there in the bona- fide belief that this neglected island be- longed to no Power:

condemnation of the increase which the motion implies. Its ineptitute lies in the fact that it ignores the rapid naval expan- sion of the other Powers. So long as the other Powers continue increasing their armaments, it would be criminal folly ou the part of the British Government to place the great and wide-spread interests of the country in jeopardy by a policy of inaction. However friendly her relations may be been "seized by Japan'

it recalled with Foreign Powers at the present time, to mind a similarly absurd story which the fact cannot be ignored that Great appeared in one of the Manila papers Britain owes her commanding position in about twelve months ago wherein it the world to the recognised power of her was set forth with considerable wealth of Navy to defend the interests of the country, derail that the British had seized Pedro and it is not difficult to perceive that a Blanco, lying between Hongkong and Ampy. similar line of thought dictates the naval and intended to convert the place into a policies of other progressive Powers. Quite aval base. Those who know Pedro Blanco resently we bad President TAFT in his in to be what it is,a rock with a whitish auguration address saying that in the summit, rising sheer out of the water with international controversies which might scarcely foothold for man or beast-were arise in the Orient with regard to the open able to enjoy the joke. Those who had never. door and “other issues" the United States before heard of Pedro Blanco possibly ima- could not maintain her interests intact and gined it to be some forsaken island with per. ensure respect for her "just demands" un-haps a useful harbour which the aggressive less these were backed by something more British meant to embrace in some extended than mere diplomacy. It is to be observed scheme of naval fortifications with a view to that President TAFT and the Emperor of more effectually dominating the ocean high. Germany share the belief that big navies are way from the North to the Colony of necessary for the settlement of or perhaps Hongkong. It was a hoax, a palpable hoax, we should say, preservation from-inter- and being recognised as such by the Chinese national. controversies in the Far East. In newspaper editors, there was no outory in England the possibility of international the vernacular Press against British aggres- trouble in the East is regarded as extremely sion; nor did the report acquire the dignity remote for there is nothing at present of becoming the subject of diplomatic either in Great Britain or Japan to communications. The report of the allege indicate that the agreement of alliance seizure of Pratas Island has a little

to

The members of the Chinese Government and

the Naval Commissioners are agreed that it is necessary to levy a tax in order to raise the have written to the provincial authorities money for the reorganization of the navy, and requesting them to levy the naval tax decided upon some time ago, as soon as possible, for the reconstruction of the navy cannot be further delayed.