26
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[July 10, 1909.
THE DEFUNCT TRAMWAY BILL. Viceroy CHANG came to Canton we were sion of Eastern Manchuria. Practically at
constantly hearing of “risings " in various, the time her position there was unassailable, (Daily Press, 5th July.)
parts of the Two Kwang, and of engage. as no Power, not even Great Britain, was at .There has been no public outburst of grief meats with the Imperial troops, but the time in a position to contest with her over the death of the new Peak Tramway during the past two years and a halt the command of these then distant regions. Bill; but that is not to say that its decease is there has been almost an entire absence of Russia, it was true, was at an enormous not regretted by the public. It is generally such disturbances, despite the mischievous distance from her base; but she was already recognised that the line would have been activities of the Self-Government Associa- established as a military Power as far as a great public convenience, especially the tion which came into existence a couple Irkutsk on Lake Baikal, and had several lower half of it, hut it is around this of years ago. Viceroy CHANG's transfer military stations linking it up with her particular section of the line that the opposi- to Nanking is, we believe, much regretted European territories. Great Britain had lion bas centered, and the grounds of in Canton, as it certainly is in Hongkong. only her navy in these regions to depend on, objection have been (1) the disturbance His Excellency's relations with the Govern- and the art of transporting great armies by threatened by the running of the trams to
ment of Hongkong have always been of a sea to distant campaigns had not as yet worshippers in the Roman Catholic markedly friendly character, and his recent dawned. It was under these circumstances Cathedral, and (2) the vandalism involved contribution of two lakhs of dollars to the that the first care of Russia on fåking by carrying the line in a deep cutting across University Fund, coupled with a promise of possession of Vladivostock was to set about the western corner of the new gardens. Of further support, alike amply demonstrates converting it into an Asiatic Sebast pol. four routes suggested for this particular the sincerity of the friendship and the For defensive purposes an arsenal in East section in Glenealy, opposition was offered to progressive nature of his ideas. We trus
Asin was entirely uncalled for; as well every one but the scheme which included hese amicable relations will be maintained might she have sent out an expedition to tunneling under the Public Gardens, and of by his successor H.E. YUAN SHU-HSUN, fortify the North Pole. There could be no this scheme the CHAIRMAN of the Peak who is promoted from the post of Governor possible mistake as to Russia's real object, Tramway Co. at the last annual meeting of of Shantung. His Excellency the new which was to render her intended impreg shareholders said the engineer's estimate for Viceroy is a native of Hunan and his nable fortress at Vladivostock a safe basis this route
was "enormous," and put its sympathies are said to be anti-foreign. But for further aggression. This became still further consideration out of the question. We remember that similar reports were more evident when after China's defent at When the Peak Tramway Company a few circulated of Viceroy CHANG before the bands of Japan, Russia first compelled years ago acquired the rights in the entire His Excellency came south, and we now Japan to surrender all her conquests in scheme for a sum of $25,000 from Mr. know how false they were, Observing how Shengking in consideration of an indemnity FINDLAY SMITH, the original promoter, they highly Viceroy CHANG's services at Canton to be paid by China herself for the restora- arranged for an increase of capital by half have ben appreciated by his Imperial tion; and afterwards, without any con- a million dollars, by the issue of 50,000 new master, we may well believe that H. E. sideration on her own account, quietly in shares, on which they made a first call of YUAN is regarded in Peking as a man | March, 1898, took possession of Port Arthur one dollar per share. We have frequently no less wanting in tact than he is in ability, under pretence of leasing it. She was not heard it suggested that there never has been and His Excellency's record in the long in occupation before she gave evidence any serious intention to proceed with th
public service sufficiently suggests that as to her intention in seizing the port. She construction of the line, but we think the he is likely to prove a worthy success- could no longer pretend that her last acqui- fact that the company provided for an
or of H. E. Viceroy CHANG.
sition was of any service to her as a pro- increase of capital by half a million dollars
tective port, as it was separated by many and have spent considerable sums on surveys,
hundreds of miles from her own territory; &c., is fairly good evidence of inten.
so she was bound in all consistency to allow tion. That intention was not improbably
(Daily Press, 6th July.)
that her seeking the new port was that strengthened by reasons connected with the Mr. LosoFF has been seeking tore kindle
Vladivostock was closed for some four to growing traffic on the existing line. Evi. strife between Russia and Japan.
five months during the winter, and she Speak. dently, what has determined the fate of the ing at St. Petersburg at a meeting
needed an ice-free port. As a defensive project, is the estimated cost of construc-of the Far Eastern Investigation Society, measure, of course, this closure would increase tion. The increase of capital provided for he has been alluding to fortifications rather than diminish the utility of Vladi- by the Company, we understand, represents recently erected by Japan in Korea, and
vostock; so the former argument was only about half the estimated cost of the trying to persuade the Russian people forgotten, and the action of Germany in new line according to the plan which that such fortifications could only Kinochau Bay the previous year was held involves a tunnel under the Public Gardens.
However have one object in view-the invasion of out as sufficient justification. Whereas the existing line was constructed Russin, which he pretends to look upou as
that was, Russia, as in the former case at twenty-one years ago with a capital of imminent. To point his motal he does not once set to render her new acquisition a $125,000, the new line, it is said, would need a stop at misrepresentation, and accuses Japan stronghold. The events of 1900 in Peking, capital of at least a million. If this represents of infringing the stipulations of the Treats
soon led to disclosures of the very ques. the position, Hongkong is fated not to have of Portsmouth by the erection of these tionable course that negotiations between another tram line to the Peak, for we cannot fortifications. Of course the only stipula- Russia and China had been taking. The see at what point a remunerative line could tion entered into by Japan with regard to
EMPRESS DOWAGER, who had by the coup be more cheaply made than over the route fortifications is that she shall no erect such d'état of September, 1898,succeeded to power, mapped out for the line which is now long the frontier line, and the general was of all things desirous of getting rid of abandoned. So the Tramway Company in question of fortifying Korea was not even the pressure of the foreign representatives at all probability remains secure from competi- mentioned on either side in the preliminary Peking; and Ru-sin, overtly, or by implica tion for many years to come. Not perhaps conferences which preceded the negotiation tion, permitted herself to be drawn into for ever, for who can tell but what we shall of the Treaty proper. In strengthening her negotiations and the traitorLI HUNG CHANG. What Russia agreed one day be transported to the Peak in defensive position in Korea, Japan ha became the medium. airships?
neither by direct action, nor by implication, to do on her side does not appear, but the however remote, infringed any of her fact remains that the DowAGER REGENT, stipulations with Russia, or the European and her then henchman, Li, were perfectly Powers. We may, indeed, go further, and ready for certain c nsiderations to hand over affirm that it was exactly to strengthen her to Russia the ancestral appannge of the Ta defensive position in Korea, and so remove
ISING dynasty. But Li, had he been trus A constant temptation on the part of her to anyone else, would not have been true Reighbours to encroach, that the Protector to his own character. At the Imperial nte was eventually coincided in, not only by coronation in the Kremlin in May, 1896, LI Europe generally but by Russia herself. HUNG CHANG had been driven in a golden Most of all, then, is it unbecoming on the carriage about the streets of Moscow, and part of Russia to make any complaint frow that time became the devoted slave to of the steps that Japan has recently been Russia; so much so in fact as to incur the taking towards securing her military posi-jealousy of the DOWAGER REGENT, who sent
VICEREGAL CHANGES.
(Daily Press, 5th July.) Everyone who has closely followed the events of the past two or three years at Canton will cordially endorse the PRINCE REGENT'S Commendation of His Excellency CHANG JEN CHUN as a tactful Viceroy. During his short regime, His Excellency has bau to deal with some international difficulties of a delicate character, and that he has been able, on the one hand, to deal with these questions in a manner more or less satisfactory to the foreign Powers con cerned, and on the other hard has been able to keep the notoriously turbulent elements of the Two Kwang well under control, proves that he lacks neither tact, wisdom nor firmness 28 an administrator. Before
FORTIFICATIONS IN KOREA.
tion in the Peninsula.
of
▾
It is not necessary for an understanding of the present attitude Japan with regard to Korea to recapitulate the manner in which Russia became interested in the seaboard of Eastern Asia. Suffice it to say that in 1861 she came into posses.
him to Canton-practically in banishment. It is a matter of history how, taking advan- tage of the troubles u Peking he returned uninvited, and at once recommenced his intrigues with Russia. Russia pleaded that Lr had ceeded to her the Manchu territories, but La, true to his character, although he was
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