August 16, 1909.]
subject of special negotiation in Peking | after a great war, and we cannot but conclude that what Japan asked for and obtained from China was the right to convert the temporary track into a permanent line which should form part of the Manchurian and Korean railway systems. We cannot fathom the reason underlying the Chinese ob- jection. The only explanations we have seen suggested are (1) that the conversion of the line would strengthen Japan's position strate gically; and (2) that as China has reserved in the lease the right to purchase the line at the end of eighteen years, it is to her interest to prevent costly improvements, Possibly both these considerations weigh with China, and it is not improbable that her attitude has been stiffened by a little informal encouragement from the Russian Minister with the object of defending the interests of the Siberian railway.
The new railway project, which seems to be coming more prominently into notice, is one which would give more convenient access to Kirin and Mukdea than the Antung railway. Some time ago there was talk of a compromise in regard to Chientao, of the basis of Japan conceding China's claim to jurisdiction on condition that the Chinese Government agreed to the building by Japan of a railway connecting Chongjin with Kirio, via Chientao. No settlement of the question was reached, however, and latterly the Chinese have manifested a disposition to build the rail- way themselves up to the Korean frontier Should this railway be built, whether by China or Japan, and connection be made with Chongjin on the coast of Korea, it is pointed out that the port would quickly develop into an important shipping centre, the terminus of a route that would be far more convenient than Vladivostock for travellers and goods from Japan, as well as other parts of Asia. Taking all these matters into consideration, we can under stand the anxiety of Russia, and her very natural wish to have matters settled to her satisfaction.
DECLINE OF BRITISH INFLUENCE IN CHINA,
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
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sovereign rights on the part of the Power | on common account, aud this scheme at once granting them other than those specifically recommended itself to the high provincial granted; and no such grants were implied or authorities, who saw the advantages that the claimed in the present cases. The Chinese province would derive from the industry. Government had then a prima facie right to The scheme met with the approbation of resume the concessions. Here, however, Peking, and the arrangements for royalties international law is plain; the resuming and joint control were all sanctioned, and Government is not entitled to confiscate, but the scheme placed on the market.
But now must pay full value, with a reasonable a new element came on the scene; s new allowance for forcible entry. The aggrieved Taotai, under the influence of the re-actionary parties are entitled to demand of their own party, suddenly appeared at Chungking; Government this right; and the Minister or the Chinese local directors, who had been other representative of thejinjured parties selected from the local colliery owners, a is not justified in listening to other terms. highly intelligent class of men, who had In such a case refusal is equivalent to already adopted many devices supposed to repudiation, and repudiation is of all inter- be peculiar to Europeans, such as long-wall national crimes the one that is accounted working, wheeled trollies, and ventilating the greatest. The Chinese Government, to fans, suddenly resigned. The bankers its honour be it said, has never even hinted (native), who had been selected by the at repudiation, so that the task of the colliery owners as perfectly trustworthy men British Minister in explaining the situation to receive subscriptions, announced that was all the lighter.
they were forbidden to accept the monies, but said that they were themselves quite willing to act if permission could be obtained. The Viceroy, who had been foremost in supporting the institution, withdrew, fright- ened by the threats of the newly-arrived Taotai, and now placed as many obstructions in the way as he had before encouragements.
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Of course, the British Minister knows all this; and certainly would not willingly take it on his own shoulders to permit such an indignity to be placed on him; and we are therefore all the more required to believe that he has been acting on direct orders from the Foreign Office. But the loss to the innocent promoters is none the Meanwhile the mine had been surveyed less; and the probability of a recurrence of and reported on; a small line of narrow the same tactics, in view of the impunity gauge railway to carry the coal to the accorded in the first instance, is, of course, nearest river had been laid out with very much increased. This would only be the concurrence of all concerned, and on a par with all the other proceedings of an Engineer obtained from England to the present Ministry, who have evidently manage the new workings. Altogether in been living in a fool's paradise in their these preliminaries some 300,000 taels conception that they individually or collec. had been spent; markets had been opined tively represent the views or opinions of the out for the coal, which was found to be of nation at large. The Government has, superior quality, and admirably suited for however, gone so far that to advance or locomotive use, as well as for coking, large retreat seems to its members equally quantities of iron being manufactured in impossible, and accepts the first proposal the district of extremely execllent quality. that offers. As a government it is now Finding that owing to the obstructions beginning to realise the fact that its methods placed in the way, and the impossibility of are out of tune even with the more capable getting possession of the land for the rail- members of its own party. This to any way, the mines could not be profitably work- body of intelligent men must have beened, the Directors were forced at last to close evident after the perfect indifference dis- played by the country at large, when the threatened House of Lords threw one bill after another on which the Government had staked its credit; and that without a single word remonstrance, notwithstanding every effort of the Ministers to arouse a revolu tionary spirit amongst the extreme Radicals. The footing which Germany has recently Possessed of the greatest nominal majority obtained in the Yangtse Region has been in the House that any Government has for attributed her being able to take the more than a century been able to boast of, Chinese Government into her confidence as it must feel the indignity of being unable, to the approaching downfall of the erst
even with the weapon of the Closure, of formidable British nation, and the little being unable to carry its Budget through necessity there existed of paying regard to its the House; and this is the more galling that remoustrances. Unfortunately, the British the most determined opposition to the new Government has been itself aiding and abet- fangled measures proposed is being led by ting this impression of the decay of the Em- the more respectable of its own party. It is pire; and by the readiness with which, in the then only on a par with the general attack loan negotiations for the Hankow-Szechuan on property that in the instance where the Railway, it permitted itself to be placed in a Chinese Government, galled with the parrot secondary position financially to Germany cry of the Recovery of Sovereign it has in the eyes of the Chinese Government Rights," has been seeking to confiscate accepted the position. This it has taken care British capital sunk in mining and other to emphasise by the unctiousness with which enterprises, that the British Minister should it has accepted in at least two instances have his instructions to pay no regard to the the contemptuous offers of the Chinese remonstrances of British capitalists, who, in Government to compromise mining conces., some cases, as in that of the late Mr. LITTLE sions formally granted, but whe re, owing to at the urgent request of the highest officials, the misconduct of local officials, it was found have invested their, capital in productive impracticable to work the concessions. It schemes in China. Mr. LITTLE's case is a is quite possible, and we do not propose to particularly bad one. Finding that they enter on the discussion, that, according to had not sufficient capital nor practical international law, the Chinese Government knowledge of coal mining to work their was justified in resuming these concessions. mines to advantage at the greater distances Such concessions of mining rights are of to which they were latterly compelled to ordinary occurrence in international prac-extend their workings, the mine-owners tice, and are never held to disparage any themselves proposed to Mr. LITTLE to work
(Daily Press, August 13th.)
down, and abandon the workings. Sir JoHN JORDAN, as British Minister, had at the begin. ning cordially assisted the enterprise, in which he took personally considerable interest, so that his change of face in recom- oftending the acceptance of the Chinese offer must be attributed to direct orders. The final settlement of 200,000 taels and the stock of coal actually mined must be con. sidered from every point of view unsatisfac tory. Not only is it a direct sacrifice of over 100,000 tiele in
actual money, but even from a Chinese point of view, the closing of the mines will inflict considerable injury on the population of the district, as under existing conditions the mines have already reached their greatest possible development. The intention of the agitators, under whose influence a new source of wealth in their country has been cut off, is not to benefit the country, but to return to the worst period of the dynasty, when industrial development of every description was held to be a crime. That the present British administration, in its own warfare against property, should have a fellow-feeling with the modern obstructives in China is perhaps not altogether incomprehensible, but the effects on British influence, as well as on British enterprise, have been disastrous. We have only alluded to the case of Mr. LITTLE'S Syndicate, but that of Sir Joan LISTWE- Kave goes all fours with it in the abandon- ment of the British capitalist, while the same condonation of encroachment, accom- panied here also with the condecation of capital, is being exhibited in the case of the Marconic installation at Shanghai, to which we have lately had occasion to refer.
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