September 18, 1909.]
known that the administration of the Native Customs was purity itself compared with that of the likin, where the only recognised tariff was the amount the individual holder found it possible to screw out of his own particular line of country.
In the year 1903, the Home Government, actuated with a desire to do something in China, sent out SIR JAMES MACKAY, a gentleman well-known in Indian financial circles, to ascertain what was the position in China, more especially with regard to likin, which was described by the Chambers of Commerce in China as the worst of all the mercantile grievances with which they had to contend. Full of self-imagined import- ance SIR JAMES MACKAY came out to China, and met the usual fate of all such enquirers. He was, in fact, to shorten the matter, fooled to the top of his bent. Warned in time, of the necessary consequence of the methods that he was adopting, the only result of his visit was to rivet the chains of likin still tighter, and to acceed to still more reaction ary impediments being placed in the way of local industries than had previously existed. It was a repetition of the old days of SIR JOHN DAVIS, of CAPTAIN ELLIOT, and LORD ELGIN. SIR JAMES MACKAY, like the prophet of old, had come in the pride of his heart to effect the destruction of likin, and all other financial iniquities, but not knowing his business nor his men, he was turned about by SIR ROBERT HART, who under instructions from his, the Chinese, Govern. ment of the day, had other and very different purposes in view. SIE ROBERT succeeded in getting new sources of revenue placed under his control, which forthwith were taken possession of by the Imperial Lady at Peking, but of likin only vague promises of the genuine old Chinese type, which might mean anything or nothing, principally the latter-were extracted. The charges were, on the contrary, very real, and have ever since seriously handicapped the industries of
China
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
243
has been too wise to be led away by such | proposes to run its own steamers. This, in claptrap. Its real aim is to recover its fact, is the main feature of the scheme, and power of control over the provinces; and upon its practicability or the contrary the here the likin system, as at present constitu- whole turns. The new extension of the ted, and acting independently of both Grand Trunk system may be said to be Provincial and Metropolitan Governments is entirely a government undertaking. As the great obstacle: Plainly, Peking and the the great system of the Canadian Pacific, Provinces both see that it is too powerful to which has contributed so powerfully be attacked in front, and that the only to the making of Canada as a great methods holding out a reasonable promise nation, was entirely the scheme of Canada's of success is a regular siege. Time was, and earlier Prime Minister, Sir JOHN MAC- not so long ago, that the greatest opponents DONALD; so is the present the outcome of to any measure of the sort would have been the fertile brain of Sir WILFRED LAURIER, the Provincial governments; but with the the present. The discovery of the enormous gradual enlightenment of the country, and wealth of the hitherto practically unknown the real desire on both sides to have the western lands on the eastern slopes of the duties of Central and Provincial administra- Rockies was one of the first results of the tions defined under some constitution opening of the Canadian Pacific; as these al system, this old sore of the necessary commenced to be opened up, the fertile belt opposition of the Capital and the Provinces, was found to extend far more to the north has practically ceased to exist. This gradual than the most sanguine had ever dared to rapprochement of the two is probably the hope; Sir WILFRED LAURIER, with this best assurance we can have of the stability additional information at his disposal, as of the Regency, and the progress of reform well as having now trustworthy assurance in the financial system, which is one of the that the northern passes of the Rockies. chief measures it has in hand.
about the Peace River were lower and less subject to interruption than the line adopted by the Canadian Pacific, saw that the time had arrived to launch his new scheme. Doubtless he was actuated in this largely by a desire to emulate his predecessor, but this was no unworthy motive, and so far as it has gone, all the preliminary arrangements go far to ensure the ultimate success of the project, not merely as a speculation, but as, like its predecessor, contributing largely to the enrichment of the country at large. This tract of country north of Winnipeg it is through which the intended line is to pass, and the advantage which the line offers to it is placing it in immediate communication by sea with the great consuming markets of the East, instead of baving, as at present, to undergo a long and expensive journey across the continent, part by railway, and part by lake steamboats.
10
LESSONS FOR CHINA FROM
CANADA.
(Daily Press, September 16th.) No country in the world has throughout her career been more consistently careful preserve intact her prerogative than Canada, and this is a fact of which China has had personal experiences. When Canada first commenced to legislate re- garding her growing Chinese population, China, she may remember, made complaint to England, with the satisfaction that she was told in so many words that England did not interfere with the internal arrangements of Canada; as a fact, she had at one time attempted to coerce Canada into opevalsg her ports indiscriminately, but Canada pointed out that this formed no part of her agreement, and she would continue to act When the Regency came into power at on her own discretion. It may, therefore, the beginning of the year, and the new be a matter of a little interest to China to Regent made an
open profession of learn how Canada has recently been acting following in the steps of his brother, there when a syndicate of outlanders proposed to were those, who ought to have understood her to make an important line of railway better, who looked forward
to the right through her territory. The line is, too, instantaneous regeneration of China. But of some interest to China, as it forms part a Regent in China is not an Emperor, even of a schenie for shortening the journey from though individually a strong, and what is not the eastern ports of China to Europe, and always its accompaniment, an intellcetual so is intended to be a direct competitor with man. This likin especially he saw was a the Russian Siberian route-with the serious impediment in the path of the advantage that it is intended to carry goods Government; under the feeble administra- as well as mails and passengers and this tion of the debauched HIEN FENG, it had is intended to be brought about by shorten as we have seen, grown up into an imperium ing the land journey across Canada to some in imperio, and, instead of being a tool in 1,800 miles, or less, while at the same time the bands of the Government, really was reducing very considerably the sea journey prepared to take charge itself. The one across both oceans-the Pacific and fortunate thing about the affair is that for Atlantic. once there has been unanimity reigning amongst the Foreign Powers, each and all of whom has had some grievance therewith connected requiring redress. Recently the Waiwupu has been taking the affair up, but what it says is an indication of the difficulties in the way. All the Foreign Powers," it says, "have refused to consent to the increase of Customs duty and the aboli- tion of likin until there is a uniform system of weights and measures, and a uniform code of laws for the registration of trade marks throughout China." This, though practically true, is, of course, a Chinese facon de parler. The uniform system of weights and measures is, the Government knows, a very important thing: but it is not what is really impelling it onwards. It
may be well enough disposed to side with the outcry for the "Restoration of Sovereign Rights," but it
.46
The idea of the line is, of course, old, but up to the present has existed only in the imagination of a few enthusiasts. In fact it is only within the last year that affairs in other directions had advanced so far that the line came into the category of possible eventualities. Those have been brought about by the practical op ning of the magnificent port of Prince Rupert on the Pacific, and the undertaking by the Grand Truck Railway of Canada of a trans Continental Pacific-Atlantic line all the way from New Brunswick to the borders of Alaska, and all through Canad an territory. But, though arising out of the new under- taking of the Grand Trunk Pacific, the new line will be entirely independent except for its connections in British Columbia, and will have its own independent port with access to the Atlantic, across which it
4
To accomplish. this it is the object of the syndicate to establish a line of steamers from Europe to Port Churchill on the wes- tern coast of Hudson's Bay in N. Latitude 5710 On the Canadian side Port Chur- chill is to be made the terminus of a new system of railways to communicate with across the Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Rockies with the principal centres, and eventually, by means of the new Grand Trunk, with Prince Rupert. The line will thus have its communications with both Oceans, and it is intended that it shall form the shortest and cheapest outlet to Europe for the great grain crops of Manitoba and the North-west, and on the other shall form the shortest and quickest link between Europe, North China, Manchuria and Japan. The scheme is a great one, though, of course, it has the great drawback that Hudson's Bay is only open to navigation for at the very most half the year, and even while it is nominally open the navigation is at all times dang rous, owing to the quanti- ties of floating ice to be passed throgh in entering by way of Hudson's Straits in N. latitude 62°.
The scheme, though, if found practicable it will be of great importance in the com- mercial history of the world, is not one that recommends itself to the ordinary investor, and has not been taken up in Canada, which, as yet, is not in a financial position to warrant the expenditure of great sums in an enterprise which certainly does not hold out any hope of immediate return, and which, if in the end likely t› ba fitable, must be content to wait for years before earning any reasonable dividend. It need not, therefore, be a matter of surprise that the syndicate which has brought the
pro-
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