GERMANY AND KIAU-CHAU.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1308, 8 October 1914, Page 4

GERMANY AND KIAU-CHAU.

The announcement was made a few days ago that British troops had been landed to assist the Japanese in the siege of Tsing-Tau. The British Government's policy is to bring pressure to bear upon Germany at every possible point, and, as troops were available in the East, no doubt this is considered one of the best means of using them. Before this war Germany had just entered upon what is called a forward policy at Kiau-Chau. Her previous agreement under which she obtained the lease of this territory confined her to a comparatively narrow “sphere.” Bat in a supplementary agreement made just before the war Germany the right, according 1o the London Tithes, to extend the Hantschung Railway southwards beyond the frontiers of Shantung, the German “sphere,” to Suchowfu, where it would meet the Tienfsen-Pukow Railway and the Great Belgian trunk line from the west to the sea ; and the right to prolong the Tsing-tau Shinanfu Railway westwards beyond the frontiers of Shantung to Schuntefu, where it would meet the trunk line from Pekin to Hankow. From its new southern terminus the former railway would, it was hoped, enable the German port of Kiau-chau to compete successfully for trade and traffic with the terminus of the Belgian Railway, wherever that may be. When it was finished “ there would perhaps be more to say ” as to its further extension into Kiangsu and Honan. This meant that Germany, instead of pursuing a parochial policy in her own “sphere,” was pursuing a “Chinese policy” which would extend her influence in all directions.