Rise of Port Arthur.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 4, 6 January 1904, Page 4

Rise of Port Arthur.

Renter's Pekin cori-espondent, writing on Oct. 22, says Seven years atgo Port Arthur was a small Chinese "town, and within two or three years it will be the largest and finest city in the Far East, as well as cue of the greatest lortiliod naval stations in the world. Balny is likely to 'be gradually abandoned, and Port Arthur will be not merely the naval station, as was contemplated by the original plans, but the great commercial terminus of the Siberian railway. The lack of hailjour accommodation was t'ort Arthur's handicap, r>ut now the inner hailbour, wMch was a shallow mud fial, is being (Iredged, and a basin made large enough to float any fleet of merchant ships that is likely to touch there for manyl years. Besides! this hai'Cour the new town is teing erectud— a complete city wrtli muiem hotels, business blocks, residences, and very hands-ome mid well-appointed barracks and hospitals. Within the next three years tiie business section 1 of the old town, wlhich consist of a jumblud collection of cheap wocideii buildings huddled about the old naval docks of the old haiibour, will be destroyd ami all commercial establishmwi'ts will find quarters in the new city.

One effect of war which would be felt by all foitfeners in the Far East would lw thfi temporary stoppage oi ttoe Siterian railway service. Already that line, with the other ltussiaii enterprises, has worked great arud it is contiiuiing to make them. European mails are li> inig ix-ceived in Tientsin und l'ekin within 20 days from London and Paris, whereas the time by steamers has been from 30 to 40 days. More travellers are coming to Northern China ; inidtvd, l'ekin, where a tourist was formerly a rarity, is brought within the globe trotter s circuit, amd is becoming one of tho popular show places of theF.nst. Russia hus in Neuchwang an exceedingly valuable prize. The amounted' Custom duties which are (being collected at the port by Sir Robert Hart's staff and handed over to the Russian administration, is about one lumdrod million taels a year, whilo tho likin duties collected directly by the Russian oHldaJs aimount to half a million. This lar exceeds the exjwnses of the Russian civil government and the gturison. In addition Russia is making fine bargains in ival estate.