THE FAR EAST.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 32, 28 January 1908, Page 4

THE FAR EAST.

TALK OF ANTI-BRITISH BOYCOTT.

, "CHINA FOll THE CHINJiSK" Hongkong, Decern uci Two weeks ago Hie Uiuisii .ulnrirai here despalcued a Heel oi ioipcdo boa is to the Wcsl liner to siqques- piruliugi there The presence ol these war vessels has greatly angered the Chinese. Tne Canlonese oojeei io Lhe siii»er\ .-ion ol the Xlrilish meii-oi-war. I'lmey na- been rampant m Hie West liner lor years, I and the Chinese Impelial Cusloms gun | boats and the Chinese waisiiips u,\..\ apparently, been helpies-. inn ine | men who know the Chine-e bcsi snuie, ! mid c.\pluin thai there is more in inis than meets the eye. Tl hud been arlauged that il well-orgunl-ed .ilieuipl, to hunt down the pirates should >L.c made by the Customs and Chinese war boats. Tiul ut once, the oilicials were faced with the loss ol the -.squeeze" or bribe thill it is generally agreed that they extort from the biiciuieei's for u right to carry on a system of 101 l on the West Itiver trade. And they raiswl the cry of "CTiimi for the Chinese" a cry that, from the outlook lo day, may have a very far-reaching echo. \ icucd from the Chinese standpoint, the position is this: The Cantonese strongly object to allowing the Customs authorities Inning the sole patrolling ol the West Itiver. It lias to be remembered that the Customs are nol iu tin- jini- ■ diction oi the provincial authorities, but are managed direct from i'okjii tlii'oiie.li Sir Kobert Hurt. Hitherto the nnlne ' vessels, the Chinese claim, have not received the same treatment as to ready clearance that craft Hying l-.iiropean Hags have been given. 'They argue that once the patrolling of the river is placed in the bauds of the Customs the provincial authorities will be powerless, and the Customs oilicials, who are mostly Europeans, will bo able to do ju«l what they like with the Chinese. M-.Ss meetings have boon held at. Canton to discuss the matter, and the people appear, to be in entire sympathy with the merchants wbo are the agitators. I'etitious have been sent to Pekin protesting against foreign Powers being allowed! to take part in the Government of tlio country -Meetings are being held everyday and resolutions are carried all lo much the «anie effect. But none the loss the I'.ritisli (nrpr-dn boat- are pulmlliiif! the rive:. l-'or years the I'ckui lloveriinient has been c:illin2 on its oilicials "to deal with the pirates," but. the "dealing" lias been of quite a iliil'erent nature to what, Pekin intended. The Chinese are very incensed at the pre l senee of foreign gunboats: agitators arc making the most of the opportunity for an anti-foreign war cry; but there is scarcely any warranty for expecting that the disturliiinee will spread to any' oilier distriei than Canton.

CHINA'S RAILWAYS. | The British and Chinee corporation which is interested in several railways in China states that the progress made in the construction of the lino from Shanghai to Nanking necessitated the isstip'of a further instalment of the loan, and i'fuO.OOO Imperial Chinese Govern- ; ment. bonds were issued by the corpora-' I tion on behalf of the Government, nmki nf r (he total issue £2.000.000 out of the .C3.2sn.nrio provided in the loan agreement. Instead of issuing further bonds the Chinese Government will provide from funds at its disposal the rapitai to complete the railway, which it is ex 1 j peeted will be finished by the middle of 1908. The line from Canton to connect, with the Tlritish line lieing built in Kowden is being surveyed. Negotiation* are pending for the final agreement for a loan to construct a railway of about 200 miles from Suchu, on the Shanghai' ] Nanking line, to ITanghau and Niiigpo. I This will develop the Yangtze Valley j railway system. I