Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 04.djvu/743

* CHINESE EMPIKE. 645 CHINESE EMPIRE. titles in the rich eastern coast region, and will be prolonged as far as Ning-po, in order to take in the rich ports of Nanking. Shanghai, and llang- (.liow. As it will thus connect the capitil of the empire with the south, it may, in conjunction with the Ho-ang-ho and Yang-tse-kiang, serve to compete with the other trunk line — the Russian- American Peking-Canton road mentioned above — for all purposes of foreign and coast trade. Like that other trunk road, the construction and exploitation of this railway is to be divided territorially between two nations — Germany and Ivngland — the northern section (passing through Shantung, which contains the Kiaochau dis- trict) naturally falling to the Germans, and the southern to the English. As a compen- sation for the Russian Peking - Hankow con- cession, the English have been granted a con- cession for the construction of lines in the min- ing regions of Shan-si and Ho-nan. They will of course utilize this concession in connection with the extensive mining operations which they carry on in those provinces. These roads, how- ever, will have to use the Russian-American trunk line as an outlet, except in so far as they shall be able to use the Ho-ang-ho and Yang-tse- kiang. A more far-reaching English project is the construction of a railway in southwestern China to connect the Y'ang-tse-kiang with the Indo-Burmese line. This line, if built, would practically bring about direct railway conununi- cation between China and India, and would afford travelers an all-rail route through China from Siberia to India. While not of great commercial importance, it would be extremely valuable to the British, for military reascms, to offset the French lines in that section of the territory, which, through the great Peking-Canton line, will be in easy communication with the Russians in the north. (4) The French Sphere of Influence. — The chief railway interests of the French centre in the extreme south of China, directly west and southwest of Canton. There are to be lines from Hanoi, in Tongking. to Yunnan, in the province of that name, and to Xan-ning, in Kwang-si, the latter point to be further connected with the Chinese treaty port of Pakhoi. These roads will be built chiefly at the expense of the French (Government, which is interested in them for their military importance. In addition to these, French capital is invested in a number of the Russian lines, as indicated above. (5) German Concessions. — In addition to the Tien-tsin-Ching-kiang line, in which, as already stated, the Germans are interested together with the English, the Germans have secured exclu- sive concessions in the entire Province of Shan- tung, where they are building a triangular line to connect Kiao-chau with Tsi-nan, on the Ho-ang-ho, in such manner as to inclose all the valuable mining region of Shan-tnng. This line is intended 1o serve at the same time as an outlet for the mineral products of Shivn-si and Ho-nan, and may be extended later so as to take in the entire region along the Ho-ang-ho, in which case the German sphere will serve as a ■butTer State' between the Russian and British territories. In nearly all of these foreign concessions the Chinese Government not only reserves for itself the ultimate reversion of the railway lines and their e(|uipnunt without any compensation, but also the lion's share of the profits. To reduce the opportunities for foreign interference to a minimum, provision is made for Chinese control in all cases. The foreign syndicate obtaining a concession is permitted only to construct and operate the road. The land on which the road is built, or has to be built, is purchased by a syndicate of Chinese subjects in whose hands is also vested the financial control of the road. Provision is made even. for the ultimatt' native control of the operation of the roail, as well, by reiiuiring every foreign s)^ulicate to maintain a school for the instruction of young Chinese in the sciences and arts pertaining to the business (railroad or mining as the case may be). The foreign syndicate receives 5 per cent, on the capital invested and one-fifth of the net profits, the remaining four-fifths being equally divided be- tween the native syndicate and the Chinese Gov- ernment. Thus the Government secures 40 per cent, of the net profits and the final reversion of the road, in addition to the privilege of trans- porting troops and ammunition at half rates. The telegraph has been extended somewhat rapidly, the mileage of wire being 14,000 miles, with 250 offices, the lines constructed and oper- ated mainly by the Chinese Government. The postal service, initiated by the Government in 1897, is operated by carts and runners. In 1902 there were more than 400 miles of railway in operation in China proper. Commerce. The commercial relations of China with foreign countries are a matter of recent his- tory. Although the Portuguese established a trading port in China as early as 1522, and trade was thenceforth carried on almost without inter- ruption by them and the Dutch, the English, and the Americans, these secular relations lacked stability and safety, owing to the refusal of the Chinese Government to grant suitable protection, and to its avowed hostility to foreigners. Only since 1842. the year of the conclusion of the Treaty of Xanking, which followed the so-called Opium War with England, has commerce enjoyed the oflieial sanction of the Chinese Government in specially designated ports. The number of these ports steadily increased as one or another Euro- pean power succeeded in wringing concessions from China. As a rule such concessions have followed in the wake of active hostilities, and un- doubtedly the troubles in China engendered by the Boxer uprising in 1900 are certain likewise to lead to an unprecedented expansion of Chinese commerce. Previous to the eonelnsiim of the last international agreement the following ports were open to foreign commerce: Niu-ehwang, Tien-tsin Chi-fu Kiao-chau.. Chung-king. .T-chang .Sha-alil Yo-ehow Hankow..,.^ Kiu-liiang... Wu-hu Nanking; Ctiiiigkiang. Sliarighal.... Su-rliow Nlng-po Gross vahie of the trade $36,267,000 58,203.000 20.551,000 1,613.000 13,344.00(1 2,705,ono 101, WW 49!057,60 13,550.000 14,806.000 1,760,000 18.755.000 90,962.000 1,068.000 11,872,000 In 1900 $16,078,000 23,102.0<)0 19,732.000 2,887.000 17.851.000 SI2.000 402.000 105.000 41.f47.fl00 11.941.000 13.199.000 2,824.000 1.321.000 71,242.000 856,000 11,116,000