The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-01
JOHN BULL WIDE AWAKE
DOES NOT PROPOSE TO BE OVER
STEPPED BY GERMANY.
Britain Secures More Territory Near
HOng-kOng, China, and VIII Pro-
ceed to Erect FOrtificatiOns.

LONDON, Dec. 1.-The morning papers
assert that China has practically agreed to
cede to England a strip of territory near
HongKong and all the surrounding islands
in order to enable England to fortify them
securely and to increase the garrison. 1t is.
expected that a convention covering the
agreement will soon be signed. This will be
of great Importance in case Germanys Oc-
cupation of Kiaochau bay should become
permanent
A dispatch from Berlin says: The Nord
Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung prints tonight
an official statement on the subject of the
occupation of Kiaochau, reiterating the
Emperors statement that Germany's only
object is to secure protection for German
missionaries in China. This apparent con-
fict of views between the Emperor and
officaldom leaves the public still in the
dark as to the real objects of the demon
stration of KiaOchau bay, but 1t has the
advantage, automatically, of allowing the
government free to retire from Kiaochau
without loss of prestige, should the negotia-
tions with the powers render that course
advisable. 1t is said that China has APP
peaed to the Kaiser's friendship, promising
that if the troops are Withdrawn from the
forts at kiaochau the government VIII give
Germany every satisfaction.
A special dispatch from Shanghai says
that the Japanese newspapers are ulScuSS-
ing the probability of war between Ger
many and China as the result of the oc-
cupation of Kiaochau bay by the Germans,
and assert that the German minister, Baron
Won Heyking, is preparing to leave Peklne.
Hong Kong, which is an island belonging
to the British off the southeast coast of
China about seventy-five miles from, Can
ton, was ceded to Great Britain by the
treaty of Canton in 1S41 and again by the
treaty Of Nanking in 1892 1t is the great
center of the foreign trade of China. The
island is separated from the mainland by
a strait which at Lymoon pass is only
about q quarter of a mile wide. A small
part of the mainland already belongs to the
British colony, but the proposed convention
will add greatly to British territory In
China.
Shan-Tung a slice of which Germany is
said to covet, Is one OF the largest coast
forms a very large, peninsula jutting out
into the Yellow sea This peninsula gives
Shan-Tung an unusual proportion of sea
coast The great canal from Peking to
Hang-Chow passes through the province,
there are numerous streams that afford
passage for thousands of JunkS in the
freight trade, and "Chinas Sorrow" the
Hoang-Ho, has it's entire lower course in
Shan-Tung, whose people wish it was some
where else, for they have suffered terribly
from Its destructive floods Though thir-
teen of the eighteen provinces of China
proper are larger than Shan-Iung there
population. Shan-Tung has half as many
people as live in the United States. With
the exception of Fukien it is the most
densely peopled province of China. The
cereals including wheat and corn, thrive,
and the inhabitants are Industrious and
contented when the Hoang-Ho does not
drown their farms.
During the war with Japan a great deal
was heard of the north coast of Shan
Tung for 1t was the scene of the opera
tions of the Japanese navy at Wei-Ha-
Wei and Chefu on that coast. But nothing
was heard of the great Bay of Kiaochua,
for it is the south coast, and the Japan
ese did not disturb that part of China's
territory The bay is almost land-locked.
the shipping of the world could ride there
on even keel while a typhoon was blowing
outside the harbOr. If Germany We're per-
mitted to possess herself permanently of a
harbor in China she could hardly make a
better selection. Steamers in Kiaochua bay
are hardly more than a days sail from
Tie1-Tsin, the port of Peking on the north
or from Shanghai on the south