Mohave County miner., 1899-10-14
Is China a Great Mining Country


graces of the great powers, including
the United States, by accepting the
advance of capitalists for railroad and
other concessions. The attitude OF
China seems to be an extremely prom
isiug one for those who were preparing
to embark in new mining enterprises
capable of almost unlimited develop
ment in that country. The impression
was made and the belief took root that
an 'open door" to the vast resources
of the Celestial Kingdom had been
found and would be kept unclosed
henceforth.
1t was known by the outside world
that mining engineers of all nationail-
ties had visited the country and dis
covered immense deposits of minerals
which had been jealousy concealed
aud guarded from inquiSitive intrusive
foreigners by the Chinese. England
France and Russia, each had 9taked
claim in the empire. England secure,
a controlling interest in the lang-tse-
King valley, France claimed lue-Nan
and Russia hol ed to enjoy the eXclu-
sive right to develop the vast minerai
resources of Shan-Si In word, Chi
ma was held to be the great mining
field of the futul q, rich in gold, silver,
precious stones and metals, possessing
large measures of coal and iron, all OF
which would create an enormous met
allurgical industry. Those leading
European powers smacked their lips
over the rich juicy lHo-pect and felt
grasp. This was when the johns OF
the Flowery Kingdom were still suffer
ing the smart of the lashes Japan had
applied to their backs.
But for tricks tnat are vain and ways
that are dark the Chinese are peculiar.
No sooner had they drawn their second
breath, looked around, and found their
troubles at an end, they tried to close
the door which they had temporarily
opened to the nations. They placed
restrictions upon the holders of rail
way concessions and insisted that all
the material employed should be made
in the empire. The companies couldn't
stand the Chinese work, and after
much diplomatic pressure had been
brought to bear upon the Peking gov
ernment they forced the Celestials to
yield But the mining companies were
not so fortunate. The Chinese think
more of their mines than they do of
their railway concessions. They have
enacted mining laws so drastic in their
operations that our Chinese exclusion
act seems like a mothers lullaby to
her child. These laws provide that an
application for mining concession
ogist treatise, describing the character
of the soil, its depth, its location, and
the means employed to extract its
minerals. Then again the Chinese
must have the privilege of investing,
at least, half the capital, own One-half
the ground and plant, and receive half
the profits. The crowning feature of
the law is that all the works must be
entirely under Chinese control. We
have no such laws upon our statutes.
touching the Chinese or any other
alien.
There is already an enormous amount
of capital invested in mines in China.
The owners are protesting against the
harshness of the Chinese mining law,
aud hold that the railway concessions
were requested as much to develop
their mining property as for anything
else. The end is not yet for the mat
ter is not settled. At present great
majority of the gold mines in China
are being secretly exploited by the
Chinese with the connivance of several
of the higher officials, and it is only
within the last few years that the gov.
crnment has authorized the opening
up the gold mines in certain parts OF
the Empire. 1t is now pretty we'll un,
derstood, however, that China is really
rich in golden wealth. 1t seems she is
determined to keep it for her own peo
pie. China also has extensive diamond
mines which are being worked with the
greatest secresy. Foreign capital i.
ready and anxious to invest in then
but the absurd mining laws of tn,
country deter it from entering th'
country. 1t is evident that China
needs "fixing" before her long barred