The Hawaiian star., 1901-10-25
NrANcIiuRtA.

Very little is generally known about
the conditions of Manchuria. but re-
cent report Go the Department Of state
throws considerable light upon its va
lue. and upon the conditions there.
When the late general in command in
Manchuria passed through here a week
or so ago he was asked how many
troops We're in Manchuria he cvaded
the question. and the natural inference
was that it was much larger than he
cared to state. The report to the State
Department says:
There is much exaggeration about
the number Of Russian troops in this
region. The $4,000, which expanded to
100000 so quickly in the imagination Of
journalists and theorists. may be safely
cut down one-third. 1t is only neces-
sary to recall the events of last sum-
mer-the way in which the great Sbe-
rian Railway was taxed to transport
the troops actually forwarded, at a cri-
teal moment-to be assured that il was
impossible to transport, feed, and MAIN
tain so large a force as is credited IN
Manchuria"
Manchura has an area of 363,OOO
square miles and is one of the most fer
tile countries on the globe. There are
no better crops in all Asia. The Man
chus have berely scratched the surface
and yet the business activity, the ac-
tual traffic, and the tangible results are
n o.. ,I
persons-merchants, miners, officers
assert that it is richer in resources than
any other part of China, The main
roads leading south ana north are said
to be congested with the crowds of carts
people, and beasts Of burden, all heavily
laden, moving in the early winter. Dur-
ing the whole period of navigation, on
the river from Niuchwang north, thou.
sands of Chinese boats are continually
plying. The volume If business done IS
estimated at from $50, 900 coo to 800 010,-
600; and yet no part of the land is work
ed according to European methods, and
only the least portion Of it is cultivated.
Millet, beans, wheat, hemp, indigo and
opium are the principal products culti-
waited.
Besides it's agricultural possibilities
the mineral wealth of Manchuril is
very great. The area Of the gold fields
so far as at present explored extends
1,127 miles along the shores of the Ar
gun and Amur rivers ana zG5 miles in
land. There is no doubt as l. tOe rich
ness of these deposits. Several yeaIs
H.
mining easily earned from $50 to 500 pei
man per day And in these mining
operations, so primitive is the work
method, that at least half of The gold
was overlooked. Enormous fortunes lie
ready for the eXploiter in time.
This fertile and rich country is n, W
practically Russian territory for i ough
Russia is nOminally occupying it for the
protection of the railroad, where ever
the Bear puts his paw, he never with
draws it. Gradually but surely Man
churia will be Russanized. Some ex-
tracts published last Monday in these
columns from the edicts of the Russian
Representative at Niuchwang showed
with how strong a hand Russia was
holding the commercial regulation of
the new province.
AS to the railway which the Russian
troops have gone to protect it is not yet
in good running order 1t was hastily
put together last year and the work so
crudely done that in many places the
rails We're laid upon the bare ground. |
The line as at present projected is mere
ly a make shift however, for it is i'm
practicable to finish it on the present
line. The true line is, however, being
carried on to completion. When the
railway and it's branch lines are COM
pleted. Manchuria will be really and
truly a Russian province.