The sun., 1902-03-09


ofhoer. At the same time, attention Ia
directed TO the fact that, IL the Germans
do not Hock to Tsing-tao, Chinese traders
arc attesting their own belief In its future
by settling there and buying property.
/ There has been q good deal OF loose talk
about making Tsing-tao q free port, but
Mr.. Colquhoun reminds us that liberty
{ Of action 10 reserved by the German Gov
eminent, and he regards it as scarcely
| probable that the Germans will grant free
trade within their section OF the Middle
| Kingdom.
The French possessions In Indo-China
| contain some ~ ,ooO, 900 inhabitants. and
| those In Oceania about $4,000. The area
Of Indo-China since the treaties concluded
with Siam In 1893 and China in 1895. is
half a. large again as that Of France. Never
theless, the imports for 1899 were only
from France and French colonies, sli oSS,-
900; and from -other countries (chiehy
Hong Kong and Singapore). el2 2,ol6,ooo.
The exports were: To France and French
colonies, s4,47o, 900; and to other countries.
| S22, SOC, 900, In other words. the proper
tion OF the exports received by France
was less than 20 per cent. At Tahiti there
Is a Governor assisted by 23o functionaries
OF all descriptions, yet the trade Is almost
entirely In the possession OF the Chinese.
New Caledonia in other hands might have
been q hourishing colony, but neither
French peasants. French planters. nor
French traders viii 60 thither. Since
1887 the New Hebrides have been provision
ally governed by q mixed commission OF
British and French naval officers on the
Pacific station. To bring the islands within
the sphere OF French control is one OF the
aspirations Of the French Colonial ONCE.
The Australians object, IL is well known,
10 any extension of French influence beyond
the dumping ground OF convicts, New
Caledonia, and they are especially opposed
10 the acquisition Of sovereignty by France
In the New Hebrides
What has the author to tell us OF the
Japanese colonization experiment in For
mosa2 II Is well-known that, for some
time after the island passed into the hands
of it's new masters in 1895. great disorder
prevailed, and much suffering was the conse-
ouence. A republic was proclaimed by
the Black Flags in Tanan-fu, but no re-
sistance was made when the Japanese
Army at last appeared. after having fought
its way through much opposition from
north to south. Toward the close Of 1895
there was something like partial rebellion
In Western Formosa midway between
the northern and southern ends OF the
island. In the suppression Of this revolt
great injustice was displayed, the villages
In which the rebels had temporarily har-
bored being burned. Many Japanese lost
their lives in Formoea during this period,
and for at least a couple of years after
ward the country roads in many parts Of
the island were unsafe. For these reasons
the Governments intention to bring
large number Of Japanese settlers into
the country could not, for a time, be car
ried out Recently, however. there has
been a considerable influx OF emigrants
from Japan.
Il seems that a chief hindrance in the
way Of progress toward bettor relations
between the newcomers and the natives
was the neglect on the part Of Japanese
officials to make themselves acquainted
with the Chinese dialects spoken by the
Formosans. They were thus dependent
either on the underlings OF the preceding
Chinese government or else upon such
Of the natives as happened TO posses some
knowledge of the Japanese language.
Unable to obtain information at first hand.
the japanese officials were thus compelled
to use undesirable Intermediates, and
often TO extort confession by imprison-
ment and torture. So it came 20 pass that
the dread of the Japanese police and a
feeling Of hostility to their new rulers were
implanted in the people Latterly. how
ever, the officials have adopted different
line Of conduct. Some OF the police have
made themselves acquainted with the
Chinese dialects spoken in the island, and
schools for teaching Japanese TO the ma
tives have been established in every i'm
portant centre OF population. On the
whole, Mr.. Colquhoun thinks that the re-
lations Of the Japanese authorities to the
Formosans now compare favorably with
those maintained by the Chinese Mandarins
In former days.
II seems, however, that no important
industrial or commercial change can be
expected until the railway now in course
Of construction has been completed from
the northern to the southern end Of the
island. A hundred miles have been laid.
but q hundred and seventy additional
miles will have 70 be covered TO finish the
line. There are no good wagon roads
in Formosa. but the japanese have broad
ened and Strengthened some OF the nrnci-
pal paths. In the lowlands Japanese vii
lagos and rest houses make travelling
easier for Europeans than 1t used to os
From foreigners point Of view the postal
service introduced by the Japanese is a
great convenience. The telegraph service,
which existed after a fashion even in the
days OF Chinese rule. has been very much
extended. We observe, finally, that. under
the Japanese regime, Christianity meets
with encouragement. II is officially recog-
nized that, under the influence of missiona-
ries. the natives are moro peaceable and
law-abiding. In the early days Of the
Japanese occupation, 10 be a Christian
was even passport to favor, since il was
noticed that the missionaries discounte-
nanced rebellion against established au-
thorities A suspected household was
sometimes acquitted. II II could produce
a hymn book.
The strategic value Of Formosa was the
real cause Of its annexation by Japan.
Through the Formosa channel lies the prn-
cipal route for vessels OF all classes plying
from south and east; from Europe and
Australasia to the North-Asiatic coast.
The utility Of this route is enhanced by the
fact that the open ocean east Of Formosa