The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-02
VIEW HOOKS.


titled Greater Russia, by WITT Oerrare
(Macmillans) The author has repeatedly
visited Russia's Asiatio possessions, and no
twice crossed the empire In 1901. II is esDe-
cially upon Russia's political and CONNER
cial position and prospects In tho Far East
that tho book throws light His observa-
tions have convinced Mr.. Gerrare that east
Of Lake Baikal lies Rissia's better half, be-
cause her subjects in that quarter ave been
Influenced from the west Ivy way of the co.,
mopolltan settlements that dot the eastern
coast Of Asia from Yokohama to Singapore.
Il ia east of Lake Baikal that Russia shows
herself most jealous Of foreigners, and II is
precisely of that region that Anglo-Saxons
know the least. II was there that our
author discovered that Englishmen. however
Russophile they may have professed to be.
were excluded from privileges readily
granted to foreigners Of every other nation
ality-including Americans-except the
Japanese. and were vigorously barred
from Manchuria. although Russia now pre-
tends to make no claim to that country.
Iegalized access to Chinese Manchuria
having been withheld from Mr. Gerrare, he
entered it in disguise. The information thus
secured forms the basis Of the concluding
and most interesting chapters OF the present
book.
From what our author saw in Chinese
Manchuria. he has no doubt that the true
aim Of Russia's policy in that territory was
correctly indicated in n recent issue Of the
Noroe Vromya. That newspaper did not
hesitate to declare that after Russia had
constructed the Manchurian branch Of the
Trans-Siberian Railway, she could not
afford to play the part of an unconcerned
spectator toward the future fate Of line
which had cost her many millions of pounds
sterling. The Noroe Vremyd went on to
say that. If the Manchurian Railway was to
further the development of Russian trade,
free traffic with the region traversed must
be denied to other nations. Mining rights
should also he restricted to Russian sub
jects. Russian industries should also be
favored by carrying Russian goods over the
Manchurian Railway at preferential tarih
and by admitting them duty free into Chi
neee Manchuria, through the new Russian
port of Dalny on the southeast coast OF the
lau-Tung Peninsula. Thus trade with
Manchuria would be diverted from the
natural economical channels into Russian
channels. Our author warns us that il this
policy is carried OUT the Chinese customs
revenue, which constitutes tho main guar
anee Of China's territorial integrity-for,
If she cannot pay her debts with money,
she must pay them with land-will be Sc
riously depleted.
Let US see how the plan Of diverting for
eign trade from Chinese to Russian ports
has worked lately. 1t is we'll known that
Newchwang, which hitherto has been the
principal entrepot of Manchuria, is treaty
port, which means that goods imported
there should pay the Chinese customs duties
collected under the superintendent Of Sir
Robert Hart In the spring Of 1902, how
ever, Russia passed through to Newchwang
not only Russian wares. but some thousands
of bales of American, Indian and British
cotton goods which had been brought into
the country duty free by way OF Port Arthur
1t is obvious that by this act Russia sus-
pended the collection OF dues at Chinese
treaty port in order to promote trade in it's
own ports on the Lau-Tung Peninsula.
Should 1t now prove impossible to continue
this practice at Newchwang, owing to tho
evacuation Of that port, Russia will still
forward goods duty free from Port Arthur
or Dalny to inland towns In Manchuria,
whence they will be conveyed to other parts
Of northern China. II is to be borne in mind,
moreover, that goods may enter China by
land as we'll as by sea. Our author directs
conveyed by the Siberian Railway do not
pay duty on entering Manohuria, for there
Is no Chinese customs station at the frontier
or along the Manchurian branch line. 1t
lie pronounced extremely unlikely that Rus
sia will permit Sir Robert Hart to establish
a custom house on the Manchurian Railway
or within the Russian sphere OF influence,
which extends to a considerable distance
on each side Of the iron road. Neither, in
his opinion, will the Chinese imperial author
tiles be permitted to restrict in any way the
trade with China which Russia has deve-
o,ed at enormous pecuniary sacrifices.
In their own defence British and Aneri-
can traders will struggle for share OF the
Manchurian market thrown open to them
by the Russian free ports in the Liau-Tung
Peninsula. Especially will this be the case
il the Chinese import tariff is raised. as APP
parently, it must be if the Pekin Govern
ment is forced to pay the indemnity OF 45o,-
100000 taels with the tael computed at the
gold value which it possessed when the
treaty was signed That value we may
mention has fallen from "a cents to SO cents
Now, it is manifest that If British and Aneri-
can traders succeed in gaining access to
Manchuria through the Russian ports, the
Chinese revenues at Newchwang and else
where will be materially lessened, and Dalny
will thrive at the expense Of the treaty ports
II they fail, the Manohurian market will be
barred to Great Britain and the United
States. In either event. Russia will win.
Germany in Kiao-Chou may be expected,
in defence of its own trading interests, to dc
what Russia is doing in the Liau-Tung
Peninsula-that is to say. pass goods into
China duty free through the ports which
It contr coils.
The political bearing Of such interior.
ence with the Chinese customs duties is
unmistakable. Should the income now
derived by China from her tariff. and ap
Piled to the payment Of her foreign credit
ors, be considerably reduced through
Russian free port competition. the neces
sary revenue will have to be raised in othel
ways. ways which will impose upon the
Powers guaranteeing tho integrity OF Chint
further interpretation in the administrator
OF her internal affairs. Such interpretation
through spheres Of influence you'd almos
inevitably lead to partition.
The book before US is particularly val