The Hawaiian gazette., 1904-03-01
RUSSIA IN MANChLRlA.

How Russia became so powerful in
Manchuria is tale which dates back
to the evacuation Of the Japanese
forces from that vast province after
the payment to Japan by China of
30,00O000 Kuping taels war indemnity
The evacuation of Manchuria was
completed in the month of December,
1895.
In the autumn of 1896 some surprise
was caused in China by the publica-
ton in the Shanghai English press Of
a translation of what purported to be
a Convention (known as the Cassini
Convention) between Russia and Chi
ma for the construction of a railway
through Manchuria to connect the
Trans-Baikal and Southern Ussuri sec
tions of the Siberian railway, and for
the leasing to Russia of certain ports
in Manchuria and China. In Septem-
Der, 1885, an agreement was entered
into between the Chinese government
and the Russo-Chinese bank where
by, inter ALA, the latter undertook to
form a company, to be called the Chi
nese Eastern Railway Company, to
construct railway through Manchu-
ria from the town of Chita in the
Trans-Baikal Province, to a point in
the Southern Ussuri Railway.
The general terms We're that the
shareholders were to be Russians and
Chinese only; that the gauge be the
Russian gauge of five feet; that work
begin in twelve months from the issue
of the Imperial Decree; that the rail-
way be completed in six years; that
on the expiration of eighty years from
the completion of the line and the in
auguration of the railway as rum
ming concern, the railway and all rail-
way property shall pass, without pay
ment, to the Chinese government who
shall not be responsible for any losses |
which the company may have sustain
ed during that period; and that the |
Chinese government have the right, at |
the expiration of thirty-six years from |
the Inauguration of the railway as !
going concern, to take over the rail- |
way on due payment, such payment to |
include the actual cost thereof, together
with all debts and interest thereon, but
any surplus, after payment to share
holders, shall be added to the capital
account and shall be deducted from
the cost of the line to be paid by the
Chinese government.
In accordance with this agreement
the first sod of the Manchurian railway
was cut, with great ceremony, on Au-
gust 2S, 1897, at point on the east
ern frontier of Kirin and Prmorsk
The fact that Vladivostok, which would
have been the eastern terminus of the
had not the Manchuran a
greement given the Russians Port
Arthur, is closed by ice for several
months of the year, was Russia's
strongest reason for desiring a term
mus far to the southwark.
The following general terms of agree
ment between China and Russia We're
concluded on March 81, 1898:
1t being necessary for the protection
Of her navy in the waters of North
China that Russia should posses a sta
ion she can defend, the Emperor
agrees to lease to Russia, Port Arthur
md Ta-lien-wan, together with the
adjacent seas. The duration Of the
ease shall be twenty-five years, but
nay be extended by mutual agreement.
The control of all military forces in
he Territory leased by Russia, and
~ al al ioISco III Tic auJdtcIil seas, I
Is well as of the civil officials in it., |
shall be vested in one high Russian
'ficial who shall be designated by
ZONE other title than Governor Cen
raj. All Chinese forces shall be with t
Irawn from the Territory. ,
The two nations agree that Port
Arthur shall be a naval port for the
ole use of Russian and Chinese mem
f-war, and be considered an unopen-
d port so far as the naval and mer- o
antile vessels of other nations are !,
oncerned. AS regards Ta-lien-wan,
ne portion of the harbor shall be re-
erved exclusively for Russian and
'hinese men-of-war. but the remainder
hall be commercial port freely open I,
o the merchant vessels of all coun-
ries. Port Arthur and Ta-lien-wan
re the points in the territory leased
lost important for Russian military
imposes. Russia, shall therefore, be 81
I liberty to erect at her own expense :,
orts and build barracks and provide :,
efences at such places as she de-
res.
On March 2s. 1898. the Russians oc-
lpied Port Arthur. 81