The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-02-29

How Russia became so powerful IN
Manchuria is a tale which dates back
to the evacuation of the japanese
forces from that vast province after
the payment to japan by China OF
&c. 900 900 Kuping taels war indemnity.
The evacuation of Manchuria was
completed in the month of December,
1896.
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
lions of the Siberian railway, and for
the leasing to Russia of certain ports
in Manchuria and China In Septem-
Der, 1896, 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 a railway through Manchu-
ria from the town of Chita in the
Trans-Baikal Province, to a point in
the Southern Ussuri Railway.
ii e general terms were 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 a run
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 nave 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 %, 1897, at point on the east
ern frontier of Kirin and Primorsk. |
The fact that Vladivostok, which would !
have been the eastern terminus of the
railway, had not the Manchurian 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 were
concluded on March q, 1898:
1t being necessary for the protection
of her navy in the waters of North
China that Russia should posses a sta /
ton she can defend, the Emperor
agrees to lease to Russia, Port Arthur
and Ta-lien-wan, together with the
adjacent seas. The duration Of the
lease shall be twenty-five years. but
may be extended by mutual agreement
The control of all military forces in
the Territory leased by Russia, and
OF all naval forces in the adjacent seas,
as well of the civil officials in it,
shall be vested in one high Russian
official who shall be designated by
some other title than Governor-Gen-
eral. All Chinese forces shall be with
drawn from the Territory.
The two nations agree that Port
Arthur shall be a naval port for the
sole use of Russian and Chinese men