The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-22
After Port Arthur and After the War

Since the fall OF Port Arthur some OF
the English papers have raised the ques-
ton whether the British Government
under the terms of its lease from the
Chinese, is not bound 10 evacuate Wei
hai-wei and restore it TO the possession
of the Emperor Of China. The agree
ment was that Great Britain should be
allowed TO hold that place for so long a
period as Port Arthur remained in the
occupation OF Russia the phraseology
being borrowed from the convention
with Turkey by which the British occupy
Cyprus so long as Russia holds Batoum.
The first impression is that the with
drawal Of British authority from Wei
hai-we should follow the transfer Of
Port Arthur from the Russians to the
Japanese as matter Of course, but this
is not so certain as II may appear. II
depends upon several circumstances,
one being whether the Chinese Govern
ment is considered strong enough TO
guarantee its own possession OF that
important place and port. The question
whether Port Arthur Is definitely to be
regarded as having passed out Of the
hands Of China will also have TO be con-
sidered and whether its possession by
japan is to he perpetuated OF TO last only
d,ring the resi- of the unexpired term OF
Russias lease of the Liaotung peninsula
from China Lastly, the war is not yet
over, and until it is over and the terms of
peace are ratified and recognized by all
the Powers Interested in the situation in
China and the Far East generally it may
be concluded that We-hai-wei will re-
main as at present.
Then there are other questions in
tmately allied TO that OF Port Arthur
and Wei-hai-wei, as, for instance. that Of
the Ge mans at Kiaochau and that OF
the intentions of the Japanese with re-
gard to Manchuria and the Russian
properties in that country. Some high
flying ideals about the independence of
Corea and China's rights in Manchuria
have been proclaimed by the japanese,
but their exact intentions are not yet al
together clear. The Nagamori scheme
in Corea. by which nearly two-thirds OF
that country was to be handed over to a
Japanese syndicate for exclusive ex-
plcitation, Is sill TO the fore; and it has
lust been announced that two well
known japanese engineers, Messrs.
HosoI and OGAwA, have been sent by
the Japanese Government to take pos
session on its account of all mineral prop
critics and deposits known to exist in
Manchuria as treasure trove by right of
conquest, as their army occupies the
country. Where the Chinese rights will
be under such conditions, to say nothing
of the properties created by the expendi-
ture of Russian money and international
capital, requires little imagination to
conceive.
On the whole, therefore It seems adj
visahle to await the conclusion OF the
war before establishing any presidents
such as the immediate evacuation of
Wei hal v OF " ouid be. Every fresh loan.
whether made by Russia or Japan, in
creases the international interest in the
terms Of the peace that must come sooner
or later. and If anything like an open
door is to be had in Manchuria and Corea,
il will not be by allowing Japanese
wedges to be inserted between the nat
ural foundations OF the commerce Of
those countries and the bottom Of the
door through which 1t must pass.