Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1907-09-14
China WORRIES POWERS
English and German Capital are
Clamoring for Announcement
of a Definite Policy.
FUTURE OF TREATY PORTS CHIEF CONCERN
Foreign Residents Want to knoW
What Is to Become of kiao Chau
ari Wei Hal Wei, the German and
English Ports-Japanese EncroacF-
ment Is FeIt-Russia Eliminated.

Washington, Sept. I0.-Tne future
Kiao Chau and Wei Hal Wei is occa-
sioni1g considerable concern among
the chanceIleries of the powers of Eu-
r0pe, especially those having a foot
hold on the mainland of China
Wei Hal Wei is the British leased
port opposite Port Arthur, and treaty
stipulations allow England to mold the
port as long as Port Arthur remains
in the occupation of another power.
The Germans have a 99-year lease on
Kiao Cnau, another naval port on the
coast of the mainland Of China, in the
same province of SAantung as Wei
Hal Wei, but some distance farther
south and facing the southernmost
point of Corea from across the Yellow
sea The original ambition of Ger
many was to develop Kiao Chau into
a second Pot Arthur or Hong Kong.
but divided opinion is manifest in Ger
many over the tenure of the place.
Japan would probably be very glad to
have the Germans relinquish Kiao
Chau, which has become q burden to
Germany.
Advices received here from the far
r~rest in the province of Shantung
among botn German and English resi-
| dents over the probable attitude of
| their home governments toward the
! two ports of KiaO Chau and Wei Hal
! Wei. The original convention be-
| tween Great Britain and China speci-
! fed that England should only hold
! Wei Hal Wei SO long as Russia re-
tanned Port Arthur. The Russo-Jap-
anese war drove Russia out of Port
| Arthur, which is now being fortified
! by the Japanese.
1t is now a question whether Eng
land hce a treaty right to remain at
Wei Hal Wei since Russia no longer
occupies Port Arthur. Japan has
such a close political and military al
lance with England that she will not,
during the existence of that alliance,
insist upon the expulsion of Great
Britain from Wei Hal Wei. 1t is wen
known in diplomatic circles that Japan
is opposed to the withdrawal of Eng
land from the port, and has approved
the intimation of England to China
that the British should not withdraw.
Under the present arrangement the
Chinese have the free use of the har-
Dor of Wei Hal Wei for their ships.
and retain Jurisdiction within the
walled city of Wei Hal Wei.
English residents are insistent in
asking why the British foreign Office
can not give the requisite assurance
to the British in China that Wei Hal
will continue British possession. The
uncertainty as to their future leads
the English to hesitate to invest their
money there, and results in many OF
them resorting to the German port or
to Sanataria, on the Chinese soil, to
the enrichment of the latter places.
The belief is growing among for.
eigners in North China that Great
Britain is unable to obtain the neces
sary assurances from China respect
ing the future of Wei Hal Wei Three
years have passed since the leasing
of naval ports to European powers de
sirous of obtaining a foothold on the
mainland of China. During that
period reat changes have occurred
The Russo-Japanese war has not only
eliminated Russia for years to come
from the neighborhood of the gulf oil
Pechii, but placed Japan as the dom
inant political influence there, and the
latter is gradually engorging the en-
tire Corean ainland.