The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1924-01-25
CHINA TO Get
WEI-HAI-W|
Britain to Return 1'Pongee-La1
Which 1t Held Under Lease
for rs Years.

Washington. What makes poI
pongee? a riddle that probably not
out of a score of the wearers of
cool summer silk can answer, is
up In a way with Wei-haiiwei, on
the half-dozen or so patches of On
that have been under foreign cont
says a bulletin from the Washin|
headquarters of the National j
graphic society.
"Now it is announced that this p3
of pongee-land is to be turned bad
its age-old owner as a result /
British-C Chinese agreement Just rea
| in Picking. Great Britain has he
under lease for the past quarter
fury.
"Great Britain's step in taking
control of Wei-hai-wei in 1898 wad
due to any economic importance
the place." says the bulletin, "but
ly to the fact that it has stra
value as naval base. The years
and 1898 saw the high water mar
territorial acquisition in China BY
eign powers. and Great Britain
impelled to take a part in the pr,
ure, she has explained, by way of
protection.
Moved to checkmate Russia
Germany started the scrambl
November, 1897, by selling the
fated Kiaochow bay, from which
was to be driven by Japan during
World war, and by forcing CHR
grant her a 99-year lease on the
rounding territory. Almost iml
ately Russia forced from China
year lease on Port Arthur, atA
southern tip of Manchuria. Follos
this Great Britain negotiated for
troll of Wei-hai-wei, exactly mia
between the German and Ru
ports. She made her reasons fol
move plain by setting out in the al
ment that the lease was to run fl
years or so long as Russia occA
Port Arthur The lease was Their
nominally for % years.
"When Japan defeated Russia}
took a 99-year lease on Port Al
Great Britain didenot extend her
lease correspondingly, and
let it run out in the original term
British-ruled town of Port Ed
will be made into a sort of treaty
for British residents and traders.
Chief Value Naval.
"Wei-hai-wei is near the tip Of
lungs principal peninsula, which,
what may be called for American
he Port Arthur peninsula to
north, almost closes the entrana
he Gulf of Chilli from the Z
sea. With Port Arthur, this b
.erritory dominates the water 70
oeking's and Tientsin's ports.
"Just as the Bay of Wei-hai-y
in strategic position, so
physically, for its harl
leep and sheltered. But in the S
# geography that lies outside
the place Is of smsl
.ount. Germany's and Japan's
au had a rich hinterland behfz
md became rather prosperous
But the low, sandy coast land
olling hills about Wei-hai-wei al
.nown to contain minerals, and
all far short of constituting al
EN- of Eden agriculturally. II
IONS two bids to fame econon8
re ground nuts, of which considS
Quantities are produced in the v
and pongee silk.
Oak-Fed Silkworms.
'"To most persons, no doubt
leans fiber spun by domest
llkworms fed on mulberry leave1
he silk industry is different
Vei-hai-wei neighborhood and
arts of Shantung. The pong@
hitch name their silk is know
leached and in it's natural COZ
he product not of domestic Il
Wild silkworms. And they do d
lulberry leaves, but browse,
peak, on the leaves of the scrlB
ees of the Shantung hills. Thu
oons are gathered in large qua
nd so the otherwise waste hill
re made to yield a relativel
arvest.
"In returning the Wei-hai-wei
Did to China, Great Britain wi
lex better region than,she re-
ew plants and animals have b
considerable denudedE
i've been reforested, and goodl
i've been built. Wei-hai-weis
vorable climate and during
'ars of British occupancy ha
led to a certain extent as a S
sort by Europeans from HoI3
i'd the southern treaty PORTS"