2nd Sept. Tue Convention that has been made between China and Russia which was drawn up, we are informed, by Count Cassini; the Russian Minister to Peking, and has been signed by its author and by Sheng Thotai, Director-General of the Imperial Chinese Telegraph Administration, is called a " Treaty between China and Russia for the connection of telegraph lines on their frontier." This is the ostensible pur-of the Convention, but it includes provisions: the result of which will be to maintain the rate for telegrams to Europe at $2 a word for ten years from the sist of December next.. The first section of the: treaty mentions that it is intended to establish telegraphic connection between the two countries, The second section mentions that the points of junction are to be Hunchun and: Possiet, \Helampo and Blagoveschens, and Kiachta. The first of these three junctions is to be made immediately the treaty is ratified; the second as soon as the cable under the Amur river is laid, but in any case within six months;; the third, as soon as China has built the overland line between Pekingand Kiachta,: but at any rate within five years, It is then provided that each telegraph line shall be erected and maintained by each country within its own' borders, and neither shall make the encroachment of even an inch on the other. 'The cable'under the Amur'
{is to be laid at the joint expense of the two countries, and isto be their joint:
'Both countries then to be bound by the rules of the Tele! graphic Union, to send service messages free, and to arrange for the' immediate transmission of all messages receive 'The tariff is then referred to, and'it wot to be altered without the' consent of both countries; but if competition should come from outside bringing lower rates, both countries will reduce the tariff proportionately.
The following is the fixed tariff; and this is where our interest' in this docu~ ment centres On messages to and from Asiatic Russia and' China, Russia is to receive fr. 1.73 (say 40 cents) a word.
On messages to and from European Russia (including the Caucasus) and China, Russia is to receive fr. 2.73 (say 64 cents) a word.
On messages in transit, Russia shall receive fr. 3 (say 70 cents) a word.
On m to and from China, and any part of Russia, China shall receive fr, 2 (say 48 cents) a word.
On messages to and from any other European country than Russia, China shall receive fr. 5.50 (say $1.30) a word, out of which she will have to pay the proportion due to the European country over whose wires the message passes as provided by the Telegraphic Union.
On m from the ports where the cable companies (the Great Northern and the Eastern Extension) have receiving offices, the tariff shall in no case less by the Chinese lines than that now charged by the Great Northern Company; but if the cable companies hereafter reduce their rates, the Chinese may do the same. Then comes a very significant para~ graph:—"The tariff agreed upon between China and Russia is bond side intended for messages between the two countries; and messages between China and Europe may not have the benefit of this tariff by passing through the hands of agents, who may receive: and re-transmit the m en route." This. is, of course, aimed at. the Desmond Agency and any future similar organisations. By sending its messages now to Helampo over the Chinese wires and paying the Chinese tariff, and then re-transmitting them at Blagoveschensk—a course first suggested in these columns five years ago—and paying the Russian tariff, the Destnond Agency can afford to take messages at $1.50 a word, or even less; and this paragraph is inserted to put a stop to this poaching on the Cable Companies' preserves.
Finally the Treaty -contains sections providing how: the accounts between the two countries are to be settled fixing the exchange at' fr. 4.25 to' the dollar, and $100 for 70 Kangpi taels; and fixing the termitiation the'Treaty at the 31st of December, 1902: "Twelve copies of the Treaty have' been signed, three in Chinese, three in Manchu, three in Russian, and: thies'id French,' and the French text is to bé'the-standard one. are "Phe chief behiefcinties are the' Russian' who get their sent to and fio. between' Siberi: 'China for' a total cost of fr..3.78 '88 cents) a word, and between Euro Rassia (including the Caucastis) China for fr. 4.73" (say $1.12) a while every other part of Europe pay'fr. 8:50-(say' $2) a word. What the Chinese government gets" oitt if it is not'so obvious though there' may be individual Chinese' in high places to whom it will not be unprofitable. If China were to support the Desmond Agency she would get a large increase of traffic over her lines, as long as the cable companies kept their tariff above that of the Agency, but China will'not-get much of the traffic as long as she charges as much as the comies. The work that China does for russia for fr, 2 (48 cents.) a word, she could do for any other country obviously for the same money: so that have is a discrimination in favour of Russia, for which the only return she gets is the gracious permission to connect her lines with the Russiai lines; which is as great a benefit to Russia as it is to herself.
Sir John Walsham declines to inter-fore, we understand, on the ground that. the Eastern Extension Company is as much interested in, the Treaty as the Great Northern Company is, and is an English Company, and therefore is as much entitled to'his assistance
perey really asking his assistance is as the Desmond Agency. But the ritish Commerce, which. is to be handi-We do not know if the Chamber capped by this Treaty for ten years.
of Commerce here is moving in the matter, but whatever is done must be done quickly. BLE. Li Hung-chang is by no means enamoured of this Treaty, and might still refuse to allow it to be ratified, if he were backed up by the' Foreign' Ministers and foreign public opinion in China; but he has not the substantial reasons for opposing the ratification that Shéig Taotai has. for urging it, aid unless vigorous measures are taken to stiffen him in his opposition, the Treaty will be ratified. and our duly hope will then be in a trans-Paeifio cable.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.