20th Nov.
A GREAT deal has been both said and written on the subject, and all in condemnation of the action of the Marquis of Salisbury during that crisis. Blunders were made, first in allowing the Russians to enter, secondly in making a naval show of resistance which was only meant for show, and then by our gallant Admiral being ordered to retire just at the moment when the Russians were prepared to cave in if not actually clear out, as they had neither the power nor the means of carrying through their game of bluff; in fact at that time they were bluffing on a bursted flush, and no one knew this better than the Russians themselves, unless it were the Admiral of our China Squadron—and home orders prevented him from acting in accordance with his own judgment. This action, immediately associated with the seizing of Port Arthur, was a series of blunders, since we as a nation Jost so much face with the Chinese by a show of resistance which had no backbone in it. When one comes, however, to look at the whole affair through' the microscope of a fow years' history of the Gulf of Pechili, it comes to be a readily answerable question whether Russia made the greater blunder in taking Port Arthur than we in allowing her to retain it. The answer undoubtedly must be that Russia's object has been by no means satisfied and that she made a diplomatic and tactical blunder, since Port Arthur has by no means proved the acquisition it was deemed to be in the first instance, and, to make anything of it, that almost bankrupt nation must still further squeeze its resources and borrowing powers (which are nearly at an end), to Tengthen out her thread of territorial aggrandisement which has been nearly strained tothe snapping. Were it not for the fabulous sums being spent by Russia on Port Arthur, the so-called ice-free port would be a ready prey to land and sea forces in the event of hostilities. Almost south of Port Arthur across the Gulf is the port or harbour which has often been spoken of as a sop to the British nation, and known as Weihaiwei; well, if it was only a sop it is likely to prove one of the most nourishing sops the British Public has been doled out or fed upon for many years. Nature has been lavish at this port in its gifts of natural defences both from the tempests of nature and those which rage in men's minds during times of war. A naval chart will readily disclose the advantages of the harbour, both from a mercantile shipping and naval point of view. There are no storms in the Gulf of Pechili—and that is a portion of the Orient where all the furies of the wind and sea seem to have their point of concentration—from which Weihaivei. This, however, is the any vessel cannot find safety at
work of Nature, but what has man, in the shops of the British Government, done to improve this place as a naval and military base? True that after two years' occupation and the breakout of troubles up north they deemed it advisable to temporarily repair the iron pier belonging to the Admiralty, and as these repairs have been of timber instead of wood it seems a wonder that it had not beendonebefore and saved the cost aflighters between colliers and the shore. Further, there is an obsolete dredger that bears the name of St. Enoch, a very good name, as it readily gives the date of construction of this vessel, and shows how inadequately it is adapted for carrying out the purpose of deepening the Admiralty anchorage in the harbour.
This dredger carries its own dredgings and steams at a snail's pace out of the harbour and dumps the contents to the north or outer side of the Island of Liukungtao.*Is ita gestion of initial cost that prevents the administration from procuring a couple of modern dredgers which would yield up their dredgings to mud-barges, which then would carry such stuff to its dumping ground? At one time a good deal was heard of breakwaters, a large one to be constructed at the eastern entrance and a smaller to protect the western one, and various large grants have been voted by Parliament for this and other construction works at Weihaiwei, but it would seem that these sums have "erred and gone astray," as they never reach the officials in charge at Weihaiwei. Perhaps it is a similar case to that of large sums being voted by the Treasury for repairs of obsolete war vessels year after year, and which are never spent on their objective, but are diverted to other pups In the face of Oriental history and trade demands such diversion of moneys voted and intended for Weihaiwei ought not to be tolerated by the British public whether at home or abroad.
The Government have decided to construct five large forts on the island of Linkungtao instead of the two originally contemplated, for that is practically the state of existence of the two undertaken about two years ago. A good deal of blasting wder has been used to excavate large holes in the top of Mount Centurion, an excellent position for a battery if the work were continued. The blasting of holes in this manner and then using them as sheep pens may be very useful for the object to which they have been adapted, but it will not make an irresistible defence in times of war.
is all very well for us to hear that such and such work is contemplated, but we have grown too old to be taken in by this and would be more pleased with the sight of some work undertaken.
They say at home that want of funds compels them to desist from large constructive and improvement works in connection with Weihaiwei then why not let the natural potentilities of the territory carry the burden of its obligations by allowing mining and industrial operations to proceed. The income from such enterprises, derived from royalty and taxes thereon, would in a few years of the dettnces, but for any work of not only pay for the strengthening
improvement to be undertaken along the mainland foreshore, and make it the best mercantile port round the Gulf. Any works undertaken by ayndicates and companies would entail the construction of roads, the cost of which would of necessity be borne by such bodies either by incidental taxation or by condition of concession. If the Government only seriously takes up the matter of improvement and development at Weihaiwei and spends one-tenth the sum each year that Russia is spending at Port Arthur, there will be little difficulty in deciding who has got the best trump, and no more will be heard of the "Sop to the British Public."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.