28th September.
Wuar Russia really intends by the proposals she is pressing on China asa condition to the evacuation of Manchuria is so well recognised that the conditions themselves scarcely need discussion. But interest certainly attaches to the terms relating to the establishment of _landing-laces on the river Sungari, These russia intends to guard by her own soldiers, as she desires also to protect the route from Tsitsihar to Blagovestchens. This proposal, worked in conjunction with the agreement whereby she is to guard her railway lines over the three Eastern provinees, will in itself counteract the effect oftany formal evacuation of Manchuria. The Osaka " Asahi," in its issue of the 12th September, exposes the plot as follows "The proposal to establish landing places along the course of the river Sungari and the stationing of Russian soldiers at such places has secret and deep meaning. While Russia withdraws her troops from Manchuria, she retains the right to ward her railway lines through 'Nehling, Kaiyuan, and Changta, in pershwnog, Liaoyang, Moukden, Shengking province; but in Kirin and Helungkiang provinces she has no text for remaining, except at hungeh'ung, Ninguta, Ajuho, Tsitsihar and Harbin, and' there only to station railway guards. However, if once Russia obtains the right to establish luriding-places or wharves along the river Sungari, and to post her troops on the main or branch streams of that river, under the pretext of protecting navigation, she will of course connect up her military posts till all Manchuria will be covered with their lines like a spider's web. Thus she will establish her occupation over the three Eastern provinces for ever."
There are now three main routes of communication between Siberia and Northern Manchuria; the first is the Chinese Eastern Railway, the second the water-route of the river Sungari, and the third the land route from Tsitsihar to Blagovestchensk. It is known to every-one that the artificial route of the Chinese Eastern Railway connects with Irkutsk in the west and with Vladivostock in the east of the Russian dominions, but it is not so widely known that the connects the northern part of Man. natural route of the river Sungari
churia with Siberia and the Helungkiang districts. Secretly this route may serve more advantageously for Russia than the railways themselves. The river Amur is politically the border separating Russia from China, but economically it is a junction between the two Empires. The then Russian boats have been incessantly sailing on the river. Russia will say, perhaps, that she is entitled Sungari runs from the central part of to navigate the Sungari by the Aihun Manchuria and falls into the Amur, Treaty, but at the most that treaty Since Russia seized the Helunggave her no other rights than that of kiang districts in 1858 and 1860, the "inland navigation" allowed by China demand for the opening of the river to all the Powers. Russia, however, Sungari has been repeated in several has never respected the "inland attempts at an arrangement between navigation" rules. The rapid develop-the two governments, but hitherto ment of Harbin has been helped by China has steadily adhered to her the navigation of the river. Rails and policy to keep the river closed as long material for the Chinese Eastern Rail-as possible. When the Ili affair way were brought up from Helungcame to be settled this demand was kiang on its waters; while the timber, one of the subordinate conditions hewn in the Changpe: mountains for raised by Baron Korff, the Governor sleepers, and other timber, were float-of Helungkiang at that time. It ed along the network of rivers. was resisted and fell through. Again, We are not aware how many during the Chino-Japanese war, landing-places Russia hus already Captain Maximoff, of the Russian along the river, but believe the Navy, in a book entitled "Our ques-number to exceed twenty. Whattions in the Pacific," made the state-ever right Russia may have to such ment: "What makes the Helungnavigation is shared equally by the kiang province one of the most important parts of Russian soil, is other Powers.. Her Present proposal the fact that we can from it take is an_attempt to defeat any rotsing of this point by anticipating it, anc advantage of the navigation on the to close to the rest of the world all river Sungari." And again: "Our the important waters and cities of Government having recognised that Manchuria. It is for the other Powers the Sungari navigation is important to see that they are not ousted out to our trade, retained the right by of their Treaty rights. The road the Aihun Treaty to open the river between Tsitsihar and Aihun was to the Russian people. Our diplo-laid out by China for military matists and the merchants and resi-purposes several years ago, when dents at Helungkiang thereafter tried she had to reinforce her guards very often to turn the trade by means in Helungkiang province, and it of the river to actual account, but now forms more than half the as the Chinese have repeatedly and main route from Kirin to Aihun. obstinately opposed our plans, we have The intention of Russia in distri-not yet been able to take advantage buting guards between Tsitsihar and of our treaty rights."
Blagovestchensk is clearly to cut off Until China experienced a serious any centres of danger to the last-blow in her war with Japan, she mentioned place. steadily refused to allow the opening; We sum up by repeating that by of the river, not because of any ile the existing treaties landing-places, wharves and other buildin, feeling against Russia, but because it by foreigners are allowed to be meant the opening up of the whole established only at limited treaty of Manchuria. All the principal cities of Northern Manchuria ure located on ports, and if China agrees to the the banks of the Sungari, or its tributaries, The streams rising in Bowers must be given similar rights resent proposal of Russia, the other
the western and eastern spurs of the in respect of all other rivers in China, Also that foreign-owned vessels at Hsingan mountain, flow into the Nonni, which is the largest affluent present can only navigate between of the Sungari, and on their banks, two treaty ports, and if Russian vessels are to navigate and trade at pleasure are the towns of Tsitsihar, Morgen, and Khulanchen. The southern along the Sungari and its tributaries, tributaries rise in the Changpei the ports along its banks must be mountains, and on their banks are opened to general foreign trade. Sansin, Ninguta, and other important
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.