Rendition Agreement Explained to Foreign Residents From A WeiItAIWEI ConnesronpeNt On the 6th instant the Commi sioner of Weihaiwei summoned meeting of foreign residents for the purpose of reading out and expound: ing to them the recently signed' treaty—the third of its kind—referring to the retrocession of Weihi wei and the fulfilment of the promise—the "generous gesture" made by the late Lord Balfour at the Washington Conference. The receipt a few days later of Shanghai newspapers has enabled us to study the terms in cold print and British subjects with interests here now know exactly where they stand—on, paper! Though throughout the it termittent negotiations of the past eight years there has been no direct representation of private interests, the first abortive agreement was negotiated on the spot, and it was possible for civilians "concerned to jake representations in conversations, Representations notwithstanding, when that treaty was published was discovered that there was Wide divergence between what was originally proposed for the protection of vested interests and what, was actually accomplished. The second treaty (1924) was negotiated in the profoundest secrecy at Peking, but, it is generally supposed that, so far as private interests are affect ed, there was little difference between it and its predecessor. The day and the hour for formal signature being settled, like the Good Samaritan the "Christian General" came to the rescue, imprisoned the President and compelled certain Peking officials to seek safety flight, Dr. Wellington Koo, China's Foreign Minister, who was debated to sign the treaty, finding an asylum at Weihaiwei of all places under the sun! (It is to be hoped that this, particular statesman has a sense of humour.) Owing to the disturbed state of the country and the absence of a settled government, further negotiations remained in' abeyance for some five years. the most casual of obhave noticed, China possesses a "settled government Nanking's writ runs from one end of the country to the other: the process of unification is complete—or nearly s0: chaos and anarchy have riven way to Law and order: and constitutional government is about to be established. In those eireumstances no reasonable person, it will be agreed, can possibly object to the fulfilment' of the eight-year old promise.
So far as private interests are affected, the new agreement is a decided improvement on the old. We hold our land in perpetuity, in place of a lease for 30 years, or longer—4 confiscation on a small scale! The uncertainty and suspense of the past eight years is not quite ended but wwe have the assurance that, if China decides to close the port at a future date to "foreign residence and trade," foreign property owners will bbe bought out, The presence of British warships in the summer months for ten years, or longer, should be very helpful. Further, for 80 years, or longer, certain premises fave to be set aside for the occupation and use of a British consul, and we may hope, with reason, that consular protection at Weihaiwei will be more effective than in other parts of China. (Foreign vested interests here, however, are so small, that it would not, be' surprising if, to save expense, it was discovered that the maintenance of a consulate was an unnecessary extravagance Time will show).
On the other side of our balance skeet we have, (1) the conversion of a free port, where import and export duties are' negligible, to a treaty port, where trade is encumbered with heavy taxation. It is safe to predict commercial disaster for the port with corresponding depreciation in the market value of all property, both foreign and Chinese. (2) The the passing from ration to the "protec: tion" of officials, whose reputation is but too well known.
At the meeting at Government Offices the Commissioner, supported on the platform by Sir Peter Grain and by Mr, Allan Archer, gave us a Jucfd exposition of the various clauses embodied in the "Convention for the Rendition of Weihaiwei", and the supplementary agreement regarding the continued use of the naval anchorage by our warships in the summer months with the lease of certain premises and recreation grounds on the Island for the benefit of officers and men of the British fleet in these waters, Lingering doubts were removed by a series of questions and answers referring more particularly Crown leases on the Island. And people engaged in religious work—Church of England, Roman Catholic and Nonconformist—were informed that their proprietary rights, as Tease-holders, remain intact.' A similar reply was given to a question regarding the Island Hotel According to Article XVII, pending the establishment of ' "local self-government in China" local officials "will ascertain" the' views of foreigners "in such municipal matters as may directly affect their welfare and interests."
Farther, from Article XI we leora that "the" existing regulations, cluding land and house tax...
far as possible be maintained' One resident, in hopeful mood, asked if it might be assumed that taxation would not be increased.—He had heard of a hotel at Tsingtao where, following resumption of control by Chinese officials, the tax had been increased to ten or twelve times the original figure. A cold sibly be given: that blessed thing "sovereign rights"—so dear to the heart of the diplomat—forbids: other "rights," obviously, are of secondary importance, The proceedings ended with a vote of thanks proposed and seconded by two of the older residents. The proposer said he felt sure that property owners, whether they were pleased with the treaty, or not, would agree that the Commissioner had done his utmost in working for the protection of private interests. Had he the choice, he would infinitely prefer ten more years of British rule under the present Commissioner, followed by entire loss of his property, to passing -to an administration by Chinese official This expression of opinion, begotten of the profoundest pessimism, seems to have astonished our local optimist who considers it as unwarrantable as it certainly is reprehensible." It is not people of this type who have hemad build the British Empire.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.