THE "OPEN DOOR" IN CHINA.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR." _I
SIR,—" Scrutator" writes : " Middle East' is in error in saying that the Treaty of Berlin made Batoum a "free port." ' The Czar volunteered to make Batoum a free
port, and the Congress of Berlin took note of the Czar's offer. But it is no part of the Treaty " (Spectator,
May 23rd). Will "Scrutator" kindly look up the Treaty? Article LIX. runs " H.M. the Emperor of Russia declares that it is his intention to make Batoum a free port, essentially commercial." If he will also look up the protocols of the Congress, he will see that the formula adopted was' evidently intended solely to spare the susceptibilities of Russia, and not to weaken the essential force of a " con- cession," as Prince Bismarck, the president of the Congress, authoritatively described it, which was, like every other article of the Treaty, the result of direct negotiation between the Plenipotentiaries. " Scrutator " says we are denying to
Russia in Manchuria the carte blanche she sees us giving Germany and France to close the doors in their " spheres
of influence." Except with regard to railway construction in Shantung—and it is not to Russian railway construction in Manchuria that exception is taken—where and when have we recognised the " preferential rights " of either Germany or France? Has either of these Powers ever claimed to exercise control over the trade of a Treaty port and impound the revenue
of its Customs, as Russia does at Newchwang P "Scrutator" says the trade of Russia is worth more to us now than that of the whole of China. He is right if the question is narrowed down to the mere import and export trade of the United Kingdom, which amounted with Russia to £30,500,000 in 1901 and with
China to only £12,000,000. But such comparison is mis- leading. Russia does very little direct trade with any part of the Empire except the United Kingdom. Only a small part of China's trade with the Empire is done direct with the United. Kingdom. The import and export trade of China with the British Empire as a whole exceeded that of Russia in 1901 (the last year for which returns are available). It amounted to over £34,500,000. Even from the United Kingdom alone the direct export trade. to China exceeded the direct export trade to Russia. If we take a more compre- hensive view of the economic interests of the Empire, China is unquestionably, in my opinion, far more important to us than is Russia. British shipping entered and cleared in Chinese ports in 1901 amounted to twenty-six million tons, whilst the total movement of foreign shipping of all
nationalities in Russian ports amounted to little more than ten million. tons. Where in Russia is any counterpart to be found to the vast amounts of British capital invested in the great British " settlements" at Shanghai, Tientsin, Han- kow, Canton, &c.F The British settlempt at Shanghai, which is practically a small British republic with a population of nearly half-a-million living under British municipal law, probably represents alone a greater accumulation of British wealth than British enterprise could show in the aggregate all over Russia. " Scrutator " asks whetker I propose that we should go to war to maintain the " open door" in China, and implies that there is no other alternative save acquiescence in Russia's claims. May I reply after the Scotch fashion with another question? What is the use of diplomacy if .we can never hope to maintain treaty rights except by resorting to
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