A YELLOW BOYCOTT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 163, 3 April 1908, Page 7

A YELLOW BOYCOTT.

CHINA'S ; fiRIEYANCE. ; r SYDNEY MERCHANTf ACTIVE., JAPAN INDICTED. fIY TELEGRAPH—PItEBS ASSOOIATIOK—COPTBIGIT, Sydney', April 2. Tho seizure of tho Japanese steamer 'i'atsu Maru off the Portuguese'port 'of Macao; in China, aiid China's subsequent release of the steamer and apojogy to. Japan, formed the subject of a mass meeting. to-day. of Chineso merchants and'residents of Sydney. Tho meeting adopted tho series of resolutions previously cabled, to the effect (1) that Japan's action- is-a., violation, of- treaty rights, and that tho demand for an apology is an insult which must be' resented; (2) that tho Chineso of Sydney.withdraw.all support from Japaneso steamship lines; (3) that Chinese merchants refuse to transact business of any description with, Japaneso merchants in Sydney, and .-decline''to handle-alt kinds of Japanese goods; (4)'that'Chineso so agreeing sign a bond providing for a-penalty of £50 for breach of ag'reeiiient.''' v '\ . In addition to these, the-following resolu-. tion was carried: "That tho Chinese bear no ill-will towards their Japanese friends." Two rival Chineso factions e.o-qperated in tho moyomont: Patriotic ;.speechcs were, delivered. • ' ! • " Tlio chairman road a cable \message from Canton asking for the'dispatch of no goods by Japaneso steamers and the purchase' of' none. He said the Chinese . realised, that the only instrument of war they possessed at present in their relations with' the rest of tlio world - was Japan not having played the game, the. Chinese , were determined to, enforce the bby r cott until' the humiliation inflicted upon them was removed. "He demanded tho impeachment of- Ynan-Shih-Kai, PrGsidont of tlio Wai-wu-pu (Board of Foreign Affairs), for yielding to, a case of gross, .injustice,, and unreasonable demands. ?* HOW THE STEAMER VtfAS SEIZED; " We have not a sufficient army or navy," recently remarked a leading Chinese citizen of Sydney, " until which to assort our rights,otherwiso wo should not take'theso puriitivo stops by way of retaliation." "Tho Chinese. (says; the" Sydneyi'.f'Daily Telegraph") interpret-the; action* of the Japanese steamer in running into Chinese' waters with arms and ammunition as a breach of international law. j Artkjp': 3 : of the, commercial treaty between .tlifcvtwo' .nations tinctly states that they shall not'carry arms, or ammiinition into one another's territory without the eoh'sen&pf. the other 1 " sido."'/.Tho; alleged breach took place at : Macao, a'' Portuguese port,' but held to be in Chineso waters." "When - tli'e Chinese■; intercepted' the Japanese, the Portuguese sought to block tlio former, -and help the-'latteri 'but- t-hat'; bluff was not gopd 'enough'for tho .commander' of the.Chinese cruiser,- whoti&'ari'excelltent'Efiglish scholar, and - an .ox-studont'orHhij lisli and American naviesV,Ho,produced'maps 1 to the Portuguese Japs, wore in Chinese waters, which justified them in seizing the tramp steamer. The excuse of. the Japanesol captajil was- that tlio .arms and ammunition were not consignod 'to tlip Chineso,' but, to Portuguese Anns 11 ; in Macao.: . - - . . ..... ~ , *"'■*'■ " When the Chinese commander took up a determined attitude, towards., th'jj.t Japa.nesQ tramp, the. Portuguese 'assulned 'afbfelligererit front, and prepared to'slibw their'teeth. -But the Chinese commander was not to be fooled. The Japaneso commander was ordered tb pull' down tlio emblem of .the -Rising Stiri-; and ruri up tho Dragon. The compliance with this 1 order scared the Portuguese, who got out of harm's way as-fast as they; could."' Tho Tatsu Maru, when seized, had on board 1800 rifles and about 50,000' rounds of ammunition, which, was by China, . 'was meant' ,ftr Hfie use ' of Chinese rohels. : The steamer was preparing to uiu ship tho arms into fishing,' junks' whon tlio Chineso cruiser, arrived.' :"As..tho,.stoamoriis' of 1948 tons not, it is apparent' tlio big craft -find,profit in tho { >,f Burns, Philp, and Co: 'are managing agents in Australia'for tho Nippon Yusen Kaislia, tho Japaneso lino. Mr. A. G, Baxter,.of that firm, questions the ■advent,''of 'a' .Chinese steamship service to Austrnlia. insido tho next dccado.: The Chinese" merchants iof, Sydney, on the ..other-hand, are' sh'rtguin'd- tliat' it will soon come, and some.'of them emphatically assert that tho N.Y.K.. will not'get'asinglp passenger for the '' FJowory'L'aiid., 1 Yuan-Shi-Kai is reputed to be'an'advocate of reform; and: \vas formerly'the hopo'of tlie' anti-Manchu party, lint', tho ,national ■uity sooms to have clvarfcd other con'sitlera-. tions. He became head of thi' in September last-.