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Star (Christchurch), Issue 6125, 11 March 1898, Page 3

THE HARBOUR OP TALIENWAN. Captain Haswell, of a Japanese mail steamer, who has for many years past been continuously navigating Chinese waters, and has been a close • observer of events in the-East,-recently gave:some, interesting i9_p_*iiatibn-^td, - a Melbourne- "newspaper, i ;WitlhT(S|erfence ,to Talienwan, he said that | ihe'itaport^ 'station and a commercial centre could hot be' over-estimated, and he ventured the 'opinion;that in yiears to come it would, perhaps, surpass even Hong Kong. Within the harbour 1000 ships could easily be moored, there being deep water on all sides, and from this situation Port Arthur could bo controlled without difficulty. The harbour was easily accessible, and was the only one along the coast from Corea to the Gulf of Pechili, and Captain Haswell predicted that if opened to trade it would result in all the leading merchants establishing business places there, as Corea would be bound to draw all her supplies from it. The harbour of Talienwan was used by the British fleet as a rendezvous during the second war with China, and although in winter the cold was severe the water never froze. The soil at Talienwan was of a most fertile description, and would grow almost anything, and, although the fulfilment of his prediction might still be years distant, he looked forward to ultimately seeing the immense advantages of the place force it into the forefront of the world's great naval and commercial depots.