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Show Northern Bear Prepares to Gain "Strong Commercial Advan- H tages in Manchuria. VLADIVOSTOK AS RIVAL OF THE PORT OF SHANGHAI ' i H Northern Harbor Intended as a j H Distributing Point for Yast , j Fertile Region. , "WASHINGTON, March 4. Russia's re-,' newed attempt to establish a permanent foothold In Northern Manchuria by mak- jf lng Vladivostok tho port of entry, there- by offsetting the loss of Dalny and Port Arthur. Is described in an official report mado public at the State department to-. daw, which report recently reached . Washington from one of the department's I tA agents In China. The report expressed the belief that this , will redound to the development of Amer-1 lean trado and will result In a "great cur- tnilmcnt of the Importance of Shanghai IH as a distributing point. The extract made public at the department says: "Since the conclusion of peace between Russia and Japan there- has been much speculation In tho foreign community of Shanghai as to the future opportunity for I trade and development In Manchuria, and therefore the negotiations between Japan and China on the one hand and the dlplo- IH malic moves of Russia at Peking have been watched with the closest attention. ( ll Great Rush for Trade. "As soon as the way to Vladivostok was , fM open there ensued a rush of steamers IB from Shanghai, Tslngtao, Chefoo, Tien- j tsln, Nagasaki, Kobe and Yokohama, and 1 as a consequence the immediate demand for merchandise was soon satisfied. Then r . came the riots both at Vlndtvodtok and j Harbin, followed by the ice closing the j port of entry. ( i "These discouraging factors drove many of tho traders, away and left a market, which while well supplied with I such luxuries as arc Indicated for tho IH Russians. Is still demanding staples for the natives and Is offering a great chance , IH for development. ) "Such Is practically the situation today and a period of three, months from this i date will sec Northern Manchuria eager j for that which Is now believed to be tho i beginning of a new cm, which will last a few years at the least. Il "No ono knows what Japan Intends to IHH do In Southern Manchuria cither- In th -vva"y or trade or In development In. con- IHH nectlon with her nortion of the Chlnosa 1 Eastern railway and the new line that Is to be built thereto to connect with BKVJ Russia's Trade Attitude. "Russia, for tho benefit of her portion of the Chinese Eastern railway, for her own political affairs In the East and nvr- haps for the sake of affording a con- BB trnst, Is letting everybody know what BB her aim and ambition is. It may be well BBBJ to point out what Is tin Held for the do- BBBJ velopmcnt now being advertised by Rus- I BKBJ slan agents. I "The Chinese Eastern railway, which BBB leaves the old and original survey of the BBB trans-Siberian railway at Nortchlnsk. BB crosses tho Manchurlan border at the sla- BBB Hon since called Manchuria, and then, by BBBJ a southeastern course, runs through ono HBB of the most fertile areas on the continent BBB to -Harbin, and from thence on to Poy- BB rantznala (border), thus reaching Siberia BBBJ again and olning tho Ousurl railway, a BBBJ part of the original irans-SIberlan route BBB and now running to Khabarovsk on the BBBJ Amur river, goes to Vladivostok. HBBJ "Through this Manchurian section there HBBJ are vast stretches of rolling and level BBB lands; great forests of fine wood of a BBB merchantable kind, and rich mineralized BKBJ New Shipping Center. "Even whllo Vladivostok and Harbin were burning, plans were hastening for ( BBBJ the coming campaign of development. BBB Tho schemo advertised contemplated the BBBJ 'stabllshment of a steamship service i BBB which would make Vladlvostock the home BBB port the welcoming and the protection of IBB Invested capital, tho Invitation to use tho BBBJ 'nllway as tho means of transportation to , BBBJ Europe for tho products of China, and BBBJ especially of tea. .... BBB "These in a general way are said to he BBB ihe plans, and the foreign agent has been BBBJ .riven a free hand lo put them into offect BBBJ as far as the outside world is concerned. ( BBBJ It Is thus i-vldcnt that the Government i BBBJ and the Russian owners of this railway i BBBJ oropei ty are preparing to do a great deal BB toward making Vladivostok the port of I BBBJ entry, and thereby making up for the loss BBBJ of Dclnv nnd Port Arthur. BBBJ "The "docks are to be enlarged, thoy BBBJ say. godowns built and cargo landing fa- BBBJ cllltated This means competition with BBBJ Japanese, and an interesting condition BBBJ will Japan Wide-Aivake. BMVJ "The Japanese merchant marlno have appareqtlv recognised this, and whllo BBBJ Japan's affairs are being adjusted in the BjBJ former war zone, their steamers are got- tmg ready to enter the Vladivostok trade BBBJ also. If. therefore, tho ports of southern . I BBBJ Manchuria should be forsaken nnd there at BBjBjJ should bo a reversion to Vladivostok It m BBBJ would seem thnt there should be a much B BBjBjJ better future for a practically discarded W flBB Is also argued by those who are in- -erested In Vladivostok that it is natural- fi BBjBjj fv the port for American Manchurlan IBjBJ commerce, being closer and easier of sue- BjBjBJ cess In everv way. i BBjBJ "Heretofore Shanghai has benefited BBBJ largely bv the Manchurlan carrying trade. j BBBJ but If there is the outcome Indicated In BBBJ tho foregoing. Chlra's greatest port will j IBjBjBJ puff or 3 IBBBJ Effect on American Shipping. BJBJBJ "American cargo will be landed at Yo- j kohama. Kobe, Mojl or Nagasaki, or It BBBJ will go direct. And there will be a, great BBBJ curtailment of tho .cargo at Shanghai ( BBBJ which is landed here for trans-shipment. BBBJ That from Europe via the Suez canal can BBBJ also, with less, expense go to the north BBBJ direct rather than trans-shlo. BjBjBJ "It Is already announced that the Chi- nese Eastern railway will Institute a sys- BBBB tern by which all charges at fixed ..rates BBBB can be paid In America for shipments to BBBB any point In Manchuria reached by the 1 jBjBjBJ lle- . I bbbI |