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Chinese Concessions of 1898
Chinese Treaty Ports of 1898
In the aftermath of the Sino Japanese War the Qing Empire looked very weak in the eyes of the world. After all everyone had believed that the Qing Empire would easily defeat Japan at the start of the war only for Japan to beat the Qing like a redhead step-child. The smelled the blood was in the air in China and with the age of empire building in full swing it was only a matter of time before someone struck the still very weak Qing Empire. It wasn’t a question of if but when someone made the first move to cut off a piece of the Qing Empire for their own empire building goals. That question was answered in early 1898 when the Russians made their move. Even through the Russians were the first they would by means the last to make this move.
One of the two major goals of the Russian Empire was to take an ice free port that didn’t have a major choke point. The other was to take the straits that the Ottomans sat on. Yet the easier goal was the warm water port in 1898 in the form of Port Arthur on the Liaodong Peninsula. The Japanese wanting this port however Russian saber rattling caused them to shift their focus to the Shandong Peninsula instead. The Russians a few years after the defeat of the Qing sent an ultimatum to Peking. It was sign a treaty to turn over Port Arthur to them in a 25 year lease for face war. The Chinese knew they stood no chance against the Russians if they couldn’t even defeat the Japanese. To that end they signed the treaty in early February.
Following this it opened the flood gates of nations looking for control of ports in China. The next to move were the British. They had more than a few goals in what they were doing in China. First and foremost they wanted to improve the defensives of Hong Kong against a possible attack. As the Chinese defeat had proven they were weak and they couldn’t be counted on to help defend the British outpost in China. They also wanted to send a message to the Russians don’t push too much in your want of growth. The British were the gate keepers and since the defeat of Napoleon had been the strongest power on the fact of the Earth. As such they increased their holdings in the Far East. First it was the New Territories which enlarged their Hong Kong Colony by a sizeable amount. Secondary they moved to gain a port on the Shandong Peninsula as a reminder to the Russians they were thee naval power of the world. This came to be known as Port Edwards[1] to the rest of the world after the British took over the territory in early May. Both of these leases were 99 years in length.
True to their word the British helped the Germans gain a port in China as well. This would be known as the Kiautschou Bay Concession and was turned over to the German cruiser SMS Hela and the 1. Marinebattalion[2] in early May. For the Germans this was only three years after their defeat at the hands of the United States three years prior this was an impressive performance by the Germans to get a cruiser and a newly raised unit over to China. Like the British the Germans signed a 99 year lease for control of the Kiautschou Bay Concession.
The French were the next to move. Yet the French took their own path. Instead of focusing in the north like the Russians and Germans or trying to focus on the south and north like the British, the French just focused on the southern part of China. This was close to their Indochina colony so it made sense to get something that was close to that. They ended up getting a 99 year lease on the Leizhou Peninsula known as Kouang-Tcheou-Wan which the French hoped to turn into their own Hong Kong.
Following the French it was the Italians with British help who strong armed the Chinese into giving up another concession. This became known as the Sanmen Bay Concession[3]. Like everyone else beside the Russians the Italians gained a 99 year lease on their concession. Not to be outdone by the Italians the Austro-Hungarians rushed to get their own concession in China. This concession became known as the Siyng Bay Concession[4] and this treaty was sign in the early winter of 1898.
There were only two major nations that failed to claim concessions out of China in 1898. The Japanese were currently happy where they sat and needed time to take bring the areas they took in the Sino-Japanese War and turn into profitable parts of the Empire along allowing their Treasury to recover from that war. The United States had been prepping to pass out what they called the Open Door Notes regarding China. However talks with the British quickly consumed the US State Department in 1898. By the time the United States and Great Britain signed the Treaty of Baltimore the Italians had just signed their treaty to get their Sanmen Bay Concession making them the fifth nation to gain one.
With the Austro-Hungarians moving to try and get their own concession this set off a debate in Foggy Bottom Sound. The debate was around if they should even push the Open Door Notes which by this point were in their final form or give up on them and try to grab a piece of China for themselves. However by the time they were ready to make their move over China, China would go up in flames.
[1] Longkou and Changdao County
[2] One of the lessons of the Island War, Germany needed a proper Marine Corp.
[3] Sanmen County
[4] Sheyang County
In the aftermath of the Sino Japanese War the Qing Empire looked very weak in the eyes of the world. After all everyone had believed that the Qing Empire would easily defeat Japan at the start of the war only for Japan to beat the Qing like a redhead step-child. The smelled the blood was in the air in China and with the age of empire building in full swing it was only a matter of time before someone struck the still very weak Qing Empire. It wasn’t a question of if but when someone made the first move to cut off a piece of the Qing Empire for their own empire building goals. That question was answered in early 1898 when the Russians made their move. Even through the Russians were the first they would by means the last to make this move.
One of the two major goals of the Russian Empire was to take an ice free port that didn’t have a major choke point. The other was to take the straits that the Ottomans sat on. Yet the easier goal was the warm water port in 1898 in the form of Port Arthur on the Liaodong Peninsula. The Japanese wanting this port however Russian saber rattling caused them to shift their focus to the Shandong Peninsula instead. The Russians a few years after the defeat of the Qing sent an ultimatum to Peking. It was sign a treaty to turn over Port Arthur to them in a 25 year lease for face war. The Chinese knew they stood no chance against the Russians if they couldn’t even defeat the Japanese. To that end they signed the treaty in early February.
Following this it opened the flood gates of nations looking for control of ports in China. The next to move were the British. They had more than a few goals in what they were doing in China. First and foremost they wanted to improve the defensives of Hong Kong against a possible attack. As the Chinese defeat had proven they were weak and they couldn’t be counted on to help defend the British outpost in China. They also wanted to send a message to the Russians don’t push too much in your want of growth. The British were the gate keepers and since the defeat of Napoleon had been the strongest power on the fact of the Earth. As such they increased their holdings in the Far East. First it was the New Territories which enlarged their Hong Kong Colony by a sizeable amount. Secondary they moved to gain a port on the Shandong Peninsula as a reminder to the Russians they were thee naval power of the world. This came to be known as Port Edwards[1] to the rest of the world after the British took over the territory in early May. Both of these leases were 99 years in length.
True to their word the British helped the Germans gain a port in China as well. This would be known as the Kiautschou Bay Concession and was turned over to the German cruiser SMS Hela and the 1. Marinebattalion[2] in early May. For the Germans this was only three years after their defeat at the hands of the United States three years prior this was an impressive performance by the Germans to get a cruiser and a newly raised unit over to China. Like the British the Germans signed a 99 year lease for control of the Kiautschou Bay Concession.
The French were the next to move. Yet the French took their own path. Instead of focusing in the north like the Russians and Germans or trying to focus on the south and north like the British, the French just focused on the southern part of China. This was close to their Indochina colony so it made sense to get something that was close to that. They ended up getting a 99 year lease on the Leizhou Peninsula known as Kouang-Tcheou-Wan which the French hoped to turn into their own Hong Kong.
Following the French it was the Italians with British help who strong armed the Chinese into giving up another concession. This became known as the Sanmen Bay Concession[3]. Like everyone else beside the Russians the Italians gained a 99 year lease on their concession. Not to be outdone by the Italians the Austro-Hungarians rushed to get their own concession in China. This concession became known as the Siyng Bay Concession[4] and this treaty was sign in the early winter of 1898.
There were only two major nations that failed to claim concessions out of China in 1898. The Japanese were currently happy where they sat and needed time to take bring the areas they took in the Sino-Japanese War and turn into profitable parts of the Empire along allowing their Treasury to recover from that war. The United States had been prepping to pass out what they called the Open Door Notes regarding China. However talks with the British quickly consumed the US State Department in 1898. By the time the United States and Great Britain signed the Treaty of Baltimore the Italians had just signed their treaty to get their Sanmen Bay Concession making them the fifth nation to gain one.
With the Austro-Hungarians moving to try and get their own concession this set off a debate in Foggy Bottom Sound. The debate was around if they should even push the Open Door Notes which by this point were in their final form or give up on them and try to grab a piece of China for themselves. However by the time they were ready to make their move over China, China would go up in flames.
[1] Longkou and Changdao County
[2] One of the lessons of the Island War, Germany needed a proper Marine Corp.
[3] Sanmen County
[4] Sheyang County
- Jim Smitty
- Word Count: 1k