Manchester Ship Canal

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

connecting Manchester, England, with the open sea by means of ship traffic. The project was first sanctioned by Parliament in 1885. Work began in 1887. The ceremony of opening it to traffic was performed in 1894. The canal is 35 miles long, and the expenditure was over $60,- 000,000. One of its int interesting ng features is a swing aqueduct, which, including the water contained it, weighs 1,600 tons , this being the first of its kind ever constructed. MANCHURIA (-tshöʻri-ä) (Chinese Shing-King), a Chinese territory occupying the N. E. corner of the empire; bounded on the N. and E. by the Amur and Usuri, which separate it from the Russian territory; on the W. by the provinces of Irkutsk, Mongolia, and Chihli, on the S. by the Gulf of Leaotong, the Yellow Sea, and Korea; it is divided into three provinces, Shing-King, Feng-Tien, or Leaotong in the S. (of which Mukden is the capital), Kirin in the center (with a capital of the same name), and He- Lung-Kiang in the N. (with capital Tsitsihar); total area, 362,310 square miles; pop. (est.) 13,000,000. The country is mountainous, but on the whole fertile. The climate is good; though the winters are severe, they are healthy and bracing. The vast forests of the N. are rich in useful timber of all kinds. The principal food crops are pulse, millet, barley, and wheat. The vine, indigo, cotton, tobacco, etc., are cultivated. The administration is military, the governors of the two N. provinces being subordinate to the governor of Mukden. The Manchus are a hardy race and their country has long been the great recruiting ground for the Chinese army; but of late years vast numbers of Chinese proper have flocked into it, so that now they by far outnumber the native race. In the 17th century the Manchus invaded China and placed their leader's son on the throne. From that time until the final deposition of the Manchu dynasty, China continued in nominal rule of the country. With the completion of the Trans-Siberian Railroad in 1901, Russia began an aggressive attempt to control Manchuria. The Boxer Rebellion in 1900 furnished an excuse for the sending of Russian forces into the province. These were not withdrawn after the disturbances had been quieted, although the Russian Government had promised sed that the occupation would not be permanent. Japan, which al so coveted the economic control of this vast area, viewed possible Russian absorption with great hostility, and fear of this was one of the chief causes of the Russo-Japanese War in 1904-1905. By the treaty of Portsmouth, signed in 1905, both Russia and Japan pledged themselves to evacuate Manchuria, except as regarded Kwang-Tung in which, with the consent of China, Japan succeeded to the Russian lease and rights. By the terms of the treaty, Russia also turned over to Japan a portion of the Manchurian Railway, terminating at Port Arthur. In spite of promises thus given, both Russia and Japan continued, following the war, their attempts to dominate in Manchuria. These attempts, however, have been peaceful and are covered by a practical agreement to divide the territory into Russian and Japanese "spheres of influence." In 1915 Japan obtained from China, practically by force, further concessions in Manchuria, including possession of the South Manchurian Railway. Special privileges were also grantchuria, with preference to the Japanese in respect to serving as foreign advisers or instructors in financial, military, and police matters. Indications were at the close of the World War that Japan, unless prevented by the concerted action of the Great Powers, would finally control the greater part of Manchuria. The Russian control of the northern part of the province, owing to the chaotic condition in the Russian government, became loosened. China had by 1920 ceased to have more than a nominal control over the province.