July
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1895)
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* CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. total absence of sensationalism, has charac-leading residents of all nationalities should terised Mr. EDE as a member of the Sanitary prefer to have their linen washed in an evil Board and it would be regrettable if his ser-"smelling puddle on the hillside and dressed vices should be lost to the community in that in the living room of their washermen's capacity. If the Secretary of State should servants, who live unon and sleep amongst uphold the action of the local Government" their clients' linen, rather than in the and decide that the Sanitary Board should“ public laundries. However, so long be deprived of all effective power then Mr. "such a very peculiar preference exists i Epe would no doubt find bis continued" is very doubtful if much can be done to membership of that body inconsistent with “ improve this brauch of the sanitation of his self-respect and the respect he owes to "the colony." his fellow ratepayers, but in the meantime, while the decision is pending, and seeing that his resignation at the present juncture could have no effect on that decision either one way or the other, it would be well for the colony if Mr. EDE could see his way to re- tain his appointment, though his position as the solitary unofficial member might be in some respects unpleasant to himself.
OUR WASHING.
TYPHOON INSURANCE.
ין
A new departure in insurance business is being taken by the Commercial Union Assurance Co., Limited, which advertises that it is now prepared to accept risks against typhoon damage. After the 1874 typhoon, when the colony was almost wrecked, there was a good deal of talk about the desirability of facilities for typhoon in aurance, but none of the Companies doing business in the colony at that time were Singapore is at present suffering from an prepared to enter on epidemic of cholera and in connection there the idea of forming a local company for this line, and with one of the local papers raises the ques- the purpose was not carried into effect. As tion of the conditions under which the time went on and there was no repetition of laundry work of the colony is carried out. the disaster on a large scale the community This is a subject in which Hongkong may seemed to become oblivious to the danger, well take a sympathetic interest, for the but the typhoon of last year once more circumstances of the two colonies as regards brought it home to us. The damage to private their washing are almost identical. On pay- property on that occasion has been estimated ing his dhobie the other day, the Free Tress at $100,000, which was a trifle as compared informs us, a gentleman making enquiries as with that wrought by the 1874 typhoon, but to the state of health in the neighbourhood it was sufficiently serious for those who had of that functionary's quarters was rather to bear the loss. The new departure of the horrified to find that there had been two Commercial Union Co. will therefore be bailed deaths in the house. Further interrogation, with satisfaction by property owners and however, brought out the fact that there was mortgagees, who have hitherto had no op. nothing choleraic about the cause of death. portunity of protecting themselves against One case had been" very hot for eight days
typhoon damages. Few landlords neglect to fever of some kind or another and another insure their property against fire and no one was a case of perampuan punya sakit, which, would think of advancing money on mort- from the subsequent remarks, appears to be gage without making insurance against fire the Malay term for a certain loathsome one of the conditions. But the risk of damage contagious disease, and our Singapore con- from typhoons is in Hongkong scarcely less temporary lectures the opponents of the Con-than that of damage by fire. A honse is as tagious Diseases Acts for their folly. We liable to be destroyed by the one as the have no exception to take to the remarks other, and although typhoons are less fre- mude on that point, but are not the anim- quent than fires when they do occur the subversions on the Exeter Hall party equally damage is more likely to be widespread. pplicable to a community which will not take One bad typhoon will do as much damage he slightest trouble to see that its washing as the fires of many years, and now that
done under reasonable sanitary conditions? As it is quite possible," says the Free Press, this patient was lying about on and per- haps wearing customers' clothes sent to the wash, even the most dolt-skulled parti- sans of Exeter Hall may well turn pale "when they think what risks to themselves, "their wives, and families, may any day
come home with the washing.
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insurance against typhoons is possible land- lords and mortgagees will no doubt be glad to shift the risk from their own shoulders to those of the Company that has struck out on this new line.
GOLD IN PAHANU.
The discovery of gold on the Passoh pro- Cholera is a sportive trifle compared with perty of the Straits Development Company "this sort of thing. At any rate it is not has led to a boom in the shares of that * passed on to curse generations of an inno- concern on the London market. A reef has cent posterity." Medical inspection under been found yielding, it is said, 2 oz. to the the Contagious Diseases Acts would be one ton, and the formation is said to be similar to way of mee ing such a danger; another, that of the celebrated Mount Morgan. We equally effective and simpler in its applica have had similar sensational statements in the tion, would be to see that the public laundries | carlier bistory of Raub and Punjom, and we are properly conducted. And how do we suspect that Passoh when worked will yield stand in Hongkong in relation to this mat- results not very dissimilar to those two pro- Let the Sanitary Superintendent perties. Speaking at the annual meeting of answer. In his last andual report Mr. the Baub Australian Gold Mining Company, MCCALLUM says:-"Only three of the ten held at Brisbane on the 23rd May, the public laundries have been let during the Chairman said :-"Development has proved year, although the rental is as low as $10" the lodes on the Company's property to be a month, That there is a strong artificial" of a permanent character, and workable at opposition to the using of these buildings" a profit, even though the grade of ore be by the public washermen is to me clear" low." This description appears to applý enough, but beyond the natural obstinacy | very fairly to the Pahang gold fields gener of Chinese workmen I know of no reason ally, so far as they have been proved. "for the opposition. It is quite true that Shareholders may fairly look forward to re- "these public washermen receive the tacitceiving substantial dividends at no distant support of many of their employers in date, but if they look for anything very sen- "their obstinate opposition. It is difficult sational they will probably be disappointed. » to understand why the vast majority of our | During the year ended the 30th September
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last about $190,000 worth of gold was won at the Punjore Company's mine, and at Raub, during the year ended the 28th February last, the amount was a little over £12,000, or, say, $120,000. Both Companies have paid development expenses out of earnings, the Punjom Company having written off lact no less than $46,704, which amount - pended in new machinery and plant and general development. In the Raub” að- counts the amount written off is only £135, and the expenditure on development cannot be easily traced in the balance sheet, but ac- cording to the Chairman's speech at the sonual meeting, additional machinery and permanent works amounting to £2,000 had been paid for. The results are satisfactory as far as they go, especially in the case of Punjom, whose paid up capital in only $250,000 as against against Raub's £146,8833, or in round figures a million and a half of dollars. Punjom with its small capital ought soon to find itself in a position to pay dividends, and Raub, though its capital is so much larger, we hope will not be far behind.
THE SITUATION IN SOUTH ›
FORMOSA.
WITHDRAWAL OF THE BRITISH GUARD.
GREAT CONSTERNATION. [SPECIAL TELEGRAMS TO THE “DAILY PRESS."
ANPING, VIA AMOY, 29th June, the British land forces and all foreigners from The Admiral has ordered the withdrawal of Tainanfu and Anping.
Utter consternation prevails amonget merchants, who simply cannot comply.
Hopes are entertained that other foreign protection will be afforded; otherwise the post- tion of the community will be most critical.
ANPING, VIA AMOT, 1st July.
saying the land forces should be retained alk In spite of a telegram from the Minister the Marines have been withdrawn.
The community remain.
The situation is more than critical.
ANPING, VIA. Amor, 2nd July. The Custom-House is closed and trade suspended.
The community are safe so far.
FROM A CORRESPONDENT.]
Anping, 22nd June, are to reinforce the squadron. The weather, so far, It is reported that H.M.S. Plover and Pigmy is fine, but there is much growling on board the ships, in consequence of their all being cleared
for action, which necessitates full steam up, awnings taken in, and the adoption of many dia comforts appertaining to warfare.
Liu still insists upon the withdrawal of the British forces and consequently every pro- caution is being taken to guard the approaches to the settlement. Several more guns have been landed. It appears that the literati are taking a very active part in the present orisis, stirring up the people against foreigners and carrying absurd reports to the Governor.
land, owing to the strict search made by Liu Very few passengers are leaving for the main-, and his soldiers, who open every package of luggage and simply pluuder all the money and valuables they can lay their hands on. Armed parties of Black Flags, detailed for this par. pose, are no longer allowed in the settlement, and the examination is now made on the city road. In the event of an attack by the Japa into Anping, difficult as the task will doubtless nese, it is proposed to stop all soldiers coming
be.
excellent.
The health and spirits of the land forces are
BRITISH SETTLEMENT BARRICADED. The Thales arrived at Пlongkong on Thu
and brought the news that all was quiet at
too on the 23rd inst. The British men- wre cleared for action, and a guard of is posted in the town day and night, at Tainanfoo and Anping, and it has been estimated that there are 3,000 Black thought advisable to barricade the foreign settle-