Page
+6
August 29, 1895.]
aro
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
155
the 1893 report no special reference was made to the subject, the figures given in the tables, however, still showing a high rate of sickness, although not so high as in the previous year. In his report for 1894, laid before the Legislative Council at its last meeting, Dr. AYRES again wrote:-"At the hill stations--the Gap and Mountain Lodge "--the sickness has very much increased in "all sections of the Force; the number of "admissions increased from 12 in 1893 to 20 "in 1894." On turning to the tables we find that the admissions to hospital were five Euro- peans, ten Indians, and five Chinese. On inquiry we find that the Peak force consiste of three Europeans, une an Chinese. The
the least
WOLFE.
to have the clause so drafted that China,jable on opium at the same time as the im- when she decided to construct railways, port duty, and the Chinese Government should be compelled to give the work to agreed that such payment having been made French firms. The Chinese, however, were no further tax or duty should be levied on the not prepared to give themselves away drug whilst in transport in the interior. So to that extent, and the clause as finally far this agreement has been carried out. One adopted stood as follows:-" When China, or two attempts have been made by local on her part, shall have decided to con-authorities to evade it and to levy squeezes, "struct railways it is agreed that she shall but on the matter being brought to the 'have recourse to French industry, and the notice of the Peking Government the corrected. "Government of the Republic shall afford irregularity has been at once "every facility for procuring in France the Now, however, a period of financial stringency staff that may be required. It is, more- has set in, owing to the recent war with over, understood that this clause shall not Japan, and retrenchment of expenditure and "be looked upon as constituting au exclusive increased taxation are everywhere the order "privilege in favour of France." In other of the day. Under these circumstances the words, the clause is not to be considered as local officials apparently find it hard to
proportion of sickness amongst having any definite meaning at all. It would refrain from laying their hands ou opium the Europeas was therefore 166 per cent... seem that France has in the same way tried and levying squeezes upon it. But the amongst the Indians 111 per cent., and to secure a monopoly of mining work in the Opium Agreement has been an excellent amongst the Chinese 50 per cent., the per- southern provinces, but has had to be cou-object lesson to the Chinese. It has shown centage for whole Peak force being 90.9. tent with a mere meaningless mention of the the Peking Government the advantages of This is, who ha
rather an ex- subject in the Convention. Other countries an honest and uniform collection, by which trap coffius, dre naturally would not assent to a monopoly the revenue is economically collected and ise he couldn't get a single Chim the very m, but at last the mandarins insisterished as being granted to any single power. Not only not subject to drains by leakage while passing to sng, and then he got Dr. Gregory to help does every principal treaty contain the fav through the hands of the venal native Some oured nation clause, but as regards Yunnan officials. It would be an advantage both to amonaps the eloquence of these dumb months and the other southern provinces England foreign trade and to the Chinese Government Saturat last move the British Foreign Office?-
Daily News. has specially protected herself against any and people if all imports coull be treated ir and preferential treatment being accorded to the same way as opium one payment at th fevers LETTER FROM ARCHDEACON. other nations and France is the only portreaty freeing the from all squeeze as Intry be
- putamen inte
account in the in the interior. That seems unattainable sex the course of a private letter which has nation to be taken matter-by the repetition of that clause at present, but a stepping stone to it having tection we nlaced at our (N. C. Daily News in the Burma Convention. It might have been obtained in the Opium Agreement the rents and the wind Wolfe writes to a fri been considered that the favoured nation Chinese local officials cannot for their own and it is rarely that the least shelter can be clause of the Tientsin treaty afforded sufficient selfish ends be allowed to render that agree-found. But we are afraid this argument protection, but lest it should be said that ment a nullity, As to whether the British will not hold water, if we may use such an that clause did not apply to the overland Government might reasonably assent to the expression in the present instance. In July were laid up, the rainfall during In May, froutier trade and the new conditions aris-authorised duty on the drug being increased five men
The anti-opiumists that mouth being 9.47 inches. ing from the British and Chinese boundaries opinions may differ. having bee brought together it is by the would no doubt urge that the duty should when the rainfall was 20.01 inches, the ad- seventeenth article of the Burmah Conven- be made prohibitive, and in the Additional missions numbered only two, and in Janu- tion of the 1st March, 1894) agreed Articles to the Chefoo Convention "the de-ary, when there was a rainfall of not quite an inch, there were three policemen in- that "subjects of the two powers shall "sirability of placing restrictions on the con- "each within the territories of the other"sumption of opium" is formally recognised, capacitated through illness. It is true there enjoy all the privileges, immunities, and but practically the question resolves itself were four admissions in September when "advantages that may have been, or may into one of expediency. The Chinese Go. the rainfall was 19.11 inches, but we cannot "hereafter be, accorded to the subjects of any vernment freely permits the cultivation of agree that wet weather is mostly respon- “other nation." If China decides to mploye opium hroughout the length and breadth of | sible for the large percentage of illness, foreigners in the development of the Yunnan the empire and so far from desiring to suppress | although there is no doubt that it is in somo mines Englishmen are as eligible for the work the practice of opin smoking its sole degree a contributory cause. In the city the as Frenchmen, and if the industry should concern, so far as regards the imported men when on beat can find shelter both from it can wind and rain under the verandahs, and be freely thrown open to foreign enterprise drug, is what amount of revenue
It is raise from the trade. The British Govern- the greater exposure to which they are the field would be open to both.
an subjected at the Peak is therefore an but possible that owing to China's having ceded ment would probably not object to territory to France which she had no right mcrease in the duty, provided the revenue el meut to be taken into account, to cede, the Burmah Convention may have service continued to be Fonducted honestly, on the other hand the greater healthiness to be denounced by Great Britain, but in that but it would naturally object to the re- attributed to the Peak climate, if it really case we may rest assured that China would introduction of a system of "irregular levies exists, ought to weigh in the opposite scale, be required to sign another treaty which causing obstruction to trade and giving rise The total average strength of the Hongkong And police force was last year 651 and the percent- she would have to accord still larger rights to endless disputes and difficulties. than these accorded by the agreement she from the revenue point of view any increase age of sickness was for the Europeans 116.51, of taxation would probably lead to diminished for the Indians 112.96, for the Chinese has violatell.
receipts. The native opfum is annually com- 41.10, aud for the whole force 76. It will peting more and more with the imported be seen therefore that in each branch of the article and any increase in the duty on the force the Peak rate of sickness is higher latter would therefore tend to still further than the rate for the whole force. diminish its consumption, and the revenue. would dwindle in proportion.
INCREASED TAXATION OF
OPIUM.
un-
It would be a mistake to draw from A rumour has reached India, we learn from
the above figures any conclusion the Rangoon Gazette, to the effect that China
favourable to the general healthiness of intends to levy a war tax on opium imported
the Peak. Universal experience in tropical THE PEAK CLIMATE. by her from India. This report, which
climates has established the advantage of has, apparently, come through opium
The figures given in the report of the high altitudes for residence, especially for merchants, has not been received officially by the Government of India, and our contem-Colonial Surgeon as to the health of the Europeans born in cool climates, and we porary suggests that it should therefore be members of the Police Force stationed at cannot suppose that Hongkong forms any received with caution, Probably it has the Peak are calculated to throw some doubt exception to the general rule. It is of course on the reputed healthiness of the Hill Dis- possible that the advantages may be exag- arisen from the recent attempt to impose au additional tax on opium at Shanghai. It is trict, unless they can be explained away by gerated, and that mere comfort may be mis- reported that a similar attempt is to be made special conditions to which the police are taken for the result of healthful conditions. at Canton. If so, it is to be hoped prompt exposed. In his report for 1891 Dr. AYRES There can be no mistake about the comfort steps will be taken to frustrate it. If the wrote:-"It is rather curious to note that the of sleeping in a temperature ten degrees be- Chinese Government can secure the assent "Peak stations, considering the small num-low that which prevails on the Queen's Road of the British Government to an increase in "ber of men stationed there, have so large the taxation of opium, well and good; but a number of sick." The following year he attempts made by the local authorities to wrote: The Peak stations, Gap and evy irregular and unauthorised taxation" Mountain Lodge, don't seem to agree with must be promptly suppressed. The British" either Europeans or Indians; the Chinese Government agreed that lekin should be pay-1"got off much better than in 1891." lu
level, but residents at the Peak, as well as those down below, are subject to fevers and diarrhetic affections, and we have heard of people enjoying good health on the lower levels who declared they always got sick when they went to the Peak. These, however,