406
is merely to be run for the conveyance of mili. tary stores and provisions, but over all parts of the country, and not only between Takow and Tai- nanfu. Thus a line is to be started at once from Takow to Hien-chung, passing through Pithau, Both Pithau and Hien-chung are the capitals of the two most southern districts, from whence other lines will be run as necessity arises. Be ing exclusively for military use no civilian benefits can be expected therefrom so long as the soldiers are operating. Whether the lines may afterwards be opened to the public, for their use, until the permanent roads, both for rail and general locomotion, are ready, cannot be stated yet. The immediate object appears to be to have all the military posts in rapid and easy commissariat touch with each other.
5
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[November 27, 1895-
hands of the military, who say no, and there, as the same form and exactitude that had pre- far as we are concerned, the matter must end."viously obtained under the Chinese system. We know that of course the Japanese, in com- It appears that Lin had reason to suspect mon with other civilized nations, rise superior to some person of sending information through the ostrich-like tricks of the Chinese, who used the post office (native) and so, in order to give to think that by shutting the lines to us and him a pretext for visé, he decreed that no letters thus postponing our getting news already in should leave the island unless they bore stamps possession of all the rest of the world, they were to be issued by his government, and that all in some mysterious way helping their own cause letters must pass through the Customs before or objects. As no such motive can possibly be being sent on board steamers or other vessels actuating the Japanese, surely they will, even for transmission to the mainland. It is said at some little sacrifice of old red-tape precedent, that he did actually by this means discover one take pity on us, and once more permit contact or two treasonable communications. Anyhow, with that world from which, in the interests of the above is a true account of how and why the our new rulers, we have now so long been iso-stamps came to be issued and proves that they lated. Of course, with the various side-lines were bona fide used for postal purposes and which run to the military posts all over the were not, as many of those which lately sprang country we are not concerned, and no doubt into existence in China, merely got up for the these being necessarily more or less hastily run sole intent of preying on the eager philateliste up on temporary supports may fairly be re- all over the world. served from public service and criticism until, properly established and organized, the system is beyond risk of causing either inconvenience or complaint.
While the farming population, including the Pehphoans, are not only quiet but most anxious for peace and regular rule, the Hakkas, no doubt helped by some of the fugitive soldiery lately under General Liu, are giving a consider. able amount of trouble, not so much to the Japanese, however, as to the natives themselves. Different bands of robbers, for they can be As soon as the line runs to the south of the called nothing else, have been formed at various island, i.e., to the South Cape Light, and meteo- points at the base of the hills, whence, from rological information can be quickly obtained time to time, raids are made on the plain-therefrom, a grand boon will be conferred on villages, and these
"held up, are
large mariners and hosts of other interested persons, ransoms being demanded by each band of for then the exact position of approaching brigands that come along. This has got so | typhoons can be rapidly reported all over the oppressive that many of the larger sugar pro- surrounding seas and places by the observatories ducers are coming into the ports and purpose at Shanghai and Hongkong. This has been taking passage to the main land, there to await long desired and urged on the Chinese, but quieter times! This will no doubt have a most of course with no result, beyond perhaps deri- depressing effect on the sugar outturn for sive wonder on their part at anyone supposing next year, especially as the crops are said to for a moment they could be interested in what have been more or less injured by the typhoons chiefly, as they supposed, concerned foreigners which came in such quick succession in Septem- and the preservation of their lives and property. ber last. The Japanese are doing all they can It is only in the south-west monsoon that such to protect the people, and as quickly as possible information will have its greatest and most vital establishing military outposts along the whole value, if we only consider typhoons and such like plain land. In the end there can be no doubt destructive disturbances, but all the year round the Hakkas and their rowdy associates will there is much useful and interesting information have to pay very dearly for their misconduct; to be got from the comparative statistics of indeed, unless they very quickly repent them- several stations telegraphically united, and we selves of their evil ways and submit, it seems--feel sure that no nation will appreciate this as though nothing short of their total exter- mination will result.
As far as their bearing to the quiet and law- abiding natives is concerned, it must be said that the Japanese policy is one of the greatest forbearance and consideration, but if in spite of this, or misunderstanding this bearing, certain or any sections of the conquered public continue to give trouble, and refuse to listen to reason or be conciliated, then I fear they will find that their conquerors have as nasty a side to their nature as is not infrequently aroused in wooers generally whose resentment at re- jection engenders a state of feeling at least as intense as. even if the antithesis of, that which accompanied their gentler moods and methods !
The greatest deprivation at present felt by foreigners is the complete usurpation by the military of the telegraph wires between this and Taipeh. This practically puts us back to the anti-gubernatorial period of twelve years ago. It must be said that it would now seem as though the military are pushing their rights rather close to the dog-in-the-manger limit, as, whatever may have been the case during the first week or two of occupation, there can be no doubt but that the main lines, e.g., those from Tainanfu to Takow, and the former city to Taipeh, thence over the world generally, are now lying idle for the greater part of the day, and if only granted as a special favour for an hour or two, the transmission of foreign tele- grams would be an inestimable boon to the community here. It cannot be said that there is any difficulty about the lines, as those in which foreigners are solely interested were taken over by the Japanese as they stood in good working order and have since been kept
80.
All that can be said now is, should these remarks meet the eye of any one able to help in the matter, and if the urgent wants of our commercial world, small though it be, can meet with consideration, such courtesy and bene- volence will be most gratefully appreciated. We hear that the cable between Tamsui and Foochow has long ago been repaired, so that there can be no stoppage on that account. When we ask our friends at the different Civil Bureaux for aid in this matter the inevitable reply comes, "We can do nothing, all is in the
more than the Japanese, who will therefore no doubt hasten to fulfil this scientific and even philanthropic desideratum. We have heard our friends say that foreigners seem to expect too much from them "the instant they arrive," but if this be so they have only their previous well- thought out and rapid organisation to thank for so high an opinion being formed of their administrative capacities.
We regret to hear that the Customs is not working as freely and effectively as one could wish. This is admittedly from no want of good will on the part of the officials, who, on the contrary, seem most anxious to do all they possibly can, but working as they are with a tariff and regu- lations (Chinese) quite new to them, they seem to he utterly lost, and we fear, unless something is done to help them in their bewilderment, a condition unpleasantly like tradal deadlock may probably ensue. It need scarcely be said that properly understood nothing can work more smoothly and easily than the famed system instituted by Sir Robert Hart for his service, and it seems peculiar that on arrival here the new office did not avail itself, if only for a few months, of the assistance of those who had so well and so successfully conducted the Customs during the Liu regime and who would, no doubt, have been will. ing to give the required aid for a reasonable consideration. If a disinclination to spend the money led to the Japanese officials making the attempt to carry on unaided, then it is to be feared this may turn out to be very mistaken economy and is sure to lead to much worry both for the Customs staff and those dependent on their exertions.
In one of my last communications I gave you some information about the late Republican stamps, and have since heard that such has been founed useful and interesting. Although I believe you will find what I then said perfectly accurate, still I have thought it best to extend my inquiries and obtain from the fountain head the full and detailed record of the whole business. Mr. C. A. McCallum, who acted as Liu Yung-fu's Chief of Customs and Director of Postal Service, has most kindly favoured me with the following account taken from the official records, which were scrupulously kept in
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"The first or provisionary issue hurriedly got up, as has already been described, were as fol lows:-Greep-3 cents, Red-5 cents, Violet- 10 cents. The whole issue was only between seven and eight thousand sets, certainly not more than 8,000, and then the die was destroyed for the reasons already told. These stamps are impressed on thin Chinese paper and are not perforated. Both with this issue and the follow. ing one the clearness of impression cannot be taken as any proof of genuineness, indeed very often they are indistinct and barely descernible, but for all that were sold and used. Of the first issue the green were those mostly used for postal purposes. Thus it will be found that many sets of this issue were broken into. According to the official records 9,300 letters passed through the post office during the time the first issue was in use. For obliterated stamps the postal mark used at first was a circle in which are the words Taiwan Republic, Tainan, in centre the date Sept. There fore, although of course it is quite possible that persons may have stamped letters with the first issue after this obliterating mark had ceased to be used, still it is useful to know that even with the post marks there was this difference, a new obliterating die having been got at the same time as that for the second issue stamps, and then the old post mark ceased to be used from that date.
*
Second issue Blue (approaching in many cases to black)-3 cents; Red, 5 cents; Violet, 10 cents, but half of this 10 cents issue has been printed in black and in some cases in blue, the violet ink having run short. This fact must be noted. All the above second issue are on paper which has been rather roughly perforated; in fact looks as if done with a sewing machine, and evidently before the stamps have been printed on their respective spaces, within which they are by no means regularly placed. A total issue of 18,000 sets of these were printed, of which about 8,000 odd stamps of various values have been used postally. The obliterating post mark that first came into use with this issue consists of a larger circle than the first, round which are the words' Formosan Republic, Taiwan,' but dated October inside. All the paper is un- gummed.”
Liu Yung-fu, or someone in his yamên, took away with them the die from which the second issue were printed and therefore it is not at all unlikely that they may attempt to continue making supplies from the mainland. It seems very difficult to suggest any plan for detecting or avoiding such false issues, but it may be stated that very strict account of the exact number of each issue printed during the existence of the republic having been kept and the various sales equally carefully watched, the present whereabouts of all the genuine stamps is pretty well known by those who were fortunate enough to buy up all available stocks as they came on the market. Of both old and new issues the only stock in hand now of the true stamps, the pedigrees of which can be officially vouched for and traced, are as follows: Old issue 3,500 sets; new issue 6,000 to 7,000 seta. Of course second sets have been sold, but as they have all come from the same vendors in Formosa, it may not be difficult to get certified pedigrees in cases of doubt, or at least such information as will enable one to do a good deal towards detecting fraud.
From the foregoing figures, which I must re- peat represent the utmost limit of the various
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