3
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
treated the poor Chinese without expecting any reward. It is very kind of you to show in such brilliant manner your recognition of the little I have done for suffering humanity. You have alluded to my genuine admiration for the an- cient Chinese civilization. I believe nobody
can read the Chinese philosophers without marvelling at their sound and plain doctrines. In my opinion, they are superior to the Greek philosophers that we admired at college. There in an old proverb, that light comes from the East I believe it might be said with great reason that the high morality comes from the Far East. Confucius is a sublime genius, the glory of mankind. Many theories supposed to be the result of modern civilization were taught by this great man and by his disciples. You will remember that Confucius was asked his opinion about killing the unprincipled for the sake of society. He replied, “Sir, in carrying on the government of a country, why should you shed any blood at all? The relations between the superiors and inferiors is like those between the wind and the grass. The grass must bond when the wind blows across it." Leibnitz, I believe, said that he could transform a wociety by means of education within twenty- five years.
Confucius, who had probably
■ keener insight into human nature, demanded & much longer period. This sage stated that if virtuous men to govern a country in succession for a hundred years they would be able to reform the criminals and dispense with capital punish- ment. Confucius appears to entertain de- mocratic views about government, for he said, when right principles prevail in an empire government will not be in the hands of titled men without merit. Mencius taught that a tyrannical sovereigu should, if he persisted in his fanlis after repeated warnings, be deposed by his people. This disciple of Con- fucius once asked a king if there was any difference between killing with a sword and with a bad form of government? The Chinese are naturally gifted with great intellectual acumen and the lessons of their famous philosophers have helped to develop the various eminent qualities to degree, constituting the national acteristics. The honesty of the Chinese merchants is proverbial. I heard my father relate with astonishment that business
were
a remarkable
char.
was trap-
involving large sums of money sacted formerly in Canton without any written agreement, but only the word of honour of the parties concerned. There are few working men so steady as the Chinese. But for the Chinese labourers the great Pacific railway could not have been constructed in so short a
in
time. General Booth, of the Salvation Army, observed that the best gardens he saw Sydney were kept by Chinese. The Chinese by following too faithfully in many respects the doctrines of Confucius, who aspired to an ideal civilisation which the world has not yet attained, and by not being well prepared to repel by brutal force unjust aggressions, have suffered greatly. I hope I shall have an op portunity of studying better this wonderful civilization and perhaps of reading also the Chinese books in the original instead of in
translations.
CORRESPONDENCÉ.
[We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents.] THE GOVERNMENT PRINTERS AND GAOL PRINTING.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE “DAILY PRESS.” SIE,—In your issue of the 14th July, referring to my annual report of the Gaol, you gave as your opinion that the tables should be printed in the Gaol. While agreeing with you that it would be more expedient if they were first printed in the Gaol as formerly, I must in justice say that the Government printers, I believe, did that work for the last two years without any extra charge, and but for their obliging disposition those tables would have been sent to the Government in unhandy manuscripts.-I remain, sir, yours truly an
L. P. MARQUES,
Late Medical Officer of Victoria Gaol. Hongkong, 15th July, 1896.
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THE TONKIN MATTING TRADE,
In the bulletin issued by the Tonkin Cham- ber of Commerce wo find a paper addressed to the Chamber by Mr. J. Fourès, the Secretary General of the Colony, on the matting trade in Tonkin and the proper means to develop it. Before 1891 the exportation of mats from Tonkin was almost nil. It is only since that period that Tonkin has commenced to export in small quantities; since then the exportation has gradually increased each year. For the year 1895 the export may be estimated at 10,670 rolls. At the present time not only does all the mating manufactured in Tonkin find buyers, out the demand exceeds the supply: the pro- duction is insufficient for the needs of con-
sumers.
The mats in question are of good quality, heavy and strong, and also solid and durable, but at present somewhat coarse and loose, but these faults could be easily remedied by carry- ing out certain suggestions given below.
Be that as it may, these mats find so good a market and the cost of bringing them to it is so notwithstanding the cost of freight by steamer small, in comparison with the Canton mats, that, between Haiphong and Hongkong, the trans- actions which are carried on in them are very
remunerative.
based on principles absolutely defective, and In the actual state of things the trade is so the development of the trade is hindered in a large measure. The mats are manufactured in Tonkin, but they can be bought only through Chinese merchants at Canton, with whom contracts are made without the purchasers If samples are asked for the date on which they knowing when the goods can be delivered. will arrive in Canton is unknown. The Canton merchants, instead of posting their letters con- taining the orders, confide them to their friends and beg them to deliver them in Tonkin. This system results in delays involving considerable loss of time, and so the foreign merchants lose patience, and it happens that often they prefer the Canton article notwithstanding its higher price.
In the Canton province the mats are made from several kinds of reeds and rushes, some of which grow in salt water marshes and others in plains covered at certain times by fresh water, The kind most com monly used is that called Arundo »mitis. The same varieties no doubt exist in Tonkin, as appears to be shown by the evidence. The Canton reeds and rushes having suffered from
2-1806
the drought of 1895-they imported from Tonkin in the manufacture of mate at Tun Canton) and at Lintan, near the Wo about 150 miles to the west of Co
The climate of the Tonkin delta is to that of Canton: the nature of the same in both regions: It logicall then that the plants which grow in the part ought equally to grow in the other
४
ne
The mats of the Far East are being favoured more and more in Europe and Amer The low rate of the dollar, and consequently the cheapness of the mats, places the article within the reach of persons of small means who were unable to buy it formerly owing to its relative dearness. The mat trade is developing rapidly each year throughout the entire world. The following figures show the steady and the gradual growth of the trade in Canton matting with America and Europe for the past five years :———
Rolls
Year
1891
240,000
1892
...280,000
1893
..320,000
1894-
1895
260,000 ..340,000
Value
$1,910,000
2,240,000
2,560,000
2,080,000,
2,720,000
* At the average price of $8 per roll
The shipments to France are estimated at 20,000 rolls, valued at $200,000. These figures could be verified at the Havre custom-house, the port by which all the mats enter France. It is to be remarked that in our country people prefer the small mats (ordinary ́ size,
1:829. metres long by. 1.371 metres wide) for carpets, to the long pieces. (In English the first a called mats, the second matting.)
are
In 1890 Japan exported 20,000 rolls to America; in 1895 the quantity rose to 150,000 rolls valued at $1,500,000. It would the China-Japan war, which caused a cer- have been oven more considerable but for tain number of workmen to be called to the colours. It must further be added that even in normal times the climatic conditions of Japan production of reeds and rushes for thế are unfavourable to the development of the manufacture of mats.
markets for Canton, Japanese, and Tonkin There is room in the European and American matting.
The trade in the latter therefore appears to have an assured future and will form an important branch of trade in the Far East. consequence not to lose sight of the following However, to develop it, it will be of
suggestions.
・
I-The cultivation of reeds and rushes suitable for the manufacture of matting ought to be un- dertaken on a large scale in the Tonkin delta, and encouraged by the Protectorate.
2.-Good fertilisers should be used in order to produce fine reeds and rushes. In the pro vince of Canton beancakes of excellent quality are used.
The or
olls
they
coarse, weak, and soft, because they are not +3.—The Tonkin mats are at present slightly submitted when they leave the loom to an operation of pressing or rubbing which the rendered finer and more durable. The following tightened, closed, and solidified, and consequently Canton mats undergo, and by which they are
is the operation referred to. of matting withont seams are unifor yards long and one yard wide, büt sure 45 to 50 yards, and the fabric is
from the loom "they, ofte
40 yards by two workmen "pląc loose and soft. The roll is then
placed end who, with their hands, press fabric. This work is slow and labori is indispensable in order it obtain a the article. The operation is called, “ palm by the English. The mats thus treated termed "palmed" those which are not, li Tonkin mats, are
come
unpalmed. 4-Under existing circumst
Canton there are num kinds of máta are man
be m
from paterns
in Tonkin all the
that we shou which might
rushes shou 15 The
three years, the trade, the ad
orde
of the
and
And