September 24, 1896.]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPURI.
the Chamber of Commerce and the Consuls that he (the Minister) regretted that financial necessity compelled him to adhere to the date originally fixed.
WRECK OF THE “ 'HOVDING."
acting any spécial attention. Thus this formidable difficulty, as it was considered, was overcome by a little tact and good management. It was promptly set up and brought into play with the satisfactory results mentioned by Tinamely, in pretty dry leaf, nice strong and dark liquoring waters (so much liked by the English masses) and infusions of the ap-
Nagasaki, 17th September. proved bright bronze-coloured infusions being Among the passengers by the steamer Tokyo- produced. But before describing the result we maru, which arrived here yesterday from ought first to have mentioned that the Chinese Vladivostock, were the officers and crew of the mode of picking, of withering, and fermenting Norwegian steamer Houding, which went ashore had all to be altered. This was quickly taught, on the Siberian coast on 14th July last. The and it is said by the Chinese that these pre- vessel, which is of iron, of 1,313 tons register, liminary processes, apart from the use of the
was going from Nicolaievsk to Vladivostock rolling machinery, are sufficient to produce the and ran aground during a dense fog. When mada tea with all the characteristics of that it lifted it was discovered that she was firmly shipped from India and Ceylon. Experts who fixed on the beach. No difficulty was experi- have seen these teas declare them to be wonder-enced in getting ashore and the men got all their fully good, but Mr. Fraser and his friends, believ- | personal belongings out of the vessel before ing that machine-made teas will be far superior, proceeding to Vladivostock. A Rusian man-of- have formed themselves into a company, and war went to see if she could be got off, but this several influential merchants have joined them, was found to be impossible. The captain still for the purpose of importing all the machinery remains in Vladivostock, pending negotiations necessary. We wish the company all possible for the sale of the wreck.-Nagasaki Express.
success.
The Foochow tea trade continues to decline so rapidly, excepting for its specialities, that all interested in the port at all must welcome warmly any move that is likely to revive it, and should give all the encouragement they can to Mr. Fraser and his friends, in the expense and trouble they are going to, to keep the trade
alive.
Having furnished our readers with a brief sketch of what is going on in this new depar- ture in the history of the China tea trade, we willingly comply with our correspondent "T's" wish that we should give our views on the subject. We have to say that we are only deterred from boldly asserting that Foochow has a future before it by the thought of the cruelly heavy export duty, likin, and other taxes we have to submit to, which together amount to fully 40 per cent. on the average cost of the season's crop. Given that we are successful in making teas that will be as readily saleable as those of India and Ceylon in the great consuming markets, how can we look for a prosperous trade with such a handicap as this 40 per cent. to add on to our first cost P
. A
THE INCREASED DUTIES IN MANILA.
The new duties to be collected in the Phi- lippines were published in the Madrid Gazette of 23rd August and telegraphed to Manila the same day. A landing tax of two per cent. is to be paid on all cargo discharged and a consumption tax is imposed on the following articles in addition to the duties already in force-Brandy in wood, 20 cents per litre; in bottle, 30 cents per litre. Beer, 10 cents per litre. Tinned provisions, 2 cents per kilo- gramme. Flour, 50 cents per 100 kilogrammes. Salt (at present free), $1 per 100 kilogrammes. Kerosine, $1 per hundred kilogrammes.
The export duties have been increased as follows, the unit of quantity being in each case 100 kilogrammes:-
Hemp
Sugar
Coprah
Manufactured Tobacco
New Old duty. duty. $0.75 $0.50 0.10 0.05 0.10 free 3.10 free
Raw Tobacco from Cagayan, Isa-
bela, and Igorrotes...
3.00 1.50 Raw Tobacco from Visayas
2.00 0.75 Raw Tobacco from other parts... 1.50 0.50 A tax of four per cent. which it was intended to levý for difference of exchange has been abandoned.
On the announcement of the new duties the Manila Chamber of Commerce held a meeting and it was decided to send a telegram to the Minister for the Colonies asking for a delay of one month before bringing the new duties into force in order to avoid loss on contracts pre- viously entered into. A telegram on the subject was also sent by the British Consul to the British Minister at Madrid.
RUSSIAN EXPLORATION IN MANCHURIA.
We learn from the Kobe Chronicle that the
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forwarded to Peking Sheng Taofai feel certain he will be able to carry the whole scheme through when he arrives at the capital He will then, he thinks, be able to carry the railway scheme through without the aid of foreign loans or foreign help Sheng is a long-headed fellow, and he may, during La Hung-chang's absence, be able to get his own way. However, we shall have more to say on this subject shortly.—Mercury,
THE CHEFOO FORESHORE AFFAIR.
We understand that the laying of founda- tions for the erection of a large godown on Messrs. Fergusson's much debated foreshore at Chefoo has been stopped, presumably for a time, as the disturbance of the soil is held to be responsible for an outbreak of fever at present afflicting foreign residents at Chefoo.
Messrs. Fergusson, it is said, with a view to maintaining their right to the commodious jetty which has proved such a great convenience to all having business at the port and the use of which has at all times been ungrudgingly given, have built a wall across the structure and access can now only be obtained through a gate of which Messrs. Fergusson & Co, hold the key. Should this be correct it may not follow that the owners of the jetty will once and for all withdraw an Osaka Mainichi publishes the following extract
inestimable boon to the foreign community, from a latter of a Japanese firm at Yingkon but it points to the imperative need for better (port of Newchwang), received by a merchant
provision being made by the Imperial Mari- of Osaka:-A Russian land surveying party, time Customs for a landing place which may
consisting of a Staff Captain, an Artillery Lientenant, two soldiers, and a number of Ko-be used with some feelings of safety. This reans in Russian military uniform, arrived at
mach cannot be said for the present Customs. jetty, which is not only invariably crowded with boats, but is almost always in a dirty state and totally unfitted for passenger traffic.
Yingkou on the morning of the 6th August. They came from Seoul, all on horseback. They brought two horses for baggage and a number of Chinese coolies. They all seem to be greatly fatigued by their long journey, and their gar- ments were badly travel-stained. Each wore a big sword. They took lodgings with an & Co. (? Bush Bros.) On the 17th, the English firm, called in Chinese Yuen Lai
Russian officers had an interview with the Tao- tai in his yamen. They speak Chinese fluently. In the afternoon the party surveyed the forts and the surroundings of the port. On the 18th the party inspected the streets in the town and called at the store of Mr. Tominaga, a Japanese merchant. On the morning of the 19th the party inspected the mouth of the Liao river and in the afternoon the Lieutenant with the soldiers and three Koreans left the rest of the party and proceeded to Shugan, the others going to Port Arthur. They are reported to intend coming back to Yingkou in October, then proceeding to Fusan by sea, and thence to Vladivostock by way of Yuensan overland. As a number of Chinese soldiers have arrived at Yingkon in the past few days, the inhabitants are somewhat alarmed.
THE CHINESE. NATIONAL BANK
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·China Gazette.
THE BENNERTZ DIFFICULTY.
Shanghai, 12th September. After thirteen days' delay, during which the expenses of the Sin Fokien have been running on, and a series of melodramatic threats on the part of the Commissioner of Customs at Chin- kiang as to his intention to disable the steamer's engines, remove her steering-gear, and sink her with the guns from the forts, the Commissioner has been brought to inform the charterers, Messrs. Bennertz & Co., that the steamer is con- fiscated for a breach of the River Regulations. What the breach is, he still declines to state. The only possible pretext is that the Sin Fokien on her way from Chefoo to Hankow with a cargo of Chinese troops, who were in a state of mutiny, as usual, did not stop at Chinkiang on her way up, when the stoppage would pro- bably have led to an attack on the European officers by the troops, who are furious when their voyage is delayed. The Sin Fokien, how- ever, duly stopped and reported on her way down, when she might easily have passed through the port without stopping. We under- stand that a similar slowness to that of the Chinkiang Commissioner has been shown by the Tuotai here, except when he made through. his legal advisers his preposterous claim of Tls. 100,000 for the loss of the steamer, but H.M.'s Consul Mr. Jamieson is taking up the question vigorously, and the whole matter will have to be explained, and reparation made by the Chinese for their arbitrary action, unless the explanation is satisfactory.
Shanghai, 11th September. Sheng Taotai left this morning for Tientsin by the C. M. steamer Hsinchi, on his way to Peking. His brain has been busy at work dur- ing his absence from the North, and he has gone back full of schemes. His first and fore- most scheme is to make final arrangements for starting the Chinese National Bank. When this Bank was first mooted Sir Robert Hart was appealed to, and after much consideration it was thought advisable to place the whole affair
Shanghai, 15th September. under Sir Robert's management, so that the There is one serious matter in the tragi- whole of the Customs revenue would be paid comedy of Bennertz & Co. and the Kiangnan into the new Bank. At present the Customs Defence and Pay Department which deserves- Bank receives all the revenue and finances, and consideration, and that is the use which Chinese! is under the control of the Customs Taotai, authorities are able to make of the Imperial who farms it out to a rich Chinese. Sheng Maritime Customs, which it has become usual Taotai wishes now to do away with the Customs to think of as a more or less cosmopolitan and Bank, and take the entire management of the impartial institution. The Bennertz difficulty National Bank himself, without any assist- is really a dispute about the chartering of some ance from Sir Robert Hart. He proposes that steamers, which would be of no more import- all duties should be paid into the Chinese ance to the general public than such disputes National Bank, and that it takes over all surplus ordinarily are but for the action of the funds. He also proposes that all inland re- Customs. Bennertz is recognised as venue as well as the land tax from the different British subject, and if he broke the terms of provinces be paid into the new Bank, instead the charter-party which gave him control of of each province sending their allotted portion the steamers, it was open to the Chinese owners. to Peking; by the means, he has pointed to go to the British Consulate, where they could out, the Government will 6&YO quite rely on getting justice done. But instead of the money now that straightforward course, the Tuotai, as
On the 30th August the Governor-General received a telegram from the Minister for the Colonies stating that the duties must come into force immediately and instructed him to inform | thirty per cent. on
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