THE RECORD OF THE YEAR.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[January 5, 1898.
able trade, which will greatly contribute | able, also, that during the year the recti- to Hongkong's prosperity. Peking has fention of the colony's boundaries may be The year 1897 will be memorable in the during the past twelve months been a Launounced, which, while its principal im- annals of the British Empire as that of hunting ground, if not a very happy one,portance rests on political grounds, will also Queen VICTORIA's Diamond Jubilee, an oc- for concession hunters, and reports of large afford rooni for industrial expansion and add casion that called forth a demonstration schemes having been satisfactorily settled to the population. The census taken in of patriotism, loyalty, and affection for have from time to time been circulated, January last gave a population for the whole the Sovereign such as the world had only to be again contradicted, and the colony of 236,382, exclusive of the military never witnessed before. From North to project of a railway from Peking to Han-and naval establishments, showing an in- crease of nearly 18,000 on the census taken South and East to West in both hemispheres kow still remains in a position of uncer- Her Majesty's subjects united to do Hertainty. Still, there has been some advance. in 1891. This increase would no doubt have honour, and amongst the scattered communi- The line from Tientsin to Peking has been much larger had it not been for the ties of the Orient the enthusiasm reached as been opened during the year, and the visitations of the plague in 1894 and 1896, high a pitch as in the metropolis itself. short line from Shanghai to Woosung and the percentage of increase during Not the least pleasing feature of the orea is in progress of contruction. The pos- the year just expired must, we should sion was the heartiness, with which other sibility of developing foreign trade with think, have been considerably larger nationalities joined in the celebrations, a China has received a large measure of | than the average of the previous five feature which was conspicuously noticeable in attention during the year, the country years. During 1897 the colony has bappily Hongkong and was reflected in the hand- | having
visited by commercial been almost entirely free from plague, some donations by foreign firms and in- missions of investigation from England, only a few isuhted cases numbering less than With the dividuals to the Jubilee Fund. Like France, and Germany. Great Britain has twenty in all having occurred. most other places Hongkong decided to have also added to the functions of the Consul- | sanitary precautions now taken there seems one or more permanent memorials of the in- General at Shanghai those of a commercial little reason to fear the recrudesence of the disease in epidemic form, with its disastrous teresting and epoch marking occasion, and attaché, an appointment which has for some after much discussion it was decided to time past been urged. The form in which | interruptions of the colony's trade and pro- devote a moiety of the Fund to the making the appointment has been made, however, of a road round the island and the other fails to give satisfaction, as it is felt that if half to the establishment of a hospital for we have a commercial attaché ut all he
· women and children and a nursing institute. ought to be able to devote his whole time These works will perpetuate in this colony to the duties of that office, travelling about the memory of the most world-wide and most
from port to port as occasion requires, magnificent celebration hitherto recorded in instead of being tied down to a particular history.
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consulate.
been
gress.
It is satisfactory to note that the attack on the freedom of the port has been frustrated and the light dues reduced from two-and-a-half cents to one cent per ton, the Fadditional one-and-a-halfcents having covered the special purpose for which the levy was nade, namely, the cost of the construction While the year cannot be described as of the Gap Rock light. It was proposed altogether a calamitous one for trade in that, notwithstanding the understanding at China it has nevertheless witnessed various the time the levy was made, the higher rate The should still be maintained. Had that been drawbacks of a serious character. Indian famine and the shortness of crops indone it is possible, the charge might not have other countries caused a material increase | had any material effect in deterring shipping in the cost of food stuffs and diminished the from entering the port, but the admission of purchasing power of the people. At the the principle that shipping might be taxed same time the withdrawal of the Japanese in aid of the general revenue might have led yen from circulation, owing to Japan's to the imposition of additional burdens in the future and would have been a stand- adoption of the gold standard, caused a serious scarcity of the circulating medium, ing which materially hampered commercial transactions, and for the past few months trade in imports has been almost at a stand- still and stocks have accumulated in the godowns
nenace to the prosperity of the port. It is as a free port that Hongkong has-prospered so greatly in the past and the maintenance of that status is the best guarantee for its future prosperity.
In the politics of the Far East the year will also be memorable for the initiation of a movement that bids fair to end in the par- titioning of China. Russia has materially strengthened her influence in Korea and is establishing a virtual protectorate over Manchuria, her fleet being now installed at Port Arthur. Germany, as reparation for the murder of two German priests, has seized Kiaochau and has included amongst her other demands one for the development of the resources of Shantung under German direction. France has ambitions for territorial aggrandisement in the South and a rumour, not yet verified, has been in circulation for the last day or two to the effect that the
to a11 inconvenient extent, In local official circles the changes during French. flag has been hoisted on the island of Hainan, the coasts of which have especially Indian yarn. the importers of the year have been few, but in the year now of late been carefully surveyed by French which have felt the position so keenly that entered upon we shall have a change of ships. As these lines are being penned the they recently recommended the adoption of Governors, while absence on leave will pro- British fleet is engaged on a mission the short time by the Bombay mills, a recom-bably cause temporary changes in the office exact, nature of which is as yet veiled in mendation which, however, was not adopted, of the Colonial Secretary and other import- ant departments. The West Yorkshire secrecy but which is understood to include Heavy fluctuations of exchange and un- the securing of concessions for Great Britain certainty as to the future of silver have also Regiment leaves us to-day, carrying with equivalent to the advantages gained by other had a demoralising effect. Happily the them the esteem and best wishes of the com- Powers. A progressive, strong, and in-senreity of money is now receiving some munity, while to their successors, the Royal dependent China would have best served
Lancaster Regiment, a hearty welcome must England's policy, but as the native ad-
be accorded. While on the subject of official changes meution cannot be omitted ministration is hopelessly corrupt, the country helpless, and its territory open to The colony of Hongkong, notwithstand- of the painful discovery of grave irregulari- annexation by any Power that chooses to ing the adverse trading conditions above ties in the Police Force and other branches put forth its hand-which several Powers alluded to, has continued to make substan- of the Public Service. Steps are now being are now doing-Great Britain must perforce tial progress during the year. The opening taken by legislation to provide for the more take the necessary steps for the protection of of the West River has increased the colony's effectual punishment of bribery when dis- her vast commercial interests in China, trade in that direction, and the prospects covered, but it is to be feared that whatever care which outweigh those of all the other of its further development are bright. The may be taken unprincipled men will always Powers put together. Fortunately the various local industries have been profitably find opportunities of adding to their income by illegal gratifications, and in a colony indications point to a peaceable adjustment employed, and these will shortly receive an of their claims by the various Powers con- important addition in the mills of the like this the temptations placed in the way cerned, the outbreak of hostilities between Hongkong Cotton Spinning, Weaving, and of persons in authority are strong, any European nations with respect to Dyeing Co., Limited. There has been an the China question being extremely im-active demand for land, both for industrial probable.
Although the Chinese Government re- mains naturally exclusive and unprogressive it has not been able entirely to resist the force of events making for the development of the country's resources and the extension and improvement of its means of communication. The West River has at last been opened as far as Wuchow, and the results of the first six months' working promise well for the establishment of a large and profit-
relief, goods are being cleared more readily than for some time past, and the prospects for the New Year are not unfavourable.
and residential purposes, and the re-valuation of rateable tenements, which will come into. force from the 1st July next, is expected to show a substantial increase in the value of property. The extension of the Naval Yard is expected to be commenced during the year now opening, and that large and im- portant work, which will afford employment to a large number of labourers, and bring into circulation a large sum of money, will con- tribute to our local prosperity. It is prob-
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Looking forward to the year just opening, the prospect politically as well as commer- cially may be regarded as favourable. In Europe the political atmosphere is fairly free of war clouds. In India the famine is at au end and the frontier disturbances are being suppressed. Coming further east, the King of Siam has just returned from a European tour, the results of which it is to be hoped will be seen in au acceleration of the pro- gress already being made in that interesting country. In Japan trade is at present suffering from the effect of the currency