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dotus that the Phoenicians circumnavigated it in the time of Meho, king of Egypt-to emulate the ancients.
After a struggle of centuries they had suc- ceeded in rolling the Mohammedans back on Africa, and had followed them thither. It was while fighting their late oppressors on the north- Fern fringe of that vast continent that the Portuguese were allured by the quantity of gold which was seen there, and which was brought from the interior. Thenceforth, to find out the place whence the gold came occu- pied the attention of the Portuguese.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
From a remote antiquity the commodities of the East had been much sought after in Europe. The trade in them had enriched many ancient states, and had later been the source of the prosperity of Venice, Genoa, Pisa. To discover a ses route to India whereby they might wrest that trade from the hands of the Italians was the object the Portuguese constantly had in view.
But at a time when the art of navigation was yet in its infancy stronger motives than mere curiosity or mere love of gain were required to arge men to undertake long voyages by sea. Fortunately these motives were supplied by religious zeal and martial spirit.
In the middle ages, zeal for religion and love of war were the characteristics of the European nations. Those feelings were heightened dur- ing, and in the centuries subsequent to, the struggles between the followers of Christ and the followers of Mohammed. In the case of the Portuguese and the Spanish these struggles were carried on in the Peninsula, began early, ended late, and were continuous. While the rest of the Europeans were employing their martial spirit against each other, the Portuguese, after subjugating the Moors, looked about for peoples to conquer and to convert, and very naturally turned their attention, first of all, to the races settled in Africa.
Finally, Portugal was the only nation of Europe that did not engage in the constant wars carried on among the rest. Her one European foe was Spain, a foe over whom shə often triumphed. She, therefore, had leisure to think of projects of discovery.
Thus, the Portuguese were, in the beginning of the fifteenth century, prepared to enter on the work of discovery. To enable them to begin it in earnest one thing alone was needed a leader to guide their efforts. Fortunately such a leader appeared just in time in the person of Prince Henry. The Prince was born March 4, 1394. Scion of Royalty, he received an education befitting his birth. With the eye of genius
The Lusitanian Prince who, Heaven-inspired, To love of useful glory roused mankind, saw that the time had come for carrying out the design of breaking the barriers within which the ambition of man had hitherto been confined. In order to thoroughly execute his work he retired to Sagres, near Cape St. Vincent, where, in the midst of a pleasing solitude, be devoted himself to the study of mathematics. The first expeditions of the Portuguese were equipped by him. They were --not productive of great results at first, but the movement of discovery had begun, a movement that continued to our times."
And those who have by many a valorous act Their names for ever freed from bond of death; I will in song proclaim to every part If art and genius should accord me aid.
Cease now to vaunt the navigations great The Trojan and the Grecian wise achieved; No longer spread the fame of victories By Alexander and by Trajan gained; I sing of the illustrious Lusian power Which the gods Mars and Neptune did obey; Cease all the Ancient Muse so long has sung; Another, nobler valour rises now.
A voluminous literature on the above theme is expected in connection with the forthcoming commemoration of De Gama's arrival at Calicut in May, 1498. That literature will direct the attention of the civilized world to the Porta- guese nation, and will draw closer the ties that bind Portugal and England, that bind the nation that discovered the sea-route to the East and failed to found an empire in India and the nation that, coming by that route, has founded that empire.
+
Portugal fulfilled her mission when she opened the way to new worlds wherein Euro- peans might display their activity. She was not to found that empire beyond ses which she
at
April 2, 1898.
would doubtless not object to having Italy for a neighbour. France herself would probably prefer to have Italy located there than to be bundled out, neck and crop, by Great. Britain, for sooner or later British inter- ests will demand that the advance of Francë along the coast should be checked, and the pre- sent seems a suitable time to cry Halt to the versatile Republic in its voracity for addi tional territory. Hainan she may take, but no more of the China coast. Germany will doubt- less be pleased to see her ally, Italy, permanently located in an excellent harbour in South China, with a fleet of good war vessels ready always to support her own fleet should troubles arise between herself and France, or others; and Austria likewise would see the benefit to her of a more equal distribution of power in Eastern seas should she locate herself, for instance, in one of the excellent harbours on thé Fakien coast.
Britain will of course, re-occupy Chusan, and the United States might find some suitable naval station on the Chekiang Coast, where she could support Great Britain in keep- ing the Yangtsze open to the trade of all na- tions, on equal terms.
Japan would of course settle down perman- ently at Weihaiwei and be given a free hand in Korea to hasten that backward Power on the road to civilization and reform.
one time so fondly dreamt of founding. She now retains but a remnant of her once numerous possessions. It is not intended to examine here the causes of her failure. It is enough to say that no nation having no surplus population to dispose of has succeeded or will ever succeed in colonization. What remains of the colonies of Portugal, likewise of those of Spain, the empire France is building to be a fit monument to the genius of Dupleix, and the whole of South America are the heritage of the vigorous Anglo-Saxon, Teuton, and Slav. We dip into the future and we see these three, and AMERICAN BUTter and canNED but these three, raees holding the dominion of the world.
ITALY AND AUSTRIA'S PLACE ON THE CHINA COAST.
[COMMUNICATED.]
Now that the Chinese Government are giv ing way on all points to the two aggressive Powers, Russia and France, it behoves all the great trading nations-Britain, Germany, the United States, and Japan, together with Austria and Italy, who though carrying on a lesser
trade are interested to a very considerable ex-
tent in keeping the Chinese trade with it,s possibilities unhampered by hostile tariffs--to see that the territory slipping out of the control of the expiring Manchu dynasty is neither left to become the scene of anarchy in the coming great rebellion nor to fall entirely into the hands of a Power that is only intent on a dog. in-the-manger policy,
Taking the above for granted the question arises, how best can these two impending dan gers be obviated, and the answer seems to be, the distribution of the coast provinces, or at least strategic points in these provinces, amongst those Powers who only seek to maintain order and safeguard the already great trade with its still greater possibilities.
Next comes the question as to which is to be the sphere allotted to these Powers provided Buch then were some of the principal they are willing to undertake the task, and it circumstances that led a small European seems very unlikely that any of the Powers ocean-route from named will refuse at least to occupy some suit- kingdom to lay open an West to East and to discover so
able port on the China coast as a naval station, many With wonder from which point the adjacent coast and inland hitherto unknown countries. and admiration Europe looked on the efforts territory can be coerced into order. It is, in- and sacrifices made, on the difficulties encoun-deed, a case where distribution of power and tered and surmounted by the enterprising Por- tuguese: Their achievements form the theme of one of the noblest poems of the world. In strains breathing intense patriotism, Camoes sings the deeds of his countrymen :——
The deeds of arms and harons of renown, Who from the Western Lusitanian coast Through seas that never had been sailed before Passed e'en beyond the Trapobana land, Mighty and brave in perils and in wars Beyond what human strength had made us hope, And midst the races distant and remotę
An empire reared which they so splendid made Also, the glorious mem'ries of those kings, Who went forth the Dominion and the Faith To spread, and devastation made in lands Corrupt of Asia and of Africa;
responsibility, amongst those able to assert themselves in this direction, can only re- sult in the common good of all, Chinese included, for the latter if left to themselves will now go from bad to worse; at best the inhabit- auts of the six southern provinces, Chekiang, Fukien, Kwangtung, Kwangsi, Kweichow, and Yunnan would take a long time to settle down on the collapse of the Manchu dynasty-an event well within sight—unless subject to coer cion from a European Power,
Russia can be left free to occupy the northern territories on the distinct understanding that any attempt to advance into the Yangtze Valley or establish differential tariffs will be the signal for the combined great trading Powers to make common cause against her,
MILK IN HONGKONG.
The American Bureau of Foreign Commerce now publishes daily advance sheets of Consular reports, an example which might be followed with advantage in England. The following report by the American Consul at Hongkong, dated 14th December last, was published on the 23rd February:
I am in receipt of a communication from a house in New York, propounding a series of in- terrogatories relative to a possible market for American butter in Hongkong, the answers to which I consider of sufficient importance to transmit to the Department, with a view to their publication for the information of dairy-
men and butter exporters in general.
The butter consumed in Hongkong is im- ported from Denmark, Australia, and France, with small quantities from California. The Danish is the most popular. The average price
obtained for butter in this market is 80 conts Mexican (38 cents gold) per pound. Hongkong being a free port, no statistics as to the total quantity imported are obtainable.
United States creamery butter, properly pre- pared, and genuine butter, can find a good market here.
American exporters have been labouring under the delusion that anything is good enough for the Asiatic coast, whereas the demand is for the highest grades, and the consumers are will ing to pay for them. As per example: People here pay $1.30 (62 cents gold) a tin for English canned asparagus, when the same firm here (Lane & Crawford) are agents for the finest tinned California, asparagus for 55 cents Mexi- can (26 cents gold), better goods in every way and one-third as cheap. When I bought the last tin he had and inquired for more, the sales man replied that I was the only person who had ever tried it, except himself, that he could not even give a tin away, because it was American:
J. C. Goodchild, late manager of the Hong: kong Hotel, the largest hotel in the colony, imported last year from Goldberg & Bowen, Foster and Co., and others of San Francisco, over 1,200 pounds of pickled and creamery butter. He placed it on his table, and the guests had to eat it. The result was that it Now, commencing from the south, Kwang-was liked, and residents of the city fell into the chowwan in Kwangtung seems to be a harbour admirably adapted to the wants of the great naval Power Italy, both for a naval station and a trading entrepôt, as here will centre a consi- derable portion of the trade of the Upper West
✦ The writer has been bold enough to make the River, France's pretentions to this naval base above translation in blank verse, -
cannot be tolerated by Great Britain, who
habit of sending to him for rolls for their private use. He imported it in barrels of 100 rolls, each roll weighing 14 pounds, and it was laid down in Hongkong for from 26 to 32 cents gold per pound.
Of late, fresh Australian butter has been brought herein refrigerators at 55 cents Mexican
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