July 28, 1900.]
P. & O. S. N. Co.
THE CRISIS IN CHINA.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENTS.]
KOBE, 20th July, 8.40 p.m. China to the Emperor of Japan states that A personal appeal from the Emperor of the interests of the two countries are identi cal. The action of the Powers is aimed at the partitioning of China and will endanger Japan's independence.
The reply of the Emperor of Japan is that the law of nations. If China will suppress the attack on the Ministers was contrary to the insurrection and rescue the Ministers Japan will intercede on her behalf for peace.
SHANGHAI, 21st July, 7 a.m. have left and the Japanese firms have eva- Newchwang is still quiet, but all the ladies cuated their premises.
To have expended £8,500,000 on ship building in less than 20 years is a great achievement on the part of the company and is worthy of congratulations, but when Sir officials are very active. The harvest pros- Chungking still remains quiet, and the THOMAS says that for the four above men-pects are excellent. It is believed that the tioned steamers the company on the con- standstill is owing to the fears entertained tracts has had to pay fully 40 per cent. more than they would have had to pay three years
of disorderly soldiery passing northward. ago, seems rather to indicate that the direc-vised to leave the river ports.
The women and children have been ad- tors have been asleep and not open to make
The Nerbudda and Palamcotta arrived at the most of the signs of the times.
Taku on the 16th instant.
It is a well known axiom in shipbuilding that companies should build when trade is dull and the shipbuilding yards empty. Such a condition prevailed in England prior to 1896, when England undertook her great naval programme and let out contracts for some of her battleships and cruisers to pri- vate yards. Previously shipbuilding was dull in England, and the P. & O. S. N. Co. should then have made the most of their opportunity, and doubtless much of the ex- cess 40 per cent. might have been saved to the company by the directors.
CHINA ÖVERLAND TRÅDE REPORT. speaking of the passenger trade the Chair- be 6,600 tons registered with an effective | man said that he was sorry to state that the horse-power of 4,500. Very handsome and passenger receipts had undergone a certain commodious ships, but a distinct falling off decline, not a large amount so far, but it as far as horse-power is concerned from many was anticipated that the decline would be ships in the same company of much lighter continuous throughout the remainder of the tonnage. It may be presumed, however, that financial year, and it was caused as the the directors of the P. & O. S. N. Co. in board believed by the great bouleversement this respect know their own business best which had attended the South Afri- and need no criticism from the outside can War. So people had remained in public. Yet the fact remains that the P.&O. England who otherwise would have travelled S. N. Co. have no mail steamers or other- about: so many people had, on the other wise in the whole of their fleet to com- hand, gone to the Cape, who otherwise pare with the Konig Albert, 10,643 tons re- would have found their way to Egypt or to gistered and 9,000 horse-power, and while India, and moreover the leave of the whole the tendency of the Norddeutscher Lloyd is Military establishment of India being for to put on larger and more powerful steamers a time completely stopped had necessarily on the China Mail Service there seems to be had a considerable effect upon this branch no corresponding effort on the part of the of revenue. This may be all very well as far as it goes and doubtless did and does effect the passenger receipts of the P. & O. S. N. Co. But what about the passenger trade with China ? Has the P. & O. S. N. Co. made the most of its opportunities here? It is a notorious fact that the Nord- deutscher Lloyd has almost monopolized the passenger trade from Europe to China and Japan to the detriment of the P. & O. S. N. Co., and well the rival shipping company deserves its success. The accommodation afforded by the Norddeutscher Lloyd steam- ers both in the first and second class saloons is of the very best, while the service, courtesy, and attention are all that can be desired. The Norddeutscher Lloyd has made a specia- lity of the passenger trade to China and with a fortnightly service runs from Europe to Japan without a break on the journey. A decade ago the passenger trade to and from Europe was almost a monopoly of the P. & O. S. N. Co. It has now taken the second place in this respect, more pas- sengers preferring to travel with the Nord- deutscher Lloyd, where they obtain every comfort in steamers fitted with the latest scientific improvements. To assert itself in the premier position for the passenger trade the P. & O. S. N. Co. will find it necessary to run a through service to China and Japan with fast steamers, fitted as the Norddeut- scher Lloyd steamers are with the latest scientific improvements. Sir THOMAS SUTH- ERLAND complains in his speech of not being able to obtain homeward cargoes from China ports to the extent that the P. & O. steamers require. Such a remark may be appropriate when applied to mail steamers, which must run at stated times with the mails. But can Sir THOMAS explain the reason why the Hamburg-American line of steamers, which as a general class of steamers may be com- pared with the P. & O. intermediate and cargo steamers, can usually obtain full or fair cargoes of bamboo, cane, cassia, tea,rested too long on its oars and allowed camphor, matting, raw silk, feathers and its rivals to glide on, and now with the chinaware in the China ports, when the P. & O. S. N. Co's. steamers do not? It has great shipping companies around it in the been asserted that the want of a technical China trade it is necessary that it should and scientific education, such as is obtained
every exertion to sustain its premier readily and universally in German schools,
and pre-eminent position. is the cause of the want of appreciation of many of China's raw products on the part launch which runs between Kong Man (on the Through the "cuteness" of the master of the of British shippers. It may be so. If such is the case we can then scarcely blame Sir West River) and Hongkong, the Chinese au- THOMAS SUTHERLAND and the directors of day While on his way to Hongkong the mas- thorities made a fine haul of pirates the other the P. & O. S. N. Co. for a lack of technical ter had his suspicions aroused with regard to 20 and scientific knowledge on the part of the men who had come on board as passengers British race, for which the British Govern-having reason to believe that they were pirates ment is alone-responsible.
who were only waiting until the launch reached the other passengers. The master, accordingly a quiet part of the river so that they might rob let off the steam, making believe that some accident had happened. and the launch was un- able to proceed further. The pirates, however, smelt a rat and the whole 20 jumped overboard. An alarm was raised and 13 of them were cap turned by the Chinese village police. By this time they have no doubt lost their heads.
In speaking of the shipbuilding operations of the company Sir THOMAS mentioned that the four new steamers now contracted for the Syria, Soudan, Somali and Sicilia-were not exactly mail steamers and were intended more particularly for the Calcutta and China intermediate trade. These steamers will each
The conditions of trade in China are not now for the British shipper what they used without a rival and well might claim a mo- to be. Fifteen years ago he was almost nopoly. Times have changed. The Ger- man, the American and the Japanese are now in the field and all are now taking an active share in the commerce to be obtained in China. New lines of steamers and new routes have been opened. Faster steamers and better passenger-accommodation now prevail. As a rule passengers are not comfort is concerned and the Company very patriotic where their own personal which caters most for their pleasure and well-being is bound to obtain the trade. The P. and O. S. N. Co. has had a great before it. The trade of China is well worth past and we hope a greater future is still
every effort. The P. and O. S. N. Co. has
make
SHANGHAI, 23rd July, 7 a.m. There are continued conflicting reports as to the condition of the foreigners in Peking, but the fact remains that the Chinese get news from Peking in three days' time, while the foreigners get no news whatever.
Viceroy Li Hung-chang has been accorded
of Chinese soldiers has been allowed to ac- no foreign reception whatever, and no escort
company him. He arrived yesterday (Sun. day morning and was escorted to the Tao- tai's house in the suburbs of the British Settlement by a force of municipal police.
SHANGHAI, 24th July, 7.42 p.m. There are endless reports current, but no authentic news. The Chinese officials are very anxious to persuade the Consular body that the Ministers in Peking are still alive and that punitive measures should be post- poned as long as possible.
All is quiet at Tientsin, and the country people are returning to their villages round the town.
SHANGHAI, 25th July, 8.24 p.m. In an interview with the United States
Consul-General, Mr. J. Goodnow, Viceroy ters in Peking were safe. Kang-yi, he said, Li Hung-chang assured him that the Minis-
had not been appointed to Canton.
Refugees from the Yangtze valley Mis- sions are arriving in Shanghai by hundreds. Tientsin on the 20th instant states hopes that the Peking Relief Force will start with- in a fortnight of that date.
LEGATIONS REPORTED SAFE ON THE 18TH INST.
morning of the 23rd inst. from Government We were courteously informed on the
House that the following telegram was re- Consul at Canton :--- ceived on Sunday afternoon from H. B. M.
"C
Acting Viceroy states as certain lega- tions and community Peking safe and pro- tected July 18th.-Scott.
1
I.M.C. STAFF SAFE ON THE 21ST.
We are reliably informed that a telegram has been received from the Commissioner of Customs at Chefoo, stating that on the 21st instant he received a wire from the Governor of Shantung that the Inspector-General of Customs and his staff were safe.
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