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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND nim. Japan is much in need of money at ¡ complete. This Pacific cable will serve the the present moment and by this fact may | purposes of trade between Australasia and be inclined to sacrifice certain commercial | Canada, but these countries are debarred advantages to hasten the payment of the from establishing independent telegraphic indemnity, a matter in which the British connection with Hongkong. Under an Minister seems to have taken a firm stand agreement, dated 28th October, 1893, the on the other side. Then the proceedings of Eastern Extension Telegraph Company Japan with regard to Fukhien province can strengthened its monopoly by having hardly be looked on as beneficial to British Canada and the Australasian Colonies tele- or other European interests. The Japanese graphically excluded from this colony and acquisition of Formosa, followed by the pro- forbidden to lay, or to assist in laying, any tective policy adopted there, has struck a blow | new cable to its shores for a period which at British trade and shipping between Fuk- does not expire until about seventeen years hien, Formosa, and beyond, from which it is from the present date. But there is one highly improbable that they will recover. means of breaking up this monopoly, and There are other points in Japan's commercial that is for the British Imperial Government policy which similarly affect British trade. to exercise its option to purchase the cable But on the whole the similarity of objects laid between Hongkong, Labuan, and Sin- is greater than the divergences, and a closer gapore on giving twelve inonths' notice to the commercial alliance between the two nations Telegraph Company and paying the stipulated must undoubtedly tend to the advantages price of £300,000. Whether this will be done of both. The likelihood of any closer union we are of course unable to say, but there depends on the turn which events take after are many powerful advocates not only in the conclusion of negotiations with China. Great Britain, but in Canada and Australasia, It is apt to be assumed that a Japanese for a national system of state-owned alliance is to be had for the asking, an electric cables, both for the protection of assumption which it is hardly wise to make. imperial interests and for the promotion of Pan-Britannic trade and defence. Such a The Japanese are a practical people and will want something more that an illusory friend-change would be hailed with the most ship. The possibility of the extension of profound satisfaction here by all interested shipping service between England and Japan, in trade, as the cost of telegrams now presses if it succeeds in bringing into Japan some very hardly on the commercial community, of the much needed foreign capital, may do and while constituting a serious charge on much to strengthen the relations between business it restricts its growth and that of the two peoples.
the colony generally. Canada has led the way in the reduction of postage to the popular rate of one peony for the half-ounce letter, and her statesmen are now strongly urging the adoption of a popular rate for telegrams within the limits of the British Empire. If this scheme be adopted, it will soon break down telegraph monopolies in all parts of the world, much to the benefit of trade generally. It is satisfactory to think that we are at last within sight of some amelioration of telegraph rates. The money for the Pacific cable has been agreed to, and the work has actually commenced. At least, so we gather from a speech made by Lord RANFURLY, Governor of New Zealand, on the 2nd ultimo, in opening the Parliament of that go-ahead colony. His Excellency said that the commencement of the construction of the Pacific cable was an accomplished fact, the contract had been signed, the Board of Advice had been formed, and the work of laying the cable was pro- gressing. This Imperial work," his lord- ship added, "would be advantageous alike to the colonies and to the mother country." This is good hearing, and the opinion expressed by Lord RANPURLY will, we doubt not, find endorsement in every part of the widely scattered British Empiro.
THE PACIFIC CABLE.
(Daily Press, 6th August.) The brief announcement made by REUTER on the last day of July, to the effect that the House of Commons had authorised & loan of two millions sterling as Great Britain's share of the cost of the Pacific cable, marks the commencement of a fresh era in the history of telegraphic communica tion., This cable, which must not be confused with the projected cable across the Pacific from San Francisco vid Honolulu, to Japan and thence to Manila, is the line proposed by Sir SANDFORD FLEMING in October, 1898, to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. It will commence at Vancou. ver, and cross the Pacific to Australia. The first station will be at Fanning Island, the second at Fiji, and the third at Norfolk Island; at the latter point it is intended to bifurcate, one branch extending to New Zealand, the other to the eastern coast of Australia. This line is one of supreme im- portance both to the British Empire and to trade. It is intended as the first link in a vast scheme for inaugurating an Imperial system of telegraphy. Sir SANDFORD FLEMING urges very strongly that, like the post- offices, the telegraph lines should be state- owned, and he boldly advocates further cables to connect with the British lines existing, which would then not only girdle the globe but enable the Government to reduce the telegraphic rates to such a point as to bring its advantages within the means of all. This is a great project, and perhaps it is too much to hope that it will be carried through in its entirety for some years to come. Yet there is no reason why a great portion of the dream of telegraph reformers should not soon be realised. The principle of state-ownership and state control of sub- marine cables was formally confirmed on the 31st December, 1900, when the contract for laying this Pacific cable was signed. From that to other steps will not be very difficult, in spite of the very powerful private interests that block the way. These difficulties will have to be overcome before the British telegraphic girdle can be made
[August 10, 1901.
SWATOW'S TRADE IN 1900.
(Daily Press, 7th August.) The trade of Swntow, even from the mere fact of its proximity, cannot fail to have an interest for residents in Hongkong. More. over, as is the case with the other southern ports, the events of last year cause the figures to have a special significance as showing the amount of the effect produced by the nothern troubles on southern com- Mr. Consul Scott, who is respons- merce. ible for the Foreign Office report on the trade of Swatow in 1900, commences by deprecating the artificial reckoning of dues, duties, exports and imports, in Haikwan taels, the tael being no coin at all and its sterling exchange fluctuating und falling year by year.
He therefore, in common with the compilers of most of the other consular reports this year, gives the values in both Haikwan taels and sterling. Accord- ing to the first set of figures, the total net trade of Swatow in 1900 amounted to Hk. Tls. 44,030,704, as against the Hk. Tls. 24,935,095 of 1900, an increase of nearly 80 per cent.
"
But expressed in sterling the 1890 total was some £6,300,000, while last year the figures were £8,800,000, the real cent. increase therefore being some 8
per The 1900 only-a very large difference. figures, however, were the second largest on record for Swatow, the only better year "This result," says Mr. Scott, being 1899.
is eminently satisfactory in view of the
circumstances "adverse
and conditions "under which trade generally has been “conducted in the East during 1900.. "Merchants in Swatow, both native and ‘foreign, unite in acknowledging that their operations in 1900 have proved fairly “remunerative, and that the year closed with a ready settlement of accounts by "Chinese dealers and shippers."
**
The total trade of 1900 was divided na follows : Imports, £4,793,842; exports, £1,918,040; re-exports, £122,114, the latter being more than a 50 per cent, increase on the 1899 figures. By the customs return last year's imports included £1,078,883 worth of foreign goods and £2,820,459 worth of Chinese native produce, the latter drawn principally from the Yangtze and Northern provinces. Upwards of £100,000 worth of the foreign imports go to Swatow direct, principally from the Straits, Odessa, Japan, Formosa, Cochin-China, Siam and Java, the rest of foreign goods reaching. Swatow after transhipment at Hongkong. The lending places among foreign imports during the past two years were easily held by cotton goods and opium, followed at a distance by kerosene, and then by tin slabs, flour, fish, and rice. Opium and kerosene both made considerable advances in 1900 In H.B.M.8 Civil Summary Court at Shanghai from the previous year's figures, reaching on the 30th ult. the case Hibberdine v. Cowen came before Mr. Justice Bourne. Mr. Ribber £565,566 and £108,993 against £497,207 dine (who will be remembered as having been and €100,885 in 1899. Cotton goods fell on the staff of the Telegraph here) claimed from £780,552 to £631,648, a not uner- 894.70 for photo-engravings supplied to Mr. pected decline in shirtings taking place. Cowen, joint lessee with Mr. Chesney Duncan In yarn, the quantity imported declined of the New Press. This was in connection considerably, but the Indian product con. with a special edition of the New Press tinued to monopolise the market, while arranged by Mr. Grey, who got up a special Japanese yarn has been reduced to insigni edition of the Telegraph, it will also be re-ficant proportions. Under the heading of ordered the goods. When he found that the kerosene we find that the Sumatra oil is work was being done he gave notice to the gradually excluding both American and plaintiff that he did not want it. He admitted, Russian oils, on account of its cheapness, however, wing the work in his paper. Finally for as an illuminant it is inferior to both Mr. Cowen was ordered to pay the money into the others. The match trade is entirely in court, the question of the quality of the work the hands of Japan. The Swedish match, done by Mr. Hibberdine being left over until which drove out the English, once found Mr. Grey's return from Japan, which had been delayed owing to his not having mancient all along the coast, has been supplanted money to bring him back. His Honour said in turn by the Japanese product. Mr. Scorr that the money would not be paid out before observen:"A native coolie, earning this return, when the matter of reducing the
wage of some ¿d per day, cannot rise to a sum due to Mr. Hibberdine could be considered. log of wood (comparatively speaking) like
membered. Defeɩdant said that he had povor
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