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December 16, 19 1.]
THE CATHEDRAL CHAPLAINCY.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE
"DAILY PRESS.
Hongkong 12th December. SIR,-Some days ago you published from Church Notes the explanation of the Rev. R. F. Cobbold, M.A, as to his retirement from the senior chaplaincy of St John's Cathedral, and prefaced it by stating that no doubt the Church Body would call a meeting of seat holders and subscribers and decide as to the appointment of a new chaplain.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
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thirty years on and off in Formosa, he cannot possibly be an authority on business matters, as he has very little to with the foreign merchants in Auping, and he would have done better had, he, left the merchants alone. Does he think when in twelve months he paid three visits to them, that they are goiuz to recount all their troubles to a man who, to say the leas, can but poorly understand the situation? However, for his benefit I will show the exact position of the In his missionary foreign merchauts now. work he has fields, which yield better fruit and¦ Since then a considerable number of people others which are not as good. Let us suppose have been waiting for the Church Body to co... that there are three good fields only and a Let number of more or less indifferent ones. vene that meeting for the parpos mentioned. It will surprise many to learn that, if what I the Japanese, Government put worries, restric. I hear is correct, the Church Body hure acinally, tions, obstructive regulations in his way until appointel.a new Senior Chaplain feally, with he finds he must either run evormous risks or out any reference to the feelings of the seat- abandon the fields, and yet must continue fight- holders and subscribers. Farther, they made ing for capital invested (say in the shape of the appointnieut-a conditional one, I believe churches, schools, &c.), and then let the Go -some weeks before the Senior Chaplain'svernment suddenly start a Government mission of a different-religion, and make two of the three resignation was received and a cepted.
b.st fields into monopelies where the concerts are compelled to adopt the Government religion and all the churches and schools built with the mission money are seized without any recom- pense. Then let the Government put a very heavy taxation on mission work, place obstructive regulations and restrictions before the E. P. missions, and with the money obtsised from the E. P. M. avily subsidise u rival mission whose religion is opposed to that taught by the E.P.M. Then let the members of the mission be paid Ly the numbers of converts they make, and not by funds from England, and feel that with such heavy handicaps, they are losing their converts and in consequence their chance of earning a mere living. In addition to that, let us suppose that under the Chinese regime the members of the mission bad put all their private savings iuto local property which they cannot sell even if they wish to leave the country and start afresh. If Mr. Campbell can imagine all the above as having befallen his mission which he assisted to build up long before the Japanese thought of Formosa, and can still talk of fair com- petition and surely evolutions of this kind are but the fortunes of war." then I will call him a trne Christian. He talks of the welcome but high-tariffed little Thules and thereby shows his ignorance of the matter. The Thales is 11 820 tous, British registered, and runs knots when clean and at least 9 knots when dirty: shensed to run between Anping aud Hougkongria coast ports three times a month. The original rates of freight for exports were 20 sen per package up to 182 cafties in weight to Amoy, subsequently increased by 25 per cent. on account of dear coal, and 25 cents to Swatow and Hongkong, and. I believe, though I am not quite certain, 6.50 per ton for imports, which had to be landed by the agents' cargo-boats at a rate of 15 sen per package of average size, and much less for small packages. Now the Osaka chosen Kaisha receives a subsidy of 800.000 per annum. made out of taxation of which the foreigners contribute their share, for main taining a fortnightly service with the Maidzuru Mare (old German steamer Coatinentul), of 60 tons register ( knots when clean ad knots when dirty), saloon and cabins (two) badly kept and of the size usually fitted for small steam launches. Her tariff for exports is 30 cents per picul (making 39.5 cents per package) to Amoy, and 40 cents per picul for 53.8 cents per package) to Hongkong and Swatow. Imports are rate at $8.75 per ton and also have to rate of 25 be lauded by the owners at a to 30 cents per package of average size, and smaller packages are charged for at a corres- poudingly dear figure.
Apparently, the Church Body have taken up the position that, although the two chaplaincies are maintained solely by the seat holders, sub: scribers, and others of the congregation, it was unnecessary to consult them. This is one point which those seatholders and subscribers who from hearsay have learnt of the new appoint- ment strongly resent, and they desire an planation, which can best be given in special meeting convened for the purpose.
Another aspect of the matter is of importance, and of public importance, considering the position of the Senior Chaplain to the majority of the English community here. That is, that the Church Body, now having the have endeavoured to opportunity, should
suitable have secured from England successor to the Senior Ch plain, but again, apparently no efforts were made, or if they were made, there are many who would be pleased to learn of such. There is no necessity to speak on the qualifications of a Senior Chap- lain; those who have considered it their duty to attend the Cathedral the last twelve months are painfully aware of these. The Bishop of Victoria in preaching in the Cathedral some time ago upbraided the young men and women of the Colony for neglecting their religions duties, and thought the evil of this neglect was greater than some other erils. I never perhaps occurred to him that a reason existed, and that his recent action, in conjunction with the Church Body, is likely to perpetuate that "evil" to an even greater degree, which may also mean a serious diminution in the revenue of the church. Apologising for trespassing on your space on a subject on which much feeling exists.,
Yours, etc..
A SEATHOLDER.
EUROPEANS IN FORMOSA.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS,"
10 One
Kobe, November. SIR.-I shall be much obliged if you will permit me to remonstrate in your valuable columns with the tenor of Mr. Campbell's long article, which appeared in your paper of the 16th September. Had he kept himself entirely to writing about the greater success, if any, which his mission has experienced since the Japanese acquisition of Formosa, would have thought. of questioning him, though it would have been more accurate had he said that he was writing from his own personal experience, rather than from the experience of the entire mission as a whole. Let even Mr. Campbell himself relate his ex- perience recently in mid-Formosa when he was arrested and actually ill-treated as a Russian spy and detained! Since the episode of the Russian spy, when, 1 believe in compliance with H. B. M. Consul's request, full apologies were tendered to Mr. Campbell, he has been no doubt rather better treated, and has also found converts rather more willing to come forward, because of his supposed enhanced prestige. Every one living in China knows how the Chinese regard the matter of prestige. He must therefore feel somewhat gratified, and thought he would acknowledge his gratitude (?) through the Press at the expense of his mercan- tile countrymen, and thus please the officials.
Although Mr. Campbell may have been
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at the expense of the house-owners mainly, The Government paid but a small amount compensation and the owners have to pull their oia houses down and sell the bricks as best As a rule the owners love quite 50 they can. per cent. of the market value of their houses thus pulled down. Surveying has certainly been done all over the country and the Japanese are very good at this kind of work, but, though the military may have already got results from this expenditure, it has not as yet assumed a commer- . cial value. Later on, however, soms good charts may be obtainable. Trolleys were laid down by the military when they first fought overland against the Chinese, but the line is badly kept as a whole and not much used for commercial pur- poses, as the military authorities still keep it in hand. There is a railway of 25 miles between Tainan and Takow which is being extended to Kahgre, 50 miles northward. In course of time it will meet with the northern line and unite in one trunk line between Keelung and Takow. Though not very much patronised at present, because old-fashioned trade-routes are still cheaper, no doubt in course of time commerce will benefit. By that time probably there will be very few, if any at all, foreign merchants left, so that Mr. Campbell and the Japanese merchants will have it all to them- selves.
The Post and Telegraph offices in South Formosa are a disgrace to the Govern- ment.
&c-the mer-
There is hardly a telegram received without some mutilations, even between such short distances as Anping and Takow, and as to letters one is usually not surprised when they take three months to reach Takow from Anping, and only too thankful to get any at all. Tele- phone-stations are paid for by the contributing merchants, who want to have one installed, for which besides initial expenses--such as cost of posts and wires,
100 yen.
This is therefore not chants have each to pay an annual subscrip- tion of exactly an outcome of Dr. Goto's administra- tion. There are a few hospitals round about Tainan for the maintenance of which the already heavily taxed nerchants have to pay a contribution, though used mainly by the Japan- ese inhabitants, as the Chinese, if they go to an hospital at all. generally prefer the mis. sion ole and Dr. Anderson or Dr. Maxwell. As to light-houses, I have not heard of any erected beyond those existing of the island to Ja- before the cession pan; and the Takow light is much more poorly kept than when under Chinese regime ; sometimes you can see hardly any light there at all.
new
ones
over-
In regard to the regular service of steamers round the island and to the Pescadores, all are subsidised at the rate of 60,000 yen per annum each, and probably do not carry goods which yield half that amount of profits to the merchants of the island. This service is use
as whereas hitherto to the missions, ful they had to visit their east coast stations
tedious chair-journey by a either
a dirty Chinese cargo-beat land or in now they have steamers of 1,500 tons gross thrice a month, generally in ballast. merchants who contriinte in taxation towards the upkeep of this line must feel thankful to have been able in a small way to assist in placing a little comfort at the disposal of Mr. Campbell when he feels inclined to visit his stations.
The
As regards law, justice, and administration under the present regime, as compared with the Chinese regime, commercially the position is disastrous, as the Chinese, hitherto of good integrity, are learning to take adarntage of the Japanese law, and pra tise the same games as Japanese merchants in Japan; whereas in As tax-payers, one would like to ask what benefits the merchants get out of the charge for Chinese days one could trust a Chinaman to j which they in common with others are taxed to keep his contract, even if not in writing. Now find the $60,440 subsidy Can one not fairly it is difficult to make bim do so. if it does not presume that the subsidy is give simply with suit him, even though there be a written Mistakes mu t a view to driving cut the British boat? The contract. However, I have no desire to attack same company runs two steamers to the North the Government on that score. and one between Hongkong and Focchow, each be made, and Japan is but a young colonising him think that it will eventually benefit the of which also receives 60,000 yen per annum. Power. No doubt Dr. Goto and those under In regard to the millions spent by Dr
come by heary subs dies if he Goto in roadmaking, surveying, trolley and Japanese merchants when he can induce hal as it was drives the comparatively few foreign merchants railway lines, &c., the road between Anping them to
It is but a matter out of the country. and Tainan is just before the advent of the Japanese. There are
most, and he however a couple of good roads made throngh | of opinion as to what policy benefits the
whole the country BS 2 Tainan by pulling down houses, but this was
as