July 28, 1902.]
Athletic Sports on the United Service Recrea- tion Grouïd on the 27th, and an open-air Fervice on the same ground at 10 am. en Sunday, 29th, when the Mayor and Corporation will attend.
Particulars have now come to band as to how the Coronation Fleet will be mcored at Spithead. The Fleet will be organised in sub-divisions 'as shown in the following list for Review pur- pcses, postal and other arrangements. 7 be letter E. against ship's name denotes the
Senior Cfficer of the sub-division :-
Line E-Magnificent (8.). Mars, Prince George. Majestic (8.), Jupiter, Hannibal, London (8.), Niobe, Sutlej, Ariadne, Furious (8., Doris, Pactolus, Prometheus, St. George. (8), Hyacinth, Juno, Minerva, Brilliant, and Rain-
bcw.
Line D-Resolution (S.). Trafalgar, Nile, Revenge (8.), Anson, Camperdown, Empress of India. Sans Pareil (S.). Benbow, Collingwood (8.), Edinburgh, Devastation. Hero, Conqueror, Hawke, Immortalité, Orlando, Narcissus, Aus- tralia (S.). Galateo.
Line C.-Severn, Melompus (S.), Andromache, Scylla, Retribution, Apollo, Jaseur Heard (S) Spanker, Alarm, Skipjack, Leda, Speidwell, Onyx (8.), Renard, Circe, Jason, Gravel pper Antelope (F.), Gleuner, Sheldrake, Sharpshooter, Seagull, Fantome, Northampton (S.), Calliope, Cleopatra.
Line B Wizard, Hunter, Hasty, Zebro. Syren, Success (8.), Bullfinch, Havock, Hornet, Swordfish, Porcupine, Sturgeon, Haughty, Barger. Snapper, Roebuck, Racehorse (S.) Lynx, Contest, Shark, Sprightly (8.), Lively, Vizen, Vigilant, Opoɛsim, Charger, Decoy, Dasher, Staflower (S.), Martin, Pilot, Nautilus, Liberty, Wanderer, Delphin,
Line A Ferrent, Zephyr, Starfish, Electra. Ships in lines D, E, F, are to be 1 cables apart;
in line C, 1 cables apart; and in lint Bone cable; the distances of ships apart in column being reckoned from how to bow.
There are to be eight columes of ships, with 20 vessels in the two principal lines, and 30 in the lines for smaller craft. The main lines ale lettered from A to H, the A line being net rest the Portsmouth shore, and H nearest the Isle
of Wight. Line A is filled by torpedo-boats and Government yarb the latter being placed nearest Gillkicker Fou. Next come torpedo bcat destroyers. Cline consists of second and third-class ciuisers and torpedo gunboats, D and E of battleships and cinisers, and F of the 16 foreign men-of-war. After making the four of the lines the Victoria and Albert will anchor between E and F lines, between the German and Italian men-of-war, and the King will receive the senior officers of the British and
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
RUSSIA'S CHANGING
POLICY.
[FROM A PECIAL CORRESPONDENT.]
Fort Arthur, 5th June.
73 ·
ordinarily a belated entry into business com- petition; but since Rassia's work here has been mainly political, with strong military bias, the field new approached is untried, and the Rus- sians show no disposition to waste time before familiarising themselves with it. Hence the advantages that are obvious may be offset by those not so clearly definable. and Port Arthur seems likely to apply itself to commercial growth, even if the nitimate motive may be only to acquire tangible trade and investment possessions which later on may be passed our to ports specially devised to carry on cr to control such lines of development.
As no ne supposes that the lease of this part of the Lung Peninsula for twenty-five years carried with it the slightest intention by Kussia of terminating occupancy at the end of that term, it is not news to announce that work here if Russia had the land in fee, instead of by lease- performed could not have been more thorong b Port Arthur bas relied on Japan for coal, and held. A visit here disposes of certain precon-plies, flour and various provisions. These goods
on the United States for railway iron and sup
ceived notions that seemed well-rooted. If this could not be brought overland and the meagre place were to be reserved as a military and naval agricultural and mineral returns from the in- station, preparations for a new city, now well terior forced the port to a choice between hauls advanced, would le difficult to explain. The from Japan and the Pacific coast of America. site of the present town will become a fortress, and those from Odessa. Railway construction but the civilian town will be reached is hardily has made accessible agricultural districts and as one may, in any city, cress the boundary that ccal and iron-fields, in Manchuris and the out- this time can hardly fail to approve a means of separates djacent wards, and observation at lying region.
frem a town altogether so uusttractive as dust blinds-except when rain chokes the high- the old settlement, where the sun glares, the ways with deep mud-and where locomotion at all seasons is so tortuous, cdorous, uneven as to ing Russians and the nerveless Chinese, wadden everyone less callous than the royster-
escape
1
The new town was laid out on moderu lines.
It covers two miles square and has straight, wide roads, passable exits toward the outlying areas, harbour conv. nieuces suitable for a busy port, and house room for twice the population that could be packed into the present Port Arthur. There will be water works and electric lighting. Auction sales in two sections have Fielded $600,000. The cost of lying out the city and snpplying it with public works will be defrayed from such sales. The design for the new city looks to develop along lies of peace; and hope expects from the civilian town more benefits t Russia than from the quarter from which civil life is excluded, within the
coming year. Dalny, the city which is to spring characterised as a stalking horse, but calentations into the commercial arena, may hardly be would be wide of the mark which assumed that Port Arthur was to neglect everything except fortifications. Whatever the future hold for Dalny, Vladivostock, or for sea ort near the tip of Corea, this harbour must Russian control for railroad business, for which for some years be the most convenient under
quick transit to the China or Japan coast may he required. It's the natural railroad terminus
may Eome
There is cne point on the railway, not far from Mukden, where native miuers bare and sold it at two dollars Mexican, or less than brought coal in carts, a distance of fifty miles, four shillings, per ton.
It has lacked uni. formity of quality, for the miners rarely sorted it, but some of the best is said to rank with Cardiff ecal, and all of it is marketable. Timber four feet in diameter has been brought out of lately gone into the district, and reports from the same district. Various prospectors have them, while intended for general information. Lear out native tales of great mineral wealth
there. The richness of the coal-mines worked by the China Engineering and Mining Co., across the Pechilhi Gulf, invests with plansi. bility all surmises that lands in Manchuria and elsewhere, which the railway approaches, will capond abundantly to exploration. Iron cre may now be brought almost any distance over- land, at rates to compete with cost of freights over the Pacific, if Russia should decide that home products must be used be shut out rivalry.
Aroblem of some magnitude presents itself in this connection, for this port has been customs free and plans have always contemplated a free port at Dalny. That arrangement seems likely to induce trade away from China ports, where the five per cent. tariff rules. Apparently, it was thought, in the first instance, that no barrier would be raised against the transit Ly rail of such free goods into China. There is no sign yet of a barrier, but the device has
foreign warships on beard the Victoria and for passeugels or freight destined for either of { worked scarcely at all against China, while it
Albert.
On approaching the fleet, the Victoria and Albert will enter the lives Letween B and C. returnir ទ between C and D, and then steaming up befyn D and E, and after rounding the Oden at the eastern end of the line, proceed between E and F to the position indicated.
It has now Leen officially notified that all the British ships will be conracted with each utler by submarine telegraph cables. Each fl: gship will be at the head of a roup of ships cnnected by electric cables, and cables will Connect each flagship. lu the same way the fleet will be in telegraphic and telephonic com- munication with Horse Sand and Gillkicker forts, and these in their turn will be in similar communication with the Commander-in-Chief's, ffice, Portsmouth. The two forts will be in change of the Chatham and Devonpert sigral- Log stuff. A station Efcat Devastation will be in charge of the Portsmouth signalling staff. These communications are to be maintained from June 20th until the fleet disperses.
{
on
H.M.S.
Directions have also been given as to the faluting when the King passes in the Royal yacht. All the cffices are to form a line on the pcup and salute together, afterwards emaining at attention until the whole of the Reyal procession has passed. Ships are also to be marned.
We regret to learn of the death of Dr. Sarah Kerr, of the Margaret Williamson Hospital, Shanghai, the lady having succumbed to cholera Another lady doctor of the same mission hospital is also down with cholers. There have been cases of the same disease at the German Camp.
those countries, for while its position may not be superior to that of Dalny, that condition after the expenditure of from 15,000,000 to must still be referred to a time ahead, to arrive
20,000,000 roubles.
to say
(bat
enter
Meanwhile the railway will run directly here, as it is doing, and Dalny will be off on a branch line. Vladivostock will doubtless attract a trade of its own, for development in that region seems inevitable, Lut such development is also ahead, and the connection of railway links in northern Manchuria has relegated Vladivosteck to an inferior place just now as a railway terminus, With the Russian bag open at both places, it probably does not much matter which of the Two ports shall gather in the greater amount of business, Lut it may not be too much if the element of nationality did not into sailroad control, and if this port were in other than Russian hands, a start might now be made which would give any other port hereabouts a long stein chase before it could overhaul Pert Arthur. Purpose to mislead need not be credited to the announcement that no goods will enter here except military sup plies, for that intention may be entirely com- patible with a miscellaneous commercial use for this port, while other ports are fitting them- selves to attract business. Assuming that Russia is alive to trade and investment enterprise, it is not to be supposed that Russian capital will idly await the completion of railway or municipal conveniences at a time when outside energies are heading this way.
Russian advantages in transportation. in seaports, and in prestige among the natives, would probably be secure enough to excuse
has enabled buyers for the territory back of Vladivostock, a high tariff port, to get goods in by Port Artur much more cheaply than could Vladivostock merchants who brought in goods in the regular way, paying the Russian
?
duty at Vladivostock, and finding sales impcs- sible, except at a loss, because of the alertness of their competitors in using this place as a free port of entry. Since the government must wish to prevent embarrassment to Russi merchants from this cause, the free port plan may rot work. It is, of course, desirable to favour the importation of Russian goeds of all kinds. If such goods te brought by sea. charges must be so much greater than the trans- Pacific rates and the rates across from Japan- that the goods could not compete in price with gcods similar in quality from the United States and Japan. Should shipments come by rail, the cost of long baul, and the confusion incident to separation of consignments, 10 that Siberia might escape taxation, to be imposed south of the accepted Russian boundary, would add to cost already as high as in China for many products, and higher than for others, and practically close China markets to imports ard defeat the main purpose in opening the Lino- tung barbours.
It has been suggested that a customs tax be
imposed here and at Dalny, with preferential rates for Russian gccds; but such a measure would contract the market rather then expand it, and throw burdens on trade in general that eculd not le Lorne with any prospect of con tinued development. A mis-step might provoke serious detrimental results and yet risk must attend any measure of adjustment. is present occupation for a fiscal genius
There
TH