•
September 8, 1902.]
The im-
far as British affairs are concerned not the most important. There is at present working here the Duff Syndicate, whose primary busi ness is gold-seeking, and whos concession has been gran ed by the Rajah, whos docum nts have been officially acknowledged as valid by the Siamese and British Governments. portance of that acknowledgmont caunot be overestimated, and is a point which must be remembered in all subsequent dealings in this matter. This Syndicate is well on the way to full work at present and with every prospect of success, whilst negotiations are proceeding for another large Syndicate and if the antici- pated success follows these ventures there will be a vast field for British enterprise. Bearing in mind these facts and always keeping in view the knowledge that practically the whole export trade of Kelantan and a large proportion of the import trade is with Singapore. I wish to direct attention to clause XII of the Auglo- Siamese Treaty of 1826 renewed in 1857. This clause was one of those which remained from the original treaty and reads as follow:
"Siam shall not go and obstruct or interrupt commerce in the States of Tringano or Calantan. English merchants and subjects shall have trade and intercourse in future with the same facility and freedom as they have heretofore had, and the English shall not go and molest, attick or disturb those Stites upon any pretence whatever."
An official Government communication which the writer has seen states that that treaty was still in force at the close of 191 and is presum- ably so now.
In the face of that article Siam has taken the following course of action. Pressure has been put from Bangkok on the Rajah of Kelantan to injure British trade in the follow- ing way. Instructions were forwarded from the Siamese capital to the Rijah that he was in future to abolish absolutely all import duties on articles arriving from Bangkok and all export duties ou artioles sent from Kelantan to Bang- kok. This means, as the veriest pupil in such matters can see, a direct and very serious blow to British trade between Kelantan and Singapore. It is serious now but it means even more serious harm to any growing up of British commercial undertakings in the future, aud as I have pointed out such undertakings are making a remarkably good start just now. It will be argued by the pro-Siamese that this interpreta- tion is aufair, insomuch as Singapore being a free port, merchants can put th ir goods into that port at cheaper rates than they can into Bangkok. But the argument shows its absolute falsity in every line and simply means that Bangkok, unable to obtain trade by open com- petition, is taking measures to secure that trade which are a direct, and I unhesitatingly sy an intentionally direct, blow at British trade, and one which will stifle effectively Kelantan trade. This action cannot possibly be construed as other than a direct violation of clause XII. If it is doubted whether such a step can have been taken I can only says that the Det Oestasiatsch Co.'s ships Boribat and Chakrabhong coming from Bangkok arrived at Kuala Kelantan aud refused to pay any import duties on any of their stuff, and that this information was con- reyed to the Rajah, who was helpless for lack of support against a stronger Power, and since to the British Government.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
row with armed Siamese, his men would, with the Rajah's permission, be armed and for any trouble that ensued the Siamese would be held accountable. To these representations n reply has been received. 1 he offence of the Siamese is all the more flagrant when one considers that
it is an established law in Kelantau that no one
shall carry arms about with them.
These are but one or two instances of the
Siamese interpretation of the wording of clause XI, and if it be asked why the Rajah does not take strong measures in the matter or seek the help of the English, the answer is, that lit le as the ordinary roader may believe it, the Rajah of Kelantan thoroughly believes that if he fakes any such steps he will meet with the fate which befell the Rajah of Patani, and it is discoura.- ing but none the less true to say that all here. whether Europeau or Malay who are qualified by experience to judge, implic tly believe the same thing.
There is one other instance of Siamese op- position to British interest which may be quoted here, and which shows only too clearly how the general spirit of aggressiveness has permeated through all the classes of Siamese officialdom. Only last week four Malays in the employ of the Duff Syndicate were in the market at Kuala Kelautan, and were set upon by some of the sailors from the Siamese gunboat in port. These sailors were in mufti but carried parangs and krisses. They set upon the Malays and knocked one of them down. Fortunately there were a number of Chinese and Malays present and the Siamese finding the crowd too much for them had to give way. The matter was reported at once to the Rajah and a letter was sent to the Rajah at Kota Bahru and the commander of the gunboat. Some hours later Mr. Duff went to the Kot and having seat for the Siamese official told him in the Rajah's. presence that the Syndicate was in Kelantan for peaceful purposes and under the Rajah's rule, but that if any of its men were hurt in a
CANTON,
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.
Canton, 30th August.
GOVERNMENTAL CHANGES.
It is said that the new provincial Governor Lee Hing yui is expected to arrive at Canton within ten days; so orders have been given to the Nam Hoi and Punyü magistrates to make preparations to receive him. When he comes he will take over the seals of the present pro- vincial governo, H. E. Tak Sow, while the latter will then take over the seals of office from H.E. Tho Mu as acting Viceroy. Tao Mu will then be able to leave his post.
THE CANTON-HANKOW RAILWAY.
Some of the staff of the Canton and Haukow❘ Railway Company have arrived and the Superintendent of Works, Mr. Grey, an Ameri- can, and his interpreter Leung Sun-chee are also expected here shortly from Shanghai.
FOREIGNERS II THÈ INTERIOR.
It is said that the Viceroy has received official instructions from Peking to com- municate to the officials of the different districts that whenever any missionary or other foreigner travels under passport into the interior he has to make arrangemen's Lo engage either coolies, boats or carriages, and the Chinese officials are not to be respousible for the same.
A MILITARY TROUBLE.
In consequence of the frequent disturbances caused by local banditti in Waichow the Viceroy s'nt soldiers of the Hei Shiog regiments to suppress them. However, on account of a quarrel between some soldiers, the two regiments fought among themselves, and the officers had to intervene to suppress the disturbance.
GUN-RUNNING CATTLE-DEALTRS,
Among other adventurers, smugglers, and merchants who for the sake of gain supply arms to the rebels in Kwaugsi, it is ascertained that the cattle-dealers also, who carry arms for self-protection, are combining this same disloyal business with their lawful trade. The Viceroy has in consequence given orders to have the names taken of all the cattle dealers who convey cattle from Kwangtung to Kwangsi for sale, and the number of the arms they carry registered. In case they are found to have anything to do with the rebels they are to be severely punished. NEW MILITARY INSTRUCTORS FOR WHAMPO. Two Japanese military instructors, and also two Chinese who have learnt military drill for some time in Japan, have been engaged to give military instruction and teach drill to the Chinese students in the military school in Whampoa. The other day they had an inter- view with the Viceroy.
}
PAKHOI
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
187
Pakboi, 3 th August.
A WASTE OF MUSCLE.
A
A serious fracas took p'ac on the evening of the 18th instant about 9 o'clock, between the boaturen in the employ of the I. M. Customs and a few native soldiers from a picket or guard-house near the German Mission. It may as well be mentioned that the Chinese soldiery are always looked upon by the other natives as their natural enemy. The fact that firearms were brought into play in the later part of the quarrel has added more importance to the fray, in which, curiously enough, two of the soldiers were wounded by one of their own comrades. The affair began very simply. A coolie em. ployed at the German Mission was found long after dusk iu the kitoben of опе of the Customs boatmen, who has
wife living with bim. The boatman naturally seized the intruder at
once, and in the darkness took the miserant for a thief, bat soon after recognised him to be a coolie in the foreigners' employ, when his jealousy got the better of him. Fearing complications if he caused him any bodily harm, the boatman prudently took the coolie by the queue to convey him to the presence of the principal of the Mission to lay a complaint, the prisoner struggling and howling all the way. On passing the guardhouse, the officer in charge of the station-who is a recent convert to the German Mission-came to the rescue of the coolie. A general mêlée then ensued between the soldiers and the Customs boatmen. The noise attracted the attention. of two distinguished officers of the Customs, who were living near by, through whose efforts the fight was suspended, by which time a number of sorrowful faces, twisted jaws, swollen eyes, and bleeding noses were in evidence as the result of the fierce hand-to-hand contest. A soldier from the other station having been informed of the quarrel then arrived upon the scene, and without any ado fired into the crowd and wounded two of his own comrades in the shoulder. This man was soon di-armed and arrested, and together with the coolie and the two wounded soldiers was sent to the loca! magistrate to be dealt with. The wounded man were afterwar ls sent to the Church Missionary Hospital for treatment
The local agents of the Nippon Yusen Kai- sha informed us on the 4th inst. that they were in receipt of telegraphic advices from Japan stating that the s.s. Riojun Maru, which left, Hongkong on the 25th ult. bound for Seattle (Wash.) via ports, grounded near Queipart Island on the 2nd inst., while on the voyage from Shanghai to Moji, bu has since refloated and has put in at Port Hamilton, whether asais- tance is being sent. The carge, mails, and passengers are reported safe.
THE HEALTH OF THE PORT. The prevalent d'seas. cholera-continues, but with less vigour. The junk and boat populations seem to be the chief objects of its It is impossible to ascer- attention just now. tain the rate of mortality, for it is nobody's business here to keep such a record. One will have only to guess by the number of coffins seen moving about in town and the business-like attitude of the coffin-shops, which are almost depleted of their stocks. The disease shou'd to
more correctly called choleraic diarrhoea, as in The disease is expected to disa, pear with the some cases only it is accompanied by vomiting. advent of the north-east monsoon in a fort- night. The foreigners generally enjoy good
health.
DEARTH OF RICE.
Notwithstanding the continuous importation of this article recently from Hongkong and Haiphong, the price is still enhanced. Siam white is fetching $6.30 per picul, while the coarsest quality is selling at $4.90 to $4 95.
Captain S. Fujiki of the s.s. Kachi'ate Maru which arrived in Hongkong on the 4th inst. with a cargo of coal consigned to the Mitsui Bussan Kaisha, reports having been in a typhoon on the voyage from Jap u. The steamer left Karatsa on the 29th inst. On the 30th she encountered the typhoon off Haishan Li-hse, the baromet-r falling gradually and the wind veering round from N.F. to w stward. On the 1st inst. the barometer had fallen to 29.23 deg.; the wind- force was 10 miles, and the ship laboured heavily and was swept contianousy by heavy
seas.
She was hove-to for twelve hours during the height of the storm, but the weather abated later in the day and the steamer was able to resume her voyage.