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status. Troops are being withdrawn from all participation in civil affairs as rapidly as civil organisations can be erected This has been completed in all except Ba augas and Samar, where it is expected to be accomplished by the
end of the year. He says: "All parts of the archip lago except what is known as the Moro country have been formally organised for civil government and turned over to its officials, thus freeing the Army from supervisory or actual control over its inhabitants or their affairs
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THE AMERICAN-ASIATIC STEAM-
SHIP COMPANY.
The following is taken from the Manila
Times of the 6th inst.:-
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND Development Company will take up the work of construction, continuing the road from Haukow, or, more properly speaking, from Wuchang, on the southern bank of the Yang'sze, southward
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[ December 20, 1902. of a flourishing coast trade. Railways will no doubt, in due time, run from Fusan to the nor thern froutier and stretch out arms to the coast on either side, but in the diffus'en of foreign merchandise, as well as in the interchange of The officers of the new steamship company native products and their concentration for are William Barclay Parsons. president; D., export, the coasting flest must remain the chief Leroy Dresser, vice-president: T. Ashley arent for many years to come, if not permanently. Spark, secretary and treasurer. The directors, It is now the all-important agent, on which', besides the officers named, are August depends the ex`sting trade and its future develop. Belmont, C. A. Tomes, Cornelius Vanderbilt, ment. A substantial increase is als ›› éported in John D. Gluck, Luther Kon'a Vermilye the number and tonnage of steamers entere & Co., and J. Crosby Browo, f Brown The report is dated Fe ul, 2 th March, 1902,! Bros, are also shareholders. Mesars Shewan, and it is stated that silver ingots to the value of Tomes & Company will bo the general agents about $800,000 wore imported by the Imperial of the line in the Orient, and the company will, Mint, bat no resulting silver coinige had up to have its New York headquitter at No.16, that date made its appearance
Beaver Streat.
THE TRADE OF COREA.
The absorption of the Philippines Steamship Liue by the American Asiatic Steamship Company, announcement of which was made in the United States sзveral weeks ago, is explained by the latest developments in the transaction to The Returns of Trade and Trade Reports for mean that large capitalists interested in the the year 1901, issued by the Imperial Maritime China Developing Company are behind the enter Customs of Corea, are full of interesting infor- prise. The steamship business of the Philippine mation. Despite the drought of 1901, trade Transportation and Construction Company will generally appears to be in a satisfactory con- be entirely absorbed, but the Philippine end ofdition. The west-coutral provinces were, in the business will be conducted at Manila by the the months of June, July, and Angust reduced old corporation. Negotiations for the merger by the general failure of rice crops to a have been in progress for months, but the condition bordering on famine, a condition, details of the deal have just beeu definitoly bowever, which was remedied to a great extent arranged.
by the supplies received from other proviuc.s and from abroad. It is mentioned that the probibition of the export of rice which the Coreau Government fonud pece sary to put into free did at fir t have the desired effect of preventing shipm nts which would otherwise have taken place; but by the reports of the various Commi sioners i is shoan that the withd awal of the prohibiť'o did not revice the export træda iu rise, the pres of that article being then higher in corea than in Japan. Yet, although the bad season in Corea was conjoined with an excellent harvest in Japan, both of rice and beans, the volume of trade was greater than in any previous year, whether the foreign trade only, or the foreign combined with the home trade, be considered. The value of direct for- e gu trade (not includin gold was 82,778,000 more than in 1900, the next highest year; while that of the whole trade, foreign and dom stic, was $3,9 10,00) more than the total of 1901. If the gold export were added the year 1401 would gain still further by comparison. This record is due to the commercial activity of the first half of the year, which, had it not beca e' ecked by the failure of the rice supply, inust have produced larger_totals.
A monthly service between China and the l'hilippinos had been operated by the Philippine Transportation & Construction Company, addition to this service the company owns and operates ninetoen steel steamers and barges of 400 tons each. These were formerly operated on the Great Lakes in the U.S. and the Frie Canal and were taken apart and transported to the Philippines for use between the islands of the archipelago. The company also owns a complete modern machiue-shop in Manila for general repair work, aud has a screw host for docking small voss Is. All these branches of the business will be conducted as heretofore, the steamship service of this company having alone been sold.
The first steamer of the new American-Asiatic Company sailed from New York on October 25. This is the steamer Gibraltar, a chartered vessel It is the company's intention, however, to build its owu vessels. For the last eight or in years Shewau, Tomes & Company, agents of the new line, who have their offices in leading ports of the Orient, have operated a steamship service from ports in China and Japan, such as Yokohama, Kobe, Shanghai, Feochow, Amny, Hongkong, and the Straits Settlements, to New York, despatching some nine or ten bats a year. All these vessels have been chartered by the new company aud have not taken ro'urn cargoes from New York to China and Japan ports. The new enterprise will therefore com- plete the line by affording an outward se v ce from the eastern ports of the United States to the Orient, In fact the American-Asiatic Steamship Company has not only established a new line from New York but it has also taken! charge of the business established in the Orient. While there is no direct official connection between the new interests, those behind the American-Asiatic Steamship Company and the American-China Developing Company are largely identical. The latter corporation has the funds to complete the railroad betw. en Hankow and Canton. This class connection raeans, naturally, that the two enterprises will be operated in harmony and especially that materials for the railroad will be transported from the United States by the company's own stamship line.
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The three original open ports, Chemulpo, Fusan, and Wonsan, maintain the importance they have always held in the trade of the country. Wousan, however in 1901 received a considerable accession to its foreign imports in the shape of goods which in previous y ars would have found their way to the north of Hamkyong- do ri Vla livest ck, but which were driven by the heavy tariff introduced at that port in 1900 to find an entrance in Corean territory. The junior perts have all m de di-tinct progress,
The 1 tl collection of revenue amounted to 1,325,414.11 yen, which exceeds that of 1900 by 228,196.68 yən, and that of 1897--hitherto the record year-by 212,245.87 yen. Under the heading of imports there is a somewhat remark. able increase compared with all provious years. Owing, however, to the failure of the rice harvest and to the fall in the v lae of nickels and copper cash, importers of foreigu goods found it difficult to dispose of them, and have been compelled to hold considerable quantities for a better market. Of the exports, that of rice to Japan totalled 1.384,247 piculs, and this The roid which the American-China
was above the average, despite the drought. Of Developing Company is building is to be beans there seems to have been a fair, and, in virtually a continuation of the Lu-Han Line, some districts an abundant, crop, but Japan hay- whose objective point is Henkow, which has ing been equally favoured in this respect. the beau aptly described as "the Chicago of China." shipments from Corea fell short of those of 1990 Although divided from the adjoining town of by some $478,000. This, however, is a growing Hauyang by the Han River, and from branch of trade, as also is that of the exportation Wachang, which is the capital of the province, of cow hides, from which litter fact it would by the waters of the Yangtsze, Hankow con- sem that Corea is beginning to turn to accourt stitutes, with its neighbouring cities, one great! her fine breed of cattle, in which, with systematic centre of population numbering considerably selection and rearing, undoubtedly lies one of over 2,000,000 souls. But when a railroad has her best resources. The Ing and narrow reached Hankow at a distance of some 650 peninsula of Corea, with its extensive coast line miles from Peking, it has barely traversed half and, the tid I difficulties of the west coast not the breadth of China from north to south. It withstanding, its numerous practicable harbours is at this point that the American-( bina ' and inlets, is eminently favourable to the growth
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MAÇÃO,
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT]
Macao, 14th December. PROROSED EWERY IN MACAO. We understand a good authority that some difficulty has arisen in the negotiations for the establishment of a brewery ou a site in the neighbourhood of th Military Hospital The arrangements were being carried out by an Austrian coleman, representative of a well known Frenca fim in Hongkong, and the difficulty has arisen from the s'atement of the Macao authorities that in the event of the
Avenida being lengthened, and carried over the site allotted for the Brewery, no compensation will be awarded to the Company, Sa ha possibility is not unnaturally viewed with cou- siderable concern by the promoters of the new enterprise, and it appears that the French Consul at Hongkong has ben over to Macao to make a strong protest on the subject, with what results we are not yet in a position to state. In view of the fact that the water of Macao_has been proved to be the best of many samples analysed in different parts of China, and that the institution of a brewery would be most beneficial to the Colony both from an industrial and a commercial point of | view, it seems a great pity if it does not receive the best support which the Government can give it.
THE NEW GOVERNOR.
The New Governor, Senhor Fernando da Novaes, is due to arrive by the French Mail, and all pr parations are bing made to accord both himself and his staff a proper welcome. The Zaire was origin lly under orders to poceed to India to-day, but she has now been ordered to remain till Thursday next in order to join in the ceremony of welcoming the Governor. The Diu has meanwhile proceeded to Hongkong to escort His Excellency to
Macao.
MILITARY REVIEW.
A review of the troops was held on the Parade ground yesterday afternoon in the presence of a large concourse of spectators. The weather was bracing and all that could be desired, and the smart bearing of the soldiers and the proficiency with which they executed their evolutions created a very favourable impression both among sightseers and critics.
GARDEN PARTY IN THE FLORA.
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A large and fashionable garden party was given by Dr. and Madame Lello on Friday in the grounds of the Governor's summer residence at the Flora, and was attended by all the élite of Macao. It was arranged as a parting honour to the Captain and Officers of t'e Zuire, whose doparture will be a matter of the deepest regr t to all those who had the privilege of meeting them at the Flora, and to ever y inhabitant of Macao.
The Jih Jih says that H.E. Liang Chentang intends marrying again before he goes to America, and that his bride is to be a daughter of the Chinese Minister to France, whose mother as an European, while the young lady is eatirely foreign-ednosted.
The U.S.S. Yorktown, which left the harbour on Sunday last, baving recently come down south from Vladivostock and Chefoo, where she has been at target-practice, goes to Cavite, where it is surmised that she will remain several months surveying the different harbours of the Philippines.