September 12, 1908.]
NOTES FROM THE BOTANIC
GARDENS.
Everyone admits, we suppose, that Glenely is one of the prettiet places in the island and the magnificient tree-ferus growing three contribute considerably to the effect. Many of them are twenty feet in height and their fronds have at least a similar expinge. The principal spasies is Alsophila tomentosa, a native of Java and Formosa, which has now become natural- ised in the vicinity of Glenealy, where thousands of small seedlings may be found by the initiated. A second species, Alsophila podophylla, is a native of Hongkong, but it is nothing like such a beautiful plant as 4 tomentosa. It is only represented by two or three specim
Glenealy.
118 ia
A pruty shrub. Clerodendron macrosiphon, is now in flower on the bink above the Grevillea walk in the old garden. The flowerz are white, about 4 inches long, and are produced very profusely at the ends of the branches in cymes, but they last for a very short time. The species was discoverad by Sir Joba Kirk on the coast opposite Zanzibar Island, growing in very rocky places. There is a good figure of it in the Botanical Magazin: of twenty y ars ago. In 1610 Gynudropsis pentaphyll W18 introduced to Eugland from the East Indies. It is now a cosmopolitan specios in the tropies and, of course, might have been then. It is a tall-growing annual with mauve fwers which become much lighter in colour fter thy have been open for a short time. There are several pot-plants in flower at the bottom of the steps at the north-east entrance to the gardens,
The rainfall for the month has been abnormal. No less then 14.65 inches have been ra, isteral already, which is 5.8) inches above the averaga for the whole month taken over a period of ten years. The daily fall has been as follows:-
Inches.
Inches. 145
270 * 2.25
1.27 2,22 3.51
1st Sept.
End
"
3rd 4th 5th
I
.27
6th Sept. 7th 8th
"}
1.
.57
9th
11
.38
Total.
.14.65
AFFAIRS IN MANCHURIA.
A Japanese osptain, who left Japan in May last and has been travelling in Cores and Manchuria, returned last mouth to Japan. The captain landed at Nwchwang, whence he proceeded to Liao-yang by rail and then tra velled overland to Wiju. He then returned to Harbin by rail and travelled to various places iu Manchuris, making again for Wiju by way of Port Arthur and Dalny. He also visited ong ampho, and then proceeded to Pingyang, from which place he journeyed by boat on the Taidon River to Chemulpo, leaving there for Japan and arriving at Shimonoseki on the 26th ult. The following is an account of his travels in Manchuria, as published by a Japanese verna. cular paper and translated by the Kobe Chronicle:-
"I feel that I attracted less attention at the hands of the Russian authorities during my travels in Manchuria than I should have been led to suppose. This was probably due to the fact that I wore ordinary clothes, though, whenever questioned as to my persoual stitus I did not conceal the fact that I was a military officer. It was reported that troops were sta- tioned at every station on the railways in Man- charia, but this is a little exaggerated, as some of the stations certainly were not guarded by troops. No troops were seen at the stations of Whang-tien, Kuenig and Hing·kia. ”
Speaking of the Eastern Chinese Railway, Captain Kusuyama remarks that, although not a railway man, he was instinctively led to imagine from what he saw that this line was scarcely paying expenses. Atrain from Dalny to St. Petersburg was sometimes seen to consist of thirty or more waggons, but more than half the number of trains consisted of saud-trucks used for the construction of the line. The trains generally consist of fourteen carriages, Including 2 couple of goods waggons, As a rule, no first-class carriages were attached, and the number of passengers was very small Russians generally look second-class seats, but the number travelling was generally about one- third of the total seats available. "Third-class
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
seats were mostly patronised by Chinese and Japanese merchants, and the number of seats occupied sermed to be about half of those avail- able. Four-class carriages were occupied by Chinese labourers, and they were almost always filled.
There are about 70 Japanese residing at Harbin. Most of the Japanese houses there are stores of fairly good standing, and the hou g holders had mostly come from Vladivostook with good capital. The Japanese hat bɔen doing business with the Russians for a lug imo. It is a rule in Harbio that the hotel keeper or the owner of a house which admits a traveller for a night must report the fact to arriva. Special procedure has to be gone the anthorities within twelve hours after his though before a Japanese military offoer is admitted. Very strict attention is directed to Japanese military men, and the hotel-k eper or thbouse-holder is often put to great trouble at some of the houses where Captain Knsu yama spent a night he admits that he dil not enlighten them as to the nature of his profes-
sion..
amounts
to
The officer makes reference to the cal-mines iu Mauchuria. Amongst other collieries which he saw was the Bajun (Japanese proиnnciation) colliery, which is now being opened. It is situated about twenty-five miles from Moukden, ard the land was being purchased from the Moukden Station to the mine, probably with the objec of laying a light railway. The mine produces good smoksless coal as well as ordinary cal; and the quantity produced each day some (wenty waggon-loads. Another important mine, the Enti colliery, produces sufficient each day to fill oue ordinary train. Then there is the Honkeiko colliery, fifty miles east of Liaoyang, and another mine, called the Saibasu colliery, about sixty miles north of Whangfengcheng on the Yalu. The two last-named mines were inspected by the Russians last spring. They went away after inspection, however, an the captain adds, "the inhabitants there were very happy to think that the Russians would never come again."
The extent of the works carried out by the Russiaus at Yong-ampho very small compared
with what has been done in connection with
the Chinese Easteru railway. There were only forty Russiaus (men and women) living there af the time of Captain Kusnyama's visit, in addition to 1,000 Chinese coolies. The Russians seemed to be working guardedly in view of the objections that might be made. Captain Kuny ama tried in different ways to sound the senti- ments of the Russians, but they said not a single word to indicate their views. There is a village called Tungwha on the bank of the Yalu a little above Yong-ampho. At this place, the Captain says, the Russians purchase timber and send it down the river. There are gold and silver mines in that ne ghbourhood. Timbr was wonderfully plentiful at Tungwha and there were about twenty-four Russian soldiers, without uniforms, stationed at this plac. It was stated that the Russians inspected the gold and silver mines there last year, though at the present time the Chinese are working the mines on a very small scale.
WARNINGS TO TRAVELLERS
VIA SIBERIA.
The following letter, signed George Butler, appears in the N.-C. Dai y Neive:-
Sir.-I think that the insertion of the follow-
ing letter which I have just received may give intending travellers by the Dalay route pause and cause them to reflect seriously on the possible delays, vexations, and discotaforts likely to be experienced :~
Dalny, 2nd September.
Dear B.,-If you have time I should be much obliged if you will write a letter to the N.-C. Daily News giving my experience of travelling by the Siberian route. We left Shanghai August 23rd and arrived at Dalny harbour on Tuesday morning. August 25th, and were then informed that owing to cholera in Shanghai we were to be quarantined (this must have been known to the agent in Shanghai). We were liberatde from quarantine on Friday, 28th, and landed the same afternoon, hoping our troubles were at an end, but no, we were then told that owing to a breakdown on the railway, not only was there no
193
likelihood of a train for a week but also that there had not been any for about ten days. 01| course this must also have been kn-wn to the Shanghai agent. To make matters worse the only hotel in the place was full. We were allowed to remain a few days on the ship, but eventually were turned adrift with no place in which to lay our heads. We at last found a room in the town (damp and newly painted), where we stayed until we could get rooms in the hotel (s' filthy place), where we remain, trusting that with any luck we may get away in ten days' time. Three weeks from Shanghai ! ! !—I am, etc., B. W.
The above letter needs little or no comment. Breakdowns may occur on any line and cause able that the agents of the line, knowing that s great discomfort to passengers, but it is inexcus mishap had occurred, should without advertising the fact, allow travellers to pro eed, and in consequence suffer the delays and inconveniences so graphically described in the above letter.
*.
A passenger from Port Arthur informs the Shanghai Mercury that about 4 o'clock on the morning of the 30th August, the train running from Harbiu to Port Arthur 'met with an accident near a station called Wandzelin, about five hours from Port Arthur. The train was running slow, as heavy storms had disturbed the track. The bridge over a small stream proved to have been washed away, so that the engine, tender, luggage, and mail-carriages dropp. through, four other carriages left the rails, and the remaining four carriages were unhurt. Two persons were killed, and nine wounded. The informant adds that it was seven hours before a surgeon arrived, and that they were delayed many hours by the mishap. The heavy storms did much damage to the whole railway system.
THE YONG-AMPHO LEASE.
The Mainichi publishes a telegram from its Seoul correspondent, dated the 28th ult., which states that M. Pavloff, Russian Minister to Seoul, accompanied by Mr. Ginsburg, called at the Foreign Department on the previous after. noon and urged the Vice-Minister to sign the new Ryong-an (Yong-ampho) lease. They remained at the Foreign Office six hours. Ye Do-sai, Corean Foreign Minister, promised to call on M. Pavloff at 10 o'clock the same morn- ing. It was noticed that on his way thither he called at the British and U.S. Legations. He found it impossible to proceed to the Russian was taken ill after leaving these Legations and
Legation. On returning, he sent word to the Russian Minister saying that he was unable to see him. The Russian Minister arrived at the Foreign Department in a great fury and saw Ye Jun-ka, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, as stated above. The Foreign Minister was sent for several times; but he did not put in an appearance. The Russian Minister made free use of high words, but was unable to carry his point. The Corean officials are in- dignant with the Russian Minister for his angentlemanly and high-handed behaviour, goes on the Mainichi correspondent, and regard his movements as an insult to the Corean officials. Ye Do-sai is believed to have decided to resign because he sees that if he remains in office he will be compelled by the Court to affix the official seal to the lease.
to
Seoul states that the Russians are pushing on The latest despatch from Yong-ampho with their works there. There are seventy ing houses. Horses and bullocks are allowed to Russians and 1,300 Chinese employed construct-
bourhood. The Russians have a police force graze on the cultivated ground in the neigh- there, and any Coreans who disobey Bussian orders are punished.
One U.S. warship arrived at Tatsungko recently and several officers went over to Yong ampho to have a look round. They left the place after a short stay.
With reference to the report in our last issue of the feared loss by wreck or firs of Ujina, we were informed on the 9th inst, by Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co. that they had received telegraphic advice of the are of the steamer at Manila. The Ujinu had ashore and had to jettison part of hers which consisted of rice."