THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
very, very disinterested, and who furnish | of them), to be gradually following the same one with a lot of valuable information, one should abandon them if one wants to make the greatest possible progress. One is likely, by carrying out such a plan, to turn these friends into enemies and to lay oneself open to misoqnstruction, but if one has any strength of character at all; that will not deter one. The exchange of lesson system is not very good, as both parties are inclined to become terribly lazy and to delude themselves with the idea that they are making progress when, as a matter of fact, they are making no progress at all. If one pays a good teacher he generally wants to get value for his money, and accordingly works. Of course there are two sides to this question of language-learning, and I can well understand tha: ¡some Russians—shop-assistants and other iaoffensive persons-must suffer torments listening to foreigners murdering their beauti- ful language, and committing, with a smiling face, all kinds of grammatical atrocities.
FOREIGN MERCHANTS IN SIBERIA AND
MANCHURIA.
It is surprising to what an extent the Americans have got hold of the trade in Eastern Siberia and Manchuria, although this surprise will probably lessen gradually. What will make it lessen will be the disappearance of the Americans, one by one. The American Trading Company has closed its branches here and in Vladivostock, and I suppose by-and-bye only one American firm will be left indeed I am not sure but that only one is left now. Thus will be closed that chapter of Siberian history which tells of American enterprise exerted in the opening up of the country.
A very interesting volume could, by the way, be made out of the experiences of American merchants in Siberia from the days of the old Russian-American Company until the present time. During the first attack on Petropavlotsk in 1854 by an Anglo-French squadron, two American residents of that town gave important information about the land approaches to Petropavlofsk to the English, who did not, however, profit much from it; and on the occasion of the second attack in the following year the allied fleet found that all the Russians had cleared out and that the American flag was the only one flying in the town.
In spite of the rapidity with which the Ameri cans here generally learn the Russian language
and of all the talk about the “traditional friend- ship," it cannot be denied that the action of the two American residents of Petropavlofak is typical of the feelings of Americans in the Ras sian Far East. They feel that they are in the same boat as the English, and that the Russians are gather afraid of their commercial ability, so that the sight of the Union Jack is almost as welcome to them therefore from a commercial point of view as that of Old Glory itself.
path; while the number of German names one meets with here among patriotic Russians, some of whom do not spelk & word of German, is a proof that Germany is giving good men to Russia as well as to England and Amerios. For | you generally find these men with German names at the top of the tree. At the head of the Navy | you find Vice-Admirals Stark and Stackelberg; at the head of the Army Staff you find General Pflug. Germans seem to leaven the whole mass of the population in this part of the world, as is shown by the extent to which the German language is spoken. About 20 per❘ oont, of the Russians seem to speak it more or less, and one is constantly finding it come in handy in the most unexpected quarters. I once had an interesting conversation, for instance, with a private soldier who, being a Lett, spoke German-ba: a strange German it was-Monat (month) being pronounced as if written Monheit and various other old forms being used.
On my way to Port Arthur from Corea some time ago, I met a German who belonged to the German colony on the Volga, which numbers nearly half a million people, and of which the members are descended from immigrants who went to that region in the eighteenth century in response to the invitation of the Empress Catherine. It seems that this colony was promised the perpetual right of self-govern. ment, complete religious liberty, and freedom from liability to military service, but that, of latb years, these privileges have been one by on- withdrawn. The members of this colony are still, however, more German than Russian, remaining in language, in religion, in their domestic habits and social customs, the same as when they first came to Russia over a century ago. They still wear the old German costume, they are closely shaved, and in many respects form an indigestible morsel like the French settlers in Canada.
This is an exceptional case, however, for the Germans seem as a rule to adapt themselves quickly to Russian ways I am afraid, how. ever, that until the process of adaptation is oɔm- pleted, they are cordially hated by the common people. A Russian was once prosecuted for assault. Why, he called me a German, your Worship," said the defendant, whereupon the judg dismissed the case, holding that such pro-
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vocation was intolerable.
This degree of dislike, very surprising when met with in the kindly-hearted Russian peasant, in put down, I believe, to the effect of the ope ration of unscrupulous German-speaking Jews of a low class, but powerful organisation. Wist truth there is in this charge I cannot tall; but this old prejudice, like many others, is like anti-clericalism in France, not an article of exportation. At least I do not find it in Port Arthur.
The principal American firms in the Russian Far East are Messrs. Clarkson & Co. and the American Trading Company. As I have just remarked, however, the American Trading CORRESPONDENCE Company has closed its branches here.
The English are not` as a rule prominent in Siberian trade. By the way, the bead of a flourishing Danish company in Port Arthur bears the name of O'Reilly, which does not strike one as being Danish or Muscovite, although Gospodeen O'Reilly speaks both Danish and Russian with great fluency. Mr. O'Reilly, who is now in Japan, is shortly going to open business here on his own account,
The Germans, I think, take the foremost place among the foreign residents both as linguists and in the extent of their commercial operations. The proximity of the German and Slavonic races in place and in blood and the well known enterprise of the Germans explain this; but, while Russia certainly gains by the exertions of these Germans, it is not quite certain that the Fatherland itself benefits, for Germans seem to become Russified in Russia almost as quickly as they are Anglicised in Eagland. The firm of Messrs, Kunst and Albers, the great bankers and storekeepers of Eastern Siberia, whose splendid prenises are among the most prominent features of Vladivostock, Habarovsk, Port Arthur, and even Moukden, seem to be gradually becoming Russian, for one of their partners is a naturalised Russian and others connected with the firm seem, for business reasons (the right to buy land being one
[January 11, 1004.
one of the best blessings and highest privileges of our Christian nations, we wish it to be dis- tinctly understood that we hail with joy the advent of the railway sul all such advantages and advances in China's civilisation, and pray for the success of this and all kindred enter- prises which tend to the bringing in of a brighter, better suture for the people of this Empire.
(Sd.) Henry V. Noyes, Am. Pres. Mission; A, A. Noyes. Am. Pres. Mission; R. V. Noyes, Am. Pros. Mission.; W. D. Noyes, Am. Pres. Mission; A. A. Fulton, Am, Pres. Mission; F. W. Falton, Am. Pres. Mission; H. Lewis, Am. Pres. Mission; Mattie Chambers, Am. Bap. Mission; G. W. Greene, Am. Bap. Mission; V. P. Greene, Am. Bap. Mission; C. Dixon Cousins, London Mission; W. W. Clayson, London Mission; E. L. Clayson, London Mission; C. A. Nelson, Am. B'd Mission; H. C. T. Burkwall, Brit. & For. Bible Soc.; Flora Burkwall, A. G. Fisher, Am. Pres. Mission; A. W. Fisher, Am. Pres. Mission; Lucy Durham, Am. Pres. Mission; E. M. Bulter, Am. Pres. Mission; Mary W. Niles, Am. Pres. Mission; J. M. Wright, Raf. Pres. Mission; R. E. Chambers, Am. Bap. Mission; E. Z. Simmons, Am. Bap. Mission; M. D. Simmons, Am. Bap. Mission; J. E. Trainham. Am. Bap. Mission; H. Kirkhope, Prof. Katjooria School: T. J. Jstick, Am. Bsp. Mission; E. I. Doty, U. Bratb, Mission; Nellie L. Read, Am. Pres. Mission; E. M. Burlingame, Am. Pres. Mission; Mrs. H. K. Shumaker, U. Breth. Mission; Carrie E.
ick, Am. Bap. Mission; E. A. Churchill, Am. Pres. Mission; Anna E. Nelson, Scand. Free Mission; Rankin Leslie, Sun Life Ins. Co. of Canada; Bessie Powell, London Mis- sion; F. Larson, Scand. Free Mission; Annie M. Wood, Wesleyan Mission; Florence Britton, Wesleyan Mission; Holmes Keall, Wesleyan Mission; P. G. Todd, Am. Pros. Mission; Chas. E. Patton, Am. Pres. Mision; Regius M Bigler, U. Breth. Mission; Andrew Beattie, Am. Pres. Mission; John M. Swan, Am. Pres. Mission; Minta Swan, Am. Pres. Mission; N. H. Beattie, Am. Pres. Mission; Harriet Noyes. Am. Pres. Mission; Elizabeth A. Doty, U. Breth, Mission; Anna. W. Ericsson, Scand, Free Mission; Nellie Clark, London Mission; E. C. Tope, Wesleyan Mission; Chas. C. Selden, Supt. Refuge for Insane; Gertrude T. Selden; Wm. Mawson, New Zealand Pres. Mis.; S. M. Mawson, New Zealand Pres. Mis.; Maggie McNear, New Zealand Pres. Mis.; Geo. H. MoNeur, New Zealand Pres. Mis.
H.K.C.C. v. THE NAVY.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS."
Hongkong, 4th January. SIE,--With reference to the cricket match last week. I should be much obliged if you would insert these few lines to correct the account in your youthful contemporary's issue of to-day. Because there were a number of ships in har- bour, it does not follow that the Navy XI. was re- presentative. It may have been difficult to choose an XI. from a great number of cricketers ; but, however many were available, I should be prepared to baok an XI. chosen from the Algerine, Blenheim, Cressy, Rinaldo, and Rosario SIE, I am instructed by the Canton Mis-against the one chosen from the ships present sionary Conference to forward to you the enclosed copy of protest re Sabbath opening of Canton-Fatstan Railway, with the request that you will kindly publish the same.-Yours sincerely,
THE SABBATH IN CHINA.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS."
Canton, 31st December.
ĠEO, H. McNEUR.
Hon. Sec, Canton Missionary Conference.
[ENCLOSURE.]
We, the undersigned missionaries and other representatives of the foreign community at Canton, desire to express our unfeigned_regret and deep disapproval of the action of the Canton- Hankow Railway in fixing on the Lord's Day for the formal opening of the Canton-Fatshan Branch. W also regret that the representa tives of the British and United States Govern- ments should ha e ignored the established practice and Christian sentiment of their home lands, and by their attendance at this function have violated the sanctity of the Sabbath in a way which would not have been permitted in our home lands, and in a way calculated to belittle the teachings of Christianity in the minds of the Chinese. While expressing our "emphatic disapproval of such a flagrant abuse of
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last Saturday. Elliott is the best Naval bowler and Moore the best bat, and Garde, Toulmin, Swan, Hawkins, Mahon, Silver, and Gurner. form the nucleus of a very strong side. I fully recognise the strength of the Hongkong side, but I contend that the Navy were far from up to their full strength."—I am, yours, etc.,
AN OLD CRICKETER.
WASHING THE MARKETS.
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TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PEESS, Hongkong, 5th January. SI, I note that the Hongkong markets are washed out in the morning, and I would like to add that this practice leaves them in a most disagreable, sloppy condition for early pur- chassis; traffic over the wet ground, also, soon makes them in a very filthy condition. I am not aware of there being any reason why the markets should not be cleansed in the evening, after the shops are closed; this would give them time to get dry and respectable before morning. —Yours, etc.,
C. D.