It is interesting to note that the net value of the trade of Canton coming under the cognisance of the Foreign Customs was the largest on record, namely H.K. Tls. 110,559,826. This shows an increase of nearly 31 million taels on the returns for 1902, and in that year the trade showed an increase of 20 million taels as compared with the value in 1901. In short, the trade of Canton has more than doubled in value -since 1900.
The total amount of new Philippine currency received пр to the close of the month of August Was P21,242,520.00. P2,254,000.50 additional left San Francisco by transport on Sept. 6th. The amount of Mexican currency shipped out of the Islands by commercial firms during the month of August was P10,000.00, the conditions of the local money market being such that during most of the month the sterling value of the Mexican dollar was greater there than that of the British dollar in Hongkong. The Banks in Manila are notifying the public that after 30th September next no local currency, either in the form of cheques or Spanish Filipino or Mexican silver, will be received for the credit of depositors' account.
It is said that Messrs. Geo. Fenwick and Co., Ld, will hold an extraordinary meeting shortly to sanction the proposal to increase the capital of the company, which money, however, is not expected to be required before six to nine months have elapsed. It will be remem- bered that the company recently acquired a convenient site for their works at North Point, having the prospect of being obliged to vacate their present premises. Their water frontage will shortly be taken away by the new reclama. tion scheme. The area of their new lot is about 215,000 sq. ft., with a deep water frontage of 400 ft. in length. To reclaim this site, work now proceeding, it is estimated that it will cost the company about $1 a square foot. It is hoped to dispose of the present premises for a good figure. The lease is held on a 999 years tenure, and, being a marine lot, carries the right to the projected reclamation pertaining to the frontage. The directors of the company consider that it will be necessary to increase the capital to $450,000, an increase of $300,000.
HONGKONG.
-10:
Captain T. Austen, R.N.R., has resumed command of the steamer Wingchai after nine ‚ months' holiday in England.
The Hon. Treasurer of the Alice Memorial and Nethersole Hospitals begs to acknowledge with thanks donations of 8100 from H.E. Sir Matthew Nathan, and of $20 from Chan Sun.
The record generally is a fairly satisfactory return, and evinces the continued prosperity of the port." That is how the L. & U. Express speaks of the Hongkong Blue Book for last year.
The increase of Crown rent in the New Territory is causing much discontent among farmers and squatters there, and considerable troube is being experienced in the collection of it by the Government.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
Among the property to be sold at the next Police auction at Tsimshatsui Station on Thursday, 22nd inst., are 32 Chinese boats.
Last week's plague return (four fatal cases) brings the year's total to 500, of which all but fifteen proved fatal. Yesterday there was no case to record. Other communicable diseases included a European case of diphtheria, and an imported (hinese case of smallpox.
About six p.m. on the 20th inst. the fire-bell rang out, denoting that a fire had broken out in the Central District From all quarters the fire. men hurried to No. 5 Station, only to find that there was no fire, but that H.E. the Govoruor, Sir Matthew Nathan, had taken this method of making himself acquainted with the Fire Brigade. There was a very quick turn-out, and a good muster of men, notwithstanding the fact that police patrols were just changing over. As the men arrived orders were given for several lengths of hose to be run out and a ladder hoisted against a house opposite the station--which manoeuvres were carried out expeditiously and well. His Excellency after wards inspected the fire appliances. Earlier in the afternoon H.E. went through the Gaol and the Central Police Station.
Messrs. William Hunter and Adam Gibson, official veterinary surgeons, have submitted a further report on cattle disease in the Colony The vets declare that "there exists in this part of the world a group of complex and obscure heading "Rinderpest." diseases hitherto grouped together under the The most significant diseases so far isolated are true Rinderpest, Hæmorrhagic Septicemia, Pyroplasmosis and Trypanosomiasis. Doubtless there exist a num- ber of others." Only one animal was found to show symptoms of trypanosomiasis, but it is not necessary to be an expert to see that a CON with one of those things in its system is in an unhappy condition; and with chances of Hæmorrhagic Septicemia, in addition, the farmer's industry must be a risky one.
The Yellow Dragon, t'i little organ of Queen's College. Hongkong, opens the first number of its sixth volume with an article on "a visit to a country at war." and the writer has managed to squeeze plenty of thrills out of his trip to Japan. Here is one: "in the event of Russia's successfully repelling the assaults on Port Arthur. the bulk of the male population at Tokyo and other places had solemnly sworn to commit suicide by hara kiri on a wholesale scale."
An interesting document records the success of Tse Tsok Kai, who, having finished his course at Queen's College, and obtained a Senior certificate at the Oxford Local Examina- tions, has, after competitive examination. at to proceed to Europe or America for further Canton, been appointed as an Imperial student study. The number contains au excellent selection of other matter.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The Customs authorities received a telegram on the 13th instant dated at Shanghai Chefoo, 13th September, as follows:-The str. Nanchang reports yesterday passing a mine with spikes Lat 39 deg. 08 min., Long. 120 deg. 55 min.; Iron Island bearing 8. 18 E. true
Bro. Joshua, director of St. Joseph's College left for Ceylon, on a holiday, by the M. M. 2.8. Ernest Simons. He came here three years ago. Bro.. Silvester takes over the 12 miles, directorship of the school.
Sir Henry Arthur Blake, G.C.M.G.. having resigned the appointment, it is notified that His Excellency Sir Matthew Nathan, K.C.M.G., has been pleased to accept the position of Hono- rary Colonel of the Hongkong Volunteer Corps.
From all parts of the New Territory comes word of plentiful shooting. Suipe, which were a disappointing supply last season, are to be found in abundance.” ~ Pigeon also are plentiful, while paddy-birds are more numerous than ever. Mr. H. E. R. Hunter, the inspector of branches and agencies of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, left by the last French mail for Saigon on his inspecting tour. 3=
At the P. W. D. offices recently Mr. LC Rees, Principal Land Surveyor, put up for sale by public auction Inland Lot No. 1,722, near Bowen Road; 99,260 sq. feet in area; annual i ront: $342. The upset price was $2,978 Mr. A. H. Rennie was the only bidder. To him the lot was knocked down at an advance of $20 on the upset price.
Twenty-seven Chinese stowaways were brought back from Singapore on the s.s. Pentakota. Pending their being given into the custody of the Police they were locked up below decks, but as soon as the ship came to a stop twenty.
three of their number made
their escape
through the porthole, a foot square, and got clear away.
The four who remained did so
because they were too bulky to get through the porthole.
An American who had recently married in the United States accepted a post in the Philip pines. He brought with him sundry household goods, which were admitted free of Customs duty. Subsequently he sent to America for his wedding presents, "These the Customs officers refused to admit into the Philippines duty free on the ground that they had not been in use, according to the regulations, “for more than one year prior to their importation." An appeal was fodged against this decision to tax the wedding presents, but the Court overruled the appeal and sustained the decision of the Customs Collector.
- [September 24, 1904-
the
It was the Yawuta Maruj-a000 P. & P. Times, that was sunk at Newchy not the Yatsu Maru,. It was impossibl beach her, as her propeller got entangled with vessel of about 700 tons. "No lives were lost. the warship's moorings; she was a wooden
Shanghai was agitated last week over the prosecution of the proprietor of the Alhambra alleged that the chief prosecutor was a man who Hotel for keeping a disorderly house. It was had unsuccessfully sought to buy some of the acquitted, but subsequently, on the strength of Alhambra land. Schwarts, the landlord, was some police reports from Cairo and Calcutta, he the community." was arrested on a charge of “being a menace to
Mr. Johnson, Light-house keeper, has made & rough sketch of a fish "seen near Gap Rook on animal as yellow, with large, irregular, black the 8th instant at 10 a.m.” He describes the
splotches. As seen, twenty yards from the Rook, and about two feet below the surface, it appeared to be very flat in shape, the plane of the tail being parallel with the surface. It seemed to be about nine feet long, a foot broad across the shoulder, and had six side fins, about nine inches long. There WBS no dorsal fin. After loitering in one place for about a quarter of an hour, it swam sway to have been, we do not think naturalists need westwards. Careful as the observation seems record a new species, or bathers fear sharks. We cannot help being struck, however, by the resemblance of the local visitor to Polyodon spathula, the "spoonbill sturgeon," referred to That has four prominent side fins and the by naturalists as found in the Mississippi valley.
horizontal tail.
The following American telegram appearing in the Manila papers is given for what it may be worth, but we suspect it to be an intelligent anticipation of events rather than a statement of fact. It reads:-The situation growing out of the present war has been complicated by a proposal on the part of China to the various Powers interested to take over Manchuria. The proposal is made in the nature of a friendly overture to Russia and Japan as a solution which would bring about a cessation of the present strife. The proposal is regarded with great disfavour at St. Petersburg, where it is looked upon as an effort on the part of Japan to overreach Russian interests and bring about an attitude among the Powers unfavourable to Russia. China's move is generally regarded as a very shrewd piece of Japanese diplomacy, and to be one of the first steps by which Japan hopes to secure international guarantees of the integrity of China and a restoration to the latter Power of her northern province.
C
According to the Univeral Gazette, by some mysterious means H.E. Tieh Liang, the Special High Commissioner of Investigation (and Collector of Funds), has during his fort- night's stay in Shanghai managed to collect no less a sum than Tls. 800,000. That paper is at High Commissioner's coffers, and hasards a a loss to say whence came this large sum to the
guess that possibly these Tls, 800,000 were dis- covered lying loose in the Klanguan Arsenal Paymaster's chest. This perhaps accounts for his Excellency's repeated visits to the Arsenal, where, encouraged by his find, he had hoped to
scrape up some more." Excellency is credited by the Universul Gazette's" At any rate, hin editor with having given stringent orders before starting for Boochow on the 13th instant that this money must not be touched or tampered with, but is to await his return to Shanghai. The mystery of the whole thing is that there has not been the slightest observable move- ment in the various yamens of Shanghai since H.E.'s arrival, whereby they could be suspected of collecting money to present the Special Commissioner, whence comes another shrewd guess that the aid of native banks has been enlisted by interested mandarins in the matter, At this rate Tish Liang's mission has been so far more successful that that of his notorious predecessor Kang Yi, for the latter during his whole trip in 1899, beginning from Canton along the coast cities up to Tientsin, succeeded in getting only some twelve millión & tuela, whereas without any visible efforts Tich Liang has managed to collect nearly a million taels, ostensibly from only one mysterions
source.