# October 3, 1904.]
The official in charge of the communications and despatches sent up to Peking from the Provinces committed suicide about three weeks ago. as an important despatch from Chang Chih-tung about Kweilin had been detained.
On the 3rd instant a private of the Manchester Regiment named Morrell had a quarrel with a comrade in the barrack-room at Singapore. The man got very excited and, suddenly seizing a bayonet, appeared to run amok as he attacked everyone in the barrack-room. He stabbed four men before he could be disarmed, and one of the victims is in a serious condition. The Penang Gazette says Morrell appears to be
insane.
The Postmaster-General of the United States is credited with the ambition to establish penny postage between America and Europe. If he succeeds we may safely assume that universal penny postage will quickly follow, for French- men and Germans and Englishmen would be unlikely long to tolerate the absurdity of charging twopence-halfpenny for letters ex- changed with one another, while letters sent all the way across the Atlantic were only charged a penny.
We have to welcome still another China-side contemporary. It is the China Review, edited by C. L. Norris-Newman, F.R.G.S., and published at Tientsin. Of it the editor remarks that it started absolutely without one subscriber or one advertisement, and he hopes to increase and improve it day by day. Many advertise- ments have already been proffered," but No. 4 contains none. They will be accepted as soon as possible, It is an evening journal of men and matters," and quite Russophil.
The Times of Malaya, on the authority of private advices from Hongkong, says that since the departure of the first batch of coolies for the Rand from that Colony, several coolie guilds there have amalgamated with the object of preventing the despatch of any further batches of coolies for "South Africa from the Canton provinces. Underlying this, it is believed that a very powerful guild is at work either in Singapore or Penang. the aim of which is to prevent coolies from going to South Africa from Hongkong, but their object is to get labour for service in the Straits Settlements and the F.M.S.
As the extreme stress of the hot season at Chungking has finished, the men belonging to H.M.S. Kinsho came down from their bungalow on the hills on the 29th August. Mr. H. E. Sly. our Consul, and Mr. W. C. H. Watson, the Commissioner of Customs at this port, also returned to the city at the end of August. Mr. Sly, says the Chungking correspondent of the N.-C. Daily News, has been fortunate in obtaining his home furlough for 15 months. He will depart for the coast as soon as his relief, Mr. W. F. M. Russell, who has been appointed here as Acting-Consul, arrives. That will be about the end of October. We all heartily congratulate Mr. Sly, and our very best wishes and hopes for his return go with him. It is not likely, though, that he will be reappointed here. One period in a life-time in this part of the globe is sufficient for any ordinary man.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE RÉPORT.
The Emperor of China has issued a Decres deposing the present Dalai Lama and com- manding the Panshen Lama of Tashilumbo (called by Reuter "Tashi Lama") to succeed the former in his spiritual dignities. Apropos, remarks a learned Chinese gentleman in a contemporary, the Panshen Lama, or to give him his full name Panshên Erdeni Lama, is! co. Pontiff with the Dalai Lama, and to him is confided the supreme care of all religious affairs, whilst his colleague the Dalai Lama has charge of the secular affairs of Tibet. Tashilambo (in Chinese Tsa-shillum pu), meaning the “Blessed Mount," where the Panshen Lama resides, is about eight days' journey, or about 190 miles west of Lhassa.
❘
Down to the end of 1903 the vital statistics
K
of Bamshui as regards the foreign community. Mr. Brenan, Acting Commissioner of Customs neither birth, marriage nor death since the port says. constitute a record. There has been
was opened, nearly seven years ago. There is no hospital, church. mission station nor
there is no resident medical officer; what cemetery; perhaps it ought to be added that
medical advice has been needed has been kindly and most efficiently given by the surgeons of the British gunboats on the station." The Commissioner adds that the climate of Samshui is certainly less trying than that of Canton. The country is open-every breath that blows reaches the settlement; this fact, and the absence of a large city population, no doubt. he says, explain the superior health conditions.
COMMERCIAL.
TEA.
Messrs. Welch, Lewis & Co. Shanghai, in their Circular, 19th September, state-Our last Tea Market advices were under date 5th inst. Black Teas.-Very little business has been done since our last, about 3,000 half-chests of common shelly leaf Tea has heen settled, shewing a rather stronger market. advices:-
Donanı
•
Settlements
37
since our last
M
Ningchows-1,665 1-chests at Tls. 17-21 p. pel.
-1,443
at Tls. 141-16 Oopack -2,215
at Tls. 14-15.60. Total arrivals to date :-29,377 half-chests against 36,510 half-chests same date last year.
Total settlements to date:-20,122 half-chests against 22,180 half-chests same date last year. Green Tea-During the interval prices have strengthen- ed for Fine" Country Tea, stocks of this grade are not allowed to accumulate as they are eagerly competed for as soon as shewn. There will be no further arrivals of Crack chops from the Moyude District, and with the exception of the four Crack chops "Lee Yik Hing and one more chop of 'Qiu Hung" arrivals of Crack chops from the Tienkai District will be practically at an end. The market for Common Tea is quiet, but we are unable to quote any decline in rates. Ping- suey. Practically no business has been done in these Teas, a few second gunpowders have been settled at Tls. 32-35 per picul, no Settlements of chops have been made. The Stock which is no- minally some 50,000 half-chests consists of Com- mon to Medium Teas. Hyson —We have had a very quiet market during the interval, Finest to Choice teas are exhausted, the Stock consists of Common to Medium grades, for which Tls. 23-28 is being asked for Common grades, and Tls. 36-44 for Medium quality. Foong Mee and Sou Mees :- No change to quote since our last; the market is quiet.
The Governor of Che-kiang has addressed a communication to the French Consul-General at Shanghai regarding a request made by a French merchant as to the formation of a steamboat company to run steam launches from Shanghai to Shao-hsin-fu in the inland waters of the province. The Governor has now received a report from the Customs Taotai at Ningpo stating that under instructions from the Government he has made a careful examination Total to date, 1904.27,960,413 574,927 1,805,469
From commencement of Season the Export of Ted to Great Britain has been :-
Black, lbs. Dust, Ibs. Green, Iba,
1903.. 6,859,148
1902.. 5,081,653
*
259
From commencement of Season the Export to Bombay and other ports:
To date, 1904
1903 1902
Z
Black, lbs. 87,200 ...109,185
46,892 413,847
Green, Ibs.
255,784
618,667
of Green Tea t: Batum and Novorossisk, &c.
From comme cement of Season the Export
To date, 1904
1904
1
1903 1902
Greon. ..3,396,932 lbs.
.5,021,665 .5,614,103
"
22
The Export of Tea to Russian Manchuria via Port Arthur, Newchwang and Tientsin has been :—
Black, lbs. Brick, lbs. Green, lbs. Dust, lbs. 2,453,602 8,670,544 105,733 104,034 1903...16,852,4'6 7,915,734 1,216,990 88,800 1902...12,265,635 3,813,850 1,280,293 590,886
HANKOW, 21st September. The following
dated 21st September. Business reported since statistics published under the direction of the Hankow General Chamber of Commerce, were
the 13th inst. is as under :---
Settlements... Shipments to Shanghai on
Native account
104, 1903. -Chusts. -Chests.
*4,626
868
5,705
3,438
The following are the statistics at date compared with the corresponding circular of last season, viz., 23rd September, 1903 :-
HANKOW TEA. Settlements..
1904. 1903. {-Chests. }-Chests. 583,841 536,090
Shipments to Shanghai on
Native account Stock
16,325 25,577.
10,368 14,140
Arrivals
610,534 575,807
1904.
1903.
Chests.
-Chests.
195,538
190,682
Shipments to Shanghai on
Native account
18,037
13,017
Stock
793
213,575
204,492
KIUKIANG TEA. Settlements...
Arrivals
The export of Tea from Hankow to 10th instant, as per Customs Returns stands thus :-
Re-exports.
Season 1904 × 1905...43,424,564 lbs....13,153,539lbs.
1903 x 1904...37,174,624 ..12,694,617 1902 × 1903...36,262,217 .13,397,123
+
**
11
+
Vin Shanghai. Total 1904/5. Total 1908/4.
6,174,516 lbs.
*
+9
To Great Britain... 6,333,901 lbs.
United States
and Canada 3,808,552 Continent
19
"
11
4,237,039 Russia in Europe 107,190
do. via North Shanghai
35
4,116,106 1,884,381 13,210,167 19,882,435 4,466,369 4,286,456
**
J
Do.
Do.
**
Do.
SUGAR.
**
HONGKONG, 30th Sept.-The position is the same as when last reported. Shekloong, No. 1, White......$8.35 to $8.40 pels.
2. White...... 7.45 to 7.50 I, Brown...... 6.00 to 6:05 2, Brown..... 5.90 to 5.95 8.35 No. 1, White...... 8.30 to
2, White...... 7.40 to 7.45 1. Brown...... 5.80 to 5.85 2. Brown 5.60 to 5.65 Foochow Sugar Candy Shekloong
Swatow,
Do. Do.
"
Do.
#
.12.45 to 12,50
.10.50 to 10.55
RICE.
"
5
19
HONGKONG, 30th Sept.--The downward tendency continues, market being dull. Saigon, Ordinary......
*1,902,070 1,945,217
11
Tea to the United States and Canada has been :- From commencement of Season the Export of
Black, lbs. Gréen, lbs. Total to date, 1904 ......5,037,928 3,221,933 1903 .... ...5,419,500 10,872,648 1902 ....7,724,688 8,811,981
to other European ports:
From commencement of Season the Export
21
Round, good quality Long
$2.25 to $2,30
2.50 to 2.55
3.70 to 3.75
Siam, Field mill cleaned, No. 2
2.45 to 2.50
Garden,
No. 1
8:45 to 3.50
#
"
White,
8.95 to 4.00
"
Fine Cargo
4.10 to 4.15
OPIUM.
HONGKONG, 29th Sept. — Quotations STO :-**** Allowance net to 1 catty.
into the condition of the river at the place named and finds that not only is the water too shallow and the course of the river too winding to allow of the running of steamboats, but at Wu-lung-tan and Hsiao-tan-tsun the river is too narrow and the embankments will be damaged if steamboats run there. As it is clearly stipulated in the 4th article of the new Commercial Treaty between the British and Chinese Government that if the Chinese au- thorities find that the water in any river is too | Total to date, 1904.20,143,128 2,305,466 874,003 Malwa Older shallow for navigation they are at liberty to communicate with the foreign Consul concerned with a view to putting a stop to the same, the Chinese Government has therefore now the pleasure of communicating with the French Consul-General upon the matter, and hopes he will take steps to prevent it. Tientsin Times.
"
Black, lbs. Brick, lbs. Green, Ibs.
-
$1080
to $1130 per pical.
$1140
to $1180 do.
.$1260
to $1280
do.
.$1800
to $1820
do.
to
do.
.$910 to
do.
$1100 to
per chest.
Patna Old
to
do.
19
Benares New Benares Old
$10871 to
do.
$1080
to
do.
11
Malwa New Malwa Old
1903.. 2,369.435
801,470 | Malwa V. Old 1902. 1,761,519
698,941 Persian fine quality....$880 From commencement of Season the Export Persian extra fine of Black Tea direct to Russia
Patna New To date, 1904.
843,467 lbs. 1903....................................................
...12,383,304 1902............................................. .18,152,998
13
3
1