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EVOLUTION OF HONGKONG.
[Written for the Hongkong Daily Press.]
(Continued from last week.)
XII.
As the East India Company for long con- tinued to feel a sore over their loss of the profits of the trade, they not unnaturally looked for something to replace it. It was noticed that the tea-plant actually grow wild in the Ass3 m territory, and this led to steps being taken to introduce the manufacture. With this object in view Robert Fortune, a trained botanist was sent to China shortly after the conclusion of the treaty of Nanking, with orders to procure all the information he could about the manipu- lation of the product and the cultivation of the plant. No better choice could have been made. Fortune made his way into the tes districts at a time when travellers in the interior could olaim no protection, and so engratiated himself with the people that he became a welcome visitor. He studied on the spot the whole manipulation of the piant, and secured a suf. ficient number of skilled natives to proceed to India, and there successfully introduce the oultivation. The trial from these small beginnings had enormous results, and led to the headquarters of tea-culture being even- tually transported from China to India and Ceylon. Although the British Government lent no aid of any sort to the new enterprise, taxing the Indian product equally with that of Chins, the Chinese Government by its utter want of any fiscal policy whatever materially contributed to the result, by standing by and permitting every petty official en route to tax the article ad libitim.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
remained idle had it not been that China came
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to the recone. The export of silk at 0000 Basu'ned enormous importance, and it was characteristic of the great production of Chins in ordinary circumstances that the demsed was at once met with very slight disturbance of the market. Not only was the demand for silk
but enormously increased, entirely now trade, that in silk-worm, adds to supply the ravages of the diseases sprung up and for many years assumed considerable importauce. In the year 1856, Michie estimated that the value of silk thus exported amounted in value to no less than ten millions sterling. This enormous export lasted with few intermissions till the close of the seventies, when owing to increased exports from Japan, and the discovery by t'asteur of an effectual remedy for the disease, the trade for a period slackened. The spur given to the trade was, however, permanent, and we find at the present the value of silk commodities exported annually not. far short of twelve millions sterling.
The consequences of this demand for Chinese silk were not confined to China but were world. wide in a degree and manner never foreseen by the actors who took part in it; it, in fact, completely revolutionised the currency of the world. There had been a general tendency, headed by England, to simplify the monetary currency of the world, and there had in con- sequence a disposition to reduce all to the ons standard of goll. When Napoleon III became the French the Emperor of
currency of Frane, nominally bimetallic, was really based on the silver five franc piece, enormous quanti ties of which were in circulation or locked up in the treasury. Napoleon introduced the gold coin bearing his name of the value at the time of four of these silver five franc pieces, which To Robert Fortune is also to be attributed from their good coinage and their hand. the introduction of many beautiful and useful iness became popular, this occurring con- plants into England; and his wanderings in temporaneously with the demand for China Chins, no doubt in the regions traversed by him, silk, enormous quantities of these coins were went far to remove the prejudice against foreign-melted up and sent to China, where silver ers still at the time supreme throughout China. demanded a fancy price, rising to a premium of as The science of botany owes to him, in connec- much as thirty per cant. With the recovery from tion with Sir Joseph Hooker in Assam, its first disease of the Europeau silkworm, the Freoch knowledge of the plants of a vast region extend- five frauc silver piece had pratically departed ing from the Himalayas to the sea coast of from its leading place in the European currency. Chins.
which became formally established on the gold basis.
Owing partly to the obstructions placed in the way by the native authorities at Foochow, but mainly to the Chinese disinclination to change their methods, it was not till well on in the fifties that the Port of Foochow became of any importance, but about the year 1853 mainly through the exertions of some of the American merchants, the first teas commenced to come to Foochow for shipment; it was not, however, till after the treaty of Tientsin that Foochow rose into first class importance as a tea-shipping port.
From the opening of Shanghai, owing to its proximity to the largest silk producing country in the world, silk had taken its place as one of the staple exports: the most active nation in the market being Italy, itself the largest European producer. The Chinese from the earliest ages of which we have hnowledge had encouraged the production, and the rearing of the worm was not thought beneath the dignity of an empress. The worm certainly was indigenous in northern China, and seems in the earliest ages to have lived on the native oak and other trees which were native to these countries When the less robust bombyx mari and mulberry cultivation came into use in cen tral China is not recorded, but the earliest Kilk known in Europe, as far as we can form an opinion from the well known verse of Vergil :- Velleraque ut foliis depectant tenuia Beres? would indicate the northern variety.
The trade would probably without external influence have continued to increase, especially as Shanghai, in contrast with the other ports had it been favoured from the first under consula who to a pleasant presence superadded a quiet intention to see the stipulations of the Treaty observed, and who thus gained the confidence of both sides; but the great development of the trade was due to natural causes. Towards the dlóde of the fifties a strange disease broke out amongst the silk worms of Europe, which rapidly became epidemic, and at one period threatened to destroy the whole of the pro- duction, and the silklooms of Europe must have
After the Franco-German war the in- demuity was paid in gold; and Germany took the opportunity to change her standard likewise to gold; and this let loose an enormous amount of silver on an already fully stocked market, with the result of a continuous drop in price, which by 1903 had fallen to considerably less than half its supposed standard value. This complete revolution in the currencies of the world where China remains now as the only si:ver-using country of importance in mercantile affairs, has had profound effects on the course of trale, especially in the East.
Another circumstance, also to a large extent accidental, which occurred about this period had a most important effect in altering the course of trade; this was the establishment of the Foreign Maritime Castom.
While as a nation
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no people on the face of the earth are more capable accountants than the Chinese in their individual character as merchants or bankers, the very opposite rule is found to prevail when we consider the nation in its obaracter as a government. At no period of its history has there been any system of acountancy between the Central Government and its subordinates, The several posts have their well understood assessed value, and the appointee before proceed ing to his post has to pay up this assessment in full, together with other undefined, but invariably demanded dues. On the other haud when he yields up his office, he is not called on to render say account of his receipts, but is expected to have not only cleared himself, bu to have amassed a sufficiency te mest future promotions, in default of which his official career is considered closed.
[December 23, 1907.
without raising trouble, always a sine qua non, out of it. As the collector was generally too wise to risk killing his goose the duty payable became in most cases a matter of private barzaining with the larger merchants, who frequently had the opportunity of selecting routes, and chose the one where facilities were grestest, and least exacting. Such was the ante-treaty system under which the Company had worked: and naturally under the operation of the treaty, to prevent its recurrence became one of the chief duties of the consuls appointed to the various ports.
(lo be continued).
JAPAN.
(FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT,)
Tokyo, December 3rd. SETTLEMENT OF THE CANADIAN QUESTION,
On Monday the first conference took pisos between Mr. Rodolphe Lemieux, K.C., Post- master-Geueral and Minister of Labour for the Dominion of Cauada, and Count Hayashi, Japanese Foreign Minister. The conference, which lasted several hours, took place in the Foreign Office, there being also present besides the above-mentioned statesmen, 'Sir Claude MacDonald, British Ambassador, and Baron Chiada, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs. Mr. Lemieux has been several weeks in Tokyo and last night was the guest of honour at a banquet given by prominent Tokyo oitizens. the first official conference has Although been loug_in_taking_place, it is probable that, unofficially, everything of importance has already been practically decided upon form of supplement-
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There was thus in no part of China, bafors the Treaty of Nanking anything corresponding | with a "Tariff," that is to say, there was no regular and invariable levy: the general ideas were defined more or less definitely, but details were left to the discretion of the collector. This was necessary, as like his superior officer, he himself had paid beforehand for his offios and was expected to get asmuch as he could,
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and that some дет
suit
ary agreement will be concluded to the present condition of the immigration ques- tion in Canada. Although the Tokyo press has dwelt at length upon the fact that Canada cannot back out of its agreement with Japan, it should be borne in mind that during the past year or so certain developments have taken place in America which make it necessary for the statesmen of both Japan and Ameriʊs to And we may consider their relations anew. rest assured that Count Hayashi with not fail to recognise the new difficulties that have arison in Canada and that both he and Mr. Lemieux will coma to some satisfactory arrangement.
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VISCOUNT AOKI'S RECALL.
One
Some surprise is now being experienced at the recall of the Japanese Ambassador at Washington, and Router's special reports from Washington show how the American public is inclined to regard the event. The Viscouat him. solí anticipates public opinion by the stat ment that he is returning to Tokyo to confer on the immigration question and that it does not follow that he will not retura to Washington. Japanese correspondent states that the Ambases- dor is recalled in consequance of Count,Hayashi's determination to pursue a more vigorous policy with regard to tue immigrant question, while Count Hayashi in an interview with a corres- pondent here says Viscount Aoki's presence in Tokyo will do much to hasten the settlem ›nt of the matter. Whether the Ambassador will return to America, however, is an open question, his conduct of recent negotiations not having given entire satisfaction, although it is, well kaown he is disposed to a paceful astšio- ment. Viscount Aoki WAS formerly at Berliu, aud as that embassy in at present in charge of the first secretary —Ambassador Laonys being ou his way home--the probability of Visconut Aoki being removed thither is freely spoken of.
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AN IMPERIAL CHINESE VISITOR. What with the troublesome “Kanto” or Chientao dispute, Manchurian questions and other differences between Japan and China, i is perhaps too much to expect harmonious diplomatic relations between these two peoples | for some; years to com, but the pisis of Prince På Lim is thoroughly welcomed by the Tokyo press, although his Highness merely comes to return the visit >> the Poking Court of Prince Hiroyasu-of-Engkimi. Yet great results can with reason be expected. Prince Pu Lun may occupy the throne of China before many years are past, and the impressions and convictions of so szaited a Chinens, gained
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