September 19, 1908,]
jurisdiation over the sea. He requested the Portuguese Consul not to meddle in the matter. The Viceroy's foreign deputies seem to be utterly unfitted by knowledge and experience to tender advice on the laws and customs of foreign ports and will get the authorities into trouble before long, if they are not more careful. The Portuguese Consul will, no doubt, remind them that Portuguese laws must be respected in a Portuguese harbour.
OPIUM CRUSADE.
An institution
W88 established by the Government some two months
ago. for the treat- ment of all Civil officials who smoke opiam and the Provincial Treasurer was appointed Direc- tor of the place. It appears that since the opening of the institute not a single offisial has applied for admission. Treasurer Woo has been surprised at this and has issued a notiation that all civil officials who use the drug must register themselves within ten days or they will be severely punished.
PROTESTING ACAINST AN OLD CUSTOM. The Canton Pawnbrokers Guild are protest. ing against the old custom of forcing the pawnshops to use Government money at the exhorbitant interest of 30 per cent, per annum. They have petitioned the Nam Hoi Magistrate requesting him to withdraw the Government funds from all the pawnshops or to reduce the rate of interest. The petitioners point out to the Magistrate that reforms are being carried oat throughout the Chinese Empire and urge that this old custom should not be overlooked as it is a beavy burden to carry, especially now when business is slack and times are bad.
CRUEL PIRATES.
Last week a junk loaded with a full cargo of foreign sugar was attacked by pirates in broad daylight while on her voyage from Wai-chow to Pok-lo. Over twenty pirates boarded the jank while the orew were towing her along the bank of the East River. The pirates seized the three members of the crew who were on the junk, tied them together in a bunch, fastened heavy weights to the men thus bound and dumped them into the river. The rest of the crew who were on the bank, on discovering the people were pirates, took to their heels and disappeared.
The pirates transhipped the
orago and valuables into several sampans and made off with the booty. The matter was reported to the Ho Yuen Magistrate, but none of the outlaws have been arrested yet.
OFFICIAL SINECURES.
I
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
Wei Han and Won Tsung Yao, called on the Bishop at the Catholic Cathedral in the City where they had a most amicable interview. At the invitation of Bishop Merel, His Excellency the Viceroy inspected the Stored Heart College IMPORTS. :-- on the Cathedral premises. His Excellency and the officials were conducted by the Rev. Frèra Fourquet, Superintendent of the through the institution. The Viceroy was very College,
pleased with the good disipline of the students and praised the good order that prevailed and also the excellent methods adopted in educating the students, who are all Chinese.
The Likin officials who receive appointments as superintendents of s'ations all over the Kwangtung Province have been in the habit of leaving their stations in charge of subordinate officials. It is customary for officials who receive these appointments to call at the Viceroy's yamen and report their departure to take up the position. Likin stations are usually on the banks of rivers and creeks up country, isolated from villages and towns. A station would, therefore, be a very dull place for an official who is an old resident of the gay Canton city. Consequently about a month after he is installed in his new position he would hand the management over to one of the trustworthy subordinates and return to Canton, there to enjoy himself until the expiration of his term of office. In some instances where the station is quite close to Canton he would return on the same day after taking over the seals and accounts from his predecessor. Recently while His Excellency the Viceroy was return- ing an official call, he met a superintendent of a Likin station who had called on him a fortnight ago announcing his departure to take up his post. The deliquent official was so frightened when his chair came into contact. with the Viceroy's chair that he did not know what to do and almost fell out of his chair. His Excellency at once recognised the man and on the following day summoned him to his yamen and reprimanded him very severely for taking French leave, The Viceroy bas issued a notification that in future no Likin officials will be allowed to leave their stations without first obtaining permission from him.
September 16th,
After the tour of inspection refreshments were served and photographs of the whole party were taken, The Viceroy and the officials then left,
ALLEGED PIRATES RELEASED.
The other day the local authorities here received telegraphic information from Hong. kong that a gang of pirates were proceeding to Cauton by the 8.3." Paul Bean." Instructions were given to Colonel Lui Chan Hoi of the Shameen Guard to have them arrasted on the arrival of the steamer. Colonel Lui dispatched Captain Chan with a body of soldiers to await the arrival of the 8.8. Paul Beau' on the morning of the 14th instant and arrest the pirates.
It is said that previous to the arrival of the vosel Captain Chan had an interview with the French Consul who gave the former a letter addressed to the captain of the s.s.
"Paul Beau."
When the 8.8. "Paul Beau" arrived Captain Chan and his braves all went on board and arrested seven or eight alleged pirates who were passengers on the vessel,
In the meantime the Captain of the vessel opened the Consul's letter and on reading it discovered that the Consul's instructions were not to permit the Chinese officer and his soldiers to arrest the pirates on board of the steamer, but they could arrest them as soon as the men got into sampins to go ashore. The Captain of the steamer immediately informed Chinese Officer of the contents of the Consul's
the
letter ani refused to permit him to take the prisoners away. At the same time he wrote a letter informing the Consul as to what had already occurred.
The Vice Consal went on board the s.s. "Paul Bean" and asked the Chinese Officer and his braves to leave the vessel at oach and ordered the prisoners to be released.
It is said that a few of the pirates returned to Hongkong by the same vessel and that many of them escaped ashore.
This is another instance of the ignorance of international law shown by the Chinese authoriti s.
There is great excitement amongst the officials here over the affair.
MONEY FOR REFORMS IN THIBET.
Some time ago the Board of Revpoue at Peking instructed the Viceroys and Governors of several Provinces to raise fande to meet the current expenses for carrying out certain reforms in Tibet.
The amount fixed by the Central Government to be contributed by the Kwangtung Province (over 200,000, taels) has not ben sent yet Minister Chew at Tibet has recently cabled re- questing the Canton Authorities to forward their share as soon as possible as he is in argent need of. funds to carry out the year's programme of reforms.
The telegram also requests Taotai Wen the newly appointed Minister of Tibat, to prooed there and relieve him without further delay.
The Viceroy has instructed Taotai Wen to resign all the appointments which he is now holding and to devote his time to raise the necessary funds and make preparations to take up the new appointment at an early date.
C
Why not train up young women in Siam to establishments as in other countries, is a question fill positions in Government offices and business that is frequently asked, says the Siam Fres Press" in a leading article. Siamese women have always been noted for their business capacity in every sphere of life, and if they puca be given a OFFICIAL CALL.
chance to fill positions, as typists, telegraphists, Mons. Merel the Roman Catholic Bishop copyists, accountants and so forth, in govern- of Canton, returned from Europe last month.ment and other departments, they would soon On Monday the Viceroy, accompanied by Taotais give a satisfactory account of themselves,
COMMERCIAL.
RICE.
201
HONGKONG, 19th September:-There is only a slight change in the condition of the market.
Quotations are :-- Saigon, Ordinary
Bound, Good quality Long......
13
منا
"
21
Garden,
17
White,
»
Fine Cargo
.$4.70 to $4,75 5.00 to 6.06 6.00 Siam, Field mill cleaned, No. 2... 4.70 to
No. 1... 4.80 .................................. 4.95 to 5.50 to
6.10
4.80
to
4.85
6.00
5.60
OPIUM.
HONGKONG, Sept. 17th-We beg to continue our advices of the 3rd instant; since when the been as follows:- movements in the various Opium markets have
Malwa, Patna. Benares. Persias
Stocks on the 3rd Sept., 1908 -2,303 7,388 808 1,051 Sept. 3rd Imports per Namsang
Chogsang
11
lith
14th
.. 16th
+1
71
F. de la Ciotat .. Orientat
Less Exports to Shanghai
Less Exports to East and West Coast Ports including Local Consumption for the fortnight..
Estimated Stocks this day
200 £80
50 200
75
360
85
2,683
80
2,8381,163 1,0886
406
19
190
827 261
82
1,004
2,393 1,745 853 Bengal. A further rise has taken place owing to an active demand and prices have advanced to 81,145 for Patna $1,090 for old Benares and $1,100 for new. The Market is quiet at the close. Malwa. We have to record a substantial advance in price and a good demand,
New
2/3 years old. 4/6
*
1,800
1,150 1,160
Persian. Superior long cakes have found buyers at $9x/915. Other descriptions are quoted at $880,900 with a very small demand.
COAL.
HONGKONG, Sept. 18th.-The arrivals of coal since the 3rd Sept. amounted to 29,720 tons of Japanese, 1,800 tons of Labuan and 4,800 tons of Australian. The coal expected is 50,000 tons of Japan coal. There have been no sales of any importance in the interval but the market is Firmer. Quotations according to Messrs. Hughes and Hough's circular are as follows:-
Cardiff..
$ to $ ex-ship, nominal. Australian .$12.00 ex-ship, nominal. Yubari Lump...$12.00 ex ship, nominal. Miiki Lump 310.50 to $11.00ex-ship,nominal. Moji Lump .$7.75 to $9.50 ex-ship, steady. Moji Unscreened$6.00 to $8.00 ex-ship, steady. Akaike Lump...$8.75 to $9.00 ex-ship, sellers. Labuan Lump .$9.00 ex-ship sellers.
YARN.
HONGKONG-Mr. P. Eduljee, in his Report dated been experienced throughout the past fortnight, 11th September, states:-A brisk demand has
both for spot cargo and "to arrive," but the aggregate of sales shows no commensurate in- crease as buyers have based their ideas below those of sellers. However at the close an im- provement is noticeable, and with a better out- look for the coming rice crop confidence is slowly returning, and in the near future a good trade with steady prices is generally looked for. Com. paratively heavy arrivals have taken place dur- ing the intervel, but the market was well able to withstand the addition to our stock, as the quantity on had run down to a very small com- Valuos have appreciated 50 cents to $2 per bale pass, and comprised principally unsaleable goods.
in which all counts participate, No. 10s and 20s showing the larger advance. The market closes firm. Bombay is reported strong. Good rain continues to fall in almost all parts of India- too much having been received in some districts and the latest official forecast prophesies the continuance of favourable conditions. Sales of the interval aggregate 9,535 bales, arrivals amount to 10,635 bales, unsold stock estimated and to arrive about 28,000 bales. at 11,000 and sold but uncleared yarn in godowns Local Manu- quietness of these threads. At the twelfth annual facture:-There is no change in the continued general meeting of the shareholders of the local mill, to be held on the 23th instant, the Directors will recommend a dividend of 5 per cent, and