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Though Bangkok is not one of the great shipping ports of the world, still with the dredg- ing of the bar and other improvements, it could be turned into one of the most important and safest harbours in the Far East, says the "Siam Free Press." With the constantly increasing area under rice cultivation, the export trade of Siam is bound to increase enormously in the future, and better shipping facilities will then become an urgent necessity in order to keep pace with the growing trade of the port.
Foreigners and Chinese who were in North China during the Boxer rising in 1900 will not have forgotten the late General Mei Tung-vi, who protected foreigners at Tsangchou, Chihli, during that time and was afterwards rewarded with a gold watch specially sent from London, by the British Government. General Mei died in 1904. Now, says a Hankow exchange, by permission of the Chinese Government, the people at Tsangchou have erected a special memorial temple for him as a recognition of his services. General Mei was one of the very few high Chinese military officers, who did not believe in the Boxers.
Messrs. Hughes and Young, of 55. Chancery. lane, London, forwarded to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on October 14 a letter to inquire, "whether any convention has been concluded between Japan and the United King- dom similar to that concluded on the 19th May. 1908, between the United States and Japan, under which the protection of patents, designs, and trade marks under the Japanese Patent Designs and Trade Marks Law is extended to Korea." In reply, the Foreign Office states that 'his Majesty's Government are at the present moment engaged in negotiating a convention with the Japanese Government for the mutual protection of trade marks in China and Korea."
Sir Robert Hart. the veteran Inspector General of Chinese Customs, made his first public appearance in London since his return from the East at a dinner of the Paviors Company, in the City, last month. In the
afternoon he was admitted as a freeman of the
company. Speaking of the splendid hospitality of the Paviors, he mentioned a private banquet to which he was ouce entertained by some Chinese friends in Peking. It began at twelve o'clock in the day and lasted until five o'clock next morning, and during the seventeen hours there were 125 courses, of which he was able to say he tasted every one. Yet the following morning he took his coffee and bath as usual, and went through his day's work without sleeping.
According to official reports, the experimental use of Hung-shan coal by the German East Asian Naval Squadron has been thoroughly satisfactory. The use of this coal brought to surface by the Shantung Mining Company, re- marks a Berlin correspondent, will represent a considerable saving of money. Thus, in June. 1907, Cardiff coal was sold at Shanghai for £2 to £2 108. per ton; Japanese coal sold at from 158. to £158., and the Shantung coal at from 178. to £1 23. a ton Last June the new seam of coal at Hung-shan was tested by being used as fuel in the electrical station at Tsing-tan, and the result was satisfactory, and it is believed that henceforth this coal will be supplied to the German warships in the Far East. as the Ad- miralty will not renew contracts for the supply of Cardiff coal.
Captain F. E. C. Ryan, of H.M.S. Astræa, has submitted a report to Government on his visit to the Keeling-Cocos Islands, in September last. In referring to Direction Island, which is occupied by the staff of the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company, numbering 21 Europeans. 45 Chinese and five Malays, he says the staff all speak very highly of the beneficial effect of the climate. The Chinese are principally employed in building work, and will eventually return to Singapore. The Telegraph staff are very com- fortably housed, and recent improvements in- alude the addition of new tennis courts and a
new cricket pitch. The difficulty of obtaining a good water supply is overcome by the erection of a distilling plant. By the recent installation also of a refrigerating and ice-making plant, the comfort and health of the Europeans has been greatly improved.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
We learn from a Peking contemporary that the Wai Wu Pu has forwarded a despatch to the Viceroy of Chihli stating that the Board has consented, at the request of the German Minister, to allow him to take charge of the affairs of Turks and Armenians in China. These are subjects of non-treaty powers resident in China and they are therefore under Chinese control the same as ordinary Chinese subjects. He is also requested that it should be noted that no passports will be issued to people of these races and if they travel, and trouble ensues, they will be treated as Chinese subjects.
A Peking contemporary states that the members of the. Council of State have recently been conferring with the President of the Board of Finance with regard to the proposed The conference took place in the currency. Lang Yen Yuen Garden, and a resolution was passed the other day to mint 30.000.000 of the new one-taal pieces. These coins will be distri: buted according to a certain carefully arranged scale throughout all the Provinces of China, and on receipt of their prescribed allotments the respective Provincial Treasuries are to remit silver bars, equal in value to the coins received, to the Central Government.
One crying evil at Saigon arises from the numerous low liquor shops run by Chinese, who retail the worst of spirits which too often take effect as rank poison. The very cheapness of the liquor is convincing proof of its unwholesomeness, but the low prices attract crowds to the spirit shops. Soldiers and sailors especially fall victims to these The Saigon unscrupulous liquor dealers. Opinon urges the local authorities no longer to keep quiet and allow these unprincipled Chinese to enrich themselves quickly by drugging the soldiers of the garrison.
[November 23, 1908
Mr. John Fowler, the American Consul ät Chefoo, who is now at Home, seems to have created a little sensation in the Staten by denouncing Li Sảm Ling as an imposter, and Mr. nothing but a Hongkong Chinaman. Fowler's remarkable action, the New York Herald says, has been brought to the notice of the American State Department.
The state coach now being built for the Sul- tan of Johore at the Central Workshops, Kuala Lumpur, is described as a miniature palace on wheels. The coach is built of cheeghai and jelutong and contains a commodious state room with easy chairs and folding tables and a luxurious sleeping saloon with a fixed bed. A bathroom is also fitted to the coach.
The Japanese Government has decided to continue the grant of a subsidy for steamship services, the term for which expires at the end of the next fiscal year. The subsidy for the Nippon Yasen Kaisha's European line is placed at Y2,670,000 a year, that for the Seattle line at Y55,000 and that for the Toyo Kisen Kaisha's San Francisco line at Y1,000,000. It is proposed that these subsidies be granted for ten years from January 1910.
The Shogyo Shimpo predicta a temporary depression in the silk market. Its analysis is that the great activity of the past few weeks was due to speculative purchases in anticipation of Mr. Taft's election, and that the latter event being now assured, there will be a reaction until the large stock imported into the States can be digested Already America has bought 20 or 30 thousand yen more than she had purchased in the corresponding period of last
year.
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It is much to be feared that the crime of infanticide in Siam is on a large scale, and that measures for the preservation of the lives of We read in a Peking contemporary that H. E. infants are most urgent. During the past few that a foreign loan of 15.000.000 taels should be infants were found floating in tne klongs of the months, we have recorded facts where bodies of Chang Chi-tung. Grand Councillor, has advised raised for the construction of the proposed rail city and the river Menam, says the Stam Free We have never heard, however, that the way from Hankow to Szechuan. His Excellency Press.
the пр has advised that this line should be proceeded police have taken any steps to trace with before the Hupeh section of the Canton-guilty party, as no persons, to our knowledge, have been convicted of consigning infants, Haukow railway. The gentry of Hupeh are stated to be strongly opposed to the proposal. whether living or dead, to the waterways of the At Hankow, too, strong oppŝition has been shown
This being the case, perpetrators of to the proposal to raise a foreign loah. H. E. such crimes appear to have no fear of being Chang Chi-tung has been informed by wire detected. intend to have officials interfere with the line that the promoters of the enterprise do not in any way. We gather that since a foreign loan was proposed subscriptions amounting to 12.000,000 taels have been promised.
H.E. Chang Ming Chi, the Governor of Kwangxi Province, has forwarded a memorial to the Throne stating that he has arrested three notorious Chinese revolutionists, and that many important documents relating to the revolution- ary movement were discovered in the luggage of one of them. According to these papers Dr. Sun Yat Sen is the leader of the movement and his followers number 10,000 men sworn to obey him in all things. Those of them scattered along the Yangtze River, are 4,000 in number, and there are 600 in Japan. During their trial the prisoners denied everything that was brought against them. They were convicted, however, and decapitated in Kweilin under instructions
from the Governor, and the Grand Council is now requested to submit all this information to the Throne.
Many residents along the China coast and especially the sea-faring community engaged in the coasting trade will deeply regret to learn of the death of Dr. Henry Layng of Swatow of which port he had been the Medical Officer for the long period of twenty-two years. Dr. Layng came out first to Amoy but did not remain there long. Early this year he had an attack of paralysis. Mrs. Layng, who was at home at the time, returned to Swatow, but find- ing his condition serious took her husband back to England. At Marseilles on the way home he had another slight attack, form which he recovered but he had not been long a Chelten. ham before he had another seisure, and this had a fatal termination on the 4th ultimo. Dr. Layng was held in the highest esteem by all who knew him and the deepest sympathy will be felt for the widow and her four children. Dr. Layng was about 48 years of age.
town.
was a new
hibition of Chinese Porcelain at Shanghai At the official inauguration of an Ex-
T. inst. Mr. W. Kings- on the 17th mill said that in the unavoidable absence of Sir Pelham Warren, President of the North China branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, he had been asked to welcome the visitors to the opening day. This exhibition departure for Shanghai and he was very glad to see, from the number of those present, that the efforts of the Committee were appreciated. He thanked the many collectors who had come forward to help in the exhibition which would be recorded as one of the finest collections of Chinese ceramic art ever seen in any part of the world. Mr. D. Landale declared the and other speakers were Exhibition open Mr. Charles Denby, U.8. Consul-General, and Mr. C. O. Liddell, Chairman of the Asistio The latter said that Society's Committee. the Committee's thanks were particularly due to Viceroy Tuan Fang who had sent some wonderful antiques, and to the Shanghai Taotai, through whose combined influence specimens had been received from Mr. Li Chi-baf of Canton who possessed a unique collection, the most famous in China, and from Mr. King Siao-san who had lent forty pieces of unusual interest. Other notable Chinees ool- lectors exhibiting were Mr. Wong Tes-chang,
r
Kai Han-tsen, Mr. Liu Wen tsoh and other Chinese friends. In this nexion the Committee was fortunate in being able to command the influence of Dr. J. C. Ferguson with his numerous Chinese friends. Generous support had also been received from the Committee's Chinese colleagues, Mr. Shen Tun-ho, Mr. Ho El-may, Mr. Zun Bing-ching and Mr. Wong Chis-sur, who had all rendered valuable assistance. Last, but assuredly not least, he would speak of the invaluable services of the Honorary Secretary, Mr. A. W. Bahr, whose untiring energy in organisation had re- lieved the Committee of much anxiety.