March 1, 1909.]
An-
Japan and the United States made at Washing. ton on November 30th last is included. other new feature is a full list (on pp 256-7) of the Treaty Ports, Ports of Call and places open to Foreign Trade in the Far East, showing the dates when each was nominally opened by agree. ment and when it was effectively opened. The new rules of H.B. 'supreme Courts in China and Corea, necessitated by the amend- ment of the Orders in Council, also appear. Finally we must mention the fifteen useful maps and plans which are included in the complete Edition. It only remains for us to add that the book is now on sale throughout the East, and if there is an office without a copy, it is a de. ficiency which should be at once repaired.
THE ANNUAL REPORT ON
KIAOCHAU.
nego-
The Berlin correspondent of the Globe says:- The annual report dealing with Kiao-chau has just been laid before the Reichstag. It claims that the chief aim of the authorities in charge of the Protectorate has been to develop it from a purely commercial aspect, and to make the place a trading centre for the interchange of goods. That Germany could ever expect to develop the Protectorate in any other direction was out of question from the first. After tiations lasting several years between European financiers and the Chinese Government, the construction of railways in the hinterland of the colony is now assured. The German Shantung Railway connecting Tsingtau with the Chinese provincial town, Tsinanfu, has aided for years the development of the region. and its importance to trade has been increased greatly by the fact that it has been connected at Tsinanfu with the new main line, which is being laid from Tientsin to the Yangtse Kiaug as a Chinese State Railway. This new line is being built with German material. for the superstructure and the bridges throughout the northern section, 316 miles in length, are being supplied entirely by German firms. This means that German works will receive orders amounting to about £1.100.00o.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
The report laments that the development of the colony suffers greatly from the fact that the Imperial mail steamers do not call at Tsingtau, as thereby the older commercial ports in the Far East have a great advantage. In the hinterland good ship's coal has been found. which the warships have tested and found to be useful. The harbour
arrangements at Tsingtau are among the best in the Far East, for cargoes can be unloaded and put into trucks on the quay-side. Still further improverients are to be carried out, and a more uniform system of loading, unloading, and warehousing goods is to be introduced by the Government, and steps are to be taken to secure greater facilities for the exportation of a larger volume of the cheaper kinds ofhinese goods.
Although the outlook continues to be pro- mising, yet the results for 1907-1908 cannot be said to be altogether satisfactory. This is put down to the general depressed tone of the markets in the Far East, in consequence, firstly, of the financial crisis, which, starting in the United States in the autumn of 1907. reduced the buying powers of the public, and, secondly, of the failure of the harvest in Shantung.
On account of the depression in trade the receipts of the Protectorate were £10,013, or 12 per cent., below those that were estimated. But an improvement in this respect has set in, for the receipts have risen since last summer.
FAR EASTERN TELEGRAMS.
HAWAII AND JAPANESE
IMMIGRATION.
181
Yesterday their Highnesses the Princes Ching and Su were summoned before the Regent to consider the matter.
A THREATENED REBELLION.
Peking, February 22nd. London, February 19th.
The Chinese Minister at Tokyo has sent a It is reported that Anti-Japanese measures telegram to the Throne reporting that several are contemplated by the Hawaiian Legislature, members of the Anti-Manchu Society are pro. one prohibiting Japanese engaging in the fish-ceeding to Kirin in Manchuria with a view to ing industry which they monopolise.
YOKOHAMA'S JUBILEE.
Tokyo, February 21st. The Yokohama community has decided to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the port to foreign trade on July 1st and 2nd next.
With a view to making Kiaochau a centre of European culture a German Higher School organisation has been introduced, and a High School for young Chinese students has been founded, towards the expenses of which China pays a yearly subsidy of £2.000.
The public life of the Protectorate has again made good progress, and the building of private houses and other buildings shows no falling off. The report contains numerous photographs and a plan of the harbour arrangements.
Publicsubscriptions are invited towards raising a fund of 100,000 yen to cover the expenses of the festival.
JAPANESE FISHING INDUSTRY
AT HAWAII.
Tokyo, February 22nd. Mr. Saito, Head of the Emigration Bureau, stated in an interview that it is well-known to be illegal for aliens to fish in American water, but if Japanese are barred from fishing (at Hawaii) the industry will be at a standstill.
Mr. Saito, who was formerly Consul at Hono- lalu, thinks there is no likelihood of the Bills being passed.
WARSHIPS DAMAGED.
Tokyo. February 22nd. The Japanese battleship Fuji and the cruiser Tokia have been damaged by striking sunken rocks at Kagoshima.
The damage sustained by the battleship is serious.
The cook on board s.s. Manila was brought before the Magistrate on Saturday for being in the possession of 249 taels of prepared opium! which was found by the chief officer in the ook's store room. Mr. Woo' entered a con- iction, but reserved his decision.
PROMIENNT FOREIGNER'S DEATH IN JAPAN.
Tokyo. February 25th. The death is aunounced of Mr. James Siber, Wolff and Co. of Zurich and Yokohama. Walter, a partner in the firm of Messrs,
[Deceased was for sometime chairman of the Chamber of Commerce in the last mentioned city, president of St. George's Society, and vice-president of the Japan branch of the British Navy League.]
AN ANGLO-JAPANESE EXHIBITION.
Tokyo, February 28th. Supplementary Estimates for two million yen have been introduced into the Diet for participtation in a proposed Anglo-Japanese Exhibition to be held in Londou.
A GIFT FROM AMERICAN SAILORS.
Tokyo, February 28th. The crews of the American Fleet which has circumnavigated the world have subscribed a sum of two thousand dollars for the presentation of a loving cup to the Japanese Navy, through Admiral Togo, in apprecitation of the courtesy shown to them during their visit to Japan.
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[FROM THE CHUNG NGOI SAN PO.”]
PROSPETIVE ROYAL VISIT.
Peking. February 21st. The British Vinister, Sir John Jordan, has informed the Board of Foreign Affairs that an Indian Prince intends paying a visit to Shang- hai and Tientsin shortly.
The Authorities have decided that His Highness will be accorded a hearty reception.
THE CHINESE NAVY.
raising a rebellion there. He asks the Throne to send orders to the Viceroy of Manchuria to be on the lookout for the rebels,
Pe' ing. February 21st. It is the intention of the Prince Regent to reorganise the hinese navy within a period of two years.
REPUDIATION OF DEBTS.
Peking, February 24th. The Board of Foreign Affairs has issued a dispatch to the Chinese Ministers in different countries to the effect that any debts contracted by the Princes of Mongolia will not be recognised unless signed by the Board of Foreign Affairs.
4
PROTECTION OF CHINESE MERCHANTS.
Peking, February 24th. The Board of Foreign Affairs has issued a dispatch to the Foreign Ministers in Peking asking them to request the Government to protect Chinese and Chinese merchants in their respective countries. The Ministers havo replied and expressed their willingness to do as requested.
SHIPPING NOTES.
NOTES,
In May of this year the Osaka Shosen Kaisha will inaugurate aew Trans-Pacific regular monthly freight service, and later a fortnightly service on completion of the whole fleet, starting from Hongkong, via Shanghai, Moji, Kobe and Yokohama (with liberty to call at Manila, Keelung, 1 kkaichi, Shimidzu, Victoria, B.C., &c.) to Tacoma, Wash., where the proposed service is to connect under the sole traffic arrangement with the celebrated Chicago Mil- waukee and St. Paul Railway Company, of Chicago, Ill., who are new extending their new road to the Puget Sound. Six new steamers. each of 12.000 tons displacement, and of maximum speed 15 knots per hour, are now under construction for the proposed service; the first one is to be ready for sea by April next followed by the other five at short intervals.
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Latest news from Singapore states that the attempts of the tugs to move the wreck of the Djambi from the end of the East Wharf into the lagoon have proved ineffectual and further efforts are deferred pending additional instruc- tions from the owners. She still lies where she sank after collision with the French mail steamer. With regard to the Kalomo, which was sunk to extinguish the fire among her cargo just before Christmas, preliminary opera- tions in the way of erecting cofferdams are almost completed and pumping operations will shortly be started.
been made in the light dues on shipping in In view of the increase which has recently Hongkong it is of interest to note that at the annual meeting of the Chamber of Shipping of the United Kingdom which was fixed for Friday last, the 19th inst. a resolution was to be submitted advocating the abolition of the light dues on shipping, and the recognition by the Government of the claim that the maintenance of the lighthouse system of the country should form a charge on the Exchequer. The fact that the Governments of Great Britain and Germany tables prompted the General Shipowners' Society. have mutually recognised each other's load-line
London, to put down a motion in favour of general international agreement on the subject Other resolutions favour a reduction in the dues charged by the Suez Canal Company, the removal of the unequality in the stamp duty on marine policies, and the checking of abuses of the Workmen's Compensation Act. The Liver- pool Shipowners' Association proposed, to invite attention to the subject of Colonial legislation respecting merchant shipping.