March 29, 1909.]
AN AMERICAN BISHOP IN
HONGKONG.
Bishop Brent of the Philippines preached at the Cathedral on Sunday morning at the early military service and at the usual eleven o'clock service. His discourse at the latter service was based on the words of Jesus" Behold we go up to Jerusalem." He dealt with several aspects of Jesus' life and death, the simplicity of the foundation truths of Christianity, and after refer- ences to reputation, character, and self respect, he said that every one had ideals. We had our ideals as children. We had our hopes, and ambitions and aspirations as children, but how was it now? Most of us were of mature years, we had seen something of the world, and we know that Jerusalem is not what it looked when we first saw it. Even in our national life things are not what they once seemed.
Our govern. ment is defective, our social conditions are lacking in many essentials, and our business life impaired by false standards. He pointed out that we could only find the ideal in the actual and we could only gain the ideal by idealising the actual,
THE PHILIPPINES AND FREE TRADE WITH THE STATES
THE ASSEMBLY IN ‹PPOSITIO Y.
The Manila Cablenews of the 23rd inst. says:- A hot debate was promised yesterday afternoon in the Asssembly on the question of the tariff re- form and free trade between the United States and the Philippine Islands. Delegate Manuel Quezon was prepared to present a resolution instructing the Resident Commissioners in the United States to oppose the measure to the utmost of their ability, but, owing, to the lateness of the hour he reserved it for to-day.
Since the presentation of the Payne bill in Congress and the arising of the question where the loss of revenue resulting from free trade will be derived from, some of the leading members of the Philippine Assembly have talk- ed over the question with the result that it has been decided to combat the measure from both the standpoint of its economic advantage to the Philippines and to the possibility of it being a stumbling block to the ultimate independence of the country.
The attitude of the Assembly on this question in the early days of its inaugural period was the very opposite to what it is now. Instructions were given formerly to the Resident Commissioners to advocate the passage of the needed reforms, especially those regarding the entry into the markets of the United States of Philippine tobacco and sugar as incorporated in the Payne bill.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
FAR EASTERN TELEGRAMS.
It is understood that the part of the opposition to the Payne bill in so far as it concerns public economy will be conducted by Delegate Quezon and that concerning the political condition it is believed it will create by Delegate Clarín.
Judging from the attitude of the Assembly it is believed that the opposition to the Payne Bill' will be accorded by a large majority.
Senor Quezon said last night to the Cable- news that he and his colleagues feared that with the duty off on America goods the revenues would fall off harmfully, and also that it was unjust to ask the Philippines to admit Ameri- can goods free and limit Philippine products.
1
VOLCANIC ERUPTION IN JAPAN.
Tokyo, March 24th. The inhabitants of Nagano prefecture are terrified by the eruption of the volcano Yakegatake, the country being covered with ashes several inches deep for many miles around.
[FROM THE "CHUNG NGOI SAN PO."]
CHINA'S LOANS.
Peking, March 19th. The Board of Foreign Affairs has wired to the Chinese Ministers in different countries to ascertain if Chan Pik, the dismissed President of the Board of Communications, had contracted foreign loans without the knowledge of the Government.
Our contemporary also publishes the following telegram from Washington, dated Much 20.-
The American rice planters of the Southern States will ask Congress to fix a limit on the importations of Philippiue rice in to the United States: These planters say that they have advices from rice experts, familiar with the Philip- pines, who hold that under favourable condition the islands can rice to feed the Filipinos but
not only produce enough ship vast quantities to the United States. also to It is not improbable that the Democratic minority in Congress, under the leadership of hamp Clark, may oppose the proposed limita- tion in the Payne Bill on Phillippine sugar and
tobacco. The Democrates hold that, if Ameri-
ca is to do the Fillippinos justice, it must do them whole justice.
SUPPRESSION OF THE OPIUM HABIT.
Tokyo, March 19th. The Board of Internal Affairs has memoria- lised the Throne to ask that the Viceroys and Governors of the different provinces should hold the superintendents of police responsible for the suppression of the opium habit.
OWNERSHIP OF THE PRAT S ISLANDS.
Tokyo, March 23rd. The Japanese Government has announced that as China claims the Pratas Islands, she should furnish proof of ownership.
Further, she should take steps to protect Japanese citizens resident there.
The Japanese Minister at Peking has been
instructed to endeavour to arrive at an amicable settlement of the question.
PROPOSED CHINESE NAVAL STATIONS.
Peking, March 25th. The Chinese Government proposesd to use the ports of Chefoo and Taku Naval Stations.
FOREIGN ‹ REDITORS.
aq
Peking, March 25th.
A number of Chinese merchants in Tientsin are indebted to foreign firms to the extent of over Taels 10,( 00,000 (on goods contracts?).
The Board of Foreign Affairs has wired to the Viceroy of Chihli requesting him to ask the hamber of Commerce in that Province to have
4
the matter settled.
PROHIBITION OF OPIUM SMOKING.
SEVERE MEASURES ENUNCIATED.
Peking. March 26th. in the third year of Hsuen Tsung the smoking The Peking Government have proposed that of opium within the Empire shall be completely prohibited, and on the first moon of the fourth year people who are found dealing in opium shall be dealt with under laws similar to those
ammunition. prohibiting the smuggling of arms and
for life. Ed.]
[This means decapitation or imprisonment
EXPLOSION ON A RIVER
STEAMER.
269
Shanghai, March, 26th. An explosion took place on the river steamer Lee Hon on Thursday at Hankow. The vessel sank and forty persons perished.
SHIPPING NOTES.
The Bank Line steamer Gymeric which left this port on Saturday. for Tacoma, returned yesterday with a loose propeller. Until she is surveyed, Messrs. Dodwell and Co., the agents, are unable to say whether she will have to gå into dock.
The second turbine steamer of the Japanese Volunteer Fleet has just been launched from the Mitsu Bishi Dockyard and Engine Works at Nagasaki. The vessel which has a displace- ment of 3,500 tons and a speed of 21 knots, has been named the Umegaka Maru. It was intended that these two steamers should run between Japan and Formosa, but expectations regarding a Government subsidy being un- fulfilled, there is some uncertainty, we believe, at present as to their employment.
* *
The Tacoma Muru one of the six Osaka Shosen Kaisha American liners, will be com- pleted and ready for sea in May, next. Two other vessels of the same fleet, the Seattle Maru and Chicago Maru, will be launched at the Kawasaki Dockyard, Kobe, in April and September next, respectively. The new N.Y.K. European liner Miyasaki Maru, is nearing completion at the Kawasaki yard. She is scheduled to leave Kobe on April 24th on her maiden voyage,
CHINA AND FOREIGN LOANS.
Peking, March 26th. With regard to the foreign loan for the Canton-Hankow Railway, it is stated that the purchasing material from Great Britain but British Government do not insist upon China insist upon the appointment of a British chief engineer. The Grand Secretary Chang Chih Tung opposes this. The Germans are said to have agreed to all the conditions laid down by
China for the Tientsin and Ching-Kong Po
Railway, and it is believed that the contract will soon be signed.
*
The latest, and absolutely the final decision as to
the disposal of the burned out oil ship Netherton, which has lain at anchor of Tanjong Rhu Singapore, since early in 1907, and has now been sold to a West Hartlepool firm, is (the Straita Times says) that she will proceed home under her own steam, as soon as she is considered by the port authorities to have been put in a fit seaworthy condition to put to sea. The work will be executed by essrs, Riley, Hargreaves Ltd. It may be recollected that the greater part of the damage from fire was sustained in the fore part of the vessel, and that the engines were practically untouched. The greater part of the work to be done, therefore, will be the strengthening of the ship forward. On reaching the Tees, she will be thoroughly overhauled. approximately £4,000 The purchase price of the ship, as she lies, is
*
At a special meeting called for February 15th, the stockholders of the Boston Steamship Com- pany were to be asked to dissolve the corporation. On January 7th the company sold its Pacific steamers Shawmut and Tremont, to Government for $1,213,282, agreeing to bring them around to New York. As the company now has no steamers and is earning nothing, it is deemed wise to dissolve. The proceeds of the sale were› insufficient by $300,000 to pay off the in- debtedness, and Kidder, Peabody & Co., who
company's treasurer $300,0 0, although under bought out the corporation. have handed the
no obligations to do so.
#
The dissolution of the Boston Steamship Company, writes the Seattle Post-Intelligencer of Feb. 10th, means the disappearance of a corporation which has been identified with Puget Sound and Orient shipping for several years. Their firm operated from Seattle to Manila, via Japan and China, in spite of heavy losses, unfavourable legislation, a Government that showed apathy towards vessels flying the Stars and Stripes, and finally against strong competition by foreign tonnage. That the com- pany's indebtedness is not more than $300,000 with interest with what difficulties the company will probably surprise many who have watched contended. The Boston Steamship Company is not identified with the Boston Tow Boat Com pany, owning the steamers Lyra, Pleiades and Hyades, formerly operated to the Orient from
Seattle. The Shawmut and Tremont were the
only vessels in the Boston Steamship Company's
fleet.