A..S. WATSON & Co. WHOLESALE AND RETAIL DRUGGISTS,
GENERAL CHEMISTS,
AND
Manufacturers of the following
AERATED WATERS, viz : SODA, TONIC, SARSAPARILLA, AND POTASE, LEMONADE; GINGERADE, RASPBERRYADE, AND PHOSPHORIC CHAMPAGNE.
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THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH-WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19m, 1881.
CONSIDERING recent attempts made in this Colony to obtain Chinese laborers to fill up the gaps caused, according to rumour, by hardwork, starvation, and disease amongst the negro workmen at the Panama Canal, the following observations on this vast undertaking, reproduced from the Daily Telegraph cannot fail to prove of local interest:-
"It was to be expected that the progress of the Panama canal works would meet with a good deal of anfavourable criticism in New York, for the Americans looked on the project at first with suspicion, and can hardly be said to like it even yet, in spite of the pronounced "spread- cagleism" in the declaration of their. public men on the subject, and the pains taken to make the United States' influence predominant on the isthmus. Hence allowance may have to be made for the tone of published state- ments adverse to the probabilities of success in excavating the latest of big ditches. A German physician, who has reached New York from Panama, gives, it appears, a very gloomy account of what is going on at the canal. Only two hundred and fifty persons were employed when he was there, two hundred of whom were negroes, and one-half of them were sick, haggard, and starving."
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The Hawaiian ship Elvira Dorale has come out of the Cosmopolitan Dock making way for the steamship Raji nattanuhar.
A telegram from Landon, dated the 17th instant states that a great storm bas passed over England causing terrible destruction.
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CORRESPONDENCE, "
Wo do not hold ourgolvos responsible for tho
opinions expressed by Correspondonts].
We learn that the residence of Hor Britannic Majesty's Consal, C. A. Sinclair, Esq., a Wu-shin-shan, was broken into by some of the literati and THE HONGKONG AND WITAMPOA gentry, daring the Consul's absence at
DOCK COMPANY, JAMITED. · Nantai last week, and some of the pro- | TO THE EDITOR OF THE - HONGKONG DELEGRAPUL.”
perty therein destroyed--Herald.
SIR.-As the editor of a newspaper, you may naturally be expected to receive We hear that a now paddle wheel, copies of the home papers, and if you read The British bark Ellen, from Sin-light draught steamer, capable of them, you may also observe frequent re- gapore, which arrived here last night, carrying 400 passengers is about to bo ferences to the Atlantic Cables Company. reports having lost a Chineso passenger Take & Co. to carry passengers on the with Mr. Ponder as its head, has succeeded constructed for Messrs. Kaw Hong If you have not. I would mention that this seems a sort of vampire company, that, river between Foochow, Pagoda Ania prosorving vitality by praying upon The Great Northern Telegraph Com-chorage, Sharp Ponk, and Quantow pany's steamer Store Nordiske camo in this morning at 6.30 a.m, and left at
over board on the 14th instant.
7 a.m. to repair the Hongkong-Amoy cable.
We are informed by the Agents, Messrs. Gibb, Livington, & Co., that the E. & A. Steninship Co.'s steamer Menmuir left Sydney for this port on the 13th instant. She is expected to arrive here on November 6th.
Our Canton correspondent informs Amiral Ting went to England to fetch
us that one of the new cruisers which
out, and which recently arrived, has met with a serious mishap in the Can- ton River.
We are informed by the Superin. tendent of the Fire Brigade that a Paruto and Inspection of the Volun. teer and Government Fire Brigades will take place at the Central Fire
Herald.
L. Judd, who will be remembered as Our esteemed acquaintance Mr. C.
one of the gentlemen of King David Kalakua's suite, is described in the Lisbon Jornal das Colonias as "Colonel Lord C. II. Judd." The Colonel has ovidently been promoted since he left Hongkong. This blunder is almost as bad as that of the French journalist who in reviewing Shakespeare's mag- nificent tragedy, Hanilet, referred to the author in glowing terms as the "In
mortal Williams"
Wo reported a few days ago that enormous damage had been done at Haiphong and the neighbourhond to the rice crop, and we now learn that the boss will be groater than wo then stated Our latest advices from the above port are the effect that an on- Mandarius upon the export of rice con- sequent upon the anticipated short The Criminal Sessions were held supply, and that the same will campo yesterday, Acting Chief justice Snow-will come into operation on the 21th den, and Mr. James Russell, Acting of the present month. Paiso Judge, affecting in the two courts. The whole of the eases tried
tended for insertion, not necessarily for publication, The death-rate had been alarming, Brigade Station at 4.15 p.m. on the bargo has been laid by the Chinese
but as ovidence of gond faith,
Notices to Correspondents.
and not more than a hundred able- bodied labourers were at work at one time. The wages are seventeen tion will oblige by commnanient with a dollars-about seventy shillings-a
Subscribers who do not receive their newspapers within thirty-five minutes after the time of publica-
Domestic Notices, if properly authenticated, will be inserted free of charge.
THE
Hongkong Telegraph.
HONGKONG, 19TH OCTOBER, 1881.
GIGANTIC engineering projects ap- pear to be a feature of the times. The "Channel tunnel," or the sub. marine way Dover, has been a much debated subject which has been on the tapis during the last decade. The experi- mental shafts and trial drives on both sides are still in operation, and the promoters dilate with assurance of ultimate success. Our cousins, across the water, not to be out-done, have propounded a gigantic scheme, essentially American, for laying a tubular iron railway under the At- lantic, connecting the United States with the west coast of Ireland. But the present is altogether the era of vast oceanic canals. The enormous
between Calais and
undertaking of Suez is being rivalled by Panama. Some attempts have been made to deepen the Paumben Channel, between India and Ceylon, so as to admit of the passage of heavier draught vessels, and to avoid the circuitous route around Galle, but nothing worthy of note has been accomplished, and the matter is still under a rather prolonged suspense. The feasibility of another canal of some import to the China and East- ern trade has been discussed, viz., that through the Isthmus of Kraw; but the possibility or otherwise, botli from an engineering and a financial stand point, is too much involved in doubt for speculation on what must, under any circumstances, be only a remote contingency. There are two canal schemes now in Europe occupy ing public attention, viz, one in France, from the Bay of Biscay to the Gulf of Lyons, and the other in Germany, across Holstein, from the North Sea to the Baltic. Their strategic and commercial advantages coupled with the locale, afford rea sonable ground for assuming that the government most interested in in their construction will not be backward in taking them in hand as early as practicable and carrying them through to speedy completion, Last and least, is the Corinthian Canal, regarding which there is some agitation being created in cer- tain circles in Europe, from which something may accrue although the advantages to be derived from such a work are small-restricted and limited to certain countries and their
commerce.
"
20th instant.
were of the usual character, burglaries and larconios by Chinese, the details of which are of no earthly interest to the onside public.
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The adjourned inquest on the body of Mr. F. C. Dittmer was resumed at the Magistracy yesterday afternoon, before Mr. II. E. Wodehouse, Coroner. and a jury composed of Messrs. W. Manson, C. L. Thevenin, and P. B. The following telegram has been Cama. Dr. Clouth stated that he was received and circulated yesterday by called to the Albany on Sunday, and command of His Excellency the Ad- examined the body of the deceased, who ministrator:-"The Director of the
was sitting upright ou a euch, and Observatory, Manila, to the Governor bleeding profusely from a wound in the of Hongkong-Manila, 18th October, foroben. A revolver, four chambers 1881, 3.51 p.m.-Received 4.15 pm. of which were loaded and one unloaded
"A typhoon is raging in the Islands';
was lying on his knee near his right its vortex is going to pass to the South | hand. He was quito inconscious. of Manila, and with regard to its direc- The wound was a small, round orifice tion it appears to be W. | NW.; in- j.in the contes of the forehead, caused no clination ust known.
doubt by a bullet shot. Deceased re-
month, and these unfortunates rc- ceive the worst board imaginabic;" they are "crowded into shanties, and fed on the cheapest food." In such a condition of things, it is natural to find that operations are
advancing very slowly on the canal," that there was nothing to show for this money expended, and that, in the judgment of New York, it would never be fi- nished. There is no difficulty in detecting a tone of exaggeration run- ning through all these remarks, and they bear a strong resemblance to many which used to be made when with progress, the Suez Canal was in a result which we all knew. Of course negroes will not work like English navvies, and their food will be pro- portionally inferior to the four good meals, the ample rations of butcher meat, and the copious draughts of powerful beer with which the Eng-of Parnell has been followed up by the lish wielder of the pick and shovel fortifies himself against gigantic tasks. The German physician, there- fore, might easily be disappointed, and, without meaning it, draw alto gether useless comparisons. But, allowing for this, there is no doubt that, as we long since pointed out, the labour question will be the groat and almost insuperable difficulty in making the Panama Canal. caso
The
of Suez affords no preced- ent, but, on the contrary, a cou- trast. The undertaking was carried out by forced labour, aided by an enormous supplemental outlay which was only possible because of the huge mulet levied from the unfortunate Viceroy by the arbitration of the Emperor Napoleon. Neither of these adjuncts will help the Panama Canal: M. de Lesseps must take what la- bourers he can get to stand the climate, and good or bad he must pay for them, and he certainly will never get a contribution of four mil- lions sterling in hard cash from the Republic of Colombia. If, under these circumstances, he accomplishes his task, the more conspicuous will
be his merit."
A Judge joking a young lawyer, said:"If you nnd I were to be turned into a horse and an ass, which would you prefer to be?"
"The ass to be sure," replied the lawyer; "I have heard of au ass being made a judge, but a horse, never,"
12
that the Governor has expelled from The Gazette of Alsace-Lorraine reports Strasburg two workmen who were suspected of entortaining relations with the leaders of the Gorman Socialists for the purpose of starting a Socialist paganda in the province of Alsace Lorraine.
pre
A telegram, received from London | mained alive about two hours but never yesterday afternoon, announces contin- recovered consciousness. Had the bul ured disaffection in Ireland. The arrostet been fired horizontally from the wound, instead of going upwards, death Government, and numerous arrests of would have been instantaneous. He lealing Land leaguers have been made. expired at a quarter past three. Dr. Indignation meetings have been held Gerlach corroborated Dr. Clouth's evi- in various parts of Ireland, and one dence, and said that the deceased was very serious riat has occurred at Liro- always of a delicate constitution and nervous temperament. He was also erick the military having to disperse the rioters. Altogether affairs in Ire-frequently absent minded, and had not been in good health during the last laud wear a most unpromising aspect.
few mouths. Since last spring a
The monument erected by his widow marked change hal bogu noticed in to the memory of the late M. Samo deceased's character.,Dr. Gerlach at- shima, Japanese Ambassador at Paris,tributed this occurrynce (the suicide) may now be seen completed in the to a fit of desponde/ey.. Mr. Hermann Mont Parnasse Cemetery, to the left of Stolterfoht, chief partner of Hesse & the principal pathway. The meinorial Co., gavo evidence as to the deceases is constructed after the model of those habits, and with reference to the par- erected in Japanese burying grounds, ticulars of what occurred in Sunday, and consists of a granite base and a He could suggest no cause why he pyramid of Jura and voined marble. should have shot himself. On the On the latter there is an inscription in table in his room he found a paper in Japanese-reproduced in French on deceased's handwriting which real as the plinth-as follows:-"Naonabon follows:-"Diamond cuts glass, but Sameshima, Envoy Extraordinary and every sin will be revenged. Farewell, Minister Plenipotentiary of Japan to my dearest beloved parents, sisters and the French Republic. Born at Kago brothers. Don't forget your unluckly siao, the 18th of March, 184; died Gisao who must suffer inuocantly" at Paris, the 4th of December, 1880." The first three words were in English, -Overland Mail.
the rest in German. Gisse was a fa- miliar name deceased was known by at home. Witness had no idea what the
A correspondent writes:-I had an opportunity yesterday evening of for paper meant, nor had any of his friends wing, a post riri, an opinion of the to whom he had shown it. As the destructive force of a typhoon-if you Coroner thought they had some clue as so designate the recent gale. Before to the cause of the fatal act, he ad- landing at Kowloon there was visible journed the inquest until two o'clock evidence among the small craft con- on Thursday afternoon, when the pri- gregated there of damage, which avate papers of the deceased might be subsequent walk ashore confirmed but placed before them,
reduced. The stone revetmont or face. wall of the strand road suffered to some troubled waters"; but the peculiar exteut, variously, from the impact of
action of the wind a motion within a motion-was exemplified in the con- dition of the trees, which nothing ap- pears to have protected from injury, more or less-large and small, shel- tered and unsheltered. By-the-way,
ne," said Mrs. Smith at the breakfast "I should like to see somebody abduct
table the other morning. H'm so should I, my dear; so should I," said" Mr. Smith, with exceeding carnestness. The Nihilists are not such extremists after all. They desire the abolition of Siboria as a place of oxile for political are the provisions of the Sanitary Or-offonoce, but are content to have it set dinance-presuming there is one in apart for amateur elocutionists and the Colony-applicable to Kowloon? album poets.
rival concerns. Buying up opposition companies is not altogether an uncostly affair, as the shareholders of the Hongkong and the Atlantic Cables Company would and Whampoa Dock Company already know, seem to have so augmented their capital for this purpose, as to require doublo a fair rate for messages to secure a retura to their shareholders. Their success hi thorto bas lain in their ability to buy up opposing companies; when that ceases, the company's collapse, or if not its absolute collapse, the collapse of the market value. of its shares are pointed to as matter of fact. I quote this as a parallel case with the Hongkong and Whampoa Dock Com- pany. This company commenced with docks at Aberdeen and Whampos. To acquire possession of the then opposition dock at Kowloon, both companies were brought to the verge of rain. After the amalgamation, the Whampoa Dock was got rid of at an enormous sacrifice, but the company is still enddled with two costly and perfectly useless docks at Aberdeen, The Kowloon Dock did the work, and when a fresh opposition arose in the shape of the Cosmopolitan Dock, that had to be acquired also.. Any one of sufficient means and energy requires but to build another Dock to force the hand of the Hongkong and Whampoa Dock Company, and that done, double his capital by selling his dock. Some time age you promised an analysis of the Dock Company's report, or of its business and prospects. I forget which, but to this date I have not read any very pertinent criticisms from you in this direction, I will try my hand at assist- ing you in the matter. Let us take the report last published, that embracing the We are informed by it that the gross enri- six months January to June of this year.
ing are:-
66.845
Kowloon Dock......$253.764 Patent Slip Aberdeen Düzk.......... Cosmopolitan Dock. 147.940'
59.60K
The cost of work done at each, plus the percentage of gouerni expenses, is--
Kowloon Dock......$227.296 Patent Slip
46.853
Aberdeen Dock...... 38.319
Cosmopolitan Dock. 120.302
Leaving as nett profit-
Kowloon Dock $20.468 Patent Slip
19.992 Aberdeen Dock ...... 21.276 Cosmopolitan Dock, 27.638
The value of the Docks, plus their percentage of floating pro- perty, such as steam launches,
about- do., is, as shown by the report,
Kowloon Dock......$421,094 Patent Slip
154,704 Aberdeen Dock...... 466.033 Cosmopolitan Dock, 422,782
On Carus
$528,198.
$432,770
-$95.374
$1,464,613 So that
equal to Kowloon Dock ....... $221,094 626,43 6.29 per cont, Patez Slip......... 154,704 19,992 13.92 per cent. Aberdeen Dack... 406.(3321,276 4.5 per cent. Cosmopolitan Dock 422,782 27,038 6.63 per cont. Now, what are the facts to be derived from
these figures? To start with, slips appear
to be far more profitable than docks, since $66,845 of work gives $19.992 of profit. The earnings at the Kowloon and Cosmo- politan Docks are nearly equal, but I could
wish to know how it comes that $253,764 of work at Kowloon, gives only
profit, while $147,940 of work 15 26.468 of mopolitan Dock gives $27,638 of profit. Do not those earnings, at the Patent Slip and the Cosmopolitan Dock, show that work could have been done so much cheaper by the newer establishment, that, if per- severed in, they must have brought the old company to grief. And to crown all, we Lave the Aberdeen Dock, where $59,595 of
work leaves $21,276 of profit!!! We all know that this is a fossil establishment,
that very little docking is dono there, that the Board of Direction is beyond reproach, that the accounts bear the names of two
as clover accountants as are to be met with in Hongkong, and so wo must believe that work at this establishment is doud st 35.53, profit, against 20.90% of profit at the Patent Slip, 18,65% of profit at the Cosmopolitan Dock," and 10.43% of other way of looking at it, that the most profit at Kowloon Dock. There is one
profitable jobs, Government contracts, &c., are sont to Aberdeen, to show interest on the capital there invested, that those next profitable are sent to the Patent Slip, the noxt to the Cosmopolitan, while Kowloon works for a small profit; but this can hardly be expected to throw dust in the eyes of the public. Where, I ask, is that confidence to be derived from that sent Dook shares up to 60°, promium, or that