The label has "lichtly" for "lightly" on the sides, and "register Ohober 3ro" for "registered 3rd October," on the face.
I have been told that Messrs. Bryant and May have arranged to let the Japanese makers use their name and label; but this statement lacks confirmation.
The box inclosed was one of a packet bought at a Parsee shop, and the genuine British product is said to be unknown in Hankow.
I have, &c. (Signed)
E. H. FRASER,
(No. 97.) Sir,
Inclosure 3 in No. 1.
Consul-General Fraser to Sir J. Jordan.
Hankow, December 11, 1907. IN continuation of my despatches Nos. 89 and 94 of the 11th and 29th November, I have the honour to forward imitations of British salt, American soap, and condensed milk, and German socks, pencils, and soap purchased at a native shop which deals exclusively in Japanese products, and stated that each article was sold to it by Japanese.
The salt is an exact counterfeit as regards bottle and labels; it tastes somewhat saline and will not burn in the fire; the tablet of Colgate and Co.'s soap is only suspect.
The "Eagle" brand milk, described on the top of the tin as "Austrian Alpine Milk,” on the label as "prepared in Holland," and stamped in Chinese with the hong name of the China Mutual Life Insurance Company, is sold wrapped in a facsimile of the Borden Condensed Milk Company's wrapper. Like the spurious tin of Meyer and Co.'s condensed milk, this imitation may do immense harm, since in Hankow only sick persons and children are treated with condensed milk.
The alleged soap of Gustav Boehm, Offenbach and London, has inside the cover a wrapper of Japanese paper bearing a trade-mark different from the wafer sealing the ends of the cord.
The "Gent's Yellow" hose, "waranded " German, are sufficiently foreign to deceive a Chinese here who knows Carlowitz and Co. as the Li-ho foreign hong.
The four packets of pencils are all sold in the same box bearing the Swan Pencil Company's label. Two may be genuine, if inferior, Bavarian goods, though it will be noticed that the outer wrapper is easily removable; but the "H.C. Kurz Best" label is very suspicious. The "Star" packet confesses to a foreigner it is "made in Oriental," but all a native would observe is the star on the pencil.
Of close imitations of sundries except for the substitution in English of a Japanese for the foreign maker's name, my informant states there is no end in these native shops stocked from Japanese dealers.
I have, &c. (Signed)
E. H. FRASER,
(No. 140.) Sir,
Inclosure 4 in No. 1.
Consul-General Sir P. Warren to Sir J. Jordan.
Shanghae, December 9, 1907. WITH reference to your telegram No. 60 of the 2nd ultimo on the subject of the imitation and use in China by Japanese of British trade-marks, and to my reply of the 7th instant, I have the honour to inclose herewith copy of the letter which I received from the Chairman of the China Association in reply to my request for further evidence in substantiation of the charges made to the Foreign Office by the Secretary of the Association in London.
I also inclose, in original, the two Memoranda referred to in the Chairman's letter.
I have, &c. (Signed)
PELHAM WARREN.
Sir,
Inclosure 5 in No. 1.
China Association to Consul-General Sir P. Warren.
China Association, Shanghae Branch, December 6, 1907.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge receipt of your favour of the 3rd instant, and, in reply, beg to state that the only cases of infringements of trade-marks by Japanese that have come under the notice of my Committee have been-
The British-American Tobacco Company (Limited), eigarettes. Mouson et Cie., soap.
Buchanan and Co., whisky.*
These firms have made no complaint to the Association; but the two former articles, originals and imitated, came into the hands of the Secretary, who forwarded same to the London Committee.
My Committee would, however, point out that it is in Changsha (where Dr. Morrison, Times" correspondent, materially increased his collection of imitated trade-marks in one afternoon) and places in Manchuria, and not in Shanghae and the coast ports, where these infringements mostly exist, and they would suggest that the Commercial Attaché or a member of the Consular Service be detached to make a tour in the districts above mentioned. At the same time, I beg to assure you that my Committee will use their best endeavours to obtain specimens of infringed marks.
I beg to inclose copies of two Memoranda on infringements of trade-marks drawn up by the London Secretary of the Association. I have, &c.
(Signed) E. B. SKOTTOWE, Chairman.
Inclosure 6 in No. 1.
Memorandum (No. 2) respecting Japanese Infringements of Trade-marks.
THE Shanghae Committee write saying: "We hear of infringements by the Japanese all round, but the getting of actual proofs is a difficult matter. I am, however, in correspondence with some firms in Japan, Dr. Morrison, and is Majesty's Consul at Changsha. I am forwarding, under registered cover, the actual proof of two cases which have come under my notice, and will, if any more come into my possession, press forward the same without delay.”
The samples forwarded consist of two packets of soap and two of cigarettes. Indeed, the more the question is studied the more apparent it becomes that these Japanese infringements are to be looked for alone among classes of goods, such as soap, candies, matches, biscuits, cigarettes and whisky, the proprietors of which are not organized for mutual protection, and that the comparative freedom from the effects of piracy of the China piece-goods trade is measurably due to the influence and disciplinary powers possessed by the local piece-goods guilds.
An examination of the samples forwarded confirms the view expressed by a correspondent in the "Japan Herald" of the 21st June (p. 715) that the productions of foreign firms are imitated "with poor success as to quality, but excellent resemblances as to labels, &c." The European cake of "Savon à la Rose" arrived intact, but the Japanese cake similar in colour and embossed with the same Chinese characters was crumbled considerably. The adornment of the boxes containing the cakes is identical, save only in the respect of the name of the manufacturer. These are quite different, Mouson et Cie., Frankfort-sur-Main, on the one, and Shuko and Co. on the other, but the difference loses its force when it is seen that the name of the manufacturer is the least distinctive portion of either label. It would take too much space to describe the labels in detail, but they can be seen at any time at the offices of the Association. Although the device of roses, the border and the name and description of the soaps are identical on the outside of both packets, Messrs. Mouson et Cie. have unfortunately placed their "marque de fabrique only on a loose slip of paper on the inside. Taking advantage of this, Messrs. 'T. H. Shuken and Co. (they spell
* We have just heard that turdy justice has been done in this case.-M. W. L.
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