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The Portuguese authorities deeming the presence of a Service Hospital to be a menace to their territorial rights, issued a decree of expropriation, and paid the proprietor the sum of 80,000 dollars as a surrender value, its assessed value being 40,000 dollars. As a precautionary measure, the Portuguese authorities have issued decrees of expropriation in respect of certain other properties in Macao, not with a view to entering upon the occupation of the land, but to establish a right which they undoubtedly possess. This was a necessary precaution, as it was found shortly afterwards that the French were in treaty for another property.
House Tax.-A new house tax has been levied in Canton during the last three months, and all the excitement which marked its inauguration has completely disappeared. This is in a measure due to the Tax Bureau having made the assessments as low as possible, besides granting frequent exemptions. The income from this source is con- sequently below the estimate, and will not exceed 100,000 dollars.
New Land Tax is to apply to Sha-tien lands only, i.e., lands reclaimed from the muddy shores of rivers and tidal creeks.
This land, annually enriched by river deposits, is considered best able to contribute an additional sum to the revenue, The collection is to be made by the local gentry, the landlord paying eight-tenths, the tenant two-tenths. The tax amounts to about 3s. 4d.
per acre per annum.
In accordance with the Decree of September last, the Viceroy has ordered the cessation in perpetuity of the sale of substantive official posts. The amount realized under this head in fourteen months was 172,290 taels.
A strong movement in favour of modern education has lately shown itself among the wealthy and influential classes in Canton.
A college for youths of the Banner force is under consideration. Mr. Summers, Professor of English in the Canton University, has been instructed to draw up a scheme for the Viceroy.
Some wealthy scholars and merchants of Canton have also a scheme for the establishment of two modern schools, the fands being raised by voluntary sub- scriptions.
The Viceroy, in promulgating the Decree of the 14th September last, ordering provincial schools to be converted into modern schools, took the opportunity of pointing out that, unless active steps in the matter are taken by natives of influence, the foreigner will inevitably step in: he added that little help was to be expected from official sources, and that he relied on the public spirit of the wealthy classes of Canton.
Piracy. A District Magistrate, Li Chia-cho, locally known as Li Ka-cheuk, has 1,300 Braves at his disposition, and recently his force has been reinforced by two 14 to 15 knot torpedo-boats to patrol the creeks of the Shan-te district. Lu Wen- ching has also had his flotilla reinforced by two torpedo-boats.
Arrangements are now being made by which the passenger launches and their towel junks are to be made to furnish their own protection. Ten soldiers, each armed with a carbine and revolver, are to be put on each launch and maintained by a small addition to the fares. The Chinese authorities say that the arsenal is completely empty of small arms, and they will require, therefore, permission to import 1,500 Mauser rifles and revolvers from Hong Kong.
Vice-Admiral Bridge has requested the Consul-General to apply indirectly to the Viceroy for orders to be issued to all guard-boats and stations to keep the Commanders of His Majesty's ships "Robin" and " Sandpiper "informed of any acts of piracy, so that they may be able to assist in hunting down the criminals. This will be done verbally lest any recognized scheme of co-operation should furnish an excuse for aggressive action on the part of the French.
Canton-Hankow Railway.-Chang-chian-shun, one of the Chinese Managers of the Yueh-han Railway, as this line is called by the Chinese, is arranging in Canton for the commencement of the work.
According to this official the American Syndicate guaranteed the whole of the capital, but as a matter of fact they have only provided about one-third, the remainder being taken up by Belgians, Russians, French, and English. The American Syndicate, however, is responsible for the total sum vis-à-vis the Chinese Government.
The foreign engineers have not yet arrived in Canton, The position of the terminus is uncertain, but one of the conditions of the Huang-sha reclamation is that any portion of the reclaimed land required for the railway shall be ceded to them. The Huang-sha reclamation is proceeding rapidly, but the bunding and facing have not yet been commenced. The Manager states that at the edge of the present bank there is, in
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