1905-10-04 — Page 5

ELEGRAMS.

[Renter's.]

Severe Storm in the Gulf of Mexico,

COTTON CROP DEVASTATED.

LONDON, 2nd October.'

A terrific storm in the Gulf of Mexico has devastated the cotton crops over a large area.

The Suez Canal. Blook...

SHIPS AND THEIR MAILS. Thirty ships detained at Suez have sent on their mails to Pori Said by a tug boat.

The United States. ROOSEVELT'S RETURN TO WASHINGTON, President Roosevelt has returned to Wash Ington, his first visit to the Capital since peace was declared.

He was greeted by 1,00,000, a demonstra tion unequalled since President. Lincoln's time.

Medical Congress.

INQUIRY INTO TUBERCULOSIS.

up

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 4, 1905.

PICKKD PARS ››

FROM CONSULAR HEPORTS. Camphor wood is so little valued at Wuchow

that it may be bought as firewood chopped

into faggois at. $6 per ton, The Kwangsi rice in only surpassed in quality by the Shanglini product. There is a very great demand for it in Canton.

In connection with South Africa, the idea that work would be required of him proved - repugnant to the «Kwangsi native, who prefers to leave such drudgery to his woman-folk.

THE CURRENCY DISCUSSION, Įtion of the issue of Council Bille, would have

A WHIGHTY OPINION.

been the most patent factor for bringing aboul contraction. The other factors that also boar upon contraction are the large amount of silver A most interesting and important communi-colough that is melted in India into Jewelry cation has been addressed to the Singapore and ornaments, and the known habits of the natives of hoarding and burying the coin Free Press by Mr. W. H. Shelford on the cur rency scheme. Writing on the 25th Septem Neither of the two factors last named operate here. We are left then only with the question ber, the correspondent says:-

It is to be regretted that members of the of Government balances with the Banks. Have Chamber of Commerce do not avail themselves there been withdrawn with a view to contrac. of the opportunities offered by that body for tiou? Have the Government called in any part of their balances? The reply, I think, I can the discussion of important questions, such as the Currency, which affect nat one section-ut safely say is "No." Can anybody than tell me the entire body of the community. You print how the contraction that as said to have taken in your article of Saturday the views of a gen• {'place has been brought about? There is á tleman who was present at the general meet feature in the currency of cold which is some ing on Friday, and who takes a considerable times called contraction, but which cannot be interest in the question like the rest of us. Isiricily regarded as such, and it is necessary to should have preferred to have argued the ques distinguish. When trade is dull and but little tion with him at the time, but he gave no op business is passing, money often lies idle, and is to be had' cheap. When, however, trade A unaich factory shouki pay well in Wuchowportunity for this, so i have to ask for the hos

revives and a large business is passing, then is any quantity of timber is available. Matches pitality of your columns.

there is a greater demand for currency and it and Indian yata are the only two imports of foreign manufacture which reach the bulk of

becomes dearer, and we hear of stringency and tightness of the money market, but this is not the population, including even the poorest.

necessarily contraction. When the population within the currency, expands with it, then obviously the currency which was sufficient for the earlier stage would not be sufficient for the later. Thus understand the Government of the United States from time to time increases ita token coinage in proportion to the increase

The value of the trade of lakhoj, which is almost entirely with Hongkong, was £431,787 in 1934, as agains! £452,183 in 1993, 2428,849 in 1932, 6614,489 in 1931, 4601,554 in 1900 and £61,280 in 1899.

Although, 'most of the cattle consumed in Hangkang comes from Kwangsi, only a por tion of the supply is shipped from Wuchow, the rest going by junk from ; laces lower down.] President Loubet has opened a most im- the river or from cost so as to escape export portant Congress, for an inquiry into tuber-duty. .culosis, in Paris,

A SCHOOL GIRD'S SUICIDE.

·THE INQUIRY..

According to Mr. Consul Hausser Amoy is a district of which the sole asset of any value consists in its coalie tabipur, and it is only by the earnings abroad and remittances home made by these coolies that the imports can pos- sibly be paid for.

We all know that it was apprehension as to the future of silver that, in the first place, led in the currency scheme. I cannot follow there fore the argument that the near future of the price of silver need not trouble Government. It appears to me to be the one question which has hitherto dictated the action of Government

in my opinion rightly so,

I

"ASILE DE LA STK. ENHANCE.

Intimations,

THE

PIANO

EXPERTS,

AND

REPAIRERS.

PIANOS

„BISHOP: POZZONI'S "VISIT.- On Monday his Lordship, Bishop Pezzoni,; the newly consecrated Bishop of Tavia and Vicar-Apostolic of Hongkong, paid his first ROBINSON PIANO visit as bishop to the Freach Convent at Wan- chat. It had been arranged that the visit

COMPANY, LD. should take place on or about Thursday (to-morrow), but on account, of other engage, inchis that data was found to be inconvenient, and on Sunday last the Mother Superior was informed that his Lordship would visit the PRACTICAL Convent and celebrate Mass the next morning. Accordingly preparations were made to hasten the necessary arrangements, and the pro- arranged programme for a suitable reception had to be somewhat abridged, as, on account of the inclemency of the weather, several of the pupils who should have taken pas, and vele prepared to do so on Thursday, were not pre- sent on Monday. However, his Lordship | MANUFACTURERS, TUNERS. accompanied by his consecrating prelate, Bishop Menicetti, a d the other Bishops now in the Colony, and attended by some twenty priests, including French, Italian, Spanish, and Chinese, with a number of Seminarists repaired to the Couvent early on Monday morning, where the new fishop celebrated Pontifical High Mass in the institution's beautiful chapel. After mass refreshnients were partaken of, and then a general tour of inspection of the entire Convent was made, hus Lordship expressing his lively satisfaction with the perfection of all arrange- ments for the housing and education of the into this Colony there has not been, so far as inmates. Mier lunch and a rest Benediction- am nule to judge, such an increase in populassung, and then the party adjourned to the ting and trade as would necessitate an increase Reception Hall, which had been most laste-

the circulating medium. Unfortunately the fully and eleganaly, decorated with palms, and RENOVATED, REBUILT, gentlemen who criticised my statement that 1draped mottoes, that of his lordship, painted by doubted whether there had been any contrac- one of the Sisters and draped in yellow silk, tion of currency, did not give their reasons for occupying a conspicuous position on the wall believing the contrary.

immediately above him. Here the proceedings apered by a pianoforte oventure, Chur der Pasionnaires, which was followed by the pupils' singing of the "Wolcome song," from the Carnival'de Finite. An address of wei-

ed to the Bishop, and, was read in phrases by came, illuminated on vellum, was then present- ten little girls. Then came a similar address by the Chinese children, in the Cantopere. dialect, with which his Lordship is quite-fami liar. Songs and pianoforte solos followed, and after a song of welcome sung by all the children present the proceedings terminated with the

thus ended what was to the children at least a singing of the British National Anthem, And

very happy day.

I am not concerned in advocating the scheme as best suited for us, nor do I say our position. is the same as the Indian. On the contrary of the population. distinctly, painted out at least two important. But since the introduction of the new currency differences which might prove fatal to the suc cess of the scheme. What, however, i did say was that we are committed to the scheme, whether for good or III, and that po scheme

can be successful if it is not persevered with, especially a scheme like this which essentially

demands time. The Indian model has been

À complete suit of nankeens consisting of An inquiry was held this afternoon by Mr. F.A. Hartland, touching the circumstances of coat and trousers, costs, made to order at the death of Lai Kam Yok, aged 18, a pupil Wuchow, about 35, and wore daily will last a adopted and if it is to be followed, as has been and inmate of the Victorin Orphanage at Kowwhole year. A couple of such suits, worn one apparently laid down, then we must have a loon, which took place in that institution on the over the other in winter is about all the cloth-larger margin than 5 per cent between the silver and the exchange values of the dollar for ing the average peasant possesses. 23rd uli.

safety's sake. Does anyone consider 5 per cent to be a safe margin for a token coin made of a metal liable to sudden and violent fluctua tions?

The fallowing jurymen were empanelled- Messrs, Isidore Silbermann, Sydney D. Hickey, and Franz Schüner.

His Warship explaitied to the jury that this was an inquiry into the death ofone Lai Kam Yük, a school girl, who was found hinging by her neck at the Victoria Orphanage on the 23rd 'ult.

Miss Edith George said she was the matran of the Victoria Orphanage at Kowloon, an. institution in connection, with the Church Missionary Society. Deceased was admitted into the institution in June, through the Regis. trar General. She was 18 years of age, an she entered the Orphanage at her own desite. On the 23ñï ulto, at about 543 am: ,in consequence of a call from Nam Yik, witness went with Miss Hollis to the girls' dormitory, and found deceased was not in her bedroom, and the girls directed witness to the back staircase, and there she found deceased hanging, by a rope'from the bannister. The rape was produced. Witness then sent for the police and the body, was cut down and removed. Deceased was of a very melancholy disposition and very jealous of any attention being paid to the other girls. She had never been strong and for two months past had been suffering from malarial lever, and had been attended by a doctor. Witness did not know of any in ternal complaint. Deceased told one of the girls she wanted to die.

Miss Norah Hollis, assistant to Miss George,

|

There are four British firms represented at Ichang, the highest point. which merchant steainers reach on the Yangtze, viz., Messrs. Pulterfield and Swire, Messrs. Jardine, Mathe- son and Co., Messrs Stout and Co. (Wr, 'F. W. Stewart), and Chungking Trading Co.

The trade of the Pashai is almost entirely with Hongkong. Pigs are often shipped for preference at Kwangchouwan, as steamers from Pakhoi usually call at Hoihow, and, in consequence of the delay, the animals often reach Hongkong in poor condtion.

The Chinese provincial authorities at Amoy were obliged to cancel, the monopoly in cam phor granted by them to a Japanese syndicate, but it is said that Japanere agents are in directly attaining their object by buying up in advance all the camphor produced at rates wh.ch are prohibitive to the British merchants.

A British merchant doing a large, business in piece-gands in Hongkong tried to increase his

He. safe by opening an agency at Wuchow, gave it up after a short trial because he found that his own "chop" of shirtings was being sold cheaper in Wuchow by his Hong kong clients than he himself could afford to

sell it.

Owing to the likin duties in the province having been saised, it was found more econo- mical in the case of some native cloth in tented for consumption in the interior to send the goods first of all in Hongkong to

at Wuchow.

corroborated the last witness in every detail... Dr. W. Moore, Burgeon in charge of the Kowloon Mortuary, said that on the 23rd ult, he examined the dead body of a Chinese fecquire a foreign origin which would entitle male, who was identified in his presence by them to transit pas privileges on their arrival Miss George. Death was due to asphyxia.

Tung Min, an inmate of the Victoria Or phanage, said she had been in the institution seven years. She knew the deceased, but was not a friend of hers. She never eard deceas nd say anything about wanting to diother girl, an inmate of the institution, said slie know the deceased, he never lo'd witness she wanted to die; she had been there six years.

The fury returned a verdict of "suicide dur ing' a fit of temporary: insanity,"

JAPANESE SHIPPING

DISASTERS.

THE COMMAND OF STEAMERS.

The shipping disasters to Japanese vessels which have been unpleasantly frequent during the last few months are attributed by some to the appointment of men of small experience to the command of steamers. The acquisition by Japan of a large number of steamers since the outbreak of the war has resu ted in the scarcity - of properly-trained seamen, and certified offi

cers are now said to be paid nearly double the salary obtained before the war. Still the sup. ply can hardly meet the growing demand, the consequence being that men of comparatively little experience are appointed to responsibla positions, it is this state of affairs which ac counts for the frequency of disasters of late, attended in some cases with distressing loss of

life.

The proprietor of ons of the best of the coal deposits known to exist in the neighbourhood nf uchow states that is want of capital that has prevented him from developing his pre: sent resources, he could only scratch the surface of the ground, and the coal obtained, though it could be laid down in Wuchow at five dollars a ton, was of too poor a quality to compete with the imported article.

The rearing of the silkworm on a farge scale is a new industry for Kwargs), and promises It is be to become a most important one. lieved to be the only industry, that the officials are really trying to encourage. The silk pro

of

Mention has been inade of the Japanese yen aed the American Ihilippine peso. As a silver coin the yen ceased to exist in 1898 and the currency of Japan is now a gold one (made demnity money after the war 1894 tu 1895) ne. possible by the payment of the Chinese in sisted by sub idiary coinage of underweighted FINITY OF EXCHANGE. Your 'correspondent argues that geld is ap. silver coins. There is therefore just as much preciating. This is not, however, an universal comparison between our currency and the view; for in face of the increased gold outpus Japanese as between ours and British,

THE PRICE OF SILVER IS OF NO ACCOUNT. of the world some people expect that inetal

As regards the American Philippine peso will depreciate, in other words the price of silver will go up ; and if to 3rd, again, where the American repart already referred to deals *Indeed it is within the bounds of possibility would our currency be on a 1/1 basis? I observe thus with the question:- in a very interesting report on the introduction. of the gold exchange standard into various that the price of silver should raise again above silver using countries, submitted last year in 643 cents (i.e, 29fd), per os nominal value the Government of the United States, that the present coining ratio of 32.25 10 1, so that following percentages of production gold and silver by value

444

1896

--49.9

Gold. Silver 556 51.8

1892

51.2

468

:808

56 8.

1899

58.5-

43.2

*

41.5

.1900

53.2

46.8

1901

52.7

47.3

58.7 39.6

41 3 40.4

.

· 1952 1901

J

It would thus appear as if more gold were

being produced year by year, and less silver in proportion. The tendency woult therefore be for the price of silver to rise in relation to gold, Fixty of exchange by the scheme is to be brought about by the issue by Government of dollars in exchange for gold at a rate to be fixed by them. When sufficient gold har heen accumulated the reverse transaction, will br come possible. Your correspondent takes the price of forward silver, but if the sale is fixed now it would he the price of ready silver which Government would have to calculate upon. This I see is quoted in your paper at 2ld which is equal to 30 for the dollar, or a margin of 'barely 27, on the rate proposed by your correspondent, and this can hardly be called"

safe.

If the Indian model is to be followed, and if the rate is to be fixed now, it will surely have to be considerably higher, in order to ensure a sufficient margin of safety. If, however, silver. fills as your correspondent expects then his rate may become posible byc and bye.

DEMAND FOR DOLLARS.

the new pesos would be-worth mote as bullion than as coin. In that event the whole' scheme of monetary transformation would fall through. It was in anticipation of some such contingency that Mr. Conant advocated lowering the stand ard of the new coin to .835 instead of 9.900 so that it would not be profitable to melt or export them until the price of silver rose above 75 cents per or.",

.

Your correspondent seems to think that fixity will hasten the process of contraction. Why?

tion. If the price of silver rose materially above The scheme is to obtain fixity first by contrac his rate of 3/4, no doubt every available dollar would leave the Colony or be melted down within it, and we should certainly have contrac tinn of the currency with a vengeance. Is this

what he wants?

Buch at any rate are the aspects of the ques tion as they present themselves to me, but if my reasoning is false and if there are other factors which can be brought forward to throw light upon the question, I shall, in common with all others interested in it, be only too to hear them.

September 25, 1905.

VISIONS.

all MOORE'S PREDICTIONS,

COMMERCIAL

RICE.

In their circular, dated zand ull., Messrs. W. G. Hale & Co., Saigon, state:-Since our last advices Japan çame upon our market very aud. denly, and bought up 1, very large portion of the stocks in Choion. This caused our prices to rise very considerably, but Japan having retired and the demand from other quarters being anything but brisk, every second day for the inst fortnight has been a decline in prices which are yet, however, too high to permit of any business.

TO-DAY'S KXCHANGE.

* Seiling ondon--Bank T.T.

Do. damand KƏMASTEY Di

months sight span France-Bank T.T. America-Bank T.T...

ermany-Bank T.T.....

AND

ORGANS

AND

REPOLISHED

COMPETENT WORKMEN,

ESTIMATES FRÉE..

'OWN MAKE"

PIANOS FROM $800,

IMPORTED PIANOS

FROM $375.

SECOND HAND PIANOS RETURNED FROM HIRE AT LOW PRICES. INSPECTION INVITED.“

Hongkong, 23rd September, too

Trado

1/11 3/16

To demand ...............

Singapore TT......... gladanghai-flank T.T.

Japan-linik T.T.. innostunei. lava-Bank T.T. ...........................STARTEDURY

Old Moore has published his prophecies for 1906. His almanac leads off with disaster- drath plying his sickle lustily by land and sea. Then come financial exposures, outrages, mur theder, and earthquake shocks. But, for all this. January will not see so many unemployed' in the streets, and in the House of Commons

The price of the dollar is to be fixed by laws of supply and demand. The Government

Government steadily working."

monlbs' sight L/C.

6 months' sight.L/C.

TELEPHONE NO. 135-

1.97

1441

% premi

.94

Buying.

ཋཱན ཝཱ་སའདྲེནཾ བས

../or

30 days' siglt San Francisco & New York 47

do. 4 month tight

48.

D,

30 days' right Sydney and Melbourne ti 4 months sight Forslunduques de 1.2.478 months' right + Jacă 40 '4 months' sight Germany KAPASKENZA... 2.01

nar Silver...11120* Bank of Kng and rate, Sovereig

mauanaiz.10.18

OPIUM QUOTATIONS. To-day's quotations are as follows

Miwa New

t

Old..... Older Oldėst

duced is said to be of excellent quality and, in i have taken the supply into their own hands there will be an unwonted spectacle-"the view of the deterioration of the Kwangtung article, it is possible that the great Cantonese silk firms may, in their own interest, furnish the capital which is absolutely necessary for the development of the industry. As the mul- berry tree is only cultivated to a limited extent in the province, young home are being im poried in great quantities from Kwangtung..

Annual reports on trade are issued from His Majesty's Diplomatic and Consular Officers at nearly every place where British merchants have found it to their advantage to settle down

and are to regulate it by sales at their own

February is to be distinguished by such price, provided the demand comer. To uigs them to fix their price now is in my opinion strange happenings as religions controversies, and I believe in the opinion of the majority of the Committee, tantamount to asking them to and ere the nation has recovered from the name a rate much higher than that now novelly Marchi will come in with a great stir current, and for that reason we thought about hospital management, a tax on bicycles, advisable to wait patiently. We may, and great times for white labour in South Africa, probably shall hear, as they did in India the and for Britons in France. But April is to sea dismal prognostications of failure and disaster, something almost comic--a great clearance off

the streets of bogus blind and lame beggars. Persia (Paper) That we must put up with.

In this month, the Crystal Palace will be

The question really turns upon the demand for dollars, which will enable Government to burned, to trade. They reach Londen from all quart-fix their rate, or in other words contract the ers of the globe, and are presented to both currency to a safe point. In this connection Houses of Parliament for the information of let us remember that the Indian export trade the members. The latest batch to hand from exceeds the impar, and this was one of the secrets of the success of their conversion the King's publishers deals with, some of the Treaty ports in China, and furnishes us with scheme. Is it so with us? In 1892 the figures

much interesting and useful information. We have already dealt at some length with Mr. P. C. Wilkinson's report on Wuchow for the past year, but could not devote the space to embody all the details which he has given in his review. Following are a few additional items from his and other reports,

MORE FACILITIES FOR TRAINING, - The authorities are being urged to give more facilities than is the case at present for the training of superior classes of seamen, such as, for instance, placing some of the ships captur ed during the war at the disposal of those interested for the purposes of triping. In the meantime, says the Japan Chronicit, st behayan the authorities to exercise strict control over the grant of certificates, as when the large number of ships now under the charge of the Government as transports are released the scarcity of seamen will be more severely felt than at present, and the appointment of men of doubɗol abilityamay result in the multipli. cation of disasters. The Japan Shipowners' Association, alarmed at the frequency of ship ping" disasters, has issued a circular to the officers of the steamers belonging to the asso- clation enjoining on them to take more cara an exercise greater piccaution in the hand-tors exploded, blowing his jaws to pieces altar which he was easily dispatched wh ( fire look." ng of their ships.

The following story is published in the Korea Daily News as coming from North-East Korea, where bears are reported to be numerous this years "Two prospectors, a Chinaman and a Korean, found traces of a bear that had been raiding a corn field near their camp. They prepared a bait by placing dynamite detonators in eggs and laying them about in the field fre- quented by the bear and concealed themselves

werd -

Silver

Gold countries Countries Totals (includg, India And.Burma)

Imporis $.6437,000 Exports 32,391,000

"

Old...........

Patna New

cuarer N

Old

+

T'er picut ( 1,080

1,240 1,300

Por chest *****& 1,002)

@ 1,035 ***... 9871

@ 1,905

To-day's Advertisement.

JAVA-CHINA-JAPAN-LIJN.,

in May the dreamer's soul reaches ‘a. Eine' height one language and a world's brother. hood". Next he azes a vision of farm celonies 'In Jaly many wealthy people will die, trade gathering in tramps, vagabonds, and wastrels. will nourish, and Russia will make a rush for FROM YOKOHAMA, KOBE AND MOJI. Tedia. August is to see a bank smash. Sep. THE J. C. J. Lijn Steamship.

tember is to hear some very free speech ip Hyde Park, and October will be distinguished by the wholesale killing of little shops by big stores. More railway accidents and some coal $57,946,000 $104,378,000 ming disasters will blacken November. De. 73,459.000 101,553,000 cember is to witness damaging tides on the

on the top of it all Old Moore has the courage

*** TJIMAHI,”

Mark

JUST LANDED..

FIRST SHIPMENT.

TRY IT

GINGER ALE.

MATANSAN

Per Case 48 Pinte

Per Dozen Pints.......

......$7.75.

1.95 5.35

1.30

EXPERTS testify that TANSAN makes

Per Case 50 Splits. Per Dozen Splits...

Captain Brouwers, having arrived from above the most WHOLESOME and PALAT- Ports, Consignees of Cargo are hereby informed that their Goods are being landed at their risk ABLE GINGER ALE in the WORLD, into the hazardous andfor extra hazardous Go. downs of the Hongkong and Kowloon Wharf

Ltd., at Kówlbos.

578,826,000 $130,105,000 $108,931,000/ south coast and a host of destructive fires, and and Godown admitted after the Goods

In 1904 the figures were:- Imports 5169,639,000 $167,430,000 $337,060,000 to wish. Everybody a Happy New Year Exports 80,835,000 184,317,000 265,152,000

$250,465,000 $351,747,000 $608,212,000 They are worth considering and watching,

CONTRACTION OF CURRENCY.

Now what do we mean by the expression pear by. After a short wait the bear came "contraction of currency"? Sir David Barbour down from the hills for his evening meal of is a man of large Indian experience and pro- green com and finding the delicady prepared bably bad' in his mind the power the Govern for him at once proceeded to do justice toitment had in its hands of bringing is about. The Government of India have balances at all times

with the result that vins or more of the detona

No Claims will have left the Godowns and all Goods remato ing undelivered after the roth instant will be subject to rent.

All Claims for damage must be sent in before the 11th instant or they will not be

No Fire Insurance will be effected. Bill of Lading will be countersigned by the Undersigned,

A FEW months ago, it will be remembered, the owner of the Nagoura-marw and other, Japad-recognised, ese merchant vessels which were sunk by the Vladivostok squadron filed petitions at the Foreign Office, asking that damages be claimed from the Russian Government. The Japan Chronicla polnits out that no provision is made in the Treaty of Peace, relating to the claims regarding the low vessels, and a propois!

is

the Froeidency Banks and the withdrawal under consideration among the shipowners to together with a suspension or limita. - Ala a Esriber petition at the Foreign Offics) -

The steamer will be despatched for BA TAVIA, CHERIBON, SAMARANG, SOU

Hoad Agency of the RABAYA and MACASSAR on the 7th Instant.

JAVA-CHINA-JAPAN LIJN,, York Buildings, 1st Floor:f Hongkong, 4th October, 1901,

THE

CLIFFORD-WILKINSON TANSAN MINERAL WATER 00., LD,

KODE-JAPAN.

SOLE AGENTS-

H. PRICE & CO. WINE AND SPIRIT MERCHANTS, "12, Queen's Boid: OHxtrali Hongkowe, 4th October, 1991,

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