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February 13, 1896.]
forthcoming that Her Majesty's death "either had formed part of the original pro- gramme, as submitted to Viscount MIURA, or should have been anticipated as a result "of the methods employed in carrying out "that programme. It is easy to see that “Buch evidence could scarcely be procurable. ic In point of fact, even in the heat of excitement caused by the first receipt of “the extraordinary news from Seoul, no one "acquainted with Viscount MIURA's char- "acter believed for an instant that he had
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As a matter of fact the evidence shewed that Her Majesty's death did form part of the original programme, and those who could not believe for an instant that Viscount MIURA had been privy in any sense to the murder of the Queen were entirely mis- taken. The judgment was published in the Japan Gazette on the 24th January, but up to the 25th it had not appeared in the Japan Mail nor had it been further com- mented upon by that journal. What course the Japanese Government will pursue in the matter remains to be seen, but it has been placed in a very unpleasent position. Had the ex-Minister been convicted and punished the Government might have disclaimed all moral responsibility for his infamous con- duct, but now that he has been acquitted it would seem that assassination and incite- ment to rebellion must be considered re- cognised weapons of Japanese diplomacy. Dismissal from office is a penalty that may be inflicted for mere incompetence, disobedience of orders, or unseemly conduct, and it cannot be considered any adequate punish- ment in the case of Viscount MIURA.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
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Mr. BRENAN, the Commissioner appointed to inquire into the condition of British trade in China, and the committee which has been formed in Hongkong to assist him in his investigations so far as this colony is con- cerned. Shipowners no doubt find it dif ficult to make their vessels pay, but the complaint of British shippers is, not that the rates of freight are too high, but that the same rates are not charged all round, Continental and United States shippers being accorded a preference. There must be something wrong in a system that results in giving a bounty to foreign trade and steanship owners would do well to deal with the matter themselves before Gov- ernmental interference is asked for.
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the opinion that the master would have displayed better judgment if he had not attempted to make the port at night, as his local knowledge did not justify him in doing so. Nor does it appear that any special precautions were taken under the circumstances. The master, however, has not appeared before the Court, and the Court is informed that he has left the port, although there were grounds for believing that before he left he was aware that a Court would he appointed to investigate been privy, in any sense, to the murder of the casualty to his ship. His departure, | "the Queen, and even those unacquainted therefore, has the appearance of an un- "with him saw clearly that he could never willingness to appear before such a Court. "have deliberately consented to associate a In his absence, however, and without his "barbarous and heinous act with a coup"having an opportunity of making a defence,
d'état undertaken nominally in the cause the Court does not deal with his certificate. Another subject dealt with in the minutes of civilized progress."
The officers appear to have donducted of the Shanghai Chamber is the mail con- themselves in a proper and becoming man- tract. The London Post Office asks if it ner under the circumstances.' We have would not be possible to shorten the stop- no desire to comment on the conduct of pages of the mail steamers at Hongkong the master, either as regards the accident when the contract is renewed; also whether his leaving the colony; but the Hongkong might not be made the terminal finding suggests the question whether a point instead of Shanghai. The Committee master who faces a Court of Inquiry in a of the Shanghai Chamber resolved to send manly straightforward manner is to be an energetic protest against such in- place at a disadvantage as compared with novations as being decidedly detrimental the man who absents himself. The certificate to foreign trade in China.' The protest of the late master of the On Sand presum-is presumably directed chiefly to the sug ably remains valid, while it might have gested abandonment of Shanghai as the been suspended or otherwise dealf with had | terminal port, a point on which our North- he appeared before the Court. It does not jern friends cannot fail to feel strongly. necessarily follow that the finding of the Without a contract mail there would be Court would have been adverse to the similar irregularity in the service at Shang. master had he remained, but by going away
hai to that which has caused so much he sees to have avoided all risk in the grumbling in Japan since the abandonment matter If this is so it appears that some of the contract for the regular conveyance alteration of the law is required, otherwise of the mails to that country, It would, it cannot be maintained that the Courts of moreover, he derogatory to British prestige Inquiry are in a position to administer equal to have French and German mail packets justlee in all cases coming under their running to Shanghai and no British packets. cognisance.
The protest of the Shanghai Chamber is therefore fully justified. There is another point, however, in connection with the mail contract to which attention might be use- fully directed, and that is the necessity for a Ip another colunin we reproduce the regular weekly mail homeward and outward. The mercantile marine complain, and we minutes of a meeting of the Committee of Formerly, when the French mail left on the are inclined to think not without some the Shanghai General Chamber of Com- same day of the week as the English reason, of the severity of Courts of Inquiry merce, in which several matters of interest mail every one was satisfied. Of late years, in dealing with the certificates of masters to Hongkong are referred to. The Shang- however, the French Company have ap and officers in cases of accident to vessels hai Chamber has materially increased its parently not found this arrangement to their occurring through error of judgment or usefulness by adopting the system of pub-interest, and while the English mail has neglect on the part of those responsible for lishing its minutes and we would once again their navigation. It is alleged that in cases direct the attention of the Hongkong Chan where, under parallel circumstances, an ber to this excellent example. It would no officer in the Royal Navy would be simply doubt be inconvenient and undesirable to censured or perhaps deprived of a few years admit reporters to the committee meetings, seniority, the Marine Courts of Inquiry but the publication of an officially prepared inflict practical ruin on officers or comman synopsis of the minutes allows of as much ders in the mercantile marine by cancelling being set out as may be proper while subjects or suspending their certificates. Comman- as to which it is necessary to maintain ders and officers would probably be the last secrecy can be reserved until they are to contend that there should not be finally closed. One of the subjects dealt adequate inquiry in all cases of serious with at the meeting referred to was the accident or that clear, dereliction of duty preferential treatment given to United should not be visited with punishment, for a States and Continental shippers as compared due recognition of responsibility is essential with British shippers. This subject had to the maintenance of a high standard in the been brought to the attention of the Shang- the profession, but excessive severity is at hai Chamber by the Hongkong Chamber, once unjust and inadvisable. Quite a novel and the latter body is to be congratulated point, however, is raised by the finding of the on having bestirred itself in a matter so Court that investigated the circumstances at vitally affecting British trade. The Shang tending the recent stranding of the steamer hat Chamber, however, is unsympathetic On Sang, and one which should command the and does not see its way to do anything. attention of the Board of Trade and of all mer- This may be because the Chamber is a cantile marine associations. In opening the cosmopolitan body and the grievances of proceedings the President stated that the British shippers are a purely national late captain of the steamer had left the question; but it is to be hoped that the colony and that under the circumstances he subject will not be allowed to drop. If had called the first and second officers and the Shanghai Chamber cannot take the first and second engineers in order to obtain matter up perhaps the branch of the all the information available. The finding China Association there might see its of the Court was as follows:- "From the way to do so, and in any use it will "evidence before it the Court has formed | no doubt receive attention at the hands of
MARINE COURTS OF INQUIRY.
THE SHANGHAI CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE.
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left on Thursday the day of departure of the French mail has been Wednesday, thus making alternate intervals of eight days and six days, instead of a uniform interval of A further change in the seven days. French service is now announced; the steamers will still leave on Wednesday, but at such an early hour in the morning that it will in practice be necessary for firms to close their mails the previous night, thus making the mail intervals in reality nine days and five days. Inconvenience is also caused by the irregularity in the arrivals of the outward mails. Since it no longer suits the French to run at corresponding intervals with the British packets the appropriate remed would be to have a week! British packet. This, of course, raises the question of cost, but this, we think, ought not to be a bar to the suggested improvement of the service: There are already weekly nuils to Colombo and with the frequent communication be- tween that port and Hongkong it would not be difficult or costly to introduce such regularity as would suffice to extend the weekly mail service to Hongkong, if not to Shanghai.
M. C. Gaute French Vice-Consul at Takhoi and Toning, has been appointed Consul at Suez and will shortly leave for his new post.
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