H
340
THE RESTRICTIONS ON THE CAMPHOR TRADE IN FORMOSA.
[FROM OUR FORMOSA CORRESPONDENT.
TOKYO, 12th April.
tions were arrested.
I noticed in your journal a telegram dated 31st March, from Takow, stating that wholesale arrests of foreign compradores in the camphor district were then being made, etc., etc. While unfamiliar with the details of the arrests, I have been informed that only such compradores as totally disregarded the existing camphor regula A few lines of explanation are necessary. In late November of last year the Japanese authorities framed regulations and published proclamations calling on all persons who had camphor stills, or rights to cut trees, to send in an account of same, together with such documents as bad been issued by the Chinese Government proving their ownership or authority to work same. Foreign merchants were deeply interested in the camphor business and had a good deal of money invested. The two large firms in the north both had the neces- sary papers clear and indisputable, but for some reason (to the writer unknown) the firms in the south were not so provided, although undoubted ly agreements of some kind for the up-country working of the industry had been entered into
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
THE SUGAR INDUSTRY IN
FORMOSA.
[April 23, 1896.
here dwindles to a very small size, the joints only averaging from one to one and a half inches in circumference, and little or no atten- tion seems to be devoted to the plant beyond putting it in the ground. Even for irrigation, which during the periods of small rainfall or drought would be of material advantage, no means whatever are provided.
Plantings are made from cuttings about once in three years. These are first soaked in water for about twenty days until the buds begin to sprout. They are then placed obliquely in the ground, more or less in a line, with one and protruding, the furrow for their reception being scraped with the hands. A little manure is placed over them, but beyond this, with perhaps an exceptional and occasional weeding by some of the more careful growers, nothing further is done. The crops for the intervening two years are raised from "ratoons," and at the end of the third year the roots are dug out and burned.
CANE CRUSHING.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT IN FORMOSA).
The land generally, in the south, is held by the cultivators under Melayer tenure. In the northern, or Taiwanfoo, division, the people seem to be more independent, and therefore well-to-do, than those in the more southern or Takow districts; at least this is true of the cane-planters, who in the latter district have for a long time allowed themselves to drift into a deplorable and apparently irremediable state of debt to a few capitalists. Indeed, as matters now stand, they are little better than serfs working for bare subsistence, and being extremely illiterate are incapable of understanding, much less keeping, accounts and thus have fallen a ready prey to the money- lenders, who may be said to thus command the whole of the Takow crop. During the ten years, the chief usurer past eight or has become so powerful that he may be said to have established a corner for himself in Takow sugar, regulating the plantings and therefore the total crop to suit his financial manœuvres on the ultimate market (Japan).
By a system of compound and usurious inte- rest, ranging from 18 per cent. to 6 per cent, debts beginning at from $50 to $100 very rapidly spring up to amounts utterly beyond the capacity of the debtors to discharge, and at Now came the difficulty. It would be an in-
last they become desperate and careless. In justice to those foreign firms who after years of the Taiwanfoo district, however, this evil has In the more southern parts of the island the labour had built up the industry and whose not assumed the same magnitude, and there buffaloes are supplied by the mills, when the money was invested in the trade, to be turned fore competition amongst the growers having unhappy growers are mulcted from 30 per cent. out of the field without compensation. and it freer scope brings about a more natural ratio be- to 40 per cent. of their product. These mills would be equally an injustice to allow new firms
tween price and actual value of product. While are erected at the beginning of each season, to enter the trade when Japanese merchants deploring the system prevailing in the Takow usually early in December, and are dismantled at themselves were barred. It was to deal with
district, one cannot help admiring the wonder its conclusion, the stones being buried in the both impartially that the new regulations were
ful organization and administrative ability dis-earth for their preservation. The animals work issued.
But cases arose, particularly in the south, that played in watching over the unfortunate victims in spells of from an hour to an hour and a half, and their fields. A complete service of field according to the time taken to extract, say, about foreigners who previously had no connection
bailiffs is established, who at regular intervals two picals of juice. There are as a rule four with the camphor industry whatsoever took
estimate and bring in reports to their chief. As boiler men and four attendants on the mill, 46 COW advantage of the state of affairs and commenced
soon as the new cane begins to show above working in day and night shifts, besides the trade without permission. Notifications ground, advances are made on the estimated were then issued that after three months any
value of the prospective crop, a wide margin be- persons engaged in the camphor industry, noting allowed for possible loss or deterioration holding the necessary papers issued by the from flood, wind, or other risks. Chinese Government, must cease such employ. ment.
with the Chinese officials.
The three months expired in March (I have notthe exact date), the Chinese compradores mentioned in the above telegram did not see fit to comply, and the result is that several arrests have been made. It is specially unfortunate that the two or three large and reliable firms of Anping should be subject to such hardship, but without proof of their former camphor rights it is impossible to separate them from the few irresponsible parties who sought to enter the trade after the island had been ceded to Japan.
THE GOVERNORSHIP OF FORMOSA.
There have been so many reports circulated in the vernacular press of Japan to the effect that H. E. Count Kabayama had resigned or was about to resign his post of Governor General of Formosa that I wish to state that His Excellency never entertained such that intentions, while, although it is true he was incapacitated for a few days with a light attack of fever while in Formosa, the illness was not such as to lead him to believe that he was endangering his life by residence in the island. Of course, if the Government of Japan saw fit to engage his services in other directions, he would necessarily comply, but until such occurs he will continue in his present capacity as Governor of Formosa, for which he is so well fitted. This will be agreeable news to his many Formosa friends, who feel that the prosperity of Formosa is so much dependent upon those who are thoroughly familiar with the peculiar conditions existing there, as His Excellency undoubtedly is.
Jas. W. DAVIDSON.
A Japan paper says:-The promoters of a big steamship company propose to open a Japan-San Francisco and a Japan-Vancouver line with sight steamers of between 5,000 and 6,000 tons. The capital, formerly fixed at yen 5,300,000, is now placed at yen 3,700,000. The proposed company's steamers on the San Fran- cisco service will be connected with the Oregon Railway Company.
It need scarcely be said that these doles are as small as they can possibly be made compatible with the hand-to-mouth existence of the re-
This is effected by stone mills, worked by two and sometimes three buffaloes. These mills are generally set up and owned, in the Takow district, by agents ofthe usurers. A certain number, usually twelve, of the producers share a right to, or rather are expected to bring their cane to this mill, to which is also attached the boiling house. Each | participant must provide two buffaloes if he wishes only to be charged 7 per cent. of the pro- duce from the cane as the cost of manufacture.
men.
27
The following is a description of the mills in use in Formosa, which shows how very far short they come of fulfilling even ordinary re- After the rainy season another valuation is quirements, a fact which leads to much loss of made and further advances given; when the product. Two granite rollers, 25 inches in cane is cut and its sugar extracted the final in-d'ameter by 30 inches in height, are placed in stalments are paid.
apposition. At the top of each roller a row of depressions is cut, into which are fitted hard- wood cogs. By means of the latter the motion is imparted to the right-hand stone from the Wooden spindles are let into left-hand one. the centre of each stone at the top and bottom respectively. By the lower of these the stones fit into a granite or sometimes wooden bed plate, while the top ones project through a transverse wooden binding beam, the left-hand upper spindle being prolonged so as to afford attachment for the lever, at the further end of which the buffaloes are yoked.
It
cipients. These latter declare that even in the best years the capitalists rarely pay more than from $1 to $1.20 a picul. Of course, the amount thus credited makes but a small bble in the debt, which not only is increased by the accumulating interest, but also by the unfair manipulations and charges which are invariably added. may be remarked, however, that the lenders, for obvious reasons, do not look for the payment of the debt, the greater part of which is fictitious and the result of gross imposition, but which nevertheless is a perpetual source of most profitable returns on what is thus only a small outlay of actual capital. To illus- very trate this it may be mentioned that when these capitalists dispose, at the port, of the sugar thus got, they would never dream of accepting less than something between $2.50 and $3. which, even allowing for the cost of transport from the mills, shows au immediate protit of at least
cent.
100
per
The soil in the different districts, and indeed in various parts of the same divisions, differs considerably in its sugar-producing properties. Thus, although no more care in cultivation of the cane or treatment of the juice is shown in the Takow District than in the Tai- wanfoo department, the products of the former are much richer in crystallizable sugar, and consequently, grade for grade, of higher commercial value.
The species of plant grown is that known as the Chinese cane," which locally the growers distinguish into three varieties, based on the thickness and colour of the skin. It has been stated that the Sorghum, or sugar grass, is cultivated in Formosa, but, so far as I know, this is not the case, in the southern part of the island at least.
Through negligence in cultivation the cane
The apposition of the rollers to each other is secured and judged according to the ability of the millwright, and as the wooden binding- beam is constantly wearing, and thus the dis- tance between the rollers always varying, the pressure on the cane, only roughly set at first, is most irregular in its application all through. To modify the effects of this as far as possible, the natives pass the cane thrice through the mill, but as the following experiments show, the results obtained are by no means perfect.
Then, again, the frequent stoppages for re- adjustment and repairing the mills are also a constant trouble and drawback. The wooden cogs have also frequently to be replaced, as, indeed, is the case with all the other wooden parts of the machine, causing the mill-owner a never ceasing outlay.
The minimum first cost of one of these mills, not counting the house, is $150, and besides that, at the commencement of each season, renewing the wooden fittings, erecting the shed, and setting up the mill amounts to at least $100, and then there is the ever-recurring cost of repairs during the whole time the mill is running.
By careful experiments made alongside of several native mills with those of foreign mann- facture, it was found that for every 100 lbs. of cane thrice pressed by the Chinese mill, 50 lbs. weight of juice was extracted from the cane,
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