Jane 10, 1896.]
anese have crept into the foreigner's place, until last year their direct share in the export and import trade was 75 million yen against 1953 millions on the foreign side. In fact, their share has doubled within nine years, a rate of progress that cannot be reconciled with the disqualifications commonly attributed to them by foreigners. What is the truth, then, about the Japanese merchant? If success be any measure of competence, he is decidedly com- petent. The Chinese merchant has not ob- tained any such independent place in his country's foreign trade. He is either con- tent to remain in the old groove or un- able to emerge from it. There is another point of difference to be noted. The margin of profit that the Japanese leave to the foreigner is much narrower than that left by the Chinese. If any object of Japanese production attains a high value in Western markets, the Japanese trader manages to exact the last sen of the ap- | preciation. Some critics call that greediness; others speak of it as astuteness. We do not pre- tend to determine, but we think that the last word has not by any means been said about the Japanese mercbant.-Japan Mail.
CORRESPONDENCE.
[We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents.]
A SUGGESTION.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS.'
22
Dear Sir,--As the officers of the Hongkong Regiment have been good enough to intimate that their Band will be allowad to play for three consecutive Saturdays in the Botanical Gardens for the benefit of the public may I, through the medium of your valuable paper, suggest to the powers that be that they would be con- ferring a great boon on the European com- munity by sending a few extra constables with instructions not to allow any Chinese wearing sleeveless jackets or pants drawn up to their knees to enter the place nor be seated on the benches with their legs up and scratching them. selves. If any stranger or globe-trotter happen to pay a flying visit to the Gardens any after- noon his impression of Far Cathay must soon be dissipated by noticing the disgraceful sight. Such a state of affairs should not be tolerated any longer and the sooner the police put a stop to it the better for all concerned.-Yours faith- fully,
AN OBSERVER. Hongkong, 5th June, 1896.
A SHANGHAI BUNDER.
RUSSIA AND FORMOSA.
The Shanghai Mercury of the 1st June says:-A rumour was circulated to-day that a Russian fleet of ten men-of-war that have left Vladivostock rather hurriedly after the corona- tion of the Tsar, and supposed to rendezvous at Port Hamilton, has gone to Formosa instead. We have made inquiries of all steamers that have arrived from the South, but there was nothing seen of the fleet.
118
Editorially the same paper says :— Sufficiently disquieting rumours reach from Formosa which we would have refrained from mentioning, were it not that our sources of information are beyond question. There is unfortunately no doubt that, equally with the errors in Korea, the Japanese have failed to enlist on their side the sympathies of any section of the inhabitants of Formosa, native or Chinese. Russia has been claiming, in the position of universal protector, the right of remonstrating and, at all events, Russia has, failing to draw Japan into a rupture in Korea, been raising somewhat similar claims in Formosa. The exact position has been carefully concealed, but there is no doubt that considerable tension exists in the diplomatic relations of the two powers, and that Formosa has been introduced into the controversy. The crucial period of the 26th of May has passed, and signs are not wanting that Russia has entered again on what has been described as a splendid policy of aggression.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
A STEAMER ASHORE.
By the courtesy of the chief officers of the I. C. S. N. Co.'s steamer Esang we learn that the Penang-owned steamer Cheong Hokchiang went ashore on the Coker Rock, Amoy, on the 28th May. She was outward bound from Amoy to Singapore; she had a number of Chinese passengers on board at the time of the accident, who immediately landed and returned to Amoy, When the tide rose the Cheong Hokchiang managed to back off and was beached on the Koolangsu side. The extent of the damage done had not transpired when the Esang left but it is surmised that it is not extensive, as her holds were dry. The opinion as to the cause of the stranding is due to one of the buoys being out of position, for the Cheong Hokchiang was in the usual channel taken by outward-bound ships when she stranded.- Mercury,
CANTON NOTES.
[FROM THE " CHUNGANGOI SAN PO."} A great thunderstorm was experienced at a village named Chuk-kai in Tung-kun district, on the 1st instant, from 7 pm to 9 p.m. All the mat sheds on the beach were blown down, ten houses were auroofed, and several junks were capsized.
On the 1st instant three girls accompanied by several maidservants went to a photographer's shop to get their portraits taken. When they had been in the shop only a few minutes seven scoundrels broke in, seized the girls, and forced them into sedan chairs which they had in waiting for the purpose. They then carried the girls away.
It is said that the victims of this outrage have been sold to houses of ill- fame and that they are forced to lead immoral lives.
On the second instant a blacksmith's ap- prentice in the city was beaten by his master with a pair of hot tongs for negligence of work. The apprentice cried out londly. The kaifong people seeing that the boy was so cruelly treated wanted the master to pay fifty taels to the boy for compensation.
The thief who, as already reported, snatched a coat from a secondhand shop, committed suicide on the 2nd instant. It is said that he was forced to die by the Banner people, for they were afraid that he would give the names of the ringleaders of the riot if he was brought for- ward for trial.
The notorious robber named Chang-ming, who was arrested in Honam by a military officer some time ago, and who frankly confessed that he had committed many serious offences, was decapitated on the 3rd instant.
|
As oil is very dear in Canton and a catty is sold for fifteen cents, the local officers have issued a notice to prevent the further raising of the price.
A junk named Tak-tui, which left Canton for Wuchow on the 24th ultimo, foundered on her voyage on the 26th.
All the passengers and crew, eighty altogether, were drowned.
HONGKONG.
The plague is, happily, apparently on the wane, as lately there has been a decided falling off in the number of cases, and for the past week only thirty-four cases have occurred. The total for the year is now 1,050. We have not had much rain this year and the water supply has been curtailed, but yesterday there was a sufficient quantity in the reservoirs to last over twenty days, but the streams are run- ning and there are hopes that the storage will be considerably added to during the month. At the Police Court on Thursday F. Walker, late manager of the Vacuum Oil Company, was sent to gaol for six months for embezzling over $2,500. On Thursday afternoon the Sani- tary Board met, and on Saturday the second gymkhana of the season was held and proved
very successful.
The appointment of Dr. John Bell to be As- sistant Surgeon in the Medical Department is gazetted.
It is notified in the Gazette that twelve months' leave of absence has been granted to Captain CM. Adamson, Hongkong Voluneert Corps.
489
There were 1,333 visitors to the City Hal Museum last week, of whom 95 were Europeans! Her Majesty's approval of the British North Borneo Extradition Act is notified in the Ga- zette.
Lieut. Bellairs of H.M.S. Centurion, has been temporarily appointed to the command of H.M.S. Pigmy.
At the Police Court on Saturday a Chinaman was fined $100 for having a revolver in his possession without a licence.
There were 5 cases of plague on the 3rd June, 8 on the 4th, 6 on the 5th, 4 on the 6th, 5 on the 7th, and 3 on the 8th.
A fifth dividend of 61 per cent, in the New Oriental Bank liquidation will be payable at the Chartered Bank or and after Monday, the
15th inst.
Mr. A. G. Romano, Consul-General for Por tugal and Brazil in this colony, has been elected an honorary member of the Geographical Society of Lisbon.
We hear that subject to the approval of the Secretary of State competitive designs for the new Public Offices are to be invited. This is as it ought to be.
We understand a telegram has been sent to H.R.H. the Prince of Wales conveying the congratulations of the Hongkong Garrison on his winning the Derby.
The five men who were thought to be concerned together with the actual murderer in the robbery and murder at Wanchai were discharged on Thursday, there being no evidence against them.
The constitution of the Medical Board, as n10- tified in Saturday's Gazette, is now as follows;- The Senior Military and Naval Medical Officers; the Colonial Surgeon, Dr. P. B. C. Ayres, C.M.G.; Dr. Hartigan, Hon. Ho Kai, Mr. H. L. Dalrymple; and Mr. N. J. Ede.
"The mill
The Secretary of the Punjom Mining Co., Limited, advises us that he has received the following telegram from the mines, being the result of the clean up for May ran 26 days crushing 1,000 tons yielding 442 ozs. of smelted gold. Forty-two tons of con- centrates were calcined for a yield of 75 ozs.”
Peter Gruenwald, the second engineer of the steamer Martha, was again brought before Hon. Commander Hastings on the 3rd June charged with shooting a couple of coolies on the vessel. On the application of Inspector Hanson the prisoner was remanded for another week, as the injured men are still in the hospital. No application was made for bail.
A successful raid on a gambling house at 30, Aberdeen Street was made on Tuesday night by Inspector Kemp, Detective Sergeant Holt, and a party of police. Not one of the gamblers escaped and in all twenty-two were taken to the Police Station. They were taken before Hon. Commander Hastings on the 3rd June and two of them, the masters of the house, were each fined $50 each and each of the remainder was fined $3.
won
The monthly competition by the Kowloon Dock detachment of the Volunteers for the Cup presented by Mr. J. Wallace took place on the 7th June on the Association Range, seven shots at 200, 400, and 500 yards. The Cup was for the third time by Mr. William Stewart from scratch. The following are the highest scores :-
200 400 500 H cap. Tth yds. yds. yds. points Mr. Wm. Stewart...30 30 24
84 .21 Mr. W. M. Deas
33 24 6 84 Mr. H. McPhail .28 26 28
82 Mr. D. McDonald...25 32 22 3 82 Mr. G. White ......31 27 16. The following returns of the average amount of bank notes in circulation and of specie în reserve in Hongkong, during the month ended 31st May, as certified by the Managers of the respective Banks, are published :-
Banks.
+
3
77
Average Specie in Amount. Reserve.
Chartered Bank of. India,
Australia, and China...$1,631,523 1,000,000 Hongkong and Shanghai
Banking Corporation... 5,885,672 2,500,000 National Bank of China,
Limited
391,455 285,000
Total.........$7,908,650, ́8,785,000
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.