August 27, 1896.]
THE INCREASE IN CABLE RATES.
I.
The reasons put forward by the Cable Companies for their recent increase in rates are the reverse of convincing. In the first place they stated that the increase was due to the continued depreciation of silver. To that the reply was that silver had gone up instead of down since the rate was reduced from $2.30 to $2. Now they say, in effect, that the reason for the increase is that ar- rangements have been made with the op- position, which leaves them free to work their monopoly for all it is worth. They say, how- ever, that "as other Telegraph Administra- tions.keep and liquidate their accounts in gold the Companies have of course to make "all their outpayments in gold, which has left "them with a very small revenue on the "homeward traffic and in some cases there
"
"has been an actual loss." In the absence
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
ILLEGAL ACTION OF THE SANITARY BOARD.
In May last Mr. DANBY addressed a letter to the press in which he drew attention to certain proceedings of the officers of the Sanitary Board in connection with the cleansing operations, alleging that their action was in some
151
even if they remain proof against ✨ the temptations to act corruptly that must inevitably be held out to them.
THE JAPANFSE AND FORMOSA RELIEF FUNDS.
It was recently stated in our columns that cases unnecessarily a Mansion House Fund had been started at harsh, that partiality was shown, and that home for the relief of the sufferers by the he knew "how the oracle was worked"Japan tidal wave. That was not strictly The Board was very indignant with Mr. accurate; a meeting was held at the Mansion - DANBY-all except Mr. EDE, who to House, and it was presided over by the some extent supported him--and it was
LORD MAYOR, who, however, in opening the solemnly resolved" that the Colonial Secre- procedings, explained that "the effort was
'tary be requested to furnish the Board "with the opinion of the legal advisers of the Crown as to whether any legal steps can "be taken with a view to obtaining redress "for the apparent misrepresentation made "against the Board and its officers in Mr. DANBY's letter." At that time we of the figures actually paid to the other remarked that the Board had made itself Administrations it is impossible to say what supremely ridiculous in passing such a reso- precise weight should be attached to this lation, and the verdict given on Saturday statement, as opinions might differ as to against the Board in the case brought against what constituted a small revenue, but it that body by one of the sufferers by the must be admitted that some share of the high handed proceedings of which Mr. blame for the extortionate policy followed DANBY complained in his letter tends to should fall on the Eastern Telegraph Com- make them appear in a still more ridiculous pany and the other Administrations with light. Mr. DANBY's complaintswere treated which the Eastern Extension and Great very cavalierly by the Boardat the time, Northern connect. That admission, how-but as to a material portion they have now ever, does not lessen the force of the case been proved, to the satisfaction of a jury in a put forward by the opponents of the in- court of law, to have been well founded. It crease, because the Telegraph Companies is now established that the Board's officers concerned are all in the same ring and those have in some cases exceeded their duties; with which we are locally brought into whether they have in other cases inten- contact aid and abet their colleagues in the tionally neglected their duties, as alleged policy by which we are made to suffer. by Mr. DANBY, and whether a system of With regard to local tariffs, the Companies working the oracle" prevailed, still re- would have us believe that they are exercis mains to be scen. The Hon. F. A. COOPER, ing great generosity in charging only 40 cents when nothing came of the idea of taking a word between Hongkong and Shanghai, legal proceedings against Mr. DANBY, sug- when at the rate of 15 centimes per word gested that a Commission of Inquiry should per 100 knots of cable the charge would work be appointed. It would be highly satisfac- out to 55 cents. How exorbitant this tory if the whole matter could thus be cleared charge is will be seen by a comparison with up. If the faults that have been committed the Atlantic rates, under which a message have arisen merely from an excess of zeal, can be sent over five times the same length all that remains to be done, so far as the of cable for a shilling.
past is concerned, is for the Government to pay the damages to which the sufferers can prove themselves entitled and caution its officers
II.
แ
to be
•
are
not a national one, but it was being "made by the Japan Society, of which "he had the honour of being a member, " and a number of friends. The Hon. Secre- tary read letters at the meeting announcing subscriptions amounting to about £1,300, including £25 from the DUKE of WEST- MINSTER, £20 from the DUKE of NEWCASTLE, 10 guineas from the LORD MAYOR, and 1,000 guineas from Mr. A. F. HILLS (chairman of the Thames Ironworks). The meeting was held only a few days before the departure of the last mail and we have no information as to the progress of the subscription, which, however, we have no doubt would be liberally supported, though not so liberally perhaps as if it had been started as Mansion House Fund proper. We bound to admit, however, that the cir- cumstances were hardly such as to justify a national effort." The object is a de serving one, which should appeal in a measure to all who have any connection with Japan or kindly sympathy for the people of that attractive country, but it is a case in which charity might easily have been over- done had benevolence been allowed to over- ride prudence. There are cases of distress which call for relief on a large scale, and others for which a more moderate scale The distress may be held to suffice. arising from the great catastrophe in come within the latter Japan seems to
and Shanghai, Hongkong, category, and the foreign communities at the open: ports of Japan correctly appraised it as such, contributing liberally but not extra- vagantly. The catastrophe, it is true, was one of the most awful of modern times, nearly thirty thousand persons losing their lives at one blow; but money cannot bring back the dead, and in matters of relief it is the survivors that have to be cared for. The survivors in this are for the most part fisher folk, case who only want boats and nets to be in a position to earn their living again, and it is wonderful what able bodied and indus trious people can do to help themselves in emergencies of that kind. The case is very 'different from that of a famine, where hundreds of thousands of persons have to be maintained for long periods by charity or allowed to die à lingering and painful death; it is one which undoubtedly called for the exercise of charity, though not charity on the highest scale. The local Funds being now closed, and as
Fund will the London
no doubt be closed before these lines reach home, we have no fear that what we have said will have any effect in holding the hands of any who might have been disposed to give. It is late enough to speak in the past tense and to say that the China and Japan communities appraised with reasonable correctness the necessities of the case and have no occasion to reproach t with having been too nig The public at home appealed
Referring to the comparison made in yesterday's issue between the telegraphic
more careful for the charges across the Atlantic and those be- future. If, on the other hand, there has tween Hongkong and Shanghai, it should be been, as alleged by Mr. DANBY, a system of pointed out, in the interests of strict ac- corruption, every effort ought to be made to curacy, that the average length of the At detect and punish the guilty parties, for the lantic cables is about 2,500 knots, as against sake of the good name of the service and 934 knots, the length of the Hongkong-of British rule. At the best the official Shanghai cable. This is not as five to one, Sanitary Board stands discredited so far as being in fact rather less then three to one, its ability for organisation and the exercise but the comparison is still sufficiently strik- of discretion are concerned; but for that we ing, a shilling (or say forty-eight cents) a word hope a remedy will soon be forthcoming in for 2,500 knots as against forty cents for the entire reorganisation of the Board and 984 knots. The local Companies would no the readmission of the popular element. doubt argue that the difference in the traffic Apart, however, from any question of the justifies the difference in the rate, but that reorganisation of the Board, or the honesty is just where issue should be joined with of its officers, one lesson clearly appears them. With moderate rates the increase in from the cases that have been recently tried, the traffic between this and Shanghai would namely, that should it unfortunately become steadily increase, whereas the tendency of necessary at any future time to undertake a high rates is necessarily to restrict traffic. general cleansing of the town owing to the outbreak of filth diseases, a much closer super- In the course of a leading article the N. C. vision should be exercised over the operations of the "whitewash brigade by respon- Daily News says:-The Chinese Telegraph Administration has been obliged to come to sible officers than has hitherto been the terms with the Cable Companies, after a long case. This year Dr. CLARK was in charge and gällant struggle, by Count Cassini's orders, of the work, but he could not possibly and the foreign community owes to the Russian exercise personal supervision over the whole Minister the increase of $7 per cent. in the of the details; competent lieutenants are re- tariff for telegrams to Europe. The British quired. It is not right that Chinese house Minister opposed, this new Convention in the holders should be placed at the mercy of a interest of the commercial community. as long 83 it was possible to do so, and only gave way constable or other subordinate officer, whose under the influence which the Cable Companies excessive zeal may lead to such occurrences yet to regret having been apparently were able to bring to bear.
as gave rise to the case tried on Saturday,
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