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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. point of view, that vessels shall be built and run on a very narrow margin of profit. The case of the Drummond Castle exemplifies in a most painful degree the risks run by passen- gers even on the best found mail lines. In that case the disaster was due to faulty navigation, but in this age of mechanical ingenuity it seems not beyond the hounds of possibility that a vessel might he built which, even after having her bottom ripped by a sunken rock, might still float long enough, if not to allow of her reaching shore, at least long enough to allow of all on board safely leaving in the boats. A case still more in point is that of the Elbe and Craithie collision. A vessel, especially one carrying large numbers of passengers, ought to be built so that she would not go down under such an impact as that inflicted on the Elle by the Craithic.
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September 10, 1896.] measure within bounds as to the rates charged. No doubt the Conference would be glad to follow the example of the Tele- graph Companies and put up rates to an exorbitant figure if they could, but in this case the public has the protection of actual competition, and an increase in rates would bring further competitors on the scene. In the case of the Telegraph Companies the public has 110 such protection -now, since the Chinese Telegraph Administration has been brought into the combination, and an absolute monopoly exists. The most satisfactory solution of the difficulty, if it were possible, would be to let the State take over the cables and work then for the public benefit, the same as the Post Office, for the interests involved are too great to be placed at the mercy of a cor- poration looking only to the amount of pro- fit it can make. With cables touching the territory of various nations, however, inter- national jealousy and distrust would prevent any such beneficent arrangement, but when the "all-British" cable connecting England with Australia via Canada is finally decided upon it is to be hoped the public interests will be protected, if not by the line being made a Government affair, at least by conditions being imposed which would prevent the proprietors clapping on an increase in the rates when- ever the fancy seized them and agreements with competing lines enabled them to do so. Meanwhile, it will be seen from the cor- respondence published by the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce that the present Cable Companies intend to outvie the Shipping Conference in the iniquity with which they propose to work their tariff. If the Conference gives advantages to Con- tinental and American shippers that it denics to English shippers, the Telegraph Companies on their part intend to subsidise Chinese" competition by taking Chinese messages at half-rates. This is news to us, but it is presumably a fact, for the Chairman of the Shanghai Chamber draws Sir CLAUDE MAC DONALD's attention to the "apparently in- equitable and racial distinction whereby "messages sent by foreigners are charged "twice as much as messages sent by natives over the European and Chinese lines; and urges on his Excellency that "in the "interests of all classes of foreign residents "in China this differential treatment calls "for prompt aud effective redress.”
SAFETY FOr passenGERS.
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pense prevent much loss of life. Such fearful catastrophes as the sinking of the Elbe, and, more recently, the Onwo would in all human probability have been avoided had the colliding vessel been provided with the false nose or collision buffer. recom- mended by the gallant Admiral. Perhaps it would not pay any individual shipowner acting alone to adopt the device, especially while it has not passed the experimental stage, but that the plar contains the elements of success we think there can. be little doubt; and the Governments of all maritime nations might with advantage give it attention with a view to making its adoption compulsory should it be found, in experiments on a sufficiently large scale, to fulfil the expectations of its inventor.
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THE REBELLION IN MANILA,
everything was all right." Of course these words may have been added to free the gentle- man from any anxiety which would have been otherwise occasioned. As additional support to
the suggestion that the fight was only of small
importance it is thought that if the trouble had been of an alarming nature instructions would have been sent to the Spanish Consul to take steps to have all ships proceeding to Manila searched before leaving Hongkong.
4th September.
In discussing the Drummond Castle case the St James's Gazette says:- The court has
3rd September. found that the Drummond Castle was pro- No further news came to the colony yesterday Ivided both with water-tight compartments concerning the conflict in Manila, so we are "and with boats. Neither custom nor law still in the dark as to the exact nature of the "requires more of her owners. But al- affray. Curiously enough no telegram- has been
though this acquits thèm of blame, it does
received at the Spanish Consulate, and it is "not touch the question whether the pre- Spanish authorities in Manila confirms the im- thought that the absence of news from the "cautions taken against foundering and the pression that the "serious conflict" spoken of means of escape provided in our passenger by the British Consul may after all have been a steamers are sufficient. Experience is trivial riot that created a panic, and that, as steadily proving that the water-tight stated by the manager of the Manila branch of. "bulkhead is not the protection which it the Hougkong and Shanghai Banking Corpora- "had been supposed to be. The sinking of tiou, in a later telegram, no anxiety need be "the Victoria was a great shock to the faith felt. One firm yesterday had a telegram from “of many naval officers, and we have other Manila, but no reference was made to any dis- turbance, and a Spanish gentleman. who sailed examples to show that, when the damage for Vancouver by the Empress of India yester- "done goes beyond a moderate-sized hole in day received a telegram on Tuesday from a "one compartment, the water-tight bulk-relative wishing him good-bye and stating that "head is not sufficient protection against "the natural inclination of iron to go to the "bottom. In spite of all we have done the iron steamer is clearly more inclined to sink than the wooden sailing ship was. "Whether we shall in time be able to make iron vessels safer is a far greater question “than can be discussed here, but it is clearly no tise to shut our eyes to patent "facts." The question, however, is one of
The fact that the telegram sent to the Hong- importance and it would be well if the press in general could find time and kong and Shanghai Bank is the last news received of the rebellion in Manila has prompted knowledge to discuss the point which our
the suggestion that the Manila authorities are contemporary thus dismisses. The provi-exercising a strict supervision over telegrams sion of rafts, which the St. James's goes on to and refuse to allow any more wires concerning refer to, may be very well in its way, but the the outbreak to be forwarded to Hongkong. point of real importance is to devise means It is certainly somewhat curious that the by which the ship herself may be kept British Consul in Manila has not forwarded afloat for some reasonable time after receiv- any confirmation or correction of his rather ing serious injury. An absolutely unsink- alarming telegram, and it is thought in some table ship is an unattainable ideal, as regards outbreak was not, as was at first believed, quarters that perhaps the seriousness of the ordinary merchant vessels at least, but unintentionally exaggerated by him, or he shipowners and shipbuilders ought to try would have sent a second wire. The Bank to get as close to it as possible. They telegram was sent in cypher, so that it could not could get a good deal closer to it than they be understood without the code, but we believe do, provided it paid them, but as considera- the authorities can demand the production of tions of profit and loss do not favour enter the code under exceptional circumstances, and prise in that direction it is probably only this being so, the Manila manager of the Bank may have deemed it prudent to underestimate under the stimulus of legislation that sub- the importance of the rebellion. But of course stantial progress will be made. And there all this is purely conjectural and may have no are serious difficulties in the way of legisla- foundation at all. tion, for if one Government were to The China Mail of last night publishes the take action the shipowners of that following special telegram from its own cor- particular nationality would not unreason-respondent:- ably ask how they could compete with their rivals of other nations if they were to be saddled with such additional expenditure as would be involved. Perhaps in the course of time all the maritime nations of the world may agree upon uniformity in their shipping laws, but we are as yet a long way off any such, ideal state of affairs.
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The recent accident to the Scotch express at Preston was notable for the small amount of personal injury sustained, and only one life was lost. In a similar accident twenty or even ten years ago the death roll would have been a long one and probably few of the passengers would have escaped injury of some kind, but the railway companies have now succeeded in building coaches capable of withstanding great strains and the danger to the passengers is proportionately reduced. Is it not possible that something equivalent to what has been done for the safety of passengers by railway might be done for passengers by steamboat ? One great induce ment is absent, for whereas injury to passengers by land involves the carriers in heavy pecuniary damages carriers by sea are comparatively exempt from that risk; in fact, for all practical purposes it may be
"It is not such a serious rising as was at first said to be non-existent. The vessel herself
anticipated, and it is firmly believed here that is as a rule insured and the shipowner's
the authorities will cope with it successfully. pocket being thus unaffected he is
"The foreigners in Manila do not anticipate In the meantime it may be useful once naturally averse to providing safe- more to mention Admiral MAKAROFF's any serious danger to lives and property”----
The above sees to confirm the suggestion guards that would involve a large ex- device for minimising the effects of colli- that a censorship is exercised over telegr penditure, especially when sharp competi- sions at sea, which, if it were generally leaving Manila, otherwise we should ha tion demands, from the purely commercial | adopted, would at comparatively small expected to learn something about the rep
Baula, 3rd September, 1896. "The revolution in the Philippine Islands still continues.
"The Spanish authorities are adopting every possible means to suppress the rising, and to prevent it spreading throughout the provinces.
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