April 28, 1887.).
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. tenants, since they are all dependent directly of each of the High Contracting Parties or indirectly upon shipping for their live-shall enjoy, in the dominious and posses- lihood it is to their interest that shipping should freely enter the port rather than that it should be frightened 'away by an attempt to impose charges upon it for the relief of the ratepayer. If the latter obtained relief for a time it would only be by striking at the root of his prosperity and his last state would be worse than his first.
JAPAN'S NEW TREATIES AND
THE BOUNTY SYSTEM.
The China Association in its recently issued annual report for 1896-97 says :-
Japan has succeedell, now, in revising her "treaties with all the Western Powers "except Portugal; and nothing remains "but to await practical experience of changes which will come into operation in 1897.” It would seem that we may not have to wait so long for practical indications of what the course of events is likely to be when the new treaties come into operation, and the China Association, which includes Japan in its sphere, will do well to keep a close watch upon, what transpires in the meantime. The Bill passed at the last session of the Japanese Diet providing for the payment to direct Japanese exporters of silk of a bounty or subsidy upon their shipments from Japan to foreign countries is a case in point. This measure, which, though proposed by the Government, we are glad to see has not yet received the Imperial sanction, is not only important as affecting particular interests, but also as affording an indication of the disposition Japans likely to adopt towards foreigners. The Yokohama Chamber of Commerce in its letter to the Doyen of the Diplomatic body on the subject points out that the Bill is not only opposed to the spirit and letter of the treaties, but that it will also operate prejudicially to the Japanese silk industry. With the latter contention, which appears well founded, it is unnecessary here to deal, but that the Japanese Government should enter on a policy avowedly intended to be inimical to the foreigner is a matter of vital concern. There is little prospect of the
· Bill becoming law, because the foreign Powers would vigorously protest against it, and as it is in direct conflict with the treaties the Japanese Government would perforce have to give way. But the spirit which dictated the Bill will, it is to be feared, remain and manifest itself in other directions. To the friends of Japan, to those who thought she was inspired by liberal ideas and fair-mindedness in regard to international relations and foreign trade, the Bill will have come as a painful surprise; while those who have opposed treaty revision and maintained that Japan was not to be trusted will be able to point to it as a justi fication of their attitude. As the Japan Mail points out, the scheme embodied in the Bill is futile, "for the foreign exporter can secure "the bounty for himself by the simple device of sending forward his silk in the name of "a Japanese. It would be found, before "long, that direct export' had largely in- ereased, in appearance, and that the Treasury was paying out a considerable sum in bounties for the benefit of the foreign merchant.' But although the object arrived at might not be attained, supposing the Bill to receive the Im perial sanction, the fact remains that while the treaty provides that "the subjects
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sions of the other perfect equality "of treatment with native subjects in all that "relates to warehousing, bounties, facilities, and drawbacks," the Japanese Government is responsible for a proposal to give a bounty to Japanese subjects with the object of enabling them to drive foreigners out of the market.
SIMULTANEOUS DIAMOND JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS.
323
PROPOS D DIAMOND JUBILEE
MEMORIAL AT AMOY,
We have received the prospectus of an Anglo-Chinese School which it is proposed to establish at Anoy, as a fitting com- memoration of the completion of the sixtieth year of the reign of Her Majesty Queen VICTORIA. The scheme is in itself no doubt a good one, but whether it is suitable for a Jubilee memorinl is another question, and for the consideration of the Amoy com- on that point we would venture to submit
munity that an essential element of a A telegram in the Australian papers states memorial is that of permanence. In the that the Government have been urged to ar case of the proposed school the existence of range with the Queen for Her Majesty to that element is at least doubtful; the venture personally give the signal for the beginis, in fact, speculative. The provisional in St. Paul's Cathedral on the occasion of sum on which it would be prudent to start ing of the
Hymn of Praise," to be sung committee express the opinion that the least the Diamond Jubilee celebrations, in order such school would be $20,000, but beyond that the hymn may be sung simultaneously this nothing in the way of a financial throughout Her Majesty's dominions. The estimate is given. It is not even stated scheme to be quite feasible and express their required for the building of a school- Cable Companies, it is said, declare the how much if any of the $20,000 would be willingness to co-operate in the matter. house. If it be intended to rent premises Home papers received by the last mail con- and so save the initial cost of building, tained references to the same project, the rent would be a permanent charge on sion Day, Sunday, 20th June, there consideration in estimating the chances of which is that at a given hour on Acces- the institution, and must be taken into should be special thanksgivings at a financial success. In given hour throughout the world where the able hole would be made in the $20,000 for chse a consider, any English Church has its representatives. the expense or setting the institution going, Other denominations would of course glad such as the cost of the master's passage ly and eagerly fall in with the arrangement from Englan, the furnishing of the school, if it should be found practicable to carry it provision of school books, etc. Assuming out. The iden almost reaches the beight of that $15,000 was left as a permanent endow sublimity, and no more striking illustration ment-fund and that the sum was invested could be given of the scientific achievements at five per cent. the income would be $750 of the Victorian era than that Her Majesty a year. On the other side of the account should have it in her power, by the simple we must put down at least $3,000 a year for act of touching an electric bell, to give the head master, not to speak of assistants, a signal upon which`milhons of voices | and, say, $600 for rent, with, say, another separated by the width of the world shoubt $400 for incidental expenses, making a total be raised simultanesly in praise to the of 84,000. Deleting the assumed endow- Almighty. In one of the favourite evening ment of 8750aycar, this would leave a balance hymns sung in our churches a beautiful senti-of $3,250 to be made up by fees or subscrip ment is expressed in the following versos:-
As o'er each continent and island
The dawn leads on another day, The voice of prayer is never silent
Nor dies the strain of praise away, The sun that bids us rest is waking:
Our brethren 'neath the western sky, And hour by hour fresh lips are making
Thy wondrous dogs heard on high.
But on the present occasion it is proposed to eliminate altogether the distinctions of local time and that the song of praise shalt be raised simultaneously, not only through out Her Majesty's widespread dominions, but wherever an English congregation is to be found. The Cable Companies declare that this is practicable and that they are prepared to give affect to the idea in so far as it depends upon thear. The practicabi- lity, however, depends on the hour selected. Noon Greenwich has been mentioned, but that would mean 7.37 p.m. in Hongkong and 3.38 a.m. for our friends at Vancouver. Though the latter would no doubt all be willing to get up in the middle of the night to fight for their Queen if necessary it may be doubted whether many of them would be equally ready to get up at such an un- reasonable hour for the purpose of praying for Her. If on the other hand the service at St. Paul's were put off to five o'clock, in the afternoon so that the people in Western Canada might hold theirs between eight and nine o'clock in the morning, it would make it 0.37 a.m. next day for us in Hung- kong and 3.05 a.m. for the good people of Sydney. Sublime and fascinating therefore as the idea of a simultaneous hymn of praise is in the abstract the observance of local time would be on the whole more con- venient.
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tions. Whether this amount is likely to be raised or not the Amoy community must know best, but we would remind them that on the occasion of the completion of the fiftieth year of Her Majesty's reign the Yo- kohama community subscribed liberally for the establishment of n school for European children, which, it was considered, was much needed, and no doubt was entertained that once it was set going the institution would pay its way. In a few years, how- ever, the school found itself in difficulties, and, we believe, collapsed, so far as its con stitution as a public institution was con cerned. The Amoy scheme strikes us as being even more speculative than the Yoko- hama one. It is proposed that the school shall be open to boys of all nationalities. and creeds, that it shall be a day school: with arrangements for boys to be housed if necessary with suitable families, that the school shall be secular, that the curriculum shall be confined to English and English subjects, that the school shall be for boys of the upper and middle classes each candidate to be approved of by the committee, that the scholars shall pay fees the amount to be subsequently deter mined, that the head master shall be a certi- ficated Englishman, and that the committee of management shall consist of twelve mem- bers, six of Chinese race and six of European race, the British Cousul and the Commis sioner of Customs being included amongst the latter if they are willing to serve and the positions, of President and Vice-President being given to them respectively. The scheme, however desirable it may appear to the present residents of Amoy, does not
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