4o6
na review of a work entitled “Journal d'un Commandant de la Comète (1892-1899),” by Commandant Louis Dartige du Fournet, the Bangkok Times says:—The forcing of the pas sage of the Menam on that famous night of July 13th, 1893, în spite of the assurances given in letters exchanged between the French Legation and the Siamese Foreign Office that nothing would be done, has always been something of puzzle, we might even say, of a historical enigma, and it is in this book we partly find the solution. In view of "the more concilia- if tory attitude of the Siamese Court' -88 the Court had ever been anything but con- ciliatory—a telegram had been sent to the French Minister at Bangkok from the Quai d'Orsay, inviting him to give counter orders to the Inconstant and Comète, ie., to enjoin them not to force the river entrance before new orders. The question has always been, how did M. Pavie carry out these instructions, and this we now learn from the Commandant of the Comète. His colleague and senior, in com- mand of the Inconstant, could not of course receive these counter orders whilst on the high seas; so M. Pavie addressed a letter to him which he enclosed in the mail-bag which was waiting for him at the entrance of the Menam. But now comes the strange part of the story. M. Parie omitted to point out in a special note that there was such a letter, and thus a letter, as our author
unobserved in the very voluminous correspon. dence." The author does not give his own views on this irregular business, and perhaps he is right, for. the only persons who had to suffer by this were His Majesty and His Majesty's Government, whilst he and his col- leagues easily gained distinction and promotion. The Commander not having received any message and of course not thinking of looking over his correspondence at that moment gave orders to proceed. The rest is history.
COMMERCIAL.
TEA.
க
HANKOW, 11th May-The first musters of the new tea crop were offered on the 7th inst. and the first settlements were reported on the 9th inst. The offerings consist for the most part of Keemun kinds, in all about 24,000 half-chests, this being almost the total of the head chops. Some 8,000 half-chests of Ningchow were placed on the market on the 10th, and about 20 samples of the Hankow yield. The major attention was naturally paid to the Keemuns. These teas seem as whole well made, but are distinctly deficient in "point," while a great many are very thin. Russian buyers are paying these more attention than is usual, as the samples of Ningchowa show a graat want in appearance, while in cup they are very devoid of character. The teas, however, are all from the inferior districts, the better country kinds not having yet arrived. The few samples of Hankow teas do not give promise of any improvement on last season, and the one or two chops sold appear to have commanded full rates. -N. C. Daily News.
-
EXPORT OF TEA FROM CHINA TO GREAT BRITAIN.
1896-97
Ibe. 16,097
Canton and Macao.
1897-98
Ibs. 39,274**
SILK.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
CAMPHOR
HONGKONG, 28th May-Owing to stocks accumulating prices are declining. Quotations for Formosa are nominally $43.00 to $43.50 Sales, 100 picule.
11
SUGAR.
HONGKONG, 28th May.-The market is weak and prices declining. Quotations are:- Shekloong, No. 1. White...$7.21 to 7.2 per pol.
do.
2. White... 6.67 to 6.70 Shekloong, No. 1, Brown... 4.40 to 4.43
do.
Brown... 4.26 to 4,29 - Swatow, No. 1, White... 7.13 tó - 7.15 -
do.
2. White... 6.47 to 6.50-
Swatow, No. 1, Brown... 4.81 to 4.84
do,
*
2, Brown... 4.20 to 4.22
">
12
1
"
9.45 to 9,50
#
Soochow Sugar Candy......11.00 to 11.05 Shekloong
"
MISCELLANEOUS EXPORTS.
The steamer Sarpedon, sailed on the 16th May. For London:-10 cases cassia oil, 47 cases blackwoodware, 35 cases eigars, 385 cases shells, 6 cases chinaware, 40 cases baskets, 100 bales waste silk, 100 bales pierced cacoons, 186 casks soy, 173 rolls matting, 305 rolls mats, 8 packages effects and 5 packages sundries. For London or Manchester:-310 bales waste silk For London or Hamburg-10 cases bristles. For Glasgow:-32 bales straw bas. kets. For Hamburg-20 cases aniseed oil, 100
438 bales feathers, 750 rolls matting, 95 rolls mats and 3 packages sundries. For New York:
5 cases bristles.
Per P. & O. steamer Aden sailed on the 17th May. For Hamburg:-5 rolls matting. For Antwerp and/or Hamburg:-35 bales feathers. For Antwerp and/or London:-100 packages bamboo scraps.
[May 29, 1897.
For, London -4 cases cigars (from Mahila), 2,100 packages tea (from Foochow), 124' bales feathers, 337 rolls mats and matting, 6 cases cigars, 10 cases private effects, 3 cases curios, 8 cases preserves, 10 cases silks, 8 casos sundries, and 778 boxes tea-lbs. 16,138 Sc. O. Pekõe, For France:-159 bales raw silk, and 22 casES silk. For Trieste :-8 bales leaf tobacco. For Gibraltar :-350 packages tea, 1 caso curios, and 1 case silk.
OPIUM.
Hongkong, 28th May.-Bengal.-The demand having slackened, & fall in prices has taken place during the interval and closing quotations are $655 for New Patna, $715 for Old Patna, and $650 for New Benares.
Malws.-There has been scarcely any inquiry for this drug during the past week. Current quotations are as under :—
New (thisyr's) $760 with all'ance of 5 catties
(last yr's) $780
0 to 23 ola (215 ) $800
Older
$820
"
0 to 2 0 to 2.
Persian.-Business has been very meagre and the market closes weak at $500 to $620 for Oily and at $500 to $600 for Paper-wrapped according to quality.
To-day's stocks are estimated as under:-- New Patna.......................................................... ......1,660 chests,
335 New Denares ............................................. 540 Malwa ....................................................... 360 Persian
700
COURSE OF The Hongkong OPIUM MARKET,
DATE.
FATNA.
BENARES,
MALWA.
New. Old. New. Old. New. Old.
$
$
720
667
780 820.
665 720
6674
76)
620
660
720
662
760
820
880 720
660
760
820
|
May 24 May 26 May 27 May 28
660
720
660
700
820
May 25
6582
720
6571
760
820
6571
7171 857
760
820
855
715
650
760
820
655
1716
650
780 820
RICE.
1897.
665 For Manchester:-60 bales May 20 waste silk. For London:-2 cases cigars (from May 21 May 22 Manila), 140 boxes tea (from Foochow), 15 cases
May 23 bristles, 40 cases blackwoodware, 5 cases lacqd. ware, 5 cases bambooware, 17 cases China ware, 280 cases preserves, 11 cases private effects, 2. cases birds' feathers, 8 cases cigars, 1,971 bales mats and matting, 202 bales canes, 4 bales split bamboo, 253 bales waste silk, 12 bales rattan, 1 case silks, 1,438 packages fire crackers, and 150 casks preserves, 1,948 boxes tea (40,908 lbs.) and 200 packages tea in transit. For Havre:-185 rolls matting, 12 cases fea- thers, 6 cases lacquer ware, 14 cases chinaware, 26 cases lythoraphia paper and 13 cases black- woodware. For Hamburg and/or London 10 boxes bristles. For Havre and/or Ham- burg-60 packages bamboo scraps: Trieste :-500 packages tea.
For
HONGKONG, 28th May.-A large demand exists for Japan and supplies being small prices are advancing. Quotations are:-
Saigon, Ordinary
"
31
Round, good quality Long..........
Siam, Field, mill cleaned, No. 2
Garden,
White... Fine Cargo
.}}
COALS.
No. 1
་་་
$2.49 to 2.60 2.70 to 2.72
2.78 to 2.80
2.57 to 2.60
2.83 to 2.85 2.40 to 2.45 8.50 to 3.54-
HONGKONG, 28th May.-Market steady small Sales reported of Japanese and of Australian at $6:50 to $7:90 ex ship. Quotations are:-
Cardill ..$18.00 to 19.00 ex godown; sellers Australian 7.50 to 8.00 ex ship. sales Miike Lump... to 7.75 ex ship, nominal Mike Small... to
none offering Hoji Lump 6.50 to 7.50 ex ship, sales
The German steamer Ceres, sailed on the 17th May. For Hongkong to Suez:-20 cases cassia, For Beyrouth:-20 cases cassia. For Havre : +200 boxes camphor, 3 bales split bamboo, 48 rolls matting, 40 cases bristles, and 268 packages tea, For Havre option Hamburg :- 100 cases camphor and 35 bales canes.
For Havre &/or Hamburg option London:--630 cases camphor, 320 bales canes, and 36 cases essential oil. For Havre and/or Hamburg and/or London and/or Antwerp:-50 cases bristles. For Ham- burg-23 bags beans, 10 cases gum elemi, 3 cases curios, 174 bales feathers, 1 case silk, 1,800 cases camphor, 72 bales galangal, 1,700 cases cassia, 1,000 cases broken cassia, 11 cases gallnuts, 42 cases bristles, 102 packages rattan- ware, 30 bales rattan shavings, 4 cases ginger, 1 cask ginger, 7 cases chinaware, 31 rolls mats, bales 20 cases palmleaffans, 25 teasticks, 2,251 packages at $95.50-to $102. Grey Shirtings-600 pieces 84 19,039 tea, 16 cases gamboge, 5 cases fans, 50 cases star- 55,411
aniseed, 21 packages sundries, and 223 bales 21:718
canes. For Hamburg option London:-100 bales galangal, 58 bales feathers, and 20 cases bristles. For Antwerp:-34 bales duckfeathers. For
EXPORT OF SILK FROM CHINA AND
JAPAN TO EUROPE.
Canton
Shanghai
Yokohama
1896-97
bales.
25,255
55,681
21,019
101,955
1895-98
96,198
EXPORT OF SILK FROM CHINA AND JAPAN Amsterdam:-1 case bronzeware and 1 box
TO AMERICA.
Canton Shangha Tokohama
1896-97 bales.
****** 4,976
8,914. .22,902
36,792
bales.
tea. For Lisbon:-3 cases chinaware. For 1995-90 London:-1,048 packages tea, 231 packages canes, 11 cases gallnuts, and 23 cases bristles. 19,089 For Bremen:-76 rolls mats and 47 packages tea. 28,058 For Copenhagen :-6 cases blackwoodware and 28,058 sundries. For Barcelona-200 packages tea. For Bilbao:-60 packages tea. For New York:
39 bales rattanware.
57,166
In our last issue the total for the season 1896-97 was Incorrectly givan. The correct total was 6,277,746 lbs. B against 7,811,839 lbs. for the corresponding time in the
The steamer Goromandel, sailed on the 20th May. For Manchester cases floss gik.
MISCELLANEOUS IMPORTS. HONGKONG, 28th May.-Amongst the sales re- ported are the following :-
YAEN AND PIECE GOODS:-Bombay Tarn-
30 bales No. 6 at $79, 1,675 bales No. 10 at $81 to $93.50,560 bales No. 12 at $81.50 to $96.50, 405 bales No. 16 at $92.50 to $102, 870 bales No. 20
lbs. Red -7 Boys at $2.57), 500 pieces 10 lbs. Blue 5. Men at $3.80, 2,000 pieces 10 lbs. Flower Vase at 3.30, 1,500 pieces 81 lbs. Red Fish at 12.471, 900 pieces 81 lbs. Blue Peach at $2.50, 900 pieces 8 lbs. Green Peach at $2.45, 700 pieces 7 lbs. Large Eagle at $1.971, 500 prices 11 lbs. Red Flower at $3.321, White Shirtings-250 pieces Fish No. 9 at $5,40, 1,000 pieces Blue Dragon at $5.10, 300 pieces No. 2 at $6.80, 150 pieces Blue Lion. at 5.82, 250 pieces Fan at $5.25, 250 pieces Pagoda at $5.05, 500 pieces No. 2 at $3.20 T-Cloths---750 pieces 7 lbs. Mexican Feather Brush at $1.95, 800 pieces 8 lbs. Mexican Hunter and Stag C. C. at $3.10, 1,200 pieces 8 lbs. Mexican X. M. at $2,40. 1,500 pieces 7 lbs. Morican Red Stag at $2.37}; Long Elts-125 pieces Green and Orange $7.40.
METALS.Tin-100 slaba FoongChai at $35.50.
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