482
peril by which British interests in the Far East are being completely surrounded and un- dermined.
T. H. WHITEHRAD.
THE MUSE OF STONEC UTTERS,
She haunted me to Singapore My side she rever left
"Why leave," she cried, "Celestial shore?
Why leave Hongkong bereft?
"Thy little house on verdant isle "Relapses into prose;
"Thy poetry's fire is quenched awhile, "No inspiration knows.
"Come eastward," once again she cried, "And dwell alone once more.". "Not if I know it," I replied, "I've other schemes in store.'
A
"The scissor grinder weeps for thee, "The caterpillar moans,
And little birds on every tree "Shed tears that melt the stones.”
And thus she ever calls to me
And beckons with her hand:
One day she'll drag me 'cross the sea To perish in the land.
BLOBS
TEBRAU PLANTING CO., LIMITED.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
Messrs. John D. Humphreys & Son, the Gene- ral Managers, have received the following re- port from Mr. M. Larken for the six months ending the 31st October, 1898:-
Gambier Plantations. I regret to say the price has been extremely low during the whole period, gradually receding from $5.45 per pical in May, to $5.05 in October, and the profit for the six months only amounts to $605.23, less than $1 per picul on the Pls. 656.86 sold. The beat returns comparatively have been from the new plantations purchased at the beginning of the year.
Milburn, which is our chief planta- tion, and should give as much as all the others together, has been very unfortunate, for the plants were attacked by a kind of caterpillar that destroyed a large amount of leaf; however. they have now disappeared, and a fresh crop of leaves has come on, so I hope it will show better results for the future.
TE
We have had an unusually hot and dry sea- son, which no doubt partly accounts for the small amount of orop.
Mount Austin Plantation.-All is going on well here, I am glad to say. We have planted up the first block of 150 acres, and are now going on with the secend. The young coffee planted out six months ago is looking extremely well, many of the plants being 2 to 3 feet high. The young para rubber plants are also growing extremely well. We have had considerably more sickness during these six months than we had at first, owing no doubt to the exces- give, unusual, and long_continued periods of intensely hot weather. We have often had 30 per cent, of the coolies off work, but no deaths, I am glad to say. My assistant, Mr. Robinson, has suffered a great deal from fever, and I have had two or three attacks myself, but on the whole, I consider we have been very fortunate, considering the usual disastrous outbreaks of fever and dysentery that accompany the opening of new plantations in the Malay peninsula, Borneo, and Sumatra.
=
A Russian officer and three soldiers arrived at Nagasaki from Port Arthur on the 25th November by the Nijni Novgorod to receive treatment at the Russian hospital at that port. The men are suffering from bites inflicted by a supposed mad dog. The officer was severely bitten through the hand, while the soldiers were bitten on the legs.-Nagasaki Press,
LORD CHARLES BERESFORD AT
-KIUKIANG.
Kiukiang, 25th November. Lord Charles Beresford arrived here yester. day on the Kutwo. He came ashore to the Consulate where a deputation of British and American residents were waiting to interview him. Mr. Consul Johnson introduced as the deputation Mr. F. du Jardin of Jardine, Mathe- son & Co., Mr. A. Smith of Butterfield and Swire, Mr. F. D. Clindening, the Doctor of the Port, Rev. D. W. Nichols, and Rev. E. S. Little; after which Mr. Little presented the following address to Lord Charles, who replied to the same and in the ensuing conversation went carefully into all the points raised.
The post of Sanitary Inspector at Shanghai having fallen vacant the Municipal Council are of opinion that it is essentially necessary that the man appointed to the office should be thoroughly and practically conversant with the general principles of modern sanitation; as the present Inspector's staff does not include any one possessing this qualification it was decided that a properly trained Sanitary Inspector be obtained from England.
He promised to pay special attention to any case of opposition on the part of the Chinese officials to legitimate developments of trade and missionary work.
Lord Charles impressed everybody by the care with which he entered into the subjects presented and the grasp evidently had of the situation in China. When be gets home and makes his voice heard things ought to move on a bit in this country.
he
When the deputation retired a body of Cus toms officials waited upon him, after which he
left on the same steamer for Hankow.
THE ADDRESS.
Kiukiang, Central China,
25th November.
My Lord,-As Chairman of the deputation of British and other residents appointed to wait upon you I beg to present to your Lord. ship this expression of the pleasure your visit to this port affords us and to invoke your powerful influence at home both in Parliament and with the Government with a view to the extension of the privileges of British residents in Central China,
British subjects desire :-
1.-Full liberty to establish in the interior manufacturing and other industrial concerns, particularly in tea growing districts.
favourable terms with the natives.
2.-To open and work mines on equally
3. That the rights of Christian missionaries and their converts in the interior and elsewhere be fully recognised.
4. That ample protection be accorded British subjects in all legitimate enterprises in China.
-That special attention be given to the French and Russian activity in Central and that an armed French force is at present in the Western China specially in view of the fact
opening up direct communication between Cen- West and that a railway is now being constructed tral China and the Russian sphere in the North. 6.--That a British naval force be stationed
permanently in the Yangtsze as a demonstration of the intention to protect her interests.
7.-That Hunan be opened to trade and mis- sionary work which shall have the fallest pro- tection throughout the Province and that a British Consul be appointed to reside at Chang- sha, the capital.
8. That an understanding be arrived at with the United States of America by which both nations may take concerted action against the closing of any doors to missionary work and trade now open in the Empire and that the two nations re-open any doors that may have
been closed.
[December 10, 1898.
THE NIPPON YUSEN KAISHA.
The following is a summary of the report on the half-year from the 1st April to the 30th September last, submitted to the general meet- held on the 25th November: ing of shareholders of the Nippon Yusen Kaisha
for the Formosan service expired on the 31st The contract with the Formosan Government March last, and was renewed for another year. On the European line, 11 steamers were dis- patched from Japan and 8 arrived from Europe obtained in large quantities at the Straits Settle- during the period under review. Cargo was
and freight was maintained at fairly remunera ments and Colombo for the outward voyage tives rates by the conference of shipowners, Owing, however, to the American-Spanish war, decrease for two months from the latter part of the cargo at these places showed a great July. Freights homeward have decreased since July in consequence of the general depression of trade in Japan. From October there was a tendency for the import cargo to increase in force from January next. New steamers for view of the new Customs Tariffs coming into this line having been completed, the service was made fortnightly, commencing with the dis- patch of the Kanagawa-maru, which left Yoko- hama on the 14th May. Of the 12 new steamers for this line, the Kanagawa, Hakata, Kawachi, Wakasa, Kamakura, Sanuki, Inaba, Tamba, and Bingo arrived early in the period under review. The Hitachi, which was built at Nagasaki, was completed in August, the Sado arrived from England in September, while the Shinano, which is being built in England, is expected to steamer, to be used as a reserve vessel, is expec be completed in May or June next, and another ted to be under way for Japan about October
The British community resident in this part of the Yangtze Valley in the centre of the section of the Empire specially guaranteed by China to Great Britain urge a close attention on the part of the British Government to the. development of this important "sphere of Bitish influence," for the possibilities and resources are almost unlimited.
The deputation confidently anticipate that the result of your mission to the Far East will
promote a still more rapid opening up of this part of the Empire of China to Christianity and all forms of Western civilization.-I am, my Lord for and on behalf of the community, your obedient servant,
To
|
(Signed). EDWARD 8. LITTLE,
Chairman of the Deputation. Rear Admiral, Rt. Hon. Lord Charles Beresford, CB,
·Murcury.
next year.
showed a serious decrease in consequence of the On the Trans-Pacific line the ontward cargo American-Spanish war, and less tea was expor ted owing to the imposition of a tax in Ameri- ca. Notwithstanding that the owners, of the various steamers running on this line entered into a conference, the estimated revenue was not realized in consequence of the great falling off in ontward cargo. On the homeward vo- yage, on the other hand, every steamer was fully loaded with raw cotton, flour, iron, and
nun er.
On the Australian line import cargo gradually increased despite the economical depression in Japan. Of the three vessels ordered for this line, the Kasuga arrived in September, from shortly. The use of these new steamers will England and two others are expected to arrive
and it is uncertain as yet whether the revenue naturally result in an increase of expenditure, will increase in proportion. Provision is, how- ever, being made for the maintenance of the
line.
On the Bombay run, the Wakasa, Kagoshima and Tenshin were added to the number of regular vessels employed, owing to the large quantities of raw cotton accumulating at Bombay for Japan.
In consequence of an increase in the demand for railway materials, labourers, and provisions at Vladivostok, the service on the Vladivostok line, which has hitherto been monthly, made tri-weekly..
was
The company carries forward the large amount of Y580,000 to meet any losses incurred in consequence of tradal depression.
A summarized statement of the company's accounts for the half-year is appended:
RECEIPTS:
Net Profit Amount brought over from last ac-
count
Total
EXPENDITURE. Added to reserve....... Bonuses to directors and auditors
In paying dividend (equal to 8 per
cent.).
Carried forward to next account
Total
Y1,409,758
126,058
Y1,535,816
$70,488 42,292
836,000
587,036
Y1,535,816
A telegram has been received at Shanghai from Nanking reporting the failure of one the largest and oldest banks of that city. The liabilities are reported to amount to over Tia, 400,000—N,C. Daily News,
T
Page 10Page 11
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.