February 18, 1899.]
|
|
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
The application was granted, there being no police objection.
i
Mr. Hursthouse appeare ì for the second cant. He said his client was 43 years of age and had never held a liceuse b. fore. He had been to sea since 1873 and had held a master's certificate since 1880. There were five certihcates of good character, the most recent one being from Messrs. Sander, Wieler and Co.
There was no polic» objection and the appli-
side their jurisdiction, and appeal may be made liquors on the premises situate at houses Nos. from them to the Imperial magistrate
148 and 150, Queen's Road Central, under the The place of the Chinese superior authorities sign of "The stag Hotel" to Frank lewellyn will soon be taken by British jurisdiction, bat Huzell, while the newly annexed territory will become Commander Hastings, Acting Police Magis- an integral portion of the colony of Hongkong,trate, presided, and there were also present the it is proposed for purposes of administration Hon. T. Sercombe Smith, Mr. D. Crawford, to maintain the authority of village councils Mr. J. Dyer Ball, Mr. C. W. Duggau. Mr. W. and to interfere as little as possible with that M. B. Arthur, and Deputy-Superintendent part of the system which has appeared to work | Baddeley. satisfactorily in the past. Attentio will
Mr. Thomsou appeared for Faunch, and immediately be given to the construction of said that the present applicant was a partner roads and the development of new barbours and with Drews, who had the license before. Drews anchorage. The question of the smuggling of was now dead, aud Faunch wished to carry on opium into Chinese territory, which has always the business. created the principal difficulty in the relations of the colony with China, will not be rendered easier of solution by the acquisition of territory to be placed under British jurisdiction on the mainland. Another little difficulty bas ariseu in the need which has already made itself felt for the rectification of the northern frontier which separates the ceded promontory from China. It is proposed, if possible, to deal with these two questions together, and in return for a recti- fication of the front er to undertake the collec- tion within the colony of the Chinese customs on opium. The opium trade in consequence of its exceptional nature is already subject to restrictions which would make this concse less difficult than is at first sight apparent. The only question which will then remain for future settlement is that of the Chinese jurisdiction guaranteed nader
l'ientsin the treaty of within the city of Kowloon. But the military occupation of the city by China must evidently come to an end in territory which has been ceded to Great Britain; and when the troops are withdrawn the population of the town will practically have disappeared. The revenue of the new territory is at present reck. oned at about £16,000 a year. Arrangements are being made for the gradual introduction of a system of local taxation for revenue purposes. and it is confidently anticipated that under the security of British administration the develop. ment of the local resources of the country will share the steady progress which has hitherto characterized the progress of Hongkong.
MISSIONS TO SEAMEV.
STAR COFFEE HOUSE.
The new premises in connection with the above, situated at the corner of Pottinger Street and Queen's Road, were opened on the 13th February, when a very enjoyable evening was spent by those who gathered together. The proceedings took the form of a tea, to which a good number of seamen sat down, followed by a public meeting. The Bishop of the diocese, who is a warm friend of the Mission, presided at the meeting and in a telling speech set forth the objects for which the "Star" exists-to minister to the bodily comfort and also to the spiritual needs of seafaring men. Addresses, interspersed with vocal and instrumental music, were delivered by the Rev. A. Iliff, C.M.S., the Rer F. Flynn, R.N., and the Chaplain The arrangements for the tea, were carried out and the programine provided by a committee of ladies, to whom the Mission is greatly indebted not only for this but for many other kind offices. It is hoped that the Star," which last year had more than 18,000 attendances of seamen, will in these new and more convenient premises become increasingly popular and useful.
cation was granted.
The third application was refused, there being a police objection.
Mr. CRAWFORD remarked upon the great frequency of transfers.
Mr. ARTHUR said the applicant was very rarely the sole proprietor. These places were generally carried on by a syndicate. There were three or four interested parties generally.
Mr. CRAWFORD mentioned the matter brought forward by him at the last quarterly meeting, when he spoke in favour of the Gov- ernment amending the Ordinance so that no one should be allowed as guarantors who sup plied the applicant with liquor and gave notice of his intention to propose a resolution in re- gard to it at the next meeting.
The Hon. T. SERCOMBS SMITH-I think we ought to have a bigger meeting than this before we discuss it; this is a special thing.
Mr. CRAWFORD then gave formal notice that he would bring the matter up at the next meeting.
The proceedings then terminated
INCREASI, GE, UNITED STATES TRADE WITH HON KON.......
64
The annual report of tonsul-General Wild- man, of Hongkong (to be publised in Com- mercial Relations,' 1897-98), says:
maneut increase of trade; second, unusual ac-
A careful survey of the economic conditions of Hongkong during the first balf of the year 1898 reveals two facts: First, a general, per- tivity in mercantile circles, owing to the great demands made on the local market by the large American squadrou and army on this coast. While this second condition may be depression in some lines. I predict that it will temporary and may carry with it corresponding be of great permanent benefit to Americ exporters. Nothing that could have happened introduction of American goods into these to this coast would be of so great & help in the markets, as the presence of so large a body of American consumers in our midst. Our forces of occupation have done more than conquer a country; they have made an impression on Asiatic markets that can nere be effaced. When our fleet first arrived here (in February, 1898), there were a few sample cases of Ameri- can tiuned milk, fruits, meats whisky, beer, etc., in the big English and German wholesale houses. The imports from America were made up almost wholly of California flour and Amer- ican kerosene. To-day, every steamer and ship from America brings cargoes of American goods. While their ultimate destination is Manila, they are handled by European firms here and come before the public in such imposing quantities that first curiosity is aroused, and de- mand follows. The great difficulty in the past has been to get the great body of Chinese con sumers to sample our manufactures. Even if (2) James Dodd for the transfer of his this were possible, the goods came over in small Publicau's licence to sell and retail intoxicating consiguments and at prices which were prohib- liquors on the premises situate at houses Nos. 90itive to all but those who could afford to pay and 92, Queen's Road West, under the sigu of "The Western Hotel" to Hiarioh Varrelmann. (3) George Leitch for the transfer of his Publican's licence to sell and retail intoxicating
.SPECIAL Licensing SESSIONS.
On 14th February a special session of Her Majesty's Justices of the Peace was held in the Justices' Room at the Magistracy for the pur pose of considering the following applications:-
(1) Henry James Faunch for a Publican's licence to sell and retail intoxicating liquors on the premises situate at houses Nos. 38 and 39, Praya East, under the sign of The Praya
East Hotel."
•
for luxuries. With the influx of the Americans into Manila, American firms have found it to their advantages to send out men to study the needs of this climate. Already, one house has
137
beeu established in Hongkong with a branch at Manila, which is meeting with gratifying success. 1
informed that there
am
is a shipment of 45,000 bales of upland cotton from Texus on its way bere, which has been purchased by a large Chinese firm and is laid down here as cheaply as the Indian cotton. The trouble with the introduction of cotton hitherto has been that American producers have tried to place on the market the lowland cotton, which Even our upland cotton is superior to the best is too heavy a staple, besides being too expensive, Indian growth. The new cotton-spinning mill, regarding which I wrote on January 15, 1898, is nearing completion, and it is hoped will be in operation early in the year. It will create new market for cotton in this colony. If our · upland cotton can continue to compete with the Indian and Chinese growths, the demand will be almost unlimited, as Hongkong is the feeder for three of the richest provinces of southern Ching, with a population of over 80,000,000 people. H
A representative of a cotton-spinning works ia Connection is expecting, in a few days, to receive a full line of samples which were made told me that the managers had never understood according to specifications sent from here. He
this market before, and, row that they did, they would find no difficulty in introducing their goods. He has also solved a problem regarding which every consul in the East has been res porting for the last decade-that is, that it is impossible to obtain the same prices for the same quality of iroods on the Asiatic coast that
do in America. you
Our merchants: never zeem to realize that Hongkong (the feeder of southern China) is an absolutely free port, and that go
de manufactured in the United States come from a country in which a tariff prevails. If the American manufacturer wishes to com- pete in these markets, he must deduct from the price of his goods the extra amount he usually adds on account of this protective tariff. For. instance, there might be a vast market on this coast for American gunpowder, if the manufac furer would make it a point to compete with the German article. At the request of Messrs. Lauts, Wegener & Co. (a leading German firm). I procured samples of gunpowder from the California Powder Works. After a care- ful examination, they wrote me as follows:
|
"As we are importing this article in very large: quantities from Germany, these samples were naturally of great interest to us; and we may say that the quality of the powder would do sery well if it could be laid down here at no higher price than the German make. The prices before us, we are sorry to say, are too dear, according to our calculation. While we ould buy the German powder at a price which would allow us to sell the same in this market at $3.86 Mexican per keg of 20 pounds, we find that for the quality marked “A ́ we should want at least 85.10 per keg of 20 pounds-a figure which is, of course, out of the question.
Calculation :
1,000 kegs of powder, at 20 pounds, at
$2 gold per keg Free on board San Francisco, less 2
per cent.
$2,000.00
Freight at, say, 20s, per ton on 10 tons.
Landing
per cent. 1
Telegrams and brokerage do 1 Discount
Return to dealers Interest Commission
Total
..do... 2. .do... 2 ,,do...
do... 5
40.00
1,960,00
50.00
2,010.00
...do... 14—281.40.
At exchange ($1 Mexican=45 cents
United States), $5.10 per keg... .. 2,291.40. It would seem easy for any American powder company to figure as follows: We have our plant, and have a market in America for all the powder we can turn out by working twelve hours a day. For this powder, we are getting the equivalent in America of 85:10 per køg:of 20 pounds. Now, we find that by increasing- our force and working the same machinery, wo can afford to turn out twice as much gunpow der, so that we can make a profit by selling the surplus at two-thirds the cost of the first ont-
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.