238
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
added to the ride, and there was one case this year of the occupant of a ricksha being thrown out and injured owing to the vehicle being upset on the slippery surface of the road leading past the Hongkong, Canton and Macao steamboat wharf. Considering what little wear and tear our streets get compared with those in towns at home, it is difficult to imagine what material we have got bold of which makes such bad roads. Mr. TOOKER, in the report to which we have referred, says that it is syenite macadam and a great improvement on the softer granites. This being so, then the fault must lie in the way in which the material is laid down and looked after. If Do improvement is effected we must remain under the imputation of having the worst roads of any
European settlement in the East. The most humilitating part of the affair is that it is not want of money which prevents a change. We have ample money to construct as good roads as our neighbours, but apparently there is a rooted objection to spending it on certain (Daily Press, 18th September.) most necessary improvements. After all, it Mr. Consul-General B. C. G. SCOTT's annual cannot be denied that tax-payers have a report on the trade of Canton is always read right to ask that they shall have decent and with interest, not merely from the importance well-kept roads to travel over. This is not of the city itself, but also owing to the original at present the case in the City of Victoria, manner in which Mr. Scorr looks at affairs. and we are glad to see the President of the For instance, he can never bring himself to Sanitary Board calling attention to the fact. admit that piracy is a common occurrence Any visitor to Hongkong drawing his con- in the neighbourhood of Canton. In his clusions from the state of the roads would rep it for 1900, which is just to hand, imagine that the Colony was in a bad way. 3, eaking of the steam-launches engaged in The policy of allowing the creation of sound water navigation, Mr. Scort says: unfortunate an impression is, it is needless to say, 'unsound.
to the circumstances of the case, without troubling the complainant further in the matter as a rule. But without the in- formation the Police are powerless, aud the public must bestir itself in the first instance. If the trouble is too great, the grievance cannot be very acute. We are convinced, however, that the failure to lodge the complaint in the right quarter arises chiefly from ignorance of the power of the Captain Superintendent of Police; and also, in a less degree, because a number of cases in the Police Court where coolies have been brought to book, having been dismissed with fines paid by the guild, have inflicted no punishment on the offender. A more barmonious co-operation of the public and the Police is needed to check the abuses which have sprung up, and we think that at the present this is not too much to hope! for.
THE PUBLIC, THÈ POLICE, AND
THE COOLIE.
(Daily 1 ress, 21st September.) Complaints, either in letters to the local Press or verbal, have been very frequent of late about the conduct of public el air and ricksha-coolies, and there can be no doub
16
+
+
*
CANTON'S TRADE IN 1900..
**
1
[September 23, 1901.
causes are stated, on the authority of a firm doing a large business in silk, to have been a much reduced demand from all con- suming markets and a consequent gradual shrinkage in values, which were abnormally high in 1899.
Another factor was the competition of cheap Japan silk. Mr. SCOTT comments: "There is every prospect that the silk trade will recover and have a future before it." most prosperous
For tea,
&
on the other hand, which also showed heavy falling-off, the outlook for the future is described as dismal. Low-priced Indian and Ceylon teas appear to have captured the market. It almost looks as if those who prefer the finer flavoured Chinese teas will be unable in time to get them, owing to the lack of demand making trade unprofitable.
As we have previously noted the salient features of Canton trade last year, we shall not deal with the figures again, but the remarks made in Mr. Scorr's report under the head of shipping will bear quotation. He says:--
V
"The general shipping of the port shows an increase in the number of trips made by the steamers engaged in the trade, but a decrease in tonnage. This state of affairs is brought about by the number of small steamers, practically steam-launches, mov- ing between Hongkong and Canton under foreign and Chinese flags. The total entries and clearances and total tonnage sa com- pared with 1899 were 7,080 vessels of 8,507,644 tons in 1900, against 6,980 vessels of 3,696,996 tons în 1899. The feature of the shipping trade of the year was the transference of the fine fleet of the Chinese. company the China Merchants' Steam Na- vigation Company-in June to various for. eign flags on the outbreak of the troubles in the north. A fair number were trans- ferred to the British flag, but the nature of the transaction was clear, as the business of the steamers in Cauton was still conducted
at the offices and by the staff of the China Merchants' Company and no one else. The tonnage of steamers under the Chinese fing only decreased from 469,285 to 854,724 tons. while the number of ships entered and cleared rose from 2,968 to 3,446, a very astonishing result, as the Chinese flag or merchant steamers, except in the one steamer running between Canton and Macao, was not seen in Canton waters. British shipping decreased both in number of ships and in tonnage, in spite of the transference of steamers from the Chinese to the British flag. In 1900 and cleared, against 3,671 vessels of 2,985,976- tons in 1899. Of the other flags, ships under the American increase from six to 34 of 388 and 22,722 tons respectively. Under
only 3,362 vessels of 2,911,194 tons entered
The security with which these launches, manned entirely by Chinese, run is re- but few accidents occur, and nurkable; during the year but 22 'piracies' on the West River and the waters of the delta ave been notified to the Consulsor Chinese authorities, which gives one for every 6,000 trips." We may compare with this what Mr. PAUL H. KING, Com. missioner of ustoms, says in his report to the Imperial Maritime Customs. Another these complaints are well-grounded.equally reliable record," he states, "gives Numerous cases of insolence, refusing a the number of piracies in the year at 30. hire, demanding more than legal fare, and
The delta affords unrivalled faci. similar offences must have come under the “lities for the river thief and has been his potice of most of our readers. Very "happy hunting-ground for centuries. The generally it is asserted that the Police fail provincial government maintained a large to keep these coolies in order and that this force, both ashore and afloat, for the most troublesome class of native is being suppression of these 'enemies of the allowed to get out of hand. In reality,
people'; how far their efforts have been however, this charge against our Police is successful must be judged from the hardly just. In the matter of importunate "figures now presented." We do not see solicitation of fares, a little more might be what end can be served by minimising done to check what sometimes amounts to the extent of piracy in the delta. By all the mobbing of a would-be fare by a crowd means let the efforts of the provincial of chair or ricksha-men. But with regard nuthorities be recognised, but to talk of to insolence of conduct, etc.. the remedy piracies," as if they did not exist, is absurd. lies, primarily, in the hands of the public. Steam-launches are not the vessels most Cases of the kind are usually passed over likely to be attacked by pirates unless the by the sufferer because he is unwilling to latter are of a very daring nature. take the trouble to prosecute; he does not
The figures of the Canton trade in 1900 refrain, nevertheless, from ventilating his we have already considered in connection grievance and complaining of neglect of with Mr. KING's report. In spite of the duty on the part of the Police. Possibly fact that the total trade decreased from the also many people take no action because £8,873,771 of 1899 to £8,231,714 in 1900, they are unaware of the power of the the figures for the latter year were still Captain Superintendent of Police to cancel the second best on record, and Mr. SCOTT's vehicle-licenses, should he think fit. The remarks may be endorsed. The result of real and only remedy which the public the year's trading," he says, may, there- has against annoyance and aggression "fore, as it stands be considered highly on the part of the coolies in question satisfactory and of large promise for the is to send in a complaint to the Captain
future of the port, but when the figures Superintendent for the time being, giving are analysed it will be seen that they are the number of the vehicle against whose 'far more satisfactory than at first appears. Inland water navigation flourished in puller or bearers the charge is brought, Both foreign imports and native importa 1900, and Mr. Scorr finds the figures with other essential particulars. In such "show a sterling increase, the falling-off has astonishing "he is rather apt to express a case, the complainant may rest assured" occurred entirely in exports, almost his surprise in the course of the report that if he has a genuine grievance the altogether in the one item of silk." The before us. The throwing open of the in- Captain Superintendent will send for the silk trade, however, was not directly affected land waters to steam traffic he pronounces offending coolies and either admonish them by troubles up north, nor even by the re- undoubtedly a great success at Canton, and or deal with their licenses according bellion in the Waichow prefecture. The the traffic will probably increase. As to
14
L
44
14
the German flag there was a decrease from 210 vessels of 187,434 tons to 160 vessels of 153,992 tons, while under the Swedish and Norwegian flag the number of vessels was identical, and the tonnage only some 400 tons larger. Among the other flags the changes were unimportant. Of sailing ves- sels there were 101, of 17,149 tons. These
were all lorchas and were towed for the most part between Canton and Hongkong with coal, kerosene, &c. 94 vessels of 16,392 tons were under the British flag. French flag." and seven veɛseln of 757 tons under the
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.