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Europe. Although in trade the English flag still holds the pre-eminence, it is impor- tant to notice how closely it is pressed by the Japanese. In 1895 the foreign trade done under the Japanese flag (imports and exports combined) amounted in value to but 7 million yen; in 1899 this had grown to 139 millions. During the same periods the trade under the British flag, 162 millions in the former year, had increased only to 186 in the latter. The next largest, the German, had grown from 36 to 42, while the rest had practically stood still or retro- graded.
In the actual volume of the trade done with various countries, one of the most > marked features is the enormous increase in trade between the two empires of China and Japan, which grew in five years from 32 million yen to 69 million. This trade, | which indicates better facilities for trade on the part of both nations, is one that will excite the jealousies of none. With England and British dependencies trade had grown in volume from less than 96 million ven to 147 millions: with the United States, the next largest customer, the volume of trade had grown from 63 to 102 millions. While, however, the value of goods taken by the States had only increased some 20 per cent., that of the imports taken by Japan had more than quadrupled. Items such as raw cotton and petroleum largely contributed to this increase, but in items such as machinery and manufactured iron, it had increased more than was justi- fied by the conditions. The United States in these things enjoy a vast advantage in their proximity, enabling machinery and other goods to be laid down in weeks as compared with months from England; but to other and entirely artificial reasons must be attributed the growth in the imports from the States of rails and locomotives. Prac- tically these are both subsidised trades, and are notoriously delivered abroad at prices which leave no profit, if not actually causing loss to the manufacturers.
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[October 21, 1901.
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or any judge thereof, in the matter of en- forcing the attendance of witnesses and examining them on oath, affirmation otherwise, as the commissioners or any of them may think fit, compelling the pro- duction of documents, punishing persons guilty of contempt, and ordering an inspec- tion of any property. The commissioners have power also to enter and view any premises. The examination of witnesses will, as usual, be held in private, and the report on the evidence collected will be laid before the Governor.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND ና
grown respectively from 38 deg. and 30 deg. to 46 deg. and 62 deg., the other countries remaining practically at a standstill. In exports from Japan taken by England and British possessions in 1890 the proportion was represented by a sector of 100 deg. ; this in 1899 was represented by one of 102 deg. The United States, which occupied a sector of 128 deg. in the former, only appeared in 1899 for one of 105 deg., but on the other hand China took goods in the proportion in the latter year of 67 deg., as compared with 34 deg. in the former.
Looked at then from a British point of view, the prospects of trade in Japan present a by no means gloomy aspect; the profits of local houses have indisputably decreased; while the body of trade has as indisputably in- creased--and this all round, and in quite equivalent proportion to other nationalities. This is plain, even on the surface, where with the exception of an evident push made by the United States-more apparent than real-the British element is as much to the forefront as usual.
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The tendency of recent events has been plainly to bring the two nations more and more into friendly contact, and the English visitor has in no way to look back with regret on the past. "Old Japan" of course has gone never to return, but " New Japan has come in its place, and from an English point of view possesses many redeeming points of view. The country, if perhaps a little less picturesque, is certainly more solid, and possibly the most serious drawback that an Englishman finds in a residence is that by a sort of common consent he is by the Japanese Government and people ex- pected to set a "good example "in manners and morals to the natives. This, although the immediate consequences are at times somewhat embarrassing, and generally par- take of the ludicrous, is a high testimonial to the opinion formed of the English character by the Japanese-- the more so that the testimony is perfectly unconscious on their part.
It cannot
It is sincerely to be trusted that the new Commission may be able to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion as to what changes are needed to be made in the Public Works | Department. There are no two opinions possible, even in the most official of minds, as to the total inadequacy of the present P.W.D. staff for the enormous amount of work requiring to be done. The Depart- ment is, as His Excellency reminded us the other day, the chief spending depart- ment in the Colony, and it is therefore all the more urgently needed that its work a thoroughly efficient should be done in
It has balted along for years now, manner. utterly unable to cope with its duties. In consequence many of our public works are almost a byword among Eastern colonies-- an extremely discreditable state of affairs in a rich colony like Hongkong. be said that there is anything startling about the composition of the new Public Works Commission, or that a revolutionary report can be expected as the result of its sittings. The official element is strong, and the non-officials are well-known to the public; there is no semblance of the agitator about anyone concerned. Nevertheless the state of the Public Works department so cries out for alteration that the most staid and sober of Commissions cannot fail to discover the main evils of the existing system and suggest improvements. What is most to be dreaded is that an attempt may be made to tinker up the old Department, which is seriously to be deprecated. We have been warned to prepare for extra taxation. Let us at least know that we are going to pay for something worth having. An improved Public Works Department would be costlier than the present Depart- ment, already the chief burden on the Colony. But this would not be grudged if we could see actual results for our money. 1. The duties and responsibilities of the When we look on the wretched roads, unstable Public Works Department of Hongkong|buildings, and other such public evils as generally, with special reference to-
(Daily Fress, 14th October.)
In the Government Gazette issued on Satur. day there is published the notification of a Commission appointed by H.E. the Governor to enquire into and report on the following matters:—
An inspection of the lists of imports during the last five years exhibits a curious A PUBLIC WORKS COMMISSION. anomaly during 1897-98: from the tables themselves no explanation of the anomaly is derivable. In the years referred to the mean imports by English vessels amounted to a mean value of 124 million yen, as against a mean of 95 for the other years of the quinquennial series; and it might reasonably be supposed that this sudden increase of imports arose from some sudden demand. As a fact the explanation was less simple, and was caused by circum- stances connected with the financing of the empire which induced a partial panic and led to a dangerous export of gold coin, which seriously hampered the circulation for the time being; the diminished import in the following year-1899-was thus a sign of returning confidence, a large pro- portion of the exported specie gradually returning.
Two graphic diagrams introduced at the end of the volume, which we alluded to on the 30th ult., and indicating the total amount and distribution of foreign trade in the years 1890 and 1899 respectively are of interest. The imports, which in 1890 were represented by a circle whose area was 5.66 sq. inches, had in 1899 grown to one with an area of 15.21 in. On the other hand while the exports in 1890 were represented by an area of 3.69 square inches, those of 1899 bad grown to 14.52 in. In proportion, while England and British possession occupied in 1890 a sector of 192 deg. this had fallen to 156 deg. in 1899; this was, however, accounted for by the parts occupied by China and the United States, which had
(a.) The constitution and sufficiency of the staff of the Department,
(b.) The advisability of increasing such staff or of making any changes in its personnel, and
(c) Generally what changes should be made in the working of the Depart
ment.
2. The manner in which the duties devolving upon the Public Works Depart- ment have been performed during the period of two years preceding the 1st day of October, 1901.
The appointment of this -Commission follows on the promise made in H.E. the Governor's speech on the Estimates before the Legislative Council on the 26th Septem- her last. The names of those now selected for this most important task are:-The Hon. J. H. Stewart Lockhart, C.M.G., Hon. H. E. Pollock, K.C., Hon. J. Thurburn, Colonel L. F. Brown, R.E., and Mr. Robert Shewan, the first-named acting as chairman, while Mr. E. D. C. Wolfe is to be secretary to the Commission. For the purposes of the enquiry the Commission will have the powers of the Supreme Court,
mark modern Hongkong, we may well recent having to pay what we do, light though our taxation be in comparison with other Colonies. The local public has been long- suffering, even to apathy, but we do not fancy that it will be anxious to see taxes mounting and the old bad methods con- tinuing. The present administration has an excellent chance of differentiating its rule from those of most of its predecessors, if it had only the courage to take it.
It is reported from Seoul that Major-Gen- eral Wogack, of the Russian Army, who recently proceeded there from Tokyo, has lodged, through the Russian Minister at Seoul, a representation with the Corean Government, urging the necessity for establishing defences on the coasts of Chintai, Chinnan, Nanhai, Masampo, and on the islands of Kiye and Jekkei, as well as other important points of the country. The General is also stated to have added in his at the above-named places is urgently needed, representation that, as the construction of forts he will be pleased to endeavour to obtain for Cores an advance of money with no interest, in the event of Corea not being able to defray the necessary funds for the undertaking at the pre- sent time.
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