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commodity in the world's market, and we think therefore that it will not be in appro- priate to give a little space in these columns to some of the points brought out in Mr. Moss's latest circular. This gentleman some time back proposed a scheme for advertising Chica tea more extensively than hitherto, which though generally supported at Foo- chow failed to secure the backing hoped for further north. With the details of the scheme we have no concern here. The most interesting point is the extent to which advertising has helped to increase the figures of the teas which compete with those of China. According to Mr. Moss's figures, the exports of Indian tea in 1896-7 amounted to 145,671,967 lbs. and in 1900-1 to 183,302,626 lbs. In the former of these years the exports of tea from Hankow, Shanghai, Foochow, and Canton amounted to 38,198,939 lbs.; in the latter, to 25,034,775 lbs., while in 1902-3 not quite complete figures showed an export of 19,016,429 lbs. only from the four Chin.
But the Ceylon figures are even ports. more startling in comparison with those of China. In 1887 Ceylon only exported 13,800,545 lbs. of tea. Mounting rapidly, the figures rached in 1896, 108,141,412 lbs., and in 1901 no less than 145,188,244 8., not to mention another 1,110,744 lbs. of green tea. Now, of course, there are other factors beside advertising which have con- tributed to bring this result about. But who can doubt that the very vigorous pushing of the southern teas las produced a great effect? One striking advertisement has lately been circulated freely in Ger- many calling attention to the "disgusting," filthy," "primitive," antiquated" way in which tea is prepared in China, in contrast to the clean and modern methods of Ceylon. The advertisement says:- "We in Germany drink hardly anything but China tea owing to old custom, but people would not stick to it obstinately if they had any idea of the improper manner; in which the leaves are prepared by the Chinese, who as everybody knows bare no idea of cleanliness." "Can it be imagined that such statements have no effect in a country which has hitherto supported China It hardly looks possible for the apparently dying China tea-trade to fight with success against the wealth and com- petition of its rivals. Yet those who prefer the more refined flavour and healthier qualities of good China tea cannot but view with regret the absolute victory of the southern article.
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tens ?
MILITARY AND NAVAL ROWDIES AND THE NATIVE POLICE.
(Daily Press, 16th February.) The question has unfortunately arisen several times recently in India as to the relations between the British soldiers
stationed in the country and the natives. The notorious case of the Niuth Lancers is quite fresh in people's memories and it can hardly be said that that case is over yet. It is possible that the military autho rities will take no further action, but, in spite of the fact that the Lancers not only participated in the procession at Delhi but even formed part of the escort of the Duke of CONNAUGHT, it is not only senti- mentalists who will remember the disgrace of the regiment. Another killing of n native by a soldier is reported f om Delhi itself last month, arising out of the presence of a small party of soldiers in some gam- bling houses which the police apparently had orders to clear. No one was hurt in the course of this, but as the soldiers were leaving, and when they lind gone some little
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
distance up the road, ouc of their number, a man belonging to the Welsh Regiment, picked up a stone or clod of earth and threw it at the police. It struck a native policeman and caused rupture of the spleen from which he died. The soldier was arrested and tried; we have not seen any report of the decision. This case was not so bad as those in which the Ninth Lancers were involved, but it was more than discreditable, and is calculated to embitter the feelings of the natives to the British garrison-a most undesirable event. Luckily we have in Hongkong no such dis- graces to lament. Any observant resident, however, must have noticed many cases in which soldiers and sailors (the latter, it must be remarked, of many nationalities) have come into collision with the police, Indian i or Chinese. The Chinese usually exercise that discretion which is said to be the better part of valour, but the Indian does not shrink from the fight. It might be argued that the soldiers or sailors, being under the influence of liquor, would in any case and any country run up against the police. But it is to be noticed in Hongkong that the appearance on the scene of a British policeman has a most soothing effect as a rule ou the previously turbulent resister of the law. Full of fight as long as the law is represented by a man of another colour, the brawler is apt to be perfectly amenable to reason when a countryman or a fellow European arrives, Now it is of course impossible to maintain a purely white police force here, and the consequence is that there are inevitable misunderstandings between the policeman who has no English and the roysterer whose perception is dulled. The consequence may be a very unpleasant fight. One such occurred during Race Week, but fortunately had no serious con- sequences. The real cause of the mischief is that soldiers and sailors are left so much to their own devices when away from their duty, and that by the aid of the grogshops these devices are for the weaker men almost entirely in the direction of drink. A man drunk in his country's uniform is n shockingly common sight in Hongkong, and we do not see that any sufficient steps are taken to prevent it. It is not so much that there are too many drinking-places-though we think there are -but there is too much inferior drink, and. worse still the drunken man has no difficulty in getting as much more drink as he desires. To serve a drunken man is no doubt illegal, but who will maintain that it is not done! daily in Hongkong? The frequent result is a brawl with the police, a man in uni- form mastered with difficulty by dishevelled Sikhs, and a march to the nearest police station. The matter is one which really concerns the military and naval authorities more than the police, but all three are interested in putting an end to the dis honouring of the uniform. Until something is done to make it more difficult for a maj to get "fighting drunk iu a public place, the dishonour will go on.
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General Chaffee's tatement that he conld have seized treasure at Peking worth $80, 00,000. had not the U.S. President vetoed it, was made at Brooklyn on the 9th ult. We and the Japanese hd the honour of guarding the gate to the Forbidden City," said General Chaffee "and within the walls was the greatest treasure in the Chinese Empire, including the jewels of the Empress Dowager. So great was its volume that it took a hundred Chinese soldiers twenty the house where it was secreted. I even had a days to transport it from the Winter Palace to map of the Forbidden City, with the location of the house where the treasure was concealed plaiuly marked on it, and at a moment's notice I could bare seized the entire amount had dot my hands been tied."
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[February 23,
1903.
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
A meeting of the Legislative Council was held on the 16th inst. in the Council Chamber.
PRESENT:-
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR, Sir HENRY A. BLAKE, G.C.M.G.
HIS
EXCELLENCY Sir W.. Gascoigne, .C.M.G. (Commanding the Troops).
Hon. F. H. MAY (Colonial Secretary), Hon. SIR HENRY 8. Berkeley, Kt. (Attorney-General).
Hon. Á. M. THOMSON (Colonial Treasurer). Hon. Commander R. M. RUMSEY, R.N. (Harbour Master).
Hon. W. CHATHAM (Director of Public
Works).
Hon. F.W. CLARK (Medical fic rof Health'. Hon. Sir C. P. CHATER, C.M.G. Hon. Dr. Ho KAI, C.M.G.
Hon. WEI A YUK.
Hon. C. S. SHARP. Hon. C. W. DICKSON. Hon. R. SHEWAN,
Mr. R. F. JOHNSTON (Acting Clerk of Councils).
FINANCE.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table
Financial Minutes Nos. 1 and 2, and movid that they be referred to the Finance Committee. The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and he motion was agreed to,
PAPERS.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table the following papers :-Report of the Superior Court for the year 1902. Report of Queen'sCollegò for the year 1902, and Report of the Widows" and Orphans' Pension Fand for the year 1902.
WATER SUPPLY TO THE FPAK.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-Sir, it will be within the recollection of members of the Council that at the meeting held on 12th December exception was taken to the report furnished ly the engineer in charge of the Waterworks on the subject of the intermittent supply at the Peak, and that the Director of Public Works promised to enquire into the matter. I have now the honour to lay on the table a special report regarding the water supply to the Peak district, as the result of the enquiry by the Director of Public Works.
FIRST READINGS,
The following Bills were read a first time :- A Bill entitled An Ordinance to further ameud The Merebant Shipping Consolidation Ordin- Merchant auce, 1899, and to amend The
Shipping Amendment Ordinance, 1901; a Bill relating to the Punishment of Flogging; a Bill entitled Au Ordinance to provide for the Surrender of Fugitive Criminals from the Territory of each of the Malay States—Perak, Selangor, Pabang, and Nec ri Sembilan.
entitled An Ordinance to amend the Laws
.PUBLI BEALTH AND BUILDINGS BILL.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL-8ir, the next item in the orders is a notice for the third reading of the Bill entitled an Ordinance to consolidate and amend the Laws relating to Public Health and to Buildings. I would ask the permission of the Council to withdraw that notice, and to move in place thereof that the Council recommit this Bill in order to allow
to bring up for consideration a
me
few
amendment to one or two clauses which I think the Council will agree with me in saying are desirable. I ask permission to withdraw this
notice, and now more that the Council resolve itself into a committee of the whole Conncil to take this Bill into consideration.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, 'and the motion was agreed to.
The Council then went into Committee on the
Bill, and clauses were finally adjusted.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that clause
253 contemplated that in dete mining the compensation to be paid in the case of resump. tion of property the arbiters might take into consideration the rateable value and net rental of the premises for the preceding five years. When the matter was disonssed one unofficial term, so as to prevent speculative parchase. On member thought that ten years should be the further consideration the Government had devided, on representations made to them by members in the house and by others outside the house of large experience and capable of giving advice to be followed with safety, tha teren five
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