CHINA OVERLAND TRADE RÉPORT.
March 28, 1903.] ratepayers who are qualified to be placed soil of Hunan has now been found to be thereon but who are excused on account of well suited for the extensive cultivation of their alocations. Now the question we the camphor tree, and the inhabitants are desire to ask is, Who are ratepayers in Hong- enthusiastically planting it wherever they kong? We are told that a ratepayer is not can. A Changsha letter reports that there necessarily an occupier who pays directly are now, in consequence of this industrious the rates of the premises he occupies; his planting, innumerable camphor trees several landlord may pay them, but this would not feet in diameter in the province, and it is relieve the occupier of his obligatiou in the expected that with care it will be possible event of default on the part of the landlord for Hunan to soon be able to export annually therefore, the occupier remains virtually several thousand piculs of the drug. This the ratepayer. No objection car, of course, is a step in advance, and may perhaps go be taken to this, but do the authorities in some distance to reconcile the Chinese Hongkong regard the lodger as a "rate Government to the loss of Formosa. The payer" We believe the lodger was a market is at present dependent chiefly upon determining factor in the election which the supply from Formosa, and in con- took place on Wednesday. If the lodger is sequence the price is maintained at a high regarded in Hongkong as a ratepayer-we figure. Camphor is not the only product are not prepared to say that ipso facto he is that might be introduced into the eighteen not a ratepayer-then, at any rate, that provinces, and the Viceroys might profitably ought to be plainly stated when any popular institute enquiries as to what new products rote is taken in the future. At home the the soils and climates of their respective lodger is not regarded as a ratepayer, aud provinces are best calculate to reproduce. doubtless many who would otherwise have Now that tea has practically ceased to be voted on Wednes lay had they been aware an export except on a comparatively small that a lodger here was regarded as a rate-scale, it would be well to endeavour to find payer, would have helped to swell the out other articles of commerce that could poll. On any future occasion of a similar be success'ull; aul profitably raised to take nature, these points ought to be made clear, its place as a paying export and to redress and moreover we would suggest the desire the balance of trade, now so largely against ability of having an interval between the China. With the heavy indemnity to be date of nomination and the date of election raid to the Foreign Powers, it is a matter in the event of a poll. Had there been of vital import to China to find new articles | such an interval on the present occasion it of export. And unless sustained efforts be would have enabled many misunderstand put forth in this direction, it is tolerably inge to have been cleared up. Brief ad- certain, spite of the foolish optimism of the dresses by the candidates upon their opponents of a gold standard in China, that nomination would probably have served a, the exports of this great Empire will remain useful purpose, but as only two hours were stationary, or, at any rate barely maintain allowed for nominations and allotting, their present position. time obviously could not be spared for specchifying. One consequence of this was that Mr. SHELTON HOOPER probably suffered somewhat, as in some quarters the feeling existed that he, if elected, would from the nature of his occupation be the repre- seatative of a class interest rather thau of the general interests of the community. It was a mistake for anyone to have supposed that, and had there been an opportunity for speeches at the time of nomination Mr. HOOPER would probably have dissipated the notion.
One more cbservation may be ma le in reference to the Sunitary Board. Owing to the impending departure of Mr. OSBORNE from the Colouy, the duty falls upon His Excellency the Governor of appointing a successor; Fortunately the election on Wednesday proves that there is no lack of interest felt by the community in the work of the Sanitary Board, and no lack of well- qualified residents willing to give the requisite time and attention to the duties, His Excellency ther fore will experience no difficulty in filling up the vacancy.
GOLD IN MANCHURIA.
(Daily Press, 21st March.) -
The old books of reference used to tell us that in Asia, and especially in its southern districts, there are many mines, streams, rivers and wastes which contain gold. Japan, Formosa, Ceylon, Java, Sumatra, Borneo and the Philippines were described as being rich in gold mines, but there was absolute silence as to the existence of the precious metal in China. That it is to be found in various parts of this great Emp're is well kuowu now-a-days, though little or nothing has been done to exploit it. Mauy years ago a number of Russian adventurers found what they described as rich gold fields in Manchuria, and calmly inaugurated an independent Republic of their own and claimed possesiou of the auriferous, soil. The Republic, however did not last log, for it was broken up by the Chinese officials, and the gold miners, after making a desperate resistane, were compelled to quit the territory. Since the virtual occupation of Manchuria by Ru-sia something more has boen heard from time to time of gold discoveries there, and only about two years ago there was a big rush of adventurers (Daily Press, 21st March )
over the Amur to seck the treasure which One of the reat staple products of report said was to b found there in large Formom during its occupation by the quantities. The fever did not last long Chinese was camphor, and a considerable however. The discoveries of the precious proportion of the export was in the hands metal were not so large as to warrant the of foreign firms until after the cession of ruh, and it was even alleged that wily the island to Japan. Under Chinese Chinese had "salted" the earth with the administration there was a great deal of object of selling it to the 'cute speculator. in the production, and we believe We observe, however, that the gold fever that the Japanese have been attempting the has aguia broken out in this region, and conservation of the camphor forests, Theth Amursky Gazette is the authority for loss of this important export has been felt the statement that gold in large quantities by Clima, and it is with no little satisfaction is king obtained on the right shore of that the Chine-e are able to annonuce that the Amur. As Manchuria is not yet an experiment in the production of the tree completely under Russian jurisdiction,' in the province of Hunan has been attended says this journal, “it is impossible to take with great success. It is stated that the any measures against the adventurere
·CAMPHOR PRODUCTION IN
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CHINA.
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Gold, it is said, has been found in man places in "great abundance," and as múch as 5lbs of gold is being obtained from about 35 cwts of earth. The gold obtained · from the washings is bought by the Russians® and Chinese, who are said to be giving good prices for it, and there is now, according to the accounts, such activity on the part of the gold seekers that any attempt to drive them away from their workings would result in serious disorders The gold seekers we presume are chiefly*** Chinese, and it is interesting to recall the fact that it was the gold discoveries in CaliforniaTM in the early forties that led to the stendy immigration of Chinese into the United** States ro such an extent as to render restrious tive legislation necessary. In the first six months of 1852 as many as ten thousand crossed the Pacific to claim part in the golden harvest, and as the Russian Journal laments the impossibility of taking any- measures against the adventurers, Manchuria is not yet completely finder Russian jurisdiction," we infer that the report of gold discoveries in Manchuria is attracting the Chinese to the gold fields in even greater crowds. But that there is a fair sprinkling of Russians among them may be inferred from the statement that
large quantities of provisions are being cent from various places, to the gold fields, and spirits from Kharbin.”
THE NEW TREATY.
(Daily Press, 24th March.)
General SHARRETTS, who was the Special Commissioner of the United States for the revision of the China tariff has contributed to an American journal called tho American- Asiatic a short statement of his views concerning Sir JAMES MACKAY's Treaty with Chius. The General begins by declaring that be entertains "strong convictions regarding the commercial treaties which recently have been or are about to be negotiated with China." The Treaty be tween China and Great Britain will, he fears, if it becomes operative, not only prove abortive, but in the end retard the progress of reform in the Celestial Empire. The Treaty in ts main objects may prove abortive, but even so, General SHARRETTS does not supply any convincing reason why it should retard, rather than promote the progress of reforms in China. While agree- ing that the lekin system should be abolj- shed, the American Commissioner does not believe it is practicable to wipe it out by a blow as provided in the British-Chinese Treaty. Nor does anybody else: not even Sir JAMES MACKAY himself, we imagine. Whether gradual extinction of the lekin tax would be preferable to immediate aboli. tion, as General SHARRETTS believes, is a question on which opinion may be divided, but for our part we are unable to see that any considerable advantage would be gained by proceeding gradually to abolish the tax. To get the Chinese Government to undertake that all barriers of whatsover kind collecting lekin or such like dues or duties shall be permanently abolished on all roads, railways, and waterways in the eighteen provinces of China and the three Eastern provinces is a great achievement, and if the promise can be translated into action it will undoubtedly represent a great gain to trasle. Moreover, it appears to us that the only hope of dealing with this problem”- successfully is to strike at the entire system: That the Treaty is open to a great deal of – criticism we do not deny. Competent erities have attacked it on the ground that while the system of levying lekin and other dues
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