Page
November 2, 1903.]
lacs, a dead loss of at least a third of their present sales.
WAESHIPS.
H.M.S. Bramble gat in here yesterday to coal, having experienced very nasty weather outside. The British community are all hoping to see one of H.M. ships bere at least this winter. During the last years they have been conspicuous by their absence.
PORT ARTHUR.
[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]
Port Arthur, 12th October. A WAR SCARE,
On the 25th ult. 8th October) Port Arthur was much excited by the receipt of information sent from St. Petersburg by a telegraphic agency, to the effect that Japanese troops had been landed at. Fusiu. The Russians all seemed to regard such a step as equivalent to a declaration of wa, and at 2pm. on the sime day the fleet suddenly left the harbour for an unknown destination. Some of the vessels were paintel black the way colour-before they left; the most complete preparation had brou made for action; the last touches were put to the defences of the harbur, all the torpedo-boats taking up their places ud changing their colour, The report of the News Agency was 8 on con- tradic ed. however, the higher authorities here haring ascertained that no Japanese had landed in Corea; the report having probably arisen from the movements of the Japanese flet at Masanipo. Nevertheless
a good deal uneasiness prevailed, for it was admitted that of Japan was preparing to do something,
THE JAPANESE IN COREA..
The following is a translation of an article, that appeared on the 26th Sept. (o, s.) in the local newspaper:
Although it penetrated in all directions among the public, and even found its way into the t-legrams of the Russian telegraphic agency, the information concerning the movements of the Japanese troops in Corea must be placed in the category of rumours of which the origin is unknown.
64
On account of the wide circulation it got. this rumour undoubtedly attained its object of producing alarm in the public mind; but we must distinctly state that it was a rumour, and nothing else. While on this subject we might first of all direct attention to the fact that these sensational telegrams did not originate from Russian sonrces. One of them came from London, having first reached London from Kobe and the other came from Paris. The first came in all probability from Japanese sources, the second from American sources. In No. 169 of our journal we inserted a t-1 gram dated Tokyo, September 18, and probably coming from Russian sources, in which the extensive warlike preparations
of the Japanese is denied.
For our own part we must say that, informed by the highest authority regarding the state of tsings in Corea, we do not deny the fact that some warlike preparations are going on in Japan, and that the Fleet is
engaged in manoeuvres, but we do deny that the object of these preparations is Corea.
As to the future events that may occur in the Far East we shall put our readers in possession of information about them as speedily as possible, but we do not think that such' events can be foreseen."
GRAND REVIEW.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE RÉPORT.
MR. DAVIDSON,
Mr. Davidson, the United States Consul in Formosa, is now here on his way to St. Petersburg and is “doing" this town and Dalny with American thoroughness, He is enga zed, I believe, ou a book describing the Siberian Railway. There are other foreign residents of Japan here, and of course, a great many foreigners are constantly passing through from Chiua.
THE NEW HOTEL.
The now hotel is nearing completion and will, when finishel, b a fine building accommodating several hundred guests It is situated in New Town, commands a fine view and adjoins the Public Gardens; and despite some faults, such as thasmallness of the dinig room in proport on to the siz of the building, it should undoubtedly be a Fuccess. Almost every day I see gentlemen aud ladies wandering about with their luggage in the streets looking in vain for a lodging; and, if the present rush continues, the hotel can easily get six roubles a day upwards for room alone,
On Saturday the manoeuvres of the soldiers belonging to the Fort Arthur garrison were brought to a conclusion, and the occasion was marked by the sound of cannon and of musketry fire at intervals throughout the day. The musketry fire was so close to the town that I am sure an assault was made by the invaders on some of the principal defences, perhaps on Gold Hill itself, which was taken so easily by the Japanese troops during the war with China, but which could scarcely be taken so easily now. Sunday there was a Grand Review, in the On course of which al the soldiers of the garrison, with the exception of the fortress artillery, passed before the Viceroy. I am told by a Russian Colonel that 40,00 men were present on the occasion. The soldiers were all clean and smart-looking, presenting a great contrast to their usual appearance, and having every token of being a very serious factor indeed.
CORRESPONDENCE
ILLICIT TRADE
TAXES" ON FOOD.
1
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS.'
3, Sussex Square, Brighton. Edward 1.. the market middlemen (formerly SIRAs far back as 1303, in the days of
known as forestallers), who now in 1903 still control our food supplies, were then punished by banishment, forfeiture of gods, the pillory, fines, and imprisonment.
be brou-ht about in the British Empire, these Before a safe and sound state of affairs an
laws and penalties must be revived, or suitable restrictions reinforced.
{
states that
In 1674, a special act of Common Conncil ntended for the benefit and advantage of
"The (London) markets bein
housekeepers and thers, who buy for their provide for themselves in the morning at the own uso, to be spent in their own families, to
best hand, and pay moderate rates for their provisions."
This Act also enforced bond-fide public auc- tions and proper weighing facilities withia the
market.
London is: ued its famons report "as to the In 1901, the Common Council of the City of
extravagant high price of every necessary article of human sustenance and food, which had become truly alarming," concluding with "In ing and intercepting the supplies of provisions order to stop the nefarious practices of regrat-
for the metropolis, we (the Common Council) are unanimously of opinion that such practices should be prohibited, the offenders heavily punished, and the contracts declared void."
The majority of the mation is now greatly Yet the country calmly submits to avoidable alarmed at proposed microscopic taxes on food. but augmenting Trade Rings, whose commercial combinations have cornered our entire fresh food supplies during both peace and war. houses owned by brewers,
Tied bakers shops run by millers, public- au artificially limited supply of perishable meat, game, poultry, eggs, butter, margarine, fish, vegetables, fruit, etc., are all safely in the octopus grasp of the ubiquitous middlemen, who have illegally monopolised our fresh food markets, the joint property of the primary food-producer and the
i
consumer.
821
Various kinds of fresh foods demand different but definite (artificial) dry cold-air tempera- tures for "imperishable" preservation.
fresh foods, especially fish, are cheaper to pro
The majority of these animal and vegetable duce, store and distribute, besides being much more wholesome, nutritions, and palatable in the imperishable" condition, than in their present perishable forms, to often stale and sometimes even poisonous.
1.
meau Free Trade should
free dealing to the macinations of the middlemen, has between producer and consumer, which, owing
Empire. Wherefore, despite of free imports been made practically impossible in the British the price of fresh food in England still com- pares most unfavourably with that of some other countries-notably Germany-where the trade rings are less powerful and less greedy. foods and food imports are taxed, yet the actual and where, although almost all home-grown cost of food to the consumer is far less than ia our own country.
Of course, in the event of war, then only imperishable fresh food people, army, military and mercantile marine, supplies for the
can save the United Kingdom from starvation.
Note. Examples :-
delivered at the chief ports of the United (1) New Zealand mutton is frequently Kingdom at less than 3d. per lb, for which in 7d, to 1/. the lb. by the local butcher. the same town the consumer is charged from
able"(as I have so long persistently publicly Our fresh food supplies, if made "imperish. advocated), by proper means of killing or collecting, preparing, dry cold-air-storage, and distributing, would tend to defeat the middle- men's monopoly.
(II). Sprats are often sold in Billingsgate at the rate of about 19lbs. for one penny, for which tte local London fishmonger or costermonger charges from 2d. to 3d. or more per lb. That is to say, the consumer in Londou which sum 57lbs. of sprats are purchased by buys one pound of sprats for threepence, with the Billingsgate Ring.
26
As far back as 130, a wise and just statute of Edward I. declared that "the forestaller". (Dow called middlemen's rings) open oppressor of the poor, and an enemy of the whole country."
an
A Parliamentary Return as to the prices paid to the primary fresh food producers, and those charged to the consumers, would prove that the fresh food rings of marke: middlemen (who do not distribute the food) are
a grave and growing danger and disaster to the trade, the progress and the prosperity of the Empire.-I am, Sir, yours, etc.,
J. LAWRENGE-HAMILTON, M.R.C.S. A PARLIAMENTARY DEBATING
SOCIETY.
TO THE EDITJE OF THE
"
DAILY PRESS
men
Hongkong, 22nd October. SIR,-May
be allowed to make a sugges tion through the medium of your valued paper? Considering that there are so many intelligent energetic young in this colouy, I cannot help thinking that it is really not be directed to so useful a channel as public- apity that so much talent and energy should speaking. A debating Society, based on the lines of the House of Commons, i,c., a miniature House of Commons, would I am sure be a
stitution is governed, promote the cultiva great bon to the young men of Hongkong.
tion of oratory,
It will teach them how the British Con.
promote
good fellowship, and last but not least, public spirit,
words?
new ideas and new thoughts which in their turn will find expression in speech. It would thus not be a great benefit to the young men only but to the world at large, where the ideas inculcated would
be employed, and employed effectively, in the cause of justice and humanity. How many of us have not at times keenly felt the w nt of expressing our ideas in Cur finest and noblest thoughts thus y away no sooner than they come to our minds. have no doubt whatever that if a few influen- tial and public-spirited men will take up this suggestion and give it proper form, it will prove a very creditable institution. In England and elsewhere many societies of this kind exist, and Mr. Chamberlain himself belongs to one of. these, as do also many members of the House of Commons and other notables.-Yours, etc..
PARLIAMENT.
THE PROPOSED ICE & STORAGE CO., LD,
TO THE EDITOR OF THE ́DAILY PRESS,”
Hongkong 24th October, 1903. SIR-I have read Mr Chan A Tak's letter with much interest, and in the first place I disagree with him when he says that" there is Press." no necessity of making enquiry through the When a prospectus of this sort is issued stating that the profits are certain to be very large, but stating at the same time apparently that $200,000. out of a capital of $700,000 is to be paid for promotion fee, so
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