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The old telephone exchange at Newchwang, started some time ago under Russian auspices, has been purchased by Mr. H. B. Campbell, an American employee of the Russo-Chinese Bank, but will require a great deal of renewal and repair to become quite efficient and up-to-date.
The Peking Times hears that Sir Robert Hart has purchased the Pei-tai-ho property of Mr. James Brazier, and that he is considering the possibility of building one or two bungalow residences thereon with a view of giving short seaside furlough to the Customs Staff in Peking. The arrival of M. Cito as successor to Mr.
Willis E. Gray as the head of the American China Development Co. (the Canton-Hankow Railway) has been followed, says the N... Daily News, by the cancelling of Mr. Kings. ford's appointment as chief accountant, that gentleman receiving his full salary up to the end of his agreement, and the appointment of Mr. C. C. Baldwin as agent of the Company in Chine.
£840 per ton seems an enormous price to pay for potatoes in Singapore, but all the same, says the Straits Times, it is being paid. Messrs. Thompson, Thomas & Co. of the Australian Stores have lately been selling potatoes at that price. In explanation it must be stated that the potatoes sold are a new choice seedling variety called “Northern Star," which is a very heavy cropper of fine shape and quality, and the most disease-resisting and weather-defying potato yet raised.
When they were dreading an engagement in the Shanghai river, one of the local papers said: On one side of the Cosmopolitan Dock, where the Ackold lies, is the Standard Oil Co.'s property, which is valued at over a million dollars; Melchers and Co.'s godowns and wharf are in the vicinity, while the Dock is British registered. Here is a pretty nut for Japan to crack. The Standard Oil Co. has made stren- nous demands on Consul-General Goodnow to protect their property,
The company promoter seeking for new worlds to conquer has his eye on Tibet, and is only awaiting developments. The following companies have recently been registered: Copper Mines of Tibet, Limited; Lhasa Gold Mines, Limited, Lhasa Exploration Company, Limited: Lead Mines of Tibet, Limited; Tibet Mining and Finance Company, Limited; Tibet Mines and Minerals Company, Limited Tibet Exploration Company, Limited; Tibet Cor. poration, Limited; and Goldfields of Tibet. Limited. It reads like comedy, but as far as the registration of the companies is concerned it is
fact.
The local gentry of Hunan compiled regula. tions for collecting capital for constructing a railway between Hunan and Hankow. each share at 50 taels with 6 per cent. interest per annum, as well as further dividend if there be profit, and to be subscribed by the natives in the 67 departments of the province of Hunan. The way of paying for the share is very peculiar; when the intended subscriber of a share has to pay he will pay two sheng per one shih product of rice, for which the Hailway Administration will issue a receipt. The total tribute of rice of the Hunau gentry amounts to about 50 or 60 million shib, of which two sheng per shih is to be paid asshares of the railway, which means seven or eight hundred thousand tools per year, and after twenty-five years the sum of over ten million taels can thus be collected.-Sin Wan Pao.
The railway built by the Peking syndicate has been completed between Huaiching and Trokow. This railway, says a native paper, has been built by the syndicate for carrying all the materials and products of mines of the syndicate. and the syndicate has no right to have any passenger traffic by the train. However, the syndicate is selling tickets to passengers and carrying malt. The local magistrate has ordered the syndicate to stop the carrying of passengers and salt. The syndicate not obeying the order. referred the matter to the Waiwupa, and the Waiwapu referred it to Sheng Kungpao. Sheng Kungpao simply answered that the provincial treasurer shall levy taxes upon the sale of passenger tickets at the rate of 5 per cent. each, but the syndicate does not consent to the levy of taxes, and accuses the Magistrate Lu. Magistrate Lu mys that he is simply oting according to the instructions from his chief. The matter is still pending.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
The Nippon Yusen Kaisha has sent us a copy of its really artistic and most useful" Hand- book of information for shippers and passen. gers." Experience on some of the beautiful vessels of the company warrants the kindliest comment on their catering for passengers.
The British clothiers who dreamed of fat contracts for supplying Japanese army and navy uniforms have since been informed that such things are made in Japan, and that the limits imposed on contractors debar such far away offers as they might be disposed to make.
About 60 per cent. of railway material imported by Cores last year was of British origin. probably over £100,000 worth. year was a record year both for imports and exports, which were valued at £1,859,876 and £967.505 (excluding gold) respectively. Imports of cotton manufactures. £50,199-British share, one half.
Last
On the recommendation of the Director of the Bureau in charge of relieving and rescuing affairs at Tientsin, H.E. Viceroy Yuan has sanctioned the establishment of a Government industrial institution to train poor boys and girls to earn money to support themselves and their respective families. The age for boys is between 10 and 16, and for girls between 8 and 14, and experienced Japanese and Chinese teachers will be employed. H.E. has also given permission to establish a half day school in the vicinity of the proposed institution so that the pupils may study a few hours every day after completing their work. There will be 160 boys and 100 girls at the commencement, who will be separated.
The total expenditure for the institution and school will be Tls. 20,000, which will be defrayed by the above mentioned Bureau. The boys will first be taught to make foreign and Chinese furniture, and the girls will learn ordinary modern needle-work. (This institution is not to be confounded with the one which was opened for prisoners and criminals in the city some days ago).~~P. & T. Times.
The district magistrate at Linchingehou is s man of enterprise. He has been persuaded to embark upon an undertaking of which he knows nothing except that he furnishes the silver. For many years the empty granaries within the walled city have been utterly useless, but now they are to be turned into cotton factories, and machinery from Japan has already arrived for turning the raw cotton into cloth This region is noted for the cotton grown over a wide extent of territory; and as unskilled labour is to be had almost as cheap as in any part of the empire, the hope is that when such labour becomes skilled. it may not be too ex- pensive to compete with that in foreign lands. Two difficulties present themselves: 1st, the cotton grown here has a very short staple 2nd, coal is extremely dear. doubtless be bettered when the mines operated by the English syndicate in Northern Honan pour out sufficient coal to ship to Tientsin. But in the meantime, says the N.-C. Daily News, the motive power must be expensive.
This last will
[September 5, 1904,
HONGKONG.
The Police Cricket Club have official permis- sion to use the Wong-nei-chong Recreation Ground.
A Chinese foreman pile driver, at the Naval Yard extension, was killed on the 30th ult. by aboiler falling on him.
Major Caulfield, 110th Mahratta Light In- fantry, has been appointed Commandant of the regiment, vice Colonel Birdwood, vacating.
The appointment (subject to Home approval) of Mr. William Russell as Second Assistant Government Marine Surveyor, in place of Mr.
William Orchar, invalided, is announced.
Last week's plague return included only one case. The port was free of communicable disease. The report for the 48 hours ending noon yesterday was also blank.
At the trial of the new steamer Kinling (ex Shanghai) recently a speed of 114 knots was attained. It is said that the forced draught
worked satisfactorily.
An Order in Council, published in the last Government Gazette, makes the Registry of the Privy Council the Registry. for all purposes, in appeals relatin; to ecclesi stical and maritime
causes.
The Hou. Sir Henry Spencer Berkeley acts (since Saturday) as Chief Justice, during the leave of Sir William Meigh Goodman. Mr. Ernest Hamilton Sharp. K.C., acts as Attorney- General for the same period.
Referring to the Governor's recent treat for Hongkong children. the N.-C. Daily News remarks: A party on such a scale as this to the children is quite a new departure for Hong- kong, no previous Governor having indulged them so generously.
Mr. J. Grant Smith memorialised the Jus- tices with a view to a reduction of public house licences yesterday. Glancing through a copy of the printed matter sent by him to the Justices, we find ourselves unable to agree with Mr. Smith's methods of advancing his views.
Numerous signatures have already been sent in for the Hongkong Volunteer Reserve Association, and Sergeant-Major Higby, of the Volunteer Corps, reports that the proposed formation of this new unit has given a decided fillip to that section also, more recruits having joined during the last week than in a correspond ing period for a long time.
In a case in the Summary Court on the 1st inst. judgment was given against the defendant, an old man, who took the award very ill to heart and shook his fan at the judge as he left the Court, muttering imprecations not loud but Doubtless his deep against British justice. venerable years saved him from committal for contempt of Court.
Mr. Arthur Chapman has sent us the fourth Street Index.” supplement to his very useful It embodies all alterations and additions made up to the end of August, thus bringing the Index right up to date. The Index is an authoritative publication, of course, and must be regarded as indispensable to all interested in Hongkong real estate.
In the Summary Court yesterday Mr. Justice Sercombe Smith heard a summons by the Shing Lee, compradores, against C. Westermann for $180 odd for provisions. Defendant said he ordered the goods for a mess of three, but admitted that he owed two-thirds of the debt, as
one of the three was his assistant, whose bill he was supposed to pay. His Lordship, after hearing the evidence, found for the plaintiff with costs.
The continuous rains have made it more
than ever apparent that the extra covering afforded to the Police to combat such weather
Two new steamers of 21,000 tons each, the and Minnesota, are about to be Dakota started on a service from Puget Sound to Japanese and Chinese ports, to inaugurate a serious attempt on the part of the Americans to substitute wheat for the rice and other cheaper grains which are the staple food in Japan and China. These large steam vessels are the property of the Great Northern Steam- ship Company, and will run in connection with the Northern Pacific Railroad Company. The Americans believe that if cheap wheat and flour, assisted by the cheapest means of transport, can be placed on the Japanese market, they will oust the imports of Burma rice, in which a large trade is done at present with Rangoon is woefully inadequate to this purpose. The It is an interesting experiment, on which about short cape which is the regulation wet day dress £1,000,000 has been staked. If it is successful
may serve to keep the wearer's shoulders dry, it will seriously affect not only cultivators of but does not protect him from the waist down- rice in Burma, but also the British shipowners wards. It may be that the heads of the depart. who do most of the remunerative carrying trade ment think it would be bad policy to impede the | between Rangoon and Japan. We remember use of a policeman's nether limbs in case ha reading some years ago of this attempt to intro-had to chase a thief, for instance, but a light duce wheat as food for Japan instead of rice. oilskin which could be easily thrown off would The Japanese, however, preferred the latter be equally convenient and would serve as a real grain, and their soldiers and sailors seem to have protection against our torrential rainfalls. thriven remarkably well on it during the war.
is no uncommon sight to see a constable returned It remains to be seen, even with so large a
from patrol standing in what might almost be capital placed in the trade, if wheat can success-
called a pool of water dripping from his clothes fully cope with Burma rice in price.-Rangoon | in the charge room before he can report him.
self “off duty."
Times.
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