D
September 19, 1904.]
more does the memory of the late Dorabji Nowroji claim our universal attention; not in one port alone, but throughout the East where reside men to whom the memory of the late Dorabji Nowroji is now a sacred topic?
I respectfully call upon my fellow admirers to give the subject their earnest attention, and to make suggestious accordingly, presuming, of course, that you (the Editor of this journal) will kindly place a space in the columns of your paper to enable interested friends to give their opinions and suggestions.
Personally, I should be most happy to under- take the collection of subscriptions from friends in Japan here, and as the purpose does not ex- clude any nationality or caste, I feel sure that a prompt response would be made to this worthy end.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
being made on the basis of the later Home system.
The total rainfall for the year was 93.65 inches. The average for the last ten years was 77.86. The average monthly temperature was 71.5 deg. F.
The Colony spent $37,965.58 on the Volun- tears.
The report ends with the following general observations :
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£207
his
to concessions, and genera unpleasant as possible. making every use of drilling and equipping sometimes represented, motto is “China for the Chinese,' vigorously the belief that, whichever in the present struggle, China gainer, unless—and we can imagine mental reservation on this subject would be "unless China can bring forward a policy. backed by force." The lesson taught by Russ a in Manchuria, by Germany in Shantung, and by the Allied Armies as they marched to Peking. has sunk into the hearts of the Chinese, to whom any less forcible lesson would have been useless.
If Yuan Shih-Kai fulfils the promise he has ✨ given—he is only forty-five years old—he may prove the leader for whom China has waited so long.
Sir Henry Blake, K.C.M.G, left the Colony for Ceylon on the 21st November, and I ad- Naturally, the formation of a Committee ministered the Government from that date until would be among those who were the most close the end of the year. Major-General Sir ly connected with the deceased gentleman, and William Gascoigne, K.C.M.G.. who has com- this I am sure that all classes of people wouldmanded the troops for the last five years, and agree with.
who on two occasions (1900 and 1902) adminis tered the Government of the Colony, re- linquished his command in September, and was succeeded by Major-General Villiers Hatton, C.B.
The figures already given at the beginning A SHANGHAI ADMIRALTY COURT. of this Report are evidence of the continued prosperity of this port. The fluctuations of the silver market and the partial commercial depression arising from the prospect of political disturbances in the Far East have with other causes contributed to prevent the past year from being marked by special buoyancy of trade or steadiness in the stock market; but there is nothing to indicate that the trade interests and the wealth of this Colony have ceased to expand. But if the port is to preserve its predominant position as a great emporium for shipping, there
problems which demand early consideration and timely
If a Committee be formed, I offer my services in this matter, and would forward, to the re-
sponsible person (or persons) the amount I could collect in Japan, together with the names of donors, for publication in due form.
Sincerely trusting that this subject will be taken up in the spirit in which I make my humble suggestion. —Yours, &c.,
H. E BOTTLEWALLA.
THE ORIGIN OF PLAGUE.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS,
SIR,In reading your interesting review of Dr. Hunter's report on his researches into the infectivity of the plague germ, I was rather struck by the remark that Dr. Hunter regards the discovery of the bacillus pestis in the blood before the bubo develops as a "new discovery." The layman who has been sufficiently interested to read the frequent medical reports on the subject of the epidemics in Hongkong must wonder, when he reads such a statement, why it has takenso long to make this discovery. It is far from being a newly discovered fact that in plague-infected districts people have had high fever many days before a bubo appeared. (See Dr. Lowson's report on the epidemic of 1894. pp 10).-Yours truly.
LAYMAN.
HONGKONG BLUE BOOK.
The report of Mr. F. H. May to the Colonial Secretary at Home, on the Hongkong Blue Book for 1903, presented to Parliament in July, has just come from the King's Printers.
The actual financial loss on the year's work- ing was $157,811.60. There was a surplus of assets of $58,556.54. The tonnage exported (coal, flour, rice, and sugar being the chief exports) was 3,985,310, or 21,847 tons more than in 1902. Rice showed a heavy decrease of 222,189 tons. The chief increase (145.780 tons) was in coal.
When such stocks have been worked off the sugar trade generally will be relieved of a factor which has hitherto accentuated its necessarily speculative nature, and there is no reason why the local refineries should not share in the benefits likely to result.
are
many
action, such as the increase of the accommoda-
tion in the harbour for ocean-going steamers, the provision of more space for the housing of an ever-increasing population, and the further development of the trade of the West River and its tributaries by the opening of new ports. Over-shadowing all these questions, however, is the pressing necessity for the speedy con- struction of the railway between Hongkong and Canton, for which a concession was granted to a British syndicate some years ago by the Chinese Government. The development of railway enter. prise in other parts of China has, in the opinion of the Government and the entire commercial community, rendered it of paramount importance to the prosperity of Hongkong that this Colony should be connected by railway with the capital of the Kwangtung Province, which is to be connected by a trunk line with the Yangtse Valley.
THE COMING MAN IN CHINA.
re-
Mr. A. R. Colquhoun, writing in the North American for July, suggests that the generation of China may be achieved by the Chinese General Yuan Shih-Kai. He says:--
The necessity of a trained army for China, with all the accompaniments of modern equip- ment, had long been realised by some of the foremost Chinese statesmen of the day, and by none more clearly than by the Generalissimo of the Northern Forces, Yuan Shih-Kai. This personage has accomplished the difficult task of The full effect of the abolition of the Euro-balancing himself on two stools, heing at once pean Sugar Bounties was not felt, the markets the favourite of the Empress Dowa, er and the being still over-stocked.
favourer of reform. It is well known that he gained the confidence of that remarkable woman, Tszu-Hszi, by an act of treachery to the reformers; but it is also conceded by many who are in sympathy with the Reform party that, at the time of the coup d'état, their programme was revolutionary and unlikely to produce good results. Yuan Shih-Kai, having gained a firm footing by his action, has since that time quietly but firmly supported the less visionary reforms, and at the present time has achieved a unique position in China. He is regarded by his countrymen as their one hope in the future, and Europeans who know him speak in the highest terms of his character and capacity. His chief efforts have been bent to the training and equipment of an army in Northern China; for one of his maxims is, that
The Cotton Spinning industry suffered (in labour) from the plague, and speculation demoralised the market. The outlook won't improve until cotton can be bought more reasonably.
If the valleys of the New Territory could be utilised for cotton plantations whereby the raw material could be procured at permanent prices, or at least at prices which could be approximate ly foretold, the industry would undoubtedly receive a much-needed impetus.
Better kinds of sugar cane had been success-policy without force is useless. fully grown, the Castle Peak experiments It is needless to say that Japan plays a great turning out very well. Agriculture generally was not a subject for congratulation. New Territory included 90,000 acres under cultiva tion, but mostly exceedingly poor soil.
The educational system of the Colony was still undergoing revision, and grants were now
part in the considerations of this Chinese statesman. It must be remembered that, unlike Li Hung-Chang, he has resisted the influence of Russia, while to Germany he has been a thorn in the side (in Chihli and Shantung), resisting her attempts at encroachment, barring her way
The Merchant Service Guild bave recently
ASSA: SOTS
interested themselves in the case of the collisio between the Imper al Chinese Government cruiser Kiang Tai, the Empress of India, belonging to the Can dian Pacific Line, thi latter vessel being held alone to blame by His Britannic Majesty's Supreme Court of th Admiralty held at Shanghai, The Guild in communicating with the Foreign Office stated that they did not wish to enter into the merits or demerits of this particular case, but they strongly questioned the appointment of the who were appofuted to advise the Chief Justice, Sir Hirani 8. Wilkinson. Thes+ sessors, it appears. were Captain C. H. B. Moore, N., of H.M.8. Sirius, and the other the navigating-lieutenant of the same vessel, Lieut. A. E. House, R.N. As one side of the case cone rned a merchant vessel, the Guild felt that an assessor with experience in the merchant service was essential, but apart from this fact they thought it extremely andesirable that whilst one assessor was a osptain of one of His Majesty's ships the other should be a subordinate officer of the same vessel. Without questioning the good faith or capabilities of either assessor, the Guild held that the calculated to interfere very greatly with his ap ointment of a subordinate officer WIN independence of judgment, and undoubtedly b those of his superior officer. The Guild referred would not care to press bis opinions against
to the procedure at Courts of Inquiry, and at Admiralty actions in this country, and in response to their representations the Marquis of "Lausdowne has caused a despatch to b addressed to the Chief Justice at Shanghai, requesting tlat in cases where a merchant ship is concerned one of the assessors may, if possible, be a man having experience in the
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merchant service.
.6
YELLOW PERIL" IN NEW GUISE.
•
The Shanghai Mercury describes the scares published in connection with the "Orohardista" as our old friend the Yellow Peril" in a new dress. People have seen that the attempt to raise this particular bogey was too barefaced altogether. Even Frenchmen, who as the allies of Russia would do and say a good deal for their friend, could only smile when the Tsar's money was squandered in the advertisement of the Kaiser's nightmare. Had it not been so highly fathered on the Continent, the Yellow Bogey would have been driven out of Europe with shouts of laughter. But lese majesté forbids. What more natural that we should find strong efforts on its behalf to ensure a new footing in China from whence the argument. "I told you so," may be triumphantly tele graphed throughout the length and breadth of the world? Secret societies, are as mon in China as blackberries in an English lane. The natives take to them as ducks to water. Often and often their motion has done harm to China, but perhaps : ay frequently it has done good. If their action has been frankly anti-foreign, as we know it has at times, there is nothing much to wonder at in that. It has ever been so in times of transi- tion, and as every foreigner knows, misionaries, who, by openly assuming official power and in- torfering" with native legal procedure, have
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