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November 5, 1904.]
The medals for the American troops in North China during the Boxer rising in 1900 are now ready for issue, and the English Foreign Office has been approached, through the American War Department, with a view to getting the King's consent to British officers, who are qualified under the conditions, being allowed to wear the medal. The rules as to the wearing of Foreign Orders by British officers are very striot, but this is a medal and not an Order. It also commemorates an international cam- paign, in which American and British troops fought side by side. The medal is made of bronze, with a gold dragon on the front face; on the obverse is the legend. Military Order of the Dragon. China, 1900,” and a span for the name of the recipient. It is attached to the Imperial Chinese yellow ribbon by a bronze clasp, forming the usual Chinese symbol of the world and clouds. In the middle of the ribbon
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is worked in blue the Chinese character "Fou (happiness). The clasp at the top is in the shape of a temple roof. The whole medal is distinctly Chinese and thoroughly artistic.
A Peking correspondent states that Viceroy Chang Chih-tung of Wuchang has lately sent up a long memorial to the Throne criticising in hostile and strong language a memorial of Sir
Robert Hart to the Throne with regard to the raising of funds by the imposition of a uniform and moderate land tax throughout the Empire, a translation of which was made and published in the N.-C. Daily News & few months ago. It will also be remembered, says the well-informed native notes writer in that journal, that the land tax suggested by Sir Robert provided. amongst other good things sadly needed in China, ample salaries for all civil and military officials of the country, which measure alone ought to have been welcomed by all Chinese who sincere ly desired the advancement of their country. It would, however, appear that the old Viceroy's suspicions nature and his lately developed anti- foreign proclivities which he likes to call patriotism, have made him so blind to the interests of his country as to hint in his memorial that the suggestions of Sir Robert Hart were harmful to the Empire and practi- cally intended to extend the radius of the British sphere in the Yangtze Valley. As the tax is meant for the whole Empire it is har1 to understand why the Viceroy specially maksa point of the Yangtze Valley, whereas if his arguments meant anythin, the sphere of -influence he fears ought to stretch to the very
confines of the Chinese Empire.
TRADE ITEMS.
British cotton funnel (flannellette) is dis- placing the Japanese article at Canton.
Trade in central Russia is described by four Consul at Moscow as very bad since February.
Whereas in 1899 Canton imported 8,761 pairs of indiarubber shoes. in 1993 the number of pairs imported was 234,496.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
The Associated Chambers of Commerce of Japan have resolved to petition the Govern- ment in favour of the protection of industries and commerce, which must keep pace with the victorious progress of the war. They urge the granting of facilities for the ownership by foreigners of land and railways, the opening of Manchuria and Cores, the encouragement of emigration, and the attraction of foreign visitors.
It is understood
that the 8.8. Inkula and
the Katherine Park have
been chartered by Messrs. Gibb, Livingston and Company for the coolie emigration service to South Africa, the former taking the place of the Tweedddle, released from charter. The s,x. Sikh sailed on Sunday for Chinwantao to take about 1,500 coolies to the Rand. She will be followed about the 5th inst. by the s.s. Sofula, the latter boat going to thinwantao instead
of Chefoo.
Two well-to-do Chinese merchants named Lin and Huang have been appointed co-direc fors of the Canton-Macao line which is to be
constructed with joint Chinese and Portuguese capital. The Chinese directors have now each subscribed Tls. 1,000,000 and the Portuguese merchant will also put in T.8. 2,000,000 to make up Tls. 4.0 0,000. The Board of Directors will
he composed of an equal number of Chinese and Portuguesa with equal powers, and the agror. ment will be concluded and signed at Shanghai The Chinese moner is really subscribed by twenty wealthy merchants at Horgkong and Canton, each of whom ɛubscrib+ d'ls, 100,00 — Peking Times.
Yatung, reports our Customs Commissioner there. has not hitherto showed any promise of blossoming into a prosperous mart, and until existing trading facilities are very widely extended no substantial increase in the volume of trade can reasonably be expected. The total trade value-import and export-for the year 1903 was only Rs. 1,373,365-roughly about £90.000. The futility of expatiating at length on such padling trade will be appare it With the advent of the Mission came great improve. ments in the approaches to Yatung. It has before been pointed out that the natural road- way to Tibet from India lies either upthe course of the Mochu or Dichu Rivers through Bhutan to the Chumbi Valley, and it is only reasonable to suppose that a road will shortly be constructed over one of these rontes which will place the Chumbi Vall-y within easy access of India, and greatly obviate · the present difficulties of tra: sport.
It is not pleasant news to British manufac- turers that the Siamese Government have recently passed the large contract for steel rails to a Belgian firm. In the present instance it would appear that the Siamese authorities were actuated entirely by motives of economy. the Belgian tender quoting cons derably lower prices than were stipulated for by the English competitors. If this is so, we do not Pictures printed from copper plates, even know remarks the L. & C. Express, that the though only advertising matter, have to pay a fatter have any ground for complaint (as duty of 25 per cent, ad valorem entering Japan. certainly was the case ou a previous occasion), The bund and wharves at Tient-in are abso- for however friendly disposed the Siamo e lately crowded with goods, everybody trying to Government may be towards this country, the get in large winter stocks before the river is fact must be realised that governments, like frozen up.
The China Review is informed that individuals, will purchase in the cheapest market. business prospects are certainly better than they Nor does the British merchant or manufacturer have been for some years.
object as a rule if he is beaton fairly and with- The Board of Trade Journal gives the follow-out favour, which seems to be the case in the ing details of trade in South Formosa for 1903 Total value of imports £561,433, as compared with £423,311 in 1902. Large increase in imports from Japan; the aim of Japanese com- mercial policy being to exclude foreign importa as far as possible. Total value of exports £554,468, as compared with £496,508 in 190! Large decrease in sugar exports, more especially to China
Our correspondent at Sandakan informs us that the slipway of the China-Borneo Co. was first used on the Saturday prior to October 27th, when the Labuan (Sabah s.s. Co.) was hauled up for repairs. This slip is capable of taking vessels up to 140 feet long, and of about 40°) tons displacement. The engine works connected with the slip are fully found for all the work likely to come into the Company's hands. "It is to be hoped," says our correspondent, "that such enterprise will be well rewarded, for it is enterprise to do anything new in a country like this."
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present instance.
The Chairman of the Tientsin Chamber of Commerce has received a communication from the British Minister replying to the letter recently addressed to the doyen of the Diploma- tic Corps, in which the Chamber asked for & postponement of the new regulations for the Registration of Trade Marks. The Minister states that he has already received representa. tions from the Shanghai Chamber and has forwarded them by telegraph to His Majesty's Government. He advises British merchants who are apprehensive of their interests being injuriously affected should these regulations come into force unaltered on October 24th, but who are unwilling to pay the fee prescribed by regulation, to deposit, as far as practicable, with His Majesty's Consul General, duplicates of all trade marks belonging to them, whether re. gistered in Great Britain or not, nd to request him to transmit one of each to the Com. missioner.
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The Straits Times reports that there is every probability of a new dock and engineerin workshops being constructed in Penang. Mr. Penang Foundry Company, Ltd., has, on John Leith Wemyss, General Manager of the behalf of that Company. made application to Governmen for a lease of foreshore and sea bed at Sungei Penang, to construct works of that kind.
'The Annual General Meeting of the Sempam Mining Co. Ltd. (of Selangor), was held the other day. The report shows that it had been suggested that the Company should import Chinese coolies owing to difficu ty of labour supply, but the directors considered that any such step would be fatal, as that class of coolie wou'd not be suitable for the conditions of work and climate.
Sea Fishing Company, Mr. Chang Chien, of The Managing Director of the Chinese Deep
South Tungchow, has notified Yuan Taotai of Shanghai that he his mide the necessary arrangements for the placing of the shares of market, and he enclosed copies of the prospectas the Chinese Deep Sea Fishing Company on the
be purchasers of shares. of the Company for the information of would- also states that Viceroy Li Hsing-ju has pro- A Nanking despatch mised his cordial support to the scheme. The Company has now a steam trawler which wa English-modelled deep sea fishing nets which built at Grimsby, England, and a number of
are being copied and rapidly made at South Tungchow.
A dispatch from Naach'ang, the capital of Kiangsi province, reports that a syndicate of merchants connected with the porcelain industry in that province are going to establish
porcelain factory after foreign methods, in the vicinity of the famous Kintêhchên potteries, where all kinds of porcelain ware on foreign as out by the adop icn of foreign methods and well as native models can be rapidly turned
appliances. Already agents of the syndicate are said to have booked large orders from merchants of inland cities, and it is confidently anticipated that as the manufactures of this factory become better known in the interior there will be room, as time goes on, for many more similar factories.
It is reported from a reliable source in Peking that, with a view of starting a gold standard in the near future, the Board of Revenue, in obedi ence to instructions from the Throne, legan last year to collect and store up gold bars, etc., the intention being that, when at least 100,000 taels weight of pure gold had been collected, a start with the gold standard shall be made, the gold being used for coining gold pieces, while silver taal pieces of standard weight are also to be struck. "A few days ago, this subject being brought up before the Empress Dowager in the Grand Council., her Majesty commanded two of her councillors to proceed to the Treasure rooms of the Board of Revenue to make an investiga tion as to how much gold bullion had been so far cllected towards the object in view. A careful examination revealed the fact that only 13,680 taels' weight of gold had been collected, which, calculating at that rate, would require at least seven years more bef ra China can have a gold standard.
The departure of Sir Charles J. Dudgeon on October 22nd for the trip home leaves a very sensible gap in Shanghai, which will not be filled until his retu n. A better aathority on foreign commerce in China, especially on it. statistical side, it would be impossible to find, and the Foreign Office recognised this when they made him a Treaty Commissioner with Sir James Mackay and rewarded him for his services with a knighthood. In the thirty years or so that he has spent in Shanzhai, and in all the vicissitudes to which one who follows com- merce is exposed here, Sir Charles has always been a most popular man, welcome in every society, a keen sportsman, and a man of intense public spirit, althouzh, as far as our recollection goes, he was never a candidate for Municipal honours. No man ever better deserved a holiday. and it is a satisfaction to know that if Shanghai should be in need of a representative at home while he is there, we can rely on his services. In the chairmanship of the Chins Association here, which he has so ably filled, he is succeeded temporarily by Mr. R. W. Little.N.-C. Daily
News.
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