248
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
no Was
local pronunciation of Chang-tao-80 the cial board of revenue, who was changed yearly. | name of the island during the Ming dynasty. In 1729 all the Fukion Customs stations were put "This Tan-8a-80 is a gallant and freshe under the Governor of the province, who towne, of forre thousand householders, and hath | entrusted the collection of duties to the continually a thousand soldiers in garrison, and Prefects and Taotais; but in 1738 all Customs compassed about with a great and strong wall; affairs were mad, the care of the Tartar and the gates fortified with plates of yron; General This arrangement still holds, and the foundations of all the houses are of lime, the Tartar General is represented in Amoy and stone, and the walls of lime and yearth now by two Maachu depaties of military rank, and some of brioke: their houses within very one for the Foreign and one for the Native fairely wrought, with great courts, their Castoms, each of whom holds office for a year. streetes faire and brode all paved. ["Men. By the time the Manchu rule was established doza," Vol. II, p. 44.]
foreign trade had got quite a hold in Am¬y, The law at this time against a Chinese and this caused the Custom House to be the leaving his country, and against the admission most lucrative in the province. What the of foreigners into China. was very strict, and takings were during the two centuries which when the Dutch first arrived in these waters, elapsed before the Customs came under foreign in 1604, they found great difficulties to condent control it is impossible to say. It was not in with. So hostile were the Chinese measures the interest of anyone to keep accurate records, that the Dutch Admiral, Wybrand van and so long as Foochow received the stipulated Warwyk, was compelled to leave the Pescadores, quota or thereabouts, ΠΟ embarrassing The Dutch attention was turned towards questions were asked. Bat there ov be Japan, where permission to trade
doubt that 88 the country quieted obtained in 1611, and no further serious down under the present dynasty the juok attempt on Chins was made until 1622. In trade with abroad and with Northern China was that year a squadron of 14 ships arrived very considerable, and there was a ste dy from Batavia, and took possession on the growth in foreign shipping, as powers gradually Pescadores, whence expeditions were sent succeeded the early pioneers. In 1727 the over to Amoy to try to compel the Chiness interdict on forein trade was withdrawn, and it to trade. The result was that open hostilities could henceforth be carried on openly by native were carried on for two years, the Chinese vessels. Fron that year until the opening of resorting to every device to get rid of the the Foreign Custom House in Amoy in 1861, unwelcome strangers. They were finally so and the gradual replacing of the junk traffic far successful that the Dutch retired to by foreign sailing ships and steamers, must have Formoss in 1624, where they built forts and ben the halcyon days of the Native Customs. established themselves. From that time inter- From 1861 onwards the Foreign Customs course, though technically forbidden, was reaped the profits; the Native Customs led a carried on chiefly at Little Quemoy and Go-us, quiet enfeebled existence, little observed or the merchants of the neighbourhood taking cared for by the foreigner and the commerce them cargoes of silk and sugar, much of which which he fostered, until, in 1901, much that was found its way to Japan and Batavia. The mysterious and obscure was to have light thrown Dutch trade with Amoy was, of course, broken upon it by the passing of the Natives to the con- by their expulsion from Formosa by Koxings in trol of the Foreign Customs-an arrangement 1662. "The Dutch not only traded with the by which the parent in its age fell to the care of Chinese and Japanese in Formosa, but also sent the thriving child. Quinqueanial Reports on their own ships to Chins and Japan to deal Native Customs, 1.M.C." directly. Peter Nuits, the Dutch Governor, in his (report on trade, stated there that silver was sent by junks from Taiwan to the mainland city of Amoy; sometimes to be remitted to their agents who resided there, sometimes to be given to the merchants who were to provide merchan- dise for the markets of Japan, India, and Europe. This could only be done with the connivance of the Governor of Foochaw, and For the third time, I believe, a commercial was very advantageous, for goods could thus be jury" bas rendered the same decision in the obtained so as to allow a greater profit than case of the depositors in the Tai-loong Bank those delivered at Taiwan by the Chinese com- versus the Banco Nacional Ultramarino pradors. Also, when the time arrived for appears that just before the Tai-loong Bank the departure from Taiwan of the Dutch luspended payment the Bauca Ultramarino had ships for Japan or Batavia, if their cargues sent to it about $100,000. When the Chinese were not complete, they were sent across to China by stealth, where they were filled up with goods, which were brought on board in great quantities and at a cheaper rate than they could be bought at Taiwan, the difference in the price of silk along being some sight or ten taels per picul. If time allowed, these vessels returned to Taiwan; otherwise, they were sent direct to their destinations. The principal exports were raw silk and sugar to Japan, the amount of the latter being as much as 80,000 piculs in one year; silk piece good, porcelain, and gold to Batavia; while paper, spices, amber, tin, lead, and cotton were imported to Formosa, and, with the addition of Formosan products, such as rice, sugar, rattans, deer horns, and drugs, were exported to China.' [Davidson: "Island of Formosa," pp. 14, 15.]
The Koxinga power dates from 1626, when Cheng Chih-Lung the founder of this remark able family, invaded and took Amoy. It was held by him, his still more famous son, Cheng Cheng kung, "Koxinga," and his grandsons, until 1680, when it fell finally into the han's of the Manchu Government.
MACAO.
(FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.)
October 10th.
A COMMERCIAL CASE,
It
Bank closed its doors, the Banco Ultramarino, as the government Bank, paid itself in full out of the funds of the Chinese Bank. The other creditors of the insolvent Bank received in the liquidation only 10 per cent. of the money they had deposited, and they petitioned the Court to declare that the plaim of the Banco Ultramarino 183 not a preferential claim; that the money should be refunded and that the Banco Ultramarino should share in the distribution 29 an ordinary creditor. Thres juries have now declared in favour of the petitioners.
THE MAÇÃO SEISMOGRAPH.
Two years ago, when the inhabitants of this city were alarmed by earthquake shocks, the Government purchased a seismograph. It may interest the public to know that the seven c3888 in which this delicate instrument is packed are still lying unopened ia a godown. When is it likely to be fixed up? I might also ask whether it does this delicate machinery any good to be kept in the packing cases so long? It would not surprise me to learn, when the cases are opened, that some of the parts have become so rusted as to be orthless.
CRICKET FIGHTS,
The Native Custom House in its modern form originates with the Manchu conquest. Tax-collecting stations on imports and exports: The "orisket fight season is with us and had existed in Changchow and elsewhere from thousands of Chinese from the neigbouring dis- very ancient times, and the Cheag family had tricts have come to see the "sport," which takes a system of its own for taxing trade. But the place in houses situated in the Ras Central, Custom House with which we are concerned The season is now about over, but many will was founded in 1685 upon the recommendation remain for the Chinese festivities which take of Shih Lang the admiral who conquared "place next week. There has not been the same Formosa after the collapse of the Koxinga general interest taken in this festival as in power. The Custom Hoase was first placed former years. Every Chinaman has doubtless under the charge of a secretary of the provin-subscribed, but formerly each business section
+4
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(October 14, 1907.
organised its special show in the procession, and the friendly desire of one section to out the other tended to produce a really good show. This year one Cotamittee makes itself responsible for the whole show, and it seems doubtful if this is a better arrangement,
TWO MORE DECREES.
LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT COUNCILS,
By command of H. I. M. the Empress Dowager Tze-hsi-tusa-yu, etc., we issued an Edict sanctioning the principles of a con- stitutional government for the country, the date for actually putting into foros the Decree to depend upon the speed or tardiness of our subjects who shall be able to show a proper appreciation and knowledge of the benefits of the self government to be granted them. As a proof of the earnest wish of the Throne to give a constitution to the country, we have already commanded the establish- meat,
a first step to the
desired end of Parliamentary representation, of an Imperial Assembly to Discuss Affairs of State (Tzechêayasa). In this Imperial As- sembly it will be possible to judge of the speeches and arguments that will be heard in the future Parliament, and their effectiveness or otherwise will entirely depend upon the nobility of thought and patriotic aims of the representations. It is evident, therefore, that the people mast first be eduosted and taught that they must cultivate loyalty to Sovereign and love for Country as the groundwork of Knowledge for without Educa tion how can the people obtain Knowledge? and without being given the opportunity of local self-government how can they obtain the re- quisite experience to govern the whole country? They must, moreover, eschew all evil thoughts that may lead the country into trouble and unrest. To bring this about a careful selection of men of integrity and honesty must be made to fill the ranks of town councils and local representation-men who have the interest and welfare of the majority in their hearts and are willing to work diligently for the good of their fellowmen. We, therefore, hereby command the Ministry of Education to draw up a scheme of universal education throughout the Empire and of the books that ars to be studied in the schools thereof. We also emmand the Ministry of the Interior to draw up the scheme of local self-government for the Empire, and, having obtained our sanction, to have these two schemes promulgated by Imperial Rescript for the information of the whole country. The Viceroys and Governors of provinces will then be commanded to select the places where self-government is to be first tentatively tried. The Ministries named above will also make frequent inspections to find out whether our commands have been carried out or not, so that as early a date as possible may be arrived at for the granting of the Constitution and Parliamentary Representation to the coun- try. Let us have tangible results and not merely hollow appearances. This is our earnest hope.
On the same date, September 30th, was also published & Decree of H. L. M., the Emperor, in compliance with the Command of thể Empress Dowager stating that the Imperial
Decree approving the principles of constitutional government to the people was due to the initiative of the Sovereign who recognized the fact that the country is just fitted for such a form of Government. They must be impressed upon the minds of all high and low, officials and Commoners, and there must not be any misapprehensions on the subject. Officials have the right of government and direction of the affairs of the people, and they must work diligently and earnestly explaining to those around them the right and proper path that should be taken by all. The Ministries and Government offices in Peking, and Viceroys and Governor and their subordinates throughout the provinces, are com mshded to lose no time in carefully selecting men of ability to explain the dotrine that the Emperor desires to grant a Constitution to the country with the Sovereign at the head; and an earnest effort must be made to study the systems of govern. ment of the varions countries of the Wast. Those who have shown the ability to understand all this and to explain them to these around
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