----N,
July 25, 1908.]
by a short-sighted government at Lisbon, and though it must long ago have entered on the "age that melts in unperceived decay" it was doubtless the advent of the British as neigh bours that accentuated the downward movement of this once flourishing trade centre. The question naturally suggests itself-Will this decay be arrested? At present there is little prospect of that. Before the oity can rise from its dreams of the past and enter cn an era of usefulness there must be Either the city must pass into the hands
a great change of a more enterprising people or else the Portuguese must be regenerated. A new Go vernor, however enterprising and up-to-date bis ideas may be, can do little by himself. Falvation must come from Portugal. Signs are not wanting that dissatisfaction with the existing state of things prevails in that country but whether a change of government will effect any improvement is doubtful. Still there can be no progress without discontent and one may indulge the hope that the discontent in the Iberian peninsula may
lead to better things and that Portugal may return to an honoured place among the nations of the world and that the visitor to Macao will no longer be confronted with rains which compel the thought expressed by Byron:
Shrine of the mighty, can it be That this is all remains of thee?
CANTON HANKOW RAILWAY.
THE PRESIDENT AND SHAREHOLDERS AT VARIANCE.
A couple of weeks ago the shareholders of the Canton-Hankow Railway Company wrote a letter to Sir Chen Tung Liang Shen request. ing him to engage the destitute people who are now suffering from the disastrous flood as labourers to repair that section of the Fatsban Bailway line, damaged by the flood and also, as a further measure of relief, to employ them to build the main line so as to enable them to earn a living. Sir Chen Tang Liang Shen declined to do so, saying in support of his refusal that there would be numerous bad obaracters amongst the people who would cause trouble amongst the labourers and delay the work of the company In the meantime much correspondence has passed between the shareholders and the Pre. sident who adheres to his original decision. The result is a rupture between them; the Pre- sident's firmness in the matter roused the temper of the shareholders who yesterday wrote an unpleasant letter to the President of which the following is a literal translation -
"We beg respectfully to inform you that with regard to our proposal re employing the distressed people as a means of relieving them, this question is a most serious matter at the present moment and may tend to affect the peace of the Kwong Tuog Province. It is a matter in which tens of thousands of people are of one mind and voice begging you on behalf of the distressed people for your sanotion to the above suggestion.
"The property and business of this Company are public property and basiness of the entire Kwong Tung Province and is a means for its people to earn their livelihood. It is not the private property and business of the civil engineers and B handful of people who compose the staff (of the Company) We trust that within the next five days you will take speedy measures to put our proposal into operation and if we do not receive your reply within the specified time that our proposal has really been put into operation, we shall draw up a statement of the crime of the directors and circulate it both in China and abroad. We shall write letters and distribute them to all the distressed people in the various districts. We shall appeal to the Board of
On
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
our shares from the Company and will make use of all of it to purchase food for the distressed people. Our feelings are painful and earnest and we are still in hopes that you will give the matter your serious ponsideration and come to a speedy decision."
THE DEVELOPMENT OF HANKOW
The following is an extract from the report of Mr. F. A Aglen, Commissioner of Customs at Hankow, on the trade of that port in 1907:- actively carried on in all the Concessions, and During the past year building has been especially the older ones a sure indication of public buildings commmenced and projected are the growth and prosperity of the port. Among three municipal buildings for the Russian German, and British Concessione respectively The former British municipal building and an adjoining portion of the Band have been transferred to the Imperia! Maritime Customs, and the Custom House, situated on the Bund and midway between the city and Concessions, will in future be more accessible to the public and in touch with business quarters The completion of the British and American Tobacco Company's cigarette factory on the German Concession should have a favourable induence OD the company's Yangize trade. Electric light has been installed throughout the British Concession and on the Russian and French Concessions by the Hankow Light and Power Company, and a similar service is rendered the German Concession by a Germany company, whose plant is now running.
68
arrangement which would bring railway an d steamers more into tonob would greatly assi at the development of the port.
On the Yash-Han, or, as some think it ought more properly to be called Yueh-Wa, line, little progress can be reported, though there are signs that more active measures may soon be looked for on the Hunan section. The Ch'aan-Han, the third of the three trunk lines which will radiate from Hankow, and by far the most difficult and costly undertaking of the three, is
also under discussion.
KULANGSU (AMO Y) MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.
Minutes of a meeting of the Council, held at the Board Room, on the 30th June 1908.
Present-Messrs, W. H. Wallace (Chair- man), C. A. V. Bowra, A. F." Gardiner, W. Kruse, W. Wilson, the Health Officer and the Secretary.
1 The minutes of the last meeting are read aud confirmed.
enclosing copies of correspondenee which bas 2 A letter is read from the Senior Consul passed between the Senior Consul and the Mixed Court Magistrate concerning the hours oattle are allowed out for grasing purposes.
It is decided to alter the regulation so as to read as follows.-
From the 1st May to the 31st August, not before 7 a.m. or after 4 pm., and from the lat September to the 30th April, not before 8 a.m. or after 4 p.m."
In acknowledging receipt of this correspon- dence the Council desires to thank the Senior Consul for the terms in which he answered the Mixed Court Magistrate
3 A letter is read from the Senior Consul informing the Council that the Consular Body approve of the resolutions passed at a special meeting of Katepayers, held on the 16th inst.
4 The Superintendent of Police reports that the following cases have been dealt with at the Mixed Court since the last bearing:-Sum-
monses.
Allowing cattle and pigs to atray 3, Turowing rubbish into a public drain 6, Obstructing a public road 1, Obstructing a public drain 2, Obstructing the Police in the execution of their daty 1, Assault 6, Cruelty to children 2, Contempt of Court 1, Debt 1, Obtaining money under false pretences 1. Summary Arrests, Being a rogue and a vagabond &o. 3, Assault, Theft 4, Committing a nuisance 1, Embezzlement 1.
Steady progress has been made on the Hankow Waterworks-begun in May, which are sitn ated on the north bank of the Han, about 3 miles above its junction with the Yangtze The site has been protected by a band on the river face and banks, the top levels of which are 53 feet above Custom House datum. The settl ing tanks are nearing completion and some progress has been made with the filter beds; work has also begun on the lower water tunnel leading to the intake well in the bed of the river. Altogether, about a mile of pipes has been laid. Some 2,500 men are employed on the works. When completed they will be capable of deliver- ing 5 million gallons in a working day of 16 hours. There will be a reserve of 10 million gallons at the works, and the water-tower will contain 300,000 gallons at a height of 100 feet above the level of the Han Rosd. The pro- oess adopted is the most up-to-date for river water, consisting of aeration, sedimentation, and filtration. Orders have been placed for 6,000 tons of cast-iron pipes; three compressors, each capable of lifting 2,500,000 gallons 100 feet in 16 hours; three main pumps. each capable of lifting 2,500,000 gallons 250 feet in 16 hours; and electric plant for driving SHELL TRANSPORT AND TRADING condensing machinery. The construction work, under the direction of Mr. I. St. George Moore, will be finished in 1909.
дот
By order,
(Signed) W. H, WALLACE,
Chairman.
C. BERKELEY MITCHELL,
COMPANY.
Secretary,
The railway to the North continues to
The report for the year 1907 states that, attract traffic of all kinds-passenger and including the balance brought forward, but goods; in fact, there is at times an insuficiency after deduction of the cost of issuing the of rolling-stock to bring down all the
additional capital, management, legal, and other freight offered. The weekly express 110
expenses, there is a credit to profit and loss Peking has been accelerated and
account of £713,818 From this amount pre- performs the through journey in 28 hours instead ference dividends and interim dividends (absorb
The of 36 hours as heretofore, The cars are well-ing £265,000) have already been paid, appointed and the journey oan be made with as
value of the shares held by the company in the great a degree of comfort as is usually to be met
Bataasche Petroleum Maatschappij and the with in other parts of the world.
The line Has Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Company (Limited) been happily free from accidents during the
has been placed at the cost, as shown in the year, with the exception of the derailment of a
books of the company, of the properties, &o., goods train in October, which caused some
for which the shares were received in exchange. damage to rolling-stock and delayed the
Depreciation has been provided by the Ba departure of the express for 24 hours. The taafshohe Petroleum Maatschapij and the likin receipts for rail-borne merchandise Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Company Limited. amounted to about 250,000 dollars. A much.
In addition to the premium of £150,000 felt want is better communication between
recovered од the 300,000 new shares the railway and the various steamer wharves have passed to reserve account a further sum issued during last year, the directors in the Foreign Concessions. It is true that a siding has been run down to the bank of £170,000, and to reserve fund they have of the Yangtze on the German Conorasion but appropriated £100,000. There remains a balance negotiations for similar accommodation in the
of £78 818, from which the directors recom- British Concession have so far been unsuccess.
mend that a further and final dividend for the fal. The Railway Company possesses, of course,
year of 5 per cent, by paid on July 1 (making at its Gare Fuviale a well-cobstructed bund
15 per cent. for the year), leaving the sum of "We declare that we will not withdraw from and plenty of track accommodation, but, excep: £66,818 to be carried forward. They also state our resolutions and we are not afraid of your to land its own stores, it can provide shipping that up to date this year's trading has been power and influence. If we are unsucces8- with no facilities there, and it will be some years Batisfactory, and an interim dividend of 5 ful in carrying out our object then wei before extension down river enables advantage per cent. (ie, at the rate of 10 per cent, por shall demand the return of the first call to be taken of this property. Meanwhile any annum) will be paid on July 1.
Commerce and Poard of Posts and Communica. tions and at the same time petition to the Viceroy, Provincial Treasurer, Judge, and other high officials and will insist upon the Directors confronting those officials in the Courts to substantiate their statements in support of their refusal.
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