August 17, 1908.]
REVIEWS.
Shooting in China. By T. R. JERNIGAN (Methodist Publishing House, Shanghai). Though Mr. Jernigan's shooting experience has been chiefly in the Yangtse Valley there are many keen sportsmen in South China who will welcome the publication of this volume. Much valuable advios will ba found in its 3 0 odd pages which will be of service in any part of Chias, while the informa- tion given respecting the small and big game in China makes the book of permanent value. To give some idea of the sport afforded in the Yangise Valley the author quotes the following authenticated bag:-"At Wabu, 2 gaas, 211 days' shooting, 1,316 heads, made up as follows:--- 889 pheasants, 27 deer, 254 teal, 24 duck, 26 woodcocks, 32 hares, 18 partridges, 9 geese, 32 snipes, 1 bittern, 2 fores, wild cat, 1 ground hog." In the Hangchow district it would seem that sport is not a whit less good. There were bagged there in 1903 "by 5 guns in 14 days shooting and three guos daring 7 days shooting, 640 heads, made up of 331 pheasants, 115 partridges, 89 quails, 29 saipes, 15 woodcocks, 11 hares, 2 deer, I plover, 2 foxes, 1 corncrate, 1 oivet-cat, wild cat, and 1 coon dog." This must be acknowledged to be most satisfactory bag, and one that for variety it would be difficult to surpass. The illustrations might have been better, but imperfect as they are, they form an acceptable addition to the book. Mr. H. T. Wade, who was an early day sportsman and one of the best informed on the subject, has contributed some twenty pages of reminiscences which add con- siderably to the interest of the volume. Books on sport in China are so few that sportsmen in the South as well as well as in the North of China will gladly welcome this addition to the literature on the subject. Oar copy of the book was received throngh Messrs W. Brewer & Co., Ltd.
B
The Trade and Administration of the Chinese Empire, by H, B. MORSE. Kelly and Walsh Limited.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
It should be sufficient merely to announce the publication of such a book as this by the Statistical Secretary of the Customs to ensure for it a demand from every man who takes a serious interest in China. Mr. H. B. Morse has spent thirty-three years of his life in the service of the Imperial Maritime Customs of China and his qualifications for writing on the subject of the trade and administration of China are indisputable.
ав
In the preface the author explains that the book is intended to portray the present state of the Chinese Empire, with such record of the past as will show by what process of evolution the existing stato bas been reached. The first two chapters on Chinese History have been written by the Rev. F. L. Hawks Potts, D.D., and we have no hesitation in endorsing Mr. Morse's remark that Dr. Hawks Potts task of condensing the history of forty centuries
into has many pages
been done in
EL very judicious way. Nor have we anything but the highest praise for the concise, luoid and interesting manner in which the rest of the book has been written. The other chapters treat of the Government, the Revenue and Expenditure, the Currency, Weights and Measures, Extraterritoriality, the Provinoes and the Treaty Ports, Foreign Trade, Internal Trade, Opium, the Inspectorate of Customs and the Post Office. The book is illustrated by mape, diagrams and several very interesting half tone views,
IMPORTS.:-
There is a wealth of information in this work which is not to be found in so accessible a form in any other book on China that we are acquainted with, and we have the greatest pleasure in recommending the volume as the most useful book on China that has been published for many years
COMMERCIALI
RICE.
HONGKONG, 17th August:-The market is steady and the prices are the same as last reported.
Quotations are ;— Saigon, Ordinary
+1
11
Round, Good quality Long..
5.10
$4.90 to $4.95
5.05 to 5.20 Lo Siam, Field will cleaned, No. 2... 4.70 to
Garden,
No. 1 5.10 to White,
6.40 to 5.80 to
Owing to the heavy consumption of tobacco and cigarettes in China, His Highness Prince Pa Ting, President of the Ministry of Agriculture, has proposed that the Government should establish a Government Tobacco Mon. opoly Bureau in Peking, the object of which shall be to improve the growth of tobacco within the Empire and push its sale. The matter is at present under consideration.
14
J
Fine Cargo
SUGAR.
5.25 4.75 5.15 5.45 5.85
YOKOHAMA, 30th July.-The situation has slightly improved and the importation of foreign produce is slowly commencing again.
Quotations are:- Malwa New Malwa Old Malwa Older Malwa Very Old Persian Fine Quality Persian Extra Fine Patna New
Patna Old
Benares New Benares Old
OPIUM.
HONGKONG, August 14th.
$880,000perpicul. .8910;930 do. $94,960 do. .$970/900 do. .$800
do.
.$$70
do.
.$1070
per
chest.
do.
$995
do. do.
Amoy, Gth August.- The import of opium from 25th July to 31st July was; Patna, nil; Benares, 55; Persian, ; Malwa, nil; Szechuan, 12; Yunnan, 12; Kiangsu, nil.
Foochow, 31st July. Arrival, sales, and quotations are as under :-
Stock on 23rd July, 1908 Malwa chests Patna chosts Benares chests Persian chests.
127
certain trade has not suffered thereby. Beyond the fact that the Auctions have figures as strongly as usual in the week's doings, and clearances of goods have kept on a fairly liberal scale, there is not much to say regarding our market. No fresh transactions, to our knowledge, have been entered into, and holders look with scorn at the offers that are made for staple goods in stock. The tendency of the d-alers now is to assume an aggrieved air, attributing all the misfortunes that have befallen them to the heavy penalties forced on the Country by such little incidents as the Boxer troubles, and expect Importers, who have indented for goods on their acconnt, to bear the greater part of the losses accordingly, as though they had benefited under he indemnities. However, there can be no doubt that a poor excuse is better than none at all still holds good, and it is certain sure that the trade, as represented by the dealers here, is in a very parious state. Their position is fully realised by the Country merchants, who are evidently determined to squeeze them to the last farthing, while unfortunately the size of the stock here prevents them putting up any reason- able resistance. They are in fact between the "devil and the deep sea." and their position becomes more and more untenable as freshsupplies come along, unburthened by carrying charges. That the situation generally is mending is beyond all dispute, but there is still a great deal of dis- agreeable liquidation to be gone through of goods that have accumulated during the last two years. There is a good consumptive demand, unquestion- ably, at a price, but that price is considerably below what Importers have had to pay, or induced their indentors to pay in recent years. The cost of living, and of commodities, has gone up in this. Country tremendously, but not so the wage earn- ing capacity of the majority, and thereby their consumptive powers of imported articles are so much curtailed. Legislation, however, is being brought to assist nature in resisting the natural laws of supply and demand and any return to reasonable prices that might have been expected stocks by a bumper cotton crop in the United States is threatened to be counteracted by the new interstate commercial laws, which are anti- cipated, if they come into force, to effectually put the Pacific Steamer Companies out of business by compelling the Railway Companies to charge prohibitive rates for haulage to the Pacific Coast Ports. A strong protest has been entered and the date of the inception of the new law postponed to the 1st October. Meanwhile, so far as this brauch of trade is concerned, it will make no perceptible difference at themoment, but it will be very prejudical to the Oriental trade generally if the law is carried into effect. Manchester has been enjoying holiday this week, and from the absence of usual telegrams some quarters are evidently prolonging them. There is very little in the way of news concerning the market, which, however, is considerably above the prices ruling hero and at which anything could be sold with freedom. The Liverpool market for "spot Canton has been steadily strengthening, the quotation for Mid-American coming 6.12d. and Egyptian 7d. No mention has been made of "futures." The condition of the American Crop on 25th July is reported by the U.S. Govern- ment to be 83, but although eight points over last year not very much store is put on it, as the next six or eight weeks are the most critical during the growing period. The Export of Plain Cottons last month from England to Hongkong and China was 31,000,000 yards. Dyed Cottons 9,600,000 yards and Printed Cottons 1,500,000 From yards, quite an ample supply of all kinds, New York there is very little news, in fact only sufficient to show that full prices are still wanted, with no particular pressure to sell. The Cotton quotations there ara 9.57 cents September, 9.64 cents October and 9.36 cents December option, the first quotation coming this morning, the others yesterday. Aş regards the business FoocHow, 31th July.-Imported since Ist June, for by far the bulk of it.
done we must refer to the Auction particulars 1908, as per last statement 786,831
As a matter of fact 1907-1,383,314 gallons.
the only two sales reported to us of private origin are moderate parcels of 8.4 lbs. shirtings, namely Green Pab-zu-doo at T. 2.57) and Silver Sycee at T 2.87). There is considerable enquiry for Faney Goods at a price, and some are re- ported to have changed hands, but at ruinous rates for the most part, though there ате exceptional instances. The Auctions have gone with some steadiness аз regards the staple
especially. Turkey Beds are distinctly firmer, makes of Grey and Whites, the latter more
the dealers no doubt railing the better statisti- cal position of these goods, not to mention their intrinsically cheap prices. Fast Black Cotton Italians and Venetians are decideedly firmer, although ridiculously low prices are being offered in some quarters and forced sales arq
Malwa chusts Patna chests Benares chests Persian chests.
23
५
5
.54
Total
90
Imported during the week
41
12
8
Total
.34 --95
Sales during the week
.3-4
7
6
.27
Total
-74
Estimated Stock
.30
13
7
..GI
Malwa chest Patna chests Benares chests Persian chests
Malva chests Patna chests Benres cheste. Persian chests
Total
Quotations
111
Malwa chests, new $1,000, old $1,030 « 1,0HO Patna chests, piculs $1.20, new $1,080 a 1,110 Be ares chests, piculs $1.20, new $1,050 a 1.100 Persian chests, $800 a $9.15, paper,
FLOUR.
FooсHow, 31st July.-Imported since 1st June, 1908, as per last statement 49,571 bags. 1907- 71,195 bags. Imported during the week 3100 bags. 1907-78,591 hags. Total 52,671 bags. 1907-total 149,789 bags.
KEROSINE.
PIECE GOODS.
gallons.
Messrs. Noel, Murray & Co.'s Report on the Shanghai Piece Goods Trade, dated Shanghai 6th August, 1908, states:-The interval has been Holidays, which were most opportune and wel- rather broken into by the usual Autumn Bank
continues. The absence of Exchange quotations como during the intensely hot spell which still naturally has a very important bearing on all transactions and so long as they are not available business is more or less at a standstill. Short sea trips to the Coast Ports or Japan have been very freely availed of. In this why the traditions of Manchester have been kept up, and it is pretty
52
at the grang meres que yo
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