September 14, 1908.]
HONGKONG.
There were only two cases of bubonic plague reported during last week. Both were fatal. There was one Japanese and two Chinese fatal enses of cholera and two European cases of enteric fever, one proving fatal.
8
A Chinese shopkeeper, residing at 40 Peel Street, reports that on September 5th leather bag containing jewellry to the value of $3,270 was stolen from his house. An amah was ruspected and she is under arrest.
The extract of meteorological observations made at the Hongkong Observatory during the mouth of August show that the average maximum temperature was 87-3 degrees, and the average minimum temperature 78.5 degrees.
The rainfall for the month totalled 12:(65 inches, and there were 219.9 hours of sunshine.
A few days ago Mr. J. J. Stabbings, an engineer in the employ of the Electric Light Company, discovered the body of a child behind the works. It had a tape tied round its neck. As it was still alive he untied the tape and summoned the police who had the chil, which was only about six days old, removed to the French Convent. The police succeeded in tracing the mother who was placed before the magistrate on Sept. 7 on a charge of attempted
murder.
+
Venerable Aroh.
On September 4th the deacon Banister previded at a meeting of the Hongkorg Church Missionary Society held by kind permission of Mr. A. Bryer at his residence Tanderagee," the Peak. After tes, addresses were given by Miss L. Bryer and Miss H. R. Rodd of the Church of England Zenana Missionary Scoiety, both of whom have been engaged for several years in missionary work in the Province of Fabkien. There was ocda gaudience which followed with interest the remarks of the speakers.
It is worthy of note that Mr. C.. J. Cooke, who swam from Kowloon Dook to Blake Pier on September 7th, lowered Mesara. McBride and Wilson's time by 18 minutes, the time taken by the former swimmer being 50 minutes, while the latter took 68 minutes to cover the distance. In the swim across the harbour, likewise, Barros and Alves were successful in lowering the time of the previous winner of the "China Mail" oup (Gr. Brotherton), by nearly two minutes. Brotherton completed the distance and won the race in 1906 in 27 minutes 42-4/5 seconds, while in the practice swim on Monday night Messrs, Alves and Barros crossed the harbour in 26 minutes,
The returns of the average amount of bank notes in circulation and of speole in reserve in Hongkong, during the month ended 31st August, 1908, as certified by the managers of the respective banks is as follows:-
Banks,
Chartered Bank of India,
Average Specie in Amount. Reserve.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REFORT.
Pater's Church.
8
A test case of interest to the shipping com munity was heard at the Magistr oy on Sept. before Mr. Kemp. The compradore of the F.8. “Krong Bai was summoned for failing to stamp a cargo receipt and, pleading guilty, was Aned 859. It was stated that socording to the usual practice the compradors instead of ataxing a stamp had merely chopped the shippers' book cargo consisted of treasure and the freight paid on receiving the cargo In this instance the Crown Solicitor's office, appeared to prosecale. was only fifty cents. Mr. Dennys, from the
191
A brass tablet to the memory of the late Mr. | Banks, it is sad, so it is to be hoped that some William Ramsay, for many years superintendent real effort is to be made at last to reform 'the. and later superintendent engineer for Messrs. if it can be called that, has been allowed to drift for the Scottish Oriental Navigation Company, chaotic state in which the currency of the country Butterfield and Swire, has been plaod in St. into. That is actually the first thing to be done before business can be put on a proper footing again. The very favourable weather conditions of the past week have been most beneficial to the crops and everything looks as promising as possible for a good Autumn trade, but is Shanghai going to enjoy that once more, or be doomed to the disappointment that has been her fate the last five answer is in the negative it means that already or six years? It is a serious question, for if the expensive goods will have to be held over to from Cotton casting 30 to 40% less money in all compete in the Spring with fresh supplies misde probability to say nothing of other incumbrances.. The almost entire abeeace of business during the interval, even with second hand holders, has been most marked, and leaves no clue as to the state of the markets at the Outports. Clearances have been fair, though nothing to enthuse about, as some Importers seem inclined to do, possibly only owing, however, to the many lean months they have had of late years. The Corean steamer laster week took rather more than was expected, and reports from. that country concerning trade market is puzzling the trade here, and for the.. are very favourable. The position of Manchester most part the tendency is to hold off. Soms
IMPORTS. :-
COMMERCIAL.
RICE.
HONGKONG, 14th September - Some demands having, come forward, the prices are slightly advancing.
Quotations are :— Saigon, Ordinary
4.80 4.90
business has been affected, however, counter-offer at fair reductions being accepted rather unexpectedly, 84.70 to $4.75 The situation in which Manufacturers now find Bound, Good quality 4.90 to 5.00 Siam, Field will cleaned, No. 2... 4.70
Long..
themselves with the drop in forward rates for ... 5.00
to 5.10 Cotton accounts for this and is making them an- to Garden,
xious to dispose of their stock holdings. The No. 1... 4.85 White,
probably taintell reports of damage in some districts 6.00 Fine Cargo
to the crops in the States caused a temporary 5.60 reaction for American Cotton in Liverpool, where Middling was quoted 5.44d. but it rapidly fell back to 6.23d. for spot and 4.86d. for September "futures". Egyptian has dropped another eighth to 7 d. The Export of Plain Cottons from Man-
22
to
4.95 to 5.60 to
SUGAR.
refined remains at a standstill
YOKOHAMA, 31st August-The importation of chester keeps surprisingly large, being 33 million
-
KOBE, 1st September-Beet.-A little weaker. Cane. Raw, The Market continues lifeless. Muscovados Basis Polarisation 96 per cent, colour Average 12 is quoted at Yen 5.85/5.95 per picul ex ship. Osaka Refined. The Osaka Refinery Bags were put up for sale. 4,100 Bags were sold beld thero anction on the 23rd instant when 5,100 at unchanged prices, while 1,000 Bags were
withdrawn.
OPIUM.
HONGKONG, September 12th. Quotations are :— Malwa New Malwa Old
Malwa Older Malwa Very Old Persian Fine Quality Persian Extra Fine
Patna New
Australia and China... 3,765,479 2,800,000 | Patna Old
Benares New
Hong kong and bangbai
Banking Corporation 14,594,184 10,000,000 | Benares Old.. National Bank of Chips,
Limited
108 230 36,000
Total $11,467,893 12,836,000 Constable Taylor, who has served with the Hongkong Force for about eighteen months, died in the Government Civil Hospital on Thursday night, it is believed from sunstroke. On Sept. 23rd deceased was on daly at the Canton wharf, and when his time was up he went to No. 5 Police Station to see P. (. 93, with whom he was to take a trip to Shataukek on the following day. While sitting on a bed he fell to the floor. When his friend picked him up he began to vomit, and then gradually became unconscious. It was not long before that he appeared to revive, and then he was given a bottle of sods water, which he drank. After this he again collapsed, and became so violent that it took a number of men to hold him. He was strapped to an ambulance and removed to hospital, but the efforts of the doctors were unavailing and he passed away on the night mentioned. He was interred in the Happy Valley cemetery last night, a number of members of the Police Force and many Masons attending to pay their last tribute of respect. The burial service was conduced by the Rev. C. H. Hickling.
$1060/1080 per picul,
$1090/1100 do. .$1110/1120 do. $1130/1140 do. $800
do.
do. per chest.
$920
$1145
.do.
$1100 $1090
do.
PIECE GOODS.
do.
Messrs. Noel, Murray & Co's Report on the Shanghai Piece Goods Trade dated Shanghai 4th Septembr 1908, states:-The market during the interval has shown ho change, there being their goods al present unsatisfactory prices, even very little encouragement to sellers to part with
realise covering cost. The country, in spite of the those that have only recently arrived failing to favourable Urop prospects throughout the greater most places must be at a very low ebb. China is part, does not respond, hotwithstanding stocks in in a transition state, and unfortunately the pro- gressives are finding the greatest obstruction to their ideas in the Capital itself. The old servative spirit of many of the highest officials there is still predominant, and blocks the way of all reforms those outside of that sleepy hollow are anxious and ready to adopt and thus nothing really drastic in the way of a change from old custom can be effected, and what new enterprises that have been started are being stifled owing to the want of expansion and cooperation, brought about by the procrastination an supineness of the Central Government. foreign style of architecture are going up in the It is true fine buildings in International Settlement here intended for the occupation of the newly established Government
con-
yards for last month in spite of all expectations. of a lesser quantity. It is reported that negotiations have been going on between this market and New York for quite a fair quantity of standard goods in stock there, on the basis of lla. 6d. for the best
104d. for 3 yard (Abbeville). It seems almost 2,85 yard make (Pacolet and Buck's) and 98. incredible that this business can have been done. from stock on this market, act in hundreds but seeing that similar goods can be readily brought thousands of bales, at a great deal cheaper prices! The Cotton market in New York is about on a parity with Liverpool, namely:-8,52 cents for October, 8.42 cents for December and 8.29 cents for January option, The Government report of the condition of the crop on 25th Augurt is 76.1, against 72.7 last year and 77.3 and 841 in 1906. and 1904 respectively, the years of the two bumper crops. The Yarn market is in a somewhat de- pressed state, most holders, both foreign and native, being anxious to quite their stocks. There is very little doing in either Japanese or Local spinnings,.. but clearances of all kinds are keeping up very well. A sufficient rain fall has caused a consider- able improvement in the growing Cotton crop, but: the early advent of cool nights may not be so. beneficial to the plants in their present state, We have told of a small business in Manchester goods from stock at prices which show about 5% ë loss. These were spring purchases and so practically without carrying charges. A few retail transaction: in Fancy goods, but not at fancy prices, have all:: gone through, but taken altogether the market is showing as much apathy as ever, It is hoped that the improvement promised after the settling day, next week, will really come about, for the air of depression that now pervades the mercantlie circles of Shanghai is becoming worse and worse. and the prevailing topic is the basis on which indiscriminate booking of orders without security fresh business is to be carried on in future. The.
knowledge of the antecedents of the buyer, must or margins, and frequently without the slighteslė
be stopped and some sounder system adopted, that all agree, but the question is what is to be the
amongst Importers, and Bankers, for the latter system?, That should be a subject for debate:
the trade has been carried on, in recent years. cannot countenance the slipshod manner in which
At the Ewo Auction this morning fairly steady to firm prices were paid for the well known chops of 8,4-lbs, and 12 lbs. Grey Shirtings, but the "10 lbe, makes wert at rather weaker rates. White Shirtings were steady, T-Cloths, Drills and Sheet Ings firm, but Jeans not so. The quantities" in most cases are too small to be any real critation lens at the Auctions during the interyal": of the market, The general appearance of decidedly firmer.
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