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THE BOYCOTT OF JAPANESE GOODS AT CANTON.
褪
Some correspondence has recently passed between the Japanese Consul at Canton and H.E, the Viceroy.
The Japanese Cousul in his last despatch wrote that the boycott of Japanese goods by the Kwangtung merchants had been constantly in his mind. He had writtten and discussed the subject with the Viceroy on many occasions and had plainly pointed out to His Excellency the serious effect of it on Japanese trade, and had repeatedly begged His Excellency to give the matter his careful consideration and devse means to stop the boycott and restore the normal course of trade. But, instead of matters improving he found that the local Guilds,-Sea Delecacio, Piece Goods and others-bave convened public meetings for the purpose of deciding on more stringent measures to be taken in promotion of the boycott of Japanese goods-in fact to start a boycott proper. They have framed stringent regulations and have warned the people that heavy fines will be imposed on those persons or shops who break the rules of the boycott union. A few days ago they publicly announced that an extraordinary meeting would be held on the 16th instant at the Hall of the Self-Govern. ment Association to adopt further measures to boycott Japan ese merchandize. All notices convening these meetings were published in the loosl Press. Moreover, in one of the meetings recently held at the Self-Government Ascia- tion Hail there were distributed to the public at the door of the Hall copies of a circular in which it was stated that s a delicacies contain poison, thereby leading th public to believe that Japan. ese ses delicacies are poisonous The attitude of the Kwangtung people in the boycott of Japanese goods has been a great impediment to both Japanese and Chinese commerce, for it was not only detrimental and injurious to Japanese merchants, but was also playing havoo with the trade of the Chinese merchants in the different ports in Japan.
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Japan and Chins, the dispatch goes on to say, have been on peaceful terms for a long time and the very fact that the Kwangtang Province is the only place in China that has 'instituted and is still carrying on the boycott against Japan, makes it all the more unfortunate that the
ресе which has hitherto been enjoyed between the people of both contries should be destroyed. It was not only injurious to the public in general bat would seriously impair the friendly relations hitherto existing between the two Governments,
The despatch finally requests the Viceroy to consider these statements and take such steps as will lead to a removal of the boycott.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
Ou receipt of the above dispatch the Viceroy wrote to the Kwong Chow Prefect as follows:- |
"In going through the file of correspondence and papers connected with the Japanese boycott affair, I find that I have issued several pro- clamations exhorting the people to 088.88 boycotting Japanese goods and to rigidly suppress the publication of boycott literature and to prohibit the circalation of expresses announcing boycott meetings I further dis- covered that I also gave instructions to the officials to suppress mass meetings and to prohibit the people from delivering public speeches propagating and spreading the boycott movement.
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the local Press to appear before you and to tell them not to publish any articles or notices connected with boycott affairs, as the publication of such things is liable to mislead the public and create idle talk which might eventually lead the people into trouble."
CANTON.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
ROBBERIES ON THE CANTON-HANKOW RAILWAY.
September 11th. Sir Chan Tang Liang Shing, President of the Cauton-Hankow Railway Company has courte onsly requested His Excelleney Viceroy Chang to afford the Company protection against robbers who have recently committed many daring robberies at the branch offices, con trac tors' stations and material stores on the trunk-line of the railway now under oon. struction.
The President in his letter states that rails have been laid up to the district of Ching Yuen; that work has already been commence in the Ying Tak district. It is necessary for the Company to keep a certain amount of ready cash in the branch offices op the line for purchasing land on the railway route, and it
is
also necessary to keep large quantities of materials stored in the stations on the line,
The President also mentions that there are
foreign civil engineers living at various points along the line. All these branch offices, con tractors' stations, material stores and men were indispe asible to the Company and, therefore, adequate protection to life and property is Deded.
The Company employed about 300 soldiers to guard the line and the President considers this a fairly larger number considering the present length of the line. But daring attacks by robbers on the various stations had become frequent and had caused considerable alarm among the employed. The letter specifies seven daring robberies on different offices and stations on the line during the last two months when many men were seriously wounded by the robbers for offering resistance. Not one of those robbers has yet been arrested and punished by the Magistrates.
He begged the Viceroy to give instruction< to the Nam-Hoi, Poon-Yee, Ying Tak and Fa Yuen Magistrates and to the military authori ties to station soldiers along the line to afford the necessary protection. In conclusion the President remarked that, un-88__ such extra protection is afforded to the Company, he believes that the construction of the trunk-line will be seriously retarded.
It is reported that the Viceroy has already instructed the above mentioned officials to give the protection required by the Railway Company.
WHOLESALE KIDNAPPING.
Pirates have kidnapped many wealthy mer ohants and the sons and grandsous of merchants and gentry in several villages on the oatskiris of the Hok-Shan city, near Sam-Shui, and are demanding heavy ransoms from the relations of the victims. It is reported that one of the victims, a rich tes merchant named Lan Yee Pong, was released by the pirates a few days ago on receipt of several thousands of dollars.
September 12th.
CHINESE MANUFACTURED FOREIGN GOODS
"I am now in receipt of another dispatob A short article which appears in this mor from the Japanese Consul Blating thatning's issue of the “Sxo Man Po states that the Sea Delicacies and other Guilds have
they have received specimens of mucilage, again been circulating expresses convening foreign ink and alate pencils manufactured by meetings and urging the people not to purchase the Chai Po Hok She, of Canton. It says that
or use Japanese goods.
these articles are far superior in quality and make to those imported from foreign countries. The paper congratulates the factory on thus showing how another leak in China "tes oup" can be stopped, and how the profit and influence which bas hitherto been flowing into foreign countries can be ret ined in the country. It, therefore, recommends those persons who do not value foreign things to patronise the factory, whose offices are situated in front of the Provincial Treasurer's Yemen Bat are there any Chinese who do not value foreign things?
"Steps should be immediately taken to inquire into the matter and to have the move- ment suppressed, 1 further order you to immediately assemble the representatives of the Ses Delicacies, Piece Goods and other Guilds and also the gentry and merchants of the Self- Government Association and to inform them that they must obey the proclamations which were issued by me. They must carry on their business in the usual peaceful way and must not incite the people to disturb the public peace. otherwise they are liable to get themselves into serious trouble. At the same time you are also requested to summon the editors of
BFFORTS TO PROMOTE MINING.
The Board of Agriculture Labour and Com- merce in Peking is urging all Viceroys
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[September 19, 1908.
Governors and Tuotais of Iddustry in all the Provinces to earnestly invite the merchants to take up mining boncessions in their respective provinces. The dispatch, a copy of which has been received by Viceroy Chang, mys that the most important thing in the mining business in first to raise a suficient amount of capital for developing the mine, and next to that comes the honesty of the persons who manage the concern. In order to preserve the infigence and power of the nation the people must deepen the channel from whence the riches flɔw.
Of recent years the reports sent to the Board by the officials of all the Provinces regarding merchants who have applied for mining concessions merely mentioned that the concessionnaire is a fairly well-to-do merchant and capable of raising the necessary funds to work the mine, But no particulars were furnished to the Board as the amount of ospital actually raised or of the methods pro- posed to be adopted by concessionaires in developing the mine. In fact, all reports were so vague that there were no means by which they could ascertain the capabilities of any of the
concessionnaries.
The dispatch requests the Viceroy in future, before granting any mining licenses to mer- chants to first find out what amount of capital has been raised, the actual sum subscribed by the applicaut himself, and what amount by his partners. In the case of joint Chinese and foreign capital the actual amount sub. scribed by the Chinese and the number of shares taken up by the foreigners must be stated, and similarly with regard to official and merchant capital.
THE CANTON FLOOD FUND BAZIAE, The Bassar Committee reported that they hare deposited 15,000 taels of the Bazaar Fund in each of the following banka, vix: Kan Tung, Ta Ching, You Fong Yoo, Bip Shing Kin, Chi Shing Shun and Pak Chean Tong making
A. total of
Tao's 90,000 5,000 14,216
Cash in hand... Drafts paid in and which have not matured Outstanding debts, (not) collected, about f
3,000
Total about Taels 112,216
8IX PIRATES CAPTU & ED,
It is reported that a military officer has asptured six of the pirates who took part in "Fook Chow" and "On Kee" launch piracies. The capture took place in the Fung Koon Districts.
the
September 14th.
FISHING INDUSTRY.
At a meeting held yesterday the Self Go- vernment Assocation floated a Company called the Seventy-Two Guilds Fishing Industry Company with a capital of $800,000, to promote the fishing indistry in the South China Sea The business of the company will include fishing, fish curing, the manufacture of fish glue and allied industries.
OPIUM.
In the Imperial Edict issued in the 32nd year of Kwong Sai for the suppression of opium smoking in China it was moroly stated that in future licenses must be taken out by shops that deal in prepared opium, and people who smoke opiam. Nothing was said about the arms who deal in crude opium and persons who purchase orade opium for their own consumption. A proclamation was issued by the loosi sathorities a few days ago announcing that dealers in orude as well as prepared opium have to take out licenses to as to prevent people from buying raw opium and boiling it themselves.
September 15th.
HARBOUR REGULATIONS IGNORED.
A few days ago the Portuguese Consul communicated to the Viceroy that the Chinese gunboats "Fook Wei" and several other small r gaaboats had infringed the Maoso harbour regulations by leaving the Port after | 4 p.m. without complying with the rules of the
l'ort, &c.
Viceroy Chang replied that gunboats of all nationalities have privilegas not enjoyed by other ship, and Macao, being a concession granted
by the Chinese Government to Portugal, the Portuguese Government had no
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