292
VOLUNTEER CAMP.
THE BONGKUNG WEEKLY PRESS AND
HONGKONG SANITARY BOARD.
On Oct. 17th the Hongkong Volunteers went A special meeting of the Sanitary Board was
held on under canvas at Stonecutters for their annual
the 17th instant to consider the sixteen days' instruction. As usual, the encamp-question of declaring No. 4 shed, Sassoon's ment was pitched on the slope of the hill, the Villa, to be infected with foot and mouth disease. arrangement being practically the same as
Mr. C. Mol Moeser, presid-nt, presided, and there in former years. As typhoons threatened and were also present Hon. Mr. E. A. Irving gales blew rather frequently last week the (Registrar-Genera!), Dr. Pears (Medical Officer staff had a pretty hard task in erecting of Health), Mr. A. Shelton Hooper and Mr. the tents, and, on occasions, it took about A. Gibson (secretary),
ten men to hold down one tent
However
all were completed and in readiness for the men coming into camp on Saturday afternoon,
About 140 men went under canvas the first night, which, taking all things into considera- tion, must be regarded as very satisfactory. Not all the men can attend at one time and if that
The PRESIDENT informed the Board that a letter had been received from the Colonial Veterinary Surgeon reporting that foot and month disease existed at No. 4 shed, Sassoon's Villa, Pokfulam Road, the property of the Dairy Farm Ld. There were 14 cows and 12 calves in
The PRESIDENT moved that the recommen- dation of the Veterinary Surgeon be acted upon. The REGISTRAR-GENERAL seconded, and he motion was carried.
the shed. He bad had the place closed, and the number be maintained there is little ground for sale of milk from the affected shed stopped complaint. As a rule the total is somewhat provisionally; and he recommended that the increased at the week-ends.
Board declare the shed an infected ares under Those who went across with the first trans-byelaw 12 of the Importation and Inspection cf port bad quite a busy time hammering in pegs
Animals Byelaws, under Ordinance No. 10 of 1903 1908. and tightening ropes, but they were not too tired to attend the first drill in the evening. On Sunday morning reveille was not sounded at the usual hour, an indulgence which was greatly appreciated by those who found fatigue duty somewhat arduous. However, the Volun- teers were mustered for church parade, joining the regulars at divine service. The Rev. Dallas Innes, army chaplain, conducted the service and preached a practical sermon. offertory, taken on behalf of the hospitals, realised a goodly sum. During the morning a lecture was given on the care and preservation of the rifle.
The
The arrangement of the tents is practically the same as before, with the difference that provision is made for the new infantry company No programme has been drawn up yet but that will be attended to without delay. The artillery have special drills on Wednesdays and Saturdays,
Lieutenant-Colonel Chapman is in com. mand and he is well supported by all the officers, only one of whom is absent. Three new officers make their appearance this time, Becond Lieutenant Andrews, the former energetio sergeant major, and Second Lieute nant Rees, who formerly held the rank of sergeant, and Mr. William Russell, who has
been induced to take a commission. Their many friends will tender congratulations to the new officers.
As usual, the camp is lit by electricity, the work of the Engineers.
CAMP NOTES.
Two
On October 19th saw the men of cannon starting to the serious work of the camp, hours' hard graft in the early morning makes a man relish breakfast,
A rifle has been affixed by Armourer. Sergeant Avenell to one of the sixteen pounders, which allows of additional realism being imparted into the exercises.
The corps has its own trumpeter this year. Bugler Witchell takes all the calls. The most popular is "Come to the cookhouse door, boys' The new infantry company is shaping well. Captain Wood is a popular commander. Several stripes are still to be wetted. The new officers have made their debut. The week end was quiet, Doubtless the gloomy weather kept away many visitors. It ought to be different on the next guest nights. Great coats are popular these nights. The air has a chill that penetrates.
The new headgear gives the men a smart appearance.
The catering is again in the hands of Ying Kee.
The sergeants are accommodated on the side opposite to their old quarters.
The camp is admirably lit with electricity. Guard mounting is better done now than before.
Both returns issued by the Medical Officer of Health for the week ended the 17th instant show a large "nil.” There
were no cases of plague nor of any other
communicable disease.
A SUSPICIOUS-LOOKING
BUNDLE."
by Chinese when arraigned before magistrates Varied and original are the excuses tendered
at the Police Court, and a very ingenious nae was offered to Mr. J. H. Kemp yesterday when a native was charged with removing a dead body without the written permission of the Sanitary Department. Lakong 209 observed the man Thursday, and asked him what it contained. carrying a bundle along Connaught Road on
The lakong ordered him to open it. The order "Its only a bundle of rags" was the reply.
was complied with, and the dead body of a child revealed. Defendant was taken to No. 7 Police gation, and there he told Inspector Robertson that he had been asked by a friend to carry the bundle, and understood it was tobacco. Yester day he told bis Worship that a friend asked him to carry the bandle to a man at Kennedy Town. He did not know with whom he was to leave it, but was told that he would meet a bas ker at Shekteosui who would direct him. He was told by his friend that the bundle con'ained opium dross.
His Worship adjourned the case pending aeceipt of the medical report.
INPENDINGEPARTURE OF A
PROMINENT SPORTSMAN.
When Lieut Colonel Broke, R.E. leaves Hongkong by the transport "Bondau," the Colony will realise that it has lost one of its most entbusiastic "sports"; a man who has done much to promote harmony among athletes, and to purify sport of all sordidness. The departing Colonel was identified with most sporting Clubs in the Colony, and it was owing argely to bis efforts that the Amateur Athletic Association was formed, an association of which he was the first president. He was also rowing caplain of the Royal Hongkong Yacht Club and in this position increased the interest taken in this branch of sport by infusing enthusiasm into the soullers of the Club. In appreciation of his efforts the members of the Yacht Club entertained him at a farewell dinner on Friday night, when regrets were expressed at his departure and rentiments voiced that he would have a pleasant trip and a prosperous fatare in the homeland.
THE DEATH-ROLL OF KOREAN INSURGENTS.
The rioters killed up to the sad of August since the conclusion of the latest Japanese Protectorate treaty in July, 1907, namber 12,016; of these 11,664 of them were confited by Japanese garrison, 696 by the gen farmerie and 552 by the (native) police corps, while 5 983 surrendered. The Japanese casualities comprise
169 killed. 254 wonnded and 8,162 dok, including 796 succumbed,
|
[October 26, 1908.
THE QUESTION OF CHINA'S CURRENCY.
A CHINESE VIRW.
In all discussions on China's Currency which we have yet read the tridal losses at the Trosfy Ports alone are taken into consideration, while the far larger portion of her trade, that which does not come prominently before the foreign Consul, customs offcial or merchant, is appar- It may perhaps come sa a satly overlooked. surprise, to some writers on the subject, to discover that the foreign trade of China repre- seats but a small fraction of the trade of the Empire,
We think that we can safely state that it is a fundamental truth that "the wealth of a country cannot be estimated by her foreign trade alone.”
to have been overlooked by the This a ema debaters of China's Currency question and its omission from their oslonlations leads thém to a false conclusion, the premises from which they start their arguments being incomplete, if not inaccurate,
Now, China is essentially a self-supporting country. Her inter-Provincial trade is enormous and the fertility of her soil provides the necessary wealth with which to carry this on, leaving a handsome margin for the expenses of Govern- ment and public works. China's foreign trade, as we have shown in a former article, drew from the country a sum of approximately 139,692,979 Haikwan aels during 1907 (balance of imports over expor's,) to which must be added 28,500,000 H. Taels in payment of interest on foreign loans,
Now the percentage of China's imports over exports during this same year, with a fall of 20 per cent in exchange values, fell from 74 per ount in 1908 and 97 per cent in 1905 to 57 per cent. Had exchange continued to rule high it is only natural to assume that our export trade percentage of 1906 and our payments abroad would have suffered in accordance with the
would bave consequently shown a much heavier net total. This shows that in spite of a 20 per cent fail in exchange our loss was by no means so great as might be supposed. On importa 416,401,369 plas interest on losna 38,500.000 H. Taels presuming that we lost the whole 20 per cent we should be to the bad H. Taols 90,981,272 and on Imports we should_gain (under the same conditions) the sum of H. Taels 57,061,678 leaving a balance of loss of H. Tasly 33,918,591, or say, approximately 7,5 per cent on the whole import trade and lona
uterest.
Again, if the exchaı gə had ruled high and be disparity between imports and exports had remained as in 1906, as a consequence our im- port and export figures would have shown an additional disparity of 17 per cent. Assuming that this loss would have fallen entirely upon ex- ports, we should have had to pay abroad H. Tsels 418,401,369 and receive in exchange only 244 874,048 H. Taels for our exports. This would entail a balance against us of H. Taunis 171,527,321, that is a dead loss of u. Tuols 4,934,342, The loss to our balance of trade would thus be enhanced by H. Tuois 7,076,748. We should gain approximately this difference ou our loan interest, but we should lose again on the axport of treasure which at the exchange of 191.8 only amounted to H. Taels 3,908,855 am against H. Taels 21,427,693 in 1907, a differenos of H. Tsela, 17,459,338.
The increase in this export trade, however, re-acts favourably upon our home producers and
4.3
■ consequenos, foreign produce being ex. pensive, the inter-Provincial trade is given great impetus. It must not be forgotten that a great deal of the interior trade is still carried on by barter. There is also a verb trade carried on in this old-fashioned way with Bazsia, Siberia Turkestan, Thibet, Mongolia and other bordering districts, the balance of accounts only being paid in cash or by bank drafts. This trade" is totally unaffected by fluctuating exchanges, the caravans having frequently been months and sometimes years on their journeys. Herein lies the chief diffoulty in establishing the universal currency, for China, for many of these traders would be indlaposed to fall in with the new system and a large and valuable trade would be endangered,
i
The present system of Chiɑsss banking in the
interior is exceedingly well adapted to the conditions of trade prevailing where foreigners,
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