16
SHIPPING NOTES.
10:
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The cargo of the British steamer Kalomo which was destroyed by fire at Singapore was consigned to Manila. On board the Kalomo and lost with the vessel, were 86,000 pesos worth of goods for the Bureau of Supplies and 2,000 new books for the American circulating library of Manila. Vast quantities of Christmas goods were among the cargo. Messrs. Erlanger and Gallinger, of Manila, are among the heaviest sufferers from the disaster, their loss including fourteen motor cycles and a large consignment of shoes for the enlisted force of the Philippines constabulary, manufactured under contract with that firm in the United States. The opening of the Palomar Park, Manila's Coney Island, will be retarded inde- finitely by the sinking of the Kalomo, the fixtures and materials for which, imported by Mr. M. A. Clarke and coming over on the vessel, having been lost. The wonderful scenic railway which was to delight old and young, at the great Tondo playgrounds, has found a resting place at the bottom of the sea, a plaything for the pranks of the finny denizens of the deep, The vessel was B modern freight carrier of 6,010 tons displacement, built only, last year at Port Glasgow by R. Duncan and Co., Ltd. The Kalomo was owned by the Bucknall S. 8. lines, Ltd., and for some time past had been under charter to the American- Manchurian Steamship Company, plying between the Atlantic seaboard and Oriental ports.
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The fire on the China Navigation Company's steamer Tsinan, which occurred recently when the steamer was a few hours out from broke out among bales of cotton. This cotton had been loaded at Shanghai, and that portion of the lading affected by the fire was destined for Yokkaichi. There were on board at the time 480 bales of raw cotton and 200 packages of hemp, and the damage done is estimated at 50,000 yen. Most of the cargo was insured in Shanghai offices. It appears that a Japanese coolie was found in the hold in a very exhausted condition. When the officers were trying to trace the smell of something burn. ing" they heard sounds of knocking in the hold, and thus discovered the coolie and the fire at the same time. Two boxes of matches were
found in the coolie's possession, but no tobacco. He stated that he had been smoking in the hold. in company with other coolies, whilst working in the harbour of Kobe, but missing the boat which conveyed the coolies back to shore, he concealed himself in the hold. It is believed, however, that the man was attempting to travel to Yokohama free of charge. He was handed over to the police.
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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Jannary 4, 1909.
On her last trip to Cebu the 8.8. Hoichou respect it may be regarded as a flourishing rescued three Chinese seamen from a wrecked concern. The Vice-President also said that the junk some 80 miles from Hongkong. The Government was not in need of the Dockyard sailors were taken the round trip and back to as it had very complete plants at Kure and Hongkong yesterday. A number of the inhabi-Yokosuka, including facilities for the construc- tants of Cebu entertained the seamen while tion of five battleships at one time. the Hoichow was at that port, and before they loft a collection was made on their behalf, and the sum of 300 pesos realised. The sailors were yesterday handed over to the Registrar-General.
The Pacific Mail liner Mongolia, on her last outward trip was christened the royal yacht" at Honolulu on account of the number of royalties among its passengers. The passengers, of whom there were 556, included a queen, a princess, two princes and a viceroy, and from the liner's fore there fluttere the royal dragon flag of China. The liner looked like a yacht as it rounded to off the barge office in the early morning sunshine. Freighted with a cargo that trimmed the hull to show its line to best advantage the Mongolia's paint work was fresh and the brass work shining. It was big for a yacht, but it looked the part just the same,
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A certificate has been granted to the T.K.K. steamer Chiyo-maru by the Japanese Communi- cations Department stating that the vessel is qualified to receive the bounty provided by the Steam Nayigation Encouragement Law for a period from the 14th instant to November 25th next year. A similar certificate valid from the 15th instant to October 24th next year, has been granted to the N.YK. steamer Hirano- maru. Now in port on her maiden trip to Europe.
A somewhat serious collision occurred at Woosung last week, by which a cargo boat and of coolies had narrow escapes from, drowning. a valuable cargo of hides were sunk and a number The registered cargo boat No. 6, belonging to the Shanghai Tug and Lighter Co., was lying alongside the N.Y.K. steamer Wakasa Maru, uploading hides into the steamer for tran- shipment to Europe, and while the coolies were Asosan Maru, 1,217 tons, Captain Tsuiji, from engaged in their work the M.B.K. steamer Japan with a cargo of coal, was observed coming into Woosung at a good speed. She did not appear to be altoring her course, but seemed to be making straight for the mail steamer alongside of which were a number of lighters, When it was seen that a collision was inevitable to save themselves, some jumping on other the coolies on boat No. 6 made a scramble boats, but before all of them could gain a place of safety the oncoming steamer struck the lighter a terrific blow, tearing the less than two minutes, leaving those of the crew whole side out of the cargo boat, which sunk in who had not gained the Asosan Maru, when the collision occurred, floundering in the river. Fortunately there was no loss of life, though the boat will prove a total loss and her cargo of hides, even if recovered, will be badly damaged. The Wakasa Maru was not damaged but it is believed that the Asosan Maru sustained some slight damage, though not enough to prevent her from comming up river to her wharf. It is understood that the steering gear of the steamer in some manner became disabled and the ship. refused to answer her helm.
JAPAN.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
TOKYO, Dec., 17.
A TRAMWAY COMPANY. PROBLÉM.
The affairs of the Tokyo Railway Company attracting great attention, for it may be said are now, with the approach of the year end,
in the history of the company. The half- without exaggeration that a crisis has arrived yearly meeting will be held on the 20th, when shareholders will be asked to give their approval
to a balance sheet in which for the first time.
dividends are considered of secondary import- ance and large sums are set aside for deprecia- tion and reserve. Even the directors forego their customary bonus, 50,000 yen, because of their détermination to reform the company's position. The accounts show a net revenue of 1,642,403 yen. Instead of using the bulk of this in a cocasions the director's propose to dispose of it as seven or eight per cent. dividend as on previous follows:-To reserve for depreciation 500.000
yen,
to amortization fund 175,000, yen, to dividend at 4 per cent. 870,000 yen, carried forward to. gether with sum from last account, over 200,000 yon.
THE NEW POLICY.
fault with this balance sheet, but in a country No conservative business man could find
not at all common, the balance sheet of the where such substantial methods of business are Tokyo Railway may be indeed described as novel. But it is necessary, and had it been the practice of the company from the first to look ahead in this way the shareholders would have been a more satisfied body of men to-day Indeed, the conviction grows upon one the more the affairs of this company are studied that there has been mismanagement and short- sightedness from the first. When, a few years ago, the Tokyo Railway Company, with a sub- scribed capital of 60,000,000 yen, was formed by the amalgamation of the three existing tram- way companies, an agreement was entered into of which was not then realised. with the city authorities, the one-sided character apparently, blindly entered into this agreement, The company, which bound it to the following conditions :- To surrender its whole property without com- pensation to the city 50 years from date; to carry out certain extensions in the suburbs; to pay a certain tax to the city from which the latter hoped to derive an income of about 300,000 yen; and to charge a fare fixed in consultation with the city. These conditions are hanging heavily on the neck of the company to-day. They were made in times of great
expansion, business activity and representatives of the company were without and the
the experience that they have had since.
We notice that the well known coaster, the Kwong Sang, lying at the Hongkong and Kowloon's West Point wharf is gaily decorated, This is not only in honour of the festive season. but because she is at present on her 100th regular trip from Shanghai and Swatow to Hongkong and Canton. She has met with great good fortune for during the whole time she has never, to use a nautical expression, broken a ropeyarn. Her owners, the Indo-China Company, as well as her genial commander Capt. W. P. Parker are to be congratulated on the performance. May the Kwong Sang Japanese press that the Kawasaki Dockyard heavy and the lines when in working order,
make her next century with the same success!
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The Asia being with us again, perhaps one of the officers will favour the public by answering the questions in the following letter which we find in a Manila contemporary to hand by
the latest Mail :---
"Having noted, in the Hongkong Daily Press of December 10th, that the s.s. Asia, due here to-day, after encountering a typhoon, when cleaning tubes, found that sixteen fish had got down the funnel, in the interests of all concerned I would ask: Did these fish jump down the fannel for shelter and warmth, or were they merely dipped up as the ship rolled, and also, what description of fish were they-dolphins. porpoises or whales ? Any information in this respect will oblige yours cheerfully-ENQUIRER.
P.S. Also were the fish properly cooked when found, and were they served as a part of the Asia's famous cuisine ?.
The rumour recently circulated in the
UNPROFITABLE EXTENSIONS, Apparently the item which has worked most to the disadvantage of the company in the above agreement is that compelling it to make extensions in the suburbs. The expense-
was to be purchased by the Government "owing unremunerative under the present system of to the infavourable condition of the business fares by which for four son passengers can has been authoritatively denied by the Vice-travel any distance. Citizens not only reap an President of the Company, who adds that at advantage from the tramway, and landlords an present there is plenty of work on hand in spite increase of property value, but the city derives of the general financial and trade depression. great advantage from the improvement of streets, The vessels under construction at the Dookyard Wherever the lines go they carry reform. or ordered include two of 8,600 tons each for Narrow, crooked, ill-paved, unlighted, depressing the Nippon Yusen Kaisha; three for the Osaka suburban thoroughfares are straightened, Shosen Kaisha; a torpedo-boat destroyer for broadened, lighted, and levelled up in a manner Siam; and four dredgers for the Government and that must be very pleasing indeed to a negative Tokushima Prefecture. A steam turbine for a local administration whose ides of mending roads battleship building for the Imperial Navy is also is that of the backwoods.
In short it may be being made at the Dockyard. At the Company's said that the tramway carries civilisation with it branch works, tramcars are being constructed in the suburbs but the unfortunate shareholder for the Hiogo and Hanshin electric lines, has to pay and get no profit in return. - locomotives and bridges. for the Imperial Railway Board, the framework of a pier for Fasan, and pipes for the Osaka waterworks. The number of persous employed by the Company has steadily increased of late years and in every
THE FARE QUESTION. Profitless, at least, will be his lot until the fares are increased. To the ordinary business mind this might seem an ordinary necessary of business, but not to one acquainted with business
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