182
Senor Maristany, at one time the Spanish Mail Co's representative in Manila, is on a tour He of the company's agencies in the Far East. is now at Manila, The Spanish newspapers in Manila have hinted that Sr. Maristany's visit is in connection with an extension of the com- pany's lines to China and Japan, but this is characterized as a canard by Captain Osle, the present Manila agent of the concern.
*
*
Last month, a few days before the P. and O. Company's new mail and passenger steamer Malwa, 11,000 tons, built by Caird, of Greenock. left on her maiden voyage to Sydney Sir Thomas Sutherland, the chairman of the com- pany, and the directors-Sir William Adamson, Mr. E. H. Cunard, and Mr. S. S. Gladstone- took a large party of merchants, bankers, and exporters down from London by special train to Tilbury Dock to see this addition to their fleet. which is designed also to cruise during the season to Madeira and the Azores, the northern capitals, and to Sweden, Denmark, Russia, etc. Sir Thomas Sutherland, in reply to a toast. said the Malwa
the eighth was
of its class the company had built in the last five years, and the total cost of the eight was £2,700,000. But
this
was not all their shipbuilding in that period. In ordel carry out the freight mail service with whict. the P. and O. were entrusted they had built in a little over five years no fewer than twenty-two steam vessels, amounting altogether to 185,000 tons, and costing £4,500,000. They could not live by mails alone. (Laughter.) They had to struggle on under the disadvantages of a most difficult service and a most ludicrously inadequate payment for the same. (Laughter.) But still their record was one of which the directors had every reason to be proud. The punctuality of
to
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
SUGAR.
КОВЕ, February 16th. Cane. Raw. The Market is quiet. Muscovados Insis 96% Pola- risation Colour 12 average is quoted at Yen 6.30 per picul ex ship. Osaka Refined,— The usual auction took place on the 3rd inst., 2,000 bags were sold at an advance of from 10 sen to 15 sen, while 200 bags BBB and 30 bags MMM Kobe manufacture were disposed of at Yen 18.2 and Yen 17.95 respectively
tre-
RICE,
HONGKONG, 1st March-There is no change of the position of the market and the prices are the same as when, last reported. Quotations
$5.20 to $5.25 Saigon, Ordinary
...$5.10 to
5.15 $5,30 to 5,35 Siam, Field will cleaned, No. 2...$5.40 to 5.45
Garden,
No. 1 $5.10 to 5.25 $5.03 to 5.10 $5.00 to 5.05
"
Round, Good quality Long.
T
White,
D
Fine Cargo
JAPANESE MARKETS.
IMPORTS.
333
[March 1, 1909.
be sent forward, as it must be remembered fair quantities have been going up all the winter, since the direct steames' ceased running. The following is a rough estimate of the quantity as published up to date.
Grey Shirtings, European` T.-Cloths 32-inches. English White Shirtings, European Drills American Jea 8 English.....
Do American Shirtings English
Do, American Printed Cottons Turkey Red Shirtings Handkerchiefs Muslins....
Black Italians, Plain.
Coloured Italians Plain and
Figured...
Venetians (all kinds)
Cotton Yarn Indian
Do. Japanese. Do. Shanghai
piculs 87,712
1
21,514 4-4,860
€0,820
9,956
3,160
11,030
74,460
5,542
pieces 6,074
dozen 17,380
pieces 1,400
10,053
"
3,041
JS
4,933
piculs 19,444
1
4,483
11,542
It stands to reason therefore the early shipments must show considerable curtailment as compared with former years. Nothing special has been heard regarding Newchwang. The Exchange on this is better and there is nothing, so far as we can learn, KOBE, 16th February.-Cotton.-American.- Forward" quotations have remained fairly to discredit the favourable outlook for as good a Although it is steady, the fluctuations of the past fortnight spring trade as was anticipated. bing of no consequence. Latest quotation for difficult to follow the disconnected advices that Middling is reported at Yen 32.00, but no reach us it seems that satisfactory arrangements hasiness has been done. "Spot" Middling is are being made between the Railway Companies Lominal at Yen 30.00. Indian-Bates have to carry merchandise into the interior and that ruled steady, in consequence of which business the working of the trade will be greatly facilitat- his been quiet.. "Spot" likewise has ruleded and on a more equitable basis. For the Shan- quiet owing to small stocks, and to the arrival tung ports there is a steady demand for all sort of contracted cargoes. losing quotations are: and kinds on a moderate scale. The development Broach Yen 25.75; Akola Khainguam (new) of the railway in that province should soon open Yen 22.75, Bengal Yen 22.00 Chinese-Busi up rich fields for the benefit of commerce; both
"forward" and "spot'
The river rade, taking ess in toth
has been import, and export, insignificant owing to comparatively high Hankow as the basis, is not at all satisfactory.
Best closes at Yen 2550, and Com- rates ruling.
Credit has been badly shaken and the Native Orders are mon at Yen 22.75. Shirtings. A few small Banks are acting very cautiously. enquiries but little fresh business has been
therefore slow in coming down, the business doing Of course the booked owing to an advance in the Manchester being simply from hand to mouth. market. Cotton Goods and Fancies. The auctions are probably supplying a good deal of clearance of stock lots of Black goods at low the demand to the detriment of private sellers. prices continues, and a little new business has A steamer is leaving for Korea early next week been done for forward arrival. Fancies quiet, but so far there is not much demand for space, Worsted and Woollens.-The market for Spring the market being very quiet. Goods has proved rather disappointing so far owing to the heavy stocks carried over from last season contracts for forward arrival have not reached the usual volume. Metals. Very little doing.
the Eastern ma'ls might easily be compared withe
the punctuality in the delivery of the mails between Aberdeen and London. The Malwa is of 15,000 h.p., and has a speed of nineteen knots She has berthing room in the fore and after saloons for 600 persons in all, is handsomely and comfortably furnished, and includes in her equipment an electric laundry of the latest type.
*
Sir Thomas Sutherland mentioned in his speech that he had often been asked why they did not build monster turbins leviathans, such as were breaking all records across the Atlantic? The answer was simple. Three such steamers each making one royage outwards and home- wards, would carry all the passengers which they took in the course of a year. The company would run such steamers if the public would provide the money. (Laughter). Indeel, the company would construct an aeroplane under such terms, though he did not think aeroplanes would play any part in ocean traffic in his time, whatever they might do in future generations. (Cheers and laughter). They did not wish to add this new mode of transit to their many cares, of which he mentioned one, with which they were expected to deal. A passenger had com- plained to him that after a very short journey on one of their boats he had added 10lb to his weight. The company, of course, were responsi- ble for seeing that the load-line of their ship was not exceeded, but they declaimed all re- sponsibility in regard to the load-line of pas- sengers. (Laughter).
COMMERCIAL.
IMPORTS.:-
OPIUM.
Quotations are:—
Malwa New
Malwa Old
Malwa Older
Malwa Very Old
Persian Fiue Quality
Persiau Extm Fine
Patna New
Patna Old
Benares New Bentres Old
HONGKONG, Yarch, 1st.
per picul.
do.
$1080 $1100
$1130
do.
$1180
do.
$1029
do.
.$880
$L 40
$1075 $990
do. per, hest.
do.
do.
dɔ.
EXPORTS.
The Auctions of Fancy Goods are increasing, really monopolising the whole trade at the It certainly moment in that class of goods. seems a great pity that such a course should have to be resorted to and it can only be hoped Recent that the end will justify the means. Copper.- Va ket very quiet, no transactions.telegrams from Mnchester intimate a rather Fish Oil-Market very firm. Kice.-Demand has fallen off and market is weak and declining, Cotton Yarn. The market has advanced since last re ort At a committee meeting of the Japan Cotton Spinner's Association it was decided to continue the reduction of the output by 271% for a further period of 6 months from May 1st. Vegetable Wax.-Some transactions have been done at low prices, market closing steady. Matting. The market for material straw ad- vanced considerably during the past fortnight but there being little demand for stock goods Straw prices of Mattings were not affected. Braid-Our market was more active during the past fortnight, and a fair quantity of little firmner in business h been transacted, prices closing a
consequence. Chip Braid. Practically no change to report.
PIECE GOODS.
new
weaker feeling, quotations being down practically all round. and Manufacturers anxious for orders. Cotton with a few slight fluctuations, as far as American is concerned, has been fairly steady, closing at 5.07d. fp- Middling spot, while May/ June is quoted 5.02d. G.0.c. Egyptian is easier again at 8.3/161. The last fortnightly telegraphic advice gave 18,000,000 yards as the export of Plain Cottons to China. New York is still very firm, it being almost impossible to get any concessions on the prices quoted, which are 10 6d. for 3 yard, 98 8d. 34 yard and 8s. 44d. for 4 lbs, but we understand 1,000 b les 3 yard goods under a private chop has been bought for this market at 10s. 4d. Cotton is easier, the quotation for March option received to-day being 9.31 cents. From the monthly summary of commerce, etc., of the United States we learn the Export of Cotton Goods to China in November was 4,162,550 yards valued at $214,263 gold against 1,481,290 yards valued at $112,653 gold in November, 1907. The total for the eleven months was 74.172,792 yarils valued at $4,242,913 gold against. 37,145,540 yards and $2,581,583 gold in 1907. The Yarn market has continued excited, but buying has been chiefly by native speculators to bolster up their own hold- ings.
Messrs. Noel, Murray & Co. in their Piece Goods Report, dated Shanghai 25th February, 1909, state:The week under review has been very quiet as regards fresh business, or transactions from first bands, though probably owing to the loading of some steamiers for Tientsin there was
The heavy arrivals of Indian this week little more movement from second-hand holders.
are largely on indent account, Bombay is re- Four steamers have left for that Port so far but norted firmer and Spinners harder to deal with. owing to a sudden spell of cold weather the en-
The Cotton Yarn Report of the same firm has trance to the Peiho became closed again as was.
the following:-After the brisk market of last a ticipated might happen, and the steamers put week it was net to be expected demand- would int Chefoo to await another opportunity. The
be upheld but nevertheless a fair amount of River is now open, but the large quantity of busines; has been done and at the close there floating ice is a serious danger and it will pro-
are still some unexecuted orders on the market. bably be some days yet, therefore. before it will The price of Mid Orleans Cotton on the Liver- be safe to "ttempt an entry. The above mention-pool market is 5.07d. and the rate for May/June ed four steamers are carrying as re-exports from this 3,150 packages of Piece Goods and Yarn but in addition there must be a large quantity of tra shipment cargo that has accummulated here during the close season. Until these goods have arrived at their destination and have been put on the market it is not very likely much more will
delivery is 5.02d. The price of Egyptian is un- changed at 8.3/16d. The New York market appear to be somewhat upset as during the earlier part of the week the quotation for March and July delivery was the same viz:-9.44 cents while to-day the price for the former clearance
comes in at 9.31 cents.
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