8
VLADIVOSTOCK AND THE MARI-
TIME PROVINCE.
The following particulars have been furnished by H.M. Vice-Consul at Vladivostock and the Maritime Province :-
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
MANILA MERCHANTS AND THE
TARIFF LAW...
The following letter, written by Messrs. Kuenzle and Streiff to the anila Chamber of Commerce, indicates somewhat the anxiety that is felt in commercial circles over the Payne Bill and Colton Tariff :
May 14th 1909.
SIR-We have the honor to present to you the following :
TARIFF REVISION.
[May 24, 1909.
the 15th, and 16th. years of Kwang Hou, the Portuguese made a new road leading up to the island and subsequently treated the island as Portuguese territory.
2. Mong Ha Kok and Loong Tin villages China were places outside Macao boundaries. had here established military guard houses and forts in these places bat these were included in the Portuguese territory in the first year of Kwang Hsu, by whose authority no one knows. In the 13th. year of Kwong Hsu, Governor Wu was deputed to settle the Macao Boundary question but, owing to some urgent Govern- ment affairs this was postponed. In the 24th. year of Kwang Hsu however, the Portuguese claimed these two places as being within their territorial jurisdiction.
The mineral resources of the province are undoubtedly great, and are capable of very much greater development than has been attained up to now. At the present time, gold, coal, iron, and zinc are all worked, while deposits of to copper, lead, marble, silver, rock crystal, platinum, and manganese are known to exist. The country is much handicapped by the shortness of the working season for mining operations, by the absence or insufficiency of means of communication, and by the scarcity of the population and consequent difficulty of obtaining satisfactory labour. It is, moreover, unquestionable that the ignorance of local conditions and the apprehension with which the been made we are not aware, yet hardly think itself is several times larger than macao. The
word Siberia generally, though incorrectly. applied to this part of Asiatic Russia- is invested, have operated unfavourably on the development of the country, at all events as far as the introduction of foreign capital for mining enterprise is concerned.
Besides minerals, the province is rich in lumber, and this can hardly fail to be in the near future a source of considerable profit. The Timber industry is as yet in its infancy, but it is now being organised with a view to export, and, as far as soft woods are concerned, must soon take an important place in the Far East. Shipments have already been made to Australia. Manu- cannot become of any real importance until the factures hardly exist in the province as yet, and population has largely increased and capital been introduced.
Referring to the recent decision that Vladi- vostock is no longer to be a free port the Vice-
Consul writes :---
Primarily, Vladivostock is a military and strategic centre, and from this point of view the tendency is rather to increase than to decrease its importance. The commercial prosperity of this town is, after all, really dependent, not upon the development of the transit trade, which will be chiefly affected by the closing of the port, but upon the money expended on the up-keep of the garrison and the fleet and on the construc- tion of military works. Since the war nothing or next to nothing has been spent here for military purposes. The consequence has been that Vladivostock has for the last two years been passing through a prolonged and very acute financial crisis from which it has not yet emerg- ed. A sum of 54,000,000 roubles (£5,700,000) is to be expended within the next three years by the Government in strengthening the forti- fications and building barrack and officers' quarters, and it is anticipated that this will result in a
certain revival of commerical
prosperity.
The bulk of the foreign European population here is German; the number of residents of British
small, nationality is
not being more than seventy in all. Of these about forty. are natives of India, mostly Sikhs, who have come up from Shanghai or Hong- kong on account of the high wages paid here for watchmen. Commercially speaking, the town is practically a German one. Not only the wholesale but also the retail business is in German hands, and there is, indeed, only one Russian firm of real importance; the closing of the free port will, however, naturally have the effect of cutting short the present supply of cheap German goods. With regard to the development of the natural resources of the region, Great Britain has certainly most im- portant interests at stake, and there appears to be a likelihood of these interests extending. The two most important timber concessions are in British hands, and there are several British gold-mining companies at work.
the so-called
Referring to the Payne Bill, of which Colton Tariff pertaining to the Philippine Customs is a part, we beg
to invite the attention of the Chamber that to our knowledge the forementioned law is to go into effect on its passage. Whether in the meantime any change in this provision has
3. Kwo Lo Wan is an importante place and forms the door of Macao, giving access to the To the left of Kwo Lo Wan is Kan 0,
808.
and to the right is Wang Kam. Kwo Lo Wan The Koong Pok Customs formerly had launches and cruisers on patrol there to prevent smugg- ling. In the first year of Kwang Hsu the Portuguese Government placed soldiers at Kwo Lo Wan and also in Li Chi Wan and Shek O, attempting to annex this territory. Afterwards they are reported to have also seized and controlled the territory of Wan Chai and Ngan Hang. These places have still Chinese forts and guard houses which illustrate the right which China has never abrogated thereover.
so, and hence consider it urgently necessary that some action be taken by this Chamber to prevent such procedure if possible. This recom- mendation is principally made on account of the conflicting and alarming reports received through the newspapers of this city in the absence of any official bulletin from the local government. Under the present wording of law any and all goods stored in bonded ware- houses and or in transit at the time the law is passed shall have to pay the new rates of duty,
It is obvious that Portugal is attempting to which, it appears, are contemplated to be very
obtain territory in China to which she can claim much higher than heretofore. Immaterial how- ever, what the new rates may be, solely from a
no title of right. It is one of the most un-
ants, giving them at least some time to adjust does not seem to realize the fact that the days of point of fairness and justice to the local merch-reasonable attempts to annex Chinese territory which has been seen for several years. Portugal themselves to the new conditions, we herewith
encroachment upon Chinese territory are past. recommend that this matter be taken up through your Chamber with the proper authorities at
once. At all of the former Tariff Revisions a certain period had been allowed (though at times but a very short one) between the passage and the full enforcement of the new law, and inas- affect the local market conditions as never here- much as the present contemplated changes will tofore, we feel confident that the Hon. Acting Governor General and the Philippine Commis- sion will give the commercial fraternity their kind assistance if appealed to, and induce Congress to adhere to established precedents or embody in the law some other proviso jointly agreed upon and recommended.
Hence we ask that a meeting of the Chamber be called at the earliest date possible in order to draft such resolution or to take such steps as many be deemed advisable in the hope of bring. ing about the doired relief.
BANKRUPTCY LAW,
From the dailies we have noticed to our great surprise that the Assembly has tabled this law and consequently it seems that again we shall be without some measure to protect creditors as well as debtors from fraudulent transactions in insolvency matters. Probably if all Chambers would unite and approach the Commission in a body, informing it of the urgency of such law, sufficient pressure might be brought to have the law enacted prior to the closing of the present legislature. We recommend immediate action.
THE DELIMITATION OF THE
MACAO BOUNDARIES.
This subject has been much discussed by the Chinese papers in Peking. The Peking Daily News of the 5th inst. contains the following;-
An authority on the Macao boundary ques- tion interviewed to-day said: The question of the true boundaries of Macao is beyond dispute. It may be as well to draw atten- tion to the fact that the said boundaries
are
very definitely known. Investigations have been made at the instigation of the Viceroy of Kwangtung which clearly demons- trate the fact that the Portuguese authori- The fortune telling case which has aroused ties have seriously encroached upon Chinese so much interest in its course was concluded territory and violated China's sovereign rights.
yesterday when Mr. Hazeland gave his consider-) Particulars were needed in order that ed decision and, finding the fortune teller guilty of larceny of jewels to the value of over $3,000 by means of a trick, sentenced him to six months' imprisonment with hard labour. His Worship said he was satisfied the complainant told the truth. Her story was plain and straightforward and was unshaken in cross-examination.
}
the question might be diplomatically discussed and the result of an enquiry shows that the following encroachments have been made by the Portuguese Government.
1. Green Island is situate between Macao and Wan Chai and on the North of the sea.
The island is connected with Chin Shan. During
CUMSHAW! CUMSHAW.
I met with a funny adventure while in
paper. Hongkong, writes a recent visitor to a Manila I was walking along the waterfront smoking a cigarette to help keep the amell away-one meets with all kinds and conditions of smells in Hongkong—when a little slip of a Chinese youngster with cheeks as rosy as two ripe apples, approached and looked up at me with a twinkle in his almond eyes and a smile that came of unsophisticated childhood. He looked so attractive that I patted him on his tiny queue and gave him a couple of loose coins I had in my pocket. I never saw a youngster run faster than that little Chino did the moment he saw those coins. He headed towards a group of other little boys and girls who were playing in the street near by, and as he ran he shouted something that sounded very much like
Cumshaw! Cumshaw!" In about a minute I was surrounded by over fifty children all yelling and shouting Cumshaw! Camshaw! and the more I shook my head and tried to frown, the louder they yelled and the more I could not advance nor racket they made. retreat-I was too dignified to break my way through the crowd and run! To make matters worse a number of coolies and others gathered around, and I felt-woll, that I would have gladly given five dollars to have laid hands on that little Chinese rascal who was too unselfish to keep good fortune to himself, Luckily a * rickshaw appeared at this moment and I made my escape, with the resolution hereafter to limit my enthusiasm over a fancy face or twink- ling eyes to just a pat on the head.
CHINA'S NAVY.
DEPENDENT UPON CHINA'S BUDGET.
Before making further appropriations for the navy,
it has been decided says the Peking Daily News to investigate thoroughly the finances of the country. To this end commissioners have been appointed whose duty it will be to bring out a budget of the Empire. Viceroys and Governors have been instructed to lose no time in bringing out provincial budgets. Future appropriations for the navy will be figured out This arrangement has met with the approval of on the presentation of the national budget.
all ministers.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.