May 24, 1909.]
I find the Board as at present consituted, is distinctly hostile to what I consider China's true interests as well as the honest reading both of Loan Agreements and Protocol.
The Board has also persistently ignored my position and authority in a marked degree over since Mr. Chow resigned his post as Director. Under these circumstances it would be impossible for me to serve with the full respect and loyalty essential to anyone acting in an advisory position.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
COMMERCIAL NOTES. ·
CARGOES AT CHINKIANG.
54
441
14
official inspection of Fukui Export Silk. The notification states that "Fukui Prefecture is noted for the manufacture of silk, known as Business is beginning to be very brisk writes
Fukui Habutaye," which has long been the Chinkiang correspondent of the N.-C. Daily admitted all over the world as unequalled in News, and quite a large number of home steamers quality. The total output of the prefecture are passing through our port up to Kiukiang amounts to 20,000,000 yen a year, and the and Hankow with home cargoes and taking back demand from all parts of the world is steadily China cargoes. The str. Oopack is in port here increasing. Up to the present, the inspection now discharging tin plates for kerosene oil tins, of the article, in order to certify its weight and for the Standard Oil Company. The str. Hazel quality, has been conducted by the Weavers and Dollar is expected hourly with timber from Dealers' Corporation. This institution, how- British Columbia for the Railway Co., at Tien-ever, has lately proved unqualified for this task. Itsin, Pukou and Nanking.
To make the inspection more accurate and trustworthy, the Prefectural Government of Fukui has undertaken to establish an official inspection bureau, and therein to inspect all export silks made or refined in this prefecture; so that dealers in Fukui habutaye will be able to transact business more easily and with more confidence,"
With regard to pay in lieu of leave. I trust you will reconsider your proposal to give me a bonus of £600, which I prefer not to accept. merely want what I am fairly entitled to and not presents in any form whatever.
I shall be obliged if you will let me have an immediate reply.
Yours truly,
(Sgd) C. W. KINDER. After the receipt of this letter Mr. Liang Shih-yi paid into Mr. Kinder's account £2,000 опе year's salary), and Mr. Kinder, too proud to press his claim, has accepted this sum in lien of the payment of £3,500 to which he was entitled, Contrast this treatment with that accorded by a predecessor of Mr. Liang Shth-yi to M. Jadot, the Belgian Engineer-in-chief of the Peking Han- kow Railway, the first section of which, namely from Lokouchiay to Paoting fu, was built by Mr. Kinder.
When M. Jadot left China after five years service he was awarded by the Chinese Govern- ment, justly awarded we consider, an honorar- rium of 250,000 francs (£0.000), for the work done on the railway, and 50,000 franes (£2,000) extra for the Yellow River Bridge Mr. Kinder leaves with a reward of £1,500-less then nothing. The treatment which Mr. Liang Shih-yi has seen fit to accord to Mr. Kinder has been a subject of comment for sometime past. It is pone of our duty to express any opinion upon the appointment of Mr. Kinder's successor, but it is our duty to make known the facts of Mr. Kinder's departure and refute the statements published in the Japanese paper that Mr. Kin- der has been treated generously By the Chinese Government. It is questionable whether any employe of any foreign government of the standing and record of Mr. Kinder was ever treated more ungenerously - Peking and Tien- tsin Times.
HONGKONG AS THE GOOD EXAMPLE.
Hongkong, remarks the Calcutta Englishman, has afforded other places more than one valu- able Lint in the matter of municipal and other regulations. Not very long since we invited the atttention of the Bengal Government and the Calcutta Corporation to the successful campaign against promisenous public expectoration that was being carried out in Hongkong. We sug- gested that it might be imitated with advantage to the health of this city. A propos of the Hongkong spitting regulati ns, it is intesting to note the way in which the Tramway Company impress the necessity for cleanliness on their
THE CREDIT SYSTEM.
It is interesting to note from the last minutes of the Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce that a letter had been addressed to them by the Piece Goods Guild Shanghai pointing out the incongruity of the two systems of doing business in that Port and Tientsin, and suggesting that in order to unify the procedure of two places, in business transactions with Chinese and Foreigners, Tientsin practice of delivering goods before payment, and of paying in two months bills be adopted in Shanghai. If the old practice be continued unchanged not only will the business of the Hongs of our Association be, by comparison with Tientsin, curtailed, but foreign merchants will feel a loss which they will find it difficult to account for." The reply of the Chamber was to the effect that it was unanimously decided not to deliberate further on the proposal, and to inform the Guild that any suggestion to alter the practice of paying | for goods by five day Native ank orders, 50 long in force here, could not be entertained, and adding: "The credit system. on you Own admission, has led to failures for huge sums, and is in the opinion of the Committee of the Chamber, against the best interest of traders,
hinese and Foreigners alike."
1
It is generally inferred that the letter from the Guild was instigated more with the idea of getting something done to put down the obnoxi. ous practice in Tientsin rather that have it introduced in Shanghai.
SHANGHAI PIECE GOODS TRADE,
The Notification gives reproductions of the marks which will be placed on each of the three grades to show their weight and quality. If any inquiries about the weaver, or the refiner, be necessary and application is made to the Bureau with the inspection number, thorough investigation can readily be made, as all such particulars are entered in the register.
GERMAN TRADE WITH ASIA.
from Asia to Germany have in 1908 fallen to According to an official statement the imports 634.6, against 741 million marks, while the ex- ports of Germany to Asia have also fallen to 314.1, against 3.9 million marks is 1907. Im.. (407.1) million marks, exports from Germany to ports from British India amounted to 306.9
imports 17.8 (23.7), exports 8.2 (12); Ceylon, that country to 95.4 (99); British' Malacca
ports 70.7 (56.7) exports 5.07 (63.1); Hongkong, imports 17.4 (15.2), exportf 1.9 (2.1); China, im-
imports 0.1 (0.3), exports 3.5 (3.4); French Imports 0.1 (0.3). exports 4.2 (5.0); Kiaochow, India, imports 5.2 (4.8) exports 1.7 (1.1); (102.4), Duch Indies, imports 173.2 (187.1), Japan, imports 19.0 (29.3), exports 94.6
exports 40.7 (42.6); Philippines, imports 3.1 (4.1), exports 5.6 (7.4); Siam imports 16.9 (6.6). exports 6 (6.5). From Australia and Polynesia the imports amounted to 195.1 (239.1) and the exports to 66.2 (68.6) million marks. The whole foreign trade of Germany in 1908 has amounted to 7,664.0 (8.746:7) million marks in imports, and 6,398.5 (6.845.2) million marks in German imports from Great Britain amounted exports, exclusive of precious metals. to 696.9 (976.6) and German exports to Great Britain to 997.4 (1,060.4) million marks. The decrease in imports is caused by the considerable decrease of coal (from 11,952,382 tons in 19.7 to 1,057,125 tons in 1908).
The
Messrs. Noel Murray and Co's latest report on the Shanghai l'iece Goods Trade says:-
Whatever the expectations were as regards an improvement in the demand, their realisation has been frustrated by a countermove in Ex change The demand for Silver on the Loudon market has collapsed, and a re-action his taken place, bringing our rates down a half penny in the week. This has naturally caused a lull, as for the moment there is not much faith in the stability of this downward movement. How erer, it has effectually stopped business, buyers being inclined to hold off until they can see more clearly what it is really to be, and in-
THE CONSULAR INVOICE SYSTEM. cidentally to continue the gamble that has occupied so much of their attention recently.
At a meeting of the council of the London The demand that was thought to be pend-Chamber of Commerce Mr. Charles Charleton ing for the North has not yet eventuated, presiding, dir. Stanley Machin was elected in fact the transactions during the in- chairman of the council, Mr. L. R. S. Tomalin terval have been smaller than ever, but there deputy-chairman, and Mr. Frank Debenham is still an undercurrent of inquiry which is
treasurer. It was decided that representations fully expected to develop into actual business in should be made to the Secretary of State for clients. All their cars now exhibit a notice :— the not far distant future. Since our last Foreign Affairs and the President of the Board "Gentlemen will not spit; others must not," transactions have continued on the veriest retail of Trade regarding the present heavy duties in English and Chinese. But this is not the scale, the demand being simply from hand to levied upon vessels using the Suez Canal to the only ordinance that Calentta might with ad-mouth, and there seems to be few things that Commercial Intelligence Department of the vantage copy from Hongkong. Article number buyers have to apply to Importers to make up Board of Trade, deprecating the proposal of the 7 of the Hongkong Regulations requires every
their requirements. which can evidently be Consul-General for China in London to intro- boatman, or other person, to render every as mostly supplied by goods already in hand, or can duce the Consular Invoice system between this sistance possible to a drowning person, and severe be picked up at the Anctions. It can also be country and China; and that support should be penalties are inflicted on any who fail to obey. readily conceived that a large proportion of the given to the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce The Hongkong papers to hand report the prosecu- goods to arrive is on indent account, which in representing to the Chancellor of the Exche- tion by the Harbour Police of a boatman, who would obviate the necessity of buying from old quer the need for restricting the income-tax in did not take prompt measures to rescue a sailor stock, and it has certainly been noticed for time of peace, so as not to impair its efficiency who was drowned in Hunghom Bay on March
The council also reappointed some time past that fresh arrivals are being in time of war. 28th. There is need for a similar article in cleared very promptly, to the detriment of the two representatives on the Council of Foreign * the Calcutta Harbour regulations,
It will be goods that have been kept on storage here for Boudholders-viz., Mr. F. Faithfull Begg and remembered how, wh n the Austrian steamer periods now running into years. Trieste touched ground off Garden Reach, re- News comes from Tientsin that rain, so long cently, and heeled when turning an unfor-wanted, has commenced to fall and is expected tunate steward fell into the river There to have a good effect on the market. The were a number of dinghies and other country boats around the spot, and several boatmen saw the lad fall in, whilst their attention was also called to the drowning man by members of the Not one of the boatmen, however, attem- pted to rescue the unfortunate Austrian. Had products. an article like section 7 of the Hongkong re- gulations existed, fear of punishment might have induced the men to be humane.
crew.
Sir Richard Martin.
The Shanghai Horticultural Society tried the threatened drought in Shantung has also been experiment of holding a Rose Show in the averted, which should help to stimulate trade Hongkew Recreation Ground last week. Though in imports, though nothing can assist that more the show was a disappointment in point of the than a steady, low Exchange, which is so neces-number of entries, and the wet weather prevented say to help China out with the export of her
JAPANESE SILK.
The Profectural Government of Falai. Japan, has issued a notification in regard to the
many from attending and made the band Concert an impossibility, the promoters the N.-C. Daily News says, should certainly give growers another opportunity next year to display their beautiful flowers.
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