502
NOTES FROM JAPAN.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
Tokyo, May 31.
A JOURNALISTS' DINNER.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
many countries which demand that any further diminution of the empire shall cease.
Those who lived among the Chinese and sympathised with their aspirations to follow in the footsteps of Japan and advance their position among the nations view with regret the course of the recent
[June 12, 1909
A SHANGHAI SHIPPING CASE.
In H. B. M.'s Supreme Court at Shanghai on the 4th inst. before Mr. F. 8. A. Bourne, Acting Judge, the Dampskibsaktieselskabet 'Norman Isles" claimed from Messrs Gibb,
The newspaper men of Tokyo recently formed relations of China and Japan and the differences Livingston & Co. sums received by the defend-
what they have styled, "The International Press Association of Japan," and on Saturday evening (29th) they gave their inaugural dinner at the Imperial Hotel. The membership of the new society is about fifty, and it is the second attempt of the kind, a former association having succumbed to inertia. The committee in charge of the dinner invited quite a number of well known men to grace the cross table, and if the future of the society may be gauged by the dignity its launch into being, a prosperous career awaits it. The guests of honour were Prince Ito, Marquis Katsura the Premier, Count Okuma the unofficial leader of Young Japan, Mr. C. E. Fairbanks, ex-Vice-President of the United States, Mr. Valentine Chirol head of the foreign department of the Times, Dr. Morrison, Peking correspondent of the same, and Mr. Henry George, son of the famous American of that name. The majority of the hosts, ie., members of the society, were of course Japanese, including the chairman of the evening, but the presence of American, English, German and Italian members spoke of the cosmo- politan character of journalism in Tokyo. There were present, moreover, individual guests of the members, bringing in still other nationalities,
that were tending to impede the friendly: harmonious co-operation of the two great countries of the Orient. They would welcome the early removal of those misunderstandings. It was certain they would be oarly removed and nothing would contribute more effectively to their removal than à sympathetic Press. Dr. Morrison continued a little longer in this strain and showed his sympathies to be with the big, ill-governed, hapless empire that is in the throes of regeneration.
THE AMERICAN ORATJE,
Americans are generally good speakers. The accent may sometimes jar on the unaccustomed ear, but they seem able better than their English cousin to speak pointedly and tell a good story. Mr. Fairbanks arrived at the journalistic gathering late, but his health being almost immediately proposed, he spoke in reply. There was no occasion whatever for oratory, for the ex-vice-president did not know what had gone before and had to reply to a toast proposed in the Japanese language, but he had not spoken a minute before one realised how he would warm up a political meeting in the States. He spoke Word pictures in a strong, resonant voice. were drawn as easily and at will, as Tom Browne
ants for the use of the plaintiff and for interest thereon from January 26 1907, and for the costs of this action.
The claim was for a portion of the chartered freight received by the defendants while acting as agents for the plaintiff in respect of a cargo carried by the s.s. Norman Isles which sum (s. 1526,51) plaintiffs said is properly payable by the defendants to the plaintiff but has been paid by the defendants to the Shanghai and Hongkow Wharf Company, Limited, for receiv- ing storing and delivering the said cargo,
The defendants state :
1-The defendants acted as the plaintiffs' agents:-(a) in transacting the Customs work in connection with the s.s. Norman Isless on her arrival in the port of Shanghai in the month of January, 1907 and (a) in collecting the freight payable under the Bills of Lading issued in respect of cargo carried on the said s.8. Norman
Isles on her said arrival.
2-That while acting in the latter capacity sum of they, the defendants, received the Tls, 1526.51 referred to in the particulars of the plaintiffs' claim endorsed on the writ.
and the gathering all told told numbered nearly | (who was present) draws in black and white. Co., Ltd., for receiving, storing and delivering
a hundred persons.
THE SPEECHES.
It is a most remarkable thing that at this dinner there was not a single Scot, but the band made up for this unaccountable deficiency by giving as plenty of Scotch airs-while some of the refreshment was undeniably from the land of the heather. After dinner came the speeches, which with scarce an interval continued from 8.30 to 11.30, and during that time we were entertained by speakers of widely varying eloquence and ability. Most of them had something interesting to say. Count Okumat easily took first place among his countrymen, of course, for although a foreigner may not understand a word this statesman says, his vivacity, his gestures, his voice all command attention and arouse the interest of every hearer. The first of the foreigners to speak was Grand- father Times, admirably represented by Mr. Chirol, whose venerable appearance, albeit he is not yet sixty, prepared us for something in the nature of a lecture. And we got it. Mr. Chirol must have spoken for half an hour, reading from a manuscript which had been translated and
their
what we
circulated among the Japanese. Не addressed himself particularly to the latter and
press, expounding
might call sound, orthodox doctrine in the con- duct of a newspaper. As an example of what is best in journalism, he referred to certain departments of his own paper, to the prestige the Times had gained the world over as a financial organ, as the greatest financial organ, because it was incorruptible. He referred also to that most remarkable fea- ture of the Times, the correspondence of out- side individuals or letters to the Editor. Few important questions affecting mankind arise but what are discussed in the Times Parlia ment, in contributions from the public. These letters are always genuine, are not put in merely with the object of filling space, and appear over the name of the writer and not under cover of a nom de plume. Because, therefore, of its incorruptibility in financial matters and because of its impeccability in the nature of its corres- pondence (without mentioning other things) the Times has obtained and holds a leading position among the newspapers of the world.
SPEECH BY DR. MORRISON.
saw
The patriotic keen-sightedness of the Japanese was depicted, how, when out on the Pacific, they their native country low-lying on the horizon, looming through the mist long before the foreigners eyes could distinguish land. Their love of country was graphically described by word and gesture. Then the ambitious Nipponese newspaper men, who rushed on the steamer and asked the veteran politician what he thought of "our country" before he had landed! It is curious to notice what importance the Japanese attach to the American visitors, while others of equal prominence are neglected. In one news. paper report the following morning the main theme of the journalists dinner was that the speakers were Mr. Fairbanks and Mr. Henry George.
WHAT IS FAME?
The last speaker of the evening, Mr. Henry George, as President Lincoln used frequently to do, told a story. It seemed Mr. George had already departed from Tokyo Londonwards when he received the invitation to attend the Press dinner. He retraced his steps and on arriv-
3 That such sum was paid by them, de. fendants, to the Shanghai and Hongkew Wharf cargo, with the consent and on the instructions of the plaintiffs' agent, namely, the master of the 8.8. Norman Isles, and further that such payment was a proper payment and made with. out negligence.
4-Lastly they, the defendants, have not at any time been guilty of negligence while acting as agents for the plaintiffs, as beforementioned or in any other capacity whatsoever.
Mr. Loftus E. P. Jones appeared for the plaintiffs, and Mr. R. N. Macleod for the
defendants.
THE TSINGTAO-TSINAN RAILWAY.
In the spring this year the Wai-wu-pu wrote twice to the German Minister in Peking proposing to redeem the railway from Kiaochow to Ichow Fu. The letter referred the matter to his Government and has recently received the following directions from home:
or
the
(1) As China has undertaken to complete a ing at Shimbashi on Saturday morning was not line from Teh Chow to Chengting and one
from a little astonished to see a great crowd assem.
Yenchow
another point on bled to receive him.
In Tokyo, at least, the Tientsin-Poukou branch line, via Tsining Chow philospher thought, the common people pay
to Kaifeng before the end of 1922, and that in heed to the great questions of the abolt the event of her wanting a foreign loan for the tion of armaments and taxation of land purpose of these railways she will first consult values!
On approaching the crowd, Mr. with the German and Chinese Corporation in George, who is a small, spare man, walked the matter and engage a German Engineer, the with all the dignity he was capable of and Government wishes to make it clear that it is then they began to cheer. He was about to willing to assign the rights of constructing bow in response when something bulky loomed the railway from Kiaochow to Ichow and up behind and a huge personage, weighing at
West of Shangtung least 25 stone and hair done up in comical style, China and allow the Chinese Government to It build the same under the supervision of the began bowing with great good humour. was Hitachiyama, the champion wrestler. Mr. Tientsin-Ponukou Railway Company. As to George, having told his story in droll fashion, the Kiaochow-Ichow Railway the Chinese and put everyone in good humour, likened himself to the wrestler and hammered away at his favourite topic, the inequality of the distri- bution of wealth and the coming great economic revolution, the chief battlefield of which is to be America.
If Carl Mason is in Shanghai at present it The next speaker was Dr. Morrison, whose may interest him to know that the note he business in Tokyo in company with his chief, corked up in a brandy bottle and dropped over- Mr. Chirol, has given rise to quite a lot of board from the 8.8. Eastern, sixty miles from speculation in the papers. Some believe that the Hongkong, is in the possession of the Hong- correspondent in the past few days has been tak-kong Police. The note, which was discovered ing a course of private lectures from his chief respecting the tone of messages from Peking and the harmonies of the Anglo-Japanese Alliances. However, at Saturday's dinner Dr. Morrison spoke a few words for China. He said the national sentiment of China was inspired and encouraged by the self-denying agreements of
near the Shankiwan Police station, was headed, All's well." Beneath was a sketch of what
44
was probably meant to represent a lamb, and lower down on the slip of paper was the in- formation "Dropped sixty miles from Hong- kong from the ship Eastern. April 5th, 19 Going to Shanghai. Carl Mason."
1909.
the one in
the
to
Government should be consulted as to whether it would not be more advisable to connect the same with the trunk line at Kaomih instead of Kisochow.
(2) It should be clearly stipulated that the railway from Kinochow to Ichow must be com- pleted on or before January 1, 1915, and con- sidered as a Government Railway and that in the event of China wanting to raise a foreign loan to construct the same she must let the German and Chinese Corporation have the option. (3) Germany shall retain the right to work all the mines within a radius of thirty niles from the Kaiochow-Ichow Railway and the one from Tsinan to the west of Shantung as provided by the Treaty of Kisochow,
The German Minister has communicated
the purport of his directions to the Wai-wu-pu and the latter has written back to say that it will reply after considering the matter. Shanghai Times,
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.