August 2, 1909.]
CORRESPONDENCE.
THE TYPHOON SIGNALS.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE “HONGKONG DAILY PRESS."}
its
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
two nights, so much so that I had the night. mare last night, I feel that I really have a grievance.
CANTON.
(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT).
103
Tuesday, July 27th.
ANOTHER BROTHEL RAID.
;
GAMBLING MONOPOLY.
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So I would like to ask you whether you con- sider that efficient steps have been taken to ensure that the shipping lying in the waters of this Colony are efficiently warned about the
A serious riot occurred yesterday in Tung Nam approach of storms that are likely to endanger Kwan, an important brothel centre, in which Hongkong, July 29th, water borne property, without unnecessarily many persons were injured. The brothels were SIR.-Passing up between the Paracel Isl-, impeding the work of discharging and loading | raided, and many of the unfortunate girls were ands and the Macclesfield Bank on the night the ships! To put it in another way-Are kidnapped. These riots are of frequent occur. of 25th-26th, we had a most delightful run up those who are in charge of the Hongkong rence, and the brothel keepers have petitioned to Hongkong with beautiful clear sunny Observatory in constant daily communication the Viceroy for the better policing of that weather and light easterly breezes, gradually during the typhoon months with stations
Wei- backing to N.W. as we neared the islands, situated in such positions around the harbour
quarter. The Viceroy has ordered a and
yuan "to investigate the case and to report on h sea that would have been per- of Hongkong that they can receive an unfailing it as soon as possible. fectly smooth but for a slight swell from supply of aniple meteorological data from those N.E. that furrowed
surface. When stations, from which they can deduce really passing Gap Rock, it was noticed that a cone satisfactory conclusions as to the distance from was hoisted on the flagstaff, and we were given and movements towards the waters of the to understand that that meant that a storm Colony of typhoous that may have originated warning was hoisted in the harbour. We in the Pacific or the China Sea? And if not, could hardly credit it, as the weather was so
why not? You ask me, to what stations de lovely, but when we had arrived in the harbour | I refer? Why, of course, I refer to such stations we were shown a signal displayed on the
as the Cape of Good Hope. Swatow; the South Kowloon Point, and fold that it meant Cape of Formosa, the Pratas Island, and that
typhoon WRS
the S.E. of Hainan Head, to Hongkong, but beyond 300 miles, and travel- ling to the N.W No cargo boats came alongside during the 27th to relieve the ship of the bulky cargo she had brought up from South to the port, and we were informed that nearly all the lighters and smaller craft had sought shelter in the typhoon anchorages, and that it was quite problematical whether any discharge of cargo would take place on the following day.
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It seemed very hard to realize that # storm of any magnitude could possibly be anywhere near the Colony, but after listening to some really hair-raising accounts of the 18th September, 1906, and the great loss of life and destruction to water- borne property that had ensued from its passage over the waters of the Colony, we decided to keep our own counsel and await developments. At 6 p.m. a Black Druni was hoisted on the Kowloon Point, and the officers informed us that that meant that the
typhoon was within 300 miles of the Colony," so we shivered apprehensively, and retired to our cabins in anything but a cheerful frame of mind; and yet it was a lovely night. રા deliciously light and cool breeze making
itself felt on deck on the side where we sat
after dinner. the sky clear overhead, and the moon and stars shining brilliantly. A perfectly peaceful and quiet night ensued, and the sky before morning sunrise seemed to promise an equally beautiful and quiet day; but one of the ship's officers informed us that the black typhoon signals were still up, and that it would be prudent for us to remain on board until they were hauled down, or else we might find it very difficult to get a boat to bring us back to the ship. So again, much against our wish in such lovely weather, we remained on board and witnessed another day of enforced idleness 00 board the ship and those at anchor near her. The ship herself lying under steam the whole time, although securely fast to her buoy, and yet a more perfectly beautiful and quiet sunny day it would be hard to conceive anywhere, or a more perfect day for the discharge of cargo. In the afternoon a launch from the office came alongside, and we then learnt that such stoppages of work in the harbour of Hongkong had been quite frequent during this month of July, and that the losses to trade bad been truly enormons. We were informed that two of the big coasting companies of the China Coast had suffered enormous losses through having a great number of their ships in port and all idle for days and days with steam up all the time because of the typhoon signals being up. and demurrage going on on several of them, while others of them were losing good charters through their time limit having expired: many of their ships also lying idle for days at Wanchai with coal cargoes on board that allow but a small margin of profit if discharged expeditiously; and that a great sum of money had had to be expended on Sunday Permits to try and avoid some of the charter penalties.
So now, Sir, after having been kept a prisoner on board ship for three days, and been made to feel frightened and anxious in my mind during
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as those would constitute the Inner Circle round the Colony. And
Manila, Balubac Island, and Tourane or
Hu would constitute the Outer Circle. Wireless telegraph apparatus to be fitted on those stations that are not already in communi- cation with Hongkong by cable; especially the station on Prutas Island, which appears to me to be ideally situated between Hongkong and Manila as a half-way house from which those in the Hongkong Observatory might be informed accurately as to the meteorological conditions prevailing in the sea to the South-East of the Colony.-I am, Sir, Yours faithfully,
TRAVELLER.
THE MACAO OPIUM FARM.
Our correspondent at Macao writes that on the afternoon of the 22nd instant tenders were
opened for the opium monopoly. The highest tender was submitted by Mr. Liang Kiu San, of Hongkong, the amount being 8131,700. The tender was submitted in the name of Ku Yen San. The committee announced that the tender could not be accepted as the Government's reserve was $160.000. This announcement has occasioned much adverse criticism of the
Government, because no mention of any reserve or upset price was made in the advertisements which declared that the highest offer would be accepted.
TRADE WITH TIBET.
The following is an extract from the report on the British Trade Agency at Yatung from the 1st April, 1908, to the 31st March, 1909 :-
Certain persons have petitioned the Viceroy to grant them a monopoly to open gambling houses in Canton, where card games, especially poker, will be played. Lui Tso Wong, an in- fiuential gentleman, whose name has been connected with the anti-gambling propoganda, has petitioned the Viceroy to discountenance such a monopoly. Recently American card
'stud-poker," games, especially
have taken
a great hold on the people, rich and poor alike, and there is a great demand for English cards. The Viceroy has issued a proclama- tion prohibiting the playing of card games, officials to keep a sharp look-out, and to take and has ordered the police and other public stringent measures to suppress this additional
rice.
THE DELIMITATION OF MACAO. H.E. the Viceroy has telegraphed to Peking his approval of the efficient way in which H..E. Kao Erh Hin is conducting the negotiations in conuection with the Macao Boundary Delimit- ation Question, and has expressed his opinion that, with the aid of an official of H. E. Kao's experience and tact, the negotiations will terminate with results satisfactory to all parties concǝrned.
THE VICEROY ENTERTAINED.
Admiral Li Tsun entertained H. E. Viceroy Chung to a farewell dinner last night. After the feast. which was a very grand and costly was a show of cinematograph affair, there pictures. H.E. the Viceroy was very much impressed by the exhibition, and congratulated the European operators on the good perform-
ance.
THE
July 28th.
AMMUNITION, TATSU-MARU'S " Startling revelations have been made at the trial of a reformer at Kong Ning. Yung Kit, a native of Heungshan, and a Portuguese subject, was recently arrested at Shanghai on tho charge of being a revolutionary. During the trial it was elicited that the ammunition on the Tatsu-maru was intended for the reformers under Dr. Sun Yat Sen, and had been ordered by two wealthy Chinese merchants of California, named Wong Fook Yu, and Sing Tin Hing. Many other influential persons are implicated, and the case is being followed with great in- terest. It will be remembered that the Tatsu- maru was seized by the Chinese Government, near Macao, and the subsequent release of the vessel with apologies to Japan was the cause of the recent disastrous boycott against Japanese goods.
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The total value of the import trade into India through the Chumbi Valley during the year 1908-1909 was Rs. 15,41,078, and of the export trade Rs. 14,02,340. These figures include treasure. The figures for 1907-1908 were: Im- ports Rs. 23.90.783, and exports Rs. 14.49.701. The trade of 1907-1908 was abnormally high owing to the passes being blocked in February and March, 1907, and merchandise (mostly wool), which would have been carried over in
PANIC AT THE VICEROY'S YAMEN. those months was obliged to wait till the passes A panic occurred last night at the Viceroy's were clear, and consequently the value acci-
Yamen, the cause of which was a defect in the dentally come into the returns for 1907-1908 electrical installation. The rumour rapidly instead of 1906-1907. For this reason the apspread that the Yamen was on fire, and within parent reduction of the volume of the trade is not real and the trade of the year is probably an increase ou that of a normal year.
The returns for the year 1906-1907 were not kept. The largest import was
raw wool, of which 46.236 maunds, valued at over seven and a half lakhs, were imported. Musk to the value of half a lakh was the next largest item. Cotton piece goods were the largest export, the value being Rs. 3.15,000, while woollen piece goods valued at two and a quarter lakhs were exported. and earthenware and porcelain worth a lakh and a quarter. This latter commodity comes mostly from China, and a few years ago before the sea route via Calcutta was used much by traders coming from (hina, this would have been carried overland. Four and three-quarter lakhs of treasure were imported, to a large extent by traders going to make purchase in China.
a very short time all the civil and military officials had assembled to render assistance. Repairs were rapidly completed, and the crowd, which had collected in force by this time, and which had expected to enjoy the spectacle of a grand conflagration, returned home disappointed.
EXECUTIONS: A HORRIBLE SIGHT
The 14 prisoners who escaped from the Shuntak Gaol were executed at the Nine Eyes Bridge a few days ago, and their bodies
are
still lying there, to the great detri- ment of traffic. The bridge is an important thoroughfare and the stench emanating from the decomposed bodies, especially pangent in the present hot weather, has prevented traffic across the river. The business men in the district have petitioned the Shantak Magistrate for the early removal of the bodies, as it has affected' business to a great extent.
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