i
August 21, 1909.]
DEPARTURE OF CAPTAIN C. V. LLOYD.
Among the passer gers who left Hongkong on Saturday by the Empress of Japan was Captain C. V. Lloyd, who has retired after twenty-four years' service on the Hongkong-Canton river boats, of the China Navigation (ompany. For twenty-one years Captain Lloyd was in command of the large and comfortable river steamer Hankow, whose career was ended in October, 1906, by a fire which broke out on-board shortly after her return one night from Canton. Captain Lloyd, who had always enjoyed the full confidence of the owners and the travelling public, was then given the command of the Company's steamer Fatshan, and remained in her down to a couple of weeks ago, when he entered upon a retirement which his numerous friends hope he may long live to enjoy with his family, who have for many years lived in England.
ques-
Captain Lloyd's familiar figure will be great- ly missed both in Hongkong and Canton. His long experience caused him to be frequently consulted on questions relating to navigation between the two ports, and his views always carried weight in an argument on such tions. As many well know, Captain Lloyd had a facile pen, and a well-stored mind. His little brochure descriptive of the trip from Hongkong to Canton by the Pearl River, which he called "A Book for the Globetrotter is well worth reading alike on account of its literary merits and the perennial interest of the information it contains.
DARING ROBBERY.
On the 14th instant a native entered 149, Hollywood Road, which is occupied by two Chinese women, and surprised one of the residents by entering a cubicle where she was lying on a lounge. The woman had little time for surprise, however, for the intruder, after throwing pepper in her eyes, made an attempt to bind her hands. She succeeded in wrenching herself from his grip, and raised loud cries of “save life," which aroused the people on the floor abore and brought a lukong on the scene. As soon as the robber heard a stampede overhead he dashed down the stairs, but the lukong was waiting beneath and secured the runaway. The woman discovered later that she had been robbed of four gold ornaments valued at $60, but these were recovered.
REPATRIATION PROBLEMS.
The Registrar-General in his annual report states that the most difficult question in connec- tion with assisted Chinese male emigration during the year has been that of the repatriation of those coolies who have been either rejected by the office or doctor on account of their inferior physique, or induced to leave their homes through misrepresentations. Who was to bear the cost of their repatriation? At first the Tung Wah were called upon to do so, and did so with great reluctance, to the amount of $3,411. This arrangement did not appear to be altogether equitable, and towards the close of the year I arranged that the boarding-house keeper should be made responsible for cost of repatriation, leaving him to recover from the broker. The Tung Wah, as before, has done the actual repatriation and has sent in the bill to this office The Emigration Officer has then called upon the boarding-house keepers to refund the amount, and they have done so without a
murmur.
It is hardly necessary to add that if they can escape free of the consequences, that is, the cost of repatriation, runner and boarding-house keeper have no interest in keeping up the standard of coolie. If he slips through the Registrar-General's office a profit is made. If he fails to pass they suffer no loss.
The number of Boarding Houses for Assisted Emigants is 29, as compared with 24 last year, when the business as regulated by the new Ordinance was still in its early stages.
There appears to be comparatively little trickery practised in the trade, and the majority of the boarding-house keepers act straightfor wardly in their dealings with this office.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
SHIPPING NOTES.
163
The San
of
tract, however, is impossible. Francisco agent for the 'T'.K.K. is coming to Japan, says this journal, in order to Much controversy has arisen of late in con-report to the
result Company the British crews in ships of the mercantile marine. Mexican Government concerning the subsidy nection with the substitution of Chinese for the negotiations between the T.K.K. and the According to statistics just received from the question and the connection of railway and Board of Trade by the Imperial Merchant steamship services in Mexico. The T.K.K. Service Guild, the number of Chinese shipped at has agreed to cause its steamers to call at eighteen of the principal ports in the United Mexican ports six times a year and the Mexican Kingdom during the years 1906, 1907, and 1908 Government offer a subsidy of Y. 10,000 each are 3,190, 4,952, and 4.463 respectively. From time. this of course it would appear that the new language test for seamen, imposed by the Board of Trade, has arrested the influx of Chinese seamen in our ships. An interesting feature in connection with this matter has just been brought to the notice of the secretary by one of the members of the Guild relative to a curious law or belief which prevails in China. It is said that if a Chinaman saves the life of another he has, by Chinese law, to keep him and feed him for the rest of his life. This, this Guild's corre- reverse of spondent remarks, is rather the Western ideas, but explains to a large extent why Chinamen are not of much use in cases of emergency. He quotes the following personal experience: In the steamer of which I was chief officer, Chinese firemen were employed. We had the misfortune to sink another steamer,
and although boat-drill was held regularly every week, these firemen would not attempt in any way to save life, this being left to the British officers and sailors. I did not understand their reluctance to take part in the rescue, as there was so very little danger connected with it. I now believe that'the law existing in, China of having to keep a man on saving his life was the cause of the reluctance of the firemen referred to. It will be of interest to watch in the future whether such a characteristic again displays itself; if so, it will be a further illustra- tion of the dangers of Chinese crews.
The principal shareholders of the Toyo Kisen Kaisha had a meeting on the 2nd instant at which the board of directors sought to obtain the approval of the shareholders to certain matters to be laid before a forthcoming special general meeting. Mr. Yamanaka Rinnosuke put a number of questions, and he was followed by others. The points raised were in substance as follows:-
(1.) That the number of tank-steamers in the company's fleet has increased, though the board of directors is aware that there is little profit in importing oil.
(2.) That the company is incapable of paying a dividend of 12 per cent. on the preferential shares, as proposed by the directors, owing to the depression in the marine transport business.
(3.) That the auditors are neglecting their duty in approving the scheme of the board of directors.
After a heated debate, it is reported that the meeting agreed to appoint a committes to investigate the real position of the company.
FIRE ON STE AMER " GLENAVON."
Last week the watchm an on board the steamer Glenavon, 2,798 tons, Captain Wolfend- en, from Liverpool with general cargo, lying at the C. M. Lower Wharf, Hongkow, Shanghai, noticed smoke issuing from one of the forward holds. He at once gave the alarm and the On the reappointment of the Merchant officers and crew mustered, ready for service. Shipping Advisory Committee by the President The hatches were kept closed and the fire was of the Board of Trade, the Imperial Merchant finally located in the No 2 hold, in which Service Guild were invited by the Board of there was a cargo of phosphorus and bran. Trade to nominate a representative to sit on the The crew soon had streams playing on the committee. The guild have decided to nominate fire, using the ship's own appliances, of
aptain George Nelson Hampson as their re-
which she has a good equipment. In addition presentative. Captain Hampson on his recent to these several streams were also led on- retirement from the 888 WES Commodore board from wharf. The general alarm was Captain in the West African fleet of steamers, not sounded and it was not found necessary to owned by Messrs. Elder, Dempster, and Co., in call in any outside assistance. A good deal which he served for over 28 years. Captain of the cargo has been damaged by both fire and Hampson is a member of the management com- water, but the damage to the ship itself is mittee of the guild, and a former chairman of trifling. Most of the cargo will have to be landed the advisory committee now merged in the in order to ascertain the full extent of the management committtee.
damage. The crew of the ship worked well and deserve credit for the manner in which they got the fire under control.--Shanghai Mercury.
!
A MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE IN THE PHILIPPINES.
We recently published some particulars supplied to us regarding the mysterious disap- pearance in the Philippine Islands of a Syrian merchant named Michael Hasila. The statement
is
reproduced from our columns into the Manila Cahlenews and our contemporery appends the following paragraphs :-
A search into the record of this mysterious disappearance shows that in spite of all the efforts of the insular, provincial and municipal authorities in the archipelago, no trace has yet
Some kind of trouble seems to have occurred between the Toyo Kisen Kaisha and the Pacific Mail Steamship Co., which have hitherto worked in conjunction. The Osaka Mainichi states that the manager of the San Francisco branch of the Toyo Kisen Kaisha left San Francisco on the 27th ultimo for Japan, and that the object of his visit to Tokyo is said to be the cancelling of the agreement between the com- pany and the Pacific Mail Steamship Company The Osaka journal adds that owing to the de- pression in the marine business the Pacific Mail Company has repeatedly acted in defiance of the agreement in order to secure freight, and in retaliation the Toyo Kisen Kaisha has decided to cancel the agreement with the merican company. If the agreement is cancelled the Toyo Kisen Kaisha will be unable to maintain the connection of its steamers with the railways in America. This will place the company in a very disadvantageous position, but if the action him was that his partner in business told & of the Pacific Mail Company were passed over, secret service man who spent several weeks in it is claimed, that the company would act in a still more arbitrary manner and the Toyo Kisen the search that he had been told by a fortune- Kaisha would be involved in an even more dis- teller that Basila had died in a lonely spot. advantageous position than by the disconnection. Thus the company is placed in a very embarrass- ing situation. As the Japan Chronicle remarks, it seems a curious dispute as related in the Japanese papers.
been found of this man.
The search has been taken up by the police, the secret service and by the constabulary, but
without result. ll that could be found about
There is no foundation for the belief that he
has been murdered other than this story of the fortune-teller. None of his property other than that left at his residence in Manila was ever. recovered and it is generally believed that if he has been foully dealt with it was at the hands of one of his own countrymen who was later able to dispose of his property in the neighbouring
Basila left Manila for Santa Cruz, Laguna,
Another Japanese
newspaper denies this story, which appears to have been based on a
from elegram
! provinces. Can Francisco, but states that the relations between the merican and the Japanese Company have not been as correct and from that day nothing has been heard of as they might be. A cancellation of the con-
him, and it is not known whether he ever reached his destination.
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