Consul at Tamsui, for 1887 gives an interesting account of what the energetic Governor of Formosa has been doing for the improvement of the island. The land line of telegraph between Tamsui and Twatutia, the seat of the tea market, was completed on the 29th of April, has since been carried to Kelung and at the end of last year was being extended southwards to Tai-wan-fu. hose lines, Mr. Giles says, are the proof the Government and were laid without let or hindrance of any kind. Only in one village the inhabitants, resisting the appropriation of their property without any compensation being given them, and their crops being transplanted, went so far as to cut three of the Jes during the night. This village was immediately " sealed," the surrender of the actual perpetrators was demanded by the authorities, which meant summary trial and execution on the spot, but judgment, tempered by money, allowed the affair to be compromised for $900. The sea cable was laid on the 8th of October, when "North Formosa was placed in communication with the civilised world." Its advantage to the Go-yernment, to whom it belongs, is that it adds to the defence of the island, as in the event of war Formosa will be less and it will also benefit merchants trading liable to fall an easy prey to an invader,
with foreign parts by giving them speedy Tata of nguenicaon wath ness friends in other parts of the world. Whether telegraphs have been a benefit to merchants in the East or not, they have made it absolutely necessary that all places should have them. Mr. Giles says that Kelung harbour will eventually be dredged, if the present Governor remains in power, and that the railway will be completed. But, "whether the trade will be divided in the matter (manner?) anticipated is matter of opinion—the opinion given
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.