The Commissioner on Trade, Wang Long, has arrived. He has begun well by inviting all the business men, great and small, to a conference. In the invitation it is specified that official robes, and official ceremonial are to be dispense ed with, in order that no one who should be present may excuse himself on the plea that either the dress or the manners wanting in his case. The Commission. or rites detailed returns as to the tra of the port in native and foreign goods.during the last three years. Ho wishes iso to learn what manufactures are being carried on, and what factories projected. It is his intention to enquire into the working of the Chamber of Commerce, and of the Swatow Guild of Merchants, The Swatow-Chaochoufa Railway.
His instructions include an enquiry into the state of the Swatow-Chaochoufu Railway, Along with the Taotai he has now gone to Ampou to erguire into the local "objections as to interference with graves, and with the natural drainage of the great plain lying inland from Swatow. To remedy both these evils ths local nates naively suggest an alteration of the course of the line. Asno suggestion for a more convenient course is made it looks as if the idea were, "Get it out of my field anyhow." To such a demand the Taotai does not lend a ready ear. Two other objections are more difficult to deal with. The largest shareholder, being a Japanese subject, the local gentry accuse him of violating the agreement that all shares should be held by Chinese, and none at any later date sold abroad. Then added to this, is the fact that while the agreement provided for the employment of British civil engineers the work of construction has been supervised entirely by] Japanese. Hence it is argued that the Japanese are making a bid for th control of the line. The tone of the native papers is favourable to a reasonable solution which will retain the control of the railway in Chinese hands.
Other Railway Schemes are also on foot. It is proposed to construct a line from Chaochoufu to a point on the mainland opposite Amoy, and then continue, via Ch'tisachou to Foochow. The promoters do not hope for any large passenger traffic, but expect. to take a large mineral-bearing area.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.