Hangchow, Oct. 25.
Judging by the tentative prospectus got out at the neeting of the Shanmunwan Syndicate the scheme, so long on the cards, sees to be on the beginning, at least, of the road to accomplishment. Thirty returned 'Emigrants' joined heartily in Saturday's discussion. Roads to be laid out, a harbour 10 be built, mining and fishing industries to be taken largely into account. Divers other ambitious resolutions are to make this region a coming "Shanghai Settlement." We shall '"'wait and see."
The match (and box) industry, which is growing in proportion as the tobacco trade spreads, asks immunity from the tax on the raw material, which, being impossible to purchase locally, makes the trade (amongst the very poor) a hard one when thus taxed. It is hoped this may be granted as many of these match-box makers are culled from the former paper-money "beaters" compared with whose business in life the work of making matches appears in a useful light.
On Saturday both Governors, the Educational Comvissioner, and most of the leading men paid sacrificial respects at the shrines of the two local Generals who distinevished themselves in the Taining Rebellion, and saved the city. It is said that this year's worship exceeds all previous years in pomp and ceremonial. The graves are situated near Yaven whose new temple goes up apace. The Tuchun took the opportunity to view the ground lying between the building and the lake. It had been urged that this be sold to help defray expenses which are prodigious. The suggestion was thrown out as it would spoil the approach if small tenements occupied the fine sweep of land there.
Still members fight shy of the Provincial Assembly. An indignant letter appears from one of them calling attention of the Governor to the farcical manner in which the campaign to secure more presentative voting is being cam out. That such a city as Hangchow. he says, the capital of the province should have a smaller number of voters than, say, Wenchow er Taichow is preposterous.
The Tuchun, whose birthday approaches, requests that no presents be sent to him. In the face of such famine he means to give no entertainment, and desires none on the part of friends.
Sraristics recently quoted in the "Jiji" gave the total tonnage of merchantmen now tied up in Japan as only 60,000 tons, but, according to the latest investigations of the Osaka Shosen Kaisha, no less than 117 ships, totalling 180,000 tons, were found tied up at the end of last month.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.