The valuation of the salt-folds which has been laid -before the Conference, is Yen 7,870,000, while those people who are in the salt business, estimate it at over Yen 30,000,000, which includes prospective profits. The salt producers in Tokio have held several meetings regarding the question, and after much, discussion, agreed to oppose the decision as to the amount named, as unfavourable to them. Here, in Tsingtao, also, salt producers disapprove on the same grounds, and have decided to send a signed resolution to Ambassador Obata in Peking, and at the same time to forward a petition to Dr. Akiyama and Councillor Debuchi to urge reconsideration. The outcome of the Conference with regard to the salt fields will greatly affect the soda business in Japan, as the crude salt here is much cheaper than that of other places, is more easily shipped, and contains 86.05 per cent. of salt chloride.
The Restoration of an Idol to Cement Good Feeling Oct 7.
In a room at the, Japanese Association Hall here, reverently guarded, is an image of a Chinese goddess in bronze, weighing about 1,000 lb., and 4 ft.4 in. in height. The members of the Association, as well as those of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce, have been collecting contributions in order to return the goddess to her old temple, through the local Governor of Tsimo Prefecture, as a means of cementing further friendship between the two peoples. The Governor showed his approval by contributing Y. 1,000 towards the expense, and messengers from him will shortly arrive in Tsingtao in order to take the image back to Tsimo. It was formerly in a temple on a hill to the north of the walled town of Tsimom and is said to have been cast about 1,500 years ago. According to tradition, the people of that time, collected one hundred catty of gold for the purpose. It has been held in much reverence by the people, and is registered in the Government list of national treasures. Several years ago, it disappeared, and the people of the district were much afraid of some calamity happening to them, because their goddess was lost. However, about three years ago, a Japanese bought this image from a-certain Chinaman in the neigh bourhood of Tsimo, for Y. 700 in silver. He took it to Tsingtao. and sold it again to another Japanese for Y. 3,000. The latter individual made a bargain with one of his countrymen in Japan, to sell it for a sum more than ten times that which he had: paid for
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.