New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-07-16

attained ts nresept position simply because il is free
port. under English protection, and governed 0y Ehssn
laws Chinese merchants have their oag0eS brought 10
Hong Kong in preference 10 Canton, Tong Sau OF the
other ports adacentbecause there they can walshoso
their goods, without fear of extOtion nom 'e
until they dispose of them To the smaller dealers io
the main land who can smueee the small lots wmch ny
buy without much difficulty. ANY island III tue Ohln'
possessing good haTbor, and sheltered water oou
ncaion with the main land woull-under the same eli
cumstances OF proteciionequal Hong Kong Ia wealth. a
importance; nay more, very many would FAR srpass ~
~ Hong Kong suffers peculiarly from two sconrgs OF lne
China seas, pirates and typhoons. Like Nassau, ~ ~
during the late war, Hong Kong depends for support
entirely upon Illicit traffic and should the OrtuitoIs
circumstances which have produced its prosperity be
changed, II must inevitably collapse. The Empire Of
China the sick OF the East Civilization Is press
ing him hard every side The ever advancing Russian
on the nvrth the Anglo Indian the south the French
man in Cochin China each and all steadily under
mining his footing, while internal dlssension, corruption
and anarchy wearing away his yals, ana me silent
force of foreign commerce Is fastening ms do"h ~
very establishment Of the California line - one OF inc
which by increasing do and promoting the pIead
of liberal ideas will hasten tho overthrow OF the present
Government And suppose this endaccomplished the entire
country thrown open to trade and the present lnodn@e
system of mandarin-squeczing abolished what VIII be
tho position ofIIong K0nga barren rock tenaned by
few fishermen, without trade or resources OF any khu IL
will return ~ its original state These are no visionary
ideas tho laws of trade mmutabe and what mas nap
pened once will under similar circumstances happen
Main Fifty years ago Macao was the great foreign en-
porum Of China and whyi Because the Portuguese Gov
eminent far they could protected both foreigners
aud Chinese residents there from the npacy OF the
native officials. Hong Kong coded to Great Britain
and Macao became city of empty houses-a mere resort
for the pleasure seeking community OF HQng hohg;
whyi Because under British protection Hong Kong
offered greater facilities than Macao for the cohuuct Oh
Illicit trade
It's not IN the nature Of things that the present Gov
eminent of China should last much longcr-there IS
limit to even Chinese endurance Internal traffic, except
whero it be carried under foreign protection, is
nearly at al end. Every day the oxac0ns Of the man
darins become more and more oppressive Every week
brings the news Of fresh Instructions Without men,
money credit, without the affection or respect OF the
pc ope with officials devoted solely to their own aggran
dzement whether at the expense OF tho state or ot us
Subjects the Government of China Is like the ashes on the
END Of a cgar-ready fall TO pieces at a touch. And
that will be touched long, there can be little or no
doubt The mandarlns every day more ana more IN
soent their behavior toward foreigners and less and
less ready accedc any demand for satlSaconi and
the inevitable result of foreign must be the opening
up OF the entire country TO foreign trade If not the enifc
rcmodcng Of the institutions OF the empire linen the
situation OF Hong Kong will be similar TO that Of Nassau
upon the opening OF the ports Of Charleston, savannah
and Wilmington.
Kong and having an eye the future well the pres
emit the Directors OF the T. NJ Co. may the folly Of
making that port the terminus of their line Ihey may
SEQ that by doing thcy would add to the commercial
inheritance of British colony without receiving any ade
qnate They would throw their created trade
the hands OF British merchants and place themselves
IN position suffer most keenly by any rupture between
tho United States and Great Britain.
Now, the other hand consider the situation Of
Shanghai II is the central position OF the coast cqul-
distant from the Southern and Northern ports The pro-
duce of California, sent to this country even now comes
almost entirely 10 this port. Here the central depot
whence can be distributed along the coast required,
the wheat four butter, &C. brought hther. Steam and
canvas communication with every port in the East, from
Ncoacfsk Calcutta may be found here and here even
than in Hong Kong, the trading capital Of the China
coast is deposited.
The products OF over 1000 900 square miles OF territory
and of 5000 600 Of people ind here their natural
outlet. The province Of kang 500, containing popna-
ton nearly great tina, OF the United States POSSESSES
q system Of canals which places every town aud village
within lis borders IN water communication with shanghai
Nngpo, the export port Of the immense tea and silk dis
trcts Che Kian Province is distant only 90 miles,
aud there daily. The Yang Tsze River al
ready navgaed by steamers far HaDkOw, distance
of nearly $40 miles, and draining, in that distance i've
wealthy Provinces must inevitably bear It's products
this port. The immense region watercd by the Yellow
River finds easy communication with Shanghai by the
way of the Imperial Canal. FooChow the emporium of
the districts OF Fohkicn is within 80 hours steam
And in fine nature has evidently marked Shanghai
= the future metropolis OF the East
The only present advantage which Hong Kong offers
over Shanghai is have shown, the passenger trade;
but tell how long this may last Chinese are the
least desirable class of immigrants and should imagine II
Ia be quite within the bounds Of possibility that the State
Of California may, long impose such TAX upon their
import as virtually 10 put stop TO the Traffic Even sup
posing To continue for years TO come gle steamer
upon the could transport all the Passengers from
Hong Kong hther and would ind las DO the steamers
trading between the two ports quite enough way
passengers and freight to pay expenses.
dissertation but there is much which might be said
upon the subject. Capt Phclpss report will doubtless be
complete ana exhaustive but it is difficult III person
naming here but few months even with every facility at
his command TO acquire information upon every point
connected with subject presenting snch variety of as
poets Meanwhile We can but wait and hope for the BEST
At length after an interval Of four years have again
naval force in the Chinese waters and il more
needed The Chinese seeing American commerce grudu
ally waning away, and finding that any outrages they
might commit were productive Of nothing but talk have
gradually grown holder and bolder and another year
would probably have witnessed rupture As yet have
no manofwar in this port but the Wyoming is daily
expected aud it is hoped the Hartford aud Others
will follow The former met with unfortunate accident
getting ashore on her voyage from FoOChOw 10 Nngpo
and was compelled 10 return 10 Foo-Chow 10 dock Her
INJURIES however were scertained TO be ring and she
IL once more on her way North.
Shanghai agog with preparations for the Spring
such insignificant matter you might suppose
IN this far of corner Of the world. The finest English and
Arab horses 10 be found the turf both here and
Hong Kong aud the time would often not disgrace
of the first English courses Our transatlantic
cousins control the field, and with exception Ia
ting match under saddle, American American owned
horses never run. This, however, much be re-
GREETED, as backleg faction is getting control of the
course. One heavy dcaleatlon consequent upon turf
gambling We have already had, beside nmberleSs smaller
ones, which are hushed up Combinations the order
~ the day and the few Initiated settle among themselves
which horses shall win American sports are represented
here by base bail club which is in Gourishng condi.
tion and some Of the play would delight the hearts of
the Atancs or Athletics.
little incident happened here the other day which will
show you that not without proportion of wags
in this community Ii is customary for every foreign firm
here to have distinguishing name By which alone they
known III their dealings with the Chnese thus one is
called "the assenbage Of wealthy partners another the
garden of fair teane,' and on. Among Others the
nrm Of Rockwell, Love Il Co. is called "Sing Tan" or
tho firm Of increasing prosperity" Now happens that
Chinese sign painter learned in the painting OF Roman
characters has recently established himself In
business on the French Concession, and his
given name happens also to be Sing Tab
Painting his sign, he wished to show his complete
knowledge of English and accordingly he applied 10
man about town give him the English rendering OF his
Chinese name "Dont you know replied his informant,
"there English firm here called sing Iah and Their