Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-12-10
AY MORNING. DECENBER 10, 1884.

additional security. Il was stipulated
that fort should be erected In the neigh
borhood, and the Chinese In the vicinity.
scarcely more civilized than the sav1gcs,
made similar terms with the whites, agree
ing further that should futrrc outr1gcs oc-
cur, they would themselves seek out the
peIpetnt5rs and deliver them up to justsces
II ls hardto say how well the stipuIaflons
OF this treaty huve been carried out By the
s'yage parties TO II. but unfortunately the
authority Of these aboriginal chieftains does
not extend far.
There have been numerous outrages
siuee. though not exactly In this locality.
II Is only few years since japanese ship
was lost on Formosa and her crew eaten.
Redress was demanded OF the Chinese au-
fborities. who could not efveit. The Japa-
nese took the matter irto their own hands,
landed an armed force, and made such re-
pfisals as they thought satisfactory. They
might have retained the island II they
bad seen dt, but retired after thev
hsd administered summary Justice. It
b but few months since the
American ship Spartan, lying or the
east coast, not far from Ke Lung, sent q
boats crew ashore. accompanied by pas
senger, anxious TO see something OF For
mosa. Before the boat returned the ship
had TO stand out to sea 10 escape being
driven on shore by typhoop. She returned
as soon as she could with safety, but though
search was made for several days, the
lar ding party were never seen again.
THE CAPITAL AND CHIEF TOWNS.
When the Chinese settled Formosa they
scattered themselves along the western
coast, selecting for their principal towns
such hafbors as were available. The chief
Of these was Tai.Wan-Foo, which, being
most convenient to Annoy, naturally be.
came the capital, and has since maintlined
that distinction. II IL situated on narrow
estuary a few miles from the sea. It's port
Is An Ping. mere roadstead, admitting
vessels OF but moderate draft, from
which even these are obliged to fec
when the southeast monsoon, blows
little more viciously than usual, TO
the barbor Of Takao, some thirty
miles to the souihward. Tai Wan. Foo has
population which, with its suburbs, IS es-
timaied Mt from $50, 900 to 1,000.0O0. II IS
like most other Chinese cities, whose pecu-
liarities are well known to Americans.
They are narrow streets, temples, and the
usual amount of filth. There are the houses
and gardens OF the Tao-tai and principal
mandarins, and. besides, some open, park
like places. There is the examination hall,
common TO all large provincial towns,
where the successful candidates take
degree preparatory to the higher
degree that can only be given
at Peking. Persons in Europe and
America msy have wondered what had be-
come Of the plant OF the little railroad,
twelve miles long. built eight wears ago to
connect the village Of Woo Sung, at the
mouth OF the Woo Sung river, with Shang.
bai. After being taken up il was removed
TO -Wan.Foo aud given to the then Tao
tai Of Formosa, a progressive mandarin,
who designed making experiments with it.
He was too progressive and wes removed
a short time aftcrward. The plant is still
at Tai. W Foo. but worn aud useless.
The wooden sleepers are being eaten up
by white ants. the engines are consumed
by rust, and the ears are rottlng.
Takao has population OF probably 5000.
though no enc ever knows even approxi-
mately the population OF Chinese town.
Tam sui. according to the same authority,
has 3,0C0; Banka, $4,000; and Keeling,
10000. Banka. which Is twelve miles above
Tam Sui, on the river, Is about to be moved
within the walls which have been built for
II close at hanG. These are twenty or
thirty feet high, ten or fifteen feet thick,
and embattled. At present there Is no.
thIrg within them but rice-feIds and few
official residences. II the French retain
ForInosa there will probably never be much
more. Besides Tai. Wan-Foo and Banka,
there are only two more walled towns on
the island-one In the interior and one in
the south. There are, however, several
cities OF from 10000 TO 10000 inhabitants,
and innumerable villages.
The use Of opium is common in Formo-
sa. not only In the cities, but in the viii
lagos. II is not only smoked, but taken
crude In the form OF pills. Aftcr the re-
pulso Of the French at Tam Sui. the
wounded. $50 in number, were taken to the
Mission Hospital TO be treated. Here they
were allowed TO smoke opium as nm opiate,
and an extraordinary instance is related OF
a Cbinaman who had had his arm amputa-
ted lying for some hours on the stump OF 1t
before lie was observed. He had bled CO.
piously. and was with difficulty restored to
consciousness. Some mix the drug with a
substance OF powerful odor, and so escape
deto ciion. Its use il spreading, and IL
would appear that the ability TO purchase 1t
is the only thing that prevent 1t becoming
universal. Ii Is the more prosperous con-
diiion OF the Chinese in America that
makes the habit so much more common
among them than in Chinese cities.
COMMERCE OF THE ISLAND.
The commerce OF Formosl may be mat
ter OF interest to Americans, for the reason
that they consume nearly all the tea grown
In the island, and large fraction OF the
business IL IN the hands OF an American
firm. The foreign commerce OF the Island
is scarcely twenty years old. not having
been really commenced till some years after
the opening Of the ports OF Takao, Tai
Wan-Foo, and Bqnka by the treaty OF Tien
Tsin. The American population. divided
between the three ports mentioned, does
not exceed dozen persons, Amer!-
can interests are in the hands OF consul
lar agents, who are usually representatives
Of British films. The chief exports are
tea from Tam sui and sugar from Tai
Wan-FOo and Takao, the latter nearly all
going 10 Chinese and japanese ports. Be-
sides these there are considerable exports
OF camphOr, rice, turmeric, indigo, iiaX,
hemp, and some fruits, principally oranges.
pumaloes, and pineapples. all OF which are
OF good quality. The Hakkas, as stated,
are chiefly engaged in the camphor-forcsts,
getting out the lumber and preparing the
gum for export, thus Is the aborigines re-
tire further INTO their mountain-fastnesses
opening new clearings 10 the Chinese and
farmers.
One Of the principal articles OF impors.
and enc that gives frequent employment to
the cunning Of the smuggler, is opium.
In 1865 there were 100 chests brought into
the port OF Tam Sui alone for the use OF
Banka and neighboriDg villages. The
other imports are cotton goods and other
articles which find their way from foreign
to China or are exchanged be-
tween Chinese ports. Takao and Tai WAN
Foo have been exporting annually from
g 900. 0.OCO to 100000 pounds OF sugar.
which Is imperiectly refined. The cane Is
raised by small farmers, who cultivate
from one IN three acres. IL Is crushed by
native mills OF the simplest patterns
md with a considerable waste OF the
mice in expressing. There are said
10 be at least 1000 Of these mills I'm the
sugar districts, each owned by little
eoterIe OF farmers, who use them In turn.
Sometimes the unrefined sugars are taken
10 Swatow or Hopg-Kong, where new re-
fneries have been built, aud they are more
treated. In 1875. the total
trade OF Tai-Wan-Foo amounted TO over
a, 900, 900, the exports somewhat exceed
ing the imports. The total trade OF ke
Lung and Tam Sui for the same year was
&. .6l5,500, the exports being slightly In
excess. In 1881 the trade OF Tai -Wan-Foo
had increased to nearly S5.C00,OO0, mostly
done in English bottoms, the Germans hay-