Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-02-22
CHINA AND JAPAN.

WILMA ANU JAkAQ.
The Oceanic, which arrived in San Fran
cisco Monday, brings dates from Hong.
kong to the 22d of january, and from
Yokohama February I'd.
YOKOHAMA.
One cause CT the decline in value of rice
in Japan is the diminished demand for the
manufacture of sake.
Politically, there is no news of any i'm.
portance. The struggle between France
and China is being watched with great in
terest in Japan, for the attitude of China
towards this country undoubtedly affords
ground for much uneasinsss. China cher.
ishes secretly many grievances against
Japan, and the irritation is not lessened by
the conduct of the latter country, which
is believed, with what truth it is quite i'm.
possible to say, to be more inclined to the
French than the Chinese in the Tonauin
business.
The Navy Department has purchased
from the estate of the late E. c. Kirby
the ship building premises known as the
stated, but it ia said to be $50, 900 short of
the sum for which the property was
mortgaged.
Incendiarism in Japan is assuming fright
ful dimensions. During 1882 the returns
show that in Toxic alone, 81 per cent. of
the fires recorded were real or suspected
cases of incendiarism. Robbery is supposed
to be the motive.
A few weeks ago Professor John Milne of
the mining section of the Imperial College
of Engineering, Toxic, left here for Maya
saki for the purpose of establishing an I'M
derground observatory in the Takashima
colliery. This coal mine, by far the largest
in Japan, is in the Island of Takashima,
about nine miles from Nagasaki, and is the
property of Iwasaki Yataro, Chief of the
Mtsu Bishi Company.
The Favorable" balance of trade so
long desired by Japan has been at last Sc
cured. In addition to giving away Sl2,-
900, 600 more in commodities and money
than received in the past two years, the
100000 to the "specie reserve" in the
treasury.
Affairs are quiet at Canton. The sup
preston of intiammatory fly sheets has had
a most beneficial effect. The work of call
ing in recruits still continues.
II is stated in native circles that money
for war purposes is being raised in Canton
by compulsory tax of 20 cents on every
500 dollars entered in the books of all
guilds or private firms. This extraordinary
taxation is superintendent by one of the
Cantan notables, known as Mac or Moe,
L lol H. g
GERS. 1t is said that the authority intrust.
ed with the collection of this revenue has
already advanced $4,000 taels On the
strength of his prospects.
There has been good deal Of talk at
Canton about the action of the Tartar Gen.
eral relative to the Christian Bannermen.
His attention was more directly called to
the fact tdat some of them were Christians
by the scurrilous articles that appeared in
the native papers. His actions border on
a violation of treaty rights, go an invesEiga-
ton may be demanded.
The movement of Chinese troops contin-
ues to 90 on all over the Empire. a large
number of men, armed for the most part
with Martini. Henry rifles, have been dis
patched from Canton to the island of Hal.
nan, and it is said that one of the China
Merchants steamers is engaged in trans
porting troops from Marking to Formosa.
The Chinese telegraph lines are being
extended from Canton to the Tonquin bor-
ders, and the line from Tientsin has been
completed.
Commercial affairs among the Chinese
in the north are in a very unsatisfactory
state at the present moment. Four of the
native banks at Picking were only saved
from utterly collapsing, on account of the
extensive demands being made upon them,
by the intervention of the officials, who
put a stop to the wholesale withdrawal of
deposits.
1t has now been ascertained without a
doubt that the China Merchants steamer
Hwai Yuen has been wrecked and over
200 lives lost. She went ashore on the
Island of E-shan during strong gale, and
sank almost Immediately. Ali her officers
and engineers have been lost.
The total value of exports sold to for
eigners last year in Yokohama was yen
IS, 663, 2l5; imports purchased, yen 49,.
994. 1913.
Very severe weather has been expert.
enced by vessels on the coast of China
during the past two or three weeks.
HoNGKoNG.
A new family hotel is to be started in
Hongkong in the premises formerly occu-
pied by the Hotel de L'Univers.
A European overseer of works, named
John Minhinnett, who was alleged to have
shot at Chinaman with revolver in a
Chinese Club, was tried at the January
Criminal Sessions on a charge Of trying to
murder and two lesser counts, and acquit-
ted by a unanimous jury.
A very excited feeling appears to prevail
in Hongkong with regard to the three Chi
nese who lost their lives in leaping from
the verandah of gambling house while
the police were raiding the premises.