The morning call., 1891-05-08
CHINA AND JAPAN.
UnfayOrable Reports of the Tea
Crop in FOOchOW District.
Various Items of General Interest From japan.
Railway Notes-An Unusual Promo
ticn-The Viscount Kuki

The Occidental and Oriental steamship
Belgic arrived from Hong-Kong and Yoko-
hama yesterday morning at $50 o'clock,
having on board the remains of the late
Hon. John F. Swift. Minister to Japan.
She had on board ninety Japanese and 126
Chinese. OF the latter sixty-eight desire to
remain here, the rest being booked to
Panama and Havana.
The following items are taken from
Hong-Kong exchanges of April 4th to 14th.
inclusive, and from Japan papers dated as
late as April 22d:
China.
The Foochow Echo has sad reports to
make of influenza in the codntry, aud sick
ness, producing a frightful mortality, as
many as 10000 men, women and children
having persisted in February and March.
The outlook for the new tea crop, accord
lag to the Echo, Is SO bad that some incline
to believe that no new teas can be expected
In market The paper says: "We know
that natives have the unenyiabe reputation
of being capable Of spreading false news
But after allowing 100 per cent of what we
have been Informed to be false, there yet
remains very gloomy prospect for the Dill
tive tea hongs here, and Tor the growers In
tile country. OF the former, we undertand
lI1Ab OniY bNO HOuSS OuO VI tch Aldfo hdNC
some very small advances to those tea men
of good standing, and these under con-
ditions that the costs shall not eX-
coed those ruling last season. This no
doubt Is wise step. as II VIII prevent the
usual competition in vhe hills, which may
be fairly assumed to have been the chief
cause why teas were laid down In this mar
ket at such high costs every year. 1t Is also
further stated that a well-known and
wealthy tea hong has refused in toto to
grant any advances; nor does this hong
care to have anything to do with tea at all
during the approaching season. This action
has disappointed many tea men, who are
now entirely without hope Of obtaining any
advances. From the country we learn that
owing to the establishment OF low scale Of
wages much difficulty has been created in
obtaining labOrers, and We understand that
many OF these have left the tea districts in
search of other work. In fact, the whole
business Is in so unsatisfactory q state that
the amount or treasure which has been sent
up country does not exceed 100000 (merely
a drop in an ocean,. That this will curtail
TO great extent the gathering OF at least
the first crop leaf cannot lie doubted.
The Seaboard of the Province of Eukien is
reported to b. so infested with pirates that
the maintenance of yigilant police service
is a matter Of the utmost Importance.
the Hupao, one of the native papers,
contains an account of railroad accident
involving considerable loss. Some freight
cars on the IienISin railway laden with
cotton, caught fire through cinderS aud
sparks Issuing from the engines smoke
stack. As strong wind was blowing at
the time and the train was in motion, sew
eral cars were consumed before assistance
could be rendered.
The Shenpao relates that the manager of
a native bank, which failed last winter with
liabilities of half million taelS, has given
himself up to the magistrate. lie had been
in hiding up to the present.
II. E. Fu-k' TN, Minister Of the Tsungli
Yamen, while on his way early Que morn
ing to the Palace, saw several thieves
perched on top OF the walls surrounding the
imperial city. He gave orders for their az
rest, but before the guards could be hurried
to the spot the thieves had decamped. The
next night gang of robbers entered II.
E.. house by stealth. After loading them
selves with plumber they made their pres
ence known With lighted torches and glitter
ing swords. They pointed gun at the Min
lister. and distinctly told H. E. to remember
their looks and not TO forget them. With a
shout they then broke open the main door
and escaped.