The San Francisco call., 1896-03-28

than "a, SOC, 900 yen worth of goods annu-
ally, without the Intervention of foreign
ers at the treaty ports, the steamers OF the
new service should not lack for cargo. They
have also the advantage of tolerably
liberal state subsidy, which may be
roughly stated at about 100000 yen for
each all-round voyage, that method OF
encouraging navigation having been just
established by law.
IICoastwise freights in Japan have fallen
to an exceptionally low figure, owing to
the greatly increase number of steamers
employed in the carrying trade. Many OF
these steamers were acquired during the
war and chartered by the Government for
transport purposes. The release from that
duty has rapidly pulled freights down by
as much as 40 per cent between January
and March. Going further back for
standard the comparison is still more
striking for the figures now quoted are
hundred per cent lower than they were at
the corresponding period of last year.
The customs revenue raised on the i'm
port of opium into Formosa aggregates
80. 600 annually. That whole sum the
Japanese Government is willing to devote
to measures for eradicating the opium
vice. It is impossible TO put any drastic
measures of prevention into immediate
force. To suddenly cut off the supply OF
the drug would produce terrible suffering
among habltual smokers. Such persons
only will be furnished with licenses to
purchase a limited quantity, the use OF
opium by all others being strictly inter-
dicted.
To carry out that programme the Gov
ernment must monopolize the trade; must
establish refinery; must appoint compe-
tent medical experts to examine applicants
for licenses; must institute strict control
over opium sellers and opium-smoking es-
adjustments. and must organize special
force of opium police. 1t will be most
difficult and arduous undertaking, but the
Japanese authorities believe that by vigi-
lance and perseverance they may hope to
eradicate the vice completely in twenty or
thirty years. II is alleged that the use of
opium is necessary to persons living in the
malarial regions of the island, but Japan
ese physicians do not share that view.
In view of its greatly increasing opera
tions in foreign trade the Yokohama
Specie Bank has decided to double its cap
ital of 100000 yen. The 1OO-yen shares
of the bank are now selling at 333 yen in
the open market, and as the six millions
worth OF new shares go entirely to the
holders of the old the latter will find the
transaction very profitable.
The Salvation Army's doings in Japan
have been disfgured by dissensions among
the officers. At the outset the commander
instituted programme of wearing Japan
ese dress and eating Japanese food only.
1t is impossible for Occidentals to subsist
On Japanese food without detriment to
health, and the wearing of Japanese cos
tune by persons coming to Japan as apos-
ties of creed seems to the Japanese
mere burlesque-they do not want to have
their intelligence approached by such
routes. Apart from the question of policy,
however, the diet and manner of life
proved too much for some of the married
officers. They resigned, and one couple
had to be sent back to England by public
Inscription. 1t is not to be supposed
that they were left destitute by the army.
The commander was prepared to pass
them on to Australia in the regular rou-
tine of service. But they wanted to go to
England, and the charitable people that
subscribed to send them there took such
vivid view of their hardships that quite
scandal was created.
Detailed accounts from Kiangyin-which
lies midway between the mouth of the
Yangtze and Ching gkiang-show that
mutiny on large scale among the soldiers
there was only prevented by the explosion
of magazine. The disaffected troops
were Anhui men who had been stationed
at Kiangyin for twenty years. Last year
an officer of some military competence and
honesty was sent from Marking to COM
mand a portion of the troops. His re-
forms soon created discomfort, which
reached a climax when at his suggestion
orders arrived from headquarters to dis
band the superannuated braves. An in
surrection was planned, the programme
being to kill the general in command, get
possession of the magazines and rifles, and
then master the city, the foreign instruc-
tors in the forts being sent away by boat
to Shanghai. Already the work had COM
menced.
Rifles had begun to crack and the mutt
neers were removing the contents of the
magazines, when the principal of three
containing about seven tons of gunpowder
blew up. The cause of the explosion is
not known, since all in or near the maga-
zine, to the number of about 300, were
shattered to pieces. The catastrophe was
so terrible that it completely cowed the
soldiers and they dessted from further
acts of violence. But they had attained
their object. The general in command
was replaced, the too-conscientious cap
tain was put under arrest and the sentence
of disbandment was revoked. Chinese
soldiers can apparently get anything that
they insist upon having.
1t is difficult to know how matters are
really faring in Kansu. News received on
one day that the Mohammedan rebels
are as strong as ever is followed, on the
next, by statements that their strength is
completely broken. The latest intelligence
is telegram from Lanchow, the capital of
the province, dated February %. 1t rep
resents the insurgents as quite unable to
cope with the imperial forces under Cover
nor Wei of Shensi, who recently arrived
in Kansu. The. principal chief of the
rebels is said to have been captured in
January and many of the Mussulman vii.
lagos have had to hand over number of
their elders by wav of alternative to hav.