The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-28

American Consul Fowler writes from
Chefoo, inclosing letter from Rev Dr
Hunter Corbett. depicting the deplorable
condition OF affairs in that part OF China
The region described does not include tho
area covered by the floods last year. but
that country Is also In a very bad way.
Consul Fowler states that his object In
sending the letter and the state depart
ment's object In giving II to the press is
TO show grain exporters that there is a
good market In China for their corn
Shantung especially, he thinks, oners an
excellent opening for that trade. Kew.
DR. Corbetts letter SAYS:
Dear Mr.. Fowler; During the past two
months have Travelled In twelve dinerent
counties and found the price OF food of
every kind higher than ! have known
for more than thirty years.
1.-THE great scarcity and high prices are
due TO several causes. From August,
ISIS. tai June. 1899. a period OF nine or ten
months little or no rain fell; consequent
ly,. the wheat crop was almost an entire
failure In many places In July ana
August great army OF caterpillars In
many places devoured the summer crops.
Later. hails'orm passed over large
section OF country and did immense dam
aRe. During July and August of this
year less than half the usual quantity OF
rain fell and since then in many districts
there has been no rain whatever oonse-
utently the farmers have been unable TO
rlow the fields and sow the usual winter
wheat
u found the greatest distress IN the
counties Of Venting Haiyang. Chimei.
iheocheo along the Eastern sea, and the
same distress IL said TO prevail In Chu-
cling Kincheo and farther south.
saw hundreds OF mon, women and chill
dren fleeing from these districts, trying
90 reach Manchuria or other more fa-
yorrd places before the severe winter
weather comes on, as the only hope of es-
Gaping starvation MANY were already
crnaeiated for want OF nonrishng food,
J found people gathering the leaves Of
tho willow locust aud other trees also OF
the potato vine and roots on the hills and
al Na IN fl4
II have never heard Of so much sickness
and many deaths When fever.
dyeenterN end other diseases ovcrtakc the
half-siarved people there seems to be
hut little hope Of recovery, Many who
IN ordinary years have sufficient say they
can manage to live only To the end Of the
year and after that. unless help comes.
MANY are trying 70 sell their land
houses etc. hut ind no buyers ut any
HUNTER coRBE1T."
Japan Making Clocks.
Consul General Convey. % Yokohama.
sends To the state department a clipping
from the Japan Mail which. he says.
may be of use in calling the attention OF
American manufacturers OF clocks To the
condition OF tho trade IN Japan and to
the competition 60 be expected IN the
markets Of Siberia. China and India
JapaneSe-made clocks ~ tho value of
sl5.sia he adds were exported during
"rhc manufacture of clocks IN Japan
has now entered upon stage Of pros
periiy, remarks tho Tokyo Ashai. The
output has not only proved sufficient To
supply tho demand la the interior. but a
large number are exported 10 China. in
dia siberia and the various islands in
the south Pacinc. As natural cousc-
qucnce OF this, however. competition has
arisen between the manufacturers 10 such
an extent "a 60 bring about serious
losses To uhVtafe this difficulty. the
leading clock companies In saka-nftcen
IN ail-rccentiy formed a union and de-
from the beginning 90 next year, accord
ING to which clocks are divided into sew
oral classes. With fixed minimum value.
Spurious manufacture Is prohibited, and
offenders are subjected 90 a penalty 81
not less than 100 yen tSsaSl, The offices
OF the union are to be established at
Nag0Na. while the expenses of It's main
tenance are to be met by a contribution
o. ! son .,o's cent? for each clock manu-
featured
Consul General stowe writes from
Cape Town as follows
"Whue the representatives here OF ex-
port commission houses IN the United
States arc cabling large orders for food
Eturs other supplies are wanted by the
government Contracts for the building
OF railroads for supplying the army. lails.
prisons public and private institutions,
etc are open for bids. l! our manu-
facturets. owing 10 the brisk home mar
kcts. do not care To compete al present
they might he prepared 70 do SO after
the war, when there will be a boom
irhs country will then be short ot sup
piie4 particularly in the line OF food
stuns. and IN many other directions Inc
demand win be large Nehieles tools
strue,ion OF furniture and household spp-