emporium in Hongkong, the larger and more complete the better. It would have to be on modern lines, modeled to some some extent upon our large establishments in the United States. If the store were made attractive, Chinese from all over the coast would flock in; and, as they never buy without first seeing the article, the advantage of such an arrangement would be immediate.

Of course, this would require very large stocks to begin with, as selling to Chinamen by samples is impossible. As an instance of the classes of goods that would be salable in such an emporium, I might mention all kinds of cotton goods that are suitable to this climate, canned meats, fruits and vegetables, bottled beer, gunpowder, cheap lamps, bicycles, sewing machines, flour, kerosene, jewelry, engines and boilers for small steamboats, electric fans (direct current), wire rope, baled cotton (short staple), ship and roofing paint, asbestus, and all kinds of ship chandlery. In addition to these and many other articles, this city would support, in connection with such an establishment, a first-class retail store for the benefit of Europeans, which should embrace dry goods, furnishing goods, stationery, music, fishing tackle, sporting arms, racing outfits, and all kinds of provisions, including fresh butter. A leading capitalist told me, a few days ago, that such an establishment would be a success from the start, and would be the means of introducing American goods to the Chinese market more rapidly than any number of letters or small consignments. It must be a distinctly "American store," run by intelligent men, who would be satisfied only with a very large volume of business. Further, my informant said that when the business had once been established on a permanent footing, it would be very easy to incorporate it into a limited-liability company, floating it entirely in Hongkong.

Within the last year, an American commission house has been established here-F. A. Blake & Son-which represents half a dozen or more California firms. It has met with gratifying success, and I hope may be the beginning of a larger enterprise. People are learning to appreciate American goods, and our manufacturers are finding out that they can compete in this market by sending over their surplus at a special export price. One of the leading architects here, writing to me on the subject of American competition, says:

American manufacturers are, as you know, cutting into British and German trade here. In some tenders we received a few weeks ago for a large steel wharf, there was a difference of only £66 ($320) between the lowest tender (British) and the next lowest (American)—the former being f. o. b. Liverpool; the latter, f. o. b. New York. Had the price been c. i. f. here, the American tender (Carnegie's) would have been the lowest, owing to freight being cheaper here from New York than from Liverpool. The wharf was let for about £7,500 ($36,450).

The new mills of the Hongkong Cotton Spinning, Weaving, and Dyeing Company, Limited, will be in operation within a few days. This is the first cotton mill erected in Hongkong. For the last two months, between 800 and 900 hands, mostly women and girls, have been learning the mysteries of spinning cotton. The mill is fitted up with the very latest machinery, made in Oldham, England. There will be about 50,000 spindles, of which 8,000 are already at work. It is understood here that they are preparing to erect a plant for a duplicate mill, and the representative of an American firm, who was here figuring upon the proposition, told me that he could outfit the new plant for $150,000 less than they paid for the old one. As I have said in previous reports, this new industry will create a big demand for American "upland" cotton. The only thing that the promoters of this English industry fear is that mills will be established in Manila, which would only be possible if Chinese labor were admitted freely.

The exports from this colony to the United States are steadily increasing. The exports for the quarter ended March 31, 1899, amounted to $1,565,610 gold, as against $718,030 in the corresponding quarter of 1898. While the bulk of these exports are in Chinese goods, there are a few items that may be of general interest-for example, matting, $89, 330; rattan ware, $21,990; hemp, $133,490; rice, $325,250; refined sugar, $165,840; hard-wood furniture, $24, 185. In addition to these, sundry provisions were invoiced in this consulate for Manila, amounting to $398, 230. This last item is an object lesson in itself, as every article should have been sold by American firms.

HONGKONG, July 31, 1899.

ROUNSEVELLE WILDMAN,
Consul-General.

TREATMENT OF FOREIGNERS IN FORMOSA.

The Department has received from Minister Buck, of Tokyo, under date of August 11, 1899, a copy of regulations concerning the treatment of foreigners in Formosa, as follows:

ARTICLE I. One who has a foreigner lodging at his house shall notify the police office concerned in regard to the following points within twenty-four hours (the name, status, and name of domicile in foreign country shall be added in the original language). (1) Full name, (2) nationality, (3) status and profession, (4) age, (5) domicile or residence (when he has neither, his residence in a foreign country), (6) where he came from, (7) date (including hour) of his arrival.

When the foreigner, described in the foregoing paragraph, has left the house, the landlord shall within twenty-four hours notify the police office concerned the date (including hour) of removal and place to which he has removed or traveled. The hours allowed for the notification in the first and second paragraphs may

be shortened by regulations of the prefectural government in case of those who have foreigners lodging with them on account of their being hotel keepers or of their having business of that kind. The notification mentioned in the first and second paragraphs may be made to the branch police office or the police official on his rounds, except in cases specially provided for in the regulations of the prefectural government.

ART. II. When a foreigner is requested to do so by the proprietor or manager of the house where he is lodging, he shall state the facts in relation to himself or his companions, which ought to be declared according to the foregoing article, or shall fill out the papers which the proprietor or manager may hand him.

ART. III. The foreigner who has a house, or one who, though not having a house, resides in the same gai, sho, or sha, with the purpose of living there for more than ninety days, shall, within ten days from the date of beginning residence, notify the police office concerned of his or his family's domicile or residence, date of beginning residence, former residence, residence in foreign country, the facts mentioned in Nos. 1-4 of the first paragraph of Article I, and the relationships of his family to him.

The foreigner who, though not answering to the foregoing paragraph, has lived in the same gai, sho, or sha for more than ninety days shall send notice according to the foregoing paragraph within ten days after the ninety days.

When the foreigner does not retain a house, the landlord of his lodging place, and when the foreigner retains a house, the owner or agent of the house, shall also sign the statement mentioned in the first and second paragraphs.

A denationalized Japanese subject continuing to reside in the same place need not send notification according to the present article.

ART. IV. The police office shall prepare a record of the registration of foreigners and register in it the facts stated, according to the first and second paragraphs of Article III, Article V, and Article VI. When, though not stated, the facts required in the registration are known, the same process shall be gone through.

ART. V. When the foreigner registered in the record of registration of foreigners moves, one of the following persons shall, within ten days, notify the police office concerned of the date of removal and the place to which he has removed. When one who moves notifies in person, the notification shall be made before the removal.

(1) When a foreigner who is in a lodging moves, the person who has had the foreigner lodging at his house.

(2) When the family of a foreigner who retains a house has moved, the foreigner himself.

(3) When a foreigner who retains a house moves, and his family remains at the house, the adult who should be the head of the house; if there is no such person, the oldest among the adults.

(4) When not answering to the foregoing categories, the owner or manager of the house.

ART. VI. The foreigner registered in the record of registration of foreigners, when there occurs a change in the facts registered concerning himself or his family, shall notify to that effect the police office concerned within ten days from the date of the change.

ART. VII. Anyone who pays the following fee can apply to look over the record of the registration of foreigners or for the delivery of a copy of the registration: (1) For looking over, 5 sen (21⁄2 cents) each time for a family. (2) For copy of registration, 10 sen (5 cents) per sheet.

ART. VIII. The foreigner shall reply, when he is asked by the police official in relation to the facts specified in Article I or the facts which ought to be registered in the record of registration of foreigners; he shall show his passport that he car

ries, or other documents certifying his nationality when he is requested by the official to do so.

The foregoing provision applies to cases where the police official questions the foreigner concerning the Japanese with whom the foreigner has lodged.

ART. IX. The governor-general of Formosa can expel from Formosa those foreigners to whom one of the following conditions apply:

(1) One who can not obtain his livelihood.

(2) One who wanders about from place to place without any fixed abode. (3) Beggars.

(4) One who is seen to contribute to the disturbance of peace and order, or to the injury of morals.

a

(5) One who has come to Formosa again without permission after he had been expelled.

The order of banishment can be compulsorily carried out, either after the punishment of Article X or without applying Article X.

ART. X. One who, being ordered to leave Formosa according to Article IX, does not leave within the appointed time and one who comes to Formosa again without permission after he has been expelled are to be condemned to not more than four months' imprisonment or not more than 50 yen ($24.90) fine.

ART. XI. One who violates Article VIII by not obeying the request of the police official, by not answering the official's questions, or by not giving the facts, shall be fined not more than 20 yen ($9.96), except in cases to which the penal code is applicable.

ART. XII. One who does not send the notices mentioned in the first and second paragraphs of Article I, Article II, the first and second paragraphs of Article III, and Articles V and VI is to be fined not more than 1.95 yen (97 cents); and one who does not state the facts is to be fined not more than 20 yen ($9.96), except in cases to which the penal code is applicable.

One who has violated the third paragraph of Article III is to be fined not more than 1.95 yen.

ART. XIII. The time allowed for the notification stated in the first and second paragraphs of Article III with regard to foreigners who are actually living in Formosa when this regulation comes into force is counted from the date of the operation of this regulation.

One who actually has a foreigner lodging with him when this regulation comes into force shall bring forward the notification mentioned in the first paragraph of Article I.

ART. XIV. The treatment of Chinese laborers and Chinese without any regular occupation is dealt with in another ordinance.

REGULATIONS RELATING TO FOREIGNERS IN JAPAN.

Minister Buck, of Tokyo, under date of July 29, 1899, transmits printed translations of new notifications and regulations issued by the Japanese Government relating to foreigners, as follows:

REGISTRY OF IMMOVABLES.

IMPERIAL ORDINANCE NO. 329 OF JULY 7, 1899.

(1) If a right in an immovable which might be set up against third persons has been duly acquired by an alien or a foreign juridical person before the time fixed

in the imperial ordinance No. 251 of the thirty-second year of Meiji,* but has not been registered before the said time, it can not be set up against third persons unless it is registered within one year from time.

(2) For the immovables mentioned in article 1, special registry books shall be opened and kept at the respective registry offices within whose jurisdiction such immovables are situated.

(3) Each folio of a registry book mentioned in the preceding article is divided into a column for the number of registration, a division for the designation of the immovable, and four sections headed respectively ko, otsu, hei, tei. The division for the designation contains a column for the description and a column for the number of description. Each of the four sections contains a column for the subjectmatter of the registration and a column for the number of the order.

In the column for the number of registration as to each piece of land or building is entered the order in which it has first been registered in the registry book. In the column for the land, buildings or outbuildings are described and alterations of the same are entered. In the column for the number of the description the order of priority of the matters entered in the column of description is entered. In the column for the subject-matter of section ko are entered: (a) In the land-registry book matter relating to superficies.

(6) In the building-registry book matters relating to ownership.

In the column for the subject-matter of section otsu are entered matters relating to preferential rights, pledges, and mortgages.

In the column for the subject-matter of section hei are entered matters relating to leases.

In the column for the subject-matter of section tei are entered matters relating to rights not mentioned in the three preceding paragraphs.

In the column for the number of the order is entered the number indicating the order of priority of each matter registered in the column for subject-matters.

(4) When an application for registration is made, all facts which can be set up against third persons must be mentioned in the application, and the documents necessary to prove such facts must be annexed.

(5) A copy of the registry book of a foreign consulate relating to an immovable mentioned in article I has the same effect as the registry book.

When an application for registration as to an immovable registered in a foreign consulate is made after this ordinance takes effect, the provisions of article 193§ of the law concerning the registration of immovables apply correspondingly.

The Minister of Justice may make necessary rules in regard to matters mentioned in the foregoing two paragraphs.

(6) As to matters not provided for in this ordinance, the provisions of the law concerning the registration of immovables apply correspondingly.

Additional provision.

This ordinance takes effect on July 17, 1899.

IMPERIAL ORDINANCE NO. 333 OF JULY 7, 1899.

(1) When a Japanese subject or Japanese juridical person acquires a superficies or lease intended to be perpetual, which has been created for an alien or for a foreign juridical person in land which belongs to the Government, such person acquires the ownership of the land.

* That is the time fixed for the taking effect of the new treaties, either the 17th of July or the 5th of August, 1899.

+ That is, A, B, C, D.

Properly "hiring," chintaishaku.

§ This article relates to the forms on which registrations are to be made in the registry book.