FROM SHANGHAI.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1362, 13 February 1912, Page 4

FROM SHANGHAI.

A QUIET ANNEXATION.

Among the recent arrivals ta Clua is Mr. C. R. Graham, now of. Wellington who has been stationed in Shanghai for the past eleven years as departmental manager for a big English farm. ,M.r. Graham, who is commencing in business in Wellington, left Shanghai as lalo as November last, and is fairly well posted as to the broader issues involved in tho prosent anti-Mauchu trouble in China. "The revolutionaries hud no trouble to sneak of in gaining a. footing in Shanghai," said M,r. Graham. "In fact, you wouldn't know anything was on at all it it were not for the excitement ot Hie Natives. Shanghai is m international port, and tliero was no trouble in the foreign, part of the city at nil. The Woosung forts, fourteen miles away down the river, wero taken after a breeze, but there was no fighting in the. city. J.he Manchu Goveriiinent oflicials quietly disuppcarcd, and were replaced by the Kβpnblican party. "l-'or months liefore the outbreak the Natives had been simmering with excitement, and there never seemed to be any doubt but that the revolution would succeed. They all appeared to be very bitter against the Manchu dynasty, and wero ripe for any change that would posh them from the throne of China.' "There is a good chance now of the capital being changed from Peking to Nanking—the centre of tho revolutionary movement. If that is brought about it will bo a good thing for Shanghai, which is only a six-hour rido in the train from ! "The trouble has greatly upset business amongst the Chinese. A year ago tliero were eighty native banks doing business in the Chinese quarter of Shanghai (where there are from 150,000 to 200,000 natives), now there are only 22."' Where are the others? "Gone smash-MUiaV , - v o meet their liabilities; when A'.'hti ole came, and a rush set in, tliejii f /cni under, until only the solid concerns wero left." Mr. Graham describes life at Shanghai as very pleasant. There were about 1.0,000 foreigners, including GOOO English, resident in tho city, and as coolie labour is very cheap, the Englishman is able to take tilings very easy in everything savo his own bnsiness responsibilities. Thev wero a bright, pleasuM-loving people," with golf-links, racecourse, and cricket gronnd, practically in tho centre of the city. Living was £airly cheap, chough one could not say rents were, and there was a distinct fascination about the life in the big city of the East.