THE AMAZING EAST

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 215, 9 March 1912, Page 7

THE AMAZING EAST

AMERICAN FINANCIER'S OPINION. Among the passengers by the E. arid A. steamer St. Albans, which arrived in Sydney last week from Eastern .ports, was Mr. J. Williams and his wife, from New York. Mr. Williams is associated with the well-known Williams, Endicott Syndicate, which, besides being a financial institute, has large interests in Chinese railways, in paper manufacturies, and in South American railways and stock. The syndicate is also interested in telegraph and telephone services, and helped to iloat the Hankow loan of £lO,000,000. Mr. Williams stated that his intention when he left New York was to take a trip through the East and to see China and Japan. On arrival in China the first news they heard was of the revolution of the people in favor of a republic. Passengers were desired not to land, and he decided to continue on the round trip. At Macao, a port near Hongkong, 93 Portuguese officers and men were taken on board, together with about nine tons of. ammunition and a quick-firing gun. These were landed at Timor, where an insurrection is going on. "Oil landing at Timor," sair Mr. Williams, "we were surprised at the primitive state of the principal town. It only contained about 150 houses, most of them were like huts in Madras, shaded with trees, the whole town looking like a country village. One noticeable effect of the uprising against the Portuguese rule was the fact that the natives did not assemble in the market-places to pay their taxes. It is reckoned that natives numbering nearly *25,000 are fully armed with modern rifles, which it is freely stated they obtained from the Dutch; and the Portuguese will have all their time to remain in possession of the Timor group." Mr. Williams, in referring to Japan, said he was of opinion they were the race of the near future which the European races would come in .conflict with No country of the Asiatic races he had ever visited showed such wonderful developments. Not only was Japan a nation to fear in the future as a competitor, but she had also entered into the world of finance in connection with the loans to Korea and China. Japan had shown her business aptitude by taking away from the biggest American and English tobacco manufacturers the monopolies they held, now controlled by the Japanese Government. Japan was steadily endeavouring to get control of the East, and it wotfld be a serious menace to the peace of the world if they obtained it. Mr. Williams added that he was much impressed with what he had seen of Australia.