February 6, 1895.]
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
105
"In this matter therefore, as well as in the | Shanghai as neutral and not using it as a base A meeting of the Hongkong Minstrels was other questions decided on Saturday, we think for supplies, &c. It seems to me that it is not a called for Saturday afternoon at the City Hall the public at large will thank the Government question of right or fairness in either case; it is for the purpose of considering the balance sheet for having used the official phalanx to outvote the simply one of might and self-interest. To affect of the recent plague concerts. An hour after the unofficial members." The italics are mine. to consider it otherwise would be the shal-time advertised for commencing the proceedings But is it striking a false note to say that lowest hypocrisy. And if we are to go on only four members beside the Secretary, Mr. W. the Ordinance was passed by the votes of the ground of mere expedience, what be- Blaynay, had turned up. It was decided to hold the unofficial members against the protests and comes of your argument, Mr. Editor? For the meeting in the New Victoria Hotel and even the votes of the unofficials? The principle of my part I prefer to be frank. If sentiment is then the five gentlemen who were present the Ordinance being approved of by the un- to enter the question as between China and were unable to conclude the business. It will be official members no division was called for on Japan I say emphatically that every foreigner remembered that the balance sheet showed that the second or third reading, as correctly stated (who is not in the employ of the Chinese Go- the expenditure amounted to the rather big sum by you this morning, but upon the second read-vernment) is almost constrained to wish success of $1,515 and the profits were only $416,49. ing. Dr. Ho Kai, who was the only unofficial to Japan. She represents progress and civili- The whole of the expenditure and receipt items who refrained from voting on the 16th section,sation and humanity. Moreover she is doing were pronounced correct, but as the Secretary is reported to have said: The Bill as it stood a work that sooner or later one or other of the had not brought the bank pass book with him was grandmotherly enough and some of the Treaty Powers (probably Great Britain) would the Chairman, Mr. C. Duncan, decided that it amendments introduced into it have the un- have been compelled to undertake. If not would be unwise to adopt the balance sheet with- doubted effect of decreasing the value of pro- | thwarted and foiled by selfish interference she out having ac ual proof that the balance was in perty to a very considerable extent;" and further will be the means of further opening up that existence. It was thereupon resolved to adjourn on. Still I feel it fair to those who have ac-huge oyster China to foreign trade and resi- the meeting until Tuesday afternoon at five quired by industry, by success in business. or dence. In any case the war will not fail in the o'clock, on which day the Secretary said he would otherwise. large sums of money which they have long run to have a beneficial influence on produce the book. invested in this colony that they should receive China, and will be sure
enure to the due consideration and not be treated with utter benefit of foreigners. The Goverments of disregard to their interests." And when the the Treaty Powers are not blind to these facts, Bill was in Committee on section 16, Mr Chater and I feel convinced they will continue to avoid | is reported to have said "You are gojur to give any intermeddling in the quarrel. Ideantime I compensation to people who own property in hope the foreign Press in the Far East will Taipingshan, and that being so I say let this endeavour to steer clear of suggestions of inter- section be deleted and both sets of landlords be ference by the Powers, as they can only serve to treated alike. I know the section will be carried create needless irritation or excite false hopes. against ns, but we cannot be parties to carrying -I am, dear sir, yours faithfully, an Ordinance by which you deprive people of rights, as I say most unjustly, because it you! give compensation to one set of landlords you ought to give it to the other.
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If peo-
ple have legal rights against the Permanent Committee, do not let us be parties to depriving them of those rights; if they have no such rights. we will hear no more about it; if they have let them fight it out."-Yours faithfully
H. L. D.
Hongkong, 1st February, 1895.
THE NEUTRALITY OF SHANGHAI. TO THE BDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS."
to
Hongkong, 3rd February, 1895.
HONGKONG.
BRITON.
The pantomime Robinson Crusoe was produced by the A.D.C. dn the 30th January and repeated on the 4th inst. Six more per- formances are arranged for. The production is a very successful one, the dancing and spectacu- lar effects being very fine, but the dialogue is somewhat weak. The owners of property SIR,I will thank you to accord me space in closed during the plague and which has not been taken over by the Government under the Re- which to make a few remarks on your leading ar- ticle in Saturday's issue referring to the neutra-sumption. Ordinance are memorialising the Secretary of State for compensation for loss of lity of Shanghai which has hitherto beeu gua-rent. A meeting of the Sanitary Board was held ranteed by Japan. I note that while you ad. mit that China was careful to refrain from fol. on the 31st ult. A cricket match was played lowing this excellent example by respecting the on the 2nd inst, between the Cricket Club and the neutrality of Yokohama you give Japan no credit Ride Brigade and resulted in a victory for the
former.
There were 13457 visitors to the City Hall Museum last week, of whom 149 were Europeans. there were 53 in-patients treated and the num
At the Alice Memorial Hospital last month ber of out-patient visits was 923. Nethersole Hospital the numbers were 35 and 30 At the It is notified in the Gazette that regulation No. 6 of the 16th March, 1891, amending regn- lation No. 6 of the 16th December, 1889, as well
for the great and special caro she has systemati- cally shown throughout the hostilities not to inter fere with foreign commercial interests. Not only have the Japanese avoided all interference with Shanghai, in spite of the strong provocation afforded by the advantage taken of this policy by the Chinese, but they also left Newchwang untroubled, and (spite of what Reuter says about the foreign fets preventing the Japanese attacking the Chefoo forts) effected landings at a distance from Chefoo, so as not to cause dis-as the said regulation No. 6 of the 16th Decem- turbanes to foreign interests there, which, by the way, are by no means great.
ber, 1889, are annulled. The regulations referred to provided for an annual Government test of the Peak tramway.
On Thursday night Mr. F. H. May, Cap- tain. Superintendent of Police, opened a de- bate at the rooms of the Hongkong Odd Volumes Society ou "The local importance of the preservation of game in Hongkong." The Hon, J. J. Keswick presided, and amongst those present was His Excellency the Governor. Mr. May thought it was highly desirable to preserve game, with the object of pro- viding a certain section of the community with healthy recreation and sport. The only difficulty in connection with game preservation was that it must be confined to a small number and necessita- ted the giving of extensive rights to individuals. But in this colony the question was not such a large one as it would appear, as during the present shooting season the number of game licences, that had been taken out was ander twenty; therefore the interests involved in giving to any one person exclusive rights to a part of the island were very small. The head of game amounted to almost nil, as the twenty guns had averaged during the season only one and a half partridge. He had obtained from His Excellency rights to shoot over the Tytam Peninsula and bad paid special attention to pheasant breeding. In November Captain Murray and he had the pleasure of bagging the first two pheasants shot in the island. He thought there was no doubt that pheasants would thrive in Hongkong and he did not see why in course of time they should not cover the whole island: A discussion followed
and a vote of thanks concluded the debate.
Directory for China, Japan, Straits Settlements, The thirty-third issue of The Chronicle and
volume, as in previous years, shows an advance Philippines, &c. was issued on Thursday. The
mass of information and in get-up. In spite and improvement on former issues, both in the of every effort to condense the contents, the book contains forty pages more than last year's edition, and the alphabetical list of names has now reached a total of 16,722. The des criptions of the various ports and countries have been carefully revised and expanded, and In spite of an obvious desire on your part to
many have been almost wholly re-written, to be fair in your remarks you are one-sided in your the Police Fores will arrive from England in required by the increasing class of travellers In about a month's time ten new members f bring them up to date and give the information arguments, an appear as though you were con testing a case with an imaginary opponent charge of Inspector Stanton, who is returning to round the world. The plans have also been rather than impartially criticising a situation. the colony after an absence of ten months. revised and now include all the latest alterations. Let me illustrate. After stating that it is not Inspector Gauld will arrive about the middle of In the list of Treaties, &c., will be found several difficult to understand the irritation Japan, must next mouth, In the meantime there are to be important additions, such as the new American feel in connection with the active use made of two or three removals. Inspector Kemp and Immigration Treaty with China, the new Brit- the Kiangnan Arsenal and the facilities of the Acting Inspector Duncan take their leave next ish Treaty with Japan, new Orders in Council, port of Shanghai by the Chinese, and remarking month, and Mr. George Horspool, Deputy &c. The paper on which the book is printed that you fail to see how such irritation can be Superintendent, will bid farewell to the colony, is slightly thinner than that of last year owing removed, you say: The Powers could not Chief Inspector Mathieson is golag about the to the desire to keep down the bulk. The work reasonably ask China to refrain from using same time, and in April we lose the services, for has been carefully printed from a new fount of "such means of defence as she possesses, and a time, of Mr. F. H. May, Captain Superinten-type specially kept for the purpose, and the contents arranged with the view to facilitate the supplies of war material turned out by the dent, who also goes away on leave. Kiangnan Arsenal and the facilities afforded At the regular meeting of the Victoria Pre-speedy reference. We think that in this, the by the port of Shanghai are amongst the most ceptory held on Wednesday Sir Knight R. Cook most important matter after correctness, the "important of those means."
book is excelled by no other work of the Why not ? The was installed as Eminent Preceptor for the en-
effort has been spared Powers could make such a request with just as suing year, after which he appointed his officers as kind. In short no
all much justice as they could ask Japan to fetter follows:-Prelate, Sir Knight J. Kirkwood, to render The Chronicle and Directory her movements and prolong the war by leaving Constable, Sir Knight J. Bryant, Marshal, Sir that it professes to be-a vade mecum for China a free base at Shanghai. What is sauce
every business man in the Far East and equally for the goose is sauce for the gander. If for
so for those firms in Europe, America, and purely selfish reasons the Treaty Powers can
Australasia trading with the wide area of Eastern insist upon hampering Japan in the pro-
Asia it embraces. As some sign of the public secution if the war, handicapping her by
appreciation of this fact attention is directed to securing to China throughout the hostilities
the increasing number of advertisments, re- a port and arsenal protected practically by the
presenting the most varied industries, trades; guns of their squadrons, they can with equal
and countries. The volume well maintains its right and justice-having in view the shorten
ancient reputation as it does its familiar red cloth cover. ing of the war-insist on China also regarding
46
Knight D. Macdonald, Sub-Marshal, Sir Knight S. L. Darby, Treasurer, Sir Knight J. W. Kinghorn, Registrar, Sir Kuight J. Dyer Ball, Capt. of the Guard, Sir Knight P. R. Simmonds, Almoner, Sir Knight F. Goddard, D. of
J. Knight S. Ceremonies, Sir
Hanisch, Organist, Sir Knight F. W. Hall, Guard, Sir Knight J. Maxwell. After the close of the meeting the Sir Kuights adjourned to a banquet at the Hongkong Hotel.