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the Republic and chiefs of the missions, en- closing the text of the Convention Berthemy in both languages, French and Chinese, as also a copy of the correspondence which has passed with regard to This subject between the Legation and your Yamen.-I am, etc.,
(Signed) A. GERARD,
A CHINESE IMPERIAL PROCLA- MATION.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
the Manuk v. W. Shewan case was given o Saturday.
There were 1.813 visitors to the City Hall Museum last wack, of whom 134 were Europeans.
The special plague by-laws dated the 10th and 31st May, 1894, are revoked by proclama- tion of the Governor in Council, published in the Gazette..
1
The Hon. Dr. Ho Kai has been appointed a member of the Governing Body of Queen's College during the absence of the Hon. N. G. Mitchell-Lunes.
PD-
[May 29, 1895.
The Hou. Treasurer of the Alice Memorial and Nethersole Hospitals begs to acknowledge with thanks the following donations to the funds. of the hospitals :-
Hongkong. Canton, and Macao Steam. boat Co., Limited (for special services rendered).......
Ng Ho Shi Chen Quan Ee
Captain Chas. V. Lloyd
Captain W. E. Clarke
Captain S. W. Goggin.. R. L. B..
F. D. Goddard
.$100
25
25
10
5
Advices from Tientsin announce that an Imperial autograph proclamation has been issued which states that the Treaty has been amply discussed. The Emperor has been urged nòt to surrender territory or pay. an indemnity; but rather continue the war, rallying the people to the succour of the State: Such advice comes from faithful servants, but how deeply the Emperor pondered over the settlement no tongue could tell. Since the outbreak of the war everything has been done to enlist troops and furnish them with supplies. but the leader- ship failed. Nothing but rabble were recruited and there was no victory on sea or land. Both within and beyond the Great Wall the state | $1,516.90. of affairs was terrible. The enemy. pressed on to the Liaotung peninsula and towards Moukden, threatening the metropolitan province itself. The crisis was one demanding decision, For twenty years had the privileges attaching to the sacred Majesty of the Emperor been exercised, and how was it that alarms had been allowed to disturb the country! Heaven had not withheld an augury, for the sea had over flowed the coast and submerged the soldiers' camps. Tormented by the alternative between defence and offence the Emperor had passed the night in troubling and the day labouring with grief. After weighing all the facts most care- fully he had determined on his course. Memori- alists to the Throne had overlooked many vital points. The officials and people of the Empire. must take into account and make allowance for the difficulty in which the Emperor was placed. The Treaty had now been ratified and the rea- sons for the settlement must be promulgated throughout the Empire. The Emperor would pray that his subjects might be moved to eradi- cate abuses in the country. The training of an army and the organisation of the revenues of the Empire were urgent questions which must be thoroughly investigated. No laxity would be permitted or tolerated on any pretence. Truth must henceforth prevail and his Majesty looked forward to a regenerated State trusting im- plicitly in the officials of the capital and pro-started for Calcutta, when she was left in charge vinces-N, C. Daily News.
On Saturday afternoon Mr. Sketchley, de- The statement of the receipts and expenditure livered his farewell address at the Odd Volumes of the Plague Recognition Fund have been Society's rooms. Mr. Skertchley is leaving the made up and audited. The receipts were as fol-colony to take up an important position under | lows:-Subscriptions by Europeans, Americans, the Queensland Government, and he took the Parsees, aud Indiaus, $7,578.45; spbscriptions opportunity of giving a retrospect of the by Chinese community, $145; proceeds of con- Society's work. The address was a very humor. certs in Canton and Hongkong per Mr. J. J.ous one, and dealt exhaustively with the doings Francis, Q.C., $224.99; proceeds of concerts in of the Society, which had no other end in view Hongkong per Mr. Blayday, $97.83; interest, than the intellectual and social benefit of its $6.82; total, $8,053.09. The disbursements to members. He had never since boyhood lived the 18th May amounted to $6,536.13, and the so long in one place as in Hoogkong, and in five amount at credit in the Chartered Bank to
years he had come to like it better than any spot upon which his life had been passed. His Early on the 21st inst. Chinamen
Excellency the Governor, who presided, proposed tered a mat shed at British Kowloon with the a vote of thanks to Mr. Skertchley for his in- intention of robbing it. Their entry was stub-teresting, instructive, and facetious address, and boruly resisted by the tenant and his wife, who said that the members must all have a feeling of wero, however, quickly overpowered by the regret that Mr. Skertchley was leaving them, and cowardly action of the thieves, One of the latter a feeling of pleasure that his high attainments picked up a chopper, and dealt the man a terrific had been so well appreciated and recognised by Mr. Skerfchley blow on the head, while the woman was knocked the English Government. to the ground and brutally assaulted. The would have a much larger scope for his abilities rascals then plundered the place, and took away in Queensland then he had had in this colouý, about $30 worth of goods. Acting-Inspector and every one wished him success. Mitchell conducted the enquiry into the affair, seconded the resolution, which was supported by and a part of the Stolen property was found in a Hon. J. H. Stewart Lockhart, Colonial Secretary, nullab close by. Two men have been arrested, and carried unanimously.. It was also resolved The injured man lies in the hospital in a critical to elect Mr. Skertchley an honorary member of
the Society.
THE INDEMNITY LOAN,
The Tientsiu correspondent of the N. C. Daily News writes:-A Committee of eight, including the two Princes, Kung and Ching, the Governor of the city and his Lieutenant, Chang-lin, with three Tsungli Yamen Ministers, Sung, Hsü, the Imperial Tutor Weng Tung-ho and the and Chang Zinhwan, has been appointed to ar- range about the loan of Tls. 200,000,000 with which to pay Japan. We may have been misin- formed, but We think we
are right in stating that two of the three Powers have demanded to have the negotiating of the loan equally between them. The rate of interest is said to be 6 per cent,, doubtless on a gold basis. This Committee met at the Tsungli Yamen yesterday, the 15th May, to consult what is to be done. It is anticipated by some that she will acquiesce in the arrangement pro- posed by the allies. China's weakness and cor- ruption have made such a ruthless exposure that nothing apparently seems left for her to do but accept the inevitable; she has lost all courage. There is a strong and knowing haud, now guid. ing one of the European Chancellories and al- ready that band is beginning to be felt.
condition.
The girl Rebecca Joseph, who was ordered by the Acting Chief Justice to be handed over to her mother, did not leave the Italian convent without displaying considerable displeasure at the Judge's decision. After the completion of the case she returned to the convent, but on the following day she was brought down to the Court by a constable, and afterwards handed over, by order, to the Superintendent of the Gaol, who detained her until Thursday afternoon, when Mr. Howell, the head bailiff, took her under bis care and conveyed her on board the Arratoon Apcar, He remained with her until the boat
of her friends. The girl was very reluctant in- deed to leave the convent.
upon
Dr. Cantlie
A curious scene was witnessed at the entrance of the Theatre Royal on Monday night. Miss Grace Hawthorne's benefit was announced, for which the patronage of H.E. the Governor, H.5. Ma- jor-General Black, and Commodore. Boyes had been promised. Sir William Robinson and General Black on arriving found the doors closed and in company with a large crowd wondered what had happened. Commodore Boyes was unable to attend and 80 missed the fur, but was represented by his Secretary, Mr. Waymouth. After some delay the doors were opened, but there were no ticket collectors in attendance. Miss Hawthorne appeared on the stage and explained that some of the members of the company having had a difference with
their former manager," Mr. Saville Smith, had refused to act and left the theatre, but the re-
maining members, she said, were willing to do their best if the audience wished the perfor- mauce to go on, or, if it was so desired, would postpone it until another evening. The answer was "to-night" and the performance proceeded.
Miss Hawthorne, in the title role, played with The piece was "Theodora" and the diminished company gave a very good representation of it. much power, while Mr. Montgomery, who doubled the parts of The Emperor and Andreas.
Holiday making in Hongkong is necessarily con- fined within rather narrow limits. It must there. fore, have been ry galling on Thursday after noon to those people who had set their minds wituessing the grand review of the Garrison and Volunteers at the Happy Valley in honour falling, and thus dashing to the ground all hopes of the Queen's Birthday, to see the pitiless rain of the ceremony being performed. Thousands of people must have been disapointed at being robbed of a pleasing afternoon's holiday at the
excellent account of each. Mr. Happy Valley, and we suppose the only man who gave an welcomed the rain was the Director of Public Armadale took the part of Marcellus, and in Works-not, of course, because he is disloyal, one of the scenes that of The Emperor. There but because the gradual filling of the reservoirs was an unusually large audience, who seemed well satisfied with the performance. The relieves him of considerable anxiety. Major
tickets were collected during the intervals and General Black gave an order abandoning the re-
a notice was posted at the door requesting view at 2 o'clock.
gentlemen who had forgotten to pay to do so before leaving.
MISCELLANEOUS.
that Mr. F.
Irivate telegrams have been received stating
H. May, Captain Superinten deut of Police, now absent on leave, has been made a C.M.G. Few men have ever earned the honour better than Mr. May, whose self-denying services during the plague were beyond all praise. It was generally supposed that Mr J. J. Francis, the Chairman of the Permanent Com- The Shanghai mandarins, we learn from the mittee, to whom the colony owes a large debt of N. C. Daily News, have received telegraphio gratitude, would also have been honoured |des, atolies from Peking and Tientsin stating by having a decoration conferred upon him. that the Emperor has ordered the troops in Perhaps he may have been. although no news has Manchuria and Shanbaikwan to remain where A general holiday was proclaimed on the yet been received of it, for it sometimes takes they are for the present, it being inadvisable to Queen's Birthday, but owing to a heavy down-the Press agencies a long time to go through recall them while the present crisis exists. pour of rain the residents had to celebrate the the birthday list of honours and find out who is further, that the report of a rebellion amongst event indoors, and the grand review of troops had who. Or perhaps he may be left out in the cold the troops at Shanhaikwan was caused by a fight to be abandoned. A meeting of the Sanitary for having gone "agin the Government." which occurred between a Chinese and a Manchu Board was held on Wednesday, and the Legis- Where party Government prevails that would regiment, but which was quickly put a stop to lative Council met on Thursday, when several naturally be so, but in Crown Colonies party by the Chinese and Manchu Generals in com- bills were read for the first time. Judgment in considerations are not supposed to carry weight. Imand of the respective troops.
HONGKONG.