带着
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tached to the army, shared the hardships, and followed through the dangers of disease and battles to the credit and honour of their profession. On a permanent stage which stands in the court of the Governor's house an entertainment was given, which continued from 8.30 in the afternoon until 1:30 at night, consisting of Japanese songs, dauces, and four comedies produced by amateur talent, fallowed by a Chinese professional theatrical performance and closing with Chinese music by a large troup of sing-song" girls, who were engaged specially for the entertainment of the Chinese guests.
Among those present were-Generals Taka- shima, Ashima, Murai, Nakamura, and Surgeon General Ishizaka; Admirals Tsunoda, Tanaka, and Hishima; Colouel Hagiwara, Chief of Gen- darmes; Colonel Ijichi, Chief of the Second Division Staff; Colonel Tanabe, Aide-de-Camp to the Governor-General, Colonel Kadama, Chief of Engineering Corps; Mr. Miyuno, Chief of the Civil department; Mr. Kabayama, D.C.L., Mr. Okubo, D.C.L., and many others | of the higher officials; Mr. Li and his assis. tants of the Chinese department; ten Japanese and one foreign correspondent.
TIENTSIN.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
20th November. Public affairs are quiet and though the Mahommedan rebellion figures large in the Southern press. it is attracting but little notice up here. It is either insignificant in itself or it suits the officials to ignore it. Private advices received here five days ago from Lanchow state that there was a complete absence of panic in that city, and that proximity to the rebels seemed to abate rather than intensify the public fear. Sining-choo, a city on the Koko-nor frontier, about 120 miles W.N.W. of Lanchow, had been seized, and some anxiety was felt about the safety of two European missionaries therein, one a lady. The Lanchow correspon- dent
says the near approach of winter will to a certainty disperse the rebel forces. There is a good deal of unnecessary fear generated by people looking at this district on small-scale flies Lanchow is at least 700 miles distant from
we are apt to forget that as the crow Peking and that the physical difficulties in the way are all but insuperable to an anorganized rabble. To these difficulties may be referred
maps:
the inadequacy of the Imperial forces sent to the front from this province. The men desert in thousands by the way and the transit of troops from Chibli to Kansuh is like the shovelling of fleas across a barn yard"-few get to the other side.
最敢
The Peking situation is the same. The opinion is stronger in foreign circles in the capital that Li will return to power; but most certainly this notion finds no support in native official circles here. Wang Wen-shen, the new Viceroy, is slowly but surely eliminating the Li following in the province. Wang has never before had to do with foreigners and is some- what shy of meeting them. He finds that the
formal duties of his office make so exacting a demand on his time that he has had to decline all interviews with the crowds of men who flock to Tientsin on all sorts of business. Li was always, accessible to financiers, philan- thropists, journalists, globe-trotters, &c., &c., and plied them right well with all sorts of relevant and irrelevant questions. The present man refuses to see any one without a consular or strictly official introduction; hence his re- putation for being anti-foreign." He visited the East Arsenal last Monday on the occasion of the Naval College examination and was lost in admiration at the machinery, all of which was new to him.
That the high Chinese officials are deter- mined to acquire a new navy is evident from the fact that the Naval College here is being replenished with new students to replace the present graduates. For some months confiden. tial inquiries have been going on between the British Foreign Office and Captain Lang with a view of this able officer returning to China. Personally Captain Lang is unwilling to come and has specifically said so; but he would probably withdraw his personal objections in deference to the wishes of the Admiralty, and on assurance that
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
things would not be as formerly. The present decision is that Captain Lang will not come.
Sir Nicholas O'Conor was greatly impressed with his reception in Tientsin. His Excelleney spoke with unmistakable frankness to Prince Kung at his last interview. Stating that he had no other object than a wish to show his sense of the many courtesies he had experienced at his Highness's hands, he said that unless China quickly reformell partition was inevitable, We somehow bave got an idea that Sir Morti- mer Durand is the most likely man for the Peking appointment and as Sir Nicholas did not discountenance the notion there is probably something in it.
Business is in its usual congested state ante- cedent to the closure of the port. The Customs returns are the greatest on record and there is much other evidence that the trade of the port is still progressive.. Messrs. Butterfield and Swire are covering a large compound with modern go. downs and offices; Messrs. Arnhold, Karberg & Co., Messrs. Alfred Dent & Co., and the Chartered Bank are opening or have opened local agencies, and sites are at a high premium, notwith- standing the prospect of German and Japanese concessions. The latter, by the bye, are making no visible progress; a remark equally applicable to all the railway departures of which we hear so much in the Peking Gazette and Shanghai
papers.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The Imperial Chinese Telegraphs are build. ing a duplicate line to Helampo, opposite Blagovestschensk, where connection is made with the Siberian line.
The Chinese authorities have decided, after twenty-five years almost to the day, to remove the wreck of the Lismore, outside Woosung This vessel struck on a sunken junk on the morning of the 2nd of November, 1870, while inward bound from Foochow.
The Nippon Yusen Kaisha has decided to pay the enormous dividend of 30 per cent. for the present year-10 per cent. out of the ordinary profits and 20 per cent. ont of profits made on the steamers chartered by the Government
deducting this abnormal dividend the company during the war, says the Eastern World. After will still be able to add $2,500,000 to its reserve fund.
It is reported from Wuchang. says the N. C. Daily News, that a certain Szechuen syndicate has obtained the consent of the high authorities of Szechuen and Hapeh to work the petroleum deposits in those two provinces and that the head of the syndicate is a man named Chung, who has recently seen some English merchants about procuring the necessary foreign machinery to develop the industry.
The arins salved from the wreck of the Kowshing by Captain Jack" Roberts some months ago came down to Shanghai on the 22nd November in the Hsinyu, consigned to Messrs. Mandl & Co. They are to be taken over by the Chinese authorities. They consist of nine guns, 16 cartridge cases, 26 gun-carriage wheels, 9 carriages, 13 limbers, 48 rifles, 9 sword bayonets, 130 packages in all--China Gazette.
The Norwegian steamer Matilde, which left Nagasaki on 11th October, took twenty-nine days in crossing to Vancouver. She reported that about 1,200 miles from Vancouver she struck a wreck or some floating obstruction, as the result of which three propeller blades were stripped, and having but one blade left, she did not reach Vancouver till November 10th. In June last the Chittagong reported that there was a floating derelict in lat. 49.55 N. long. 141 W This was probably the wreck that the Matilde struck.
At the instance of the master of the Ameri- can sailing-ship Wm. H. Macy, the British steamer sis was, we learn from the Japan Gazette, formally arrested by Mr. Kircher, of H.B.M. Consulate Yokohama, on the 23rd November. It will be remembered that the vessels collided recently in the bay, the Macy being so seriously damaged that she had to be The Isis was also very badly damaged and is now undergoing repairs. We under- stand that the claim against the Isis is 380,000. Mr. Walford and Mr. Scidmore are acting on behalf of the plaintiff,
beached.
[December 4, 1895.
Admiral Carpenter left for home on the 16th inst. by the O. & O. Gaelic from Yokohama, and his flagship the Baltimore is timed to sail about the 26th. The Olympia, it is stated, will await the arrival of Admiral McNair at Toko- hama.
In order to ensure a regular supply of coal for the iron works at Wachang, the N. C. Daily News says. the Viceroy Chang has sanctioned a railway between Wuchang and Hsingkuochou in the same province, where coal suitable for the manufacture of coke is abun dant.
.
There is a hitch about the new Franco- Russian Bank, the N. C. Daily News say. The French have found the greater part of the capital, but the Russians want the majority on the Board of Directors. No doubt the French will give way, and all will be soon settled amicably.
The hill in the district of Ch'unan, C'hêkiang, being said to contain a very good coal, a native syndicate obtained permission from the Governor to open mines there. When operations were about to commence a great uproar about ruining the fengshui of the district was raised, and the work has to be suspended until the syndi- cate has appealed to Governor Liao for a special proclamation to the district officials and gentry to cease troubling the syndicate, as the opening of mines was part of the programme for the strengthening and r9- suscitation of the empire.-N. C. Daily News.
Mr. Shen Tun-ho, an English speaking official belonging to the Nanking Viceregal staff, arrived at Shanghai on the 20th inst. in order to direct the survey of the proposed railway line between Shanghai and Soochow. In order to prepare the officials and people along the proposed line of survey, and prevent Huang, the Shanghai magistrate, has sent ill rumours by ignorant mischief-makers, Mr. couriers to the magistrates of the cities of Chiating (Kahding), Hsingyang, Tsingpu, Kunshan (Quinsan), and Chenyang, apprising them of the matter. The tipaos belonging to this district were also summoned by Mr. Huang on Thursday and ordered to make everything ready within their respective wards for the surveying party in the Shanghai district.-N. C. Daily News.
In
27th November Mr. M. J. D. Stevens was for- In the Supreme Court at Shanghai on the mally admitted to practice in the Court. connection with this the Mercury says:-
:-The shareholders of the Imuris Mining Company, who met this afternoon (28th November) to discuss the unpleasantness of their position and arrange as to what attitude they shall adopt, were reminded yesterday perhaps of the gloomy proverb, “Coming events cast their shadows be- fore."
Mr. Stevens, who courteously invited the wrathful shareholders to an "Imuris at
Home," was admitted, by Mr. Acting Chief Justice Jamieson, as a solicitor to practice in the Supreme Court at Shanghai. It is stated that Mr. Stevens does not intend to `remain permanently at Shanghai, and in the interests of the shareholders in question it is to be hoped his legal privileges just acquired and "be called he will not feel himself called upon to assert
to practice."
The public, the N. C. Daily News says, have fortunately been spared the details of what might otherwise have been a disaster equal to or perhaps more appalling than that of the Kungpai. The Kungping left Tongku with 1,500 solders on board for Hakon, at the entrance of the Poyang Lake, but as the General in command of the troops desired to land his men at Kiukiang, the vessel proceeded to that port, but this alteration was not allowed. The vessel then went back to Hukou, where boats were waiting for the soldiers. While the debarkation was going on, an ex- plosion of gunpowder took place in the 'tween decks and the hatches were filled with smoke. All preparations were immediately made to extinguish the fire, but when the smoke cleared away it was found that no damage had been done. The responsible parties do not appear to have taken warning from the Kungpai disaster, for it turned out that there was a large quantity of explosives on board. A searching investigation ought to be made as to who was responsible for troops and ammunition being carried at the same time.