452
AFFAIRS IN NORTH HUPEH,
A correspondent writing from Laohokeo, North Hupeh on November 1st, seuds to the China Gazette the following interesting table of notable occurrences which have taken place in Hüpeh and Honan since the Fuhkien massacre. The events recorded are sent down in their order
of date :-
Siangiang Prefecture, Hupeh.-An anti- foreign riot occurred at Nanchang-hien and the premises belonging to the Roman Catholic Mission were destroyed.
A native Catholic priest was reported to have been murdered, but the report needs confirmation.
At Laohokeo a sqabble occurred at the door of the Protestant Mission between the door- keeper and a Customs officer, which was very nearly ending seriously. A huge crowd col lected and started the cry "raze the chapel," which was eagerly repeated from mouth to mouth, and things were looking very grave for the missionaries, when a friendly military officer sent soldiers in disguise for their protection. The head of the local Customs afterwards apologised for the disturbance.
Special orders were sent to the Chien isong Hem the to protect the foreigners. Italian, English, American, and Norwegian missions and informed the missionaries that he had instructions to take care of them and that they might rely on his alertness and energy in their interest.
The Governor of Hupeh issued a proclama- tion regarding the Szechnen riots and Fobkien
massacre,
By common report the 15th day of the 8th moon was mentioned as the date of a projected anti- foreign rising. About twenty notable rowdies were arrested simultaneously and a number of banners bearing the inscription Shuen Tshing mie iang ("serve the Government by exter- minating the foreigners") were captured.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
It was with much regret that the foreigners of Lachokeo learned that the local magistrate was to be removed. He had all along evinced the utmost friendliness. His offence was said to be taking bribes for releasing prisoners.
riot oc- Nan-iang Prefecture, Houan-A curred at She Ki-chen directed against the Customs authorities. During the disturbance the ory
"loot the foreigners' houses' raised.
A proclamation vilifying missionaries was issued in the name of the local hien, who on the matter being strongly represented to him promised to issue another proclamation con- tradicting the former one.
was
A deputation of scholars waited on the hien and informed him that they meditated mischief against foreigners. The magistrate told them if they proceeded to any violence he would have to punish them.
The Catholic Mission in the city was demo. lished by rioters on the 7th day of the 9th moon. The village residence of the missionaries, 15 li distant from the city, was threatened, the 10th of the month being fixed for the assault.
The Imperial proclamation was not heard of either at Nan-iang or She Kichen.
Chen-chia Prefecture.-Placards, were posted up naming a date for the murder of Dr. Taylor and Mr. Ford. The magistrate refused to have the documents removed.
Notwithstanding the riots at Nanchang on our right and Nan-iang on our left, Leohokeo is considered safe.
HONGKONG.
The colony is shortly to lose one of its officials who can be least spared, Sir Fielding Clarke, the Chief Justice, having accepted the Chief Justiceship of Jamaica. On Thursday the Legislative Council held a rather interest. ing meeting, Some dissatisfaction has been expressed amongst the Chinese owing to the strict and sudden re-enforcement of the light and pass regulations.
The new Chinese torpedo gunboat Feiying, built at Stettin, arrived on Friday. She has already been fully described in our coluums.
A Chin se druggist trading in Queen's Road West was fined $25 at the Police Court on Fri- day for selling Manila lottery tickets on his premises.
There were 2,011 visitors to the City Hall Museum last week, of whom 172 were Europeans. It is notified in the Gazette that the Queen's exequatur has been issued empowering Don H. Gonzalez del Castillo to act as Vice-Consul for Spain at Hongkong.
At the regular meeting of the United Service lodge, No. 1341, held on Saturday night, W. Bro. W. C. H. Hastings was elected W. M., W. Bro. H. J. Watson was elected treasurer, and Bro. J. Maxwell, tyler.
the
(December 11, 1895.
Admiral Buller was to leave Singapore on 30th November in the despatch boat Alacrity for Sandakan, and will probably spend some sime in North Borneo.
The O. S. S. Co.'s steamer Teucer, with drafts for the garrison, arrived on Friday. The follow- It is notified in the Gazette that Her Majestying is a list of the officers and men brought out has not been advised to exercise her power of by her-Royal Artillery-Major P. B. Han- disallowance with repect to the Ordinance for ham, Mrs. Hanham, 25 men, 3 women, 2-child- ren. Royal Engineers-Captain Carey, Mrs. regulating the licensing of private vehicles.
Carey, and Lieut. Bannerman, 51 men; 8 women, 12 children. Rifle Brigade-Captain Baker-Carr, Lieut. Holland, 153 men, 1 woman, 1 child. Army Pay Department-Captain Dy son. Army Medical Staff Surgeon-Major Hayes, D.S.O., and Mrs. Hayes; Surgeon-Major Johnston, Mrs. Johnston, and child; Surgeon- Captains Brown and Edye. Medical Staff Corps -10 men, 1 women, 1 child. Ordnance Store Department-Lient. Heaton, Mrs. Heaton, and 4 children. Ordnance Store Corps-5 men, woman.
It is very unfortunate that the meeting of the Legislative Council and the annual regatta clash this week. Doubtless when the Council was adjourned until Thursday the regatta was overlooked by the Government.
The Secretary of the Punjom Mining Co., Limited, advises us that he has received the following cable from the mine, being the result of the November crushing: "The mill ran 27 days, crushing 1,000 tons yielding 500 ounces of gold."
On Friday morning Mr. G. P. Lammert sold by auction in one lot the hull of the Wandering Jew with masts, spars, yards, and standing rig- ging, with one anchor and rable down. The lot was knocked down for $7,800. Various other lots, consisting of sails, running gear, an- chors, cables, boats, &c., fetched very good prices.
Twelve griffins were drawn for ou Monday at Mr. Kennedy's stables with the following re- sults:-Bay, Mr. Lewis; grey, Mr. Roger; iron grey, Mr. L. G. Leroux, dun, Mr. R. M. Grey; chestnut Mr. Bruce; marble
grey, Lord
Conyngham; cream, Mr. Huhnke; grey, Mr. R. M. Gray; grey, Lieut.-Colonel The O'Gorman; grey, Mr. Bruce; black, Captain Radclyffe; chestnut, Dr. Lowson.
A German sailor fell asleep at the Happy Valley on Saturday morning, and a coolie took advantage of the man's somnolent condition by cutting open his trousers' pocket with a knife and stealing $2.40, a pipe, and a knife. The prisoner endeavoured to prove an alibi, but it was palpable that he was telling a lie and as he had been previously convicted he was sent to gaol for six months with hard labour.
On Friday afternoon considerable excitement was caused in Lower Albert Road by the sud- den bolting of a pony which was attached to a trap. Two females were in the vehicle and at one than it seemed almost certain that they wonkd be seriously injured, but fortunately the mafoo with commendable promptness caught hold of the frightened pony's head and brought him to a standstill, but not before the trap had come in violent contact with a tree. The ladies jumped off, and escaped uninjured, but the trap was badly damaged, one of the shafts being snapped off. The pony was not hurt.
The following returns of the average amount of bank notes in circulation and of specie in reserve in Hongkong. during the month ended 20th November, as certified by the Managers of the respective Banks, are published :
Banks. Chartered Bank of India,
Australia, and China. Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation. National Bank of China,
Limited
Total
Average Specie in
amount. reserve.
$ 1,757,002 1,000,000 4,684,170 2,500,000
406,987
212,000
6,848,219 3,712,000
A very enjoyable smoking concert was given at the City Club on Saturday night, and the members turned up in full strength. Mr. J. P. Cottam presided and was also one of the contributors to the harmony of the evening. The remaining gentlemen who took part were Messrs. W. Hughes, who gave a vigorous render- ing of Rudyard Kipling's "Tommy Atkins," for which an encore was loudly demanded, J. P. Duncan, F. Watts, P. R. Wilson, J. Lobley, H. B. Bridger, and W. Jackson. Mr. Donnenberg acted as accompanyist. Mr. G. E. Goodwin was called upon for a stump speech, which was sidesplitting, and the company then broke up. The concert was a great success, and Mr. Cottam is to be congratulated upon having organised such a good programme.
CANTON NOTES.
་་
[FROM THE CHUNG NGOI SAN PO."] On the 26th ultimo the widow and sons of the late Tan Chung-lun left Canton by one of the steamers belonging to the China Merchants' Steam Navigation Company for Shanghai and from thence will proceed to their native pro- vince, Hunan.
The local magistrates have issued a joint notification to the effect that owing to the non- arrest of the leaders, Yang-ku-wan and Soon. man, in connection with the recent attempted insurrection, a reward of $1.000 has been offered for catching each of them.
was
defended
influential
The kidnapper named Leung Sang, who was arrested for kidnapping a boat-girl and killing efore the Provincial Judge the other day; a policeman as already reported, was brought
The prisoner
by a good San-az, who said number of that he was innocent, but the kai-fong people protested that if he, as the real murderer and kidnapper, was not convicted, the people would no longer hire policemen at their own expense for the defence of the place, for in that case the policemen will not exert themselves to effect any arrest of criminals in future. The Judge therefore passed sentence of death.
On the 24th ultimo, before dawn, two boats left Fatshan for Canton. Before they had got far from Fatshan a piratical boat came up and clared away all the valuables in them.
the Viceroy and the other officers every day. in Yung-in, the Black Flag chief, calls on He is carried in a chair borne by two coolies, with four soldiers walking in front and two behind. It is said that Admiral Cheng Shao- chung will soon go to Peking to ask for an andice of the Emperor, and the Government will probably appoint Liu to fill the important vacancy.
A notorious robber named Li-man is now carrying on his depredations and doing what- ever he likes in Leong-kong, a busy place in the district of Sun-tak, and the local officers are obliged to pretend to be Wind and deaf. He demands that each junk plying between Loong- kong and other places shall pay him forty taels a mouth, otherwise the junk is to be destroyed. In fact he is more powerful than the officials there.
On the 25th ultimo a fire broke out in Honam in a sanshu shop. Ten neighbouring houses were reduced to ashes. Four men were arrested for committing theft during the fire.
NEWCHWANG.
20th November. In spite of a splendid harvest we are having a very tame finish as regards shipping business, due mainly to the overgrasping propensities of dealers in produce up country. Relying on the pumber of chaiters effected and feeling cons fident that shippers would be compelled to buy, they endeavoured by a last grand coup to make pp for the slackness prevailing generally last. spring, and raised prices to a standard beyond all precedent. It takes a very smart man, however, ride roughshod over the Chinese shipper, and the old saying "when Greek meets Greek" was well exemplified. For
to