February 27, 1896.]
of the court during my absence, but I deny the competency and constitution of the court.
The ordinance under which this court was constituted, Ordinance 26, Section 13, of 1891, reads, that if a shipowner should think himself aggrieved, &c.
In this instance the shipowners did not think themselves aggrieved nor did they ask for any court of enquiry and under this Ordinance they are the only parties who can ask for a court of enquiry. The court also finds that there is reason to believe that I knew there was to be an enquiry and so left the colony. These are the facts: The accident occurred on the 20th ulto, and I did not leave Hongkong for ten days afterwards, during which time I visited the Harbour Office twice and reported to the Receiver of Wrecks, &c., on the 29th ulto., and up to then there was no notice served on me to attend an enquiry.
I should like to finish this lotter here, but I must in justice to myself explain to the public the cause of Mr. Rumsey's anxiety for an en- quiry.
I brought out the steamer Esang in 1892, and was furnished by the Harbour Master in Hong- kong with a notice of the wreck of the steamer Peking in Bonham Pass, which reads as fol-
lows:-
"Position of wrock of steamer Peking Gutz- laff Light Ship N. W. W. Elliott Rock N.E.
E.
"Harbour Dept., Hongkong,
"R. Murray Rumsey, Retd. Com., R.N." Now Mr. Rumsey's geographical knowledge being limited, and Gutzlaff light-ship being at the time a rock, together with a few minor details such as the bearings being all wrong I fear I did not value Mr. Rumsey's hydrographic notice sufficiently, and I thought myself justified in saying so in print, especially when the steamer Benledi struck the wreck and had to be docked, thereby causing both expense and delay and owing entirely to Capt. Clarke of the Benledi going by the bearings given from the Hong. kong Harbour Office. I also spoke at the Shipmasters' Society in London, and I certainly did not use gloves when handling the subject
Apologizing for the extreme length of my letter, and thanking you for your valuable space.-I am, &c.,
: W. V. CARMICHAEL. Late master steamer On Sang.
NATIVE REPORTS OF THE LAST OF THE MAHOMMEDAN REBELLION.
According to an Imperial edict of the 17th instant wired to this port, Tung Fu-hsiang, Generalissimo of the Imperial forces in Kansu, reports successes against the Tungani rebels in that province, and apparently this rebellion is now on its last legs. It will be remembered that in November and December last this General succeeded in raising the siege of Hochou and Haining after a number of fiercely contested battles before the walls of the former city. Here he also succeeded in killing some of the chiefs and this really broke a rebellion which at one time was serious enough to foreshadow the pós- sible installation of a large and powerful Mahom- medan kingdom in the north-western depen- dencies of the Empire. After the raising of the siege of Hsining," continues General Tung's memorial, "General Ho Tê-piao was sent with a strong brigade of cavalry to drive the rebel bands scattered about the vicinity of that city into their strongholds at Chiangyiasui, Tungkout'an, Machiat'an, etc., on the road to Shuchou near the Great Wall General Ho was at once joined by General Têng Tsêng, Brigadier-General of Haining, with all his available forces. and a series of small hut sanguinary battles were fought with the rebels near Hsining on the 16th and 17th of January last. The rebels being finally driven to their fastnesses, Generals Ho and Têng began the next day (18th) to storm Chiang- yiasui, the first of the fortified villages held by the rebels. All this and next day the Im- perial forces, gallantly led by General Ho, furiously stormed the rebel positions, and although twice severely wounded this officer refused to retire and have his hurts properly dressed until he had succeeded in capturing all four of these villages, which formed a group mutually supporting each other. At the last
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
181
not sorry to go away for a time and let the Government try how it can get on without him. He is to be represented in the negotiations for the new commercial treaty with Japan by H.E. Chang Yin-huan, a. Minister of the Tsungli Yamên, and formerly Minister to the United States, Spain, and Peru. It is also reported from Peking that the opening of the West River is conceded in principle, but that the negotiations for the indemnity loan have not yet reached a conclusion.-N. Č. Daily News.
of the four villages named Yangmaokou, the principal chief of the western section of the rebel forces, named Mullah Mino Yakub, with a strong band of followers, made his last stand and fought with all the energy and courage of despair until shot by a bullet from the Im- perial ranks. Encouraged by the death of their most determined opponent the Imperial troops swept all before them and no quarter being given the rebels perished to a man. The fall of these villages raised the siege of two Buddhist fortified towns near them and the country for a hundred miles was soon cleared of every armed Mahommedan. There now only remain a few
ROYAL HONGKONG YACHT CLUB. fortified towns north-west of Hsining still held by the rebels, who are now thoroughly disheart-place on Sunday, the 16th February, in the usual The second race for Mr. Pollock's Cup took ened and fleeing to the Mougol grass country Sunday weather. to the north and west of Hsining.-N. C. Daily
The course was from the News.
|
NEWS FROM THE CAPITAL.
+
Police Pier, Kowloon, round the north fair- way buoy and a mark boat of Lyemun, finishing at the starting line; 12 miles. The following boats started: Meteor... Mr. T. W. Lammert...Scratch. Mr. A. Denison. Mr. A. H. Barlow Mr. J. Hastings. Royal Engineers .Capt. Sterling.... .Mr. C. H. Gale
Erica
Dart...
Payne Stella
She
Aileen
45 seconds.
2 minutes.
3
3
6
10
Lieut. Lee Dillon 12 The boats were sent off at 11.15, and Erica,
Peking, 18th February. from several hundreds of the Chihli geutry Ladybird
The Viceroy Wang has presented a nemorial against the Tientsin-Lukon-Bridge Railway, and the Viceroy Chang Chih-tung has also memorialised against the road as dangerons to the capital. The Emperor, however, is deter- mined to build the road and in his instructions yesterday to his Ministers he bade them advance Meteor, Stella, Ladybird, and Payne crossed in every way the knowledge of the value of the line at intervals of a few seconds in the foreign sciences throughout the country, mention-order named; She, Dart, and Aileen being 3, 4, respect, the want of which has brought shame breeze ingseveral times the superiority of Japan in this and 9 minutes late respectively. A light east carried them down to near the and danger to the Empire. There was talk to Empress, where the wind changed to north, day amongst some of the Palace officials that and near the fairway buoy to north-west. of the ex-Viceroy Li's journey to Russia owing 11.45, thanks to a luffing match between the Empress-Dowager does not favour the idea The Ladybird was the first round the buoy at to his great age. The Emperor bas empowered the Meteor and Erica, which resulted in the the Imperial Ambassador who is to go to Russia Meteor 11.50.52. Stella 11.53.40, and Payne the making of a special gold seal for the use of Erica getting round second at 11.47.54, then 12.1.45. The She and Aileen gave up, being and a silver one for the Vice-Ambassador.
becalmed about halfway between the start and the buoy. Dart kept on, but her time was not leading boats were barely able to stem the last taken. From the buoy to Kowloon Point the
Stella, Payne, and Dart came along with a good of the flood tide, and off the breakwater the
west wind and closed up on the leaders. Lady. bird still kept the lead, with Erica and Meteor ip close attendance, and the Lyemun mark was rounded in the following order—Ladybird, Erica, Meteor, Stella, Payne, and Dart, the last being some way astern, but the other five were round inside five minutes. The wind fell very light from south-west in the beat up, and the boats kept close in to the shore to avoid the strong ebb tide. When the leaders were off Quarry Point a good north wind came down, and Ladybird getting it first went away with a long lead, Erica being next, and Meteor third. This wind kept up to the finish, but was very light off Kowloon Point.
Shanghai. 18th February.
A telegram received from Peking, from our New Year's day while granting audience to his native correspondent, announces that on Chinese
of the Reform Club as something treasonable to Ministers, the Emperor referred to the closing the dynasty. whereupon several of the Manchu and Chinese Board Presidents spoke infenlogis. tic terms of the Club and warmly defended the reform movement against the denunciations of the Censor Chang. The defenders even went the length of being prepared to stand guaran- tors of the association, remarking, by the way, that the late war had fully demonstrated the ne cessity of spreading the knowledge of Western sciences throughout the empire, without which China would certainly be made the subject of foreign aggrandisement. His Majesty seemed to be impressed with what he heard, and appeared to regret having listened too hastily to the sions of interested pessimists. There are there- fore hopes of the speedy resuscitation of the Reform Club, but under another name. in Peking.
us per-
Shanghai, 17th February.
From Peking news has come of the appoint. ment of H.E. Li Hung-chang and HE. Shao Yu-lien as representatives of the Emperor at the forthcoming coronation of the Czar at Moscow. Quidnuncs, noting that Marquis Ito, Li Hung-chang's intimate friend. is to ropre sent Japan at Moscow, and that Connt Cassini. Russian Minister to China, and Mr. Hitrovo, Russian Minister to Japan, are also going home, apprehend that the meeting of these politicians will result in a new triple alliance between Russia, China, aud Japan; but it seems doubtful whether the Government in Japan can spare Marquis Ito, and it is also doubtful whether the feeling against Russia in Japan can be so smoothed over as to admit of the conclusion of an alliance between the two countries. As to the great ex-Viceroy, his nomination is probably due to the desire of his enemies at Peking to get him out of the way, and to divert from his pockets whatever profits he might derive from the contracts for new armaments which China is supposed to be about to make. His enemies, too, it is suggested, have concluded that no Chinese statesman is so readily able to bear as Li undoubtedly is, the cost of the presents which the Chinese representative must take with him to Moscow. Possibly Li himself is
Ladybird Erica Meteor Stella...
Payne
Dart
FINISH.
H. M 8.
3 19 2
3 22 15
3 32 21
3 53
3 55 11
3 58 0
The marks gained by the boats for this com- petition are:---
Erica Ladybird Meteor
HONGKONG.
14
5
The annual race meeting was held during the week, but unfortunately the weather was not very favourable, and the course, owing to the recent heavy rains, was in a bad condition. But notwithstanding these adverse circumstances there was a very large attendance on each day and the rices were. from a sporting point of view, most successful. Yesterday week the crew of the barque Lynnwood, which was wrecked off the Pratas, were picked up in an open boat off Gap Rock lighthouse and conveyed to Hongkong. During the week the shareholders in the following companies met :-China Fire Insurance Company, Limited, Green Island Cement Company, Limited, Humphreys Estate and Finance Company, Limited, and the Hong- kong and Whampoa Dock Company, Limited.