April, 9, 1896.]
LI HUNG-CHANG'S JOURNEY.
THE GOVERNOR'S INVITATION TO
LUNCHEON DECLINED.
Li Hung-chang, the special Ambassador to Russis, arrived here on Tuesday morning (31st March) in the French mail steamer Ernest Simone, but he did not land. The boat was ex÷ pected on Monday evening, but owing to a thick fog which was encountered she did not reach Hongkong until half past ten yesterday morning. Waglan lighthouse was passed at five o'clock on Monday afternoon but shortly afterwards the engines were stopped because of the fog and they remained stationary until eight o'clock yesterday morning, when the weather cleared. There was another short delay, how ever, and consequently it was nearly eleven o'clock when the Ernest Simons was made fast to her buoy. As soon as she arrived Captain Ster- ling, the Governor's 'A.D.C., went off in a launch to ascertain from the Ambassador whether it was
his intention to pay a visit to His Excellency, Sir William Robinson. Captain Sterling was seen by Herr von Grot, Foreign Private Secre. tary, who took him into the Ambassador's cabin and introduced him to Li Hung-chang. Through the interpreter Lr Hang-chang said that nothing would induce him to land; plague was raging in the colony and he did not wish the vessel put in quarantine at Singapore. He sent his apologies to His Excellency the Go- vernor and also his card, which read--
LE CONTE LI-HUNG-CHANG Grand Secrétaire d'Etat
Ambassadeur Extraordinaire et Plenipotentiaire
de S.M. l'Empereur de Chine.
On receipt of this information Captain Sterling returned to Government House, where he told His Excellency the Governor the Am- bassador's decision.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT
and it is said that so deep is their hatred of him that they would have taken means to clearly show it. Whether there is any truth or not in this rumour we do not know, but it is certain that whatever hostile intentions might have ex-. isted His Excellency would have been effecently guarded from all harm had he landed.
During the morning many ladies were present by invitation at Government House in order to witness the anticipated ceremony, and on the lawn in front of the house were the men of the Hongkong Regiment who were to form the guard of honour at the entrance. While wait ing for the return of Captain Sterling the men were permitted to lay down their arms and lounge about. One lady relieved the tedium of waiting When by taking snap-shots with her camera. at length Captain Sterling returned keen disap- pointment was felt on hearing that Li-Hang. chang would not call upon the Governor. The special preparations which had been made were thus rendered useless.
Sir William Robinson had made every ar- rangement whereby Li Hang-Chang was to be accorded a right royal British welcome. A guard of honour, consisting of about a hundred men of the Rifle Brigade, was drawn up on Murray Pier about ten o'clock in the morning, a detachment of the Hongkong Regiment was to line the route to Government Honse, and at Government House another detachment of the Hongkong Regiment was intended to act as a second guard of honour. Luncheon for ninety guests had been laid, and everything was in readiness for a reception which would have up- held the reputation the British have maintained for the warmth of their hospitality and the good fellowship that is always extended to foreign potentates. At first His Excellency the Gov- ernor had decided to entertain, Li Hung-chang to luncheon at the Mount Austin Hotel followed. by a review of the garrison, and then a dinner and reception at. Government House. This programme was telegraphed last week to Li Hung-chang while he was at Shanghai and he "Was asked if he would-accept the entertain ments. He replied that he might attend the luncheon, review, and dinner, but he was "afraid of the plague
and therefore would not give a definite reply. His Excellency the Gov- ernor thereupon thought it would be better to give only a luncheon at Government House in honour of Li Hung-chang's visit, but at the last moment Li Hung-chang decided not to call upon His Excellency, and thus offered what we venture to think is a gross insult to the re- presentative in this colony of Her Majesty the Queen To say that he would not land because plague was "raging" in the colony is not only a paltry excuse but is contrary to truth. True there are a few cases, but does His Excellency suppose that he would contract. the disease by a visit to British Governor. He also urged that he did not want the steamer quar- antined at Singapore. As a matter of fact, and doubtless he was aware of it, the steamer would not have been liable to quarantine even supposing he had paid a call on the Queen's re- presentative here. So that both the excuses he advances are; to say the least of it, miserable in the extreme and contemptible for a man of Li Hung-chang's supposed dignity. There was a ramour in the colony yesterday that what really kept him on board the Ernest Simons was a strong fear that he would have received a hostile demonstration from certain sections of the Chinese. The Cantonese detest Li Hang-chang. He is known amongst them as "the big broker,”
Buller visited Li Hung-chang on board the During the afternoon His Excellency Admiral Ernest Simons and the visit was returned on the Alacrity, a salate being fired on each occasion. Later several members of the Hong: kong mercantile community went on board the Ernest Simons and conversed with Li- Hung-chang, who'sat in a chair on the upper
deck.
ALLEGED ADULTERATION OF MIĻK.
At the Police Court on the 1st April before Mr. T. Sercombe Smith, Mr. John Kennedy was summoned for selling adulterated milk. Mr. Dennys appeared for the defence.
The following certificate by the Government Analysis of milk. Analyst was put in:-" Received 25th March. Analysed 25th March. Handed to me by Mr. Cotton at 11.50 a.m. Marks — Milk * purchased from Mr. «. Ja Kennedy, Horse Repository, Garden Road, 25th March, 1896. 8d. J. T. Cotton, In- Bottle duly sealed spector of Nuisances.'
J. Kennedy, Hongkong Dairy. Non- fatty solids 8.01, fat 2.06, water 89.93-100. Total solid matter 10.07. Ash 0.49. Specific gravity by hydrometer at 67 deg. Fah. 1.028. I hereby certify that this milk contains at least six (6) per cent. of added water. W. EDWARD Government CROW, Government Analyst. Laboratory, 27th March, 1896.”
Inspector J. T. Cotton said-I am Inspector of Nuisances. On the 25th March at 7.30 a.m. I gave a coolie 20 cents and an empty pint bottle in Garden Road, and followed him to the en- trance of Mr. Kennedy's stables. I then went to the tramway station, St. John's Place, and I saw the coolie talking to Mr. Kennedy. He afterwards came out with the bottle full of milk (produced). I met the coolie in the road and took the bottle from him and he returned me ten cents. I took the bottle home, had my breakfast, and about ten o'clock I handed the bottle to Mr. McCallum at the Sanitary Board office. I afterwards took the bottle to the Government Civil Hospital and handed it to Mr. Crow.
By Mr. Dennys-I received instructions from Mr. McCallum on the 24th March. I had had no dispute whatever with Mr. Kennedy a few days before. He was not prosecuted for burying a still-born calf Fwent to his place about the 18th March and took eight coolies with me to dig up the garden. Silva, the man in charge, did not object, but I had a dispute with Mr. Hill, who objected to my bringing the coolies into the place. I told him he had better mind what he was doing, as I had a warrant to search the place. I ordered a Sikh I am policeman to let my interpreter pass. certain that the bottle produced is the one I gave to the coolie. I did not myself see the bottle filled with milk.
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303
Portuguese handed me the bottle of milk pro- duced and kept my bottle. I handed the bottle of milk to the inspector. The shape of the other bottle is not the same as the one produced.
By Mr. Dennys-I recognise the man Silva as the person who gave me the milk. He got it from the top of a table on which were
lot of other bottles.
Chun Yan, a scavenging soolie, said At 7.30 a.m. on the 25th March Inspector Cotton asked me to buy some milk. He gave me an empty bottle and 20 cents. The bottle given to me was kept in the dairy. I went to the stables, a European lady, and gave the 20 cents to handed the bottle to a Portuguese. The lady 10 cents change and the
gave
me.
Mr. H. McCallum, Secretary to the Sanitary Board, said I remember a bottle of that de scription being brought to me by Inspector Cote ton on the 25th ult., about ten o'clock. I-filled in the usual form and sent it by Inspector Cotton to the Government Anglyst. On the 28th I received a report of the analysis..
· Mra Denny's Why did you give these in- structions P
Witness-Am I bound to answer that ques- tion ?
His Worship-Yes, I think you might. answer it.
Witness-I had reason to believe from in- from this dairy was watered to a considerable formation I received that the milk delivered
extent.
Mr. Dennys-Give me your reasons. Who gave you the information?
bound to answer that question.
His Worship-I do not think the witness is
Mr. Dennys-I submit he is, as he is in no way privileged. (To witness). Are you aware that Dr. Clark gets his milk from Mr. Kennedy's?
Witness-I do not know where Dr. Clark gets his supply of table commodities from. That would be the last thing. F-should inquire about.
Mr. Dennys-He has made no complaint ? Witness-No, he has not.
Mr. Dennys-And you refuse to state who made the complaint P
Witness-There was no real complaint made. Mr. Dennys-Did you yourself in any way analyse this milk?
Witness-No, I did not.
· Mr. W. E. Crow, Government Analyst, said I received a bottle containing the milk produced at 11.50 a.m. on the 25th March from Inspector Cotton. The bottle was duly sealed
Mr. Dennys-What do you mean by "duly?" I don't think you should say that.
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Witness-The seal showed the name J. Kennedy, Hongkong Dairy." I'analysed the milk and the results are set forth in my cer- tificate. I am of opinion that the milk con- tained at least six per cent. of added water. I believed I analysed a sample of Mr. Kennedy's milk quite recently. I cannot re- member the date. Iam of opinion that the milk produced is adulterated.
By Mr. Dennys-I cannot say that the milk contains anything hurtful to a person con- Tainted meat would, be unwhole- suming it some and unfit for use. As regards this milk, there was nothing in it which would be un- wholesome and unfit for use
Mr. Dennys-Suppose coffee had been added instead of water, it would not have been un- wholesome and unft for use?
Witness-Then that would render it unfit for use probably. Yon would not give it to a child, for instance. It could not be used for every purpose for which it is intended to be used. According to the analysis the milk does not contain the proper amount of wholesome con- stituents. In England I have had experience in analysing milk and 30 to 50 per cont. of added water was often found. I have never pur- chased milk in. England for the purpose of a prosecution, but I know that under the Act it is necessary to inform the seller and to allow him to retain a portion of the article. Milk varies as to the amount of water it Ek difference in the contains. There is quality of milk obtained from a Chinese cow and that obtained from an Australian cow, and there is also a difference in the milk obtained from a water buffalo. Speaking generally, a buffalo's milk is richer than other milk. In a-case I have in my mind some milk from a buffalo contained 83 per cent. of water. I know that the milk in the present case contains 6 per cent. of added water, because it contains only 8.01 of non-fatty solids and also because the amount of fat is low. The amount of inorganic matter as represented by the ash was low too. From the results I am of opinion