July 30, 1896.1
the lighting of the city of Victoria at a small bost, but before undertaking such alterations it would be well to decide on the general prin- ciples to be adopted, and I recommend that a district should be taken in hand and improved in accordance as far as practicable with the following rules (a) All gas burners used to be of the pattern known as the Welsback. (b) In streets of 59 feet and less in width the burners to be those known as the "S" pat- tern. (c) In streets exceeding 50 feet in width and at important junctions the burners to be those known as the "C" pattern. (d) All lamps to be placed at distances apart of about 70 yards, which should be considered a maximum. (e) The glazing in the upper part of all lanterns to be of opal glass. (f) All Brackets to be abolished and lamp posts fixed instead. (9) The height of lamp posts, except where carrying "clusters,” not to exceed 10 feet 6 inches.
The subject is discussed in detail in re- ference to the city and Kowloon and the ex- tension of public lighting is recommended.]
Turning now to the Peak, I estimate this district will require about 100 lamps for the efficient lighting of the roads, exclusive of the Magasine Gap district. I have omitted the lafter, owing to the necessity, if this district is included, of laying a new main from Queen's Road East up the Wanchai Gap Road, the cost
of which would not compare at all favourably with the advantages to be gained. The ex- timated cost of firing 100 lamps is $4,850.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. to order any offender or offenders found by them to make for the nearest open port, and also to report to the Customs officer the occur- rence and its circumstances."
The statistics mentioned below may be in- teresting, revealing as they do, the way in which junks have been treated at the open ports by the Customs officers
Number of junks entered into the ports of Formosa, since 23rd February last (their cargoes strictly exa- mined and duties thereon levied)... 315 Number of junks cleared during the
same period
Cases of confiscation from Chinese who
violated the regulation at
Tamani (including 6 cases of opium) Anping (all the cases being opium) Lakkang
219
30
Two more cases are pending decision. The strictness with which Chinese junks have been treated by the Imperial Customs will be apparent from the foregoing statement. It is, nevertheless, most desirable to increase the number of Customs stations, but as it is not practicable for the moment, two other measures are under contemplation, namely (1) the cruising of the coast by a number of Customs cruisers, and (2) the establishing of nationality of all the Chinese junks on the cast of Formosa.
SUPREME COURT,
23rd July
IN CRIMINAL SESSIONS
BEFORE HIS HONOUR DR. CARRINGTON (CHIEF JUSTICE)
THE
GE
"
MARTHA SHOOTING CÀSE. LO German steamship Martha, was charged on an Peter Gruenwald, second engineer of the indictment containing two counts, viz. that he did unlawfully and maliciously wound a cer- tain Chinaman on board that vessel on the 25th May last, and that he did assault the same man, thereby occasioning him actual bodily harm.
The following jury were empannelled to try Potts, T. Arnold, F. D. Gomes, S. Hancock, the case-Messrs. J. Taylor, W. Ross, W. H H. N. Mody, and A. O'D. Gourdin.
Hon. H. E. Pollock (Acting Attorney- General), instructed by Mr. A. B. Johnson (Crown Solicitor), prosecuted, and the defendant, J. J. Francis, Q.C. (instructed by Mr. Bowley). who pleaded not guilty, was represented by Mr.
Acting Attorney-General said the prisoner In opening the case for the prosecution the was charged on two counts with unlawfully wounding and assaulting a coolie, thereby
DROWNING ACCIDENT NEAR occasioning him actual bodily harm. Before
SHANGHAI
THE AUSTRIAN CONSUL-GENERAL
DROWNED.
There is at present no rate for lighting levied in the Peak District. The annual rat- ing valuation is $96,450, 14 per cent. per annum rate would realize an annual revenue of $1,446, and the annual cost of lighting and maintain- [8PECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE ing 100 lamps would be 100 at 83,600, or equivalent to, say, 4 per cent. on the rating valuation.
DAILY PRESS."]
SHANGHAI, 27th July.
M. Haas, the Consul-General for Austria- Hungary at Shanghai, was drowned at Pootoo CHINESE JUNKS AND THE FOE- yesterday. The body has not yet been recovered.
MOSA OPIUM TRADE.
It having been frequently stated that a referential treatment was accorded by the Government of Formosa to Chinese vessels as compared with British ships in regard to the carrying of opium to Formoss, and that opium shipped under the Chinese flag is admitted into Formosa free of duty, official inquiries have been uade by the Japanese Consul, and the following tatement, prepared by the proper authorities, showing that the allegation is unfounded, has been supplied to us for publication:
(Translation.)
Concerning the trade in Chinese junks on the cost of Formosa, the following notification was published by the Imperial Japanese Cus- toms, dated 1st August, 1895 :-
"No Chinese junks shall be allowed to enter, or to load or discharge cargo at, any port or place not opened to foreign trade. Entries of Chinese junks shall be made at the Custom- house in the same way as foreign steamers, according to the regulations. The owner or master of a junk who shall have failed to fol- low this order will be strictly punished."
[M. Haas had been resident at Shanghai for the last twenty-five years, having been ap- pointed Interpreter of the Consulate in 1871. He was afterwards appointed Vice-Consul, and in 1885 was promoted to the rank of Consul,]
THE SHANGHAI CONVENT CASE.
VERDICT FOR THE PLAINTIFFS.
[SPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE “DAILY PRESS."
SHANGHAI, 21st July. In the suit brought by the Institution St. Joseph against the Shanghai Mercury a verdict has been given for the plaintiffs for Tls. 1,000 with costs.
[The suit was brought to recover damages for certain allegations made by the Mercury in respect to the circumstances under which a nun left the convent. Some time after the commencement of the legal proceedings the defendant paper tendered an apology, but the plaintiffs declined to withdraw the suit.]
THE LATE SIR JOHN PENDER.
41
It was not an easy matter at the time to make this notification known through the southern part of the Island, where the distur- bances were still prevailing, though accom The following telegram was sent by H.E. plished in the due course of time, every effort the Governor on the 10th July: having been employed. In the meanwhile it Government, Chamber of Commerce, and was found necessary to establish Customs community of Hongkong express profound stations along the coast to guard against smug-regret at decease of Sir John Pender. gling. A station was, accordingly, opened at
"ROBINSON." Lakkang on the 22nd October, 1895, the inten- tion being to increase the number gradually.
As the port of Tamsui and other four places were formally opened to foreign trade on the 23rd February, 1896, and as the smuggling opium and other goods should be strictly arded,
another station was established at Inko. Having calenlated the existing Custom onses and stations still insufficient for the
pose, the assistance of the Police and Military Police was called upon by the following instructions :----
Whereas the entry to, or loading or dis- charging cargo at, a place where no Custom house or station is established is strictly pro- hibited, and whereas there may occur offence or Grences against the regulation, the officers of Police and Military Police are hereby instructed |
To this the following reply has been re- ceived :-
"London, 20th July, 1896. "For the Government, Chamber of Commerce,
and community of Hongkong. "I thank you most sincerely for your kind and thoughtful expression of sympathy for the loss of my father Sir John Pender."
The Lawn Tennis (Doubles) match between the Shanghai Cricket Club and the Country Club ended on the 16th July in favour of the former by 7 setts to 4, or 68 games to 54. Messrs. Firth and W. H. Moule beat Messrs. Drummond and Bullard, the score being 6-4, 7-5; and Mesars. Gumpert and Ramsay beat Messrs. Donglas Jones and Johnston, the score being 5-7, 6-1, 7-4
entering into the legal aspect of the case he would detail to the jury the circumstances of the case as they would be proved by the prosecution, but before dealing with those facts he would ask the jury to dismiss entirely from their minds any preconceived idea which | they might have formed from what they had- read respecting the case in the local news- papers. They had to depend simply and solely upon the evidence. The facts of the case were as follows:-On the 25th May last, about 5 or 6 a.m., a gang of fifty coolies went to work on board the steamship Martha in this harbour, the complainant being among them. The coolies set to work in three different gangs of sixteen or seventeen -and everything went on smoothly until about eleven o'clock. At that time, and whilst cargo was being worked from three different hatchways, a shower of rain fell. It appeared that the head coolie in charge then called down the No. 2 hatchway, ordering the tarpaulin to be put down to keep the rain out, and then went astern In consequence of the orders given by the head and gave similar orders at the other hatchways.
man it appeared that four coolies came up from below from the 'tween decks, the man who was wounded being among them. When the wounded man came up one of the officers he believed it was the second officer-took hold of him by the neck. The man seems to have re- sented this and hit the officer. A great deal of commotion was consequently caused on the ship. In consequence of the noise the head coolie come back from No. 4 hatchway to see what was going on, and as he was passing it was stated that one of the officers hit him with a piece of wood. The coolie shouted out and a kind of general melée seems to have occurred, The next thing that happened, according to the evidence of the prosecutor, was that a European was seen with a revolver in his hand and that he fired a number of shots about shots. Four of the shots took no effect, but the other two one hit the man in connection with whom this charge was brought and the other struck a coolie who had previously been working at No. 4 hatchway. The coolies were eventually taken to the Government Civil Hos- dence the nature of the wounds which theyễ pital, and Dr. Atkinson would give in his evi-
received. After the wounded men were taken: ashore, the captain sent the second offloer withre information to the police station at Kowloon: and P. S. Withers went on board. He ceeded to thedefendant's cabin and there found. nine, revolver cartridges and eighteen cartridge cases, six of the la pearing to have been recently diso defendant also handed to the chambered revolver, and the police office say that in his opinion, the revolver appe have been recen marks were also discovered on These were the main facts;
rged
the one. With