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August 13, 1800, 2
HWASANG MASSACRE
MEMORIAL.
FRONT A CORRESPONDENT.]
Foochow, 1st August.
t will doubtless be within the recollection et of your readers that shortly after deplorable masssore at Hwasang, which startled and shooked the whole Christian world last summer, a movement was set on foot to erect a monument over the graves of the victims in the Foochow cemetery. Accord- ingly an appeal was made to the various Foreign Communities in China and small subscriptions invited. The appeal was liberally responded to and a chaste and beautiful design selected out of a number went from Singapore. It con. sists of an angel, carved in fine Carrara marble, with semi-folded wings and holding a fleur-de- lis, looking with reverent sympathy upon the graves. On the pedestal beneath are inscribed the names of those who were so ruthlessly mur- dered, while a small flat head-stone is placed on each grave, a dwarf iron railing surrounding the whole.
Although the memorial has been finished for some time, it was thought advisable to defer its erection until the anniversary of the sad event, August let, and on that day at 6 p.m. it was unvelled by the British Consul at Foochow in the presence of a number of the missionary and mercantile community, when a short service.. was held and an address given by the Archdeacon. The design apparently gave much satisfaction to all who were present.
THE WATER SUPPLY.
We are just now fairly well off for water. Pokfulam reservoir is full and Tytam reservoir contains 280,000,000 gallons, or about 80,000,000 gallons under its holding capacity, and the streams are still running freely. This year we have been much more liberally favoured with rain than we were last year, the total fall to the end of last month being 45.43 inches as com- pared with 34.73 inches to the corresponding time last year and 45.84 for the whole of the year. During the past two months the storage has increased enormously, as on the 1st June Tytam contained only 26,000,000 gallons, or a little over a twelfth of the present supply, while Pokfulam has also gained very considerably. The daily consumption is 3,000,000 gallons, two- thirds of which is being drawn from Pokfulam and the remainder from Tytam and the streams. It is expected, as August usually brings a lot of rain, that Tytam reservoir will be filled at the end of this season for the first time since
the extension.
THE NEW GovernmenT OFFICES.
The following papers were laid before the Legislative Council the 5th August:-
THE GOVERNOR TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
Government House,
Hongkong, 28th April, 1896. Bir,-With reference to paragraph 13 of my despatch No. 201 of the 4th September, 1894, I have the honour to inform you that in that month I appointed a Committee, consisting of two Offcials (the Director of Public Works and Treasurer), and three Unofficial Members (Mr Chater, Mr. Jackson, and Mr. McCon schie), to consider and report on the question of providing new Government Offices and the advisability of concentrating them under one roof: The Committee has advised that two blocks of buildings should be erected on the Prays Reclamation comprising new offices for Treasury, Public Works, Post Office, and Re- gistrar-General's departments, and the Supreme Court and the offices connected with it, but that the Colonial Secretary's Office should be al- lowed to remain as at present.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT!
will be largely exceeded by the revenue, and that the surplus of revenue over expenditure is likely to be continued in fature years, there is no necessity, at least for the present, to make any special arrangements for providing the funds required to meet the estimated cost of the works, viz., $700,000. The value of the present buildings, which it is proposed to replace. with the land on which they stand, is estimated at $250,000; the total net cost to the Government of the new buildings would there- fore be about $450,000, and as the expenditure of this sum would be spread over five years, the time within which it is calculated that the work could be completed, I see no reason to doubt that the ordinary revenue of the colony would be able to bear the burden.
4. If the scheme meets with your approval, | which, as the work is of pressing necessity, I earnestly hope will not be withheld, I propose to publish the conditions of competition in Shanghai and Singapore as well as locally, in order that the architects resident in those places may compete if they desire to do so.
5.-I shall be glad if you will convey to me your decision in this matter at an early date, and if convenient by telegraph.-I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,
WILLIAM ROBINSON.
The Right Honourable Mr. Joseph Chamber- hain, M.P., Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies, &c., &o, &c., Downing Street, London.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO THE GOVERNOR.
Downing Street,
5th June, 1896. Sir,With reference to your despatch No. 111 of 28th April last and to my telegram of the 3rd instant, I have the honour to inform you that before sanctioning the proposed erec- tion of new Government buildings at Hong. kong, Edesire to receive further information as to the necessity for the buildings, and to be more fully satisfied than I now am as to the financial ability of the colony to meet the expenditure out of current revenue.
2-I request you therefore to forward to me the report of the Committee which considered the question of the Government Offices, toge- ther with any farther explanations you may wish to give.
3.-As regards the financial position of the colony, I should be glad to know the precise grounds upon which the Acting Colonial Trea- surer confidently anticipates that the ordinary expenditure of the current year will be largely exceeded by the revenue, in view of the fact that the Estimates sent home in December last only show a surplus of $9,500. It appears, moreover, from the returns forwarded in your despatch No. 92 of 14th April last, that the revenue last year fell considerably short of the expenditure (excluding expenditure charged to the loan), and that at the end of the year there was an actual excess of liabilities over assets, which was only met by temporarily ap propriating for general purposes the balance of the 1893 loan. I gather, however, that this state of affairs was largely due to the special expenditure on the Taipingshan Resumption Scheme, which will in part at least be ultimately recouped.
4.I should in any case not be disposed to sanotion a loan for such a purpose as the erection of Government buildings, which are neither directly remunerative nor, like sanitary and water works, of pressing necessity for the health of the colony.
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5.-I notice from the last paragraph of the second enclosure to your despatch No. 92 of 14th April last, that the Public Works, for which the present loan was raised, are likely to absorb much more than the total sum realised by the loan. It is therefore desirable to know how this excess expenditure is to be met, when considering the question of incurring other heavy expenditure on Public buildings.
*2-A majority of the Committes being in favour of inviting competitive designs for the proposed new offices, I directed the Director of Public Works to draw up particulars and con- 6.-I will address you later on in a separate ditions of competition, of which, as amended despatch as to the desirability of inviting com- and finally approved by the Committee, I en-petitive designs for the new Government Offices close copies for your consider tion.
8The Committee also considered at my 'request the financial aspect of the proposal, and expressed its opinion that, in view of the Acting Colonial Treasurer's confident anticipation that the ordinary expenditure of the current year
in the event of its being decided to erect them. have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,
J. CHAMBERLAIN. Governor Sir W. Robinson, K.C.M.G.,
&c., &o.. &o.,.
THE SECRETARY OF BTATE TO THE GOVERN
Downing.
16th Ju
Sir, With reference to the last of my despatch No. 126 of the 5th inst the honour to inform you that I am not to approve the proposal, to invite con designs for new Government Offices at Hong kong.
2. The system has not been found to very well in this country partly the difficulty of finding competent decide on the merits of the competing de and partly because the colected design may out to be the work of an architect, or very limited experience in the supervision of actual construction, and in dealing, with numberless questions which arise in connection with a large building.
3. When it is decided to erect the Government buildings it will, in my be desirable to employ the consulting arc to the Crown Agents for the Colonies, Meser Aston Webb and Ingress Bell, who designed the Birmingham Law Courts and other notable buildings, and who have considerable experi ence in making designs for buildings in the tropics.--I have the honour to be, air, your most obedient, humble servant,
J. CHAMBERLAIN. Governor Sir W. Robinson, K.C.M.G.,
&o., &c., &o.
THE COLLEge of MEDICINE,
The following report of the Committee ap- pointed by the Governor to enquire into and report on the best organization for a College of Medicine for Hongkong and correspondence relating thereto was laid before the Legislative Council on the 5th August
Hongkong, 15th July, 1896. The Committee appointed by His Excellency the Governor to enquire into and report on the best organization for a College of Medicine for Hongkong have the honour to submit for His Excellency's consideration the results of their deliberations. They respectfully offer the following recommendations:-
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1. That the title of the proposed College,be The Hongkong College of Medicine.”
2.-That a Governing Body be appointed, consisting of seven members-The Colonial Surgeon, the Principal Medical Officer of Her Majesty's Forces, the Deputy Inspector-General of Royal Naval Hospital the Superintendent of the Alice Memorial and Nethersole Hos- pitals, and three others, nominated by His Excellency the Governor; and that the Colonial Surgeon be President of the Governing body
3. That the Colonial Surgeon be ex officio Principal of the College.
4.—That the Government secure the services of a medical man specially qualified to teach Anatomy and Physiology, who shall be a mem- ber of the Medical Department of the colony, be Lecturer on the subjects named, and act as Superintendent and Secretary of the College.
5. That the Lecturers on other subjects ba appointed by His Excellency the Governor ons. the recommendation of the Governing Body and that they each receive an honorarium for their services. The sum of one hundred dollars per annum is suggested as a suitable hono rarium.
6.-That the minimum period of study be five years; and that before commencing: stndy all candidates be required to pass an entrance Arts examination, not lower than that of the new Educational Code (Hongkong, 1893),
7.-That all professional examinations - be conducted by independent examiners appointe by the Governing Body, assisted by the lec turers on the subjects under examination.
8.-That qualified students be given the title of Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery of the Hongkong College of Medicine," to be con tracted "L.M.S.H.," and be registered as quali. fied to practise under this title in the colony
9.--That qualified students of the existing College of Medicine for Chinese be permitted to register, if they desire it, under the new Ordinance; and that present students of that College be received into the proposed College without preliminary examination, and given credit for such time as they may already hay devoted to medical-study.
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