August 13, 1896.]
the water had fallen.
Foreign warehouses were made impregnable by means of straw, mud, and other conveniences; in one case only some considerable damage to piece goods was done. The Customs' examination offices were tw fat under water; no damage, however, was done to faiseur property. Others fared less luckily. Whole walls, roofs, and houses of for- eigners collapsed and the dearth of dwelling places is thereby increased. Several cases of drowning are reported down town and acci- dents were numerous. The whole, however, was not without humorous incidents. One foreigner, in wading up to his middle in water, suddenly disappeared in a hole and after an absence of about ten seconds reappeared, blustering and puffing like a porpoise, to the amusement of the small boys who were sitting at the edges like so many cranes. A smart little skiff, flying the Yuen Lai" flag, intending to deposit its living contents on what was thought, under the circumstances, to be terra firma, but on the valiant taipan stepping over the side to reconnoitre he completely dis- appeared, and it was only his swimming capa- bilities and the aid of boat-hooks that saved him from an inevitable inquest. A good deal of -sickness prevails at present, both among Chinese and foreigners, and at this time of year the
· occurrences described will only intensify matters. Mercury correspondent.
THE NATIVE SCARE AT SOOCHOW.
Shanghai, 29th July.
On Saturday we published a note from à cor- respondent at Soochow giving some details of dangerous rumours being circulated in the vici- nity against foreigners, somewhat similar to the usual libellons reports circulated by the intrigu. ing gentry and literati in the inland and Yang taxe towns. From trustworthy native sources at Soochow we are now able to supplement our Boochow correspondent's note.
4+
The story goes that on the 19th instant several foreigners, accompanied by their "boys," went for an excursion along the canal bank outside the Ch'angmên gate of Soochow, which is the busiest thoroughfare of that city. The foreigners' walk extended as far as the foot of the Huch'iu hill where is situated the temple of the white- robed" goddess of mercy, Kuan Yin, and nnnnery. The foreigners, followed by their servants, entered the temple and were affably received by the abbess. During the conversa. tion which ensued some yellow bags hanging uspended from a rafter before the image of Kuan Yin attracted the notice of the visitors, and one of them pointing to these bags asked what they were. Name bags," said the "What do these name bags imply ?" was again asked. "Well," replied the nun, each contains the name of a child who at
C
nnn.
some time or other had an attack of small- pox, the mother of whom, anxious for the safety of her child, writes out its name and horoscope, containing the year, month, date and hour of its birth, and placing these in the yellow bags you now see, the mother presents her child as a votive offering to the Goddess of Mercy in order to procure the constant protection of the Goddess, now the child's patroness. The child is then taken away by its mother, who leaves the yellow bag and its contents hanging before the altar of the Goddess, in the place of the
ohild.". While this conversation was going
ANOTHER TIDAL WAVE,
127
Shanghai, 1st August.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
committing any outrage on the foreigners. The latter, quite unconscious of all that had hap- pened, after a while left the temple and re- turned to their inn in the city without mishap or
The local mandarins received last night-des- misadventure. But the rumour had been spread patches from the Assistant Salt Comptroller at about by the rowdy classes, anxious for pillage Haichou, on the north-eastern coast of this and plunder, to the effect that "foreigners build. province, to the effect that after a heavy spell ing at Chingyang had found the ground there of rain and wind that sub-prefecture was on too yielding and soft and to prevent the sinking Sunday last visited by a huge tidal wave, nearly of foundations in the future they were anxious to five miles in width, which swept away a number procure a number of children for immolation in of villages on the seashore, occasioning a loss of the foundations and also intended to steal all life estimated, at the present moment, at about the name bags in the temples and nunneries in four thousand. A very large number of cattle Soochow prefecture to use them as a charm are also reported lost. The rice fields further against the evil influences." A great panicnland have been inundated and a famine is arose wherever the report reached, and a general feared in the autumn.-N. C. Daily News. stampede of families and children took place. Refugees from Soochow fled the same night to the outlying towns for refugo against the foreigner, while on the other hand people from these towns fled to. Soochow ! At a place called Hsiangshan, about 15 miles from Soochow, several boats laden with granite chips for the new settlement at Soochow, the boatmen of which wore tight fitting jackets and Japanese-made straw hats (sold in Shanghai for twenty cents each) were mistaken for foreigners, and the cry at once was raised that the foreigners had come to Hsiangshan to take the name bags from the large temple there. A rush was then made for the temple, but the priests closed the doors, fearful of a riot. The people then accused the priests of having been bribed by the foreigners.
The result was that the doors were broken in, the priests dangerously hurt, and all the name bags recovered by the people, who started the same night in a body for Soochow, which was the place where these rumours originated. According to another account the passenger boats of a large and important town named Tangk'on, about 20 miles from Socchow, stopped running for three days between the two points fearful lest foreigners might take passage in these boats to Tangk'ou to capture children and their name bags in the temples. —N. C. Daily News.
THE DROWNING OF CONSUL-
GENERAL HAAS.
Shanghai, 29th July. bringing details of the sad death of Mr. Haas. The Kiangteen arrived yesterday morning It appears that after landing at Pootoo on Sun. day Mr. Haas' party took chairs and went to a bay at some distance to buthe. There was a strong ebb-tide running, which Captain Pratt estimates at about 7 knots, and after they had been some time in the water Mr. Haas was observed to show signs of distress. Mr. Ghisi and a gentleman Brandt, of the Customs in Ningpo, at once went to his assistance, but were quite unable to help him. Mr. Ghisi succeeded in getting ashore in a greatly ex hausted condition, but Mr. Brandt was carried out by the tide, and, after being nearly two hours in the water, managed to get near some rocks where some Buddhist priests who had witnessed the occurrence procured ropes and succeeded in dragging him out of the water in
an almost unconscious state. Mr. Haas was seen struggling in the water for a short time, but he finally sank. No assistance was possible,
as there was not a boat to be obtained in the
neighbourhood. Mr. Haas was known to have bability he was attacked by syncope. a weak heart, and it is thought that in all pro-
On the Kiangteen's arrival at Ningpo an affidavit setting forth the facts of the accident was filed before Mr. Playfair, acting Consul for Austro-Hungary. Up to the present no news has been received of the recovery of the body.
on a crowd of village children gathered, as usual, round the foreigners, while those further away shouted out "Foreign devils! “ repeatedly. The special objects of this insult- ing outery, however, took no notice of the children, but their "boys" and servants called out "Stop that! If you don't, these foreigners will catch you." The children upon hearing-N. C. Daily News. this threat fled home to tell their parents that the foreigners had come to catch them and take them away. T is story being corroborated by the parents ci other children a panic ensued, of which the rowdy classes at once took advantage. The alarm was then given and gongs beaten, and a large body of peasants and rowdies, armed with clubs, spears, and scythes, assembled to attack the unsuspecting foreigners in the nannery. For tunately, there were men of influence in the villages who knew better and through their means the villagers were made to disperse without
A Tokyo press despatch of the 28th July says:-A telegram was received by the Bank of Japan the day before yesterday to the effect that the Russian Government is trying to raise in London a loan of 400,000,000 francs bearing interest at 3 per cent. The money is required to accelerate the completion of the Siberian railway and also to further the war preparations. The circulation of this report in Europe has resulted in a great advance in the price of gold.
MACAO.
The
[FROM A CORRESPONDENT]).
MACAO, 7th August. Permission was requested by telegraph from the Lisbon Government to draw from the Treasury the sum of $40,000 for the repair of the damage caused by the recent typhoon. A reply has been received, also by telegraph, which allows only $6,000 for the repair of the public buildings to be drawn. Praya wall and the streets have been in charge of the Leal Senado (Municipal Council) since two or three years ago. When the Council assumed this responsibility they were quite proud of their great undertaking, but now they are in a difficult position, the Government only allowing $6,000 and the Leal Senado having to raise the money to cover the balance of the cost of the repairs.
The annual income of the Leal Senado is about $40,000, but there are many expenses, such as the Municipal Police, education, street cleaning, public lighting, etc. "Serve them right" is the popular verdict on the members of the Leal Senado. They should first have ascertained the income and arranged their expenditure accordingly.
A meeting of the Leal Senado was held yesterday and it was decided to try to make the pork monopolists pay for the typhoon damage by levying a fee of 50 cents on the slaughter of pigs of 50 catties weight, and of $1 on animals over that weight. The new tax is subject to the approval of the Government. If it be brought into force the public will suffer, as pork sellers will put up their prices. The pork the Government about $30,000 for his monopoly. The number of pigs slaughtered annually is about 36,000.
farmer pays
At the beginning of June a notification was issued increasing the house tax by 5 per cent. We have been paying 12 per cent. to the Go-
vernment and. 17 per cent. on that amount to the Leal Senado, and now we have to pay 20
per cent, to the latter.
The Macao sucking pig is Timor. During the financial year 1895-96 that island has drawn from the Macao Treasury $110,000, by the last Australian mail $5,000, and a few days ago another demand for $20,000 was received, with an intimation that if it was not complied with the war against the natives could not continue. It is hard to see Macao's money going in this way, when it is so much required for her own benefit, but no ! it all goes for a useless war and to keep up the despotism of such a man as the Governor of Timor.
A registered letter addressed to a Hongkong
lady staying at Hing Kee's Hotel and contain- ing & $100 Bank note was lost while in charge of the Post Office here a few days ago.
CANTON A IES.
"
iz
[FROM THE CHUNG NGUI SAN PO."] It is reported that during the late typhoon, which was experienced in Canton and in the surrounding district, over five hundred lives were lost and several hundred juuks and other craft capsized. A wall belonging to the prison of Namhoi was blown down, and nine prisoners were killed and three injured: A large junk which was anchored at Tin-tre-ma-tow with two coffins and fifty persons on board was bro into pieces. All on board were dro Another junk which left Canton abo foundered at the mouth all on board. Thirty-five jnn from Kwangsi with general carg
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