128
foundered in the West river. Fortunately only a few lives were reported lost, all the others be- ing saved and brought down to Canton. The Magistrate of Namhoi gave each of them a dollar as passage-money to return to their native coun- try.
1.
The typhoon was also experienced in a place in Sai-nam where there were a large number of
flower boats like those at Canton. The boats were all well lighted with kerosine lamps. Some of the lamps were blown down by a sudden squall, and in consequence a disastrous fire broke out. The number of flower boats was one hundred and twenty, and thirty-six lives were reported lost, while about one hundred persons were injured.
Rumour has been current in Canton that H.E. Tan Chung-lun, Viceroy of Canton, has sent to Peking an application to be allowed to resign.
Two small gunboats carrying five hundred soldiers were despatched the other day to sup- press the rebels in Funshan district.
On the 3rd instant the sky was very gloomy and overcast. All the boats sought refuge for fear that another typhoon would approach.
An eating house named Yu-heang inside the city was robbed by about ten robbers, who broke into the house and tied up all the inmates. They did not leave the house `till daybreak. They smoked opium in the house and went to the kitchen to cook show-chow for themselves. They carried away booty to the value of two hundred dollars.
HONGKONG,
Nothing of an unusual character has hap pened during the past week. On the 5th August the Legislative Council met for the last this session. On Friday evening the prizes time won at the auunal carbine competition promoted by the Hongkong Volunteer Corps were distributed at headquarters by Major General Black, who made a humorous speech. An enjoyable concert followed. On Sunday a strong gale blew over the colony, but for- tunately very little damage was done. The heavy rains which have fallen lately have abundantly replenished the reservoirs and we are now practically safe from a water famine.
These were 1,901 visitors to the City Hall Museum last week, of whom 146 were Europeans. The flooring of a room at 25, Hollywood Road fell in on the 6th August and two women and a girl who were in a cookhouse below were slight ly injured.
It is notified that the Queen's exequator has been issued empowering Mr. Bock to act as Consul-General for Sweden and Norway at Hongkong, to reside at Shanghai.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
The M.M. steamer Melbourne, with the last homeward French mail, after leaving Saigon and when near the mouth of the river, met with an accident to her steering gear, which delayed her forty-eight hours.
The Hupeh dollar has come into circulation, though probably not many of our readers have yet seen it. It is almost a fac simile of the Canton dollar except for the name of the pro- vince.
Two coolies fought at Quarry Bay on the 5th August and one of them died at his house shortly after from injuries he received. The other coolie is being looked for, as he is wanted on a charge of manslaughter.
On Saturday at the Magistracy a Chinaman was charged before Commander Hastings with obtaining money by false pretences from another Chinaman. The man offered to get the com- plainant a situation as watchman at the dock and by these representations extracted the sum of $6 from him. He was sentenced to three months' hard labour.
At the Magistracy on Saturday a coolie was fined $10 by Commander Hastings for carrying a dead body through the streets. An Indian constable was on duty near the Central Market on Thursday and noticed a ricksha coming along. Something attracted his notice and he went to stop the vehicle when the coolie bolted, leaving the risksba. It was then found to contain a dead body. The coolie was after- wards arrested, when he stated that a sick man was placed in his ricksha at Ship Street and he was told to take him to the Tung Wah Hospital.
On the 10th August Mr. J. E. Prosser sold by auction the land and houses at 5 to 9, Long On Street, Wanchai, containing 2,750 square feet. The annual rent is $24, and the upset price was $2,000. Mr. Tai Yee was the only bid- der and the lot was knocked down for $2,010.
The Hon. Treasurer of the Alice Memorial
and Nethersole Hospitals begs to acknowledge with thanks the following donations to the funds of the Hospitals:-
Cheong Tat Ting Fong Sien Ting D. F. Tumboly, Der A Wing
$25 25
A relief fund is being started for the been driven from their homes by the recent unfortunate residents of Formosa who have disturbances. Difficulty may possibly be experi- enced in reaching the people, but as the English Presbyterian Mission, which is at work in the this may be done sooner or later. country, has volunteered help, it is hoped that
A very impudent theft was committed on the Prays on the 4th August. A junk was being loaded with cases of lichees when a man quickly picked up one of the cases lying in the road and walked off with it. One of the carrying coolies thought the man was going the wrong way and went and caught him. The Magistrate, Hon. Commander Hastings, yesterday sent the rogue to gaol for six months with hard labour.
It is notified that H.E. the Governor has given his assent, in the name and on behalf of the Queen, to the following Ordinances -An Ordinance to further amend the Law relating to Widows' and Orphans' Pensions, An Ordi- | nance to regulate the Admiralty practice of the Marriage Ordinance, and An Ordinance to alter Supreme Court, An Ordinance to amend the the titles of Prison Officers employed in this colony.
auction two important lots of Crown land at On Tuesday afternoon Mr. Prosser sold by the north of MacDonnell Road. adjoin each other and the first contains 16,525 The lots square feet, the annual rent being $124 and the upset price $1.500. The second lot contains 48,875 square feet, with a rental of 8367. The upset price was $3,000. Each lot was bought by Hon. E. R. Belilios, who was the only bidder, for $20 over the upset price.
[August 1896.
In concluding a notice of the Governor's despatch on the Hongkong Blue Book for 1895 the N. G. Daily News:-And when Sir William reaches the higher post to which he may well look forward he will still, we hope, look back with pleasure to his official life in Hongkong, and he will be able to feel, as he contemplates the colony's advance in wealth and prosperity, that a fair proportion of it is due to his own intelligent administration.
The following returns of the average amount of bank notes in circulation and of specie in reserve in Hongkong, during the month ended 31st July, 1896, as certified by the Managers of the respective Banks, are published:-
Chartered Bank of India, Banks.
Average Specie in amount.
reserve.
Australia and China... $1,856,748 $1,000,000 Hongkong and Shanghai
Banking Corporation. 4,632,673 2,500,000 National Bank of China,
Limited
375,976 285,000
Total... $6,865.396 $3,785,000
A reminiscence of a wreck cropped up at the Police Court on Tuesday. In October, 1894, the Bellona struck on the Pratas shoal and copper of the value of $150,000 was stolen from the vessel by looting fishermen. The copper was sent to various places, including Singapore, Macao, and Hoihow, and the police in Hongkong were asked to warn dealers not to receive any of the property. On Monday Inspector Stanton received information that four ingots of copper were in a dealer's shop in Cheung Tsau Lane and on going there he found that the metal was part of the cargo stolen from the vessel. from a firm in Hoihow, which was true, but as master of the shop said he received the ingots he ought not to have entered into any transac tion with the copper he was summoned 'and' fined $5.
The
Two Artillerymen named W. Samuel and T. Burke had an eventful experience during the gale on Sunday. In the afternoon they took out a boat from Stonecutters' Island, where they row. are stationed, intending to go for an hour's At ten o'clock at night, when the roll call was made, the men did not answer and it was naturally concluded that they had been capsized and drowned during the storm. The police were informed and nothing was heard of the missing ones until Monday evening when they returned to Stonecutters' Island. They stated that the wind and heavy sea carried them np the Canton river and they managed to reach the mainland after considerable difficulty. ▲ few hours' later they succeeded in inducing some junk people to take them on board, and it' may imagined that the soldiers were much relieved when they saw Stonecutters' Island 86 84 again. 83
The cap presented by Mr. John Wallace to the Kowloou nock Detachment of the H.K.V.C. was shot for on Sunday morning, when Ser- geant MacPhail managed to pull it off for the fourth time, with a total of 91. Annered are
a few of the scores :—
200 Sergt. MacPhail 31 Gunner Gilchrist 20 Gunner Gow Gunner Stewart 28 Gunner White... 31
400 35
500 H'cap Total.
25
25
21 21
25
32
33
28
28
28
21
3
91
87
The 96th birthday of the Rifle Brigade will be celebrated at the Happy Valley on Tuesday, the 25th August, at 4.45 p.m., by the holding of sports. The Brigade was formed in 1800, since which time it has figured very conspicuously in notable campaigns, including the Peninsular war and the battle of Waterloo, and in addi- tion to these great achievements in the field of war the Brigade has won many. honours in the field of peace. The programme of sports contains nine events, and there should be a great crowd at the Happy Valley next Tuesday week to wish our soldiers many happy returns of the day.
Lai Mit, the murderer of a Chinese policeman in Chuk Hing Lane a few weeks ago, was tried at Num Tau on Sunday afternoon by the district magistrate. Inspectors Stanton and Quincey attended the trial, which was of course conducted in the usual Chinese fashion. The murderer was havily chained round the neck and arms, and on being asked if he committed the murder he said he did not. The magistrate then produced the prisoner's statement when he was arrested, the murdered man's depositions, the revolver, the bullet which had been extracted from the body, and gave orders for the torturing instruments to be brought forward. Several witnesses were examined and finally the culprit admitted his guilt, and after a long lecture by the magistrate he was taken away. The date of the execution, which will take place at Kowloon City, has not yet been fixed. .
On Thursday night a Russian, electrician named Kodzkie, who has a somewhat curious history, attempted to commit suicide by shooting himself in a room at 60, Queen's Road Central. About 7.30 the occupants of the room above shot and on rushing downstairs they heard were startled by hearing the report of a revolver second report. Kodzkie's room was entered and he was found lying insensible on the floor, a small six-chambered revolver lying about three yards away from him. The police were called and the man, who had shot himself in the head, was removed to the Government Civil Hospital. His recovery is probable. He has had a good deal of trouble lately, and it is thought that the worry unhinged his mind He is a native of Warsaw, and while there ho was a strong supporter of the revolutionary party and advanced his cause by singing revolution- ary songs. Some years ago he, as a conscrip was called up, for drill and it was then decided to send him to Siberia. When his period of excommunication expired it was thought better. to detain him longer. But somehow he made his way to Vladivostock and from there he came to Hongkong on a Russian man-of-war a few months ago. He deserted, hid himself in Hong- kong, and successfully eluded the Russian officials, and he has remained here since.
That is his own story. According to the another Russian in the colony, Kodzkie deserti from Vladivostock, obtained a sergean form, tore the stripes off, and then way to Hongkong The man's own considered to be the truth,
his rsion
}