THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
not on its
r req
at even claim to have the amended as requested; ce in the result, as any ross revenus the amount Military Contribution, ediate increase in the per- he military tax is levied. ion of the Secretary of State that no matter however be in effecting economies in we will never be allowed to xation or diminish the gross sed in the colony, so as to affect the the Military Contribution, or, in ds, that although the amount of our Contribution may increase with every our revenue, it will never be allowed in proportion to any decrease in we formally protest against it as
ble, and unjust.
etition that the military far should definite rate per cent, of the total venne, less municipal revenue and was based on the belief that a
per- once fixed would have remained and that the amount we had to pay ould have varied with the amount of aised in the colony for its necessary re and that we would be permitted to revenue as our expenditure increased diminished in accordance with local needs.
According to the views now expressed by Secretary of State, we may have to pay
but shall never pay less, than we are pay
and no matter how economically and the Government of the colony may ministered, no matter how our expenditure reduced, we must impose the same taxes ne the same revenue as if no such economy een effected, for the mere purpose of keep up the amount of the payment to the War
an interpretation of the meaning of settlement supposed to have been recently leaves the colony in a worse position
before.
would point out that it was in con- fos of our repeated representations that the etofore demanded was out of proportion ans that the question of the Military tion was reconsidered. It was relief from a burden too heavy for us to
The import, as it is now proposed to levy will simply increase this burden, and we would therefore pray that the original arrange- ment of a yearly payment of £40,000 be
reverted to.
10. We do not for a moment wish to convey the impression that we admit that this sum is not disproportionate to the revenue of the
but we consider it as more equitable than the tax of 17 per cent, on our gross revenue, which it is proposed by the Secretary 81 State to exact.
C. P. CHATER. HO KAI.
T. H. WHITEHEAD. E. R. BELILIOS.
J. J. BELL-IRVING.
Hongkong, 14th September, 1896.
翡
THE REBELLION IN THE PHILIPPINÈS.
26 h November. We learn that telegraphic information has from Manns stating that several have taken place in the provinces
وليون
in which the rebels were up with a loss in two of pectively of about 200 and he 24th at San Rafael de Pagain came up with the re- "the mountains, killed 200 (this number being field) and wounded a great loss Höstained by the troops was
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1st December:
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the rebela 1 THES upy their lossES being
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iber at San Rafael do Bulacan the troops: in came
ith the rebels, who were escaping to the ountain routed them, and killed four hundred. Manila papers received yesterday to the 26th November confirm this infor and give some details of the engagements. The loss of four hundred, mentioned above, is said to have been understated. That thenum- ber given in the first official reports, but later reports doubled the number, making it eight hundred.
effect that several place in the provi 100s
In Cavite the bombardment of the rebel positions is maintained and is said to be inflicting great losses on them. The statements as to these losses áre said not to rest on mere surmise, but to be derived from a sure source, from which it would seem that the Government must have spies in the rebel ranks.
The papers contain reports of minor engage- ments and skirmishes, which are of daily oc- currence, and in which the rebels are always defeated.
The most startling news contained in our files is that of an attack by the rebels on the railway. The mail train left Manila at siz a'clock on the morning of the 21st November, and reached the town of Malolos without any- thing unusual having happened. Here there were rumours of groups of rebels hovering along the line between Malolos and Calumpit The engine driver proceeded with great caution and at a slow speed, but at San Marcos the train was derailed, the line having been broken for a distance of 20 metres, but so as not to be observable from the engine. The engine was overturned and thrown down the embankment and four carriages followed it and were com- pletely broken up. The rebels, who appeared to consist of about a thousand unarmed men, made their appearance immediately after the accident, stole all the goods the train was carry ing and the correspondence, and made prisoners the engine driver, guard, and various passengers, News of the affair was received at Malolos about eight o'clock and the detachment stationed there at once marched to the place. On their arrival they found the rebels had left. Various persons injured in the accident were found and were A few hours later a conveyed to Malolos. repairing party arrived under the direction of Mr. Higgins, the manager of the railway, and communication both by rail and telegraph was restored on the afternoon of the 22nd. As to the prisoners taken by the rebels, it appears they could not have been very closely guarded and they were all with one exception allowed to make their escape, the exception being the guard, who had not been heard of up
to date of latest advices.
Ede, Et. C. Mich hitehead, and The mint
It was anno B. N. Co. had Chamber
THE INCREAS
Letter ack the report of
| meeting held against the Comp
It appears the rebels had come down the river in boats and on disembarking one party made for the railway and another for the town of Calumpit, where they robbed and set fire to various houses. It was
at first reported that three Europeans bad been murdered by them, but this report was happily unfounded. The house of Mr. Waman (P), an Englishman, was one of those attacked, and the cook was murdered, his head being severed from his body.
گوید
It would appear that only two passengers were seriously injured in the railway accident, one of whom subsequently died in the hospital, while the recovery of the other was doubtful.
According to a Madrid telegram” General Buchaluce on his arrival there was presented to the Queen Regent, which negatives the reports that he had been sent home in disgrace.
The Avenir du Tonkin of the 25th November says:-We reported in our last number the arrival at Haiphong of a cargo of Hongay briquettes inade at the Hongkong factory. To-day we learn that the Société Franc fded Charbonnages expects immediately a com plete plant which will be set up at Hongay itself for the manufacture of briquettes. It is unr sary to speak of the im 08 of this With its new establishme
the Company be able to furnish econo lly and cellent conditions of price a valuable will be used not only by the marine but principal steam factories,
from the Hon. Shanghai the Britis Singapor. Chamber of
Bombay the Chairma as was one from the German
ownin receipt
China Mo
GRAPH
en copies
CHINA IMPOR Read letter from Secretary; London Chambe of Commerce, dated 30th Se to Chamber's letter of 19th joot, and stating that it had bee the East India and China (S sult being that a letter had bee the Foreign Secretary on the which was enclosed.
Also read letter from Shadg.
forwarding two copies of
special meeting of the - Chamber and China Associa
documents on a previous occasion had fail September to consider the
come to hand.
3
Decided to write to express satisfaction at the desp to the Foreign Office, which, expressed the views entertain mittes. © Also resolved to spondence.
THREATENED EXCISE ON
the
48 OF
FOREIGN FACTORIES IN CH Read letter from Acting Secretary Shangha Chamber of Commerce, dated 17th Nov stating result of their Vico-Chairm to Peking, the formation of Special to deal with various trades and and asking Chamber's nishing reports on such matters as
Co-ope
intereststeld v
Resolved to reply to effect that
ve the being a British col taxation of foreign m did not touch Hongkong in the Chamber will be it could o Commit form that
Read Office,
ad to re hanghai
stan
*FIOL
PH
Septem graph Com
the decision to the Buda Pesth to the effect the is to be enlarged ann forence in 1901,
Chamber to indu
iyate codeg ternationa Decid the public,
Rea
informa