July 1, 1897.]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
voted to the celebration of the day. It will Bund, and with music and torches, blue soon be forgotten that the Nursing Home, if it lights and red lights, transparencies and is founded, and if, as some of its supporters illuminations, it pursued its way to the end of hope, it is merged in the General Hospital, is a the French Bund and back, each company special British memorial of the Queen's Dia-cheered and applauded as it passed the thronged mond Jubilee; but we do not doubt that fifty balconies on its way: The hearty goodwill of years hence there will be foreigners in Shang- our French neighbours showed itself in the hai who will remember how the record reign splendour with which their Bund was decorated was celebrated here on the 22nd June, 1897. and illuminated; and it is needless to say that Those who worked at the celebration of 1887, their frank sympathy was heartily appreciated and who worked again at this year's fête, were naturally haunted by the fear that rain would early yesterday morning that the many private by their British neighbours. It was not so very again frustrate their best efforts. June is al-parties that had been organised for the occasion ways a capricious month in Shanghai, and the Hnally separated. meteorological records tell us that of the last thirteen years there have been only three inof the reason of the celebration ? A unique What need is there to say anything more which it has not rained on the 22nd of June. event it is that was commemorated, for cycles Last week was fine on the whole, but on Satur will probably pass before the world sees such day and Sunday the glass began to fall and the clads to gather_ominously, and one or two acknowledge her greatness and the glory of her another Queen as Victoria. We do well to fairly heavy showers on londay morning seemed rule as we have done; and we do well to let to threaten another such disappointment as we had in 1887. But the clouds passed away on
the young, in whom we have implanted a Monday, and the night was a perfect one, and memory that will be sweet to them for tens the sky was entirely clear when day dawned on
of years, have the occasion thus imprinted on their minds. We must take another oppor- Tuesday, and the whole day was a perfect one; tanity to mention those to whom the success cloudless, but with a pleasant air from the south of Tuesday's celebration is mainly due; this is ́east, which made mere existence a pleasure.
that it was a success, worthy, as far as conld just a short account to put on record the fact be in Shanghai, of the occasion.-N. C. Daily News.
were
the
With fine weather a public holiday, every- one disposed to enjoyment--for the grumblers, of whom there must be some in every commu- nity gave way before the public feeling-and a programme sufficiently filled and sufficiently varied, the celebration was certain to be a suc: cess, and a success it undoubtedly was. The assemblage at the parade at half-past seven in the morning was an unexpectedly large one, considering what a long and tiring day everyone was anticipating. The salate of sixty guns by the Volunteer Artillery was thoroughly appropriate and was well given; ten years ago a British man-of-war also fired a salute, gun for gun; but it appears that Ad- miral Buller's loyalty was restrained by the antiquated superstition that the firing of guns by men-of-war in Shanghai breaks windows on shore, and the Daphne was silent. The service in the Cathedral was one to be long remem- bered; the Masonic Procession was not perhaps quite as large or quite as imposing as it was expected to be, but in all other respects this part of the celebration was worthy of the occasion. The next functions Garden Party in the grounds of the British Consulate-General, and the Children's Fête in the Public Garden and the adjacent Bund Lawn, and these were completely successful. Never before has such a gathering of all nation alities been seen in Shanghai as was present at the Garden Party, and the scene from the plat- form when the National Authem was sung gave one an adequate idea of the growth of Shang- hai in the last few years. The Working Com- mittes are hardly to be blamed for putting too many events on the programme, so that some had perforce to be omitted; but all the best were retained, and the most captious could not fail to be pleased by the Glees, the Musical Bicycle Rides, which were done with absolute perfection and enchanted the vast con- course by the grace and ease with which the fair and gallant riders surmounted the difficulties and intricacies of the woven paces through which they urged their revolving wheels, and the Maypole Dance. With the singing by a thousand or more voices of the National Anthem very pleasant fête was brought to a conclusion, and while it was going on, some five or six hun- dred children were being amused and delighted on the other side of the road.
8
By this time the streets were thronged with the most good-natured and amenable of mobs, a vast crowd of Chinese sightseers, whose audible. admiration of the decorations and illuminations sounded like the continuous roar of a great waterfall. Soon after nine the front of every house on the Bund was blazing with light and gay with sightseers. Every ship in the river, with one gloomy exception, was lit up with lanterns, and far down the river and on the Hongkew and Pootung shores long lines of light, vertical and horizontal, bore witness to the sympathy of all in the event that Britons all over the world were commemorating. Soon after half-past nine the Fire Parade started from the gloom of th
the Soochow Road into the light and movement on
lows by our contemporary--Those taking part The musical bicycle ride is described as fol-
PAPERS,
table the following papers :-The Educational The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid upon the Report for 1896, the report of the Superinten- dent of the Fire Brigade for 1896, and an additional by-law made under section 13 of Ordinance 15 of 1894. In reference to the by- law the Colonial Secretary said-Some weel ago certain by-laws made by the Sanitary Board were brought before Excellency decided, in deference to the wishes Among those by-laws wore the Council. which Your of this Council, should be referred to the Com- mission now inquiring into the question of sidered the by-law and returned it to the insanitary properties. That Commission con- Government in an amended form. It was then referred to the Sanitary Board and the Sanitary in laying it on the table to-day is to have it Bourd considered it and passed it. My object published so that the public may have › an opportunity of considering it. At the next meeting I will move, with Your Excellency's permission, that it be approved by this Council.
FINANCIAL MINUTE.
Financial Minute No. 14 and moved that it be The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table
amount stated in it had been altered from $251 referred to the Finance Committee after the
to $346.42.
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded. Carried.
REFORT OF THE PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE,
The ACTING DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
of the Public Works Committee. moved the adoption of the report of the proceed-
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded. Carried.
in this were:-Miss Alice Macleod and Mr. Beau Hannen. Mrs. Sutherland and Mr. Noel, Miss Wright and Mr. Gilbert Davies, Missings Miss Ethel Wright and Mr. Robert Moorhead, Canstance Campbell and Mr. Robert May; Mrs. Henderson and Dr. E. E. Henderson, and Miss White and Baron P. de Gunzburg. The
CCST OF THE ADMINISTRATION. machines were prettily galanded with flowers, Hon T. H. WHITEHEAD, in pursuance of and the fine grass plot afforded an excel- notice. asked lent display ground.
the following question:-In The cleverness with
view of Your Excellency having received several showed the great skill of the riders, and in the service of the Government and your pro- which the evolution's were gone through applications for an increase of salary from officers the effective spectacle reflected great credit posal to refer these to a Committee for considera- apon Lady Hannen, to whom the Work-
tion and report, will the Government lay upon the ing Committee expensed their thanks in the table a statement showing the total cost of or programme for its arrangement. There was expenditure on the administration of the Go- another display subsequently by younger riders. vernment, including pensions, exchange com which was no less successful, this time the per-pensation, and all other allowances, during formers being Miss Annie Macleod and Master the years 1895 and 1896 separately P Theodore Moorehead, Miss Isla Campbell and Miss Noel Morriss, Miss Margie Fearon and Miss Katie Findlay, Miss Beatrice Campbell and Miss Nunu Morriss, Miss Constance Camp- bell and Master Charles Findlay, Miss Ada to this ride, the Maypole Dance was very suc- Findlay and Mr. Beau Haunen. Just prior cessfully gone through by a number of children, who had been well trained by Mr. G. R. Wing-
rove.
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
A meeting of the Hongkong Legislative Council was held at the Council Chamber on 28th June. Present:-
His EXCELLENCY the Governor, Sir WIL LIAM ROBINSON, G.C.M.G.
His EXCELLENCY Major-General BLACK, C.B. (Officer Commanding the Forces).
Hon. J. H. STEWART LOCKHART (Colonial Secretary).
Hon. W. M. GoODMAN (Attorney-General). Hon. T. SERCOMBE SMITH (Colonial Treasurer).
Hon. W. CHATHAM (Acting Director of Public Works).
Hon. F. H. MAY, C.M.G. (Captain Super.
MURRAY RUMSEY (Harbour
Hon. R. intendent of Police). Master).
Hon. C. P. CHATER, C.M.G. Hon. Ho Kar.
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD. Hon. E. R. BELILIOS, C.M.G. Hon. J. J. BELL-IRVING. Hon. Wer A YUK,
|
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-Sir, in reply to the hon. member I beg to lay upon the table a return which gives the information asked for.
NOTICE OF QUESTIONS. Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD gave notice of the following questions:
RETRENCHMENT,
E
trenchment Commission will the Government With reference to the Report of the Re-
lay upon the table a copy of the despatches and instructions received from the Secretary of State for the Colonies in relation thereto, and in connection with applications in respect of salaries similar to those recently referred by His Excellency the Governor to a Committee? GOLD PAYMENTS.
Will the Government lay upon the table a return shewing all sterling payments made in England for any purpose or in the colony on a gold basis with the equivalent dollar amounts such return to commence with 1890 and to disbursed by the Treasury in respect thereof, include the estimated payments for 1897 and 1898 ?
TAIPINGSHAN,
What steps do the Government now propose to take with a view to the speedy disposal of what were the causes of the failure of the the Crown land available at Taipingshan and Government to obtain a bid for any lot at the
recent sale by public auction?
GOLD LOANS,
Will the Government lay upon the table a detailed statement or account of the loan of £200,000 raised in 1887, shewing separately in sterling and in dollars all receipts and all payments in connection with or in respect of the principal, interest, and sinking fund, with the dates and the rates of exchange at which Teachi
item was converted from sterling into dollars or vice versa, in short, a detailed account showing how much interest per cent. per annum The minutes of the previous meeting were the ratepayers have paid for the loan in ques- theread and confirmed.
=
Mr. J. G, T. BUCKLE (Clerk of Councils). MINUTES.
tion, and a similar account to date in respect