20
There were 1,756 visitors to the City Hall Museum last week, of whom 71 were Europeans. Mr. H B. Lethbridge, Superintendent of Victoria Gaol, has been appointed Deputy Governor of Borstar convict prison, Kent. The information was contained in a letter which a gentleman in the colony received from Mr. Lethbridge by the English mail. It bas been -understood for some time that when a vacancy occurred the Superintendentship of the Gaol would be combined with that of the Police..
In the Educational Report for 1896, Dr. Eitel, speaking of female education in the colony, says:-There is abundant evidence to indicate that there is a progressive movement at work and that the old prejudice of the Chinese people against female education is giving way so far as a Chinese education is concerned. But as regards bringing the Chinese girls of the Colony under the influence of an English education, there is among the Chinese residing in this Colony, and even among those who have them- selves studied English, with the sole exception of those who have been abroad for many years, the old prejudice, viz., the fear that an English education would instill in the minds of Chinese girls a desire for liberty and independence incompatible with the subordinate status which Chinese society assigns to woman. The only class among whom English education has of late made considerable strides in advance, and amongst whom English attainments are now meeting with laudable appreciation, are the Eurasian girls, whose educational interests bad in former years been neglected through local prejudice.
Referring to the British Kowloon College, Dr. Eitel, in his Educational Report for 1896, says:This School, which all along has laboured under unusual difficulties, had its school-house levelled to the ground by a typhoon, and though the School was continued in temporary quarters, it had to be closed at the end of the year. Although the British Kowloon College had from the beginning an experimental character, it has shewn distinct signs of permanent vitality. In view of the steady growth of the European settlement which has sprung up on the Peninsula and in view of the sacrifices of time, work, and money, which the School Committee have made from year to year, His Excellency the Governor bas recognized the reasonableness of the Com- mittee's request that the school be either con- verted into a Government School reserved for the children of the European residents of the Peninsula in the same way in which so many schools on the Island are virtually reserved for the Chinese community, or that the Government provide ground and school-building, in which case the Committee would cheerfully work the school at their own expense on the lines of a grant-in-aid school, with little doubt of success. A number of experienced head boatmen who have for many years plied on the West River are forming themselves into a body at Canton with the intention of offering their services as pilots for the river steamers and launches which
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
MISCELLANEOUS.
Mr. Cheah Chen Eok, a well-known resident of Penang, has offered, in honour of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, to erect in Penang a clock tower and fountain at a cost of $30,000. The Penang Manicipal Commissioners have accepted the generous offer.
The Yokohama papers report a serious accident that befell Miss Eldridge, the daughter of Dr. Eldridge, while bicycling in Main Street on the 11th June. While the young lady was endeavouring to avoid a dray she met with a very bad fall, breaking her knee-cap and being severely shaken.
A Tokyo press despatch states that the Japan- ese Consul at Thursday Island has telegraphed that an agitation has been commenced to pro- hibit the engagement of Japanese labourers who are employed in gathering mother-of-pearl shells. The Consul advises that no labourers should be sent for the present.
A fire broke out on Saturday morning, 12th June, in the scntching room of the Yu-yuen Cotton Mill, in Yangtsepoo Road, Shanghai. Fortunately the premises are fitted with autom- atic sprinklers, which, with the assistance of the hose belonging to the mill, extinguished the flames before any serious damage was done.
Sir Nicholas Hannen issued the following notice at Shanghai on news being received of Mr. Jamieson having been made a C.M.G.- Unless I hear to the contrary, I intend sending to Mr. Jamieson the following telegram:-"The British Community of Shanghai send heartiest congratulations on your well-deserved honour.
HANNEN."
The Japan Times states that as it had been found that the annual remuneration of 600 yen is not sufficient to attract able men to the posi- tions of judges and procurators, the authorities, our contemporary has been informed, have decided that the allowance to judges and pro- curators of the lowest class will be increased to 700 yen per year.
We learn from a Kobe contemporary that the Nagasaki Press has purchased the entire plant of the Rising Sun Printing Office, to- gether with the goodwill. The Nagasaki Shipping List and Rising Sun will cease public ation at the end of this month, and their place will be taken on July 1st by the Nagasaki Press, which will be published daily.
Garrison Adjutant at Singapore, we regret to Lieut S. C. Long of the Rifle Brigade, hear was the victim of an unlucky accident whilst at the parade rehearsal at the Barracks on the 16th June. He was, so we are informed, trying a new horse which H.E. the General Officer Commanding wished to ride at the Jubilee Review, and when the band began to play the animal got restive and attempted to throw its rider. Lieut. Long was too good a horseman for this, and the brute deliberately the unfortunate officer's thigh. He was at once threw itself down and rolled over, fracturing removed to his quarters and medical assistance called in, and he is now reported to be as well as could be expected.-Free Press.
[July 1, 1897.
The alterations in telegraph rates in con- sequence of the Budapest revision of the inter- national service regulations come into force on the 1st July. In telegrams in plain language fifteen letters are allowed to a word instead of ten and groups of figures are charged at the rate of five figures to a word instead of three. The tariff for telegrams exchanged between China and Europe will from the same date be reduced from Fes. 8.50 to Fcs. 7, the currency equivalent of the franc being fixed, subject to revision, at $0.37.
The Singapore Free Press. of the 10th June says:-Mr. W. Bibby, of Raub, returns to Raub on Saturday and will remain there for about a fortnight before going on the holiday which he deserves and needs so much. It will however not be so much of a holiday, as it will mean the careful inspection of certain great electric mining installations in California, and the framing of the plans for the future utilisa- tion of the water power of the Simpam river at the various points in the Raub concession where workings are being carried on.
In regard to one dollar notes, Mr. J. A. Swettenham, the Colonial Secretary of Singa- pore expressed the following opinions in a letter to the Singapore Chamber of Commerce, which had pronounced in favour of such notes:- With · respect to one dollar notes, the Government will have no objection to issue them if a majority of the Legislative Council pronounce in their but it must be borne in mind that there are favour after thorough discussion of the matter; serious drawbacks to making such notes legal tender, as they will be less convenient to count than dollars, and require more circumspection in handling; they will rapidly become most filthy, and may constantly require disinfecting, Their cost will be so great (including the cost of frequent renewals) that the body of tax. payers will incur constant outlay to maintain them in circulation. Out of every thousand persons received into the Singapore Prison, 527 bear signs of having suffered from one or two contagious diseases, and many of this class wear no pockets.
The Moralist" writing in the Straits Times says I share the general opinion that it would be advisable that the management of the Raub gold mines should be removed from Brisbane to Singapore. The shares are in Singapore or in China ports associated with Singapore, and it is from Singapore that the Company should be managed. It is true that, for technical reasons, this would probably require a winding up and reconstruction; but such winding up and recon- struction proceedings need not cost more than five or six hundred pounds, whereas the Bris- bane management probably costs about fifteen hundred pounds a year. There would be no difficulty in getting from the Straits and China shareholders proxies in favour of some trust- worthy persons, proxies that would entirely upset the voting power of Brisbane. There is also a notion floating around generally, a notion with which I agree, that, simultaneously with. transferring the management from Brisbane to Singapore, it would be advisable to increase the salary of Mr. Bibby. That salary is, I believe, a thousand pounds a year, being pre-
will now run under foreign flags to the newly Col. J. C. Hixson, should feel gratified at being / cisely the same amount as when Mr. Bibby first
At the time of the
The retiring American Consul at Foochow, opened ports and passenger stations. As these able to carry with him the confidence and men are well acquainted with the vagaries of esteem of the entire foreign community at Foo- the upper reaches of the river, the best chan-chow, and the loyalty and friendship of his own nels, and the location of rocks and other hidden countrymen in China. obstructions, it has been suggested to us that Kuchêng massacre it is well remembered, to the credit of Mr. Hixson; that his energy it would be AS well that they should and ability in that difficult problem were be encouraged by recognition by the attended with results which have doubtless shipping firms running boats On the left a lasting impression upon the Chinese river and have employment given to them mind. Only one American lady was slightly where possible, more particularly so at the pre-injured during that massacre, but the inves- sent juncture, as their influence amongst the boat population will tend to promote good feel- ing towards foreigners where otherwise there might be a sense of injury through the dis- placement of native craft at present doing the work which must soon be monopolised by steam craft under foreign flags. If some of the authorities would open a register office where men who are qualified for this work might have their names entered in a book, with particulars as to where they are to be found at short notice, and the rates of pay expected, it would be a great convenience both to the men and to those needing their services.
tigation made by the British and American authorities was no less energetic upon the part of the latter. Of the three Americans who assisted in conducting that investigation Colonel Hixson alone survives, Captain Newell and Dr. Gregory both having died. soon after the investigation was concluded; and even Colonel Hixson with his wellknit frame and vitality was confined to his bed for several weeks with a malignant attack of typhoid fever. It is pleasing to know that his countrymen in Foochow are parting with him with mingled feelings of regret and admiration.-N. C. Daily News.
|
arrived.
COMMERCIAL.
TEA.
SHANGHAI, 25th June:-(From Messrs. Welch, Lewis & Co.'s Circular).It is greatly to be regretted that the Government of the United States has been misled into passing an unjust and unworkable Act through specious arguments alout "shutting out" spurious Teas and improv. ing the quality of importations from China. The passing of the Act, combined with a credible statement that a duty of 10 gold cents. a lb. would be imposed on all Tea imported into the United States after 1st July, caused a temporary rush for "spot" cargo in American markets, at greatly enhanced prices. Holders were relieved, but it has loaded up many retailers for six months
to come.
The old regulations about “spurious" Tea were strong enough if they had been honestly and intelligently applied, the only possible results of the enforcement of the present Act will be to shut out quantities of pure Tea, to restrict Trade unjustly, and to cause innumerable disputes in all departments of the business. It is sincerely to
f