July 29, 1897.]
he must have that free hand which the Chinese could never be induced to give.
Capt. Dundas, who arrived here ten weeks ago, is at loggerheads with Wang Wen She and the Naval Secretariat on this very question. He came out, at urgent request, to take a cadet ship and train a score or two of young naval officers for the ships which will arrive in 1898. Li and the Yamen, favour his claims for an independent command. but the local authorities here will not hear of it Our Jubilee celebration on the lines referred to in my last letter was a triumphant success. The day was very stormy, but we got through in between the squalls. Mr. B. Č. G. Scott,
our
new Consul, gets warm praise for his excellent lead in the Committee and Executive work. This gentleman has thrown himself with empressement into the undefined and undefinable social duties which people associate with the ideal consul, and has already secured the esteem, and indeed the regard, of his com- patriots here.
Mr. Chater's honours have found a strong advocate in the local organ. The Peking and Tientsin Times stoutly resented the remarks of its Shanghai contemporary on this subject and warmly eulogised Mr. Chater in its issue of last week. It, however, overshot the mark in disparaging Mr. Geo. Jamieson's claims to equal treatment. A correspondent takes the editor to task this week for his Shanghaiphobia; and indeed for some weeks past there has been marked change in the tone of the paper generally, and in its attitude towards Shanghai in particular. We, however, so highly value and appreciate our little organ as a medium of public opinion, that we are indisposed to be censorious. It is understood locally that the paper is written by willing amateurs, and there is a wholesome proverb about the buccal chamber of a gift horse.
a
The Aden disaster profoundly affected Tient- sin. It was by the merest sequence of trivial accidents that two other families and Mr. H. B. Bristow, our ex Consul, were not on board.
The fate of Mr. and Mrs. Strain has aroused a strong feeling of commiseration.
Fully two hundred residents of Tientsin and North China are recuperating at Pei-ta-ho, & charming and newly discovered watering place on the Gulf of Pechili twenty miles south of Shan-hai-kwan. It is adding a new zest to life and is arousing a wonderful enthusiasm.
CANTON NOTES.
FROM THE
CHUNG NGOI SAN PO”. The flood which, as already reported, occur- red in Ka Ying district is now gradually sub siding. Nam-how, Ho-tin, Se-to, Cheung-tan, Tung-sai-sheang, and Shu-bang are the places that have suffered the most. The water was thirteen feet above the usual level. A good many houses were washed away and a great number of lives have been lost by drowning. The people took refuge on the tops of high trees. It is reported that it is the greatest flood re- corded during the last century in that district. A horrible scene'
has been left behind. Most of the people have been rendered homeless and the great majority are starving. The Taotai of Wei-chiu-ka district bus sent a
telegram to the Viceroy for assistanco and His Excellency has despatched a gunboat laden with rice under the charge of two Woiyum to the distressed districts. The charitable institu- tions are busily raising subscriptions. Another gunboat conveying rice will be sent in a few days.
A fight broke out between the villages named Tai-tong and San-chuen on the 17th instant. There has been enmity between the two villages for a long period and fights have been reported year after year. During the recent fight a number of houses on each side were destroyed and some lives lost. Last week the Magistrate of Pun-u District went with some military officers and a number of soldiers to stop the fight, which is now over. The com- batants have been invited by the officers to surrender their arms and ammunition.
A riot is reported in Yang-chan district. Over ten thousand people and a large number of savages joined in the rebellion. The local officers ran away and many houses have been
|
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
robbed and burnt. The well-to-do citizens have fled to neighbouring places for safety. The poor villagers are forced to join in the rebel lion, otherwise they will be killed. Telegraphic information has been received in Canton and it is hoped soldiers will be sent there soon to cope with the rebels.
Twenty robbers were brought to the military court on the 19th instant from San-ling district for trial. They are most notorious robbers and have committed grave crimes of every decrip. After final trial they will probably all lose their heads.
tion.
HONGKONG.
The police scandal continues to hold its place as the principal topic of conversation. Practic- ally the whole the Chinese detective staff has been banished, but apparently nothing will be done in regard to the English detectives who have been suspended until after the trial of Inspector Witchell, which commences this morning. The Supreme Court judges have been busy this week. On Monday the new Hongkong Club was opened to members. In chess circle considerable interest is being taken in a cable chess match between Singapore and Hongkong.
A Ranb dividend of one shilling per share is announced.
At 10.10 p.m. on the 23rd July a fire broke out in the kitchen of the Hongkong Hotel, but was speedily extinguished, little damage being done.
On 20th July, His Excellency the Gor- ernor ordered the suspension of Inspector Hore, Inspector of Nuisances, who is alleged to bave accepted bribes from a gambling house keeper.
The Hon. Treasurer of the Alice Memorial and Nethersole Hospitals begs to acknowledge with thanks the following donation to the funds of the Hospitals :---Tam Ha Sz, $5.
At a meeting of the Maxim Gun Company of the Hongkong Volunteer Corps held on 22nd July, Sergeant Sanders Was elected Captain in place of Captain C. Murray Adam. son, resigned.
The gunner in the Asiatic Artillery who is charged with committing perjury in a dastardly assault case heard at the last Criminal Sessions, has been committed for trial by the Police Magistrate.
99
The appointment of Assistant Registrar- General at Hongkong has, according to the Penang Gazette, been offered to Mr. Gompertz and has been accepted by him. Mr. Gompertz was educated at Bedford School and Exeter College, Oxford, and is a B.A. He was appointed & cadet in the Straits Settlements in 1890 and is now Third Magistrate at Penang.
On Saturday morning. 20th July, the dead. body of a soldier named Bell, a gunner in the Royal Artillery was picked up on the beach at Shaukiwan. About three days before he went out by the military launch to Lyeemoon but did not return and it is supposed that, he met with an accident and was drowned. He was reported as missing by the Military Authorities. Four boatmen were charged at the Magistracy on Saturday, 24th July, with boarding the steamer Catherine Apcar without permission, It was pointed out that boatmen frequently rushed on to steamers for the purpose of selling matting, etc., much to thebindrance and annoy- ance of officers. The Magistrate sent the prisoners to gaol for six weeks with hard labour.
The appointment of Dr. F. W. Clark, Medical Officer of Health, to be Superintendent of Sta- tistics in the Registrar-General's department, is gazetted. Dr. Clark is also appointed to be the Medical Officer who shall assist the Registrar-General or Registrar in the manner provided in section 12 (e) of the Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance, 1896, to as- certain, when necessary, the true cause of death,
The Batavia corespondent of the Singapore Free Press, writing on the 9th July, says:→→ Mr. C. J. Boon, who is accused of appropriat- ing to his own use the sum of f. 81,000 belong- ing to the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank, whilst acting as their Agent in Padang, bas been arrested, there and brought to Batavia, and he is now undergoing a preliminary examination. The Government have taken up the case and are prosecuting.
On 20th inst., about 4.30 p.m., the Peak trams stopped running, much to the disappoint- ment of a few tenuis parties and annoyance to many people who had to take chairs to reach their Peak residences. The stoppage was due to a slight accident to the machinery and as it was intended to eut off the service at eight o'clock in order to change cables it was thought advisable to effect the repairs and put the new cable down at the same time and the work was therefore proceeded with shortly after the-
A London telegram of the 1st July to the Australian papers states that despite their fort-accident happened. night's misery the survivors of the P. and O. steamer Aden celebrated the Queen's Jubilee on board the wreck by gathering together and singing the National Anthem.
At 3.30 on Saturday afternoon, 24th July, the steamer Catherine Apcar was leasing the harbour for Singapore when hor propeller touched the steam launch Chim Fat, causing such damage that the launch sank almost im mediately. No lives were lost.
Messrs. John D. Humphreys & Son, General Managers of Olivers Freehold Mines, Limited, and the New Balmoral Gold Mining Co.. Limited, inform as that a crushing of 150 tons of Eureka quartz has yielded an ounce to the ton. Good progress is being made. Queens shaft is snuk to a depth of 275 feet.
On the 19th July a piece of Crown land known as Inland Lot No. 1,418, which is in the Sookunpoo Valley, near Causeway Bay, was sold by public auction. The land contains 14,400 square feet and the annual rental is $148. The lot was sold to Mr. David Kennedy for $2,280, or $120 above the upset price.
By the death of Mr. C. R. B. Drummond, which occurred at the Naval Hospital on Wednesday, H.M.S. Undaunted loses a most promising midshipman. The deceased was very popular amongst his comrades and his early death caused deep regret. He was buried
Before the commencement of the case in the Criminal Sessions Court on 26th inst. the At- torney-General applied for Mr. Wei On to be approved, admitted, and enrolled as a solicitor to practise in the Supreme Court of Hongkong. Mr. Wei On was educated at Oxford and was an M.A. of the University. He had been admitted- making the order applied for, said he had as a solicitor in England. His Lordship, in
the more pleasure in doing so because Mr. Wei On belonged to the sume University to which his Lordship had the bonour to belong. Mr. Wei On was, he believed, the first Chinese graduate of that University and it was hoped that more Chinese gen lemen would follow his example. His Lordship then wished Mr. Wei
On success in his career.
1
The tables were turned upon a complainant in a Police Court case on 23rd July. He swore that a man he charged with assault struck him with a bamboo and stole some clothing he had in a box, and in support of his statement he showed a wound on the head. It transpired, however, that the complainant was not assaulted at all. He was seen to take the box out of his house at Wongneichni g, drop it near the Race- course, and ran. off to No. 1 Police Station, where he told Inspector Mann that he had been assaulted. On the previous night he went to the police station and tried to get the defendant
on the 22nd July at the Happy Valley with | arrested for assault and on this pag
naval honours.
The police are looking for a hawker who com mitted a most serious assault on Wednesday night, 21st July, in Hollywood Road. A man went to him and examined a pocket knife with a view to purchasing it, but when he saw it he did not like it and would not have it. Thereupon the hawker picked up the knife and stabbed the man in the side, inflicting such a serious wound that he had to be detained in the Civil Hospital.
the showed
sound on the
and curiously enough he trotted out this same injury as proof of the second assault. Inspector Mann warned the complainant of the consequences that would ensue if he made a false charge, but he persisted and caused the defendant to be arrested. Mr. Wodehouse soon saw there was no ground for the charge, dis- charged the defendant, and fined the com- plainant $25 or six weeks' imprisonment with hard labour.
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