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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND reef are being pushed ahead. The north drive ATTEMPTED ESCAPE OF now totals 125 feet in, reef 10 feet wide and
PRISONERS AT MACAO, showing gold. The south drive totals 85 feet, with reef 5 feet wide and showing gold. At From the Echo Macaense we translate the the 150 feet level the drive north on the reef is following account of a in 95 feet and a decided improvement has taken gaol-breaking at Macao-On the morning of recent attempt at place here, the reef having widened out to 23 the 27th August repeated reports of firearms feot, and shows gold throughout. Driving were heard in the public gaol. On investigation sonth at this level will be resumed in a few it was found that nine Chinese prisoners who days. As stated in a previous report we are at were confined in a cell on the ground floor present doing a lot of progressive and develop-separated from the rest of the prison by a ing work, raising sufficient stone to keep the passage had tried to break ont of prison and old battery constantly going and getting ready had treacherously assaulted the soldier who to largely increase the output as soon as the was on seutinel duty in the next corridor, new battery is ready. The main shaft has been throwing T brick at him which struck sunk a total of 38 feet below the 200 feet level, him on the bead and and timbered 32 feet.
prostrated him, Nice country is coming They made a rush. for the door leading into in on the east side of shaft (the side in which the street. but the soldier who had been we will strike the reef) and we expect to strike attacked was able to raise the alarm and reef in the eùsning fortnight. The air and attract the attention of mallock shaft has been sunk a total of 92 feet. Happily the sergeant had the idea of im- the guard. We have got below the old workings, and are mediately locking the street door, so that when sinking on reef, which is over I foot wide and the prisoners arrived in the yard they found shows gold. We have had two men prospecting their project of flight frustrated. They then on G. L. 35 and a mining tenement adjoining. rushed towards the armoury in order to possess We have now started them to enlarge and re- themselves of arms. Here a hand to hand pair the underlay shaft on G. L. 105 recently struggle took place between the prisoners acquired. The shaft is sunk on the reef which and the corporal and some soldiers. One of is from 2 to 3 feet wide between two splendid the latter knocked a prisoner down with walls and aver ges about 4 oz. per ton. As the stock of his rifle. The corporal and the soon as the repairs are completed we will start other soldiers fired a number of shots, and the pri- sinking with a view to proving the reef at a soners, seeing two of their number fall, gave up greater depth. The present depth is 35 feet their attempt and retired. When a reinforce Olivers Battery is being kept constantly go- ment from the water police arrived the prisoners ing on Eureka stone, but as yon are aware from were sought for and were found hiding under its worn ont condition the quantity we are able the soldiers' beds. On being brought out it to put through is far from satisfactory. This, was found that of the nine no fewer than seren however, will soon be remedied. The extra were wonuded, two of them seriously. On the Watson and Denny pan has been erected and part of the guard ouly one soldier was wounded. the small engine todrive the four pans is in course Two Mahrattas and two lukongs proved them- of erection. Everything is being got ready for selves useless on the occasion, were seized with the removal of the old battery and the erection trembling, and did not even think of using of the new one on its arrival.
their rifles until the sergeant threatened to shoot them. Of the seven wounded prisoners one has died in the military hospital, another has had a leg amputated, and one is dangerously ill from the effects of his injuries.
p. pro. JOHN D. HUMPHREYS & SON.
C. J. WILLMOTT.
CORRESPONDENCE.
[We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents.] HON. F. H. MAY ON MEDICAL IN.
SPECTION AND SURVEILLANCE.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS,
SIR.—I notice that in your leading article of the 27th August, you quote my remark made at the last meeting of the Sanitary Board re- garding Swatow coolies going to Canton in an entirely wrong connection.
I quoted the instance of coolies from Swatow evading the proclamation which pro- hibited Chinese from that port entering the colony, by going to Canton direct and then transhipping for this port, to show how easily might be evaded Dr. Clark's proposed system of obliging passengers from an "infected" port (Swatow was an infected port and Canton was not in the above instance) to enter into a bond that they will submit to "surveillance for 10 days after landing in the colony.
LE
ני
Surveillance" is the very essence of the system of medical inspection which Dr. Clark advocates, and it is the surveillance on shore of passengers landing out of an infected ship, or arriving from an infected port, that some, including myself, regard as impracticable here. In your article above referred to, and in Dr. Hartigan's letter, the word "surveillance" is not even mentioned. Both contributions therefore to the discussion of the question at issue are in-my opinion valueless since they do not tonch the real point of the matter.-I have the honour to be, sir, your obedient serrant,
F. H. MAY.
Hongkong, 28th August, 1897,
Referring to the recent gold discoveries in Alaska the Mercury says:-A correspondent writes from Victoria, B.C., stating that the sou of a well-known Shanghai resident has lately 'realised there a comfortable little fortune of
$175,000 gold.
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CABLE COMMUNICATION IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.
The official Madrid Guzette of 10th April last publishes the text of the convention concluded on that day between the Spanish Government and The Eastern Extension, Australasia, and China Telegraph Company. Limited, for laying a cable in the Islands, connecting Luzon with
Panay, Panay with Negros, and Negros with Cebu, and we give a translation of its principal clanses as follows:-
The cables will be three in number, the first from Lucena (Luzou) to Copiz (Panay); the second from Iloilo (Panny) to Bocolod (Ne- gros); and the third from Escalanta (Negros) to Tuburan (Cebu), and the whole must be com pleted within nine months of the concession being granted, or not later than the 10th January, 1898, otherwise the contract will be cancelled, and the deposit for guarantee (100,000 pesetas-$5,000)) will be forfeited.
during which the Eastern Extension Company The concession is exclusivo for 20 years, undertakes to work the lines aforesaid for their account and risk, regeiving from the Govern ment an annual subvention of four thousand five hundred pounds sterling (£4,500), payable in monthly instalments by the Philippine Treasury.
On the termination of the 20 years, the Com- pany can continue working the lines for their own account and risk, but without any Govern- ment subsidy, and the Government will then be at liberty, if it suits them. to lay cables them- selves along the route, or permit a competing Company to do so.
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[September 1, 1897.
! order, and all other expenses incurred by the
service.
The Eastern Extension Company will defray all expenses of cost and laying of the cables but free of enstoms import duty. all material will be admitted into the country
The Eastern Company will provide their own employés, who will work the line without any intervention by the Government beyond the ordinary police supervision for the maintenance of order.
able for the Eastern Company, who have all the These terms are, as will be seen, very favour- necessary material within reach, and the cables are to be laid during September and October, we hear.
incalculable, and a large increase of trade is The benefit to the country will be of conrse confidently expected, a good percentage of China Coast, and Japan, where there is a large which will be extended to Hongkong, the consumption of Philippine sugars and other pro- duce. Increased imports from China will also take place, and the subsidy granted by Gov. ernment will rery soon be more than covered by increased customs receipts due to rapid communication with the outside world.
The Eastern Company is to be congratulated contract, with the hitherto unusual privilege of upon having secured a very satisfactory working a line in a foreign, country without the intervention of the ruling powers, and from the liberal treatment now accorded to foreigners who are desirous to work mines and other in- dustries in the Philippines, we look upon the Eastern Company's cable as the precursor of many other valuable enterprises at no distant date.
MACAO,
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
Macao, 27th August. It is rumoured here that Mr. Alfredo Lello, the ex-Colonial Secretary, is to be appointed Portuguese Cousal at Bangkok. In view of this gentleman's record at Mozambique, Lourenco Marques, and Macao the appointment is not exactly a fortunate one.
The Chinaman Lu Cao, who is now the head of most of the monopolies in the colony, has opposite the Flora Gardens, to erect a statue of applied to the Government for a piece of ground the late Count de Seuna Fernandes. As the memorial the ground is to be leased and walled Government con not accept this as a public round, and will be laid out as gardens with a summer house, the statne being erected in the
grounds. The late Count was a great patron monopolists, and that is why the monopolists,
of
some
and chiefly the Chinaman above named, wish to statue had her to a man raise a
memorial to his memory. If the ered
who had rend- it would have been right that a public memorial great service to the public should be erected in his honour, but monopolies all had to suffer much since this form of have brought ruin on the colony and we have business was introduced. Many people would be prepared to subscribe for a statue of the man who would break up the monopolies
sidered what should be done to stop altogether At its last meeting the Leal Senado con- the noise made by the jinricksha traffic in the Travessa de P. Narciso. The' decision, as reported in the local paper, was that three or four steps should be made in the street so as to entirely close it to jinrickshas.. It is the noise. The members of Leal Senado have said the inhabitants of the street complained of shown themselves very complacent, but I won- der how many people really complained of the noise, and whether the same consideration would have been shown to the inhabitants of any other street. The closing of the street to jinrickshas The uniform tariff per word along the line|venience and will be a hardship on the coolies, will put the public in general to great incon- will be half a franc, the Government collecting who have found this street more practicable five centimes of a franc extra per word for than the one next to it, to which it is pro- the land lines connecting the cables, which are posed the traffic should be diverted. the property of and worked by the Govern-
If the Leal Senado wanted to show consideration to the inhabitants of the street it would have of an earth or wood pavement. The public as been better if they had considered the making
jinrickshas, but of the fearful condition into a rule do not complain of the noise made by
which the streets are allowed to fall and the little that is done to repair them.
ment.
Official despatches at half price.
The Eastern Extension Company will pay the Government 10 per cent. of their tariff receipts, after allowing for a deduction of the sum of six thousand pounds (£6,000) annually estimated cost of keeping the cable in working
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