October 7, 1897.]
}
CANTON NOTES.
[FROM THE CHUNG NGOI SAN PO.” Ground nut oil is exceedingly dear in Canton, the crop in a good many districts having failed this year. A picul of ground nut oil is sold for three taels odd and a catty for one mace and two candareens.
H.E. Chang Yen-woon, the Ambassador to Great Britain for the celebration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, paid official calls on the Viceroy, the Tartar General, and the Governor on the 26th September. His Excellency was invited by the local officers to a dinner in the Kwang-Ah College on the 28th. It is said that His Excellency will leave for Peking in a few days.
A quantity of guns and ammunition, made in the Nankin Arsenal, was sent to the province of Kwangsi from Canton by the gunboat Kwangsi a few days ago. They were ordered by the Governor of Kwangsi for local protec- tion.
Robberies in Canton and in the neighbouring districts have been frequent of late and it is dangerous for any one without weapons for self-defence to travel by land or water. Robbers are everywhere. Large bands often break into well-to-do family houses even in broad daylight to commit robberies, and young girls are often kidnapped by force. ports after reports of robberies and kidnap ping have been made to the local Magis trates, who always promise to hunt out
Re.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
City Hall on Saturday night, the principal event being a boxing contest to a finish between Cusack (Army) and Northcott (Navy). North- cott broke his arm, but in the ninth round he
knocked out his opponent.
We hear that a refrigerating engine and gear are being sent out for H.M.S. Centurion.
There were 2,179 visitors to the City Hall Museum last week, of whom 198 were Europeans, A Shankiwan boatman was fined $10,at the Police Court on 4th Oct. for having dynamite in his possession without the necessary permission. Messrs: Batterfield & Swire's flag was at half- mast on 30th Sept. on account of the death of Mr. W. de St. Croix, the firm's representative
at Canton.
On Saturday afternoon a labourer was engaged in repairing the New Club in D'Augilar Street when the ladder on which he was standing slipped, the result being that the man fell heavily to the ground. He sustained serious injuries and was taken to the hospital.
H.E. Chang Yen woon, who represented China at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, has returned from Canton and is at present staying at the Chai On Insurance Company's Office. He will, we learn, leave with his suite for Shanghai by the Thames.
On 30th Sept fifteen Indian constables were dismissed from the Police Force by order of His Excellency the Governor for having received bribes from the keeper of a gambling house in Wa Lane. A man employed in the house picked out the constables as men to whom he had paid money.
On the 4th October Mr. C. C. Malsch, Sn- perintendent of Crown lands, sold by auction a piece of land, containing 6,750 square feet, near the pumping station at Yaumati. The annual rent is $100. The upset price was $2,363 and the highest bid was $3,000, for which sum the lot was sold to Mr. Li Yau. The purchaser in- tends to erect ten Chinese houses on the site.
the offenders, but their promises are very
The local branch of the Chartered Bank of geldom fulfilled. Really some of the policemen India, Australia, and China on 1st October and some military officers are themselves robbers received a telegram from the head office inform- and some military officers are willing to accepting them that at the approaching meeting of bribes from the criminals. Sometimes robberies shareholders the directors will recommend a are committed under the very eyes of the dividend for the past half-year at the rate of soldiers and policemen, who pretend to be deaf 8 per cent. per annum free of income tax. and blind, so that the robbers often get away scot free. On the 24th September a junk towed by a steam launch running between Canton and Chat-bum was robbed at Kiang-mun in front of a likin station, while near by lay a guard boat at anchor which was especially placed there by the Government for the protection of passing boats. When the robbery occurred, the people of the junk shouted out loudly for assistance, but no one either from the likin station or the guard-boat came forward to effect the capture of the robbers, who all safely got away with their spoils. On the evening of the 24th another junk towed by a steam-launch and laden with a large cargo of raw silk was robbed at the place named Yung-ki in Snutak district. Some well dressed robbers got on board the junk as passengers. When the junk was sailing near Yung-ki, a robber went to the bow of the junk and fell intentionally into the water under the pretence of carelessness. The other robbers on board then forced the master to stop and pick up the man in the water. When the junk stopped, a long boat with a number of robbers rowed out to her. When all the rob- bers got on board the junk, they forced the coxswain of the steam-launch towing the junk to steam to Chi-tow-shan,, where they landed, carrying away all valuables and the raw silk from the junk.
There are now two very notorious robbers named Lo and Tong, brothers of robber Chang Wan; who was fatally shot last year in Fa-un district, who have several hundred robbers under their influence. They often send robbers with their name cards to demand money by force from the shops and the rich families in that district, threatening that if their demands are not complied with they will come in large bands to plunder them. No steps have been taken by the officers to get rid of them.
HONGKONG.
From the letter of Messrs. Ford, Ruthven & Co. published in another column it will be seen that the Nippon Yusen Kaisha intend to provide refrigerating space in their boats on the Australian run. This will no doubt lead to the establishment of a trade with the Far East not only in frozen meant but also fruit and other table delicacies.
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"The bad little boy" has caused serious trouble in Hongkong. A youngster was so designated by a woman living in Centre Street, and the remark resulted in a quarrel between her and the boy's mother. Both women were at the top of the stairs at the time and as a result of a push, from the mother it is said, the other woman fell down the stairs and died. The mother was charged on 29th September with causing the death, and the case was adjourned for further evidence to be called.
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Kwang Wo, compradore, of 52, Queen's Road East, was on 29th Sept. fined $50 for adulterat- ing coffee with 30 per cent, of chicory. Sanitary Inspector Cotton purchased the coffee from the shop specially for analysis.
At the Police Court on 29th Sept. Edgar Hume, engineer on the Empress of Japan, was charged with being drunk and disorderly in the Hong. kong Hotel and assaulting the bar boy and the bill collector. The defendant wanted a drink when he was drunk and because his demand was refused he slapped the bar boy's face and tore the bill collector's coat. Defendant was fined $5 and ordered to pay the collector $1.75 compensation.
The members of the Victoria Recreation Club are not too well provided for in the matter of bathing facilities, the water at times being very shallow and very dirty. It is there. fore very annoying to know that a Chinaman tried to make the water much worse by dumping a lot of night soil near the swimming bath, but it is satisfactory to know that he was promptly caught by a vigilant constable. The Magistrate said the offence was a most disgust- ing one and he fined the defendant $15 with the alternative of six weeks in guol.
is
Was
We are all aware of the great unisance that sometimes caused by 'ricksha coolies bolting headlong across the road with their vehicles towards probable passengers. Four of such coolies were charged at the Police Court on 28th Sept, with rushing at foot passengers at Pedder's Wharf. His Worship said the defendants caused a good deal of annoyance by such con. duct. They gave trouble to the public, the police, the magistrate, and themselves, and it to be hoped that the nuisance would cease. Each of the defendants was fined $5.
Sir John Carrington's silver wedding-day
2nd Saturday
October, and, foll we tender to His Honour our congratula. tions and best wishes, in which we know we shall be joined by the whole community. It must have been sad for Sir John that Lady Carrington was not with him on such an occa- sion, but the next best thing is that Her Lady. ship was to leave England for Hongkong on the 2nd.
on
The Singapore Free Press says:-It seems pretty certain that it is the steamer Avoca which is to do the trooping out in this direction towards the end of the year. The 2nd batt. Rifle Brigade is to embark on board that trooper on the 23rd September, at the Royal Albert Dock, for conveyance to Malta. As the Avoca is not included in the schedule of Indian troopers issued this mail, it is almost certain to be that ship which picks up the Royal Lancaster Regiment at Malta, brings it on to Hongkong, returning with the West York shires to Singapore and taking the 1st Rifle Brigade home to the Isle of Wight.
ours
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On the morning of the 28th September the remains of the late Lieutenant Dawson, were interred with military hon- R.A.,
There was 8 at the Happy Valley. very large attendance of officers, nearly the whole garrison staff being present. The On the night of the 1st inst., as the river band of the West Yorkshire Regiment played the "Dead March in Saul on the wey to the boat Sikong, of Messrs. Tung Kee & Co., was anchored at Cheung-sha-wan in company with cometry, and after the service, which was most the Porcan, she was run into by the steam-solemn, a firing party of forty men, under launch Wing Kwai, which was trying to cross Lieutenant Buzzard, fired the usual rounds. her port bow with the schooner Kut Sing in The coffin, which was borne to the cemetry on tow. The damage sustained by the Sikong a gun carriage, was covered with many hand. some wreaths sent by the deceased office'rs was apparently not of a very serious nature as she was able at 11 p.m. to proceed on her many sorrowing friends.
to Canton and return to Hongkong on voyage the following day. She is now undergoing repairs at Hunghom.
The annual general meeting of the members of the Hongkong Colts Athletic Association was held in the Gymnasium of the Victoria Recreation Club on Monday, 17th Sept. There was a fair attendance. In the absence of the Another typhoon came near the colony on Tuesday, but fortunately beyond a stiff breeze chairman, Mr. R. F. Lammert, the chair was taken by Mr. C. T. Kew, who read the report of the and some rain we felt no effects from it. The past year and submitted a statement of accounts, Douglas steamer Namoa struck a sunken rock which were unanimously passed. The follow at the entrance to Haitan Straits on Sunday ing officers for the coming season were then last during rough weather. The vessel, which elected Chairman:-R. F. Lammert. Hou. was a well known coaster, will doubtless bome Secretary:-W. W. Toller: Hon. Treasurer: a total wreck. Eight Chinese were drowned, E. Alves. Committee :-(Cricket) :-R. the captain and crew being saved. On Thurs-F. Lammert (captain), L. A. Rose, P. Hynd- day night a madman attempted to murder a woman in a sampan lying in the harbour. Anman, J. H. Gubbins (Capt. junior team). (Foot interesting boxing tournament was held at the ball)C. T. Kew (Captain), J. M. E. Carvalho,
T. Yule, R. Henderson.
On the 5th October a special meeting of the Justices of the Peace was held at the Magistracy. Mr. H. E. Wodehouse presided, and the other justices present were Mr. E. Robinson and Mr. W. M. B. Arthur. Mr. C. D. Wilkinson ap- peared on behalf of Wm. Frank Cox, who applied for the transfer of his publican's licence for the premises situate at Nos. 12 and 13, Queen Vic- toria Street, under the sign of the "Tra- veller's Hotel," to Charles August Stuhl- mann. The application was granted. Gustave Neubrunn was granted permission to remove bis business as a licensed publican, now carried on under the sign of "The Land We Live In Hotel," at premises know as No. 318, Queen's Road Central, to Nos. 332 and 334, Queen's Road Central, formerly occupied by him. The adjunct licence held by Frederick ferred to James Goodchild. Bishop for Thomas's Grill Room was trans-
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