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THE TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILWAY
The completion of the Trans-Siberian railway seems likely to be deferred to a much later date than was at one time supposed. From Vlali vostock to Khabarovka, a distance of something under 500 miles, the line is open; but the rol ling-stock is very poor, and the traffic is worked very slowly. The section from Khabarovka to Stretensk, a distance of 1,34 miles, has not yet been touched. From Stretensk to Lake Baikal the line is open and the trains are transported across Lake Baikal in the summer on two large ferry steamers built by Armstrongs. In West- ern Siberia there are still two large gaps in the line. There is some doubt now whether the line will be carried through Manchuria after all. The original surveyors reported that as the country at the western end was mostly a plain, the on- struction there would be very easy, but it is found now that this plain is full of swamps, and is intersected. by rivers whose beds are very capricious, and a great part of the line will have to be ourried on bridges, whose construc- tion will be excessively costly; while at the eastern end there is some very heavy tunnelling. It is considered doubtful now whether the line can be completed in ten years from the present time.-N. C. Daily News.
RUSSIAN ALARMS,
The Tientsin correspondent of the N. C Daily News writes:-
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
predicting. It is also in harmony with the Cas sini Convention, in connection with which we may mark off another detail accomplished. It brings into sharper relief the fact that a crisis has arrived, or is arriving. in the history of China's intercourse with foreign Powers, which will open a new and eventful chapter for all concerned. Russia is standing with a pistol levelled at China's head and getting all she wants. The situation can only be levelled up by some other Power getting on China's other side with a gatling gun. But it may be that the gatling gun will be reserved for the de- feuce of more vital southern interests. The position of affairs is such, however, as to lend vivid colouring and effect to every movement, and we may anticipate very interesting develop ments at brief intervals.—Péking and Trentsin Times.
HONGKONG.
The synagogue casa is not yet finished and it looks as if it would resolve itself into a local Jarndyce suit. The Criminal Sessions, which broke into the case, opened on Friday, but owing to some extraordinary bungling a most scandalous delay, as the Judge properly termed it, occurred in court through the absence of a prisoner. The Sanitary Board had a meeting on Thursday last. The annual meeting of the Hongkong Benevoleut Society was held on Fri- day and in the evening of the same day the Engineers Institution gave a very enjoyable There is considerable talk and feeling dance at the City Hall. On Monday the Legis- among the people regarding the course of the lative Council met and passed a resolution pro- Germans, and the rumours of Russia's move-viding for the payment by merchant shipping ments in the North. These are not understood, of 1 cent per ton for light dues. On Monday and not a little fear is expressed as to their information reached Hongkong of a daring at- significance. There is good ground for this tack on Haiphong, during which Mr. Gauthier fear in view of the recent dénouement in Corea. was brutally murdered. As a gentleman said recently, if they succeed with Mr. McLeavy Brown in Corea, Sir Robert Hart's turn may come next. A little incident which occurred recently in Peking, if it is correctly reported, and there is good reason for saying it is not all rumour, indicates which way the wind is blowing. The report is to this effect, that on his return, from inspecting the railway to and beyond Shanhaikuan, H.E. Hu Yü-fêu was visited by the Russian Minister. who wished to know why the Chinese employed the English to build their railways and urging that as Russia was the neighbour to China on the north it would be more proper and the right thing to do, to ask Russia to do this work for China. He disavowed any instructious from his own Government in the matter, and simply offered this as his opinion." H.E. Hu replied that they were building their own railroads; it was true that they had a large number of employé not all of whom were English however, but that it was not true that the English, or any
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There were 2,770 visitors to the City Hall Museum last week of whom 237 werd Europeans. In the football match on the 20th December Club beat the West Yorkshire Regiment by four goals to mil.
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At the inquest held at Yokohama on the late Captain Waddilove a verdict of temporary in- sanity was returned.
H.M.S. Centurion and Iphigenia left for the North on 16th December. Admiral Buller was on board the Centurion.
The death rate last month was. for the British and Foreign community, civil population, 21, and for the Chinese 23.3.
It is notified in the Gazette that the Orange Free State will join the Universal Postal Union ou the 1st January next.
Amended rules for the
government of licensed boarding houses for Chinese seamen are published in the Government Guzette.
A Chinaman who had returned from banish- ment was on 18th Dec. sentenced to twelve
trate.
On 18th Dc. an excise officer was sentenced to six months' imprisonment for stealing $50 from a house he had entered for the purpose of search. ing for opium.
The maximum temperature last month was 85.6, on the 4th, and the minimum 51.1. on the 25th. the mean for the month being 69.8. The rainfall was 7.32 inches.
[December 22, 1897.
H. E. the Governor has given his assent, in he name and on behalf of the Queen, to the Widows and Orphans' Pensions Amendment Or. dinance and the Ordinance to facilitate the Re- covery of Possession of Tenements and Premises of small value.
The German steamer Martha was towed into Manila on the 16th December by the N. Y. K. steamer Yamashiro Moru, having lost her pro- peller. The Yamashiro Muru, which was ex- pected to arrive at Hongkong from 'Australia on 17th December, did not in consequence of this delay arrive until the 19th.
A telegram from laub, dated 7th December, states:"Rough cleaning up of battery yielded 2,100 oz. amalgam, the estimated quantity of stone crushed being 1.072 tons."
In eon- sequence of arrangements having been made to have the final clean-up at the end of the year, the above rough clean-up is for four weeks' work only, instead of for five weeks as is usual. Estimating the gold in the amalgam at 35 per cent., the quantity of smelted gold may be taken at 735 ounces from 1,072 tons, or over 13) dwt. per tou. On Monday, 8th November, a general clean-up took place for nine weeks' work, when 2,453 tons of oro yielded 1,752 ozs. 16 dwt. 0 gr. smelted gold, being an average of about 14 dwt. 7 grs. per ton.
At 3 p.m. on the 17th instant an explosion occurred at the Tehang Bo, Government Pow- der factory in Canton. Lately large orders for powder have been executed at the factory, and owing to the carelessness on the part of one of the workmen a spark cansed the explosion. Of the twenty-two people in the shops at the time the catastrophe occurred only one escaped un- injured. Some received severe injuries, while the greater number were missing, and three or four corpses had half their bodies blown away. An engineering yard and a temple near the factory were partially destroyed. The people about the district were all panic-stricken. A number of soldiers were despatched to the scene to preserve order, and a Wei Yuen was commis- sioned to make a full report of the damage sustained and the number of lives lost.
The organ recital given in St. John's Cathe- dral on the 20th December by Mr. A. G. Ward was exceptionally well attended and it is un- necessary to say that the music was thoroughly enjoyed. Mr. Ward played six pieces, and if applanse conid have been permitted in the church he would certainly have received ample evidence of how greatly bis audience appreciated Lim. But the perfect silence that was main- tained throughout and the wrapt attention shown spoke almost more eloquently than applause, and we trust Mr. Ward will make a point of giving recitals at more frequent in- tervals. Unfortunately Mrs. Dodwell was unable to fulfil her engagement to sing, owing to indisposition, and Mr. C. W. Spriggs was
nutil death" with much expression and good taste. At the close of the recital a collection was made in aid of the organ fund,
others, were building their railways; his Go- months' imprisonment by the Police Magis the only vocalist. He sang Be thou faithful vernment was managing the entire affair itself. The Russian Minister pressed his point, aud said it was quite natural that they should ask the English to build their southern lines as England was their neighbour in Burma, but not so in the north, where Russia was the neighbour, still disavowing anything but an opinion." H.E. Hu is said to have become somewhat angry at this persistence, and eplied still more strongly that China was building, and intended to build, her own railways. It is farther reported that a few days after this in- terview, the Tsungli Yamên received an official dispatch advising in rather a peremptory man- ner the discharge of all the English employés on the railroad, and the employment in their places of Russiaus.
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A RUSSIAN MILITARY ADVISER FOR CHINA.
The Indian trader who was charged with stealing some gold of the value of $85 from a shop in Stanley Street was on 17th December sent to gaol for six months with bar labour.
At the annual installation meeting of the Perseverance Lodge, No. 1165, held on 16th Dec. Wor. Bro. F. W. Edwards, who had been re- elected Worshipful Master of the Lodge for the ensuing year was duly proclaimed by the Dis- trict Grand Master. kight Wor. Bro. the Hon. C. P. Chater, C.M.G., who was attended by the Grand Lodge Officers. Wor. Bro. Edwards Information has reached us to the effect that appointed and invested his officers as follows :——— a Russian Military Adviser has been engaged S.W., Bro. D. E. Brown; J.W.. Bro. Dr. F. by the China Government. The engagement Clark, Treasurer, Bro, A. Seth; Hon. Secretary, was obviously made some little time back, Bro. C. Dick Melbourne; S.D., Bro. E. L. C. as the official is expected to arrive daily, Berger; J.D., Bro. A. H., Bottenheim; D.C., if he is not already in China. The fact inay Bro. E. C: Creagh; Steward, Bro. J. Hooper; have been perfectly well known to our represen-Organist, Bro. C. W. Longuet; I.G., Bro. A. tation, but until a few days ago it was a secret to the general public. The " which is by far the most serious step on Russia's part which China has acquiesced in, is in per- fect harmony with Russia's general programme in the Far East, and verifies what we have been
G. Ward; Tyler, Bro. J. Grimble. After the engagement," | Lodge was closed the brethren dined together in the banquetting hall, and the usual loyal and Masenic toasts were duly honoured. Bro. Sir William Robinson, G.C.M.G., honoured the 'Lodge with his presence.
The woman who was charged with kidnap- ping a child on the 2nd ovember, 1896, was no lōth Dec, discharged by the Magistrate. The story told by the witnesses for the prosecution was rather a peculiar one. A certain gardener had a daughter and when his wife died he betrothed this girl, then only a year old, to the son of another gardener. This second gardener was also a widower and undertook the charge of the little girl, who thenceforth lived with him and his son. Everything went on smoothly until the end of last year. On the 10th October, 1896, the defendant was brought to the second gardener by another man. Upon seeing him she declared that she was willing to live with him as his wife, and forthwith took up her abode in the house. In the following month. be had occasion to go to Shamshnipo and upon his return found the woman and the little girl, then 12 years of age, gone. He reported the matter at the Yanmati Station, but either because he had omitted to mention the fact or the Inspector on duty had forgotten to note it, no mention was made in the report book about the girl being taken away. Though another gardener swore to having met the woman and the girl on the day in question, His Worship thought the evidence insufficient to convict the woman, bnt he strongly cautioned her about her behaviour in future.