February 2, 1898.]
CANTON NOTES.
[FROM THE “CHUNG NGOI SAN^PO."| The Chinese New year holidays have passed over quietly. A good many shops have not yet resumed business. It is reported that business of nearly every description was un. profitable last year owing to the heavy likin taxes. Everything is very dear, which is the reason why the market is so dull. Formerly in the last few days before the New Year the streets in Canton were always crowded with people, but this time things were as quiet as at any other season. Robberies and thefts were reported from every district.
On the 24th instant the Magistrates of Nam- hol and Punu jointly issued a notification to the following effect, namely, that China is on friendly terms with every nation and that under the treatis foreigners are allowed to travel. anywhere they like, so that no foreigner should be ill-treated. If any lawless people try to ill. treat any foreigner, they will be severely dealt
with.
A big fire occurred on the morning of Chinese New Year's day in Tuogmating, Suntak dis- trict. The fire broke out in a matshed. Over seven hundred houses were burut to the ground. No loss of life has been reported. The fire originated in the burning of foss paper, which ignited the inflammable materials of the matshed.
A very daring robbery was committed on the 17th inst. upon a junk at Shikki, Heungshan district. The junk having been loaded was ready to start for Fatshan. Just when she was getting off, about two hundred robbers rushed forward in small boats, which were seized from the boat people of the place by the robbers. The junk people gave the alarm and opened fire on the robbers, who returned the same. Not long afterwards some lukongs of the place came to assist the junk people, but the robbers were fery fierce and had an abundance of ammunition; so that the lukongs and the junk people were com. pelled to escape. The robbers then carried away all the valuables from the junk. There was more
́than three thousand dollars' worth of treasure on board, which had been shipped for Fatshan by the merchants of Shik-ki to pay debts. It is said that this case of robbery committed in broad daylight is the most daring ever reported. The affair while it lasted had the appearance of a skirmish between two hostile military parties. Several men were killed on each side,
HONGKONG,
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
At the Police Court on 31st Jan., before Hon. H. E. Wodehouse, Mr. Spencer Deacon, was fined $25 for discharging crackers in Jervois Street to the danger of foot passengers on the night of the 21st January.
The Hon. Treasurer of the Alice Memorial and Nethersole Hospitals begs to acknowledge with thanks the following donations to the funds of the Hospitals :-
Roast Meat Guild...
Lo Cheung Ip
.$100
At the meeting of the Victoria Chapter, No. 525, E.C., held on 28th Jan., the following officers were elected-MEZ, Ex Comp. D. Mac- donald; H., Ex Comp. R. Mitchell; J., Comp. G. J. B. Sayer; Sc.E., Comp. G. 1iercy, Jr.; So.N., Comp. G. C. Hayward; P.S., Comp. J. Loohead; Treasurer, Comp. H. M. H. Nemazee; Janitor, Comp. J. Maxwell.
Rather a serious stabbing affray took place in Bridge Street on Wednesday night, 26th Jan. A native of Manila stabbed a fellow countryman in the back with a clasp knife and inflicted such injuries that the wounded man row lies in a somewhat dangerous condition in the Govern- His assailant escaped ment Civil Hospital. and has not been heard of since.
The annual meeting of the Institute of En gineers and Shipbuilders of Hongkong was held on Saturday in the premises of the In- In the unavoidable stitute, Praya Central. absence of Mr. D. Gillies, the President, Mr. A. Bain occupied the chair. There was a fair attendance of members. The annual report and statement of accounts were presented and passed. Mr. D. Gillies was re-elected President for the ensuing year; Mr. W. S. Bailey, Secretary; and Mr. A. Ritchie, Treasurer. Some other formal business was transacted, and the meeting closed with votes of thanks.
17 in
Lieut. Howard, of the West Yorkshire, while riding at Singapore on the 17th January, was unfortunately thrown from his horse, breaking his collar bone in the fall.
The C. P. R. Empress of India left Vancou ver one day late, and lost another day on the way over, instead of picking up time as she could ordinarily do. She encountered exceptionally heavy weather and on one day only 105 knots were made, such was the violence of the head- seas and wind. The forward part of her upper works, bridge, etc., have been considerably knocked about by the heavy seas
A house at 7, Ship Street was raided by the police a night or two ago and sixteen persons, including three women, were arrested for gambling in a common gaming honse. The police informed the Magistrate that the pre- mises were not known as a gambling house and his Worship discharged the defendants with a caution and ordered $1.82 found upon them to be dropped into the poor box.
An examination in dock of the steamer Kwanglee shows the damage to be more exten- sive than was at first supposed, as two or three plates have been bont and they will have to be replaced. The repairs will take about three weeks to effect. It is expected that a week's work on the 'owan will suffice to make good the repairs she requires. Au inquiry into the collision will probably be held.
At five o'clock on Thursday afternoon, 26th Jan., a fire broke ont in No. 12 ward of the Lunatic Asylum. There were three inmates in the ward at the time and it is said that one of them was playing with the fire in a stove and in some way ignited a rattan partition. The Fire Brigade promptly attended and the flames were extinguished before much damage had been done. A bed and the bed clothing, and the partition were destroyed.
The throwing of small explosive “bombs the street may be an exhilarating joke, but it
It is notified in the Government Gazette. has its disadvantages. It is apt to got the thrower into trouble and to damage people's that the old system of meteorological signals and storm-warnings has been substituted clothes. During the Chinese New Year festivities the police received many complaints for that published on the 27th February, respecting the dangerous practice, and on the 1897. The old system was reverted to on the 21st inst. Police Constable McSwayd caught a suggestion of the Committee of the Chamber of Commerce, who pointed out that these signals young man named F. F. Barrett throwing a
bomb" in Jervois Street when the thorough-had been in use in the colony from 1884 to 1896 inclusive and that they were better understood fare was crowded with people. Barrett was
than the ones introduced last February. summoned at the Police Court on 26th Jan. for throwing fireworks in the street to the danger of passengers, and he was fined $10.
The master of a cargo boat and fire of his fokis were charged at the Police Court on 27th Jan, with stealing ten bags of sugar, of the His Excellency the Governor, Sir William value of $40, the property of the China Robinson, G.C.M.G., went home yesterday by Sugar Refining Company, Limited. The sugar was part of a cargo transferred from a steamer the German mail steamer. During the week he was the recipient of farewell addresses from the into the defendants' boat and just before it Odd Volunies Society, the community, the reached Messrs. Jardine's wharf the ten bags were thrown into a small boat and taken away. Chinese, and the Parsees, the last three being
An Indian watchmah saw the theft and on presented at the City Hall an. hour before Sir William sailed for England. A large number going on board the cargo boat he was assaulted of residents went off to the steamer and wished and threatened with death by drowning. Itis he- him good-bye and a salute ws fired as believed that.a gang of thieves and some of the pri- left. In the afternoon H. E. Major-General soners have been stealing a number of bags of Black was sworn in as the Officer administering sugar during the past two or three days. Three of the government of Hongkong. On the 27th inst. the prisoners were sent to gaol for six months the Sanitary Board had a somewhat lengthy with hard labour and three were bound over to and important meeting. On the following be of good behaviour. afternoon Mr. Machell delivered an address to the Odd Volumes Society on the history and traditions of the Hongkong Chinese. On Satur- day the foundation stone of a new reformatory, the gift of Hon. E. R. Belilios, was laid by Sir
William Robinson. The shareholders in the Hongkong, Canton, and Macao Steamboat Company, Limited, met at noon on Saturday. At a meeting of the Navy league held on Mon- day Captain G. C. Anderson gave a very interest- ing lecture on the objects of the League.
Among the passengers by the Borneo, which arrived on the 28th January, was Lieutenant T. Jackson, son of the popular Chief Manager of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, who is joining the 1st King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment.
It is notified in the Government Gazette that the Governor has, provisionally, recognized Signor Francesco Manca di Villahermosa as Vice Consul for Italy at Hongkong. It is also notified that the Queen's exequatur has been issued empowering Don Tomas Rodriguez Rodriguez to act as Vice-Consul for Spain at Hongkong.
he
The men who were caught at Quarry Bay with sugar concealed in one of the lighters were brought up again on 26th Jan, after two remands. One man was sentenced to a fortnight's imprison ment and the others bound over in the sum of $25 each to be of good behaviour. There is no doubt that this kind of robbery is carried on very extensively, owing to the facilities for On Tuesday aŭ Indian purloining a little from each bag and the diff- culty of detection. watchman who discovered some sugar hidden in one of the lighters of the China Sagar Refining Co. was violently assaulted.
The complete scores in the Volunteers' 64-pr. competition, held on the 21st inst. at Stone- T cutters, are as follows
Shooting, Drill. Time, Point.
77-10 947: 1, Sergeant G. C. Hayward 180
No.
Detachment.
MoPuail ...
Total
6,
140
95 - 5
230
5, Acting Bergt, Henderson
140.
·70 + 10
7220
3, Corporal Meek........
.:100
05.† 5.
170
4, Sergt. Kennett
70
F0 10
100
4)
73-10
105
2, Corporal Parcell:
The maximum number of points was fixed at
and drill. The No. 1 detachment bold the
Challenge Cup for this year, and are the win- ners of Sergeants' Cup and silver badges.
A man was charged at the Magistracy on 26th Jan. with neglecting to limewash his premises at 49, Praya West. The work ought to have been carried out either in November or Decem-200 for shooting and 100 for time, discipline, ber, but it was not, and the defendant was sum moned a few days ago because it was thought was the rent collector. He told the Magistrate
The annual report of the Director of the that he did not collect the rents and the case
Не was therefore dismissed.
Observatory for 1897 is published in the Govern- again was summoned and the tenant of the shop proved ment Gazette. During the year 65 per cent. of by receipts that he had paid his rent for the weather forecasts were successful, 31 per November and December last to the defendant. cent. were partially successful, 34 per cent. were Asked what he had to say the defendant talked partial failures, and per cent. were total about the departure from the colony of one of failures. According to the method used in the principal owners of the house, of a dispute meterological offices 96 per cent of the forecasts between the remaining owners, and of a law suit were successful. The total rainfall for the year which was shortly to be heard to settle the was 100.030 inches, the wettest month bei
23.355 inches. The question of who's who. His Worship said it August, when 25.550 inches of rain fell," June was 91.8, which was was clear the defendant had collected the rent takes second place with 23. in November and December, and therefore he maximum temperature
The daily maximum of was responsible, in the absence of the owner, recorded in for the proper cleansing of the premises. He rain was 6.030 inches and the hourly, maximam was fined $10. Defendant intimated that if he 2.650, both being recorded in June. The received this month's rent he would le happy of storms in the Eastern seas is given as an
appendix to the report to
pay the fine,