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the garrison on the island. The forts on this point, however, fell into the hands of the Jap- anese soon after their attack, and the fact that even with these forts in their possession and likewise those on the mainland at the eastern entrance of the harbour they failed to at once reduce such an incapable and cowardly garrison as that composed of Chinese troops speaks volumes for the possibilities of defence by a British garrison. The estimation, mentioned in some home papers as pat forward by certain military authorities, that a garrison of 20,000 or 30,000 men is required for the defence of the place is utterly ridiculous, a garrison of 4,000 or 5,000 men being quite ample. The War Office authorities evidently consider less than that number as sufficient and apparently are only sending two regimenis.
There is one point worth considering whilst ou the subject of Weihaiwei and that is the statement of the present British Government that the acquisition of the place was necessary for supporting the existing Chinese Govern- ment. There are plenty of Britishers who see no reason why the British taxpayer should be called upon to bolster up a rotten, failing, and half civilized empire against Christendom. One sick savage (Turkey) is surely enough to burden the forbearing British taxpayer with. OBSERVER. Hongkong, 20th June, 1898.
BALMORAL MINES.
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TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS.
SIR,-These mines have been worked now for some ten or twelve years with Hongkong capital and though so far reudering the sbare holders of the companies working them returns in the shape of dividends they cannot but be looked at as a promising property when the following facts are considered. During nearly the whole of the period succeeding that when they were worked by the early finders of the reefs who worked the gold near the surface and evidently found it to pay them till they got to such a depth that capital was required to continue the sinking-parties of tributors have been engaged on the different reefs, and BS these men have to look for their profits on all they cau make over and above what royalty or tribute they have to pay, and they are comparatively poor men, though experienced miners, it is hardly probable that they have worked all these years at a loss to themselves, Again, the reefs throughout the surrounding district, worked by several other companies, are yielding from oz. to 5ozs. gold per ton of ore and a vein, worked by tributors, on the company's pro- porty recently yielded 3oas, to the ton. It is to be presumed that this and other veins are at- tached to a lode equally rich. One lode has been proved to exist at a depth of 350 feet froni the surface, where it proved to be 2ft. thick at the top of the drive and 4 ft. thick at the bottom, thus making rapidly in size downwards the expectation being that when again struck at the 400 feet level it will be at least
several feet thicker, and probably richer, it having unfortunately proved poor in gold, though heavily mineralized at the point first struck. Further, the Balmoral has already given birth to another successful company, who in the "Eureka" possess a valuable mine.
In the present able and energetic managers of the Company the shareholders have the greatest confidence, and they hope soon to reap the reward of years of patient trust by arriving ata dividend paying period, which in most mines is arrived at only after years of development
and often after several reconstructions of the
company working them. This was the case with that now highly successful mine Raub, which starting with a capital of £1,000,000 had to-be reconstructed on a basis of £250,000; and only after some sight or nine years of work arrived at the dividend paying period.
The capital of the Balmoral Company is so small that when the mine commences to pay the dividends ought to be handsome ones, and should more capital be required it ought to be easily raised in the shape of preference shares.
INVESTOR.
Hongkong, 20th June, 1898,
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
CHINESE OFFICIAL MOVEMENTS,
A special telegram from Shanghai published in our columns on 17th June stated that Wang Wen-sbao, the Viceroy of Chihli, had been sum moned to Peking, and that Jung Lu was to be his successor in the viceroyalty. It was stated recently by a native correspondent of the N. C. Daily News that when the late Prince Kung was on his death-bed the Empress-Dowager bent over him and anxionsly enquired whom he would recommend to succeed him in the Grand Coun- cil, and that without hesitation the Prince replied Wang Wen-shao. This no doubt ex- plains the latter's summons to Peking.
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The man
When asked, " And whom would you recom. sin when he comes to Peking" the Prince mend to take Wang Wen-shao's post at Tient-
remained for some time deep in thought and at last slowly shook his head apparently signi- fying that he knew of no one able to take charge of that important post. selected has been comparatively little heard of. He was an Assistant Grand Secretary, Presi dent of the Board of War, and Commander of the Peking Gendarmerie, and from our Shang- hai contemporary we learn that by an Imperial edict of the 10th June he was promoted to be a full Grand Secretary and Comptroller- General-which is above the Presidents-of the Board of Revenue.
Kang Yi, formerly Governor of Kwangtung and last year appointed President of the Board of Punishments was by the same decree pro- moted to Jung Lu's posts of Assistant Grand Secretary and President of the Board of War, while Chung Li, who retired last year from the Military Governorship of the Jeho territory. wasappointed President of the Board of Punish. ments vice Kang Yi.
The following is the text of the Imperial decree of the 14th June dismissing Weng Tung-ho from office :-
The Assistant Grand Secretary and Presi dent of the Board of Revenue, Weng Tung-ho, appears to have attended to his duties of late in such an unsatisfactory manner as to raise the ire of every one against him, which has resulted in repeated denunciations being made to the Throne. Moreover, even when in private audi- ence with us, he has acted in a most unseemly manner, following the bent of his own wishes and thereby revealing to us that he is trying to encroach on our prerogatives in his lust for power. The accused is therefore clearly unfit for his post as a member of our Grand Council. In fact he should have his conduct investigated and severe punishment be meted out to him, but remembering that he was for many years our Tutor in the Yüching Palace we cannot bear to give him the severe punishment he deserves, and we therefore command the accused Wêng Tung-ho to resign his posts at once and return to his native town, in order to save him- self from future trouble. A special decree.
SIGNS OF AWAKENINĠ.
Either the visit of Prince Henry of Prussia to Peking or some equally potent stimulant has worked wonders with the Emperor of China, who has lately been exhibiting a feverish energy, impatience of restraint, and activity in the with the langorous and effeminate traditions of cause of national reform, entirely out of keeping
the palace of Peking. His Majesty seems to be making a genuine effort to throw off the enervating yoke of the corrupt and filthy eunuchs, tutors, parasites, and panders by whom he is surrounded, and to be animated by a healthy desire to play a man's part in the tot tering affairs of his heritage. The latest manifestation of this very praiseworthy spirit, which loses little merit from the fact that it has been long delayed, is the awakening of the Emperor to the pressing need that exists for introducing Western science and learning into China, and in an Imperial edict, dated the 12th inst., his Majesty denounces in very nn-
mistakeable terms the interested conservatism of those officials who have hitherto successfully resisted all attempts to reform public instruc- tion and competition at the examinations în conformity with the methods of European countries. The Edict goes on then to recom- mend all those mandarins and scholars charged with the intellectual development of the nation,
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[June 25, 1898.
to cultivate and expound only those doctrines of the ancient Chinese sages which are consis- tent with modern thonght and reason, and to endeavour to remodel Chinese educational courses on an Occidental foundation. All public schools and colleges throughout the Empire are to be conducted after the manuer of the Peking University, and are to teach the same subjects, and the sons of officers and officials are to be encouraged to attend those reformed institutions. The days of Chinese exclusiveness are passing, and nowadays, when the nation is brought into touch with foreign countries on all sides, it behoves the ruler of the land to see that the young men are as well equipped in all branches of practical knowledge as the youth of compete in commerce, in statesmanship and, if those countries with which China must in future
need be, in war. Viceroys and Governors of Provinces are commanded to recommend the ablest and most enlightened men in their res- pective spheres of government, to take charge of some important services in the Central Gov-
ernment.-China Gazette.
An Imperial edict dated the 10th inst., gives the Imperial consent to a memorial by Jung Hai, Senior Vice-President of the Board of War, recommending that Princes, Dukes, and Nobles of the Imperial House should be sent abroad to travel and study and the Imperial Clan Court is therefore commanded to select for the purpose any member of the Imperial House whose ability, ambition, and desire seem to indi.
cate his fitness to be sent abroad.
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As to another proposition by the same mem. orialist that a Ministry of Commerce should be established at Peking the edict replies that Bureaux for the encouragement of International Trade hitherto wrongly translated “ Boards of Trade or Chambers of Commerce" ready in existence in the various treaty ports and the point now should be to put energy and life into these institutions first. These being in a flourishing position it would be easy then to establish a Ministry of Commerce, which at the present time appears to be premature. The Tsungli Yamên is therefore commanded to en- quire into these provincial Bureaux and report upon their condition to the Throne.-N. C. Daily News,
SETTLEMENT EXTENSION AT SHANGHAI.
A meeting of the Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce, open to the public, was held in the Municipal Board Room on the 17th June, to discuss and pass resolutions connected with the extension of the Settlements. The chair was taken by Mr. E. F. Alford (Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co.).
The following resolutions were passed: :
That in view of the unsatisfactory and non-progressive state of the local negotiations for the extension of the Foreign Settlements this Chamber calls the urgent attention of the community to the necessity of supporting the Municipality by public action and expression of opinion.
That the want of sanitation and of Municipal administration of the outlying districts of the Foreign Settlements is an increasing danger to health and order.
and are hereby petitioned to immediately, in- That the Foreign Ministers in Peking be
dividually and collectively, lay before the Tsungli Yamên the views of this community and to press forthwith for the Imperial assent to the extension of the Foreign Settlements.
WRECK OF THE “SMIT”
The following are the particulars of the wreck of the Dutch steamer Smit_which occurred a few days ago on the Korean coast: -The Smit, 1,259 tons, Capt. E. J. Karst, left Nowchwang on the 31st of May, at 9 a.m., bound for Yokohama carrying bean cake and beans. All went well till noon on the 2nd of June. As the vessel neared the southern coast of Corea she got into a fog. At 12.30 am, on the 3rd she struck the South Black Rock about midway between Quelpart and the mainland. The vessel sank within 15 minutes in deep water (20 fathoms). The crew, consisting of 17 Europeans, 4 Chinese, with 7 Chinese
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