148
|
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
men necessary to be employed on these steamers is considered.
The situation is at present very grave, for while the men are firm the Companies are naturally not prepared to give in to such whole-
caruation of the one whose overthrow she wit- nessed so many years ago; and she continued to exhort the bystanders to act as their fathers did when the dragon first made its appearance in their midst. But those who heard her seemed to take too much interest at present in the do-sale extortion. ings of the so-called dragon to be inclined to hostilities, and every time the engine came up the air was filled with "hi-yabs." and the strongest exclamation of wonder and admiration which the native vocabulary can furnish.- China Galette.
FATAL COLLISION AT YOKOHAMA,
AN AMERICAN LADY KILLED, A collision occurred in the harbour of Yoko- hama on the 29th July between the Cana dian Pacific launch and à junk. Miss M. E. Simons, a missionary, was killed and Miss Allen, also a missionary, was slightly injured. Miss Simons was a member of the American Methodist Episcopal Church Mission at Yoko. bama and was one of a party returning to the shore from the Empress of Japan.
Au inquest into the circumstances attending the death of Miss Simons was opened on the 30th July at the United States Consulate General, before Mr. J. F. Gowey, U. S. Consul General, in his capacity as Coroner, and two As- sociates, Messrs. G. W. Bramhall and N.F. Smith The evidence showed that the collision occurred while the launch and the junk were rounding the stern of the steamer Victoria from opposite directions, neither craft seeing the other until the collision was imminent. The prow of the junk struck the launch where Miss Simons was standing and the medical evidence was to the effect that the lady died of heart rupture, the result of great compression applied
to the thorax.
The inquest was adjourned to the 1st August, when a verdict was returned to the effect that death was due to internal injuries and that the collision was caused by carelessness in navigation by persons in charge of both vessels, more particularly the steam launch.
FIREMEN'S STRIKE AT SHANGHAI,
Shanghai. 1st August. Foreign trade and industries in China seem about to be confronted in an aggravated form with those labour problems which bare vexed Europe and America for so many years and which are by no means solved yet. We know that cent by cent the native workers in the cotton mills have secured advances in wages so that they are now receiving just donble the wages paid a little over a year ago. The level in this industry does not yet seem to be reached and we have good reason to know that still further exactions-for they can be called by no other name are expected from mill hands.
True, the purchasing power of cash has diminished somewhat, but not to an extent consonant with the wages paid and the quality of the work. There is great difference in native wages on all sides this year as compared
with last and the end of the difficulty seems to be as far off as ever.
The latest development is the strike of Chi- nese firemen, which took place yesterday and has already very seriously hampered local coast- ing trade. The first intimation of any difficulty was made yesterday morning when all the Chinese employed in the engine rooms of steamers of the China Merchants Co. ccolly stated that they had decided
If the strikers are once successful there does not appear to be any guarantee against similar troubles in the future. It is only to be expected that if the engine room hands are successful those employed on deck will also go out for a substantial increase of pay, and other callings will certainly follow suit.-Mercury.
The Chinese firemen who went out on strike at Shanghai have, the Mercury of the 2nd August says, resumed duty on receiving an assurance that their demand would be considered and that they would probably receive a rise in pay. if not the full $4 stipulated.
RIOT IN HUNAN.
[August 18, 1898.
THE NEW JAPANESE TARIFF.
SIX MONTHS' NOTICE TO BE GIVEN, The following letter from the British Foreign Office to a merchant in England has been kind- ly forwarded to us (Kobe Chronicle) for publica- tion, and we consider that it once for all settles the question as to the notice that will be given before the new Tariffs will come into operation. It is certainly extraordinary, however, that no information to this effect has been communi- cated to his nationals by the British Minis-
ter:-
Foreign Office,
22nd June. Gentlemen,-With reference to your letter of the 15th instant I am directed by the Mar- quis of Salisbury to inform you that the Japanese Government have undertaken to give six mouths' notice of the date for bringing the new Tariff under the Treaties with Foreign Powers into operation. As soon as such notice is given the fact will be notified in this country. Austria- The treaty between Japan and the length of notice stipulated in that treaty is Hungary has not yet been ratified, and though
only one month, it is improbable that advantage can be taken of that provision owing to an certainty as to the date of the eventual" ratifica-
tion.
It is understood that the Japanese General Tariff will not become operative until the con-
ventional tariff is also introduced.
A despatch received from Yochou, Hunan, states that a riot which at first threatened serions consequences occurred recently in the sub-prefectural city of Lichon, Hunan, owing to the purchase of a house in that city by a foreign missionary, bearing the Chinese name of Fang Lei-sze, from a native named Ming The sub-prefect happened to be seriously ill at the time, but fortunately Tang Taotai, of the Yochou Intendancy, heard of the riot and at once went in person to Lichon to restore order.
By the prompt efforts of this official the mob was soon dispersed and Tang Taotai was the recipient of personal thanks tendered by the missionary for the assistance given. The deed of sale of the pro perty in dispute was soon afterwards settled ing, which he terms a "short funny joke satisfactorily through the medium of Mr. Waug, district magistrate of Wulinghsien, who was selected for the purpose owing to his close friendship with Mr. Fang, the missionary. The students who had assembled for the licentiate examinations at Lichou, and who joined the mob in the demonstrations against the missionary, have now returned quietly to
the examinations.-N. C. Daily News.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM IN CHINA.
The Daily Chinese Progress has a report that some high officials have recently memorialised the Throne recommending the abolition' of a number of bureauz which are only sinecures. Others have even recommended the abolition of the Six Boards - Boards of Civil Appoint- ments, Reveune, Rites, War, Punishment, and Works and the Nine Ministries or Courts-
I am determined to
THE HUNGRY BEAR.
A Chinese contributor sends as the follow-
John Chinaman-Bear bear! bear! John Bull (hunting for "iron-horse con- tracts in the Yamen forest)-Where is it?
*
Jobu Chinaman (terribly frightened)-- Peking soon have come; you no can look see; have chow-chow Manchuria!
John Bull, who thinks that the Indian elephant might fall a prey to the hungry beast, at once takes up his gun to chase it back into the cold mountains, and shouts to warn
his companious of the danger.
Little Jap (waking up from a sleep) taxes all his might and comes to the timely rescue of his big yellow neighbour.
Uncle Sam, hearing the noise, asks through his interpreter (Dr. Yaug Wing) what the alarm is about.
Wing-The white bear is trying to snatch the iron horse tender-piece from Sheng Taotai,
Uncle Sam-By gum, I can't stand it; it's awful; I must fight for the cause of humanity otherwise the restless beast will devour the 400,000,000,
CANTON Notes.
[FROM THE CHUNG NGOI SAN PO”] On the 19th ultimo about two thousand rebels made an attack on the shops in the suburb of the prefectural city of Pingluk, in Kwangsi. They t fire to the houses, pillaged the shops, and forted the merchants to hand them all their treasure under threat of being put to death. The Prefect at once consulted with the gentry to devise plans to suppress the rising. Two Sansz surnamed To and Chiug were accordingly appointed to take command of two thousand lukongs who were specially hired for the pur- In addition to pose to cope with the rebels. this force there was a number of soldiers des-
Courts of Censors, Transmission of Decrees, Hanlins (also called Hanlin Academy), Super- visorate of Instruction, Sacrificial Worship.| Imperial Stud, Imperial Entertainments, State Ceremonial, and Astronomy. In place of these it is suggested to establish twelve Depart- ments, the senior of them all to be named the Department of Laws and Edicts. The idea is said to have been favourably considered by the Emperor, who at once commanded the Grand Council. the Board of Civil Appoint ments, and the Tenngli Yamèn to deliberate over the matter and report thereou. The reply was that they "considered the changes recom. mended to be too sweeping and such radical in- Bovations could not therefore last long." His Majesty seemed unwilling to lay the matter on the table and replied: effect some change, and you are all to reconsider your reply on this question." More recent dis- patches to hand, however, report that the op- more wages and that they position to these radical changes is still very military officer.
great by all except the few who are more ad- were not going to turn to until they received a
vanced in views, and eager to effect as sweeping distinct understanding that their demands
a revolution as passed over Japan three and would be acceded. The same action was taken
a-half decades ago. Amongst these last is the on steamers of other Companies in port. This was a totally unexpected step for them to take, Emperor-N. C. Daily News. as no notice whatever had been given of any intention to strike for an increase. The China Merchants' Co. had several steamers ready to sail and an arrangement was made by that Company with the men and the boats were got away to the schedule time, but the future safling dates have been altered and it is not certain that the difficulty will be settled im- mediately. At present the men receite $14 a nonth, but less pay for certain trades. They demand an increase of $4 all round, a very cn siderable advance when the great number of
to strike for
The Weihaiwei correspondent of the N. C. Daily News writes:It is generally supposed
that the Victorious was sent to Port Hamilton as a sort of punishment. She had been ordered to change her coat from black to white, but she
took an unconscionable time over it. So the word was given to repair to Port Hamilton, get through the work at once, and meet the least is certain, she was for a week or ten days Admiral at Nagasaki by a given date. This at half-red and half-black, and she left Weihaiwei harbour in that state. Such things will come out,
patched by the Prefect under the charge of a The rebels were completely routed after several engagements with the soldiers and lukongs during three successive days. About two hundred rebels were killed and a large number wounded.
The pro- perty destroyed and the treasure abstracted by the rebels amounted to an estimated value of over seven hundred thousand dollars. On the
31st July and 1st August a large number of
rebels attacked the city of Shamkai, which is in the vicinity of Wuchow, but as there was a large force there, the rebels were compelled to retreat. It has been reported that the rebels are not in alarning force at present, but still some scattered bands plunder the villages on Paklan was killed by the rebels is confirmed, as the way. The report that the Magistrate of
the family of the deceased Magistrate, who was