November 19, 1898.J
NEWCHWANG AND RAILWAY DEVELOPMENT.
From Newchwang we learn that all is quiet there. The port is quite full of visitors, princi- pally Russians, and all the inns are crowded. Mr. Peterson, who is about to open up mines for the Russians, and his staff were expected to start very shortly for the interior. Large stocks of coal were being collected, both from Japan and from the Kaiping collieries. The Russians have imported large quantities of sleepers, rails, timber, and railway material generally; the first locomotives were expected in a day or two, and an engine shed is nearly ready for them. They have also several verti- cal boilers for taking into the country, and the embankment for the railway towards Port Arthur is already laid for some miles. Some three or four miles of rails are already laid on
the bare earth, without any stones or ballast. The Shanhaikuan Railway, financed by the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank, is also being proceeded with, and the earthworks from the Newchwang end are getting forward fast. Mr. Kinder is expected before the port closes to look into matters. At the Shanhaikuan end over fifty miles of embankment are completed and the rails are now being laid. A temporary bridge that will carry an engine has beeu erected, preparatory to erecting the permanent bridge of thirty spans of 100 feet each. This work has been under the charge of Mr. Newmarch, and before long we may hope to see Newchwang in railway communication with Peking. This will be followed by the opening up of new coal mines along the line. The land question at Nowchwang has been settled amicably by the purchase of some lots inside the Russian lines, It will be difficult to recognise old quiet New. chwang when both railways are in full swing.
With the number of visitors of all nationalties s hotel is urgently needed, and next year is likely to see a great boom in land and house property.-N. C. Daily News, WAIHAIWEI IN TRANSFORMATION. |
Advices from Weihaiwei this morning indi- cate that the British Government has no inten- tion of giving up its lease; for preparations are being energetically made for the coming winter. The old Admiralty House has been turned in- to a United Service Club and a billiard table is about to be set up there. There is also an in- stitute for the men, and missionaries have settled down to active work on the mainland.
Many old houses have been pulled down, new ones have arisen from their ashes, and a whole- some use of the limewash brush has worked wonders at the little settlement at Lukungtao.
There are already a couple of boarding houses, and several officers have been joined by their wives. The community is growing, quite apart from members of services. In Transat. lanticese, Weihaiwei is "quite a town."
There is to be a wedding there, too, at least the chances are 100 to 1 against the celebration of the nuptials at Chefoo, the nearest parish church. Commander Gaunt is about to be married, his fiancée being on the way out. If the wedding takes place at Lukungtao, it will be with "naval honours," as the term goes. {
Commander Gaunt is the No. 1 man at Wei- haiwei. He has had much pioneer work to do of a peculiarly difficult kind, and he has done it in every instance wisely and well.—Mercury.
TROUBLE IN SEOUL.
SUPPRESSION OF THE INDEPENDENT CLUB,
Seoul, 5th November.
All the Ministers who endorsed the Memorial of the Independent Club (with reference to a Parliament) have been released from their offices. In consequence, hundreds of persons belonging to the Club have assembled in front of the Police Bureau and also at Chong-do, delivering strongly-worded speeches.
Cho Pyen-sik has been appointed to act as Minister for Home Affairs.
The Korean Government has decided to sup. press the Independent Club, and appointed Kim Tei-kon, formerly Inspector of Ping-ang do, to be Chief of Police last night. He at once began the arrest of the Club men this morning. A number of the leading members are now in prison. The president (who is editor of the Independent) has escaped.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
An Imperial Rescript has been issued order. ing the Independent Club to be dissolved, on the ground that it is pursuing a policy of oppo- sition and intimidation.
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SUPPRESSION OF THE INDEPENDENT.” Seoul, 6th November.
T. H. Yun-the president of the Independent Club, has surrendered himself to the authorities
The Independent and two journals printed in the Korean language have been suppressed. The Korean Government is watching the attitude of the Foreign Representatives. It appears that the Government intends to make further arrests, if the Foreign Representatives are not likely to interfere. officers in reserve have been called out.
The military
ACTION OF THE INDEPENDENT CLUB.
Seoul, 6th November. The Independent Club men assembled in front of the Police Bureau from last night and their numbers still continue to be augmented, thousands now being gathered. The people have sympathy with them and have closed their shops as a protest.-Kobe Chronicle translation.
SZLCHUEN REBELLION.
Chungking, 7th November. Work on the 150 li of telegraph lines and poles destroyed last month by rebels ander Yü an-tze has now commenced under the superin- tendence of deputies sent for the purpose, owing to the return of confidence among the inhabit- ants caused by the recent pacification of the rebels by the officials.
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8th November,
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THE YELLOW RIVER CHANGES ITS COURSE.
A memorial has been presented to the Diplomatic Body at Peking by the Protestant Missionaries, British, American, Swedish, and German, resident in Shantung and Honan Province, in conference assembled at Weihien (15-23 October 1898), in which, after referring to the loss of life, property, and money caused by the Yellow River flood, and the resulting destitution, the memorialists say:-
"But we would respectfully draw attention to the large questions connected with these out breaks of the Yellow River. Their frequent recurrence; the many appeals made and so nobly responded to both by foreigners and natives; the great sums of money used by the Govern- ment for the relief of the suffering people; and the still more enormous sums constantly set
aside by the Gorernment for the repairing of damages and the attempt to conserve the river. We are so impressed by the gravity of these facts and the suffering of the people that we cannot but hope that Your Excellencies will be moved, if but for the sake of humanity, to do what is possible to urge upon the Chinese Government! the necessity of trying new plans for controlling the waters of the Yellow River. The methods hitherto adopted have proved quite inadequate and are of doubtful utility. Your petitioners respectfully suggest that the Chinese Govern- ment be pressed to appoint a commission of foreign experts to make a full investigation and report on the best means of preventing these calamities and of utilsing those waters, which we feel assured might thus cease to be an un. mitigated evil and become a source of material prosperity. We have no technical knowledge at our disposal, but venture to suggest that a series of reservoirs or lakes among the mountains of south-west Shansi; the construction of one or more additional outlets or channels to: provide for overflows; the partial straightening of some of bends in the present river; the utilising of old river beds in Honan, Kiangsu and Shantung; may help in the solution of a problem which is admittedly a difficult one.
"In conclusion we would point out that at present the Yellow River is practically valueless for commercial purposes. Only junks of light draught can navigate the river, and so, what should be a valuable natural highway is almost useless. A glance at the map will show how greatits utility would be, if, under a proper system of conservation, it were made to subserve the interests of the country at large."
The Rev. H. D. Perler writes to the N. C. Daily News as follows:-
One of Yu Mau-tze's lientenants whose Man-tze has been lately cognomen is Lei arrested on a charge other than rebellion in the district of Tungliang. The man is now confined in prison it being the intention to settle the case of the Christians first and then put him on his trial. A telegraphic dispatch was received in this city on the 1st inst. from Luchou stating that a band of rioters had on that day destroyed several miles of telegraph poles and wire be- tween Tzechou and Luchou, but details as to who the rioters were are wanting. The arrangements made with Yu Mantze are that his followers are to be paid commencing with the 1st day of the 9th moon (15th October) monthly half-pay soldier's wages, in considera tion of which they must engage not to make any more disturbances against the peace. The general rendezvous of Yu Man-tze's followers is Lung Shui-chen or market town, and they have been streaming to that place, since the declaration of peace, from all quarters, notably from Suchang and Wangchiaping. Yu Man-tze himself and one of his lieutenants, The appalling calamity of the Yellow River Tang Tsui-ping, are at present at a place called floods of the present year cannot be emphasised Aitingpu, while his fidus Achates, Chiang Chan- too strenuously. Only those who have been in chen, is at Lungshui market town. The various the midst of the scenes presented can estimate military officers, deputies of the Acting Viceroy the terrible devastation cansed by the vagrant Wen, and notables of that part of the country, river. Whoever has been an eye-witness can who fled to Chungking during the rebellion, are best appreciate the terrible force of the stream all to meet at Lungshui, at which place Pere which now for the third time has left its ori Fleury and other hostages will be handed over giual bed, and has wandered freely over populous by the rebels to the authorities. Then also will villages and plains. In the autumn of 1887 be decided what should be done with the numerous the river left its course west of Kaifengfa. followers of Yu Man-tze, whether to dismiss The Empress Dowager determined that its them all to their homes or organise the strongest wanderings should be restrained. At vast ex- and healthiest among them into battalions to be pense this was accomplished. It is now about two drilled and amalgamated with the various terri- months since the river broke away on the south- torial corps. There have been no more riots side and began to work its fearful havoc among against Christians since the peace, nor were Ya's the peasant villages of this province. I have men concerned with the destruction of the travelled both across and down the course of the Tzechou, and Luchou telegraph line reported uw streams, and it may be well to give, briefly, above. The local authorities have succeeded in the testimony of an eye-witness. The great arresting a number of other desperadoes who river broke its banks first on the north side at had been rioting on their own account in in-Yachou, in the district of Tungehou. The wa terior_towns, aud things are returning to ters from this break poured themselves along normal conditions. But complaint is being the low ground of the Toihhai river passing made by the officials that large numbers of Wutingfu and Chaohua. The great road south Christians who fled for safety to Chungking crosses this stream at Yucheng. The waters during the troubles have been guilty of re-here are fifty li broad, and frequently 12ft, deep. peatedly raising alarmist rumours which upon careful investigation were found to be utterly baseless, and influencing their missionaries to make all sorts of complaints to their Consuls thereby making it most difficult to restore peace. On one occasion these Christians reported to the Consuls that a missionary had been mur. dered at Yachou, which afterwards turned out to be à canard, Chungking is peaceful, the receipts at the likin bureau being above the usual returns at this time of the year.-N. C. Daily News special telegrams.
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The stream of travel is scarcely interrupted, however, hundreds of small boats being supplied by the villagers who have no other source of subsistence. The villages on the north of the river have suffered far less, having been pre- pared by many previous experiences. But the autumn crops are well-nigh a total loss. The break in the south side begins about 60 li N.-E. of Chinanfu. Here the break is at least seven miles long, the whole course of the stream flow- ing through it upon the vast region eastward. On the 4th of October, I took a small house-