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for if the American force captured the town seaward Aguinaldo took positions inland, en- tirely hemming in the Spaniards, consequently making matters easy for the Americans.
THE CHINA ASSOCIATION AND BRITISH POLICY IN CHINA.
At a meeting of the Committee of the Hong kong Branch of the China Association, held at the City Hall on the 28th December, 1898. Present, J. J. Francis, Q.C. (in the chair), the Honourable . P. Chater, C.M.G, Thomas Jackson, C. S. Sharp, E. W. Mitchell, and F. Henderson (Hon. Sec.) The following resolu. tions were unanimously passed :-
RESOLVED.
1. That unless some definite polioy is adopted by the British Government in connection with affairs in China, and unless prompt action is taken to give effect to that policy, British Trade and British Influence in China are in serious danger of diminution.
"
2-That the policy embodied in the term "spheres of influence tends to the eventual dismemberment of the Chinese Empire, can only lead to war, and ought to be set aside.
3-That the policy embodied in the phrase "the open door" ought to be clearly defined and strictly enforced eren at the risk of war.
4. That the policy of the open door, in our opinion, meaus that all rights and privileges obtained by any one power, under Treaty or Convention with China, should be common to all powers and their subjects throughout the Empire of China; that the action of any nation in endeavouring to obtain from the Chinese Government any exclusive rights or privileges should be deemed a unive sot, et Great Britain should call upon the Chinese Government to refuse to grant any exclusive rights to any power and should support China, by force if necessary, in her refusal.
5. That if any nation has any reasonable claim to exclusive influence in the Southern provinces of China-Kwangtung. Kwangsi, aud Yunnan-that power is Great Britain, but that Great Britaiù claims no such exclusive privilege and will permit no other power to exercise'any exclusive right.
6.That the Revenue system of Chine is the greatest of all obstacles to the improvement of trade, to the increase of manufactures, to the opening of mines and the construction of rail- ways in China and that the British Government should bring all its power and influence to bear on the Imperial Government to compel the uni- fication of the finances of the Government, Im perial and Provincial. in the hands of a Special Service entirely manned by Europeans and worked on the plan of the Imperial Maritime
Customs,
7.-That with the unification of the collection of revenues in the hands of a special Depart- ment as above, there will necessarily be conjoined an immense improvement in the policing of trade routes both by land and by water; and greater additional security for investments in China,
8. That these resolutions be transmitted to Lord Charles Beresford and that copies there. of be sent to H.M. Minister in Peking, the Shanghai Branch of the Association, and the Committee of the Association in London.
F. HENDERSON,
Hon Secretary.
JNO. J. FRANCIS,
Chairman.
ARRIVAL OF HE ROYAL
WELSH FUSILIERS.
The second Battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, who take the place of the King's Own, arrived on the 13th January in the char- tered transport Avoco. The re-sel went along side the wharf at Kowloon and at about half past eight the landing of the baggage began. The disembarkation of the troops took place in the afternoon, the men proceeding to the barracks vacated by the king's Own. The following are the officers ieut. Colonel Rowland Broughton Mainwaring (in command), Major Frederick Morris, Major Sir Robert A. William Colleton, Bar Captain R. S. Webber. Captain C. Bancroft, Captain Sir H. W. McMahon, Bart., D.S.O.. Captain H. M. Richards, Lient. H. Rotherham
(Dozeɓ plaialues Coll
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
Lieut. A. Hay.. Lieut G. F. H. Dickson, me
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Lieut. O. de L. Williams, Lient, and Adjutant No
C. M: Dobell, Second Lieutenants. Hill, F J. Walnyn. W. Lloyd, F. A. Stebbing, C. A. Ball-Acton, and G. J. P. Greiger; and Quar- ter-Master J. F. Clieve (Hon. Lieut.)
Mrs. Mainwaring, Mra Morris. Lady Col leton, Mrs. Dobell, and Mrs. Clieve arrived with their husbands.
In addition to the Royal Welsh Fusiliers the Avoca brought the following passengers :— Major and Mrs. Griffin, R.A., Lieutenant Stevens, K.E., and Mr. Bryant, R.E. Staff, from Southampton; Captain and Mrs. Carlyle, A.O.D., from Singapore; and I warrant officer, 35 non-commissioned officers and men, 5 women and 3 children. Included among the Don. commissioned officers are six drill instructors for the Chinese Regiment to be raised for Weihaiwai.
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January 21, 1899.
put the pump connections on the hold. I put on two of the bilge pumps and the donkey. They to work and were working about ten minutes after the ship struck the rook That was all that could be done. I left the engine about four minutes before the ship weat The chief officer called me up,✨ The stam gone up before me. I went up on to the Bridge deck and met the chief officer, Quarter-master- Smith, and the second steward. They were all busy trying to get a raft fixed. There were two planks and they were trying to fasten them together. While we were doing this the ship went down and we had to jump into the water. There was no boat in sight. About 15 minutes after the ship struck the rock the chief engineer - told me to stop the engines and make for the boats. I did so and the captain Bent for the chief engineer. I told the chief officer the chief engineer had gone. I went to the captain, who told me he wanted the
one boat hanging at the davits and got three greasers out of her. I told them to go below and get steam. They went down below and remained about eight minutes, and then cleared out and would not go down again. One of them got away in the last boat that left the ship. They were Chinamen. I was working the engines after that. After they cleared out there was imminent danger. The ship was very much below by the head. When I received the last order the propeller was clear of the water altogether. I came up to have a survey for myself when the chief officer shouted through the skylight, “Boyd clear out, the ship's going down." I swam right to
beach, and the next morning a Chiniattan save me. He motioned to me to follow him, and I followed him to the other side of the island, where I met the captain. In my opinion as a practical gineer everything was done which could done for the ship.
THE LOSS OF THE “ GLENAVON.”" engines full speed ahead. I went to the
THE ADJOURNED ENQUIRY. On 13th January the enquiry into the oir cumstances connected with the loss of the Glen- avon was resumed at the office of the Harbour Master. Commander Rumsey. R.N., Stipendi- ary Magistrate, presided, and the other mem- bers of the court were Staff-Commander Rogers, of H.M.8. Tamar; Captain Archibald, of the Empress of China; Captain Mowatt, of the Athenian; and Captain Evans, of the Mon- mouthshire.
Captain Pithie on being recalled said-The ship foundered about three-quarters of an hour after striking. Four lives were lost-William Dixon, chief officer, W. Smith, quartermaster; Frank Wilson, second steward; and a China- man. Quarter-master Smith was the man who
was at the wheel when the vessel struck,
William Straiton, chief engineer on the Glenavon, said-i had been on the ship for 12 years. I have a first-class certificate, which was issued at Greennock in 1876. I remember the ship leaving here on the 29th December. I was in the engine-room when the speed was set at 59 revolutions-that is eleven knots by the propeller, and considering the length of time since the ship was docked it would be about len knots. I came up on deck after that, but I did not take any special note as to the ship's posi tion with regard to the land. When the ship struck I was walking the deck with the doctor. After she struck I went down below and told the second engineer I thought there was some- thing wrong and returned on deok again, where I met the carpenter, who told me there was eight feet of water in the forehold. I did not believe him at the time and I went forward with the carpenter to sound. From the sound. ings the fore part of the ship seemed to be full up. I went to the captain and told him. He asked if I could not keep her going for some little time, and I said. "No." In my opinion nothing could have been done more than was done to save the ship. I left the ship by the third boat, and I and the other occupants were picked up the next morning by a Custons launch and brought to Hongkong.
By Captain Rogers-I don't know how soon after the ship straca the engines were moved. The second and fourth engineers were dowa below.
By Captain Archibald-There was no water in the stoke-hold or engine room.
By the President-I saw the ship disappear. There was no explosion. She went down by
the head.
Robert Boyd, second engineer on the Glenavon said-I had been in the ship three years. I hold a first-class certificate. I was on watch ou the 29th December when the ship left here. When the pilot left 59 revolutions were set by the chief engineer's orders. Previously our speed had averaged 50. She was not slowed down to let the pilot leave. About a minute and a half before the ship strack I got the order “ Full speed astern." and 15 seconds after the order the engines were going full speed stern and continued to do so four or five minutes, when I got orders to stop the engines. A few minutes later I got orders to go ahead. Then I had orders to stop. Varions orders were afterwards given the particulars of which I do not remember. The chief engineer came own shortly after the ship struck and told
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By Captain Rogers-I should say that the ship went down 40 or 50 minutes after striking.
By Captain Archibald-There were five boats, but none of them were in sight when I left. I think I swam about one and a ha:f miles.
Frederick Salmon, quarter-master on the Glenavon, said-I went on watch at six o'clock. in the evening of the 29th December. I re. lieved the lower bridge, I did not get any orders from the man I relieved. I did not notice at any time before the ship struck the position of the ship with regard to the land. I was in the - wheel house most of the time.
in
By Captain Archibald he fourth officer was charge of the boat I got in. There were about 20 in the boat.
in
The court was then cleared, and the President and his colleagues consulted private.
In the afternoon the second officer. (Henry Clifton) was called. He said he had been, second mate of the Glenavon for three years. At the time the ship struck he was in his room undressing. He at once dressed again and went on deck to get his boat out. The Chineso rushed into the boat, and the chief officer came along and told him that some of the Chinese vari were to remain and that he must take the lady: passenger, the stewardess and some of the men. He accordingly took eight Chinese, of whom four were possengers, "the lady pass- enger and her child, the stewardess, and two distressed British seamen. The boat. was ready to leave the ship a quarter of an hour after she struck. The boat was kept Plongside for about ten minutes, and then the obief mate told him to push off and stand by the ship, which shortly afterwards steamed away to windward. As be could not get up to the ship he decided to return to Hongkong. Shortly after that he saw the ship disappear. Then he saw the third officer (Vinslie) in his boat. How said he had some water in his boat and wanted bailer. Witness told him he could not give him one and told him to follow bis boat and try tô Get to Green Island. At 10-30 they were picked up by a junk and they arrived at Went Point at 8.30 the next morning.
fresh
By Captain Archibald-There wa breeze, and a bigger sea than I liked for a boat. By Captain Rogers-I was practically in command of all the boats when they were in the water. When I left the ship one lifeboat re- mained with the ship.