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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
fatal; bridges, girders, etc., obtained by consular reward for her (England's) neutrality. This and diplomatic pressure without tender, were reward, it is asserted at Hongkong. should be not only more expensive but they failed to meet a portion of the Philippines and of the Sulu spesifications as to strength, and they had to be archipelago. We cannot imagine what proba replaced. Mr. Kinder's staff is largely Britishbility there is of Great Britain hoisting her though for some years there has been a good flag in the islands, although it has to be noted percentage of Scandinavians in it; herein lies a that, in the meantime, Admiral Seymour has supposed grievance. Chang Yen-mao was form- gone to the Philippines with the Centurion erly house steward to the Seventh Prince, and the Narcissus, It would scarcely astonish and in that capacity by his shrewdness he those who have followed closely the events laid the foundation of a very considerable of the last few months at Manila if Great fortune. No one knows better the secret Britain and the United States established workings of the Palace than this astute and themselves there in friendly neighbourhood. progressive Chinese; he invested much of his Some time after the surrender of Manila, wealth in the Tongshan pits after they had when the American flag was hoisted, the British passed through their experimental stage. Mr. ships joined the Americans in firing a salute, an Chang has for some years been the dominating example which was not followed by any other influence in the development of the Chihli coaluation. In regard to this it should be said that it is trade under his régime steamers have been unprecedented to salute the flag of the conqueror built and a large export business established. at the same time as he is doing so himself. After Although a man of no birth or education and the cession of Kisochou and the signing of the on this account hated by the scholars, by the treaty between Germany and China, the British judicious employment of his great wealth he cruiser Barfleur entered the Bay of Tsingtao | has steadily increased his influence, and in the and remained for a few days; but she did not commerce of the north he is now practically fire a salute. Nobody thought it extraordinary, unassailable.
because a salute is only paid when foreign gov. ernments have been notified of the flag-boisting, which at that time had not been done. This is
Mr. Chang has strong Continental backing and is understood to be inimical to British com. mercial interests. His appearance at Tongsban was all but coincident with drastic changes in the management of the pits: it is assumed that his predominance on the railways will soon be followed by long-reaching changes in the staff. Hence wars and rumours of wars. The Eugi- neer-in-chief is thought to have vigorously pro- tested against Mr. Chang's appointment coupled As it is with that of Hsü Taotai, There have been Ingry protests and re-protests from various Lega. tions; and as usual those not actually concerned in the matter have not been unwilling to in- dulge in a little pin-pricking policy. In the present tense relations of all concerned, retic- ence is perhaps the better policy. The situa- tion has all the elements of a very pretty quar- rel. We shall probably have cause to refer to it in the near future. Our Peking advices have it that pro tem. the old Eastern Triple Alliance pin full force, and that the acuteness of the truggle has obscured greater politics and the more serious aspects of the general situation.— N. C. Daily News.
INCIPING AGAINST GERMANY."
Į
Under the above heading Der Ostusiatische Lloyd pablishes a leading article denying the statements which it says had been made in certain Hongkong and American papers as to German unfriendliness, if not hostility, to the American authorities in Manila. The follow- ing is a free translation made by the N. C. Daily News :--
a valuable precedent because General Merritt, during the negotiations at Paris, complained of the German Admiral's want of politeness in this respect. The Americans were not justified in expecting the Germans to salute the flag at Manila, because it would not have been usual, but. on the contrary, very strange.
The recent unfounded accusations against Germany, which have appeared in a section of the British Press, are not likely to assist those who are striving for a union between Germany, England, America, and Japan.
OPTUM-SMOKING
·ND JAPANESE COURTS.
The recent opium-smoking case at Yoko- hama, where two (hinamen were accused of being in the possession of opium-smoking ap- paratus and sentenced to one year's imprison. ment each, has naturally attracted a conside r- able amount of attention. As we have before pointed put, the sentences given in these cases out of all proportion to the gravity of the offence. The act of opium-smoking is, rightly or wrongly, held in abhorrence by the Japanese, who themselves never seem to bave been addicted to the vice. But the very fact that opium smoking has not laid any stron hold on the Japanese people should, we imagine,
are
lead the authorities to look on the offence when committed by Chinese passing through the country more leniently than is the case. The offence is a self-regarding one; it affects hardly The English, and more particularly the if at all-any but the persons addicted to it, American Press, have again given utterance to and cannot even be classed in the same category some sharp remarks upon the behaviour of the as drunkenness, which very frequently leads to German men-of-war at Manila last summer. interference with the rights of others. Not Buch deplorable irritation does not seem likely long ago at Osaka a man was given the extra. to promote the good relations which should ordinary sentence of three years' imprisonment exist between Germany on one side and Great for this offence, though the two Chinese stokers Britain and the United States on the other of the Hongkong Maru, who were recently by reason of their various common interests. arrested at Kobe on a similar charge, escaped Every day the stories of what was done with a month's hard labour each. As we re- at Manila grow, and as with time they may marked on the last occasion, even a month's be the more difficult to refute it is very imprisonment for smoking opium on a ship necessary that the incidents should be put in a is somewhat heavy when it is considered that proper light. When Vice-Admiral Diederichs the men bad only just arrived within Japanese arrived at Manila with several vessels he ex- jurisdiction and probably had no knowledge plained to Admiral Dewey that he had come that they were breaking the law." The case only to look after the interests of German at Yokohama presents features which make residents, and that the number of ships was an accidental occurrence brought about by It is stated that the men were not allowed to the approaching relief and exchange of crews call any witnesses for the defence, although which could be more conveniently carried out in one place. The best relations prevailed between the Germans and Americans. and it was not until suspicion was excited by articles in the American, new papers against Germany that Admiral Dewey began to watch the move- ments of the German fleet.
We are at a loss to understand to whose interest it was to provoke differences between the United States and Germany. To our mind Germany observed as faithfully as any other nation a bene- volent neutrality during the war between Spain and the United States. It is therefore remark- able that the Press of Hongkong should now plainly say that England should expect some
such a severe sentence all the more remarkable.
Mr. Mittwer, an American missionary, who was on the Kiojun-maru at the time of the arrest, could have given important evidence. in the Japan Herald of the 30th inst... Mr. Mittwer gives a full account of the affair as far as came to his knowledge. From his account there seems to be some doubt as to whether one
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| February 25, 1899.
tion of bringing the apparatus ashore. That the majority, if not all, of the persons com mitted for this offence should be Chinamen is only natural, the Chinese being the great opium-smoking race in the East; but we should be sorry to come to the conclusion that racial feeling had any weight in causing severer sentences to be passed than would otherwise be inflicted.-Kobe Chronicle.
THE LATE PRESIDENT. FAURE.
A memorial service for the late M. Felix Faure, President of the French Republic, was held at the Roman Catholic Cathedral on 20th February ing and was attended by H.E. Sir Henry Blake, H.E. Major-General Gascoigne. H.E. Vice- Admiral Seymour, Rear-Admiral Holland, Vice-Admiral von Diederichs and the Com- manders of the German men-of-war in barbour, Colonel the O'Gorman, and other naval and military officers in full uniform. The French Consul (M. Leon Gme. Le Roux) and the other Consular representatives were also present. Bishop Piazzoli was the celebrant. The church was draped in black.
A requiem mass was held in the French chapel on Shameen for the late M. Felix Faure, President of the French Republic, on Wednesday morning at nine o'clock and was attended by the French Consul, M. L. Flyell, and Vice Consul in full uniform. The Commis. sioner of Customs, a couple of Chinese officials sent by H.E. the Viceroy, other Consular re- presentatives, and most of the French com. munity were also present. A catafalque was placed in the nave of the chapel, and the seats on both sides were draped in black.
HONGKONG.
H.M.S Sandpiper left Canton for Wuchow on Tuesday.
There were 14,061 visitors to the City Hall Museum last week, of whom 206 were Europeans.
H.M.S. Grafton with the dredger St. Enoch ̈ under convoy left at seven a.m. on the 23rd February for Weihaiwei.
г
The death rate last month was, for the British and Foreign community, civil population, 20.1. and for the Chinese community 14.9.
The promotion of Surgeon Lieut. F. O. Stedman, M.D., to be Surgeon Captain in the Hongkong Volunteer Corps is gazetted.
day of George Washington the men-of-wer in Wednesday being the anniversary of the birth- barbour were decorated and a salute was fired
at noon.
Mr. F. W. Pulley, second engineer of the P. the 16th February. The cause of death was & O. steamer Bombay, died suddenly at Kobe on
heart disease,
Bowen Roads was sold on Wednesday by public A lot of Crown land between Kennedy and
action. The lot contains 72,400 sq. ft., and was Bold to Mr. A Denison for 88,713.
Peak, was sold on Monday by public auction. The lot comprises 24,300 square feet and re- lized $2,491. The purchaser was Mr. W.
A lot of Crown land on Barker Road, the
Newton.
We understand that Mr. Colquhoun, who is been commissioned by Harpers to write another now travelling through China to Burma, has book on the Far East and to contribute articles
to Harper's Magazine,
Two lots of Crown land at Mong Kok Tsui lot contained 6,075 square ft. One lot facing were sold on Tuesday by public auction. Each the main street sold for $1,675, the other on a side street for $1,025. The purchasers were
Chinese,
The stamp revenue last month amounted to $31,550, being a decrease of $5.720 on the Amount collected in the corresponding month last year. Most of the items show substantial nuder the head of probate. inoreases, but there is a decrease of $13,393
of the men was the person the police intended be Police Magistrate, and of Commander Hast- The appointments of Mr. Sereombe Smith to to arrest, but, at any rate, neither of the menings to be Acting Postmaster-General are arrested were found smoking, and the minor offence of carrying opium-smoking apparatus in the acting appointment of Colonial Treasurer gazetted. The Hon. A. M. Thomson continues surely did not call for such a BOYOTA sentence. We may
also point out that and Collector of Stamp Revenue. the men were evidently proceeding from America to China, and had no apparent inten-
The return of the number of cases of com-
municable disease notified as occurring last week
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