- March 11, 1899.]
HONGKONG POLICE RECREATION CLUB.
THE BILLIARD AND TENNIS TOURNAMENTS.
PRESENTATION OF PRIZES BY MRS, MẤY.
The finals in the tennis tournament in con- nection with the Police Recreation Club were played off on the tennis court attached to the Central Police Station on Thursday afternoon in, the presence of Bishop aud Mrs. Hoare, the Rev. F. T. Johnson (assistant "bhaplain of the Cathedral), the Rev C. and Mrs. Bone, Mrs. Baddeley, Mrs. Tomes, Mrs. Gedge, Sister Captain-Superintendent May and Mra. May, Elizabeth, Chief Inspector Mackie, and others. The billiard tournament had been already Anished. Mrs. May presented the prizes, after which she was presented with a magnificent bouquet by Inspeotor Ford (secretary of the Recreation Club). The Captain-Superinten. dent, in returning thanks for his wife, oom. plimented the members of the club on the will they had displayed both at billiards and
tennis.
„. Below will be found the names of the success- ful competitors. In the billiard tournament the first prize was, won by Inspector Moffat. It consisted of a beautiful cup, with inscription, presented by the Captain-Superintendent.
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́BÍLLIARD TOURNAMENT.
1st prize, won by Inspector Moffatt 2nd (gold studs) won by P.C. 54 Smith. 3rd (gold pia) won by Ex P.C. 10. Moore. 4th (gold pin) won by Sergt. Langley.
TENNIS TOURNAMENT.
CLASS A DOUBLES.-Won by 'Inspector Duncan and Inspector Ford.
CLASS B DO JBLES.--Won by P.C. 47 Quinn
and P.C. 82 Angus.
CLASS C DOUBLES.-Wou by P.C. 53 Kent
and P.O, 20 Gerrard.
CLASS A SINGLES.-Won by Ex P.C. 60
Grant.
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CLABS B SINGLES.-Won by P.C. 47 Quinn. CLASS C SINGLES.-Won by P.C. 35 Smith. LADIES' NOMINATION.-Won by Insp Han- wah (nominated by Mrs. Robertson). Won by ¿C. Quian (nominated by Mrs. Baker.)
IN PHILIPPINE WATERS.
[CONTRIBUTED.] Interesting as the Philippine Islands are, particularly at the present moment, the waters surrounding them are none the less so, being the veritable home of the sea-serpent. Although it has been generally understood that the swamps and forests of the Philippines abound in various reptiles and other curious creatures, it is not so widely known that the surrounding waters of these ill-fated islands teem with veritable sea- serpents, which, notwithtsanding that their en- tire existence is passed in the waters, possess deadly fangs, and are a source of great danger to the fisherman on account of their ferocious attacks.
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UMA & DIY YIUMQEW OKT RO
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
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their appetites. Although the spines of these victims are frequently three and five inches long they do not embarrass the voracious reptile in the least. The victim is first killed by the `snake's poison, after which he is swallowed head first. The spines, naturally pointing toward death, are compressed against the body of the the tail of the victim, and being relaxed in fish, as deglutition proceeds. Sometimes while in search of their prey sea-snakes venture a short distance up the month of large rivers. An instance is recorded by Dr. Weber when he was fishing in one of the rivers of the east coast of Sumatra. He was using a drag-net, and had the net was being brought in two large sea. ornered a number of medium-sized fish. As
snakes suddenly made their appearance inside.. They showed no signs of uneasiness at capture, but were hurriedly gobling down the cornered fishes. Nor did they cease operations until the last fish had disappeared, when the formidable oreatures made their escape.
Like the whale, being air-breathers the sea snakes lead a similar existence. Much interest has been expressed by scientists as to how long
they can remain under water. To quote Pro- fessor R. P. Whitfield, of the American Museum of Natural History, he saw while dragging for corals, a large sea-snake lying motionless among some coral growths, some eight feet below the surface. It showed no signs of fear, and re- mained in the same position for half-an-hour. The venom of these reptiles is more deadly than that of the cobra. The fangs are very short, and consequently do not penetrate so deeply as the fangs of most serpents, but only a scratch from them is necessary to produce serious results. Accidents, however, are very cornered they snap and bite viciously, retaining When rare, owing to their great shyness.
adapted only for use in the water, they strike As the eyes are their hold upon a victim.
blindly when brought into the air, although living for days when removed from their water
element.
Many specimens hauled up in fishermen's nets have been sent to zoological gardens.
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THE DESERT OF GOBI;' IS IT A' DESERTI
[CONTRIBUTED.]
"Give a dog a bad name and it will stick to than dogs. It is very applicable to that large him" is a proverb which applies to other things portion of the world's surface across which vis written, in nearly all maps of Asia, “Desert of Gobi." If we were to make a map of North America and write across the centre half of it "Desert Lands” the description would be equally accurate. Themap-makers are responsible for this folly and it is about time it was remedied. Popular beliefs die hard and the belief that The Desert of Gobi," to use the name applied to it, is a desert is one of those which continue long after all ground for such belief has ceased
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to exist.
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How did this ides, that the centre of "Asia is a desert, arise? Probably from the habit of supposing that all unknown lande must be deserts, or from the idea that a country The fallacy of the latter line of reasoning is in which salt lakes exist must be sterile. shown by the fact that the Valley of Salt Lake City, in America, is very fertile, as is also the Valley of the Jordan, which terminates in the Dead Sea.
When one reflects on the causes which barred
European travellers from penetrating into the heart of Asia it is easy to see how profound ignorance as to the physical features of that region could easily arise. And does not pro- found ignorance as to China itself still exist in been carried on between the two countries for Europe, notwithstanding that a large trade has
uninhabited and possessed of an arotic climate; many years? Central Asia is bounded on the north by Siberia, until recently practically
on the south by the stupendous Himalaya mountain range, all but impassable; on the east by the bogia empire China, who barred out the foreigner; and on the west by the territories of the fanatical Mahomedan races, who refused passage to other religionists. What wonder that supreme ignorance has prevailed as to this region until the present time.
The London gardens went so far as to build a But special tank for their accommodation.
The races which inhabit. Central Asia are of these captured specimens either die en route a warlike nature and would never have been or a short time after being placed in captivity.| brought under control by the Chinese, who now Selecting a dark corner of their tank, they nominally rule them, were it not for their con refuse all food and ultimately starve to death.stant dissensions and internal strife. Their These reptiles are particularly numerous around predatory nature further contributed to the the volcanic islands of the Malayan archipelago. general ignorance as to the regions they inhabit, Eruptions frequently occur among these islands, for solitary travellers would hardly risk the which are hardly more than the body of a vol
passage across an unknown country inhabited by cano. During the time of the eruption the few fanatical and thievish races, people residing near by take to the water in their boats to escape the rain of ashes and mud, But it is generally a case of jumping from the frying-pan into the fire. The sea becomes uncomfortably warm at such times from its close proximity to the burning mountain, and the sea-snakes swim wildly about for escape. They endeavour to climb over the gunwales of the refugees' boats, while they twine their bodies in great masses about the forward
chains.
The habitat of these reptiles is the tropical sass of the old world, and they have, on authentic authority, been known to attain a When about to lay their eggs these serpents length of ten feet. They comprise a group approach the shore. They lay their eggs above which science has named the Hydrophidae, high-water mark and leave them to hatch by and differ only from the territorial snakes in the heat of the sun. Many creatures prey upon the possession of a flat, paddle-like tail. Ac- the young reptiles. Their enemies are sharks cording to Dr. Rudolp Weber, professor of and others large fishes, while the adults, in spite drawing in Princeton University, who, while on of their death-dealing fangs, are victims to sea- a vessel bound for Sumatra, in charge of sengles and large gulls. After the great ty. scientific expedition, noticed large numbers of phoons, which are common to the Philippines these ereatures. Several distinct species can and their vicinity, many of these creatures may be recognised among them. When about 50 be found along the beach, when they have been miles off the coast myriads of these sos-snakes cast up during the storm and killed by the could be seen swimming about as far as the eye violent pounding of the waves. could reach. They kept upon the surfage, and offered several opportunites for close observa- tion. During calm weather these reptiles may be seen sunning themselves upon the surface of the sea motionless except for a slight undula
The gigantic sea-serpants so often reported as having been observed have no relation to these creatures. Recently a dead anaconda, thrown overboard from a Trinidad steamer, was
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To give a few reasons for supposing that Central Asia is far from being the desert land It is represented to be, and that it will yet, like the centre of North America, be the home of a numerous and civilized people, it may be well to remind the public that Mr. Arnot Reid, editor of an important Straits - Settlements newspaper, in a journey made by him last year across the north-eastern, section of; the Desert of Gobi described it as magnificent grass-lands and writes enthusiastically of the enjoyment derived by all his party in riding over these grassy plains, for a fortnight, in a direct line from Kalgan to Kiskhts, the coun try near the two terminal points being moun tainous. Again, we know that the renowned Chinese Viceroy Tao Teung Tang led a large army across the Desert of Gobi to reconqner Kasgaria, the tribes there having risen in rebel. lion against their Chinese rulers. The method he resorted to to obviate having to drag his supplies all the way over that great distance was to proceed in stages, stopping each year to set his army to work to cultivate the soil, sow and harvest crops for its sustenance, and then proceed on its march of conquest. The expedi- tion took several years to effect its object. Here we have another proof that the country is not a desert, for can crops be raised in the desert?
tion caused by the movement of the water.described as a "sea monster” and as undergoing | Finally, although different sections of 4K MEM
When alarmed the agile reptiles dive like arrows, leaving a train of bubbles behind them. In colouration some species are extremely brilliant, being bright yellow, banded with black, while others are tinted with delicate shades of
green.
Fishes form the food of these sea-snakes, even those armed with long sharp spines, such sa the apogons and siluroids, falling victims to
the most remarkable gyrations.
J. W. H. B.
A Bangkok paper says that "Mr. J. J. Lillie, who was a passenger by the M. M. Caledonien, now traveld in the interests of a large French insurance company, a post conferred on him, through certain interests, in recognition of ser- 'vices rendered in Siam.”
{ called desert have been orossed in recent years by European travellers we do not find any mention made of their having to carry a supply of water with them, as would be the case were it the great sandy desert it is represented to be. They all record the lawlessness of the in- habitants, showing what a weak hold over the country the Chinese Government exerclics, but none report that they lacked water.