:
пог warned the Viceroy of the danger to the Chinese Government which would re- ault from any attempt on his part to pre. vent, by force, the assumption by the British Government of full control over the lessed ter ritory on a certain date. I do not consider, it Trobable that the Governor would have troubled himself to proceed to Canton to interview Vice- roy Tan unless he had very good reason for be- Hoving that serious trouble was brewing and that the intended disturbance was planned with his (the Viceroy's) knowledge and tacit consent; but it is of course impossible to say what prompted the trip to Canton. The fact that the Governor went promptly to the fountain head seems to indicate that he has acquired con. siderable knowledge of the complex system of government in China. He is doubtless aware that there can be no serious anti-foreign disturbances in China without a substratum of official conni- vance and instigation. There can be no mass- ing of a band of rowdies in a district without. the District Magistrate obtaining information from his subordinates soon enough to nip the rising in the bud, if he has a mind to do so. In his "Chinese Characteristics" (pages 229, 230, 232, 233, and 234) Mr. Arthur H. Smith, who has resided over 20 years in China and among the Chineas, explains pretty clearly the ways and means which the officials, from the highest to the lowest, have of obtaining information quickly, of keeping order in the provinces, and of fixing responsibility in high quarters. Nothing escapes the headmen of villages; from them information goes to the village con- stable or bailiff, from the latter to the Distriot Magistrate, and thence to the Viceroy or Governor of the province.
It is incredible that a small band of armed men, much-less over a thousand, could have been maased in the territory in question without the District Magistrate being fully aware of what was going on. When he knew about it it is well nigh certain that he promptly reported to his superiors in Canton, and if the latter failed to apprise the British authorities, either directly or through the British Consul in Canton, then I think the connivance and duplicity of the Chinese Viceroy and the Governor of Kwang- tung may be considered as a well-established fact.
If my memory serves me correctly, the present Viceroy of the Liang Kwang held office as Viceroy of Ming Chi, with headquarters at Fooohow, at the time of the awful Kucheng massaore in Angust, 1895, when so many de- fenceless and unoffending English ladies and children were barbarously done to death by what was designated at the time "Chinese row- dies." In that matter the Viceroy and the Magistrate of Kucheng escaped all trouble, the former being in fact promoted, taking over the sends of office in Canton from Li Han-chang a few months after the shooking affair. The Ka- cheng massacre ended up in "olo fashon "the heads of a few coolies cut off to satisfy all parties! The officials who were really responsible, with- out whose tacit consent it is presumable the terrible slaughter could never have occurred, escaped punishment; but I shall not soon forget the hope that was expressed at the time in many 'British journals that the Kucheng massacre would be made a leason to the higher officials throughout China-that the British Govern- ment would not settle the matter on the Erinciple of "bloodfor blood, a tooth for a tooth, And an eye for an eye." But the "olo fashon' was once more reverted to, and it remained for our Teutonic friends to take an entirely new and most satisfactory departure in dealing with Chinese duplicity and savagery, Ta avenge the brutal masinere of two German missionaries they seised Kiaochow Bay and Insisted on the prompt degradation and dis- finissal from office of the Governor of Shantung
provinons
;
You are, Sir, unquestionably right in the assertion that "the movement (in the Kowloon hinterland) could not have succeeded without oficial connivance and incitement;" but I fancy the report about the Haulin named Tang uen-keng, of Canton, being surreptitiously mected with wanton attack on the British troops has probably but little foundation in fack. There may be an attempt made to make a
at of him to shield some of the high and nighty gentlemen in Canton who have so much
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[April 22, 1899,
to gain-and have in fact gained much-bying territory in the Far East, whom we being in a position to tyrrannize over and fleece have to provide against, but that there is the masses and hamper the development of an ever present danger nearer at hand. To trade in the Liang Kwang by the levy of the heads of firms and employers of labour we illegal and indefinite taxes on imports and ex- therefore say: "Grant your employès every ports.
privilege compatible with the carrying on of your business, so that they may be Volunteers in real earnest, and not in name only." To the young men of Hongkong we are sure we have only to recall the fact that they are subjects of the Queen, to induee them to come forward at once and join that organisation which helps to preserve the integrity of their hearths and homes and to promote the peace and prosperity of the community.
In conclusion, permit me to submit the opin. ion that what should now shiefly concern us is, not what could or should have been done to prevent trouble, but the acquisition of know. ledge of the real gravity of the situation. It must have been well known to the instigators of the outrage that a thousand "braves" could not prevent the hoisting of the British flag at Taipo; nor could ten thousand Chinese. In the end all opposition was bound to be sup- pressed. What then are the Chinese officials driving at?-Yours faithfully,
OLD RESIDENT.
Hongkong, 17th April, 1899. [The Viceroy of Min-che at the time of the Kucheng massacre was Pien Pao-chuan. The present Viceroy of Canton is Tan Chung-lin. ED., D.P.]
that
To all we say: Remember that the time may come when of necessity your services may be required.
Ie it not better, then, that all men should possess that knowledge of arms which will rand- er them efficient defenders of their families and, their Empire?
We confidently call on the young men of Hongkong to join the Hongkong Volunteer Corps and so obtain that knowledge of arms.
AN EX-POLICEMAN'S EXPERIENCES' forthwith.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE " DAILY PRESS,
Force with a pension many years ago, and my SIR, Having left the Hongkong Police
career since having been somewhat checkered, I thought perhaps a few lines might be interest- ing, especially so if some of my old brother officers are still in harness in that dot on the ocean. On arriving in Scotland, after taking my discharge, I found it something like impos- sible to settle there, so I crossed the Atlantic and kept moving around the continent of America for years. At last I settled on a ranch with a few head of stook in the Cana. dian North-west Territory. I Was get- ting along all right when a rumour spread that gold was very plentiful in Alaska, and my ranch being near a town called Edmonton, where it was reported a trail could be found to the gold-fields, leading mostly in a north-westerly direction, I started for Klondike, with hundreds more, about two years ago. Then came trials that make Job's dwindle into insignificance. We had over twelve months of a journey before we reached Dawson, the principal mining camp. The hardships were such that many succumbed to cold and fatigue, and many suicided in despair. When I was in the Force I often would grumble at half-an-hour's drill, but- I have had a lesson since. However, fortune did not smile on me, and after a few mouths speut in laborious work, thawing ground, dig- ging and washing dirt, I started for Victoria, and had a pleasent trip (compared with the north-west journey) of about six weeks, mostly by water. Our boat landed in Victoria harbour late one evening about Chinese new-year time. The first sound I heard next morning had some- what of a similarity to the strains of the bag pipes, and looking from my bedroom window got a glimpse of the Celestial dragon, as Burns describes the devil, "raging like a roaring lion, for prey all holes and corners trying." I was now thrown into doubting castle whether this was Victoria, B.C., or Victoria, H.K., especially so when I observed that the mainland over the bay somewhat resembled British Kowloon, where in former years I was the representative of law and order. I should very much like to give the old peninsula a visit and have a trans run to the Peak before returning to my prairie home, but my poor success in the land of nuggets will not permit of this. Trusting, Mr. Editor, you will find a spare. corner for the above-I am,
ROBERT SIMPSON. Victoria, British Columbia,
14th March, 1899.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE
.
""
A PATRIOTIC APPEAL.·
"DAILY PRESS. Sir,-It appears to us that, amongst the British population of Hongkong, greater interest ought to be taken in the Volunteer movement, a movement which deserves the support of every man capable of carrying arms, inasmuch as it strengthens that military force which is the safeguard to our commercial, political, and religious privileges throughout the Empire.
Circumstances have shown us, quite recently, that it is not alone the European Powers, week-
|
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN EMPRESS.
R. B. MAINWARING. Colonel, R.W.F.,
Acting Commandant.
H.K. Vol. Corps.
ARTHUR CHAPMAN,
Capt H.K. Vol. Corps. E. D. SANDERS,
Capt. H.K. Vol, Corps. Hongkong, 20th April, 1899.
THE YANGTSZE INSURANCE ASSOCIATION, LIMITED.
The following is the report for presentation to the ninth ordinary general meeting of share. holders, to be held at the offices of the Associa tion, No. 26, The Bund, Shanghai, on Tuesday, 25th April:-
to submit to the shareholders the annual report The Board of Directors have now the pleasure
and audited statement of accounts and balance sheet to the 31st December, 1898,
Working account, 1897 and former years.—- This account showS & credit balance of $122,600.86, against $187.345.15 on the 31st December, 1897. The Directors recommend the payment of a dividend to shareholders out of this account of 10 per cent. The account will then stand as follows: Dividend of 10 per cent. (=$6 per
share)
*
Balance to be carried forward
$48,000.00 74,600.86
$122,600.86
Working Account, 1898.—The net premis earned during 1898, after deducting return premia, re-insurance premia, &c., amount to $595,941.90, against $515,156.74 during 1897, and the account shows a balance at credit of $275 918.85, on the 31st December last, which the Directors recommend carrying forward,
In addition to the claims and losses paid during the year, which amount to $281,459.90 (equal to 47.23 per cent. of the net premia), there are claims pending on known losses and casualties which are estimated at about $117,000.
Exchange and Investment Fluctuation Ao- count. Owing to the depreciation at the end of 1898 of some of the Association's Invest. ments, this account has been reduced by $26,123.46, and now amounts to $59,437,81.
Sterling Exchange has been taken at 2s. 83d. per tael (the demand rates on 31st December, 1898), and the relative value between dollars and tsels at 73.
1
Investments.-The Valus on 31st December last has been taken for all the Association's In- vestments.
t
Directors.—Mr. E. B. Skotłowe resumed his seat on the Board on his return to Shanghai last year, Mr. T. E. Sansom having resigned. owing to his departure from Shanghai.
In accordance with the Articles of AssocÏa-- tion the present Directors all retire from, Omlos, but, being' eligible, offer themselves for election.
Auditor.-The Accounts have been audited by Mr. Augustus White, who offers himself: