476
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
and magistrates, but the Commanding Officer re- fused to comply. The Major of that Garrison was sent with a message to the commander, but on the way he talked with such freedom about the surrender to the British, that the natives quitted their posts and plundered the Arsenal. The Commander, rather than face humiliation re- tired to a sh p, aud left all further responsibility to the Major." How did the Major of the Garrison come to be selected to bear a message to his Commander, with whom he would or- dinarily be supposed to be serving at the fitue? How did the natives of the garrison come to know what the Major talked about on bis short mach? And, finally, when the Commander retired and all responsibility was left to the Major, what did the latter do?. We have takeu this paragraph almost haphazard as a sample of a careless style into which the author occasion. ally falls, loving the reader bewildered amongst a mass of details whose relevancy can only be discovered with difficulty or uot at all.
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onellest persecution. Yet the record of the friars was not wholly bid, and we think Mr. Foreman in his sumining up has failed to meet out to them absolute justice. The education of the islands was entirely in their hands, and the moral tone of the Phililipino nation as we know it to-day is virtually their crea. tiou. The natives have revolted against the authority of the priests, have adopted political principles totally at var auce to those their mentors would have had the cherish, nevertheless it is from the priests that they have derived their civilisation, which ther conduct of the present war and the civil order they maiutain uuder adverse conditions proves to be more than skin-deep. It is true that Mr. Foreman in the preface to the second edition points out that his criticism of the clergy in no way applies to the Jesuit or the Paul fathers, who have justly gained the res- pect of both Europeans and natives; but the exception of these two particular orders dous not cover the whole ground, for their members had but a small number of parishes under their control as compared with the other orders.
11
piecemeal; another was saturated with petrolanin and set on fire; and a third was bathed in oil and
fried on a bamboe spit run through the length of his body." The statem.at may be true enough,
Coming up to recent events, the following paragraph will be read with interest by those in any way concerned with trade :~" Although trade in and with Manila had been more or less In his account of some of the incidents of the suspended and at intervals absolutely so since rebellion we cannot avoid a suspicion that the the great naval eugagement, just a few profited | anthor has accepted tales of horror as true with- by the circumstances of war. One British firm out sufficiently sifting the evidence on which there, figuratively speaking, 'coined' money they are based. For instance, he tells us that They were able frequently to run a sleatner, at the capture of Imus by the rebels thirtedo well known in Chinese waters (in which I live priests fell into their hands, some of whom were travelled myself). between Manila and Hougteated most ¡barbarously. One was cut up kong carrying refugees, who were willing to pay abnormally high rates of passige. ordinary times fares range from $50 saloon accommodation to $8 a deck passage. On one trip, for instance, this steamer, with the cabins filled at $125 each. carried 1,200 deck passengers (no food) at $20 and 30 deck passengers (with food) at $30. Their unsold cargoes on the way in steamers when Manila was blockaded came in for enormously advanced prices. Shiploads of produce which planters and native middlemen were glad to convert into dollars at pauio rates were picked up ‘dirt cheap,' leaving rich profits to the buyers. When steamers could not leave Manila, a Britisher, Mr. B- walked for several days under the tropical sun to reach Iloilo with trade news, and steamers were run
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at high rates in and out of Borneo, Hongkong, and the Philippine southern por.s. One British firm obtained a special licence to run a steamer between ongkong and the port of Dagupan, hitherto closed to foreign traffic.
These were, naturally, the exceptious, for, upon the whole, the dislocation and stoppage of trade ent iled very serions losses to the general body of merchants."
64
in
but we would like to know on what evidence it rests and to have some means of forming an es- timate of the credibility of the witnesses. the other side we are told that the Spanish General Monet, operating against the natives, showed no mercy and took no prisoners; his troops shot dowù or bayouetted-rebels, non- combatants, women, and children indiscrimin- ately. The cruellist barbarities were inflicted on every native who fell into his power That, too, we think may be taken with some reservation. As a parallel case it may be mentioned that the Filipinos recently accused the Americans of shooting women, but no one believed the charge,
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An interesting acrouutis giveu of Dr. Rizal, of his romantic marriage, bis execution, and the sub- sequent association of his widow with the rebels. This lady had an interview with the Governor- General, which is reported as follows:- So she sought an interview with the Governor-General, who asked her if she had been in the rebel
thore for?
'the
[June 10, 1899
Translations are given of the Revolutionary constitution and of several other state papers that throw light on the recent course of events. The story of the Biac-na-bato Treaty is given, that being the agreement under which Aguinaldo and his chiefs agreed to lay down their arms and leave the country on certain terms, including the granting of certain reforms and the payment of a certain sum of money. It is alleged by each party that the other failed to observe the agres. meat, but neither party hus published the text of the document A good deal has been made by Aguinaldo's enemies of his having accepted Spanish money and then taken up arms again, but the story as told by Mr. Foreman does not place him in au altogether unfavourable light.
The book is enriched by a number of well execute illustrations, and a detached map of the Philippines is given in a cover pocket.
THE BOTANICA AND AFFORES- LATION REPORT.
The annual report of Mr. C. Ford, Superin- tendent of the Botanical and afforestation Department, is published in the Gazette. We make the following extracts :--
AVIARY.
The old Aviary which I mentioned in my last Report as being dilapidated and-unsuitable has been removed, and a new and larger one has been constructed on its site. The new one is
69 feet long by 28 feet wide; it is divided into seren distinct compartments, each one having a yard enclosed with wire netting uine feet in height, and an enclosure at the back for shel fer and shade for the birds during ruin and sunshine. The floor is raised about two feet from the ground. The roof is flat except that of middle oue; which is a semi-circle, the highest the end compartments, which is a ridge, and the part being 15 feet from the floor, Dotting is stretched over bar and angle iron framework, The back which affords shelter for the birds is constructed of brickwork.. There is no wo dwork except the divisions within the brickwork shelters, so that the struc- ture will require ouly very trifling expenditure to maintain it, and it is also,-proof against rats and other vermin, which were very trouble-
some in the old structure.
The wire
Tus compartments are fairly filled with birds, - but there is still room for further contributious which would be thankfully received.
The aviary is a source of great interest to large numbers of visitors.
"NOTES ON PLAN 19
Hippeastrum (Amaryllis).-Named kinds of plants and plants raised from Veitch's sela t improvement on the older varieties, which are strain now flower freely; they are an immeuse being discarded now that there are sufficient of the superior kinds.
Nepenthes ventricosa, Blanco,-Iu 1893 I was supplied with cuttings from the Philippine To
Islands by Mr. C. Cuudall, of Manila, aud Air. So did answered fight, said the General.
H. Humphreys of Hongkong, of a pitcher plant Josephine, Will you leave Manila?' asked
which were struck and produced pitchers in the General.
1898. "Why should I?' queried
A plant was sent to Kew in 1897 and it Well, said the General, Josephine.
was there found on comparison with dried priests will not leave you alone if you sy specimens to be N. centricosa described by here, and they will bring false evidence against Blanco in 1837. It is a valuable acquisition in I have no power to over-rule theirs. cultivation, and it appears that it had not pro- Then what is the use of the Governor-General?viously been introduced in a living state to pursued our heroine; but the General dis. England, missed the discussion, which embarrassing, and resumed it a few days later by was becoming calling upon her emphatically to quit the colony. At this second interview the General fumed and raged, and our heroine, too, stamped her little foot, and, womaulike, avowed She did not care for him; she was not afraid of him.'
you.
As to the cause of Spain's loss of the Philip camp at Imus. She rep ied fearlessly in the pines, Mr. Foreman supports the popular opinion violence afforded by her sex and foreign affirmative, and relying on the security from in ascribing it to the unjust rule of the friars. In the early part of the present century depn-nationality, there passed between her and the ties from the Philippines attended the Cortes Governor-General an amusing and piquant at Madrid, but in 1837 their exclusion, as well colloquy. What did you go to Imus for?' as the government of the Ultramarine Provinces inquired the General. What did you go
rejoined Josephine." by special laws, was voted. The revolutionary government established after the deposition of Queen Isabella II. in 1868 caused an assembly of reformists to be established in Manila.
Its members were persons born in the Islands, and they had the power to vote reforms for the Colony, subject to the ratification of the Met ropolitan (fovernment. But monastic influ- ence prevailed; the reforms voted were never carried into effect, and long before the Bour bon restoration took place the Philippine Assembly had ceased to exist. But the mother country, which had spontaneously given to the Filipinos a taste of political equality, again sought to yoke them to the old tutelage. It was an impossible idea. Alternate political progress and retrogressiou in the Peninsula cast their reflex on this colony, but the first sparks of liberty had been gratuitously struok which neither reaction in the Peninsula nor persecution in the colony itself could totally extinguish. No native, at that period, dreamed of absolute independence, but the few who had been taught by their masters to hope for equal laws became a thorn in the side ef the monastic orders, Ouly as their were opened to liberty did they feel the want
of it."
eyes
The aspirations for liberty thus brought into the real Government of the country, with the existence were opposed by the religious orders,
it was temerity boru of inexperience, for one
word of command from the General could bave seut ber the way many others had gone, to an unrevealed fate. Thus matters waxed bot bo. tween her defiance and his forbearance, until visions of tortars--thumbscrews and bastinado passed so vividly before her eyes that she yielded, as individual force must, to the collec.
tive
power which rules supreme, and reluctantly 1897, in the steamer Yuensang, for a safer rest- consented to leave the Philippine shores in May,
ing-place on the British soil of Hongkong." It is not stated who reported the interview. quite correspond with the above, haps the Governor-General's version might not
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Lautanu sp. var. Drap d'or.—This is a dwarf variety with beautiful bright-yellow flowers obtained from Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Chel- ser.
It thrives well here and is a nseful addition. Derria Fordíî, Oliver.—When this flowered last year it was a picture of beauty; the colours of the flowers, which were produced in the greatest profusion, are white and red.
The plant was discovered by myself on the Lionchao river in the Kwangtung province in 1887, and then introduced to Hongkong It is well worth cultivating in tropical countries.
Rourea santaloides, W. & Arn.-This is lovely plaut when in bloom, which when culti- rated as in these gardens is immensely improved in the quantity of flowers it bears to any wild specimens I have seen of it. It is indigenons to this islaud.
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Rhodoleia Championi, Hook.-Until last year it was not known that this beautiful tree existed in a wild state in any part of the world with
the exception of four trees on one of the he