August 19, 1899.]
in the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Cor *poration in the name of the Jubiles Committee, and be disbursed by them after paying for the
-
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
The Hon. E. R. BELIL108 said he would like The Hon Họ Kâr said the resolution ex- to know if the Executive Committee had o con- pressly mentioned Kennedytown. He was one sidered the extension of the colony and whether in consequence of t extension set outwards. sooner or later the fortifications w
would not be
mittee were concerned they were in a measure The CHAIRMAN said that as far as the com- bound by the resolution he had read to them and on which resolution the money was collect two legal luminaries on the Executive Com- ed, the committes being trustees. They had mittee, and these gentlemen quite agreed with the views he had enunciated.
of the legal members of the Executive Commit- tee, and it was his opinion, and also that of Mr. Francis, Q.C., that they were bound by the resolution. They could make modification but not a departure.
some slight The resolution was passed unanimously. Gray were elected to fill vacancies.
The Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD and Mr. R. M. Executive Committee.
stood that the communication to the Secretary The CHAIRMAN observed that it was' under- of State for the Colonies would be sent through His Excellency the Governor,
1
what had been done by the Executive Committee The Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD proposed that
The Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD The "Com- be confirmed and that the General Commit-mittee will of course explicitly inform, the tee record their appreciation of and thanks Secretary of State for the Colonies of the con- for these services of the Exeative Committee,ditions on which the money was subscribed. (Hear hear.) It was impossible to deviate
The CHAIRMAN—Oh yes, we must give the from the original conditions on which the whole history. money was subscribed.
Mr. FUNG WAH CHUNG, in seconding,
said he collected funds from the Chinese on the
promise that the road from Kennedytown to Aberdeen would be undertaken.
The motion was carried.
This was all the business the CHAIRMAN TO- marking as the meeting broke up that he under-
stood that the resolution which had been passed
authorised the committee to go on with the Hospital at once.
REPORTED ANNEXATION OF SAN-
CHAU ISLAND BY FRANCES
A remarkable statement is made by, the Ms- cao paper Lusitano. Our contemporary has for some time past been agitating for a territorial extension of the colony of Macao, and it has another article on the subject in its issue of the 13th August. In the course of this article reference is made to the approach of England and France to Portuguese ter ritory.
CA
local celebrations--one-half towards the erection of the hospital for women and children and the training of nurses and the other half towards the construction of the first section of the carriage road from Keunedytown to Aber- deen which the Government undertakes to commence forthwith and to carry on the re- maining portion of the road until completed." The next communication received from the Government was a letter from the Colonial Secretary dated 7th December, 1898, enolosing an extract from a letter of General Black's, addressed to His Excellency the Governor, which reads as follows:"In answer to your Excellency's letter of the 30th ultimo, No. 94/G, I have the honour to state that the alopes of Mount Davis between Sandy Bay and Kennedytown are so steep and rugged that no formed body of soldiers could move along them at night. (2) If a broad level road were con- structed from Sandy Bay to Kennedytown, & force landed under cover of darkness anywhere between these points could move easily and rapidly to the latter place. (3) I am, therefore, of opinion that it is unadvisable on military Mr. THURBURN thought the question now grounds to give an enemy an easier method of came, What is the committee to do? access to the town of Victoria. (4) I have seen
The Government had decided-and he thought the it stated that a small fort or work might be present Governor had no option in the mat- built to defend the road, and that the fire ter-not to allow the road from Kennedytown from Belobers Battery would sweep it and to Aberdeen to be made on account of military would answer that the small garrison of objections. He thought the way in which the Hongkong cannot afford to detach men to Government as administered by General Black defend yet another work, and that during had treated the Jubilee Committee had been of darkness the fire from Belchers would be
such a nature that it deserved to be made of little avail.” A reply to this was sent public. The discussion as to what was to be in the beginning of January, adhering to done with the Jubilee money was carried the position formerly taken up by the Commit- tee, and pointing out that the Government had months in the papers as well
on in the most public way for several undertaken, with the approbation of the Secret- General Black himself
as privately. ary of State for the Colonies, and without ob- Finally the road from Kennedytown was de made suggestions, jection on the part of the military authorities, cided upon with the full approval of the to commence the road forthwith and to carry
Government, the Committee had no intention en the remaining portion of it until Completed whatever, of merely relieving the Public Works The letter concluded by expressing the Com- Department of part of their ordinary burdens mittee's earnest hope that the promise of the. of road making, they knew that the Govern- Government would be kept and the work com-
ment of its own accord would never make this menced at once. And here I wish to tell you particular road, therefore this road was decided that the members of the Executive Committee
on as a Jubilee Road and money was subsoribed have been unanimous in their action with regard to this matter. The reply of the Gov-eral Black never said one word about military ou this understanding. During this time Gen- ernment is dated the 20th February last and is objections, and the consent of the Government
The island whose name..our contemporary
· as, follows :—"I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 6th ultimo, General Black's presence. It was not until is called in the "China Pilot Sanghan, and of was obtained, the opening stone being laid in gives as Samchao is apparently the same that relative to the Victoria Jubilee Road, and to later on when he became Governor that he which the following description is given in state for the information of the Jubilee Com- tried to get the money to go on with the road that work: "Sanchan, which forms the mittee that the question of the construction of in another part of the colony, and it was only west side to the entrance the Broad- the proposed first section of the road from Kennedytown round Mount Davis has been re-
on finding that he could not get the money for way, is the next large island north-eastward ported upon by General Black and General Gas-objections. He thought also that before he went
this purpose that he brought up these military of Tylou Island, and its south-east point bears W. by N. 15 miles from the Little Ladrone. soigne, who are both opposed to it on military
The space between Sanchan and Tylon is shoal, grounds, and that His Excellency the Governor
with some islets and rocks adjoining the north- would not therefore feel justified in approving
east end of the latter. The depths decrease of it at present. It it a matter of regret to His
gradually off Sanchau, but it is not so bold to Excellency that the military objections were not
approach as the islands to the westward, for pointed out to your Committee. when the con- struction of this section of the road was first
soundings of 3 to 4 fathoms extend a consider- - able distance from it; nearly touching its east -proposed." A further letter has since been
point is a conical islet and some rocks, with 3 received from the Government requesting that - a sum of $1,886.26, expended in connection with
fathoms close to." the survey of the road from Government moneys may be refunded from the Jubilee Fund. The Government were then requested to state whether the whole of the sum men: tioned was for the Mount Davis section of the road, and, if not, what proportion of the sum was chargeable in respect of it. To this & reply has been received from the Colonial Secretary, dated the 11th inst., as follows:-" la reply to your letter of the 25th ultimo, I am directed to state for the information of the Jubilee Com-
mittee that it is not possible to state what propor- tion of the amount was expended on the section of the road round Mount Davies, as the work was done as a whole. The section referred to must, however, on account of the rugged and difficult nature of the ground, have cost considerably more than any other equal portion of the pro- posed road." That gentlemen, is all that I can tatell you with regard to the road. That is the 1 position the Executive Committee you appointed › have taken up, and we should like to hear what you, have to say with regard to the matter, 6de and what you propose should be done in the
future.
away he left a communication for his successor in which he made strong representation, against the road from Kennedytown being made, on military grounds. No one could be surprised that when the new General arrived here he would not care to disagree with his predeces. sor in a matter of this sort. It was hardly to be expected he would. He would have been in
he thought the one thing for the committee to a very awkward position had he done so, and do was to report the whole thing to the Secre- tary of State for the Colonies; to state exactly what General Black did, and to request the Secretary of State for the Colonies to consider the question with the advice of other military experts besides General Black. He would like to put this in a form of a motion.
The Hon. Wei AYUK seconded.
The Hon. E. R. BELILIOS-And supposing the Secretary of State says no, shall we be bound as to the carrying out of this scheme?
The CHAIRMAN said that as far as they knew, from the legal luminaries on the Executive Committee, they could not use the money for any other purpose than that men. tioned in the resolation. They had heard Mr. Fung. Wai Chung, who was the honorary treasurer for the Chinese subsoriptions and collected large sums of money, that he collected most of the money on the promise that it would be partly for the road in question.
Mr. CRAWFCED asked if it was absolutely inpossible to use the money if the scheme was slightly modified.
England," says our contemporary, " some months ago extended its colony of Hongkong, taking in Lantao, which is within sight of Macao and absolutely dominates this city on the east. France occupied, also some months ago, the is land of Samchao, as a declaration of a right to the territory to the west when the Gomes,
Partit
and more than once gunboat has traversed the waters West River, in whose month the city; of Macao is situated, apparently to effectively affirm French influence in the zone patrolled,
to safeguard." where France has, or pretends to have, interests
If France has really occupied this island the fact is one of importance to Hongkong, for it means that this Colony's trade with the West River will have to pass immediately by a French settlement, from which it might at any time be intercepted or attacked. If the occu- pation has actually taken place it is presumably as yet only nominal, for if there had been any active exercise of territorial rights the matter
could hardly have been kept se quiet as it seems
to have been.
Ld., it is reported, has secured the contract The Shanghai Engineering & Dook Co., for the building of a steamer 230ft. long by 35ft. beam to the order of the Standard Oil Com.
pany. She will be engaged on the Yangtase in the carriage of case kerosine. The game Com- pany has the order for the construction of the Waterworks in Shanghai native city. The bulk of the plant has been ordered from through the agency of Messrs. Arnhold,” berg and Co., and the works are to pleted within twelve months-N C* Didy News.