September 30, 1899.]
CANTON NOTES.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
On Wednesday Consul-General Wildman received a telegram from New York notifying him of the arrival of Admiral Dewey.
[FROM THE CHUNG NGOI BAN PO Kang Yi. the Grand Commissioner, has sug- gested to the merchant of the seventy-two guilds that each guild should contribute a sum of money to the Government equal to the amount paid by them annually as lekin taxes. He says that the Government could thus get a sum of 3,700,000 taels against 2,000,000 taels collected by the lekin stations, and that the Government would have no expense in keep ing the lekin officers, as all the likin stations could be abolished. He says that the ex- pense of maintaining the lekin officers amounts to 800,000 taels annually. The merchants of the seventy-two guilds held a meeting the other day to consider the question in the Kwang Chai charitable institution. They opposed the sug- gestion, saying that it is very difficult for them to ascertain the exact amount of goods sold by different shops, so that it is impossible to get them to pay a fair proportion of the sum to be paid to the Government. A merchant has taken this opportunity to ask the Grand Commissioner to be allowed to farm out the lekin taxes on pay-apprehension was issned. ment of the same amount mentioned by the Grand Commissioner, namely, Tls. 3,700.000 sn- nually. His application is under consideration. Kang Yi is now squeezing all the officials, high and low, civil and military. He compels all the officers to pay a certain sum of money to the Government annually, according to the estimated emoluments of their posts. The Salt Commissioner is required to pay $30,000 an- nnally, three Prefects and nine Magistrates are to pay $20,000 each, and all the other officers are to pay two-thirds of their extra income.
The appointment of Mr. E. R. Hallifax to be Police Magistrate and Justice of the Peace in the New Territory is gazetted.
There were 2,100 visitors to the City Hall Museum last week, of whom 198 were En- ropeans.
In addition to plague the only case of infec- tious disease reported last week was one of enteric fever.
It is notified that pending examination of the Peak gun the usual signal for mail steamers will be discontinued.
The new Assistant Harbour Master, Mr. B. R. Hamilton Taylor, arrived by the Java on the 22nd September.
A merchant has sent an application to Kang Yi asking to be allowed to light all the streets and roads with the electric light throughout the whole of Canton. The expenses are to be defrayed by levying two months' house-rent upon the houses, the landlord and the tenant each paying one balf of the sum levied.
On the night of 14th inst. a big fire occurred in a baker's shop at Tsesangbu, in Namhoi district. The people in the house were at the time busily engaged in making moon cakes. The fire broke out at 9 p.m. and was not sub- dued till 1 a.m., by which time fifty-one houses had been utterly destroyed. Fortunately there were some soldiers encamping in the neighbour- hood who voluntarily helped to get the fire under control, otherwise the destruction of pro- perty might have been even more extensive. Bome loss of life is reported.
THE PLAGUE.
During the week ended 23rd September there were 16 cases of plague and 16 deaths.
During the present week there has only been one case and one death, and it is hoped that the visitation is over for the present sézson.
The total number of cases since January is 1,468 and the deaths 1,411.
HONGKONG.
The American Board Mission Chapel has been licensed for the celebration of marriages
The death rate last month was, for the British and Foreign community, 18.8, and for the Chinese community, 22.6.
The accountant of the man who was sentenced to six months' imprisonment by the Actind Chief Justice in the trade mark case should have appeared at the Police Court on the 22ng September to answer to a similar charge. He, however, did not appear, and his bail of $300 was ordered to be estreated and a warrant for his
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the Magistr
A number of summonses for 1 limewash houses were heard on Wednesday, A fine of $10 respect of each house..............
The sailing vessel Waratah was offered for sale by public anotion on Thursday by Messrs. Hughes and Hough and was bought by Mr. Hall,, of Messrs. Geo. R. Stevens & Co., for $520.
On the night of 21st September a little Chinese girl was going down Pottinger Street carrying a lighted lamp when she fell and set fire to her. clothing. She was so severely injured that she died soon afterwards.
On Tuesday afternoon the floor of the cook. house at No. 118, Wellington Street, gaveɛm. and set fire to some material below. Two mes were injured-one by burning-and were taken- to the Hospital. The fire was extinguished by, the police before much damage was done,
arrived on Wednesday by the Kwangles, of the C H.E. Tak Son, Governor designate of Canton M. 8. N. Co., His Excellency at once transhipped to the gunboat Teanlo, which left immediate-i ly for Canton. It is said that His Excellency will take over the seal on the 29th instant.acade
Thursday was the birthday of their moet Faith Dr. Lowson gave evidence at the Magistracy ful Majesties the King and Queen of Portugal. on Thursday at an enquiry held in respect to a The members of the Club Lusitano held a dance Chinaman found dead in Pohang Street on the 22nd inst. He said death was caused by hemorr.versary and the Club house was as usual illumTM
on Wednesday night in celebration of the añui- hage in the abdomen caused by a ruptured inated. The dance was held on Wednesday in spleen. There were no external marks of violence. consequence of the Band of the Hongkong Regi. An Indian constable gave evidence as to the ment being engaged to play elsewhere on finding of the body, and Inspector Macnab gave Thursday night. evidence as to receiving the body at the station. There was no clue as to identification. The man might have fallen down the steps. The enquiry was adjoured for further enquiries.
The annual meeting of the Hongkong St. Andrew's Society was held on Tuesday after noon. Captain G, C. Anderson, Vice-Pre- sidant, presided, in the absence of Mr. J. J. Bell Irving, who resigned the office of President on his departure from the colony in May last. Captain Anderson was elected President for the ensuing year, Hon. T. H. Whitehead Vice- President, Mr. D. R. Crawford Hon. Treasurer, and Mr. D. Wood Hon. Secretary, The ballot for the Committee resulted in the election of Mr. G. Murray Bain, Mr. J. C. Peter. Dr. Rennie, and Mr. J. MoKie. It was decided to celebrate St. Andrew's Day by a Ball.
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Four lots of Crown land were sold on Monday afternoon by Mr. G. J. W. King. Kowloon marine lots Nos. 52 and 53, situated in Kowloon Bay, near Hok Un, containing to- gether 226,450 square ft., the annual rent being $1,300, were bought by Mr. W. 8. Bailey for $22,660, being 820) above the upset price, Kow. loon inland lot No. 915, situated at Taikoktsui, and containing 4.035 square ft. annual rent $28, was bought by Messrs. Arnhold, Karberg & Co. for $1,040, being $20 above the upset price. Rural building lot No. 100, on Barker Road, containing 30,000 square feet, anupal for $3,620, $20 above the upset price. rent $178, was bought by Mr. C. L. Gorham
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We understand that no reply has yet been re- ties at home by H.E. General Gascoigne of the ceived to the offer made by wire to the authori services of a couple of officers and about 50 meng- connected with the Hongkong Volunteer Corpe for the Transvaal. It is hardly likely that the offer will be accepted, though the spirit which⠀⠀ actuated it cannot fail to be appreciated at home. The ball was set rolling by Captain Potte, whose appeal for volunteers met with an immediate re- sponse.
pertz had before him a Chinese confectioner At the Magistracy on Saturday Mr. Gom- from Aberdeen who was charged with the das tardly offence of throwing vitriol at a sampan woman. It seems that on Thursday evening. the defendant, as was his wont, went to visit the woman, and when some distance away he noticed her talking to another man. His jeal- ousy being at once aroused he returned to his shop for a bottle of vitriol, and threw the con- tents over the woman. Through the latter jumping into the water immediately her in juries were not so seriona as they might, baroɛ. been. The occurrence was reported to the police and Sergeant Langley arrested the man. The defendant was committed for trial.
MISCELLANEOUS.
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In a fire which occurred in some Chinese houses in Shantung Road, Shanghai, on the 20th September two children were burnt to death.
A telegram from New York published by the Shogyo Shimpo says that the cotton crop in yield will be only 681 per cent. of the average, the United States is bad this year, and that the Prices are rising rapidly.
A cricket match was played at Kobe on the 18th September between the Kobe Cricket Club and the Fleet, which was then visiting the port. Kobe's score was 173 and the Fleet
97.
At the Magistracy on Thursday afternoon an❘ enquiry was held into the circumstances con. nected with the death of the Chinese woman Hongkong. A Chinese woman deposed to find. who was found banging in a pig-stye at Little ing deceased hanging from a beam. She called out to another woman and they out the body down, but life was then extinct. Deceased's husband was sick in bed at the time. He was hanged herself because her husband was ill, the witness's son. She thought her daughter-in-law family poor, and about $100 owing for rent.
The American transport Garonne, from Beat- There was no swelling ou the deceased's neck,. Atle for Manila, arrived at Kobe on 14th inst. day or two before her death she appeared to be She is a vessel of 4,00) tons and is under the in her right state of mind. They had not had any command of Captain C. G. Conrad. She car- auy of her neighbours died of plague this year. other death in her household recently, nor had ries 387 horses and 74 cavalrymen. The vessel
was to remain a week at Kobe. The Kobe Her The deceased had not complained to her of being unwell but she complained to other people some examination, aid he came to the conclusion that time ago. Dr. Lowson, who made a post mortem the immediate cause
The prospectus of the Shanghai Pulp & Paper from strangulation. In addition there was a
of death was asphyxia Co., Limited, has been published. The capital will be Tls. 450,000 in 4,500 shares of Tl. 100 considerably inflamed gland on the right side each, of which 1,250 are offered for public sub- of the neck, and another elsewhere, both having scription. Messrs. J. P. Bisset & Co., in their the typical appearance of pirgne glands. He share report dated: Shanghai, 18th September, thought at the time that the woman had been say works of this kind are successful in Japan, or the Chi- suffering from plague, but from the evidence and there is no reason why they should not he had heard he now did not think she was anoceed at Shanghai. The former attempt to verdict to the effect that the deceased committed establish a paper mill failed through want of suicide by hanging was returned.
money to complete the works.
correspondent writes from the Peak:- "This morning (Tues-lay) about half-past six o'clock I witnessed a most interesting sight. The olonds were hanging low and inky over the sea. and from them streamed waterspout falling into the ses some ten or a dozen miles (I should estimate) behind Lamma Island, It was a broad round column with a smaller one adjunct to it, and looked at through a glass appeared like a dark column of water. I wonder if any of your other readers observed this spectacle."
The water police made another extensive seisure of arms on Saturday night and Sunday morning, when they raided a couple of junks as they were leaving the harbour, and got hold of *96 rifles, 40 revolvers, 14,000 rounds of ammuni- tion, and 700 boxes of percussion caps. The e mussle-loaders but are quite now, being evidently specially made nese market. Four men were arrested and they be brought up at the Magistracy to-da
rifies are
old says, the horses were to be fed on the
banks of the Minatogawa or on the vacant lot near the Shinkwa, Hiogo.