October 28, 1899.}
CHINA OVERLAND TRALE REPORT.
first, as an indication to any possibly tillery was no doubt extensively used, but unfriendly Power that assistance can- the picking off of officers can only be due that be sent to the rebel State from to efficient practice with the rifle.
not
95
The telegrama we publish to-day are not altogether reassuring as to the position in North Natal. The earlier telegram, con- tradicted by the later, states that the British made a brilliant sortie from Glencoe, The use of the word "sortie implies that the British are in a state of siege there. This impression is not removed by the second telegram, which states that large columns of the enemy are advancing on Dundee and the British are falling back on Glencoe, also that the enemy are in a large numerical superiority. It
would seem therefore that a small British force has been caught by a larger force of the enemy in an unfavourable position and is in some danger of being surrounded and altogether out off.
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
855
On Thursday afternoon a meeting of the Hongkong Legislative Council was held in the Council Chamber at the Government Offices, there being present :——
His EXCELLENCY the GOVERNOR (Sir Henry Blake, G.C.M.G.).
C.M.G. (Commanding the Troops).
His EXCELLENCY Major-General GASCỦIGNE
Hon. J. H. STEWART LOCKHART, C.M.G., Colonial Secretary
Hon. H. E. POLLOCK (Acting Attorney- General).
Hon. R. MURRAY RUMSEY (Harbour Master). Hon. F. H. MAY, C.M.G. (Captain Super- intendent of Police).
Hon. A. M. THOMSON (Colonial Treasurer). Hon. R. D. ORMSBY (Director of Public Works).
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI.
Hon. T. H WHITEHEAD.
Hon. E. R. BELILIOS, C.M.G.
Hon. WEI A YUK.
Hon. J. J. KESWICK,
Mr. R. F. JOHNSTON (Acting Clerk of Coun- cils).
REPORT OF THE FINANCE Committee, The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table
the report of the Finance Committee (No. 6) and moved its adoption.
•
The COLONAL TREASURER Seconded, and the motion was carried.
REPORT OF THE PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE. The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS laid on
point, and also to arrange for the tak- ing over of Delagon Bay itself should the report prove correct that Portugal has con- sented to lease it. In any case, however, there appears not the remotest likelihood of any foreign intervention between Great Britain and the Boers. An understanding on South African questions exists with Ger- many, and no other Power could claim that its interests are in any way touched. France and Russia would no doubt he pleased to see a blow struck at British interests, but neither singly nor conjointly are they likely to try to strike the blow them selves at the present juncture. Russia's great desire at the moment is to remain at peace, and should she take advantage of the Transvaal crisis to further her own ends it would rather be in the direction of trying
At this distance and with the meagre to push her designs in the Far East n intelligence available it is not easy to form little more vigorously than by any direct any very clear opinion of the probable plan interference with British movements. of campaign, but it seems not unlikely that it France on her part is not likely to tempt will be found necessary to conquer the Orange Providence by trying a fall with Great Bri- Free State before direct operations against tain, though in the present unhappy tem- the Transvaal can be effectively undertaken. per of our neighbours across the Chan- Had the Orange Free State remained loyal nel there is no saying with certainty what large British forces could at once have they might not do. Should France be ill-been sent to meet the Transvaal forces both advised enough to interfere it would afford on the Natal border and the Rhodesian an opportunity of settling all outstanding border. But the Orange Free State has questions with that country. But, as noted thrown in its lot with the enemy, and the the table the report of the Public Works Com- in the last issue of the Navy League Orange Free State commands the left flank|mittee (No. 3). Journal, French naval critics have been of a British army marching from the Natal taking a great deal of interest in the sum- base towards the Transvaal and the right mer manœuvres of the British fleet. They flank of an army marching from Cape "note with some degree of envy and sur- Colony. To render the communications prize that, without withdrawing any of secure, therefore, it will be necessary to "her ships from other stations, Britain has occupy and disarm the Orange Free State, "been able to send out to the Channel a and until this is accomplished the British, "fleet at once more numerous and more we should imagine, will remain on the de- powerful than the navy of any other sea fensive in North Natal and on the Rhode "Power; and besides all that, the manovres sian border. When the Orange Free "ure on a plan which the French naval State is occupied the British will have "critics think they can plainly see proceeds three separate railway routes by which on the assumption that there is war be to send troops into the Transvaal, "tween France and Britain. They may be namely, the Ñatal Railway on the cast, wrong in that assumption, but the fact the Rhodesian Railway on the left, and remains all the same that this summer the Free State Railway in the centre. "the French naval authorities have not The Glencoe and Elandslaagie engagements, "considered it expedient to have any naval severe as they have been, will, we imagine, nanouvres at all, and the record of the ouly be counted as affairs of outposts or ships that upon trial have failed to come feints when the complete history of the up to contract speed can be anything but campaign comes to be written. The real "pleasant reading to the French naval British attack will be delivered from an- "chiefs. It is perhaps not a matter for other quarter. When the first news of the "much regret that the French critics view Glencoe affair was received we entertained "with some surprise the ease with which a some hope that it might cause the enemy to "fleet of 118 vessels, 18 of which are battle- waver and afford an opportunity to the British to pursue their advantage, but it would seem that the Boers have concen- trated a large proportion of their forces in that neighbourhood, with the intention of making it the principal seat of the campaign. They will probably find that in so doing they have committed a tactical mistake and wasted their strength.
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ships and 40 armed cruisers, were mobi- "lised in twenty-four hours." A fleet able to make such a showing affords a very good guarantee against France or any other Power attempting to interfere be tween Great Britain and her subject States.
KANG YL-WEI
REFUSED PERMISSION TO LAND IN JAPAN.
COMING TO HONGKONG.
[Daily Press, 26th October.] The large proportion of British officers killed and wounded in the recent actions with the Boers shows that the enemy have not lost their skill as marksmen. It had been reported, and by people who ought to know, that the Boers were no longer the excellent shots they were twenty years ago, but when we find that the proportion of officers hit is one to every six men, as happened at Glencoe and Elandslaagte, we are compelled to the conclusion that the report is unwarranted. The shooting of the British army has of mission to land. late years shown á great improvement and we can only hope that the standard to which it has attained is high enough to place our men on an equality with the enemy in this respect In the actions recently fought ar-
[SPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE "DAILY PRESS."]
KCEE, 26th October. Kang Ya-wei arrived from Vancouver by the C. P. R. steamer Empress of India.
The Japanese Authorities refused him per-
He proceeds to Hongkong.
The Oriental Electrical Co., Shanghai, are about to obtain the franchise for the lighting of the British Settlement, Hankow,
FINANCIAL MINUTE. The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table Financial Minute No. 19, and moved that it be referred to the Finance Committee.
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded and the
motion was carried.
QUESTIONS.
The Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-I rise to ask the questions of which I have previously given notice.
The questions were as follow :-
Secretary lay on the table a statement of the (1.)—Will, the Honourable the Colonial revised Estimate of Revenue to be received from the New Territory for the year 1899, if any, and 1900 separately, and give the principal sources from which same is to be derived and
how collected ?
(2).--Will the Honourable the Colonial Trea- surer lay upon the table a statement showing and exchange compensation for the years 1895, the total cost of personal emoluments, pensions, 1896, 1897, and 1898 separately, similar to that laid before the Council dated 3rd December, 1895.
(8).—Will the Honourable the Colonial Trea- aurer lay upon the table a statement shewing the total Military Expenditure and Contribution for Barrack Services and Defence Works se-
parately for the last ten years, ending 31st De- comber, 1898.
(4).—Will the Honourable the Colonial Tres- surer lay upon the table a statement showing the total revenue and expenditure of the Post Offos Department separately for the last ten years, ending 31st December, 1898.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-In reply to the first question of the honourable member. I beg to answer as follows :--
It is not possible to give accurate figures at present regarding the revenue which will be collected this year from the Now Territory. As soon as the Government is in possession of the actual figures they will be pablished. As to the year 1900, the amount of revenue which it is estimated will be derived from the New Territory is given in the Estimates as $100,000. The revenue in the New Territory will be collected at one or two centres by the staff of the Colonial Treasurer.
The COLONAL TREASURER-In reply to the second, third, and fourth questions, I have by your Excellency's direction laid the statements asked for on the table, but I may say that there has been a mistake in the statement of the ex« penditure of the Post Offices for the year 1889 and 1890,