Page
THE
Hongkong Weekly Press
VOL. XLX.J
AND
China Overland Trade Report.
CONTENTS.
HONGKONG, SATURDAY, 30TH DECEMBER, 1899.
Epitome of the Week, &o.................................................................................525 Leading Articles:-
Monopolies and the Inland Navigation Rules.... 526 Li Hung-chang and the Canton Viceroyalty......526 Russian Policy in the North..............
Hongkong Legislative Council,...
..527 ....527
Quail and the Game Preservation: awS
The Arms and Ammunition Bill
Hongkong Sanitary Board..
Mėjo -General Lawton killed at San Mateo
Ro-opening of Philippine Ports
Towing Concession between Canton and Wuchow
Amateur Dramatic Club's Performance
Christmas Concert at the Government Civil Hospital
Disastrous Fire at West Point
The Patriotic Football Match
Prize Distribution at the Belilios Public School, Presentation of the Regatta Prizes The P. & O. Pocket Book... Football Notes Golf....
....527 29
..531
631
..532 ...5*2 ..532 „.512 ..633
....513
.533 ..634 .535 ..635
...... 35
..636 ..537
The Hongkong High-level Tramwayɛ Co., Limited ...535 The Ewo Cotton Spinning and Weaving Co., Limited 530 The Punjom Mining Co., Limited British and Chinese Corporation Shanghai Volunteers for the Transvaal Hongkong and Port Newa...........
Shipping
MARRIAGES.
..537
..537 538 .......59
On the 18th December, 1899, at the Cathedral, Shanghai, by the Rev. H. C. Hodges, M.A., EDGAR TILDEN MONROE VAN BERGEN, son of E. VAN BERGEN, M.A., of Niagara, U.S.A., to CATHERINE ETHEL, eldest daughter of Fdney PAGE, of Shanghai.
On the 19th December, 1:99, at the Cathedral, Shanghai, by the Rev. H. C. Hodges, M.A., PERCY LONSDALE MCALL, B.A., M.B., Ch. B., of the Lon- don Mission, Hankow, son of the late Rev. Robert
MCALL, to WINIFRED, daughter of the late Horatio BATEMAN, Esq, of Redhill, Surrey.
On the 22nd December, 1899, at the Synagogue Beth El, Shanghai, by the Rev. J. Sudka, DAVID, 8 coud on of M. GOLDMAN, of Japan, to CLARA, eldest daughter of Alexander SEREBRENIK of Odessa {Ku-sia).
ARRIVALS OF MAILS.
The decision of the Appellate Court of New York in the Bank of China case is not final, and the Bank is appealing to the Supreme Court of the United States.
We hear it is not improbable that British North Borneo may have to ask for military assistance from the garrison of Hongkong for the suppression of the Mat Salleh rising.
H.E. Tan, the retiring Viceroy of the Two Kwang, left Canton on Saturday. Pending the arrival of H.E. Li Hung-chang Governor Tak will act as Viceroy, bis appointment dating from the 23rd.
Rear Admiral Bruce, Rear-Admiral Fitz- gerald's relief, arrived on Saturday by the P. & O. steamer Massilia. Admiral Fitzgerald left for home on Saturday by the O. & O.
steamer Doric.
A London telegram to the Daily Press states that A Bill has been introduced in the United States Congress authorising the appointment of a Commission to report on the industrial condi- tion of China and Japan.
The German gunboat Secalder arrived at Singapore from Colombo on the 16th inst The Seealder is of 1,640 tons, 2,800 horse power,
8 guns, and carries 161 crew. She was expected to depart for Macassar on the 21st inst.
The Osaka Shoshon Kaisha is petitioning for subsidies amounting to 520,00 yen annually for extended services on the Yangtsze and the coast of China, and proposes to spend 700.000 yen for building godowns at the various China port.
No. 27.
The prospectus has been issued at Shanghai of the China Telephone Co., Limited, a Com. pany about to be formed to obtain the thirty years' franchise offered by the Municipal Council of Shanghai for working a telephone exchange. The proposed capital is Tis. 150,000 divided into 3,000 shares of Tls. 50 each.
The revenue-farming system in Java has long come in for increasing adverse criticism, both there and in Holland. The anti-opium agitators in Holland joined in the cry on the ground that the consumption of opium should be restricted. The immense profits of the farmers gave additional ground of offence. It these profits for the benefit of the Trea- was urged that Government should seize upon sury. The Government was at length swayed to order a trial of substituting the farm. ing system by official management of opium sales. The innovation Was tested and Government management is now enforced in several provinces in Java. The revenue results have given satisfaction, and smokers are pleased because they now get the drug of good quality, and cheaper than in the days of the farmers. The result is that consumers can now, so to speak, get twice the quantity of the drug for the same amount of money they used to spend. That journal wonders what the anti- opium agitators will say to this.
Kweichow received at Shanghai states that the An official telegram from the Governor of
insurgents in that province, under the leader. ship of a notorious character named Ch'eu Li-ch 'uen-who is alleged to have been connected with the murder of the Rev. M. Fleming-having been The Chinese Authorities have granted to a joined by a large body of Hunan malcontents Native Company called the Shun On what from Hengshan, under a bandit named Chang practically amounts to a monopoly of the tow-Sheng, at first defeated the troops sent against ing business between Wachow and Canton, contrary to the spirit of the Inland Waters Navigation Regulations.
A serious fire occurred at Hongkong on the night of the 22nd instant, by which three Chinese Godowns at West Point were destroyed. The damage to buildings and contents amounts to about $1,000,000, most of which is covered by insurance.
The English mail of the 24th November arrived, per P. & O. steamer Massilia, on the 23rd December (29 days); the American
A report appears in the Japanese papers to the effect that recently the British Government mail of the 25th November arrived, per T. Kapplied to the London office of the Nippon K. steamer Nippon Maru, on the 25th Decem. ber (30 days); the Canadian mail of the 4th December arrived, per C. P. R. steamer Empress of China, on the 27th December (23 days); and the German mail of the 27th November arrived, per N. D. L. steamer Karlsruhe, on the 28th December (31 days),
EPITOMÉ OF THE WEEK.
The Hongkong South African Fand amounted at the date of the last published list to over $74,000. It is expected to reach $100,000.
Lieut. T. D. Jackson, King's Own Regt., has taken up the duties of A.D.C. to His Honour Bir A. Swettenham, Acting Governor of the Straits Settlements.
The London correspondent of the Daily Press wires that Russian reinforcements con- tinue
to
be despatched to the East. The Odessa correspondent of the Times doubts whether the field hospital staff that has been sent out is intended as alleget to combat the plague in Manchuria,
Ynsen Kaisha to charter some steamers (as transports). refused, as the Nippon Yusen Kaisha had first The application was, however,
to obtain permission from the Japanese Govern.
ment.
Telegrams were received at Shanghai on the 22nd inst from Peking stating that H.E. Li Hang-chang would probably leave the Capital on the 23rd or 24th for the South, changing steamers at Shanghai for his new post at Can- ton. H E. has had two audiences of the Em- press Dowager since his appointment of acting Viceroy of the Two Kwang provinces on the 16th instant.
them, but that when the Kweichow troops had been reinforced by a contingent from Huuan the numbers of the opposing forces were more equalised. There were several trial skirmishes in which the Imperial troops were invariably successful and then on the 18th December it was decided to attack the insurgents in force. The battle lasted six hours, resulting in the defeat of the latter and the capture of the Kweichow leader Ch'en, while it is known that Chang Sheng, the Hunan bandit, was carried off the field badly wounded.-N. C. Daily
Newa
heng on the charge of conceding 100 much to The impeachment of Marshal Su by Li Ping
the French at Kwangohauwan has resulted in the Marshal's being deprived of bis Grand Commissionership and his army corps command at Tsingkiaugpu, pending investigation. It will be remembered that being a persma grata with the French, he was sent down with plentry power to settle the French demands, but even so when the French demanded Natao Island he The Tsungli Yamen having been informed by wired to the Empress Dowager for instructions.
the Chinese Minister at Paris that the French Government meant business, Marshal Su was From the report of the meeting of the Ewo instructed to do whatever was necessary to pre. Cotton Spinning and Weaving Co., Limited, vent the Freuch going to war. The only course reprinted in another column, it will be seen that open to the Marshal was to concede what France the Chairman suggests that the Chinese Govern-demanded. Now the high authorities at Poking ment should throw over free trade and accord | being afraid of the obloquy wh'ob another cess. protection to the locally manufactured cotton ion of territory will bring upon them have made as against imports from England, India, etc. Marshal - their scapegoat; bat if the country Thus is British trade promoted by British generally passes over the matter, the Marshal merchants in China and the 'open door" will probably be reinstated after a short interv«l. maintained!
N. C. Daily News,
14