February 17, 1900.J
THE NAVAL YARD EXTENSION.
CONTRACT SECURED BY A LONDON FIRM.
The contract for the extension of the Hong- kong Naval Yard, has, we la ru, been given to a London firm. The proposed extension comprises | the whole area north of the Queen's Road from Murray Pier to Arsenal street and extends sea- wards about 400 feet beyond the line of the new Praya. The works consist of a Tud Basin 84 | acres, with over 2,000 foedof innerand 1,100 feet of outer berthing space; the walls will be straight with 30ft. at low water, so that ships can lie alongside. The War Department will have a large area of ground opposite the Royal En- gineers' Establishment," with bout basin and jotties. There are to be the large worshops for engineering purposes.
The dry dock will be over 6 ft. long and 120ft. wide, stone liued throughout. The works are supposed to be completed in (4 years. Five Eng. lish contractors and one local firin, Méssrs. Leigh and Orauge, were invited to tender for the work. A telegram was received on the 9th iust, that Messrs. Panchard, McTaggart, Lowther & Co., Ld, had obtained the contract at a price of a little less than one million sterling.
NEWS FROM THE P ́ILIPPINES.
[FROM OUR CORE: ESPONDENT,
NT.]
Manila, 9th February.
SUPRISING LOSSER INFLICTED BY LADRONES
AND FILIPINOS, —THE HEMP MARKET. ——
AN AMUSING RACE A MONG HEMP
BUYERS.
It is a strange state of affairs that exists in the Philippines to div. Improven ut is visible in nearly very quirler. Gailgo verameals are rapidly being established in overy town of importance, and garrisons and patrols are in process of extension wherover Americans hold territory, and yet it is an undeniable fact that since January 1st the Iusurgout forces have captured a number of rifles and quantities of ammunition from the Americans almost equall ing the sum total of American cuptures from the Insurgents. Besides this, the casualty rate for the last two weeks will come very close to being heavier than at any other period of the insur- rection, with the exception of the time of the outbreak and the fortui ht beginmag with March 25th. 189. These are hard facts to swallow and somewhat alarming into the bargain.
was
The threatened guerilla warfare that heard of ou every side secins to be a s'eru reality, and parties of fifty or -maller numbers are ambushed and jumped day after day. Supply traius. small escorts and scouting parties are the special objects of attack and the country seems to be full of small ros- ing bands. waiting at every convenient cover until the prey is caught.
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In one
or two instances heavy patrols or strong scouting parties have quickly avenged these raids by setting at immediately and hunting down and killing as many of the maran- ders as possible These lessons have not been forgotten, and in the immediate districts there have been no repetitions of the trouble The authorities are giving the question cousi era lu attention and every effort will be made to insure the public safety, for on this depends the future of the country. Eugland's policy in India is frequently discussed and her swift and severe punishments are looked upon as model pease.
makers.
HEMP.
The hemp market is still unsteady, and until more of the steamers arrive from the recently opened ports all speculation will be uncertain. There has been a grand rush to buy up aud load to Manila with the product that has been accumulating for months in Insurgent territory, and until it arrives and its quality is determined the buyers will be somewhat in the dark.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE report.
sight" to the fabulous sum of $24, regardless of quality, by two inexperienced buyers who were acting for a Manila firm. The two men managed to get ashora. before the others, and i cornered the Chinese hemp seller during the fight. They dragged him out of his hiding place and jammed a contract under his nose. The Chino agreed to sell (9,000 bales, and though he was frightened to death by the bullets that occasionally puuctured his house and godowns. nevertheless he was cute enough to fleece the hasty buyers to the extent of $40,000, The bargain was brought to a sudden conclusion by the rapid approach of an Englishman bout on the same mission. When the Englishman (who, by the way, rushed o er with a bot load of mouey and credentials: arrived in was sump y dumbfounded by the high price offered by his rivals. He knew there was some mistake but he said nothing, and quickly chased up other solers. However they had all heard of the high price being Chi os, the nows spreal quickly; and they rotas-d to sell for one out less. Aud there the markt hangs to-day away beyond reach. Only one elaqsa ser es the Amateur buyers and that was made by the wily Chino him-e f. It is to the set that if ships are not loading the hemp by a c»rtun date the contract is null and void. When the buyers got back to Manila and found the mis. take they had made in not specifying a scale of prices according to grade, they were sadder and w.ser men with $1000 rapidly fading frou sight, but they are saved by the time cause,
The merobaut ships, many of them towing sailing vessels aid schoouurs, foltored along behind the transports, an l as soon as a luding of the troops was offected the vrauta ranať ashore and fought over prices and qualities. Thousands of bales were destroyed by the fires, but immense quantities are still in sight. The market at Tacloban was run up "clean out of
not
Just what the Chino think bus 14 known, but it is cafe to say that ships wed not go to load the $24 heap by the date specified. or any other for that matter.
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7. VISTE OF TIE
DOMA AC,
44
IL T
Writing on the 12th iust., our Mara) carres- pondent states that with the permission of the Governor of Macao, the German gunbo 2 Tita had been engaged tour or five days in taking soundings of the harbour.
Viewed in the light of
recent strie deuts
made in the home press, batu Eugasa and German, respecting the acquirement of Portu- guese colonies, in which Macao was mentioned, ane correspond cat's information of correct important.
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We have, however, male eaquieiss, and is officially and emphaticidly denied that the Dfis on her recent visit to Macao took any soundings. of the harbou or river whatever, beyond those soundings made fran the ship whien ane mavi- gator would be eo upelted to make who desired to conduct satey his ship to the anchorage. No soundings what over were taken from boats. for were the Portugumu authorities approached for permission.
MACAO NOTES.
[FROM OUR CORRESPON EST.]
Mace, 12th February.
ELECTION OF A REPRESENTATIVE TO
PORTUGAL.
1.
Macao and Timor are entitled to send a presentative to the Legistative Assembly in Portugal, and Mr. Falca's term having expired, he yesterday came before the public for res appointment or otherwise The election took
place at 2. Bento (Timor) As on previous occasions, the election aroused very little interest in Macao, which, seeing that Timor has three times as many electors, invartably says "Let
Mr. Falca was re Timor elect a deputy."
elected.
THE GERMAN GUNBOAT
SOUNDINGS.
TAKES
113
replied. The officers came ashore about noon and called on H.E. the Governor. I under- them. stand that the Austrinu Consul accompanied The band of the cruiser played at noon
at the Public Gardens of San r'rancisco.
THE TIEN ISU QUI OF CHINA,
ADDRESS BY MRS, ARCHIBALD LITTLE, On the 14th inst., under the auspices of the Hongkong Odd Volumes Society, Mr. Archibald Gittie delivered a lecture in the City Hall on Footbinding." There was a large attendaner. Luly Blake occupied the chair. Mrs. Little is the Touud r of the Tion Tea Hui (Natural Foot Society) of China and she is visiting the southern ports on behalf of the Society with the object of strengthening the mocément for doing away with the cruel cus- tom with which China is preuliarly identified. From Hongkong Mrs. Little purposes going to Macio and Canton, and thence to Swatow Amoy and Foochow.
"ILTIS
During the lust few days our harbour has been visited by a couple of foreigu men-of-war. On l'hursday week the Gorman ganboit Illis made her app-arance in the inner barbour, and having obtained permission from the Govern- ment was engaged for four or five days taking soundings, the Illis and Ler boats running about
in all directions.
VISIT FROM AN AUSTRIAN CRUISER.
Yesterday an Austrian cruiser saluted the shore, and soon afterwards our shore batteries
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Luty BLAKE said sho had been asked to proxide there that day in order to introduce to them Mrs Littl, thổngh there was little need for her to do so Mrs. Little had alrendy made her unine knowɑ by her writings and her work not only in China but n cou stries far away. It was about a portion of that work that she was good euongh to c vne to address them that opening, a work in which they could all take an intere 1, inasmuch as its object was to abolish antiwensary suffering The Chinese bad proverb, · Every pair of golden lilies costs a jar of tears." i bey all knew how difficult it was tuguniga old customs, not only in China but also. where, but the Chinese were so logical and so rational that there were those who hoped that when the. gat convinced that on are was a bate purge of Wart a woman's foot should man the great tuas. of people in China would follow the example of some of its most distinguished'ten and go in for anti- foot-Muding (Applause.)
Mrs. LITTLE then delivered her address, tenching upon the progress of the society since its formation five years ago down to the present time, and pointing out the method of work adopted. She observed that the mission. aries were working against footbinding long before the Fin Tsu Hui cam • into existence, but it eured to so.eral women who were not unissionaries that this was a good work in which jay people might also join. Mrs Little emphasised fite suffering caused to Chinese girls by foot. binding, and said she could not.see why, if any of them hopp med to hear of any cruel caKO of foot-hinding in Hongkong, they should not prosecute the father and mother of the obild under the low for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. (Hear, bear.) There were peopla there weld qualified to say what the precise law of the colony was on the matter. If there WAS no law for the prevention of cruelty to children in Hongkong she hoped one would be speedily introduced. In conclusion she observed that she was particularly anxi as they should have a branch of the society in Hongkong.
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A hearty vote of thauks v as accorded Mrs. Littig, on the motion of Mr. J. J. FRANCIB, Q C., who remarked that that society was the best means possible for carrying out the objects 10 Vi Laws would not effect any sach hange as Mrs. Lit la was seeking to effect. That change would only be brought about by influencing the minds of the Chinese and so far as his acquaintance with China and the Cimese were concerned, he considered that the society was taking the proper course to do this in appealing to them by means of I terature.
A vote of thanks was accorded Lady Blake for her kindness in presiding, on the motion of the Hou, H. E. POLLOCK, and the meeting separated.
Mr. Gompertz gavo bis decision at the Ma gistracy on the 14 inst. in the case in which Yu Shan Tio and Chan Sg, the former being the manager and the other the keeper of the Chop Yik Godown, who were charged with storing er. plosives in the godown in question. It will be remembered that a disastrous fire took place there in December last, His Worship fined the manager $100 and discharged the godown keeper.
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