$36
close
trailing smoke and--in-a a few minutes was to black-painted steamer, her lights again lit and her decks orowded with men. McCarthy called away a boat with an armed crew and prepared to board. As he left the Mindoro's side a voice from the stranger called in good English-" Are you an Ameri- ean ship McCarthy, not wishing to give his enemy the advantage of any information concerning his identity, especially when one third of his available fighting force were an easy mark in an open bost, replied, "I will speak with you when I board you." As the naval offloer approached the steamer the same question was again shouted to him and he answered it as he had done the first time.
ม
MoCarthy mounted the stranger's gangway, and on reaching the deck he noticed they crowded with frightened and astonished Filipinos. Tell the captain of this ship that I want to see him on the bridge at once," ordered the American officer, and he moved forward over the deck. At this moment a man in pyjamas overtook him and introduced 'himself as Major Whitely, of the sixteenth. I am Ensign McCarthy, commanding the U.S. Gunboat Mindoro," answered the naval Ofcer," I am very glad to meet you,'sir."
| THE EXPLANATION,
pro-
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
his coinmand and offen to Major-General McArthur, this morning. All day yesterday the new staff, just returned from an inspection tour among the southern islands, were busy warming up their new chairs and arranging their desks. After several months of life in the Malolos Valley the change to Manila, the Luneta, white clothes and social life is very welcome. Their duties will be hard and tedions, but by the time the U.S. Commission reaches here, the ordinary routine should be well under way.
Yesterday Generals Bates, Bell and Funston were in town and paid their respects to their departing commander.
The principal work of the last month has been in the line of preparation for the change that was made to-day. Otis is a scrupulously care ful man, and every department of his vast army and Civil Administration is always complete and reported right up to the last act, so on this score practically nothing was required. The compiling of the criminal code, which is to go into operation on the 16th inst., is a long step in the right direction and will remain as one of the best acts of Otis's regime.
In view of the fast approaching rainy season the quartermaster and commissary departments have been worked to their limits in order to lay in supplies. At the present date all posts which are not available by water are stooked with four months' provisions and plenty of ammunition to last through a siege of months.
During the last two years there have been many mistakes and some of them are unpardon- able, but an unprejudiced view of the whole situation cannot fail to impress one with the strength and wisdom of the Otis administration. General McArthur is a man of great ability and though trained in a severe school, he is young enough and sufficiently energetic to be able to rise and meet any emergency that may come before him. What is more, he is enthusiast tic and has great faith in the future of the Philippines. Everyone looks for great improve- mente ander the new commander.
Otis's worst enemies will admit that he was capable of immense labour and that he had the brain to direct this energy on profitable lines, but still the comparison may be made in all fair Buss-we have had an honest governor, now we shall have an able one,
CANTON,
[From our corRESPONDENT.]
Major Whitely, Ensign McCarthy and the Spanish Captain of the Compania Mari. itimas steamer Tarlac then proceeded to the bridge and the incomprehensible matter was explained. The ship Tarlac had left Laoag on the west coast for Aparri on the north; she had on board fifty Filipinos for the latter port, seren American soldiers, and Major Whitely, who had been bat ten days in the islands and was joining his regiment at Aparri. Before the Tarlac left Laoag, Major Whitely heard a story to the effect that the fifty Filipinos contemplated mutiny and the capture of the steamer. The Filipinos on board were acting with men on the coast, who at a certain point were to board the Tarlac from an armed raft and help the matineers. So Major Whitely was very careful and watched closely for the mised raft. When the Mindoro was sighted she was mistaken for the raft and Whitely told the Captainof the Tarlas to steam away. This was done. Later it occured to the Major that it would be a good plan to ram the raft, sink it and drown the enemy, The Spanish captain declined to attempt this, giving as his resson that no raft could steam eight knots an hour and fire shells from a six-pounder, and thất he was not going to try to ram an American gunbest. This did not convince Major Whitely, who, as an American army officer on a
THE LEKIN MONOPOLY. chartered transport, was in command of that The monopoly of the Lekin taxes is going to vessel, and by virtue of this authority he be an accomplished fact, as the seventy-two guilds made the Spanish captain contiune his fight have through their representatives on the 2nd from the supposed raft until after the eighth inst. paid up the last instalment of 300,000 taels, shot from the Mindoro. This was the explana- making the total up to one million taals. The tion of the Tarlac's curious behaviour. Ensign Provincial Judge and Treasurer interviewed the MoCarthy explained to Major Whitely that merchants in the office of the Lekin Bureau, the Filipinos had no vessels or boats in which and informed them that their petition would be they could venture an attack by sea and oor-forwarded to the Viceroy, asking for a notifica tainly no six-pounder rapid-fire cannon, and he │tion to be issued so as to enable them to work warned the Spanish captain that in future it the monopoly as soon as possible. would be safer to heave to when ordered so to do by any craft on the high seas. To which the captain shrugged his shoulders and pointed to Major Whitely." And now may I enquire why three shots were fired at us ?" asked Ensign Mc- Carthy. I ordered a soldier to fire them." answered Major Whitely, "thinking you were this raft 1 have been speaking about."
Very well, sir, that is sufficient," answered Ensign McCarthy, and he bade them good night, expressed his regret at having inter. rapted their journey, and was rowed back to the
Mindoro.
While Ensign Mocarthy was on board the Tarlac, Cadet Weichert, second in command of the Mindore, had all guns trained on the stranger and was ready for action should occasion demand. A few words from Ensign McCarthy explained the situation to the still expectant and hopeful men on the Mindoro and then the gunboat steamed away to further months of vigilant watching.
MANILA, 5th May, 1900. MOARTHUR ASSUMES COMMAND OF THE PHILIPPINES OTIS RETURNS TO AMERICA.
Governor General Otis formally transferre
Canton, 5th May.
LI'S FAMILY.
The family of H.E. Li Hang-chang arrived on the 4.h inst. from Peking by the Chins merchant steamer Fushun, gunboats and wei- yuins having previously been despatched to Hongkong to receive and convey them.
· LAO HOK-SHUN,
|
Lao Hok-shan is not yet well, his wound having become inflamed, and the bullet is sup: posed to be somewhere in his body. H.E, Li Hung-chang ordered twenty soldiers to beat hik residence and a guardboat stationed at the en trance of the creek to his house to protect him. The mandarin Yeong in charge of the guardboat and the Inspector Lo in charge of the Saikwan district, who have been ordered by Li Hung-chang to find and arrest the intending aasasin within a limited time, have petitioned the Viceroy that as the orims was committed on the steamer wharf, which is an er the jurisdiction of the Chief of the water police, he too ought to be ordered to produce the culprit.
“NEW COINS;
【May 12, 1900.
Lus, aged
A PORTUGUESE DROWNED A Portuguese, Joaquim 26, was drowned while bathing in the canal of Shameen on the 3rd inst., the night being dark and the current strong. Every possible effort was made to save him by his friends and compatriots, but he was too far gone. There superstition among the boat people in Cantor
still mor so that whenever a Chiness or s foreigner has fallen into the water, they will not save him, for fear of water spirits. The great drawback in Shameen is that the bands on the French and English concessions are open and not protected by any parapets or railings, which a source of danger in the darkness of the night. Last year a Chinese constable on duty walked straight over the bund, and was drowned. The deceased Joaquim Maria de Luz was a single man, and without money. The residents of Shameen were gener. ous enough to come forward and offer their assistance towards defraying the expenses of the funeral; but as his employers have under- taken to do so themselves the generosity, which was deserving of high appreciation amongst so small a community here, was not made use of.
L
THE PLAGUE.
Canton will soon have copper coins of various denominations from five cash up to twenty cash in circulation, as H.E. Li han despatched officials to Japan to buy copper and machinery to coin it.
It is reported that the village of Bai-chiu is infected with plague, and that a great number of people are dying daily, all coffins being sold up there. The patients generally have succumbed to its attack within three days. In Tongülan over ten people died in a day. In the city many deaths have occurred, the majority being Manohus and bannermon. Somewhere near the east gate a family of seven died in one day— father, mother, three sons and two daughters. The steamer Taion, en her arrival from Hong. kong on Tuedaday morning, the 1st inst., had two Chinese passengers die on board on her way to Canton. Taking the percentage of the whole population of Canton into account the plague hero is not so bad as at Hongkong and Macao,
TROUBLESOME COREANS. Some few days ago it was rumoured that two Europeans were wearing the cangue at the door of the Nam Hoi Magistratie's yamen.
was made in Shameen who t
the Enquiry
to
two Europeans were but nobody knew them, Ultimately it turned out that they were two Coreans dressed in European clothes who have been for some time in Canton or travelling about One day, being ha.f tipsy, they went to the Kwang Nga College. It is said that they broke the door and wanted to force an entrance. The doorkeeper raised an alarm, and they were col· lared by the mob and taken to the Magistrate's yamen. The mandarin ordered than to be put in the cangue.
CORRESPONDENCE.
¡We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expresseil by our correspondents.]
MISSIONARIES IN CHINA.
露
"
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS, Kiaying, 30th April. SIR, My attention had only just been called to the malignant and slanderous statement in the Weekly Press of March 10th, p. 171, with regard to missionaries. From a letter which you characterise merely as "interesting your quote without disclaimer this amazing assertion- Many missionaries, under pretext of preaching Christianity, come to China to buy properties, to trade, to excite disorders, to make money, and to gain political influence." That is, many missionaries are hypocrites who, wishing to buy properties," "to trade,” "to make money," "" to excite disorders," and "to gain political influence," deliberately make a cloak of their calling and pretend to come ent to preach Christianity. What a preposterous statement! The mind that could entertain such a suspicion must be warped and biased to singular degree. The writer of course has a right to his own opinion, but the quotation is so made as to give some ground for the idea that it expresses the editorial mind. I am loth-
believe that this is the case, for the editorials I have read are not the expression of a narrow and prejudiced mind as far as I can judge.
·
If there are such hyocritical adventurers in the missionary ranks I abould like to know it, and