June 9, 1900.1
(ii) The import of Rice, which had more than doubled in 1898, shows a still further increase.
(iii) A great decrease in the Coal trade re- ported.
(iv) Sugar and Hemp also show a great fall- ing off
Comparing with 1898, we find that the Import Trade has decreased generally. The decrease being fairly evenly distributed among the several classes.
The Transit cargo has decreased. In Exports, although the tonnage cleared has increased by 137,623 tons, yet the number of vessels is less by 7,027, and the Export Cargo has diminished by 91,677 tons.
REVENUE.
The total Revenue collected by the Harbour Department during the year was $190,555.50, being an increase of, $6,927.49 on the previous
year.
1. Light Dues..
9.
Licences and Internal Revenue 3. Fees of Court and Office
Total,
EMIGRATION.
..$52,406.93 39,127.53 99,021.07
$190,555.50
Sixty-one thousand and seventy-five (61,075) Emigrations left Hongkong for various places during the year; of these, 44,358 were carried by British ships, and 16,717 by Foreign ships; 110,448 were reported as having been brought to Hongkong from places to which they had emigrated, and of these, 86,235 were brought in British ships, and 24,213 by. Foreign ships.
SUNDAY CARGO-WORKING.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
A SMART CAPTURE.
Not long ago the assistant compradore of a British steamer Cheong Sha, from Hongkong was kidnapped by pirates who, exacted a ran- som for his deliverance. Upon the requisition of the English Government the Viceroy set nearly all the military officials and soldiers to hunt up this man, and capture the pirates; but with no success for a long time. At last Col. Mo Wing Tai in command of gun-boat Tung E. one of the most ablest and energetic officials in the Chinese navy under H. E. Li Hung Chang, was instructed to help. He went about and discovered the man at Mong-chow near Lappa- Island and brought him back to Canton.
A WEST RIVER FLOOD.
Lately Katon, Lam Kong, Nam Cheong and other districts in the West river being flooded many people were killed or rendered homeless and fields and houses destroyed. H. E. the Viceroy requested the provincial Governor and other officials to issue lists of subscriptions for the relief of the sufferers.
THE CANTON RAILWAY.
Cheong Pat Sz, the chief director of the Can- ton Railway, left Singapore by the German mail on the 25th ult., and will probably come to Can- ton to interview the Viceroy with reference to the construction of the railway here.
THE PLAGUE AT CANTON.
The plague in Canton is said to be growing serious especially at the north gate, so the people were carrying a big joss and playing about a paper lion beating drums and gongs and firing crackers through all the streets to chase away the spirits of plague. There are no official During the year, 233 permits were issued, records kept of the number of deaths daily. under the provisions of the Ordinance; of these, The only place where one can get information is 67 were not availed of owing to its being found from the coffin shops, or from those charit- unnecessary for the ship to work cargo on the free. If a person dies of plague his relatives able institutions where coffins are given away Sunday, and the fee paid for the permit was refunded in each case, and 25 permits were
and friends conceal the truth by telling that issued, free of charge, to Mail steamers.
he has succumbed to forer, &c., to stop the The Revenue collected under this heading landlord or neighbours turning them out of
the house.
was $21,825; this was $4,100 less than in 1898.
GENERAL.
As there appears no immediate prospect of any improvement in the accommodation pro- vided for the work of the Harbour Department I desire to call special attention to the matter.
The present building was first occupied in 1874 or 25 years ago, the staff is practically the same as it was then, the pay taken on a sterling basis is less, and the tonnage has increased from 6,528,000 tons to over 18,000,000 tons.
The present offices are small, badly lighted, badly ventilated and badly arranged, in fact the Harbour Office combines all the disadvantages of which we have frequently heard in connec- tion with the Post Office and the Law Courts; but being at the West end of the town and some- what out of the European business.quarter, it is out of sight and, I fear, out of mind.
As the Post Office of the largest Shipping Port in any British Possession abroad it is, to say the leaat of it, not creditable.
}
CANTON.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
Canton 2nd June, 1900.
A PRIVATE CONDITION.
The pirates of the West river joining the local banditti of the East river are robbing and plundering the inhabitants there so much that the city of Wangchow being hemmed in by them the Governor Wang had to wire frequent- ly to the Viceroy to despatch soldiers and gun- boats to relieve it. The Magistrate of Wackow was instructed to enlist volunteers to protect the locality under his jurisdiction and the Viceroy So Tsee Hee also sent soldiers from Lerng Chow to aid him.
LI HUNG-CHANG AND BRITISH AID.
SWATOW NOTES.
[FROM A CORRESPONDENT.]
Swatow, 1st June.
EDUCATION AT SWATOW.
I visited the T'ung Yun college here a few days ago. It is fairly well housed though there are not rooms enough for all the students. There are about thirty students in attendance all from this prefecture or Kia-ying. Mr. J. Yamashita is the instructor in Japanese and twenty young men are in his classes. Mu-liu is the bead of the school and directs the students in their Chinese studies. Japanese is academies. the only branch not common to all Chinese
Yan
399
which eleven boats participated. This race was sailed on the Queen's Birthday, but was declared by the judge "No Race" owing to the three winning boats not covering the course in the specified time of three hours. The boats that sail- ed in the race were the following: "Ada," Mr. Haesloop, sailed by himself; "Ewo," Jardine, Matheson & Co., sailed by Mr. Lanring, "Fei- lung," Harbour Master, sailed by Mr. Blake; "Inthis," Butterfield and Swire, Mr. Williams; "Lungwang," Assistant, Mr. Lang; "Mabel," British Consular, Mr. Brian; "Oge," Pilot, Mr. O'Sullivan; "Taiying," Commissioner, Mr. Perry; "Tekke," Bradley & Co., Mr. Fer- rier; "Trilby," Pilot, Mr. Pearne; “Uiseng," Doctor, Mr. Olsen.
look at, the boats passed the stake-boat one The start of the race was a pretty sight to after another with only about a few seconds between them. The wind and tide being in favour of the racers there was nothing left to be desired. As is usual in such races acci- dents of various nature occured. The "Mabel," the Consular boat, dismasted and naturally did not finish. The favourite "Tekke" capsized and but for the prompt assistance rendered by ap- proaching sampans, and particularly by Mr. Andrew who cruised about in a steam-launch, grave consequences might have ensued.
The race began at 2 p.m. and finished at about 4 p.m. with the following result. “Ewo" first prize, "Ada" second prize, and Feilung". third prize. The prizes consisted of 70 per cent.. 20 per cent., and 10 per cent of the amount of entrance fees, which were $5 per boat. By a strange coincidence there were no steamers in the stream, which made it far easier for the boats who took part.
throngs of Chinese viewing the race with the ment among the inhabitants, and one could see The Regatta caused quite a stir and excite-
greatest of interest, as did the Europeans— which goes without saying.
The Chinese here do not seem to celebrate the great Dragon Boat Festival in so much pomp as the Chinese in Canton usually do. One also does not see here a race between two Dragon boats, which in itself is very pretty to watch.
MANILA.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT]
'
Manila, 1st June. AGUINALDO'S BODYGUARD PEFEATED-“ EL PRESIDENTE" MAY BE DEAD. Aguinaldo is on the stage again after several weeks of retirement. He is still in the role of fugitive, but the time it is more interesting, as the American troops have been very close to him on several occasions. During the last ten days Major, March, of the 33rd U. S. Volunteers, with a company of the hardiest men in the Hwang Kung-in has returned to Kia-ying regiment, has followed the trail so closely that It is reported that during an interview he had once, when night fell, only seven hours' travel with Li Hrag-chang the latter showed him a separated him from the camping place of Agui- letter he had recently received from Liong Khinaldo's party. Next morning the chase was chow, the refugee editor; also a publication sent out by the Society for the protection of the Emperor, in which Mr. Kweng was mentioned as one among those in sympathy with the ob jects of the society.
THE REFORM MOVEMENT.
renewed, but the men played out during the noon heat, and being without rations and water they were forced to return.
Major March took the footsore fellows back to Bangued, mustered a fresh detachment and Sentiments favourable to reform are frequently struck out for the trail again. Occasional in-. expressed now in Kai-ying br reasons who only formation from friendly natives, combined with a few months ago more distinctly unfriendly to a fairly accurate knowledge of the roads end any real progress. The very active propaganda trails, finally put the men on the right track carried on among the Chinoso emigrants in again, and affer once catching up with the Siam and other places her an affect here. It is insurgents it was a race for life over the rug- reported that vast sums of money have beenged mountains, and into the great Cagayan raised or promisad abroad in suppost of a revo, Intionary merement in case the Emperor is made away with.
A POPULAR OFFICIAL.
Mr. Hinrichs, for some years in charge of the I. C. Post office in Swator, has been promoted to
foreign community in Kis-ying and stations further up country. We found him waiformly obliging and accommodating and sincerely re- gret his departure, though glad it was by way of promotion.
It is stated that H.E. the Governor of Hong-Kinochow. He handlet all the mails for the little kong having graciously offered through the British Consul here to the Viceroy the British Naval force to destroy the West-river pirates, H, E. Li replied that he appreciated very much this kind offer as a token of the friendship which the British Government has always shown to China; that he is doing his best to try and send soldiers and gun-boats to destroy the pirates and robbers; and that if he could do so without putting the British Government to expense it would be better.
[FROM ANOTHER CORRESPONDENT.]
Swatow, 2nd June. SWATOW REGATTA.
Yesterday being the Dragon Boat Festival which is a holiday for the Customs and all the European Hongs, a Sailing Regatta took place,
valley. Somewhere in the valley the enemy escaped and all efforts failed to produce the slightest sign of the direction taken. March continued down the valley to Aparri on the coast, where he is at present, resting his com- mand. He reporte several skirmishes with band of sixty to one hundred mon supposed to be Aguinaldo's bodyguard. In one of the fights, near the little town of Sagad, an insurgent officer was shot from his horso, but his comrades rescued the body. Three natives were killed and two captured besides four ponies and seven rifles! The officer's horse and equipments were captured and it was found that the saddle was a regulation American cavalry model, probably captured from some wounded trooper months ago. The saddle bags were filled with official documents and many personal papers bearing