June 28, 1900.]
st that port they will probably proceed there, and it is quite possible that they may not wait for disturbances to begin, but may go as a pre- cautionary measure, and as we have no ships sufficient to protect foreign interests, it would 'be a perfectly reasonable course to adopt. But what a frightful humiliation it will be if British interests on the Yangtze have to look to Russian ships for protection. The Viceroys on the Yangtze, who ought to have had the strongest moral support from the British Government for years past, as well as the certainty of material support from a very powerful ship always close at hand, have been utterly neglected, and the crisis which has been so plainly and rapidly ap- proaching finds the British Government just as completely unprepared for protecting British interests in China as it was last October in regard to British interests in South Africa: and just as ignorant of the real political posi- tion of affairs in this country as it was in regard to those in South Africa.”
THE EMBARKATION OF THE NORTH CHINA FIELD FORCE.
SOME POINTS FOR CONSIDERATION.
For the conveyance of the native portion of the force-Asiatic Artillery and Hongkong Regiment - the Hinsqng of 2,412 gross, 1,536 net tonnage, 248 nominal horse power, built in 1890 and belonging to Messrs. Jardine, Matheson and Co., was chartered. Why the Hinsang was selected is 'somewhat of a mystery; judging from what the G. O. C. said in a public place, viz., that the Hinsang would start at 5 p.m. on the 14th, ready or not ready, the authorities considered that it was important to get the troops away with the utmost despatch; yet when the Hinsang was taken up there were in the harbour, so ship brokers say, four or five other vessels of from two to five knots greater speed open to charter, and of these several are to a non- professional eye more convenient and commo- dious in every respect.
To fit any ship for the reception of troops an immense deal of work has to be done, and the ac- comodation to be provided varies greatly with the charter of the troops carried: the Atting required for British troops are not suitable for Indian troops and when Indian troops are embarked, care has to be taken to make provision to meet the various requirements of the different religions, castes or nationalities of the men composing the force. In this case the Hinsang had to be fitted with a new wooden main deck, and provision had to be made for carrying both Sikhs and Mahomedans.
noti-
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
officials
are frequently mentioned as being in charge, called Embarkation Officers" and they are spoken of as trained men and their work commended for the smoothness and rapidity with which it was done. It must be presumed from the absence of any like official on Tuesday that Hongkong is too small a place to have on the permanent staff any man to take up this important duty on among the many capable officers who were an emergency, but working on board the Hinsang, some of whom apparently had had previous experience of like work, one might have been put in command and the irritating friction and delay inseparable from the absence of definite orders and constituted authority might have been avoided.
To get the work done expeditiously it would seem obvious that the Dook-Yard Officials, on whom the carrying out of the alterations devolved, should be fied at the earliest possible date of the nature of the force to be carried, but on the Hinsang a considerable amount of work towards fitting her to take British troops had been actually put in before orders were given that she was to carry Indian troops only and in con- sequence much gear had to be torn out and work undone.
431
the sea. He remonstrated with him, whereupon passage, and taking up his mat, threw it int gave him two kicks in the side. He did not strike the foreigner. The remanded the case for the actor to find security to keep the peace.
A MAGISTERIAL ERROR,
* magistratë
2
The late acting Magistrate Wong Kee Hang, of the Sun Ning district, was old and weak. At who seemed to have a great influence over him, the persuasion of his son-in-law Pan Yam and whose palms were itching for bribes as much Hin,
grave error of releasing over 30 rebels and as any of his yamen runners', he fell into the Society men from gaol, where they were lately Triad imprisoned for disturbances. These men upon It is impossible to say whether with proper their release from gaol rejoined their associates, organisation the ship could have been got away and resumed their former career of robbing and by the time named, but the fact remains that plundering, and killed a few detectives. Where- she did not go then and that the troops which upon the gentry and elders of the district, for had been ordered to embark at 4 p.m. had fear that the disturbance would go on increasing, to return to barracks. The Asiatic Artillery came to Canton, and presented a petition to the had been out in camp at Devil's Peak and had prefect She, who by order of the Viceroy imine- struck their camp in the morning. Presum-diately despatched gunboats and soldiers with ably room was made for them in the other men's barracks, for otherwise they must have passed a singularily uncomfortable night, as, though at 4 p.m. embarkation was ordered for 10 p.m., it was again postponed to 6 a.m. next morning. tremendous downpour of rain which deluged What happened at 6 a.m. was veiled in the the colony on the 15th inst. but this much is certain, that the Hinsang did not leave her moorings till after mid-day and even then had to go without 200 men of the Hongkong regiment for whom room could not be found.
CANTON.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
Canton, 16th June.
orders to make arrests.
BOXER RUMOURS IN CANTON.
true, that in Canton as well as elsewhere there There are rumours, which may or may not be are Boxers who are gathering those bad charao- join them to carry out their evil purposes. It ters, of whom there are so many ready to is stated that in Kwangtung as well as in the province of Kwangsi there are secret societies; hundred thousand persons scattered over a large under different names, numbering over a few area; but for want of money and sufficient ammunition, and a good headman to lead them, they for the present remain in hiding. Although there is no immediate fear here, still the mandarins are on the alert, and if I can glean any further particulars I shall let you know.
THE STATE OF THE STREETS. As one goes into the city of Canton one can- sufficiently wide to allow two chairs to pass, wet not help noticing that the streets are only just
decayed vegetable matter and broken tiles in and dirty, and blocked with heaps of rubbish, every nook and corner; and if one does not lose one's way and stray into a locality full of take a chair or a guide one will probably plagues, and if one gets puzzled, and happens to ask one of the celestials the way to Shameen, the latter will very likely point out, with a grin foreigner, to a direction that leads to another on his face as a sign of politeness to oblige a
Magistrates, by order of the prefect She, have labyrinth. So the Nam Hoi and Pan Yü jointly issued a notification which says: "As the of the atmosphere it might to some extent plague is a disease caused by the corrupt state be abated by human exertions; so, as a sanitary measure to preserve the health and lives of be kept clean and free from bad smells and our people, it is necessary that the places should
The late magistrates have frequently issued accumulations of dirt and decayed matter.
but the people paid no regard to them and still orders to have the streets kept strictly clean,
heaps of broken tiles and dirt in the streets continue their habitual practice of storing
in summer, is injurious to health. So it is and lanes, the exhalation wherefrom, especially necessary that the headmen and tipaos of every street should take immediate steps to raise a subscription among the shops and private houses, and employ coolies and scavengers to they shall be severely reprimanded. Let every remove them. Failing to carry out this order one tremble and obey."
The scene on board on Tuesday afternoon was one of indescribable confusion; on the main deck and elsewhere were swarms of Dockyard hands working, and working hard too; alongside were lighters and pontoons with stores, ammu- nition, guns and equipment; lounging on deck and below were dozens of able-bodied coolies, 'occasionally doing a turn of work, but more usually not; in various parts of the ship might be found officers, Naval and Military endeavouring to get stores, &c., and to reduce chaos to order. But what struck the casual bserver most forcibly was that there was no one charge, no head, no central authority. Not once but many times con- versations like the following might have been nay were overheard. Said one harrassed officer to another harrassed officer, "How is so and so to be done ?" " I don't know, it is not my job." "I know that and it is not mine either, but we must get it done." Then they would go and do It. So the work was done after a fashion, but It meant delay, confusion, inefficient, stowing, Toss of stores and loss of temper.
In the reports in the home papers of the em. barkation of troops and stores for South Africa
ACTORS IN TROUBLE.
|
A SUCCESSFUL BAID.
ing about one hundred girls, besides male and houses of ill-fame standing in one row, contain- In the suburb of See Ui city there were nine
evening about 80 pirates, well-dressed, and in the female servants. On the 27th of last month in the guise of merchants, went in, as though to seek signal, they produced revolvers and swords, and entertainment. Then, firing a revolver shot as a
and servants into a room in each house and over awing and forcing the masters, mistresses, looking them up, succeeded in carrying off 57 by steam-launch. of the unfortunate girls and taking them away
took passage on board the 8.8. Honan to go to On the morning of the 11th inst. some actors Hongkong to perform, taking with them a large quantity of luggage and boxes, and as usual occupying more space than they ought to; 80 them. From words they came to blows, The one of the guards on board remonstrated with guard was wounded in the head, and four actors Two more were subsequently arrested and brought were arrested and taken to Hongkong for trial.
Nam Hoi Magistrate to be tried; one turned out before the BritishConsulhere, who sent them to the to be a military man arrested by mistake, and the other was an actor. The latter deposed that he happened to put his mat in the passage where scolded him because he was obstructing the some cargo was passing, that a foreigner
ANOTHER PIRACY CASE.
started from Canton for Waichow with a nam- On the 10th inst, a steam-launch, Kwong Yik,
three merchants who had lately returned from ber of passengers on board, among whom were California, and who had taken with them some luggage, valuable clothing, and money to go Shek Lung a number of pirates on board rose home with. When the launch reached
"tak," and, brandishing their swords and re- from among the passengers, and shouting out
of the three merchant-passengers, and then volvers, proceeded first to ransack the luggage
senger that of the rest. Just at that time a pas-
and her crew returned the compliment. They pass by the pirates opened fire on Her, boat from Waiohow happened to
kept on fighting for some time, until at last the boat was defeated, her captain being killed and several sailors wounded. The pirates then rushed on board and took whatever they could plunder that they had made they next attacked lay their hands on. Not satisfied with the another boat that was passing by laden with a
pirates she got scared and turned back. cargo of dried shrimps. A mandarin cruiser was coming from a distance, but on seeing the
:
THE DEPARTURE OF LI HUNG-CHANG
16
[FROM THE CHỌN NGÔI SAN RO. The merchants and all the citizens at Canton
take steps to suppress the riots in the North, are deeply grieved at the intelligence that H.E.- Li Hung-chang has been ordered to Peking to
viceroys that have ever ruled the province of It is a fact that H.E. is the far best of all the Kwangtung, which suffered much from the oor- rupt administration by the late viceroy, Tan Chung-lin, who was useless and lasy, and whose nick-named the bottomless purse." Owing to h squeezing propensities were such that hạ
his
1