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Directors had been able to place before them. He trusted that the past year was only the pre- cursor of many such years to come.
There was no amendment and the motion was declared carried.
The HAIRMAN said the only other business before them was the appointment of an auditor. Mr. W. H. Potts was eligible for re-election and he (the Chairman) moved that he be re- elected for the ensuing year.
Mr. SKINNER seconded. Carried.
This was all the business. It was intimated that dividend warrants would be ready that day,
CANTON.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
Canton, 21st July.
THE DEPARTURE OF LI HUNG-CHANG, On the afternoon of the 16th ult. H.E. the Viceroy Li Hung-chang deputed the prefect She of Kwangchowfu and two commanders of the army to send the Seal of the Viceroyalty, together with an Imperial edict and other offi- cial documents, in a procession preceded by a number of soldiers and runners carrying flags and beating gongs, to the yumen of the provin- cial Governor Tak, appointing him Acting Viceroy of the provinces of Kwangtung and Kwangsi.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[July 28, 1900. for safe keeping, that they might have money | he be decapitated by the Ching Tai. In the to be sent to Hongkong or elsewhere. The meantime the Chinaman of the Consulate it Magistrate of Yeongchow has issued a notifica- still kept by the Namos rowdies. tion to pacify the people and exhort them to be quiet and not be beguiled by any revilers, or let the pawnbrokers take advantage of them.
It is said that many rick people have gone to Hongkong or Macao to invest their money in house property.
A FAMINE IN LINCHOW.
In the department of Linchow, in Kwangtung, there is a famine owing to the scarcity of rice, caused by the flood overflowing the river banks, followed by a great destruction of crops. The natives were reduced to eating grass, roots, and barks of trees, and the robbers of the adjacent villages took the opportunity of falling upon them, and carried away their women and children to sell. The elders of the department came to| Canton, and presented a petition to the Viceroy, asking for succour.
ANTI-MARRIAGE SISTERHOODS.
50
There is a peculiar custom in the villages of Tai Leong and Shun Tak (Kwangtang) which may be well characterised as misanthropical, and is highly deprecated even among the natives. Nearly all the girls there have a habit of swear- ing sisterhood to each other and taking vows of celibacy, looking upon their future husbands as enemies. On the third morning of the wed- ding, which is generally contracted by their parents, they go home, and refuse to return to their husbands again. Some of them will rather pay money to their husbands to buy concu- On the morning of the 17th, shortly after nine a.m., the Committee of the Kwong Chai Hos- bines, and others who are poor and cannot pital, of Shingching, Shutsin and other hos- afford to do prepare to die together, pitals, together with the principal merchants by poison, by throwing themselves into and gentry of Canton, carrying with them the river. by cutting their throats, or by lighted lanterns, painted with large characters hanging themselves, so as to be free from the thraldom of their lords. About the middle Respectfully we detain your Excellency." went to call on the Viceroy in his yamen. They were of this month in the village of Shun ushered into the reception room and seated. Tak a certain Mr. Wong felt restless and His Excellency addressed than, saying that as could not sleep at night, as if some evil omen he was summoned to proceed North on a mis- had taken possession of his mind, so he got up sion of peace he dared not for a moment disobey and, in the small hours of the morning, there the Imperial order. As soon as he had arranged being bright moonlight, went out for a stroll all matters he would return to the South to take to give vont to his pent-up feeling. On reach- up his post; meantime he sincerely wished ing the bank of the river he saw to his surprise that in his absence the merchants and people
a group of six girls crying and holding each here would do their duties as good subjects, and others' hands. The girls on seeing him embrac- pursue their respective callings peacefully. Oned and threw themselves into the river. He departing they bade him boa voyage.
44
Between 10 and 11 a.m. His Excellency and suite arrived at the Government wharf, where a number of mandarins, civil and military, and the soldiers of all the regiments standing in line, were there to receive him. He went into the Yat Kan pavilion where he was entertained with tea and cakes, and after the exchange of a few complimentary words he rose and bade them goodbye, and was carried on board the Auping; his confidential attendants Lao Hok-shun and Wong Chun-shien also went with him to the North.
Canton is quiet, and business is going on the trouble. same as usual, there being no sign of any The Chinese authorities have repeatedly promis- ed and guaranteed the safety of the foreign residents of Shameen and they also say that the soldiery is reliable.
THE IMPORT OF ARMS.
-
By order of the late Viceroy Li Hung-chang a large quantity of arms and ammunitions were shipped by the gunboat Awongkang the other day from Hongkong to Canton, and stored in the ammunition department.
Being short of arms and ammunitions for frontier defence the governor Ting, of Yunnan province, wired to the Viceroy here for a supply of arms; so His Excellency sent by the Magis. trate Yeong 400 Lee Metford quick-firing rifles, and 200,000 cartridges, 1,400 Mauser rifles and 240,000 cartridges.
PRECAUTIONS AND RUMOURS,
Pok Chai Hospital (known by the name of Dr. Kerr's hospital), established by the Ameri- can Mission, has been doing a great deal of good for the natives; consequently by order of the late Viceroy a guard boat is lying opposite it, and guard-house is placed behind for its protec- tion.
In consequence of the wild rumours lately spread by the rogues, vagabonds, and opium smokers in Canton and elsewhere, the rich as well as the middle classes have taken their valuables, such as jadestone ornaments, pearls, diamonds, curios, and valuable silk clothing into the pawnshops and pawned them at cheap rates
ran and tried to catch them, but it was too late. He raised a hue and cry and yelled out "Save life. The neighbours were startled from slumber, and running out from their houses used every possible means to rescue these six foolish and infatuated creatures from their watery grave, and carried them home in a half- dead state.
SWATOW.
[FROM OUR SWATOW CORRESPONDENT.]
A BOXER PLACARD.
:
The Kingsing, which arrived here from New- chwang a few days ago, had on board a mis- sionary and his wife who had escaped -with their lives only, from the interior of New- chwang. They are making a round trip by the Kingsing. The said missionary, who was on shore here, visited the city and saw a placard posted in one of the streets which read that the Europeans will be exterminated on the 1st day of the 8th Moon. This placard is to all appearances the outcome of the Boxer distur bance up North. There is a long time before the 1st day of the 8th moon arrives and I trust by that time everything will be quiet ágain.
KUNG TI GOING 8OUTH.
I hear from a reliable Chinese source that is reported that Kung Yi is going as Li's successor to Canton. Kung Yi is Prince Tuan's confederate and not by any means friend- ly to foreigners.
AN ADDITION AND A CORRECTION.
Later.
I am informed that the German missionary who was attacked in Chowchowfoo, arrived there in a boat from Kiaying, en route for here. It appears that a Chinaman was angling in the river of Chowchowfu, and he accused the boat in which the missionary was of having spoilt his catch, and consequently trouble ensued, during which the missionary was stoned by the Chinese and had his head cut. arrival here the missionary reported the matter to the Consul and to the Tuotai.
Од
Anent the trouble on Namoa Island, I have to correct a mistake which I made, to wit, that the man of the British Consulate is not in the hands of the Namoa rowdies, but is for safety in the Ching Tai's yamen.
CORRESPONDENCE.
[We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents.]
AN APPEAL.
VISIT OF A MAN-OF-WAR. On the 17th instant the U.S.S. Princeton | etc., arrived from Hongkong, but unfortunately left ns again on the 21st for Amoy. After the arrival of the Princeton the German Consul paid his call on board and a salute was fired from the ship, which caused a momentary panic among the crowds of Chinese. As soon as the firing of guns from the Princeton was heard the ignorant classes of Chinese started running about the streets, shouting “ Tchiang, tchiang," by which they meant that Swatow was in distress, being bombarded. Their fear in that respect was very soon allayed when they discovered the true state of affairs. It nevertheless shows what is in the minds of the Chinese.
A MISSIONARY ATTACKED.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS,
St. Peter's Seamen's Church,
Hongkong, 20th July, 1900. SIB, Will you kindly allow me to make an an appeal through your columns for donations of reading matter for the use of sailors visiting this port Magazines, illustrated journals, and newspapers are especially welcome, and will as a rule be new to those to whom they are given. Parcels of literature may be sent to the man- ager of the Star Coffee House, 13, D'Aguilar Street, or to the manager of the Seamen's In- Swatow, 23rd July.stitute, Kowloon.
Thanking you in anticipation, I am, yours
J. H. FRANCE.
LITERATURE FOR THE WOUNDED.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE “DAILY PRESS.
2, Morrison Hill, Hongkong, 23rd July. SIR,-Will you allow me to appeal to the generous people of Hongkong on behalf of our wounded in the North of China? My appeal is for literature. Any thing that will amuse, interest and instruct will be useful. Distinctly religious books and papers will be appreciated. by many. Please send parcels marked "North China Field Force;" and send them to Messrs. A few days ago while a German Missionary Watson & Co., who has kindly consented to re- was leaving Chowchowfu for here, he wasceive such parcels.Yours, etc., attacked by a crowd of rowdies and had his head badly hurt. At the time of writing I could not ascertain as to the cause of the attack on the missionary,
TROUBLE ON NAMOA ISLAND.
I hear that the native Christians there had their houses plundered by the unruly inhabi- tants that abound there in great numbers. The missionaries reported the matter to the British Consul who sent his man and made some strong representations to the Ching Tai of Namos. The outcome of this was that the man of the British Consulate was seized Ly the furious crowd of Namoa, who demanded that"
!
C. BONE, Wesleyan Chaplain.
=
On the 23rd inst., at the offices of the Public Works Department, Mr. G. J. W. King offered for competition three lots of Crown land. Kowloon Marine lot 69, which contains 139,122 square feet, was sold to Mr. A. Shelton Hooper for $45,200 (upset $20,868). Kowloon Marine lot 70 and 71 were bought by MessrS. Denison and Ram. The former, which contains 14,172 feet, fetched $12,240 (upset $2,126) and the latter, which contains 15,263, 812,310 (upset $2,290.)