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fleptember 8,-1900.]
THE N.S.W. NAVAL CONTINGENT. The other day we gave a few particulars regarding the career of Captain Hixson, R. N., who now commands the New South Wales Naval Contingent in the North, and inasmuch as the appearance of the Colonials here has aroused considerable interest, a few particulars concerning the history of the Naval Brigade, taken from the Sydney Mail of August 11th, may not be uninteresting.
{{CHINA! OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
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murderous fury by the commands of their¡ large party of English Baptist srid C. I. M. superiors. Towards the end of the next day missionaries. They had travelled from Shansi the soldiers appeared, and publicly aimed with little trouble. In places where trouble and blows at him with their fists, sticks, and incivility were expected, they continued their bamboos, till he fell exhausted, and was dragged journey unmolested. from the prison to the street like a vanquished Honchonhden, not fifty miles above Hankow, Not till they reached bull from the arena. There in the blazing sundid they meet with serious 'abuse" or threa he was left for a few hours, when the soldiery Here their "cards were presented to the lekin took him among other prisoners down the river station for permit to pass, “and* in a boat. When they reached Lan Chan Fu, with threatened decapitation of their The Brigade was enrolled in 1863, shortly the Magistrate in whose charge they were and instead of the usual quick access," thér- Bonds after Captain Hixson relinquished has connec-placed, behaved very kindly to the colporteur, were detained and stamped, "The Consul “will tion with the Navy, and he was appointed to and at once ordered the chains to be taken from doubtless see that such treatment is not repeated. command the force, and has been its popular his neck and legs, and his wounds bound up. head ever since. The first muster was on Flag. There he was attended to for some little time end of the month,
"H. M. S. Pique was still at Hankow at the staff Hill, when the force only numbered 20 till he was able to be sent to his home. men. Small as the beginning was, it soon gained in strength. The membership increased year by year until the Russian scare of a few years ago, when it numbered over 600,
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In the year 1886 the Naval Artillery Volun- teor Company was placed under Captain Hix <son's command. This corps had been formed for the purpose of manning H.M.8. Wolterine. At that time the vessel was taken periodically for short trips to ses. While under Captain Hixson's command complimentary reports from several of the Admirals on the station from time to time as to the general efficiency of the brigade wire received. The vessel on becoming obsolete was sold out of the service.
The combined naval forces under the captain's command number between 500 and 600 men, and they are universally popular.
The command of the force in China devolves on Lieutenant Gillespie, R.N., of HMS. Mildura. At Hongkong Captain "Hixson was to report the arrival of the N.S.W. contingent to the senior officer on the station' Sub Lieutenants 8. Lambton, N.B., and J. G., Lindeman, N.B., go with the contingent as special service officers.
Among the officers in the brigade are three of Captain Hixson's sons, two of whom have been appointed to the commands of the companies. Another of the captain's sons is in command of the naval force at Bundaberg, Queensland. Each of these officers joined the ranks as a junior and has worked his way up by steady application and-study.
The strength is 216, to which a stretcher bearer company of 16 and a party of marines 25 strong have been added.
It has been decided to make an advance of one month's pay to each man, so that some pro- vision will be made for their wives or families. The rate of pay is understood to be 78. 6d. per day.
PERSECUTION ON THE WEST RIVER.
Another case of bitter persecution and torture has just reached us from the West River. In the little village of Ping-Nam, lying close to the banks of the river, there resided up till a few weeks ago quite a large number of native Christians. They pursued their various callings generally unmolested, although at times they met with the jibes and jeers of those who came into the village from the neighbouring towns to sell their wares or otherwise to carry out their business transactions. To these taunts they paid no heed, and consequently disregarded the daily increasing hostile attitude shown to them by the soldiery as well as civilians. Among these native Christians was a man of middle age who was a colporteur for the American Bible Society, and who made constant journeys to the neighbouring towns and villages to sell his books. He happened to be on one of his tours last month when the authorities of Kwangsi received that imperating death bearing call from Peking of "Down with the Foreigner." He went on his way unheeding the enraged people till he reached Hing-Yan Fu, where he was immediately set upon, his books taken from him and burnt before his eyes, his money and clothes stolen, and the entter torn to pieces, while he was booed till blood flowed profusely from his lacerated flesh. He managed, after a severe struggle; to get away from his torturers and ran almost nude to the Yamen for assistance. Instead of that, however, he was stones formally charged with an offence against the law, bound in heavy chains, beaten by a sort of rattan across the legs till he could scarcely stand, and then hurled into prison to the immense delight of the basembled mob, -fired “in to
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NEWCHWANG.
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AWEIHAIWEI.
The NC. "Daily News correspondent writes:----
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Further particulars, as 'détailed by an eye-¡ witness of the attack on 'Newchwang on the 4th alt. (of which we have already published a brief changed the aspect of things in Weihkrwei. The events of "the past few wooks? have account), show that the Boxers and the soldiery On the mainland the Chinese Regiment "has were kept at the houses and courtyards of the disappeared, leaving behind it empty barr mandarins and leading merchants until they could and quarters, with a slowly growing detachm be reinforced sufficiently in their own opinion of recruits. For a few days "one of the now to make a successful onslaught upon the foreign- empty buildings was occupied by a company of ers in the town and beyond. In this they were the 24th Punjab Infantry, Humbering between altogether disappointed, for it was early in the sixty and seventy men. Later these men were morning when the alarm was raised, and by replaced by ninety odd men of the 1st. Madras dawn every one was on the qui vive. Messrs. Pioneers. From Flagstaff the 'Marines have Butterfield and Swire's assistants, Messrs. Edgar gone to join the Naval Brigade with the and West, were aroused, and Mr. Lister gave the Peking Relief Force, a few Tridians taking alarm to the Russian consulate. Thus fully alive their place. On "the Taland, on the other to the situation they "stood by" to await develop-hand, all is stir and bustle. The naval people ments. It was fully a quarter past seven before have taken the iron pier' in3 hand, and are deck the Boxers started to move inwards, and amid ́ing it with timber. Divers are busily engaged the waving of swords (with which alone they removing the remains of öld frondlids from were armed) swept on towards the barrier the immediate neighbourhood, so that trans- on the Bund opposite Mr. Edgar's former bow- ports and store "skips of deep draft may come ling alley. There they made a determined stand alongside. This work was started by Admiral until they were compelled to beat a retreat Seymour on his return from Tientsin. before the fully armed volunteers, whose shots and pities something had not been done "estlier were sure and had a telling effect upon the remark that applies to many things in Wei- enemy. Their leaders were the first to fall, | ́haiwei "besides the fier. and that disheartened them, causing them on that part of the Island under 'exclusively **To the "chtwärd, to flee in all directions. The Russian sailors military control, a new stone pier to give a joined in the defence, and they, with the volun-depth of three of four feet at low water is ra- teers, saved the situation. The Russian gun-pidly approaching completion. This is intend- boat fired over the city, and at the retreating ed to facilitate the landing of stores for the use soldiers as they ran beyond' the mud wall over of the land forces. "To the east of the town on the open plain. Then both Boxers and soldiers the Island and to the west of the East Villa made for the forts, and a great slaughter followed; is a great camp, canvas on every "hand. the Russian shells meeting them and burst- ing between their ranks simply played sad havoc with them. It was towards the end of the battle that the British, and other allied troops, ettered Newchwang, but beyond the pursuit of a few stragglers there was practically nothing to be done but await a second attack. That however never came, and the enemy has not been seen since for miles round. It has been estimated that there were eleven Boxers killed and 50 wounded. The Boxer leader was handed over to the Russians. who had him shot by a firing party in the usual way. A somewhat amusing story is told of a volunteer who was attired in side arms, and who was seated on the barrier above mentioned, with six others not so armed, just as the enemy was approaching. them," cried he, and they all rose to fall in Let us charge and bayonet line when to their intense dismay and amuse- ment found they were without side-arms.
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HANKOW.
WOMEN AND CHILDREN LEAVE "PEKING.
Press telegraphs on the 29th it. —
The Tokyo correspondent of the Nagasaki
The wives of the diplomats and all the Women and children who were besigged in Peking" tre on their way to Tientsin, escorted by a bódy of Japanese 'marines. From the latter port, the [Japanese] refugees will be conveyed to Japan in a transport or a cruiser.
MORE MISSIONARIES FROM: SHANSI.
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The following has been receiving from Ham- kow: Yesterday, the 28th, the following CI:M. missionaries arrived at Hankow from and Mrs. A. Latley, Mr and Mrs. «HCH. Pingyangfu, travelling through Homan-skär. Dreyer, Misses J.F. Hoskyn, A. «Hoskyng E÷C. Johnson, E. French, E. Gauntlett, E. Hipps, R. Palmer, and K. Rasmussen. /TMMrhadd÷Mrs. Lutley's two children died during the journey."
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Hankow is reported quiet again, in spite of the efforts of scaremongers. The execution of the reformers by order of Chang Chih-tung about a very genuine grievance. A1 letter to him A correspondent in the northWrites" to us occasioned a large crop of rumours, but nothing from Shanghai reached Tientsin after 47 days; further has come of the matter so far. The another from Taku to Tientsin (28/milles) took 19 folly of the sensationalists is strongly com- days; and his own letters to the south for the mented on by a correspondent of the N.-C. most part have never reached the addressees at Daily News, who writes from Hankow on the all. The truth is," he says, “the people on 28rd ult." It takes but one word of idle, the American and English war vessels have alarming rumour to frighten the Chinese. The treated our mails with contempt and with the well-disposed and well-ordered amongst them grossest carelessness. *"Wardroom'õfficers have look to us for example,” and what wonder is it privately confessed to the opening of letter that they get alarmed? And once frightened, but whether this was in the exercise of mik it is hard to knock the idea of fear out of their censorship I«do not know. "Such "would heads. Britishers have little to be proud of in their probable defenes if their conduo China just now. It was they who started the impugned." Correspondents' letters Wênchow and Chungking cowardly scuttle and direct to Headquarters 'or given to the hasty and ill-timed flight of the British officers, he continues, have "fared" women and children from the Yangtze ports, than those treated in the ordinarPY WAY Ladies of other nationalities are living quietly fest means of conveying letters is to at the various ports. Comment is needless." them to the German or Japanions port Another correspondent reports the safe arrival | There is certainly something in 'this- on the 22nd at the Olins Inland Mission of s'' which requires explanation.
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