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THE NEW ROYAL NAVAL CANTEEN.
PENING BY MRS. POWELL.
Nos. 1 and 2, Blue Buildings, Praya East, which have been fitted up as the new Royal Naval Canteen, were formally opened on Thurs day evening by Mrs. Powell in the presence of a large company, including H.E. the Governor (Bir Henry Blake, G.C.M.G.), Lady Blake, Miss Blake, and Viscount Suirdale; Commodore Powell, the Misses Powell, and Mr. F. G. Mot- ton, B.N.; H.E. Major-General Gascoigne, C.M.G., Mrs. Gascoigne, and Captain the Hon. H. W. Trefusis; Colonel the O'Gorman; Bishop Hoare, the Rev. Father P. de Maria, Chaplain Good, the Rev. C. Bone, Colonel Brown, Major Everett, Commander Plenderleath, Deputy In- spector General Bolston. the Hon. Basil Taylor (Acting Harbour Master), the Hon. J. J. Kes- wick, Mr. D. Gillies, and Mr. Owen Ordish. The interior of the building was plentifully decorated with flags, and the band of H.M.S. Argonnut was in attendance and gave selections of music.
The new premises are a distinct improvement on the old ones in Queen's Road West, both as regards situation and internal arrangements, everything having been done to provide for the recreation and comfort of those by whom they are to be frequented. There are two blocks, one being for the chief and petty officers and the other for the men. Both are provided with billiard table, bars, reading rooms, dining rooms, and bedrooms and baths, whilst behind the men's block a fine bowling-alley is being got ready. Mr. J. Board is the manager.
After Mrs. Powell had formally opened the door leading into the men's block, the different rooms were inspected and came in for a consi- derable amount of praise.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY: PRESS AND posed making their own mineral waters, and if anybody wanted to come to a good place for mineral waters they could not do batter than patronise them. They could be supplied at 40 cents per dozen. One other thing which they wanted was a pier, where men could land from the ships and return to them without having to pass other institu- tions which existed about the town and which might not be of so respectable a character. After observing that by and by they would be able to provide some 200 or 230 beds, the Commodore concluded and expressed his thanks to those who had attended for their presence.
CANTON.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
Canton, 1st September.
CANTON REVENUE GOES NORTH. The Chinese officials at Canton have received
[September 8, 1900.
will have to pay a fine of $100 each, or six months imprisonment
A PRO-FOREIGN. OFFICIAL MURDERED. Ng Yan-chuan was the Magistrate of Si-on district for over three years. He was a friend of foreigners, and was fond of everything foreign, moreover he was known to have kept up a constant correspondence with the reformer or Kang Yu-wei. Since the disturbances in the north he had desisted from talking of
any. thing foreign for fear that his enemies of the conservative party would do him injury. Some time this year, by order of the Viceroy, he sp pointed one of the gentry, Tung by name, to be chief of the volunteer force in his district Tung was an influential but bad man, and he squeezed right and left. The Magistrate found this out, and after giving him a severe repri mand, fined him, at which Tung was very much dissatisfied and watched for an opportunity to avenge himself upon the Magistrate. Some how or other he found out that the latter had corresponded with Kang Yu-wei, and got hold of a letter as a proof. Whereupon he present- ed a petition to the Prefect Pao Hok Nin against the Magistrate, charging him with conspiring with the reformer Kang to get up a rebellion against the Government. Prefect Pao replied that he had no authority to dismiss the Magistrate without order of the Viceroy. Tung continued to watch for a chance, and one day as the Magistrate was going out from his yamen in a chair, with a few servants following, Tung and a party of his associates attacked and murdered him in the street and wounded his servants. Upon an alarm being given his first and third sons and his secretary came out to help and were also wounded. The assassin and his men then, rushing into the yamen, wounded and killed a few more of the servants.
AMOY.
[FROM A CORRESPONDENT.]
A DIARY OF EVENTS.
Friday 24th.Everything quiet until 3 a.m., when fire occurred in room used as Japanese Temple. Priests reported as having removed belongings several days before and set fire to the place themselves. 3.40 a.m.-Armed Jap- anese party of about 40 landed on British Concession, and entered city, going to the fire and returned 4.40 a.m.; then crossed harbour to Japanese Consulate.
His EXCELLENCY the GOVERNOR congratulat-à ed them most heartily on the opening of this institution. He thought an institution like this was very much required. The Commodore had let him have it rather hard about the question of taxation, but he though on the other hand when they remembered that the Colonial Government had made a present to the Navy of something like $1,500,000 and all the land they had got for the extensions, no one could complain of their want of generosity to the Navy. (Hear, hear.) He thought this was the best proof he could give them that it was not for want of sympathy with them that he had refused to remit taxes which really he had no right to remit. He thought that almost the last thing which Lady Blake did before they left Jamaica was to start a fund and put £170 into the hands of the Commodore and General for the express purpose of starting such an institution as that for the benefit of the men coming over from Port Royal to Kingston, which did not possess any respect- able place for the men to go to. He might add that when their excellent mineral water manu- factory had attained large dimensions and turn- ed out a large amount of mineral waters in the future, he would give them a distinct Subsequently Commodore POWELL addressed promise that their assessment should not be a few words to the company. After expressing increased. He again congratulated them hear- his pleasure at seeing so many ladies and gentily on their new premises, and he wished the tlemen present, he said the Institute was started institution every success in the future. in 1887 in the old premises in Queen's Road The proceedings then terminated. West, which went for some years under the name of the Royal Seamen's and Marines' Club. It was thought advisable afterwards to change the title in order to make it uni- form with that at Malta and to try to get uniform title for all the places of a similar character which they had scattered about the world. When he came here at first the idea was to build a bigger building, but they could not find a site. There was an idea after the exten- sion of the dockyard they could get room for a building facing Butterfield and Swire's offices, but they were informed that the space would be re- quired by the Victoria Recreation Club, and that ides fell through. They then consulted with the people who had the letting of houses, and Mr. Chater and his company offered them these premises. First of all they asked for one block, the price of which was $60,000, but that would have hardly given them more accommo- dation than the old place, and ultimately they agreed to take the two for $120,000. At that time they had some $30,000 in the bank and the Admiralty gave them £3,000, which they promptly changed into dollars. This made about $60,000. The Hongkong and Shanghai Bank had very generously given them 5 per cent interest on this, and agreed to advance them what they required to make up the $120,000 which they required at 5 per cent. The fittings, etc., had cost something like $25,000, which made about $80,000, which they required from the bank. In connection with the premises were four godowns. One was to be made into a bowling-alley, two others were rented by the C. P. R. Company, and they would have another to let soon, and the rent they would derive from these godowns would go towards meeting the de- ficiency. Then the Admiralty had promised them another £1,000 if they would raise a like sum among themselves, and he hoped they would be able to do this before the end of the financial year. The Colonial Government had come for- ward and very kindly promised them $300 year. He asked them to remit the rates and taxes, but was told that that was not possible, although if a military officer took a house that fact entitled the owner to their re- mission. At present the rates and taxes would amount to about $1,200 a year. They pur-
a telegram from the ommissary authority of Chinkiang, requiring them to transmit the (an- ton revenue thither, so that it may be sent The Provincial up north for war expenses. Treasurer and the Salt (ommissioner have been called upon by wire to remit 150,000 taels each, and all the officials, from the Viceroy down to the mandarins of the lowest grade, have had their pay forfeited during the continuance of war. This, of course, is Chinese law.
THE SUPPRESSION OF NEWSPAPERS.
A printing office known as Hon Wan Kok, in Tai Sun Street, was on the 27th ult. seized by the Nam Hoi Magistrate for printing 3,000 copies of seditious placards. The printers were tried the following day, eleven being discharged and one, the proprietor, kept in prison to await bail. This action was followed by the seizure of all newspaper offices in Canton and the stop- page of all publications. It gave the yumen runners a good opportunity to rob and lay their hands on whatever they could. Several proprietors and managers have been arrested and imprisoned.
BOXER LANGUAGE.
a
A refugee returned from the north to Canton relates that the Boxers had among their pass- words the following terms. They call
20 foreigner "big ten cent," a Christian cents," and any Chinese who has anything to do with foreigners "30 cents." To eat rice is to wade through the sand," to kill is "to wash."
FOR AMATEUR POSTMEN.
The decision of the Acting Magistrate of your Colony with reference to the carrying of letters against the Post Office Ordinance seems to have a good effect in Canton, for I saw on the walls opposite the Canton steamer wharf the other day placards posted up saying “Don't carry letters without a stamp, if you do, you
Saturday 25th.-Treasure taken from Bank of Taiwan and shipped on s.s. Maidzuru Maru for Tamsui. 1.20 p.m.-100 armed Japanese landed on British Concession with two machine
guns, and proceeded into the city, placing sentries at every corner of the Chinese market. Mr. Phillips, Municipal Superintendent of Police, interviewed the commanding officer, and noti- fied he was in charge of the British Concession, and that the demonstration was entirely un- called for, as the (hinese were the quietest people, and the action of the Japanese could but cause excitement. The commander replied it was done to show the Chinese that if any trouble took place a force was on hand to protect all foreigners. 5.30 p.m.-One half of Japanese returned to ship with one gun, remainder on patrol in city.
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Sunday 26th. At 10 am. 150 armed Japanese landed with machine gun just below Concession. Made Japanese school barracks. Armed Japanese patrolling city all night and a squad marching round British Concession.
Monday and Tuesday, 27th and 28th.--All quiet, Japanese in charge of Chinese market.
Wednesday 29th-Chinese flying to interior night and day; 30,000 left in 24 hours. Thieves very busy, stopping boxes and robbing in day- light, people panic-stricken.
Thursday 30th British cruiser Isis entered harbour, and landed armed party of 70 marinës and blue-jackets with one maxim gun., Occupy ing Butterfield and Swire's godown as barracks, British man-of-war ensign hoisted on top. Ja- panese gunboat Tsukushi entered harbour and moored opposite. During night the Japanese withdrew the two guns they had posted on Japanese Concession, and most of their men. Two Chinese thieves executed near Concession. German gunboat Tiger entered harbour,
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