274
HONGKONG VOLUNTEER CORPS.
SHOOTING COMPETITION BETWEEN THE DOCK DETACHMENT AND THE "C" MACHINE
GUN COMPANY.
A challenge having been issued by the Dock Detachment of the Field Battery to the "C" Machine Gun Company for a shooting match 10 men a-side and accepted by the latter unit, the competition came off on the 30th ultimo, and after a close tussle, ended in a win for "C" Company by 12 points. The winners were points behind at 200 yards but drew level and made a lead of 7 points at 400, afterwards add- ing 5 more at 500 yards. Refreshments were provided by the Dock team, to whom a vote of thanks was passe l at the close by the winners. Aggregate and best individual scores are ap- pended.-
C Machine Gun Company
Dock Detachment Field
200 400 500 Total. yds. yds. yds.
777
Battery
141
263 289 225
...272
273 220
765
"C" Company, top scores:-
200 400 500
Sergt. Smillie
27
Total. 32 32 91
Gun. Shoolbred
29
34
23
91
Gun. H. Gidley
34 24
Bomb. Gloyn
27
26
26
Corpl. Sherwin
25 30
23
Dock Detachment, top scores : --
200 400
500
Total.
Gun. Lapsley
31
33
31
95
Gun. Stewart
31
94
30
90
Gun. Baldwin
26
32
27
85
Gan. Rattey
28
26
Corpl. White
27
30
HONGKONG FOOTBALL CLUB.
SIX-A-DE COMPETITION. Sufficient entries have been received to make up six teams, which have been drawn as under. neath.
The Competition will begin on Thursday or Friday as soon as the schedule of fixtures is arranged and will be proceeded with as rapidly as possible.
It has been decided that the last three selec- tions in each tim shall be available as sub- stitutes and that, in obtaining a substitute, all the six selections must be exhausted before
the fifth selections before the sixth selections.
Mr. Howard has kindly offered to present souvenirs to the wining six.
Mr. Lowe's Taam:- Mr. Lowe, Mr. Russell,
Mr. Stockwell. Mr. Cox, Mr. Rutherford. Mr. Humphreys.
Mr. Kew's Teim:-Mr. Kew. Mr. William- son, Mr. Wild. Mr. Deacon, Mr. Hance, Mr. Watson, R.A.
Mr. Looker's Team :-Mr. Looker. Mr. Ba- ker, 22nd B.L.I.. Mr. Casserly, Mr. Melville, 22nd B.L.I.. Mr. Stevens. R.E., Mr. Wall, R.A.
Mr. McMurtrie's Team:-Mr. McMurtrie, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Henderson, Mr. Sheppard. Mr. Graham, R.A., Mr. Hays.
Mr. Noble's Tam :-Mr. Noble. Mr. Jenkins, Mr. Yule, Mr. Beattie, Mr. Smith, Mr. An- derson.
Mr. Danby's Team:-Mr. Danby, Mr. Seth, Mr. Hay, Mr. H. S. Holmes, Mr. Haggard, Mr. Sandford.
Friday
Monday
Tuesday Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Monday
Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
Friday Tuesday
FIXTURES.
October 5th Noble and Danby,
Lowe and Kew.
8th Noble and McMurtrio.
Danby and Kow.
9th Looker and Lowe,
10th Noble and Kew, Mc. Murtrie and Danby. 11th Looker and Danby. 12th Lowe and McMurtrie. 15th McMurtrie and Kew,
Lowe and Noble. 16th Looker and Kew. 17th Danby and Lows. 18th Looker and Noble. 19th
23rd Looker and McMur-
trie.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
QUEEN'S COLLEGE AQUATIC SPORTS.
I
. [October 6, 1900.
venting these launches from carrying goods inland. But goods are carried inland and are brought to Canton for sale and export, and the The Queen's College Bathing Club held its
vessels conveying them are subjected to all the aquatic sports on Saturday last. 9th nlt. which disadvantages of the lekin as at present collect- turned out very successfully. There were a fairly ed. Under the Inland Water Navigation Re good number of entries, and the sports were wit-gulations, launches, it is laid down when carry. ing goods shall be on the same footing as junks nessed by a large number of friends of the com-
there. petitors, who were comfortably accommodated in and native cargo boats. It would seem,
fore, that some other cause must in a large the Victoris Recreation Club House, Kowloon,
measure be responsible for the non-transference kindly placed at the disposal of the College Club by the Committee of the V. R.
of the carrying trade to these launches or to boats towed by them. It seems probable that as, speaking generally. Chinese merchants are more or less indifferent to a day or so in the ar. rival of goods at their destination, it is found on these magnificent water-ways in which the tide ebbs and flows, that it is far cheaper, and, on the whole, more convenient to send goods inland and bring them to Canton in native-built boats with the assistance of the tides and winds, then to employ steam launches. There is no doubt, too, that the native boats being generally of shallower draft than the screw launches at present almost exclusively used, can penetrate further inland than the launches can without
It should also be added that the V. R. C. pre- mises were tastily decorated by their popular steward Mr. C. Lesbirel, to whom the thanks of the Q. C. B. C. are due. The prizes will be distri- bated at the Collogo Hall on Friday next. Appended is a list of the events, winners, &c :— Prizes presented by the Yellow Dragon. Ist, 1. Four lengths, Championship of the College.
C Hamphreys, 2nd, F. Ellis.
2. Plunging. Open to all comers. 1st. F. K. Tata. 3. Two lengths, Full Clothing. 1st, F. Ellis,
2nd. J. Ellis.
4. Plunging. Open to present pupils. 1st. C. Humpreys 2nd, F. Ellis.
5 Swimming under water. Prize presented 1st. E. Humphreys 77ft..
by Mr. F. D. Setna. 2nd. J. Ellis 75ft.
6. Two lengths. Open to all comers. N. A. Alves, 2nd J. H. Witchell.
1st
7. Two lengths. (Handicap.) 1st, F. Ellis owes 15 sec.; 2nd, C. Humphreys owes 14 sec.
8. Team Race-1. F. Ellis (Capt.). 2. J. Ellis, 3. E. Humphreys, 4. E. Ellis, 5, Tsoi Chan Fan.
Open
9. Two lengths. Open to every school. 1st, A. Rebeiro.
10. Championship. A special prize awarded to the winner of most points, by Mr. S. D. Setna. 1st. F. Ellis.
Hon. Treasurer, Mr. E. Ralphs; Hon. Secre- tary, Mr. K. Pestonji: Umpire. Mr. E. Ralphs; Starter. Mr. F. Ellis; Handicapper. Mr. R. Pestonji, Time-keeper, Mr. S. E. İsmail.
CONSULAR REPORT.
CANTON.
**
are
We noticed last month in these columns the the trade of Canton for 1899. Wo have now report of the Imperial Maritime Customs on
before us Mr. Consul Scott's report for the same period. As Mr. Scott's statistics necessarily taken from the Customs returns, it will not be necessary here to go into the exact figures again. It will be remembered that the year 1899 was the best on record-both in vo- lume and in value of trade. This is the more remarkable," says Mr. Scott. "as statements have appeared from sources that should be res- ponsible and well informed that the West River and Inland Water Navigation Regulations are of such a naturo as to prevent the expansion of trade, while the prevalence of piracy, as it is somewhat exaggeratedly called, had practi- cally put a stop to trade altogether. No doubt these statements have been made to some extent under the idea that exaggeration is necessary where change or reform is desired, but in this mark, so wide are the real fucts from those pre- case it would seem that they have overshot their
dicated." The italics are ours, Mr. Scott's re- markable statement seeming to call for special notice. Events have decided in no uncertain presentations of the case. fashion on the truth of the official and the lay
Under the head of Inland Waters Navigation. Mr. Scott goes on to say: "In spite of many assertions to the contrary, the Inland Waters Navigation from Canton, in the only direction it seems probable it could be expected to do so, has proved a very considerable success." By this Mr. Scott means that the passenger traffic has very largely increased, as no doubt it has. In 1899 it had much more than doubled, the report points out. The development of the passenger traffic has. I think, by no means reached its full extent. It is very profitable and launches are being registered almost daily. In this direction, therefore, the new regulations must, I think, be considered a very considerable
success.
•
**
Apart, however, from the question of passen- ger traffic, what Mr. Scott has to say is this :-
The difficulties and intricacies of the lekin system of taxation have been charged with pre-
+4
|
transhipment of the goods. In time a partial transference of the trade may, possibly, be looked for, but it seems probable that, for a long time to come, steam on the inland waters of this district will not supplant native boats propelled leisurely by sails, oars, poling, and the tides. This appears to be more probable. as in the case of the passenger traffic there has been no doubt or hesitation in the matter OF the 178 launches registered in Canton. 28 only were registered in the names of foreigners. Of those eighteen were British, five German, four American. and one French. It is probable that the genuine interests of British subjects in, the above eighteen launches, with an exception or two. is extremely trifling, if all. In my opinion, it is improbable in a indeed. any such interest really exists at
high degree that genuine-owned and managed British or foreign-owned launches will ever, under any circumstances, be able to compate with Chinese launches in the inland water traffic either in passengers or goods, simply, if for no other reason, on the score of expense."
But Mr. Scott thinks desirable a modification of the Regulations whereby all launches and steamers registered for the inland waters at Cauton, Samshui, or Wuchow, may be enabled places on the inland waters and West River to carry passengers and cargo to all ports and indifferently. It should, however, be clearly pointed out that such modification would be a further privilege which is not contained in either the Inland Waters Navigation or West River Regulations as at prosent in force."
Scott is inclined to make merry over the alleged With regard to piracy and blackmailing. Mr.
effect on British trade, and says that the returns of trade do not warrant the belief that the import of British goods has oven been hindered or that goods for export have suffered. Ho continues:-"I hope I shall not be ac- cused of minimising the state of things in this district. One robbery, one outrage only is one too many, but the whole matter has, in my opinion, been so grossly exaggerated and so false an impression has been created in the public mind at home and in China to judge by the public prints, that I have thought it right to point out the real facts of the case," He admits, however, that the mischief is deep seated, and the evils caused by years of mal-administration cannot be eradicated in a day.
In conclusion we quote the remarks with which Mr. Scott winds up his report:-
"Matters do not move rapidly in Canton, but there are signs of progress in the air. It is true that nothing has practically been done with respect to the projected railways from Hankow to Canton and from Hongkong to Canton; both projects I should say are unlikely to be carried through for some years; both involve a very large expenditure, the return on which for many years is doubtful. But there is a Chinese scheme which has, it is said, received official countenance, if not sanctioned, for embanking the river front of the city from Shameen down- wards, a very fine and useful work if it is only carried out by its Chinese projectors. A scheme for supplying water to Canton has also been laid before the Viceroy. The use of electricity 'for lighting the streets is increasing and the