November 17, 1900.]
THE ATTACK ON THE JAPANESE
EMPRESS.
The Tokyo correspondent of the Nagasaki Press gives some further details of the attack on the Japanese Empress on the 24th ult. The native press has made a lot of the mattor, but
the facts are said to be these, according to our contemporary's correspondent. A decently dressed young man, aged 23, a sort of overzealous patriot and self-constituted loyal subject of the Emperor and Empress, threw his clogs, one after another, at the Imperial carriage as it passed near the N.Y.K. headquarters, and the Mitsu Bishi Bank at Yayesu-cho, Tokyo. Her Majesty, accompanied by her maids of honour, was proceeding at the time to the Shiba Detached Palace. The assailant, who apparently was overpowered with # sense of loyalty which seems to have unhinged his mind, wanted to interview their Majesties. Failing in this object, he decided to atract Her Majesty's attention by an open demonstration in the way reported. He did not attempt to run away, and the crowd soon closed on him. The policemen had simply to take him in charge. The In- perial carriage escaped the missiles, but one carriage containing some ladies was struck on the splash-board, which was a little grazed Beyond this nothing wore happened, but the indignation of the Japanese people may well be imagined. The Japanese press refers to the in- cident in regrettable terms The man is mad, and the law cannot do anything but let him go, with probably a warning to his relatives to keep him under control.
CANTON.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
Canton, 9th November.
THE REBEL REMNANTS:
The Waichow rebels, who were reported to have been defeated by the Imperialist troops, and who have been in hiding in the Sam To Chuk and Nim Shan neighbourhoods, have now resumed a life of piracy. Commander Choi Man Lee, of the gunboat han To, has been ordered to proceed to Nim Shau and to cruise about after them.
A KOLAO HUI MAN ARRESTED IN CANTON,
Upon Viceroy Chang Chih-tung of Hunan and Hupeh sending a telegram to Acting Vi ceroy Tak Sow, and informing him that three chiefs of the Kolao Hui society named Chu. No, and Ting, had gone to Canton and were in hid ing there, a military officer, by name Li. took with him some soldiers and arrested the first. named rebel at the Southern gate. Upon his trial before the provincial judge he confessed that he was a native of Hunan and one of the heads of the secret society. After examination he impressed his finger-mark upon the notes of evidence, and the 7th inst, was fixed for his execution.
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DYNAMITE SMUGGLING.
It was said that a certain Chinese took on board the Macao steamer Kiang Tung a quantity of dynamite. The Portuguese authorities at Macao having heard of this sumggling, sent a telegram to the Chinese authorities here, and informed them of the facts. The man was arrested with dynamite in his possession. He said that he was entrusted with its care, and that it was to be sent to the district of Ching yuin for the fishermen there to kill fish with. The case is adjourned for further enquiry.
Coolies engaged in digging the foundations of a proposed four-storeyed annex fo the American” Naval Hospital on the Bluff at Yokohama made a rather interesting discovery on Sunday, says the Japan Herald. They had descended some little distance when the earth suddenly fell in and revealed an undergound chamber which, on further examination, was found to be about seven feet in height, and of sufficient area for five Japanese mats to be The walls were hard. spread comfortably. smooth, and blackoned with smoke, but no utensils or relics of any kind were brought to
These underground light,
chambers frequently discovered in Japan, and are sup- posed to be of great antiquity,
are
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
MACAO.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
Macao, 12th November. MACAO ESCAPES THE TYPHOON.
On Saturday morning the usual typhoon signals were fired from the Monte Fort to warn the public of an approaching storm, and every preparation was made to meet the apprehended disturbance in the elements. Towards noon the wind increased in force, but fortunately the blow was slight, and no damage was done. It was what is usually termed "a stiff nor' wester," and small craft, as well as cargo-steamers and passenger boats, rode steadily at their anchors and moorings. The tide was unusually high at the time the signals were given, but it gradually subsided and later in the day had be-
come normal.
PROHIBITION OF SHOOTING PARTIES WITHDRAWN.
leave Macao has been rescinded, but every The order prohibiting shooting parties to
which he can obtain from the Secretariat for sport" must possess a license to carry arms
two dollars, and which will hold good for a period of six months. On every occasion a party desires to go on a shooting expedition, each member of it must get a permit from the Secretariat, to be returned to the Secretary's Office at the end of the trip. Last night (Saturday) a grand party went out, and it is believed they will return this morning.
THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE TOWN, The Government has agreed to compensate the proprietors of the St. Lazaro quarter which will shortly be demolished preparatory to the erection of a new block of buildings. $30,000 is about the figure paid for the quar- ters, an amount which is considered satisfactory all round. This is another indication of Senhor Horta e Costa's excellent administration during the time he has presided over the affairs of the Colony.
WEIHAIWEI.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
II.M.S. TERRIBLE" MAKES A
WORLD'S SHOOTING
RECORD.
Weihaiwei, 31st October. The China Squadron will appreciate the dis- tinction of having amongst its number a ship that has just made a
World's Record" at
395
Average per gun; 8.6 rounds, 6.6 hits each two minute run.
Average per gun per minute; 4.3 rounds, 3.3 hits.
Four captains of guns made "possibles"; two with 10, and two with 9 rounds.
The target was repeatedly knocked away, the
firing taking two days to complete as a conss- quence; and as it only takes 36 minutes of time for all the runs, many hours were spent repair- ing targets each day.
The misses" would have been "hits" had a
ship been substituted for the target, and a gun- boat would have been sufficient to have bagged every shell fired.
It is therefore not surprising that men who could make such phenomenal shooting as this should have earned such a reputation from Ladysmith to Tientsin.
We should say that every ship in Hor Ma- jesty's Service ought to be able to make an equal record as the foregoing, if more instruction was given the man behind the gun," instead of
man behind the holystone and burnisher." Satis verborum.
the "
Weihaiwei, 1st November.
A ROUGH TIME: The Terrible came into harbour_yesterday at noon from prize-firing outside. The ship had only just finished the second day's firing when. all of a sudden, the wind freshened and the sea began to rise quickly. They had two steam boats and a launch out attending for repairing targets, recording shots, etc. The boats were got alongside to be hoisted in, but the sea rose so rapidly that all attempts at hoisting them had to be abandoned, as it had bo come positively dangerous for both boats and the bows, and the two steamboats moored astern: crews. The launch was eventually hoisted at the ship having anchored. Towards dusk the wind and sea increased with great force, and every few minutes huge waves would break over the two steamboats; their crews pluckily baling them out to keep them afloat. Shortly before midnight the launch was washed away from the bows, and drifted quickly astern, but was caught by a grapnel being thrown into her, which luckily secured itself, a man from the picket boat jumping into her at great personal risk and securing a hawser to her bows. The sea was still increasing, and rain falling at in- tervals, the weather "becoming intensely cold; the crows in the steamboats were already suffer ing from exposure, but to relieve them had be- come an impossibility, as the boats were compelled to ride at the extreme length of safety.
PICKET BOAT LOST.
A LESSON IN SEAMANSHIP.
The searchlights were kept playing on them, shooting; for this is what the Terrible has just which was a certain amount of relief to the accomplished at her prize-firing that took place crews, as darkness added to their other misfor- here this week. The percentage is unprecedented tunes would have made them appear worse than with 6 inch quick-firers, and it must be a gratify they really wore. Thus the night was passed ; the ship's crow working in sea-reliefs ready ing result to Captain Scott to see such a splendid record, as a reward for his persistent for any emergency, though fortunately not required to meet any during the night. Noxt attention to the instruction of his gunnery men. This is the second occasion that the same Cap-morning, however, the pipe
'Away lifeboat's tain has beaten all previous records with sensa- crow!" brought all hands tumbling on deck to tional leads in shooting; for the score still find that the picket boat had sunk, and all her requires beating that was obtained at prize-firing crow struggling in the ses. with four years in his last command up the Mediterranean. The percentage of actual hits made with the 6 inch in the Terrible are 7.68; the next best record is that of the Majestic, which ship, according to a Service Journal, covered herself with glory" with only 50 per cent. of hits. Were it not for the fact that two lieutenants from the Orlan- do were
official umpires," and also that photographs of each individual gun's performance were taken immediately afterwards, a pardonable suspicion of accuracy in the figures might be deduced, owing to the gulf betwixt the Terrible's record and the next best in the Navy. This ship has two 9.2's and twelve 6 inch guns; the shooting from the former was also a brilliant record, having made GO per cent. of hits, the smaller guns not having yet fired owing to bad weather setting in. The follow ing is the history of how the result was obtained-
has
•
on board as
Guns fired.
Rounds each run.
10 9
Hits.
35
24
9
12
4
3
3
Totals 12 guns (Gin.) 104 rounds
was astern of
The Commander had provided against this contingency happening by having drifted a life belt for every occupant of each boat, so that there was no danger of anyong sinking before being rescued. Six out of the seven drifted towards the launch, which the sunken boat and were pulled in, but the other man went floating away on n water broaker, gaily waving his hand to intimate he was all right. The lifeboat was quickly after him, and got him on board safely, but the sea was so rough and wind so strong, that the cutter could not fetch the ship, so was ordered to run for the eastern entrance of the harbour, and reached there safely. The lower- ing and gotting away of the the lifeboat from the ship was a smart evolution; and the pluck and endurance of the coxswain of the picket boat is worthy of mention, as it was entirely owing to his personal exertion-the rest of his crew being nambed with exposure-in cón- stantly baling out his bost all night long, that she did not sink long before, owing to her stem piece getting shaky and letting in much water. The cutter's crow were handsomely enter tained on board the Goliath to hot food and
80 hits. coffee on their arrival in harbour, and lent
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