498
Mr. LEWIS-I beg to propose that the follow- ing gentlemen be the committes:-Captain Hastings (President), Mr. J. J. Francis, Q.C. (Vice-President), Mr. H. E. Pollock, Q.C. (Hon. Secretary and Treasurer), Captain G. C. Ander- son, Messrs. R. Cooke, A. M. Marshall, E. W. Mitchell, R. L. Richardson, M. W. Slade, and Captain A. Tillett.
Mr. A. J. MAY seconded and the motion was carried.
your
Mr. FRANCIS said-Gentlemen; I ask leave, not that of the Chairman, to propose for your consideration a very hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Pollock for his services not only during the past two years but since the Association was instituted. If we have deserved well of the executive at home, if we have deserved the praise given in the circular which has been read, it has been entirely owing to Mr. Pollock's zeal, intelligence, and hard work in the interests of the League (applause)-and I beg to propose a hearty vote of thanks to him.
ends which required to be looked after made a
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
serious call upon a man's time. I really do not know how Mr. Pollock finds time to do it ail in the way he does. (Hear, hear).
The motion was carried with acclamation.
you
1 MURDEROUS ASSAULT AT
1
SHATIN.
Another in the long series of outrages with violence that have of late made the Shatin district notorious was perpetrated on Thursday
afternoon. 13th inst. when Weung Sam, a foreman in the employ of Tung Tak, carrying on business as a con- tractor in the colony, was set upon by three robbers and left for dead on the road-side. It appears that Weung Sam, having on his person the sum of $100 in twenty cent pieces, with which to pay the wages of his master's em- ployees, numbering about two hundred, at Sha- tin, where building operations are at present going on, got into Tang Tak's private ricksha on Thursday afternoon about four o'clock and, accompanied by two coolies--one in the shafts and the other running behind-set out for Sha- tin taking the new road that skirts the hill round
[December 22, 1990.
OCCASIONAL NOTES.
K
Alliance,'
44
[+
From various sources, Mr. Editor, we hear a lot of satisfaction expressed at the Anglo-Por- tuguese
Treaty," or Agree- ment," as it is variously called. Some, how- ever, look only for a renewal of former pledges of amity after the straining of the situation down at Delagoa Bay; othors talk of an offon- sive and defensive alliance. The latter sugges- tion is a little excessive. It is not likely that the home Government is at the present moment going to break away from the policy of glorions isolation the expression has grown tedious, but it is conveniently short, 80 I make no further apology for employ. ing it and we may dismiss this alterna- tire. But it is probable that there is more in the demonstration of the British fleet at
"
"
Lisbon on the 5th inst. than the mere wish to
show that a friendship of long-standing between the two countries is still anruffled. There un- the action or rather inaction of the Portuguese authorities at Delagoa Bay, as well as over the Delagoa Railway arbitration, and it is not a very bold guess which assumes that there will be something in any new understanding between Britain and Portugal about the important Por especially probable at a time when we are working. tuguese possession in South-East Africa. This is hand in hand with Germany, who is next most interested in the Bay after ourselves, and with whom some sort of agreement on the question was arrived at in 1898. But apart from all con- sideration of affairs in Africa, it is gratifying to know that the mother countries of Hongkong and our neighbour Macao are on such excellent terms.
Mr. M. W. SLADE said-I have the very to that district. When the sixth milestone | doubtedly has been considerable friction about greatest pleasure in seconding that. Gentle- ! men not having had the experience would be had been passed, two men were seen coming surprised at the amount of hard work which is along the road towards the ricksha. When required of the secretary. I had the misfortune nearly opposite the vehicle, another man step- to take up the post for some three or four ped out from some cover where he had been months, and the number of details and odds and concealed, and the three summoned the ricksha to stop. All were armed--one with a chopper and the other two with bamboos-and without warning they set upon the foreman and the two coolies. The latter, badly bruised and out, succeeded in effecting their escape, leaving The CHAIRMAN said-J am very much ob. their master to the mercy of his assailants. They proceeded to the police station at Shatin liged to you for the kind way in which have received the remarks of Mr. Francis and and reported the outrage. Sergeant Lander, Mr. Slade, and also to them for the kind way him, and set out for the scene of the assault. in charge there, got some coolies to accompany in which they have spoken about my services to the Navy League. I cannot tell you you will search revealed the unfortunate foreman, with numerous wounds on the head and body, have any dividend warrants (laughter)-in a
lying unconscious about twenty feet below the few days, but I am glad to be able to tell you road down the hillside. He was picked up inst., who wrote of the fire of Sunday evening that Captain Anderson has been good enough at my request to prepare a lecture on an impor- and placed carefully in the ricksha, which tant subject connected with naval matters, and the robbers, shrewdly guessing that the posses- sion of such a cumbrous article would afford a I hope he will kindly deliver it in due course some time when there are less engagemonts
sure clue to thoir identification, had left behind, going on in the colony than there are at present. andamaged. The injured man was taken to Just now there are so many things going on in the Civil Hospital hore, where he
lies. His injuries are so serions that he the colony that it is difficult to get people
is not expected to recover. The two coolies, together, especially in the afternoon.
who say they cannot identify their assailanst, The meeting then separated.
have been detained by the police, pending enquiries. There is reason to beliore that the robbers do not come from Hongkong.
TACTICAL EXERCISES IN THE NEW TERRITORY.
!
now
|
$
I imagine that your correspondent of the 12th
I at Beaconsfield Arcade under the pen-name of
Bluejacket, had many sympathisers. thought myself as I read the remarks of the fireman of eight years' standing that our sailors and soldiers, who worked so hard, not merely to the detriment of their Sunday clothes but at the actual risk of serious injury, had been rather ungratefully treated. They at any rate did their best to combat the flames in the absence of our fire-brigade. They are ac- interfering" in cused of too much zeal, of “ fact, but this and all the confusion which was so rife at the time were due to the absence of any A fire-brigade can no controlling authority. more run itself properly than can a mob. Some explanation is wanted-I am not alone is saying this, I have heard the remark from innumerablo people-of the absence from the spot of anyone competent to direct and guide operations. So far as I know, no such explanation has been vouchsafed. I suppose we shall see one in the
year. report on the Brigade next
It has long been the practice of this contract- ing firm to send the wages of employees or other of On Saturday, the 15th inst., the Hongkong in outlying districts by one Volunteer Corps were engaged in tactical exer- the foremen, a ricksha ou such occasions always It is this latter fact that is sup- cises in the New Territory with the regular being used. troops of the Garrison. The enemy was supposed posed-and apparently reasonably so-to have to have disembarked at Mirs Bay, to have given the robbers an inkling that money was massed troops at Shatin, and to Le marhing being traustinitted, whereupon they lay in along the new road with the object of scizing wait, with the result already stated. In tho the Cosmopolitan Docks. The
attacking present case the foreman was at first going force, which was in command of Colonel with a message only to Shatin, and in- No one know he was to be Brown C.R.E., was composed of the 5th Hy- tended to walk. derabads, the 22nd Bombay Light Infantry, entrusted with the money, as it was handed and the Asiatic Artillery. Lieut.-Col. the Hon., to him just at the last moment. He thereupon R. H. Bertie, R.W.F., had charge of the defen- altered his original intention of walking and ders the R.W.F., 3rd Madras Infantry, and got into the ricksha, taking the two coolies with the Volunteers. Lieut. Col. Perrot, of the 22nd him as a means of protection against possible Bombays, was the Chief Umpire. The Volun- danger. How inadequately they discharged teers landed at the Kerosine Tanks, instead of that function has already been told. much further west, ang they had consequently some stiff climbing to do, whilst their location ` prevented them from turning the flank of the ene The return of deaths in the Colony during my, which it was intended they should endeavour November shows a total of 629, 35 in the Euro-ousy which have marred this to do. On the Volunteers reaching the new road pean and Foreign community (Civil population the signal to cease was given. Here H.E. the 19, Army 13. Navy 3), and 594 in the Chi- Governor, Major-General Gascoigne, Captain nese community. Chost affections claimed 132 the Hon. H. W. Trefusis, Colonel the O'Gor- victims, and Fevers 102, of which 87 were due man and others were assembled. Homo was to Malaria-four of these latter casos being in reached at about seven o'clock. Before dismis- the Army and two in the European and For- sing the Volunteers the Commandant (Lieut. eign civil community. The following acornges Col. Sir John Carrington, C.M.G.) addressed a appear in the statement showing the death-rate few words to the men. He said that they had in the different districts: - British and Foreign had some hard work to do-much harder than it Civil community, 25 por 1000 per annum; Chi- ought to have been. Through some mistake nese community, Victoria, Land 26,2, Harbour they had not landed at the right place they 40.5; Chinese community, whole Colony, Land should have landed further west. He would 26.4, Boat 42.8, Land and Boat 28.7; British not say whose fault this was, but it was not Foreign, and Chinese community, excluding theirs. On the whole he thought they had dono Army and Navy, 28.6. It will be noted that very well.
in consequence of the typhoon the Harbour death-rate has risen very greatly. A total of 69 deaths (of which 60 are attributed to "other causes than the usual categories of disease) is returned on an estimated population of 24,550.
M. Loubet has conferred the Legion of Hon- our on M. Paul Brunat, Chairman of the French Municipal Council, Shanghai.
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The subject of sailors and soldiers recalls to memory the recent street disturbances between the representatives of various countries who have come into collision with one another in this port and others in the Far East. Happily the troubles have abated here--chiefly because some of the late combatants have gone to other scones. So too in Shanghai order seems to have re-established itself. The participants in the rows have, let us hope, returned to their senses, Considering the undoubted ill-feeling and jeal- "international parade" in China, it is perhaps rather creditable that nothing beyond a fow street disturbances has resulted from the high state of national Consular, municipal, and military feeling, authorities alike have displayed forbearance and tact, and in consequence the wilder spirits have been suppressed. It is satisfactory to know that those in authority have recognised the advantages of mutual concessions and so averted any real quarrel. From all accounts matters have not passed off so smoothly in North China, a fact which may have more bearing than we imagine on the progress of negotiations.
The refuse-destructor was very much in evi- dence (in the spirit) at last week's meeting of the Sanitary Board. Many of us wish that it were in evidence also in reality. We have had enough diseased cattle and swine buried on this island, and the plan of dropping their carcases
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