516
The British storeship Humber left for the North on Thursday.
Mr. W. R. Seymour has been appointed Assistant Master at Queen's College.
H.M.8. Centurion is expected here in a few days; afterwards proceeding home with Admiral Seymour.
On the 19th inst. the Austrian crniser Leopard left for Saigon. The U.S. transport Arethusa arrived from Manila.
During the absence from the colony of the Rev. W. Bannister, Church of England Officiating Chaplain to the troops, the duties of Officiating Chaplain will be performed by the Rev. G. A. Bunbury, of St. Paul's College. Apart from plague last week, the only cases of infectious disease reported in the Colony were:--Diptheria, 2 in the Harbour (imported); puerperal fever, 1 (Chinese), resulting in death; small-pox, 4 (all Chinese, 3 in Victoria) with 3 deaths.
Thursday's Chinese festival was very quietly observed in Hongkong. In Canton, we hear, preparations have been made for some time past to keep the Dragon-boat fête on a larger scale than usual, in order to combine the exorcising of the plague-devils with the original intention of the day.
A coolie employed at the Hunghom Docks was killed on the 17th inst. while engaged with a number of others in removing a pump from the yard. The platform on which the pump rested gave way, and the coolie tried to catch it as it fell. The weight being too great, it knocked him down, fell on top of him, and killed him instantaneously.
-I
on
The members of the Catholic Union gave a very successful and enjoyable “At Home' Friday evening in their rooms in the Roman Catholic Mission House at Glenealy. Thore
was
a large number of members and their friends present, who seemed to have enjoyed the genial hospitality dispensed by the committee, especially by Mr. J. M. Alves, the energetic and hard-working secretary of the Union, and also the excellent music provided by not less than three amateur bands
A meeting of Justices of the Peace was held on Thursday afternoon at the Magistracy to consider an application from Mr. Moritz Freimann, of the "Land We Live In" Hotel, 332-334, Queen's Road, for a transfer of his license to his son, Adolph Freimann. The application was granted on the condition that the applicant would find a guarantee, his previous guarantee, Mr. Theonert, manager of the Chinese Import-Export-and- Bank Company, having died of plague. This condition was accepted by the applicant. Mr. Hazeland, Acting Police Magistrate, presided at the meeting, the others present being Mr. Kemp, Acting Police Magistrate, and Mr. Melbourne, Chief Clerk at the Magistracy!
With a view to doing something towards lessening the risks of a further spread of the present epidemic of plague, the authorities have taken to flushing the drains in Queen's Road with sea water. The work was started on the 15th inst., and two steam fire-engines are engaged in it-one at the Star Ferry Company's Wharf and the other at Wanchai. A third fire-engine will commence on the 17th inst. At present the flushing of the drains is being confined to those in the central district, but it is purposed to clear them right along Queen's Road. The step is undoubtedly one in the right direction, and it is sincerely to be trusted that it will be attended by beneficial results and will be continued regularly for the present.
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
H. M. receiving-ship Tamar went into dock on the 20th inst.
A Chinese fitter of the Indravelli was killed on the 18th inst. by falling into the hold of the ship.
Sir John Carrington, K., C.M.G., leaves on Wednesday, 26th inst, for a three months' tour in Japan.
The resignation by Capt G. H. Potts of his commission in the Hongkong Volunteer Corps has been accep'ed.
The issue of Exequatur to Mr. W. A. Rubles to act as American onsul-General at Hongkong is published in the Gazette.
The British hospital ship Gwal or left the harbour on the 19th inst. for Calcutta, having on board invalids from the North.
The chartered transports Muttra and Ici are due at Hongkong from Calcutta on Tuesday, the 25th inst., en route for the North.
On the 19th inst. the British hospital ship Gwalior arrived from Shanghai. The British transport Umta left for Taku, and the German gunboat Geier departed for Amoy.
The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation notified us on Saturday that a telegram had been received from their Singapore Branch stating that $258,000 of the stolen notes have been recovered at Colombo.
The French cruiser Friant, Captain Adam, arrived in the harbour on the 15th inst. from Amoy, which port she left on the 13th instant. The Friant is a second class cruiser, having 24 guns, and a complement of 358.
The return of stamp revenne during the months of May, 1900 and 1901, shows a decrease for the latter month of $1,335.81. The chief items showing improvement were: -Conveyance or assignment. $1,533; bill of exchange or promissory note. $602.11; broker's note, $492.50; bill of lading, $427.50. The main decreases were:-Probate or letters of administration. $3,798; and adhesive stamps, $1,299,83.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The establishment of a new Court and new Code of Laws in the Philippines is progressing favourably, the natives apparently taking gret interest in the re-establisment of law and order in their country.
The Mercury declares that it has been known in Shanghai for several weeks that Germany intends to continue to maintain a garrison in Shanghai, not for the present, as stated in the telegrams, but permanently.
Major-General Adna Chaffee, arrived at Manila from Taku on the morning of the 5th inst. on the U.S. transport Sumner. General Chaffee is to relieve Major-General McArthur of the military government.
H.M.S. Kineha, formerly the Pioneer, arrived at Shanghai from Chungking on the morning of the 11th inst., having made an excellent passage all the way. the is under the command of Lieut. George B. Powell, R.N., Captain Plant assisting in the navigation.
Mr.
Gervase W. Cook, in a lengthy letter to the Manila Times, disputes Mr. Sawyer's (a mineral expert) assertion that there is no true coal in the Philippines, but only lignite He says true coal has been found in the Islands of Cebu and Bataan.
The first working train of the bhantung railway reached Kaumian on the 11th inst It is only nine wooks since the first section was opened and already twenty additional miles are in sufficient good running order to permit constructing trains to pass over it.. At this rate the railway will be finished in a very short time indeed.
Several unsuccessful attempts were made at the beginning of last week to tow off the Italian cruiser Stromboli, which ran aground in the river about half-a-mile below the Cosmopolitan Dock, Shanghai. It was feared that the vessel would have to remain, where it was for some days, as the depth of water at high tide was
The r port on the Peak Church during the past year, which is now issued over the signa- ture of the Rev. F. T. Johnson, states that the church was examined, a few months ago by Messrs Leigh & Orange, who reported that the building was in a very unsatisfactory condition. In view of the possibility of a new building being erected within the next few years, they recommended that only absolutely necessary repairs should be undertaken. Accordingly a new floor has been laid and the surface under-decreasing daily. neath has been concreted. The roof has been temporarily repaired, a flat wooden ceiling has been constructed, and some other minor repairs are now being made. The estimated cost of these repairs is $165. The offerings which amount to $433.19, show a slight decrease from the average of recent years, but there still remains a credit balance of 2619-30.
We note that the French at Canton now issue French colonial stamps surcharged with the name "Canton" in Roman and Chinese characters. This is but another evidence of the exceedingly active proceedings of the French at Canton. We have reason to believe that they are busily looking after mining concessions in the neighbourhood.
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(June 22, 1901.
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The tramway to be built in the French Settlement at Shanghai is not to be electrical, but on a new system, known as the “Purrey's System," requiring special steam-boilers. The steam is to superheated and the cars are said to be entirely free from smoke, noise, or smell. The cars are to be small, and are to attain a speed of 15 miles per hour on free roads.
General Voyron, telegraphing to Paris of the evacuation of Telsenting and Honalu (P) by the French troops, reports that the Chinese authorities thanked him for the good order and tranquillity which had been maintained in the country by the French occupation. A Paris telegram announces that General Bailloud's brigade will commence its return home on the 25th inst.
"
According to El Comercio, the American government contemplate starting a special police force at Manila modelled on the
Carabineros
the famous
corps during Spanish regime. The force is to be exclusive for service around the bay. The experiment is to be tried at first with 120 men, one officer and six sergeants, and to be increased according to requirement if the trial proves successful.
The annual interport races between Yokohama and Kobe were held at Kobe on the 8th and 9th inst. On the first day Kobe was successful in securing the interport pairs, while Yokohama won the fours. On the second day, in the double sculls the Kobe crew proved the victors after a good struggle by seven lengths. The race for the single sculls proved a fiasco, the Yokohama representative finishing alone.
An Asaki telegram of the 5th inst. says:- thunder and rain storm WBS A experienced in Peking last night and three buildings in the Imperial palace were struck by lightning, and caught fire. The fire was put out this morning at 2 o'clock. One bat- talion of Japanese and 20 Americans rendered valuable service in putting out the fire. The troops of other powers were unable to obtain admission as the gates were closed.
sovere
The new convention between Spain and Japan provides that each of the contracting parties shall accord to the other most-favoured nation treatment in respect of import and export duties except so far as relates to the special advantages accorded by Spain to Portugal. The convention is to remain in operation for five years, and, after that period has elapsed, may be terminated by either of the contracting parties upon a notice of twelvo months.
H.E. Sheng, Director-General of Telegraphs, states the Universul Gazette, has begun building. a cable line from Laohokou, Hupeh, along the Hsiang river up to Hsian, as a supplement to the land telegraph, which cannot always be relied
проп
to remain free from obstruction, or stoppage. The money for the construction of the new cable is to be defrayed by the Telegraph Administration and will not be charged to the Government at all, it being intended as "a present" to the Government from the Telegraph Administration.
was.
Field Marshal Count von Waldersoo received in audience by the Emperor of Japan on the 11th inst. in the Ho-o "Hall at Tokyo, and subsequently was invited to dine at the Palace. Count von Waldersee having lost his ceremonial uniform in the fire at the Winter Palace, Poking, special permission was granted for him to attend the audience in his ordinary uniform. A Gifu despatch to the Mainichi states that Count von Waldersee is expected to visit the town on his way back to Kobe as ho wishes to see the famons cormorant fishing in the Nagaragawa. The local authorities, how- ever, had not received any intimation in regard to a visit.
The Ostasiatische Iloyd of the 14th inst, in a lengthy article absolves General Baillond of all blame for having prevented his troops, which joined the German contingent in an expedition to the Great Wall against General Lin, of firing even a single shot, saying that it has now been ascertained upon unimpeachable authority that General Bailloud was constrained to set as he did, as he had received a telegram from Paris while on his way to join the German ex- peditionary force, instructing him not to fight against General Liu under any consideration. The writer of the article gives great praise to the French General for his previous courteous behaviour and willing co-operation.,