July 15, 1901.1
The P. G. has issued a notification that peaceable traders coming to the city and find ing arms necessary for their protection on the way, must notify the authorities on arrival and hand up their arms until such time as they are leaving again, when they will be returned.
Orders announce that acco.ding to present arrangements the force retained in North China will include:-Peking-2 Co.'s 2nd Batt. B. W. Fusiliers; No. 2 ́Co. 8. Div. R. G. A. B/15 B. Field Hospt. Tientsin and Shanhaikwan- Headquarters Command and Staff; Director Railways and Staff; Nos. 3, 4, 5 Sections 1-Pr. Vickers-Maxims R. A., 2 Co.'s 2nd Batt. R. W. Fusiliers; 14 Sikhs; 31 Madras Inf.; 4th Gurkha Rifles: Hongkong Regiment, etc., etc.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
53
protected by the wall of the main city), much | court for trivial sanitary offences, which do other work on private and public buildings has not even touch the fringe of the great questions given employment to hundreds of carpenters at issue, the greatest of which is the present and masons and thousands of coolies. Without | system of drainage, which by general consent is a doubt hundreds of these same coolies helped quite unsuited to the requirements of the colony loot the Legation district just a year ago. The and is not under the control of the Sanitary Germans and French are doing the most build-authorities. I may say that my experience of ing. Quite a number of detached buildings of the colony is a lengthened one, and takes in the are being constructed life of the present Sanitary Board and its pleasing appearance north of Legation Street and east of the French various phases, practical and comical.—Yours, Legation, and are in fact nearing completion. etc., The new Club House of the Peking Club is above ground and growing taller each day. This building is situated on the site of the former Customs stables in the Taichinch'iang.
THE CUSTOMS WAITING.
From the Club on east to the Hatamên Shanghai-Command and Staff 1 sec. Vickers-Maxims R. A.; 2nd Rajput; 30th Street is a largo compound allotted to the Customs. Sir Robert has not broken ground Bombay Inf., etc., etc.
La Hang-chang is reported to be endeavour-yet, in which he is behind all the Legations. ing to suppress the Allied Villager movement, Some say it is because the Court's return being feeling some anxiety lest it should become a uncertain, the Inspectorate-General of Customs Jr. Coltman is second Boxer movement. The officials of two may be moved elsewhere. districts, Shunchiu and Suning, in Chihli and building a fine new residence just south of the near Paotingfu, have asked for reinforcements Customs compound. in order to suppress this association, which is getting stronger and more threatening. At Ming-ho, and also at Chang-li near Shanhai- kwan the Allied Villagers, who are largely disbanded soldiers, have been very active. There are many of the leading gentry among their leaders, and their object is to resist the payment of any indemnity to foreigners, as wall as being generally anti-dynastic and anti-foreign.
PEKING
Peking, 28th June,
HEDGING OFFICIALS.
There has been quite a number of officials tak. ing life insurance policies within the last month. This looks as though they were not sure what might happen should the Court return. Among those to take policies are Li Hung-chang; Chonfu, Treasurer of Chihli; Li Yu-shen, a Taotai; Yu Yueh-hus, son of Prince Ting; and many minor officials.
WILL THE COURT RETURN?
date set. Li Hung-chang says:
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EDUCATIONAL.
NON NOBIS SOLUM SED OMNIBUS.
PLAGUE AND THE PROPOSED COMMISSION OF ENQUIRY.
not
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS.
7th July. SIR,-A capital idea that is of the prompters and promoters of the Petition to the Home Authorities praying for the appointment of a | Commission of Enquiry. Yon, sir, rightly exalt over the movement and have already written three leaders, in the last of which you give veut to some uneasiness and misapprehen. sion for the fact that there is another move- Mr. J. M. Allardyce of the Imperial Universityment for a counter-petition. If this opposition has commenced teaching a class of seventy-five be only for opposition's sake, and proceeds from boys English. The school was opened with the the very uncommendable sentiment of self- sanction of Prince Ching and Li Hung-chang, interest, it should be the more welcome, as it and will be incorporated with the University will serve to stimulate the promoters of the when that institution in resuscitated, which all pro-enquiry Petition to greater exertions to
case, materials for which are the officials agree in saying will be this autumn. make ont a good, strong and unimpeach The faculty sincerely hope so, as they have able nearly a year's pay due them, and have been wanting. Before your last editorial announc- engaged in interpreting for the military, teaching the anti-petition movement, there was only one quarter of opposition to count ing privately, and in some instances acting as clerks in order to support themselves in the with, namely, the official bureaucracy with their interim. The fund of five million taels deposited plausible pleas and formidable statistics. But at the Russo-Chinese Bank for the support of now the pro-enquiry party has two opponents the University has been drawing interest all to face and contend with. So much the better. Opposition, from whatever motive it might proceed, has, in such-like matters, almost this time.
always served as an incentive to stronger action and greater energy on the part of those to whom that opposition is offered. What should be done now?” Nothing short of united action, redoubled energy and unbounded seal would save the situation. Otherwise such a really. good cause as this is in every danger of being handled half-heartedly by the authorities in Downing Street, especially when they see that Hongkong is a house divided against itself. But this is a contingency ewily avoidable. Let the promoters of the orginal Petition set to work, as surely they must have done compile figures and statisties. More than that, this, to collect materials, gather facts and they must secure gentlemen of standing and experience to give evidence before the proposed commission, and that evidence must not be of a superficial nature and assailable character, but unimpeachable and one to bring conviction That it must at once be soundly irrefutable and home to the Authorities at home. will be a very effective means of silencing opposition of any sort and proceeding from any quarter whatever. The next question to decide would be-who should be such chosen
Ch'un.
OFFICIAL NEWS.
Choufu says he has at last settled satisfactorily all claims of the missionaries, and will now tackle the punishment of the men who murdered the Christian natives. He is a good official, and all who have had dealings with him say he It is Opinion seems about equally divided as to is honest, straightforward, and fair. whether the Conrt will or will not return to confidently expected that Hu Yun-mei will be They un-appointed again to his old billet of Director- Peking. Prince Ching says: doubtedly will, but may not start as early as the General of Northern Railways upon Chang The edict Yen-mao's departure for Germany with Prince Yuan Shikai's soldiers are waiting states they leave Hsianfu on September the first; at Hochienfu for permission from the German
Choufu says! what more do you want?' have been ordered to prepare an extraordinarily military authorities to come to Peking. Hu large sum for travelling expenses, so surely they Yun-mei will also be in charge of them after ure coming." Yet none of these noted officials their arrival.-N.-C. Daily News. would say: "I believe the Court will return at the time set;" and there are not a few who say that the Court will not return with a fortified "Legation city" inside the Tartar City walls, and a railroad terminus at the gate of the Temple of Heaven.
宁
THE TREMINUS MUST NOT GO.
All the officials I have spoken to declare the railroad terminus must be moved outside the city as soon as the Court does return in any event. It will be a great mistake if the Powers allow any such procedure.
THE LEGATION CITY
CORRESPONDENCE.
[We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents.]
THE SANITARY BOARD.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE
"
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DAILY PRESS.
6th July. SIR.-I have read with much interest your various leading articles in favour of Sanitary is building fast. The protecting wall, while reforms in this colony, and trust they will One of these reforms not near as high as the city wall, nor a tenth as have effect in duo season. thick, is still built heavily enough to afford must be a new Sanitary Board. The present resistance to any but heavy calibre guns: and Sub-Governmental Department has more arbi- as the Chinese don't make and cannot under trary power than it knows how to use properly, peace conditions import heavy cannon, the in SB. Form No. 4 and in other ways. We Legationers in future can consider themselves have no objection to confer on a proper Sanitary safe if a good guard is kept and they are well Board all the arbitrary power that may be provisioned. The last siege was successfully required, but that power must be exercised resisted, because there being several large grain through representatives of the community and shops in the Legation area, provisioning the not through nominees of Government as at large garrison of non-combatants as well as the present, who are a law unto themselves. We six hundred defenders was possible. In future, would sweep away the whole army of inspec with all Chinese business houses cut of the tors, who have neither the power nor the district, only such provisions as are stored in technical knowledge requisite, and appoint a the military barracks will be available, It trained Sanitary Surveyor, and an assistant if behoves the various governments therefore to necessary, to every Sanitary district in the see that arms, ammunition, and abundant colony, men whose professional standing would provisions are kept in stock at Tientsin or the ensure respect for their dictum, and who would world may be given a spectacle of two thousand co-operate in an intellegent manner with resi. soldiers starved out with plenty of time to pre- pare, where six hundred held the fort and successfully resisted for two months on twenty- four hours notice.
:
BUILDING.
dents desirous of promoting true sanitation, and consign to oblivion the present unsatisfactory, red-tape, nonsensical system which is beneath the contempt of even the Chinese and holds back the co-operation of the community, who will
ere.
witnesses? All disinterested people will unite in answering-the resigned unofficial members of what is known as the Sanitary Board, but which would be more appropriately described as the Nonentity Board, so far as usefulness is concerned, though it cannot be denied that it bas on it capable men, both official and non-official. It would be invidious to name particular namos out of an array of likely and obtainable witnessos, but Mr. J. J. Francis, K.C., the Hon. T. 11. rery well be put forth as redoubtable witnesses Whitehead, and others of such stamp might to represent, and even plead the cause of Hongkong sanitation.
The above scheme has no claim to originality. Turning to India, we might find a number of commissions similar to that we are applying for at present. But there are commissions and commissions. Some have failed hopelessly, others have proved little short of a solemn farce, in that recommendations were made and resolu- tions were formulated only to be shelved and consigned to oblivion, and others again which have succeeded in achieving some amount of success. As regards the last named, let us for an instant take the Royal Indian Expenditure Commission. The Indian National Congress,
In addition to the wall around the Legation never become moral sanitarians by ordinanceably supported by the Indian Parliamentary City on three sides (the south side being already piled on ordinance and summonses to the polic
Party, unceasingly agitated for an enquiry into