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The following further facts concerning the late Consul Popoff will be of interest to his friends. He was born in Orel, Russia, 19th November, 1850. He has o.e brother who is a Doctor of Medicine. He was educated at Orel and finished a course of study in divinity in an ecclesiastical seminary where he gave special attention to Oriental studies, more particularly the official Chinese language. He was regarded as a very good linguist. In Nov. 1877 he enter- ed the service of the "Ministerium for Foreign Affairs" and in 1878 was appointed to Peking as Student Interpreter. He remained in Peking for nearly five years; in Sept. 1882 was assigned to duty as Consul at Foochow. In 1885 he was married in St. Petersburg and returned at once to his duties at this port. He also visit ed the homeland with his wife in 1992 and 1898. He left one son, named Boris, who was born in Foochow in 1887 and is at present attending school in St. Petersburg. For fidelity of service he has been honoured with the follow- ing orders of decoration:-'l he order of St. Stanislaus of 2nd and 3rd degree, the order of St. Anna of 2nd and 3rd degree, and the medal of the late Emperor Alexander III. A short time before his death he received the medal of the order of St. Vladimir of the 4th degree.
5
AGUINALDO'S SUCCESSOR.
A proclamation to the people of Cebu, issued from the insurgent headquarters on that island and re-published by the Central Filipino Com- mittee abroad, recognising General Malvar as the head of the insurgent army in the Philip pines and calling on the forces still in the field to co-operate with him, is being circulated in Manila, accompanied by a letter from General Maxilom. The following is a translation of the proclamation:-
To the people of Cebu:
"General Malvar's manifesto dated 19th April of this year declaring himself in the meanwhile 1st Chief of the Philippine Army pending the election of a permanent head, again
established material cohesion of the forces of our army, which were temporarily disorganised by the capture of one who was its chief leader, and also by the successive renditions afterwards,
of various other chiefs.
61
From that time, the remains of the revolu- tion in our provinces were only allied by the connection of its aspirations.
63
The expectation and uncertainty inspired by such incidents, which gave place to supposi tions and rumours more or less logical, which served to sow even more discord and confusion amongst those who were still on the field, remain determined in their resolve declared to the aforementioned General, who occupies such an onerous and responsible post, but which he has assumed with conrage and abnegation with the object of re-uniting his scattered organisa. tions, which have dispersed owing to the natural accidents of war; he is re-animating his energies, without vacillating, being determined to follow on the course he has taken up.
"The history and service of General Malvar on behalf of our cause constitutes a sufficient guarantee that we should hold in our hearts faith and confidence in the future. Under these conditions on duty demands that we should second and assist him in his noble purposes and we should use all our efforts to assure that solidarity which the material forces of the revolution demand, such solidarity having for basis good organisation attained by discipline and obedience.
"Consequently, without looking for other initiative; and only obeying the dictates of our conscience for the welfare of our cause, we heartily and enthusiastically applaud the above declaration and hereby declare our adherence to, and recognise General Miguel Malvar as, Generalissimo of the Philippine Army, and it therefore behoves all those at the head of their men and in command of columns to call a meet- ing of the Nationalist forces notifying them of the present proclamation.
"Issued from the Filipino General Barracks, Cebu, June 24th, 1901.
The 1st Superior Chief, Political-Military, General in Chief of Operations:
"(Signed)" ARCADIO MAXILOM. "(Published by the Central Filipino Com- mittee abroad.)”
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
CORRESPONDENCE.
[We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents.]
L
TRAMWAY FARES.
"
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS.
Hongkong, 24th October. SIR,-I understand that your energies and influence are given to endeavour to improve the state of Hongkong by expressing your own views and publishing those of similar mind on the subjects of public health, overcrowding, means of conveyance, and all other matters that would come under Municipal Government if such obtained here. There is a point which I would like to bring before your readers as another effort to lead them to seek for further reforms.
Now
We have heard a great deal about the proposed tramway, and it was hoped that if fares on it are made cheap enough many people might move out of the central districts to live: it seems to me that the proposed fares are exorbitant and will have little or no effect in the direction of relieving congestion. The people of America are. I believe, far ahead of us in the matter of cheap fares. have heard that in New York one can go 14 miles for 5 cts. gold, riding round a great part of the city (including one or two transfers). A similar believe, at the ride may be had in Montreal, same price. Some may say that these places have a large travelling public and can therefore afford a low fare, but I know that in Vancouver, B.C., where there is only a population of 20,000 or 30.000 the same fares obtain for a ride all round the town and suburbs, in fact, cheaper tickets are issued (my recollection is that the price is 25 cts. gold for 6 tickets).
I have lately been reading W. T. Stead's book If Christ Came to Chicago, and on p. 280 of the edition I am reading there is an account of a new Mayor in Detroit. He had determined to take monopolies from street traffic companies, and amongst other things he arranged to grant to a corporation the right to make a railway throughout the town under the following conditions:--Girder grooved rails to be used.— Roadway between tracks to be re-paved. -No overcrowding permitted in cars, which must be of most approved design for service and com- fort. Fare to be 25 cts. (gold) for 8 tickets, with right of transfer in city limits, and fur- ther.--The City Council is to have the right to purchase the line at a valuation to be fixed by arbitration at the expiration of 15 years, or to take over the whole plant, exclusive of rolling stock, free gratis and for nothing, at the end of
years.
25
your
[November 4, 1901.
It is therefore unnecessary for the foreign governments to furnish the Chinese commis- sioners with credentials, as the Chinese them- selves know perfectly well their own business, and it is well-known that the Mandarins have already lost faith in the eyes of their Chinese subjects owing to the too familiar facts, which need not be pointed out here.
It is most
the
As regards the recent crisis in the North it was not due to the Chinese in the Southern provinces. The foul play was only the work of a few Manchu princes and nobles, and they themselves alone should be held responsible for the result of the crime which they brought upon themselves. unjust and cruel that the tax imposed solely for that purpose should be forced upon Southern provinces. The Chinese merchants and residents abroad are mostly natives of the Southern provinces. Their relatives in China, innocent though they are, cannot escape the tax. Why should they also be called upon to bear a share of penalty which has not been incurred by them, while some instigators áre still allowed to enjoy themselves with impunity? For justice sake their property should be forfeited to pay a part of the indemnity. I am persuaded that what loss has been sustained falls more heavily on the Chinese (viz., the Kwangtung merchants, the peaceful inhabit- ants in Chihli, the Christians and the reform parties) than on the Manchus.
from
Now, should they once be granted the right to tax the Chinese residents in a foreign country, the Mandarins would take advantage of such power and would most certainly exceed the limit granted to them in their mission. Most likely the
visited
Chinese residents abroad, if they refuse, would not only be through their relatives in China bat be subject to all sorts of oppressive treatment and
threatened to be excommunicated from their motherland: it would mostly be the case that they would be denounced as traitors.
Another most regrettable thing, however, is that surely not half the sum thus collected would go to the Imperial treasurer and be honestly spent for the good of their country
It is therefore very unfair for the L. & C. Express to advocate that credentials be refused to the Chinese commissioners straight in their face. The Powers, if really interested in the Chinese questions, should strongly impress upon the Chinese Court the necessity of reforming their Government.-Yours, etc.,
CHINESE ABROAD.
SUPREME COURT.
Tuesday, 29th October. IN SUMMARY JURISDICTION.
ACTING PUISNE JUDGE.
Now, Sir, it seems to me monopolies are being formed here. The travelling public of Hongkong is to be exploited for private gain and without any compensating good in the BEFORE HIS HONOUR T. SERCOMBE SMITH, shape of relief of congestion. I trust that efforts and those of other public spirited people may be successful in spoiling such schemes. If the Government cannot manage` otherwise, they might ask for tenders from American firms, and I feel sure that in a short time we might have a cheap and efficient tram service all round the island.-Yours, etc,
W.
TAXING THE CHINESE ABROAD.
Yes,
LEE LAI CHUEN v. NG KING TING. This was a case in which Lee Lai Chuen, master of the firm of Lee Ying Lim, merchants, 1, Saiwo Lane, Hongkong, sued Ng King Ting, broker, 61, Wellington Street, for the return of nine cases of human hair wrongfully converted, it was alleged, by the defendant, or for $1,000, the said cases being valued at $1,350, and plaintiff waiving $350, part of the value of the cases, in order to bring the suit in Summary Jurisdiction.
Mr. J. T Reece, solicitor, appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. G. K. Hall Brutton, solicitor, for the defendant.
were in course of translation. He was in pos- session, however, of a rough translation, if his Lordship desired to proceed.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE “DAILY PRESS,” Hongkong, 30th October. SIR-With reference to the remarks made
Mr. Reece, in opening the case, said he desired in your daily issue, dated 29th instant, com. menting on a note from L. & C. Express about the Court to grant an adjournment, as several Prince Ching intending to tax the Chinese re-important documents to be produced in the case sidents abroad, I quite agree with you in the main point that "if they remain Chinese sub- jects presumably they too may legitimately be asked to help their country in distress.' it is quite so, the Chinese subjects really have no objection to the taxation imposed upon them if it is a just one, and are willing to subscribe liberally too, and the indemnity no doubt could be paid in a very short time if the Court would only open their ears to the crying need of their country and introduce necessary civilised reforms into their Government. Otherwise they could not expect anything from their subjects abroad,
His Lordship thought it best to go on with the case. Should anything important turn on a special clause, they could have it verified.
Mr. Reece stated that the plaintiff was now sole master of the Lee Ying Lim firm. About February of this year there were other two partners besides himself. On 8th February the cases referred to were despatched from a shop. in Canton, in which plaintiff was also a partner. to Hongkong, but for some reason the consignee would not take them and they were handed över