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November 4, 1901.]
BILLIARD TOURNAMENT AT THE SOLDIERS' CLUB.
On the 29th ult., before a large audience of soldiers, sailors, volunteers, and policemen, the Garrison Billiard Tournament at the Soldiers' Club came to a close, the team of the 2nd Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers defeating the Hongkong Volunteers by six games to two. H.E. Major-General Sir Wm. J. Gascoigne, K.C.M.G. (Commanding the Troops) was pre- sent, as he has also been on several previons occasions during the tournament. It was noticed that he watched each game closely, and his interest in the play was very evident.
The tournament, which commenced on 3rd October, attracted eight entries of eight men in each team: The Royal Navy and Royal Marines entered one team, as also did the R.G.A., RE, H.K.V.C. and H.K. Police. The Royal Welch Fusiliers entered two teams, which were unluckily drawn against each other
in the first round.
The following were the results:-
FIRST ROUND.
R.A. beat H.K. Police. R.W.F. ("A" team) beat R.W.F.
("B" toim). H.K.V.C. beat R.E.
R.N. beat Departmental Corps.
SECOND ROUND.
H.K.V.C. beat R.G.A.
R.W.F. beat R.N.
FINAL.
R.W.F. ("A" team) best H.K.V.C. The Royal Welch Fusiliers defeating the Volunteers in the final, have won the silver cup presented by the Club and the eight silver match-boxes. The names of the winning team are :- -S.-M. E. Hickman, Pte. Worthington, Cr.-Sergt. W. J. Keating, Pte. Green, Sergt. R. Jones, Pte. Gomer, Sergt. J. Jones, and Pte. Gilks.
RAILWAYS IN YUNNAN,
Viator" writes to the Pioneer :-Iu an article in your issue of August 26th, entitled "The Viceroy's trip to Burma" you have given what appears to me so erroneous an impression of the possibilities of railway extensions into Yunnan that I would ask your leave to write somewhat at length on the subject To began with, judging from your article, your in formation is derived from Captain Wingate's account of his journey across China in 1898. It was a very fine journey, but the author had a mere bowing acquaintance with the proposed line from the Kunlong Ferry to Tali-fu and Yunnan-fu. He visited Yun- nan city, it is true, and also crossed the proposed line in the Nam Ting Valley near Kunlong, but the rest of his journey in Yunnan was over country where no one but a lunatic would suggest a railway being built; it does not therefore require any great power of observa- tion to decide that it was impossible to build a railway in the part of the country where he travelled, but this no more practically settles the question of the possibilities of running rail. ways into Yunnan than it would if a globe- trotter were to touch at Madras on his steamer, then go to Caloutta and travelling thence over- land direct to Bombay, settle the question as to the possibility of a railway being constructed from Madras.
In another portion of your article you men- tion that "according to Captain Wingate, surveys have shown that a railway could be laid from Myitkyina
or from some point between Myitkyina and Bhamo to Momien in Western Yunnan." Anyone who knows that portion of the frontier will agree with me that this is an absolute impossibility, except at one This point and that is from Bhamo itself. brings me to the two projects which are both feasible and which have both been carefully examined by the late Captain Watts-Jones, R.E., as carefully, that is to say, as can be done Now that on a preliminary reconnaissance. China has quieted down, travelling in Yunnan is once more safe, and experienced railway surveyors should be sent to go over the line of the proposed railway and examine it in detail. On their reports a reliable opinion may be formed, but pending that judgment should surely be suspended, or, if any one likes to
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
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decide the question now, let them decide it on TYPHOON IN THE PHILIPPINES. the opinions of the five officers and others who for two seasons were sent into the country for the special object of exploring it and discover- ing a possible line of railway, if such exists rather than on that of one traveller, who is neither a railway export nor a surveyor.
To take the simpler project first, that of a line from Bhamo to Momien, the distance is some 72 miles; it would cross the Bhamo plain to near Myothit, then follow the Taeping Valley for a few miles through hills, but once through that portion it would run through & broad densely populated valley continuing to within a few miles of Momien when a certain amount of hill climbing has to be negotiated, but offering no engineering difficulty, owing to the broad sloping hill sides presenting excellent opportunities for gentle curves and not too steep gradients. Once in Momien the trade of the whole country round would be attracted; Tali-fu would be as near your rail-head as it would be to the French at Yunnan-fu,
trade at and although the
present is not huge, it would expand enormously. Nothing is more paying than a line which connects two countries of different climates and different elerations. Wheat, potatoes and many English vegetables grow in Momien, sheep flourish on the hill-sides; what would the residents of Burma give to have these things within easy reach and a magnificent climate within a night's journey? There are of course many other exports and imports, and passenger traffic through so fine a valley would of itself be sufficient to pay for the line. The Chinese, it must be remembered, are the best traders in the world, and although at first they may have had prejudices, they have taken to the few I railways already built like ducks to water. have no doubt that this line would pay well as politically. The commercially as
We have had at
first and only Consul Momien was also, believe, strongly in favour of the construction of this line, and the only argument that I can conceive being raised against it is that it cannot be continued any farther; owing to the succession of lofty mountain ranges and deep valleys lying to the east, Momien would have to be the terminus.
The second project, that of a through line from Kunlong to Yunnan-fu, is a very different business. The line has been reported on as feasible, although its commercial prospects are doubtful, but if we sit with our hands folded and do nothing, we must expect the French to push on, gradually oust trade and also our political influence till Yunnan becomes, when China is partitioned, a French province over- looking from its breezy and healthy uplands our hot and fever-striken province of Burma, a contingency one would like to contemplate.
To sum up, what I would suggest is that a regular survey of the line from Bhamo to Momien be made at once and if the line is
as soon
found to be promising, push on the construction With regard to the as possible. through line some experinced railway expert, whose opinoin would carry weight, should go over the line proposed by the late Captain Watts-Jones. There is no other possible, so that he would not have to leave the neighbour- hood of the line. We should then have a final decision on this question which might be safely accepted, but don't let the construction of the Bhamo-Momien be delayed one single moment.
The Commander of the Japanese torpedo. destroyer Murakumo, which was sent to the scene of the Tauruhiko Maru wreck, states that the vessel is understood to bave struck a rock On and gone down almost immediately. searching at Ojima and Mejima islands some railway sleepers and wreckage were discovered, but nothing to establish the exact locality of the wreck. Only one of the crew was saved, and there is no hope of salvage operations. The steamer was insured for 141,000 yen the cost 130,000 yen, and it is understood that 60,000 were expended upon repairs. It is thus estimated that the owners will lose 50,000 yen. The vessel was under contract with the Formosan Government to reach Keelung on or before the 10th inst, and this explains why she left Moji in spite of the storm warning issued by the Japanese Central Meteorological Station on the 5th.
WORST BUT ONE FOR 20 YEARS. The most severe typhoon known in the Fhilippines for twenty years, with but one exception, occurred on the 14th and the early part of the 15th ult. The damage was wide- spread and devastating. At least three Ameri- can soldiers lost their lives, many natives perished, houses and shipping suffered severely, and nearly all the telegraphic wires were brought down. The storm was general through- out the Archipelago, though Luzon received the heaviest part of the blow. In the city of Manila the damage was general, though Paco seemed to have suffered to a greater extent than any other part of the City. Nearly all of the streets were over a foot deep in water next morning. Cale San Marcelino from its junc- tion with Calle Concepcion to the small bridge near the Paco convent was flooded,
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The Manila Times account says:
The typhoon gradually asserted itself as the day progressed until four o'clock in the afternoon when the wind increased in velocity to such an extent that Number Five signal was displayed at the Captain of the Port's office as a warning to all mariners that the storm was passing to the northward close at hand and all vessels in the bay or river to look well to moorings and steamers to keep on a full head of steam to avoid danger of breaking moorings or dragging anchor. Between seven and eight o'clock the wind was blowing very strong (a maximum speed of sixty miles an hour during squalls) but shortly after midnight the gale had increased so that the mean velocity was fully seventy miles an hour.
Much damage, both to life and property resulted, the most serious loss of life being aboard the small coastwise steamer Alerta which was bound from Subig bay to Manila. Three soldiers, Corporal Foster, Company M, Corporal Pughin, Company L, and Private Lee Company I, all of the Twenty-fifth Infantry, were washed overboard and owing to the dark- ness and intensity of the storm it was impossible to save them.
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Down at the mouth of the river there are seven wrecks, consisting of disabled lurchas and cascoes. A large bark, probably the Pamplona is lying on the bar opposite the light-house but it was impossible to ascertain this morning what damage she had sustained. Perhaps the worst calamity of all, down in this section of the swept district, was what befell the handsome pride of the Government fleet, the Quarantine launch Zapote. Captain Perry's pride broke her moorings in front of the Harbour Master's Office and went down river with that fierce current which came with the turn of the tide at midnight. Her whole upper works are carried away, smoke-stack and the tops of the housings being conspicuous by their absence. Several weeks will elapse before the Zapote will be in commission again. The weather note of the Bureau at the Manila Observatory gives the official record of the storm as follows:-Pres- sure rising in all the Islands. The typhoon reached the Archipelago nearly North of Polillo Island, crossing Luzon from 5 p.m. to midnight, with a mean velocity of 167 miles per hour, being one of the most rapid typhoons which ever traversed the Island, the average velocity being only 9.8 miles for typhoons passing North of Manila. Minimum distance of centre to Manila about 60 miles. Maximum force of the wind about 60 miles an hour be- tween 6.30 and 7.30 p.m. from W.S.W. Amount of rainfall 4,063 inches.
Advices have been received in Manila to the effect that the U.S. transport Sheridan arrived in Nagasaki early on the 23rd ult. in a disabled condition. The Sheridan left Manila late on the afternoon of the 16th, and it is quite likely that she was caught in the terrible typhoon which swept the coast of Luzon. The informa- tion which has reached Manila regarding the condition of the transport is to the effect that she was badly battered and that it will require at least three weeks to put her in condi- tion to proceed to San Francisco. The Manila Times of the 24th ult. says:- The transport Warren is being put in condition to proceed to Nagasaki to take the Sheridan's passengers to San Francisco. If the Warren can be coaled in time, and the storm which is now raging along the coast subsides, she will leave this port