and
March 29, 1902.]
your children care to send me from their own private resources.'
fo
*
Unfortunately for me, as with a good many others, and unfortunately for you also, I have been unable to accomplish anything favourable, but time and history are the best and infallible judges, and on them will depend the outcome of the future.
"In fine, appreciating the value of your com- mittee here, I suggested the sending to America of some of your sons, even offering myself for that purpose, if my services were considered worthy and sufficiently valuable, in order to beg | of Congress to determine on your fate and thus bring about the prompt termination of the war which is spilling so much blood on all sides. All was in vain, however. Your countryman was ri ht when he said, 'We have fallen to such a depth of moral prostration, that good intentions count for naught with us, and what \is worse, we mock the natural sentiment of humanity. Our people are sinking into a pit through the fatality of circumstances. Civic virtues are laughed at and it now seems to be the rule that everything is in accord with what unforeseen circumstances may have in store for
18.
Personally to the above I must add, if these twenty men, with certain honorable and respectable exceptions, whom we thought re- presentatives of the people, have been influenced by any form of flattery, then all I can say is-put out the lights and let us go home.'
*
"I think my mission is now ended, and I shall soon be among you again, but before concluding, allow me to state the following:
"All the energies of my youth having been reduced to ashes, my small fortune having vanished, and I am even owing money at present, the education of my children having been neglected, and without even a home to give them a modest shelter, and haring come to the direct necessity to feed my poor family, I hope you will now grant me the indulgence I crave and allow me to retire from the arena of politics, and fulfil the duties of the good father of a family.
··
Kowloon, January 31st, 1902.
L
VENANCIO CONCEPCION."
THE KIDNAPPED RAJAH. Sonthern papers discuss the question of the kidnapped Kajah of Patani at some length. This is what the Malay Mail has to say:-
never
the
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
the susceptibility of the Siamese nobility when the King of Siam quietly makes a transfer nominally under, compulsion ? Of one thing we may be sure, it would be impossible to find a gentleman more fitted to deal with the situation than the present Governor of British Malaya." The Siam Observer, an inspired journal, in its issue of the 8th inst. says:-
"In reference to the rumours that have been circulated regarding the Rajah of Patani, we believe the following is a substantially accurate account of what has taken place. The Rajab had placed himself in a very serious position by an apparent deliberate disobedience to the Siamese Government. That trouble has been indicated by the letter of "Tourist in a Singapore contemporary on which we have more than once commented indiction was
though the not perhaps, in the exact direction set forth by the writer. It would seem that the Rajah's attitude in regard to the promulgation of a new law must have brought matters to a cris s. Every possible opportunity appears, at the same tine, to have been given to the Rajah to consider his position. H.E. Phya Sri Sahadhcb, Vice- Minister for the Interior, was sioned, with full powers to deal with the commis- matter on the spot. The Vice-Minister,
247
The King's Exequatur empowering M. P. L. C. Clandel to act as Consul för France in Hongkong has been signed.
The Rev. G. A. Gussmann has been recog. nised as President in Hongkong of the Basel Evangelical Missionary Society.
Major-General Gascoigne made his annual inspection of the Royal Garrison Artillery at Victoria Barracks on the 25th inst.
On Tuesday night the European staff of the dinner to Mr. J. Hand, superintendent, who is Aberdeen Dock, numbering about forty, gave a shortly leaving for home. Mr. N. Munford Lloyd's surveyor, occupied the chair, and, after the customary toasts and speeches, presented to staff, a gold hunting watch, on which was the Mr. Hand, on behalf of the members of the inscription :-" Presented to Mr. J. Hand by the staff of the Aberdeen Dock, as a mark of esteem.-Hongkong, March, 1902." The even- ing was a most enjoyable one.
H.M. sloop Rinaldo, the Plover's relief on this station, arrived from Sandakan on Wed morning. She. like the Mutine, is a sister ship Wednesday of the ill-fated Condor, and is a sheathed sloop of 980 tons displacement and 1400 i. h. p. Her her speed 13.25, and her complement 130 men. armament is six 4-in, Q.F. and four 3 p guns, Commander D: St. A. Wade is in charge. A collision occurred on 9th December last between the Rinaldo and the battleship Sanspareil in Sheerness Harbour. Whilst the Rinaldo was slowing to get her head in the direction of the month of the Medway to leave on her com- missioned steam. trial, she went broadside on to battleship's anchor bed, which made two rents the Sanspareil, coming into contact with the in the sloop's port side. The Sanspareil only Rinaldo is to bare certain changes in her rig- bad three awning stanchions damaged The ging made at the Hong ong dockyard. These masts. will include the removal of yards from the
accordingly, proceeded to Patani and discussed matters with the Rajah personally. If our in- formation be correct His Excellency urged the Rajah in the strongest manner to fulfil his duty by pronilgating the new law in question, but the Rajah could not be prevailed upon to give a definite and immediate reply. would think about it or see about it, or some
He thing of that kind. The Vice-Minister refused to be put off with what seemed an evasion, and eventually, and other means having failed, the Rajah was ordered to accompany the Vice-Min- isters on board the Siamese gunboat. He was then taken to Singora, where for the present he remains under surveillance, pending further proceedings for the settlement of the matter. As there is a Siamese Commissioner stationed in Patani, the administratiou will not suffer, and it is to be hoped that the Rajah will be quickly brought to reason. Possibly the crisis is more the fault of his advisers than of the Rajah him-York departed for Amog. self. After having fulfilled his mission Phya Sri Sahadheb proceeded to Singapore there to join the Royal party. He had left Bangkok three days before the Royal journey commenced. The visit of the Majesties to Singapore to bid farewell to Prince Nakorn Swan had, of course, nothing to do with the Patani incident. The Royal yacht did not go to Patani at all, but proceeded straight to Singapore for Bangkok, returning by the eastern route."
H.M.S. Astraea arrived here from Woosung on the 24th inst., and left for home on the 27th inst.
The Siam Free Press does not guarantee the truth of the tale which has reached it in rumour form, but believes it to be founded on fact, and that the Rajah was arrested for intriguing with the British.
HONGKONG.
An amah employed in the Government Civil Hospital committed suicide on the 22nd inst. morning by hanging herself in her room.
H.M.S. Orlando left for home on the 25th inst. H.M S. Alacrity left for Pakhoi and H.M.S. Pique for Shanghai. The U.S. flagship New
COMMERCIAL.
TEA.
EXPORT OF TEA FROM CHINA TO UNITED KINGDOM AND CONTINENT.
1901-2 lbs.
Hankow and Shanghai... Amoy and Formosa.... Foochow Canton
1900-1
---
396,839
lbs.
575,504
996,839
578,504
EXPORT OF TEA FROM CHINA TO UNITED STATES AND CANADA.
1901-2
1900-01
Shanghai Amoy and Formosa...... 16,290,088 18,424,161 Foochow
15,290,088 16,424,11
"The kidnapping of the Sultan (or Rajab) of Patani is likely to be a bad day's work for the Siamese Government. Mr. Annandale, the explorer, who was for some months in that State, told us when he was in Kuala Lumpur, a day or two ago, that there was a great deal of friction between the Siamese officials and the Rajah and that although he and his friend were cordi- ally welcomed by the Rajah they were allowed out of the sight of certain Siamese, told off to watch them and report their every movement to Bangkok. He descr bed State as reeking with intrigue and ripe for rebellion against the Siamese suzerainty. The Malays had all sorts of wonderful ideas, one of which was that our old friend, Mr. Skeat,
was coming out from home to rule the State, and so firmly did some The visitors to the City Hall Libary and of them believe this that they sent that gentle-Museum last week were 271 non-Chinese and man several very polite letters. One attempt 96 Chinese to the former institution, 46 non- had already been made to poison Mr. Annandale Chinese and 2,594 Chinese to the latter. and his friend-or at least they firmly believe so-and when Mr. Annandale left here to return to Patani, he said to us, with a laugh. "I expect somebody will try to poison me. As a matter of fact, although both the Malays and the Siamese look upon these explorers as merely hiding a political mission under the guise of a scientific expedition. Mr. Annandale and bis friend are solely interested in the country from the latter point of view. A glance at the map will show that British interference in Patani seals the fate of Siamese Malaya. Nobody doubts for a moment that ultimately all the Malay States will come under the British flag: or, if anybody does doubt this, let him read the history of India for the last hundred years. How it will come about or when, nobody can say, unless it be the
resent representative of British Power in this Adhesive Stamps show a drop of $2 046,88. ́ holders of ready stock. Markets in the
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part of the world. Query: Will H.E. interfere at this stage of the proceedings? Or is the whole business pre-arranged as an excuse to smoothe
At the Hongkong Chess Club on the 24th inst. Mr. P. W. Sergeant played nine of the other members simultaneously. The single player won 7 games and lost 2 (to Messrs. P. C. de Souza and E. F. Moses). The games took one hour and three-quarters in all..
On the 23rd inst. Club race No. 10 of the Royal Hongkong Yacht Club was sailed in one of the best breezes experienced in the Colony. The One-Design class race ended thus:-Colleen, 1; Erica, 2; Kathleen, 3. The race for the Championship class ended in a victory for the Bonito,
From the returns of stamp revenue for February 1901 and 1902 it appears that there has been a decrease in the latter month of $5,252.83. Of this loss Conveyance or Assign ment accounts for no less than $10,000, while
The principal increases are shown in:-Bank note Duty, $2,092.06; and Probate, or Letters of Administration, $1,964.
are:
SILK. CANTON, 16th March - Re-reels.-Transac tions reported meanwhile for export 20 bales No. 1 at $640 and 30 bales No. 2 at $6256. The former grade is in active request for native consumption and what little remained has now been cleared off the market at $690. No further supplies are expected. Filatures. Since last issue, the market has fallen very quiet, the demand, both from Europe and America, having nearly ceased. Latterly a few weak holders have accepted offers at $20 to $40 lower than the prices last given, while others are only willing to make concessions of $5 to $15, so that for the moment prices are irregular and the tendency unsettled. Short-reels.-Demand has almost ceased and only a few transactions are reported. Prices have slightly weakened, there being a few holders who Waste having withdrawn before the high prices are anxions to sell. Waste. Buyers of Steam asked, concessions are now obtainable from some however, continue to rule very strong on the basis of $115 for Extra Selected and 398 for Extra-Extra opened,
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