302**
VOLUNTEERS AND THE·
CORONATION.
A parade of about forty non-commissioned officers and men of the Volunteer Corps, who have notified their ability to obtain the necessary leave to proceed to England as a contingent representative of the Colony at the Coronation in June, was held on the parade ground at the Volunteer Headquarters at 5.30 p.m. on the 11th inst. They were briefly ad- dressed by Captain Pritchard, the new Com- mandant of the Corps, who said that whilst no definite selection had been made from amongst those who had sent in their names, there was no reason to doubt that all would be included in the contingent. The arrangements had not yet reached the stage of finality, but he was able to state that the contingent would leave Hongkong on 14th May by the steamer Empress of Japan, and travel via Canada and the United States, reaching London on or about 22nd June, four days prior to the Coronation ceremony. They would be encamped in Alexandra Park with the other Colonial con- tingents. As to the return journey, it was probable that after a month spent in England the contingent would travel to Liverpool and embark on the steamer Ionic for New York, proceeding thence to Vancouver, where they would catch the Empress of Japan, and arriving back in the Colony about 9th September. Captain Pritchard further intimated that the Government absolutely declined to grant pay to the members of the contingent, and it was therefore necessary that they should have some money of their own at hand, which would be consigned to the care of the officer in com. mand and paid out as circumstances demanded. With the assurance that each man who was selected would be acquainted with the fact at the earliest possible moment, Captain Pritchard dismissed the parade.
The following officers, non-commissioned officers, and men of the Hongkong Volunteer Corps, forty-three all told, will form the con- tingent that is to represent the Colony at the Coronation of His Majesty in London on 2th June next :-
OFFICERS.
Major Chapman (in command), Lieut. Armstrong. Field Battery.
FIELD BATTERY. Sergeant T. Meek. Corporal C. E. A. Hance. Corporal R. Henderson. Bombardier S. A. Seth. Gunner T. Bonning. Gunner A. Asger. Gunner T. Claridge. Gunner L. R. Lammert. Gunner P. Lapsley. Gunner A. A. Alves. Gunner A, E. Alves. Gunner C. Leykum. Gunner J. P. Jordan. Gunner F. J. Baker. Gunner J. Olsen. Gunner J. Witchell. Gunner E. R. Horton. Gunner J. W. Kow. Gunner J. C. Logan. ** A COMPANY.
Sergeant J. T. Plummer. Gunner S. L. Jenkins. Gunner O. D. Thomson. Gunner E. D. Wolfe,
"B"
COMPANY.
Bombardier H. W. Sayer. "C" COMPANY,
Corporal J. S. Gubbay. Gunner C. E. Ellis. Gunner A. Rose.
Gunner S. J. Michael.
"D" COMPANY. -
Colour-Sergeant D. Mackenzie. Sergeant J. I. Andrew,
Private H. 8. Mather.
·Private H. Horley.
Private B. Clarke.
Private J. R. Hainsworth. Private R. Witchell. Private P. J. Gillings. Private R. A, Heckford.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
THE
E" COMPANY.
Sapper R. R. Aitken. Sapper C. G. Crane. Sapper L A. M. Edwards. Sapper D: H. Pullen.
BAND.
Corporal A, Brown.
MANCHURIAN CONVENTION.
A Peking despatch says that the Manchurian Convention concluded between Russia and
China has not been signed between the parties concerned. The postponement of the signing was due partly to a hitch caused by Prince Ching, and partly to the sudden illness of Yung La The despitch adds that the matter will certainly not progress nutil Yung Lu recovers. Another despatch from Tientsin is printed by the aka Asahi claiming to give the substance of the text of the Mauchurian Convention The four articles mentioned in the telegram are as follows:-
Art. 1.-China shall pay to Russia Tle. 1,600,000 as compensation for the expenses incurred in keeping troops in the three eastern provinces.
Art. 2.-Russia is to withdraw her troops from China-except those in Port Arthur and Talionwan-- within 18 months.
Art. 3. The soldiers to guard this part of China's dominions are to be trained by China herself.
Art. 4.-The right of constructing railways and working mines in the three eastern provinces may be granted either to natives or foreigners, but always without prejudice to the Chinese Eastern Railway and the Russian Mining Company.
EDUCATION IN HONGKONG.
In an article entitled "Hongkong as it looks to-day," the N.-C. Daily News makes the fol- lowing remarks upon the educational system here Visits to the schools show that of purely foreign children there are not enough for this purpose, for though scholastic institutions are many, there is as yet, not a single one for the purely European child. This is a grievance which in these days of high rent, low exchange, and growing expenditure in every way is he- ginning to be very seriously felt, and of late there has been a great deal of discussion in the Colony over the question of separate accom- modation for the boys and girls of European parentage. Some remarks made by the present Bishop, the Right Reverend J. C. Hoare, D.D., at a prize-giving, were taken up, and after a good deal of local discussion a scheme was sent home to the Colonial Secretary and a satisfactory reply received. so there is now a hope that ere long Hongkong will have a school for white children. At the moment, however, nothing tangible has been done, and on the Kowloon side at any rate there appears lo le some fear that the European residents are o be beholden for their school to the generosity,
of a liberal-minded native! The whole scheme as a matter of fact. exists on paper only, though with their usual thoroughness, which consists in doing one thing at a time, the anthorities have already imported teachers! By-and-by, the reniainder of the scheme is to be considered and decided upon; then the schools are to be built and the books and apparatus imported, by which time the scholars will have grown up and the time for the teacher's farlough will have arrived. They are liberal in the way of staff in Hongkong, and can always allow for a fair proportion being absent holiday-making."
MISHAP TO THE “PELUSE.”
SUPPOSED COLLISION WITH A MONSTER
[April 21, 1902.
which is about 8 miles West of the Middle Rocks. I was also informed that the whale (for ruch it is) was run into and killed by a kerosine oil steamer near Midd'e Rocks. The whale was afterwards towed in by a junk and hauled up on the beach at high water. I pro- ceeded to the place it dicated and found to my surprise a monster whale of immense propor- tions. He is about 60 feet in length and weighs, I should think, about 100, tous. Hearing that you had an accident under doubtful circum. stances, I take pleasure in communicating this intelligence for your information.-Yours sincerely,
L. C. ARLINGTON, Officer in Charge of Station.
INTERNATIONAL VAUDEVILLE
COMPANY.
Undoubtedly the best circus company the Colony has seen for a long time, it is not sur- prising that the International Vaudeville Company is being well patronised nightly at the Theatre Royal. The "Boer pantomime," against which such strong objections were raised in Manila. has been very properly deleted from the programme, and nothing remains now but an entertainment which is excellent in every way and which contains no suggestion of anything calculated to jar on anyor e's feelings, be they the outcome of patriotism or of modesty. The company, of course, is largely Russian, and it is en added charm and certainly a novelty to hear the "patter" in some of the numbers car ied on in a language foreign to many of those in the audience; but as each item is capable of intel- ligible interpretation on the part of the audience by the employment of the visual powers alone, the absence of Euglish as she is spoke does not make itself felt. Despite the high tone of quality that characterises the entertainment as a whole, it is not difficult to assign especial prominence to Mr. Posti's display on the bori zontal bar and to the exhibitions of strength by Mr. Graen and he juggling feats of Mr. C. Belling.
[+
SEAMEN'S INSTITUTE,
KOWLOON.
E
8
•
The
Those who were present at the concert giren by Bandmaster Moir and the Band of the R.W.F. on Thursday evening had a rare musical treat provided for them. If the
was small it Was audience
thoroughly appreciative, and enjoyed to the full the good things provided for its delectation. programme thronghout was of a very high order. It opened with fall orchestral selection entitled 'London night by night,” and was followed by a humorous song rendered A soldier and a in good style by Mr. Dean. man was sympathetically sung by Sergeant Hunt, who subsequently sung in equally good style "Because I love you.” Burgess, whose singing is accompanied by Right considerable histrionic ability, sang
"He was one in the middle of the wood," of the old Brigade" and ·Girly-Girly." The presence of Mrs Mudie and Miss Ramsay added very considerably to the interest of the programme, the former rendering the Scotch songs, "Within a Mile o' Edinboro' Tonn" and
Mr.
Coming through the Rye" (the latter as an encore) in inimitable style. Miss Ramsay did full justice to the songs "The Carnival" and
•
Down the Vale." The piccolo solo "Sylvia" of Mr. Mackie was faultlessy rendered, with orchestral accompaniment, as was also the trombone quartelte Image of the Rose" by. Messrs. Moir, Hunt, Thompson, and Green. Mr. Knt was thoroughly at home in his rendering of the Irish songs "O'Calligan, The call again" and "O'Shea's Return."
Des Mandolines" by the -ss. Peluse, which steamer returned to Heng instrumental piece kong with a hole in her bottom, Messrs. ATD-string band was well executed and well received, bold, Karberg & Co, send us the following letter which was received by the captain and speaks for itself :—
WHALE,
With reference to the recent accident to
Customs Station, Saman Island, 15th April. DEAR SIR,-This morning 1 was informed by a native that a large fish was lying on the sand beach at North Side of this Island,
Кате
and the selection "A night in town” evidence of careful preparation. The entertain- ment concluded with a most enjoyable musical sketch illustrative of the difficulties and ambi- tions of the musical world in a small village. There was not a weak number in the whole of the programme and the greatest pains must have been taken by the genial and talented