THE BARNES COMPANY AT THE
THEA
The Barnes
raph Company
•
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
| FIRES IN SHANGHAI SILK
FACTORIES.
·
to a small quantity of cotton.
Hey sorprised to know that
affairs exists here whereit the sole po polrators,
23
were
May 10-11
I learn that these thefts have been the indirect
$1
DROYAL A
At 6.50 p.m. on the 80th ult, fire was dis- Century Entertainers and covered in a shed used for sorting cotton in canse of rupture between the local Chinese in the Theatre the premises of Ewo Mill, Yangtzepoo. The merchants and the firm of Batterfield Swire. before a fairly large manager and his staff having a good supply of It appears that the 8.8. Taichew had a large noe, which no doubt would have been big-water, soon put on five streams from their cargo of ice from Hongkong, aud with a view but for the heavy ruins which set in hydrant and a donkey pump, so that when the of accelerating her discharge, her agents, Messrs morning. It is always matter of regret Fire Brigade arrived they found that their Butterfield & Swire. had the steamer working at en any untoward incident-climatio or other services were not required. The damage was
night. During that time about 30 folis belong interferes with the first-night appearance confined to half the building, which was
¡ing to the various rice-shops went to the ship heatrical company, but after having bad wooden shed with a corrugated iron roof, and which w lying alongside the wharf, and on the
plea that their master's cargo was being stolen · an opportunity of sampling the vandeville fare which the Barnes Company offe:8, que cau
At 10.30 the same evening, the firemen were hindered the coolies from discharging. Messrs. only say that, however unpropitions may have again called out, their services this time being Butterfield's compradore was sent for, but he been the conditions which had to be contended required at the Kangping Silk Filature, which could not prevail upon the fokis to take their with on Thursday, the genuine excellence of the is situated on the north side of the Hongkew departure, and it came to an altercation between entertainment will be sure to induce general Creek, alongside the Yubang Road. Five them. The result of it was that two of the men, admiration and patronage. The Company left streams of water from the hose-pipes were the most recalcitrant, were given into custody on London two years ago on tour and have been directed upon the fire, and some of them the charge of being thieves by the compradore. heartily welcomed wherever appearing. After were afterwards double goose-necked, but all the This action was resented by the rice-shop owners visiting the provinces, they went to South exertions of the brigade were of no avail to save to such an extent that they convened a meeting Africa, showing in the different cities, and oc- the building, which was in a blaze from of the Swatow guild, which was attended by cupying one theatre in Capetown for nine end to end. The firemen sncceeded in about 70 merchants, who adopted the resolution months. Thence, via Australia, they journeyed saving the boiler-bouse and boiler, and to ship no goods by steamers consigned to to Manila, where a most successful season of another building which had actually caught Butterfield & Swire. Later on nearly 200 nearly ten weeks was enjoyed. Visits were fire. The filature has been olosed for some merchants joined the boycott against that also paid to Cebu, Iloilo, etc., and on all hands time, so that the cause of the fire is a mystery, firm, and wired to the principal northern porte golden opinions were showered upon Mr. but the lower part has been used as a godown. to have no cargo shipped by the company's Barnes' show. That these were deserved was
in which was stored a large quantity of wines.steamers. Though two fokis have already been.. thoroughly endorsed by last night's audience. The firemen managed to salve some of the con- liberated, the Swatow merchants, who are very (f the many numbers which composed the pro- tents, but the heat capsed the casks to explode, clannish, will not resume business with But- gramme it would be invidious almost to select and detonations were occurring all through terfield & Swire before receiving satisfaction. and specially mention just a few, for all were the night and the yard was running with I hear that General Wong, who has an interest good alike. Madame Agnes Freed, whom we
streams of ruby-coloured liquid. Towards in the Nam Kee, sub-agents of Messrs But- had the pleasure of hearing in Hongkong not two o'clock the conflagration, one of the terfield & Swire, is trying to settle things many months ago, made a welcome re-appearance greatest seen in Shanghai for some time, amicably.
Swatow, 2nd May. in some of those songs which gained her so had to а great extent been got under
THE LOSS OF THE HOIMOON." of the firemen much popularity on the occasion of her former control and some
The s.s. Holmoon of 300 tons burden, belonging visit here. In the first number, The Holy sent home. Abont four o'clock some more left, City," her rich and splendidly-trained voice was
but the Hongkow men remained on till 6.45 to Messrs. Bismarck & Co. of Hongkong, left heard to perfection, and she was heartily a.m., by which time the fire was practically your port on Tuesday last at 11 a.m. She had encored and responded with "Just Suppose." extinguished. The coolie crew, which had a general cargo and coals, and was bound for Her other songs were equally successful. replaced the firemen, however, was still at work Port Arthur. The day after departare it was Miss Rosa Barnes, America's Queen of at ten o'clock next morning. During the whole noticed that the steamer was leaking badly in Illustrated Song," showed herself to be an night rain fell incessantly, so that the firemen the fore-part. The weather becoming bad, the artiste of eminent abilities. Her various worked under most disagreeable conditions, being planks on the starboard side, owing to the heavy songs, including "My Georgia Rose," were both drenched and roasted. The damage is seas at the time. broke and a lot of water rushed illustrated by the biograph, with tasteful estimated at Tls. 360,000. The whale of the into the forehold. That compartment contain- yet most striking effect, and as an encore machinery of the filature is destroyed, and suching a quantity of coal, the latter began to shift she gave "Dolly Dray."
Another picture- a scene of devastation has very rarely been about. The captain then tried to make for this port, so as to effect the necessary repairs, Motherland," song
was given by. Mr. witnessed before in Shanghai.
but unfortunately could not succeed in bis WET. Bargees, and be also contributed a
attempt, as the ship took a sudden list to clever patter ditty. Miss Florence Adélaide
port and started gradually to sink: Captain made a pretty appearance as "The Girl in
Kimme and Chief Engineer Grüneberg, along the Khaki Dress' and sang charmingly
with six Chinese, took to one of the boats, The Girl with the Twinkling Eye," for
and Chief Officer Fegebentel and Second En- which she was encored Mr. Jack Reynolds,
gineer Sunkimat with 16 Chinese to another, the
rag-time" comedian, and the Brothers
The first boat had ouly been afloat a short while Frances with their comic business and local
The people down South who had nothing at when it capsized and all its occupants were allusions, found their way into the good graces of the audience. In his original all to do with the late Boxer movement have, drowned. The second boat, after a most perilous laughing song, Mr. Harry Gray was a great nevertheless, to contribute to the large indem-voyage, managed to reach the coast to the south success and had to re-appear in reply to anity which China has to pay to the foreign of Swatow, whence those on board came hither peremptory encore. A most striking feature Powers. The provincial government at Canton overland and on arrival here reported the acci- of the entertainment was the theatrophone demanded from Swatow a share amounting to dent to the German Consul, The. steamer, performance. Of all the Instruments of the $300,000 per annum, but on account of the which was fully insured, sank about six miles phonograph kind adapted to the stag, this of representations made the contribution has been below Cape of Good Hope on the evening of To raise that sum it is the 30th ultimo. Those saved lost all their Barnes's is the most wonderful. The audi- reduced to $150,000. ence could not have enough of it. It spun off said that lekin tax will be imposed on all goods, belongings and just escaped with t'e clothes songs, band music, etc., with precision and, foreign and native alike. General Wong is they stood in. what is more seldom heard, with distinctness here from Canton to arrange ways and means and without a jar, in a manner that has so far of collecting the lekin, I hear that several not been approached by any similar instrument shops and stores dealing in foreign commodi- exhibited in these paris. The performance ties have been visited by a lekin official and informed that they will have to pay lekin on goods imported in the near future, and the
H.M.S. Endymion paid a visit on the 16th owners have been requested to call for that purpose at the lekin ffice. As according to alt. to Kure, Japan, where no British ship hd general usage lekin is levied outside the Treaty put in an appearance since the conclusion of port limits, it is to be hoped that the foreign the alliance. The Endymion steamed in with Consuls will strongly protest against the impo-ship fully dressed. After the usual salutes, sition on foreign goods locally.
K
ded with a biograph display of an interesting nature. It remains to be added that the incidental music was supplied by Mr. Somers and the R.W.F. orchestra. The Barnes Company
pany deserve to have a most s ccessful season in Hongkong.
According to home papers, Captain Percy Scott C.B., whose “dotter" has raised the possible standard of naval gunnery to a hitherto unexpected position, has, with the consent of the Admiralty, sold the patent to the United Sta Government, There have been rumours ffect for some time, but now that the been confirmed by official papers the U:8 Government - no doubt ins, and its significance can be dotter" is a kimple of which it is the
com
SWATOW.
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
Swatow, 30th April.
RAISING THE INDEMNITY.
FAILURE OF RICE-CROPS.
海
The Brazilian Government has decided to establish a Consulate in Kobe, and Mr. Hoff- mann, Belgian consul at that port has been appointed to act for it.
Captain Paget received a visit from the chief: of the Kare Naval Staff and other Japanese i Owing to the long-continued drought the officers, and subsequently from a party of the rice-orops at Kitliyong, one of the principal loading residents, who brought off two casks of oz, and a quantity of rice-growing districts, have totally failed and Masamunesake. an the people there are compelled to purchase rice vegetables for the ship. Captain Paget then here. This eventuality has tended to advance went ashore and called on Vico-Admiral the price of the staple food very considerably. Shibayama, the officer in command at the station. On the 17th the Vice-Admiral invited Not so very long ago your Shanghai conten- all the Endymion's officer und men to an enters poraries reported in their columns the prosecutainment on shore, which appears to have been r Lion by the Taku Tug and Lighter Company most hospitable affair.: Captain Paget and of a compradore in their employ for systematic his officers afterwards visited the arsenal, and pilfering of cargo, The case will no doubt still on the 18th they proceeded on a pienio. be fresh in the memory, and your readers will be | celebrated island, Itanku.
A CRITICAL AFFAIR.