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n disentangling this skein. If they could, the Russians would like to eat their cake and have it too. They wish to push their business far into the North. Railway, bridge and dwelling construction must consume an enormous amount of iron products and railway equipment. They hope to enjoy the proceeds from coal. iron ore, and a variety of mineral resources of this rich land; to supply the market with cotton prints and other cotton goods made in Russia, and to grow in Siberia and Manchuria wheat which may be ground in local mills.
erergy
If in these lines they may how the way
and so establish a leadership which only superior can wrest from them, they will do their utmost to meet with strength and skill all competition which they may encounter. To this end they encourage colonisation, realising that the contest for commercial supremacy is to be decided by peaceful means, and yet with no less care and effort than they have given heretofore to activities employed for armed aggression and defence, they appreciate how valuable a sturdy yeomanry may be in the furtherance of their purposes. With Rusians scattered in all directions, interests of that land will have the best possible upholders.
Thus while it will not be expedient to cppose Lereabouts, by measures seriously offensive, incursions by others in trade, investment or exploration, and while exception cannot be taken in any quarter to the use of agencies everywhere recognised as leg timate, Russian interests may become so important, should results turn out as planned, as not only to begin (ntries on the credit side of the national books, against military debits, but also to justify here and along the frontier further expenditures to hold securely all that may be gained, and lay foundations for the future. Newchwang is off the main line of railway. It is not a port to be respised commercially, but in the scramble for foreign trade here, Russia stands in no worse place than any foreign bidder, and therefore may capture quite as much trade as any of the other applicants get. That port seems slated in any
case, in the free-for-all list.
The Siberian railway may have had its incep- tion in thought of military transportation. In its present stage it is as inadequate for that service as for any other demanding speed and efficiency in operation. The only travel yet possible by all-rail means is that which venture- some spirits, able to shift for themselves, and Toughened as for a campaign, may take for an experience worth remembering.
Mcst of the
trips made overland were by the Amur River route, which has been superseded by no more expeditious and much more trying travel over the newly connected rails which bring Port Arthur nearer in time to St. Petersburg flan is Vladivostock.
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From present appearences, the line will not become efficient for military use as soon es for general travel, and the time for the latter is not definitely calculable. Thus for the pre- sent, at any rate, the road will be viewed as much better adapted to commercial than to military call, and improvement will doubtless look for a long time to satisfying a limited patronage, such as passenger travel and odd freights, rather than to providing means for the rapid transfer of bodies of troops. A quicker and surer way of landing men and ammunition is by sea transport.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
With the railway establishment, a telegraph service has become operative which presents drawbacks of a crude order but which answers commercial requirements fairly well, and induces business at the comparatively low rates at which it carries messages the cost per word being 10 Lopecks, or five cents gold, to Manchurian points, 15 kopeeks to points in Russia, 59 kopecks to Loi don, and 98 kopecks to New York; ocean cable rates having been from here $2.80 (Mexican) per word to London, and $3.30 to New York. However sceptical observation may be as to the real purpose of the railway and telegraph, the creation of a fleet of twenty or more ships, for a coasting trade over a route from Shanghai to Vladivostock, touching at this and other northein ports, and at points in Japan, will hardly be charged to other than commercial account. Two ships in the fleet make 16 knots per hour, & speed not approached by any other port in the coasting trade.
Port Arthur as a town remains as good a
[July 28, 1902,
specimen of dirt and ramshackle dinginess as ENTERTAINMENT AT KOWLOON. it was before the Russians occupied it. Their work en it has not been intended for the. public eye, er for other than military and official information. With an attractive new city in the hollow of the sheltering bills, the old blot will disappear cr be covered by the wall if a fort That will be a distinct gain for decency whatever may await the civil port in commercial lines.
NEW POSTMASTER.
whilst the late Captain Hastings was absent on kave, and after the latter's decease Mr. Lew's again took up the
full responsibility. It will be to the credit of the Acting
The black cone has.mnoh to answer for, seeing that it deprived a good many Hong- kongites of an evening's enjoyment which they might otherwise have indulged in at the Institute in Kowloon on the 17th instt. The Misses Holmes had very kindly organised a concert and farce in aid of the funds of the Justitute, and those who did brave the tem- pestuous weather were rewarded for their pains. Considering the climatic conditions, the audience was much better than might have been expected, but to give those who were unable to face the warring elements a chance of enjoying the good things provided, the entertainment will be repeated this (Saturday) evening at 9 o'clock,
**
The appointment of Postmaster General at Hongkong has been given by the Colonial Office to a Straits cadet, Mr. L. A M. Johnston, Collector of Land Revenue. This will naturally surprise many people, as it was generally anti-
Part I con-isted of vocal and instrumental cipat d that the appointment would be given on
music, Part II of a farce entitled Poor merit, end in that case would fall to Mr. E.
Pillicoddy. Stress of weather prevented Messrs. Cornewall Lewis. This officer was acting Post Hay and Silk from fulfilling their eng gement, master. General
so the opening item was a flute solo by Mr. Grey. Mr. Falmer sang The Flight of Ages" with much taste, responded to in encore, and subsequently filled a vacant place on the programme. Miss Bolmes prored a great success is a banjoist, her rendering of the Apollo March being so vociferously ap. plauded as to necessitate an encore: Не
Little Maids," in character, by Miss Grey and the Mises Holmes, was so much appreciated that these ladies kindly consented to reappear. Mr. Grey and Mr. Ireland also sang solos which called forth the approval of the assembled com. pay. It would be almost impossible to speak too highly of the creditable manner in which Part II was carried out. All performed their parts well; great pains had evidently been taken in the preparation of the piece by all the performers.
Fostmaster-General that amongst other refcrms he effected, he was responsible for the much-needed improvement of the branch at Shanghai, which alone should have secured his promotion. has given great satisfaction to the community by the prompt handling of mails, and was a worthy successor to the late Captain Hastings. The claims of Mr. Lewis have, however, heeu passed over, although he has an honourable record in the West Indies, and has successfully discharged the full duties here. Promotion on merit, which has been recommened for the Army, might well be applied to the Colonial
Sei vice.
Referring to the appointment of a new Post- master-General for Hong kong, the Straits Times says-We hear that Mr. L. A. M. Johnston, who he's acted as Postmaster-General here during the absence of Mr. Trotter, and who is now at home on leave, will come out to Hong kong BS Postmaster General in place of Commander Hastings, deceased. Mr. Jobuston, whose substantive post is that of Collector of Land Rever ue, has bad considerable experience of postal work in his Colony, His leave Bis removal from expires in April next. Singapore will create a vacancy in the commis- sioned ranks of the Singapore Volunteer Artillery.
THE SINGAPORE MURDER.
On the 19th inst. at Si gapore, Josef Gouin who is charged with the murder of a ricksha coolie at Tanjong Pagar, was brought up on remand before Mr. Beatty. Inspector Howard conducted the enquiry. The defendant was not represented. Mr. Felis Hourent of the French Consulate acted as interpreter. The defendant Hands charged with the murder of a ricksha coolie, Kan Sam On, at about 3 a.m. on the 6th inst. on the Keppel Read, The prisoner was supplied with a chair in the dock and he received the incriminating evidence with apparent calm ness, showing keen interest in the proceedings but never proffering to question the witnesses who spoke for the prosecution. He sat pale and unmoved, bis sallow complexion contrasting
with a dark brown moustache and black hair.
He appears to be about 35 years of age, and
wore a coiled white coat and khaki trousers. Dr. Fraser, house surgeon, General Hospital, was the first witness heard yesterday. He deposed to the prisoner being taken to him by D. S. Frayne, and on arrival, accused's clothes were found to bear dry stains of blood. There were blood stains on the front and back of both his bands. The stains were dry. After other evidence, the case was adjourned till the 23rd, when the accused will probably say something in bis defence.
Mr. Pillicoddy
was
Three
well im-
personated by Mr. H. K. Holmes; Mr. Grey made an admirable Captain O'Scuttle, a marine monster" of the old school; Sarah, maid-of-all-work, was taken in splendid style by Miss Holmes while Miss Ida Holmes played the difficult part of Mrs. O'Scuttle with great histrionic ability. Mrs. Pillicoddy was ably represented by Mrs. Grey. It is hoped that many will avail themselves of the oppor- innity afforded to-night of judging for them-
selves of the excellence of the entertainment -provided the weather permits. By so doing they will spend a pleasant evening and assist a deserving institution. Mr. Moberly acted throughout as accompanist..
The entertainment was repeated with great success on the 1 th inst.
HONOUR TO MR. E. H. SHARP, BARRISTER-AT-LAW.
Mr. Ernest Hamilton Sharp, barrister-at-law, Hongkong, bis, ne understand, been appointed King's Counsel. We heartily congratulate Mr. Sharp upon the distinction that has Leen con- feried upon him. Mr. Sharp is an M.A., B.C.L. of Oxford. He was admitted a member of the Inner Temple in November, 1887; was called to the Bar on 22nd April, 1891; and practised for three years in London and on the Midland Circuit before coming to Hongkong in 1894. During his term of practice in the Colony Mr. Sharp has made himself known as a clever, painstaking lawyer, a keen debater ad an able pleader. He was a member of the committee lately appointed to revise the Code of Civil Procedure. We regret to state that Mr. Sharp was confined to the house by, an attack of fever on the 22nd inst.
Before proceeding with the business of the Supreme Court on the 23rd inst.-a0 appeal against a decision given in Cham- bers
was down for hearing-the Hou. W. Meigh Goodman, Chief Justice, congratu lated Mr. Sharp on his promotion to be King's Counsel, and remarked that owing to the construction of the Court here, there On the 7th inst. the French cruiser L'Entre- being no Inner and Outer Bars, it would casteaux, with the Rear-Admiral on board, be impossible to go through the formality of On the calling Mr. Sharp within the Ioner Bar. arrived at Chefoo from Nagasaki. 8th idem, the German cruiser House, with The new K.C. bowed_bis acknow edgment,
tcard, arrived | and the Lusiness of the Court commenced. Rear-Admiral Allefeld 'cu at Chefoo from Tsingtan. On each occasion a salute of the other nationalities was fired. The Chefoo forts are unable to return a port salute, says the N.-C Daily News, as there are less than six guns in each fort.
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The poisoning of French soldiers at Chefoo through ‹ating shell-fish is more serious than at first reported. Twenty or more were taken ill and three have died.