September 13, 1902.]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADË REPORT. ber that on 6th August, when, after much per- VII. but also a recollection of the great kind- secution by the elements, we were at last favoured n ess and friendship we have received here in with a fine afternoon, and the first sod of the Hongkong. (Applause) I wish to say one King's Park was successfully turned, I in-thing before I conclude, and it is this: I was formed you that the Committee regretted that immensely impressed by the generosity and the souvenir we had intended to present was liberality with which the ppeal for sub. crip- not yet finished, but that we hoped to be able tions by the Committer was met both by
and by Chincse. It is but to hand it to you a little later on. right that I should say that both the honorary matter of surprise to
be so, secretary and I Love done all we could to expedite the completion of the barrow; bat after much waiting it became quite clear, early this week, that the work was being most unreasonably delayed, if indeed the Chinese workmen were capable of satisfactorily exe- cuting the order at all. Your Excellency's term of administration of the Government of
this Colony is nearly over, and in the result we felt obliged to abandon the idea of getting the barrow at all. We therefore ask you to accept a memento of another kind instead, and beg your acceptance of a silver bowl which is, at least, a creditable specimen of Chinese werkmanship and design, and which bears & suitable inscrip- tion commemorative of the function in counec- tion with the King's Park. Allow me to add that we shall all remember the kind manner in which both Lady Gascoigne and your Ex- cellency came forward on that occasion to make the function a success, in spite of the fact that on three successive previous occasions it had had to be postponed." (Applause).
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HIS EXCELLENCY, whó en rising was greeted] with applause, aid in reply-Chief Justice, I beg to thank you most heartily for the very kind words you have addressed to me, and, gentlemen, I beg to thank you with my whole heart for the kindness with which you have received these words. Gentlemen, I cannot sufficiently ex- press myself in gratitude for the princely present, this very handsome, beautiful bowl, that you have presented to myself and my wife. Believe me when I say that we shall i ver regard it not only as a souvenir of the Coronation, but, still more precions to us, as a souverir of the universal kindness, the universal friendship, and the universal good feeling which she and I both have experienced during the four happy years we have spent in Hongkong. Gentlemen, when I look back to the Coronation I - confess that I am very proud indeed to have been associated with you at that period. First of It was a very anxious period. all we had the deep anxiety the deep national anxiety-which we shared with the rest of the Empire. That, happily, pass( away, but after it had gone we had our minor anxieties, occasioned, as the Chief Justice has said, by the unusual inclemency of the worst season that I certainly ever remember, aud I believe I am right in saying, the worst season within the recollection of many of you who can date back for longer than do myself. Still, it is a pleasant thought to me to think that in spite of the utmost difficulties-because we had great difficulties to encounter-we successfully carried out
of item every
our original It is fine that two of the programme. items were somewhat marred by the heavy rains that came on. The children's tea was some- what marred by the heavy rain that came on in the middle of it, but still a very large unmber of children came, although had it not been for the rain we should have had a good number The other more. Still, it was a great success. item, which I regret still more, because it was the people's night, was the marring of the night of the illuminations. The illuminations were undoubtedly marred towards the latter end by the fearful rain that care down. But I am glad to think that there was a couple of hours during which the people had an opportunity of seeing for themselves what had been done for them by the Committee. Everything it was pos sible for the energy and the brain of man to do, backed up by money, was d ne, and the people were able to see for themselves that that was th case, although, unfortunately, the latter part of it was marred. With these two exceptions, after many postponements to hinder us, as the Chief Justice has just said, the Committee still stuck to their programme manfully; and I am prond and glad to think we carried through every item of it. It will ever be a recollection of pride to me and my wife, and I wll cherish his very handsome souvenir long after names are forgotten in Hongkong-(cries of "No, no!")—and it will be a convenir to us not only of the Coronation of King Edward
onr
Europeans
It WES до me that this should Lecarse whenever money is wanted for iny public purpose Hongkong has certainly shown itself ready to take more than a front place; but I do think, seeing the difficulties we had to overcome, that for the Leople to come forward in the liberal and gene- rous way they did with their money was certainly a marvellous exhibition of liberality and gener- osity. Gentlemen, I do not want to detain you any long. r. but believe me when I say that this bowl far exceeds in magnificence anything we could have expected in any sort of way as a litlen ark of the small trouble myself and my wife I am deeply grateful to you. took at that time deeply grateful to the Committee, to the Chief Justice, who, at my carnest request, took upon himself, with his very many other duties, the immense amount of labour required by being chairman of that Committee, and to the exe- cutive officers and to the hon. secreta y e. pe- cially- (applause my tharks are due. is no doubt that these gentlemen unde:tock an enormous amount of personal trouble, and I think we may congratu ́ale curselves, as I said in the Legislative Council ou'y the cler day, that in spite of all the difficulties, in spite of all the drawbacks, Hongkong carried itself with a dignity Lefitting such a rising and such a Gentlemen, I beg to thank prosperons Colony, you with my whole heart. (Applause.)
This concluded the ceremony, and the bowl was then inspected by His Excellency and others present. On a small shield graven on ore ride of the bowl is the following iuscription :
Presented to His Excellency Major-General Sir W. J. Gascoigne, KC.M.G., Cfficer Administering the Government of Bongkong, Es a memento of the turning of the first sod of the King's Park, Kowloon, 6th August, 1902.“
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THE HEALTH OF HONGKONG.
During the two days ending at noon on the 8th inst. one fresh case of plague occurred, the sufferer being a Japanese residing in Praya East, No case has been reported since then. The year's figures are now :-565 cares (6 Europeans, 539 Chinese, 20 other Asiatics), 552 deaths (4 Euro- pears, 533 Chinese, 15 other Asiatics).
Last week's figures for communicable disease in the Colony wre:-Plague 1 (LLinese, in Victoria), fatal; cholera 3 (hinese, 1 in Vic- toria), all fatal; enteric fever 2 (European, 1 in Victoria); small-pox 1 (Chinese), fatal,
A NEW AMERICAN-ASIATIC
VENTURE.
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Our London correspondent telegraphed on the 10th inst.: The American Asiatic Steamship Company is about to start a service of steamers between New York and Asiatic ports, using chartered vessels until specially built liners are ready. The promoters of the new company include the following firms:- Messrs. Kountze. Vermilye, Brown, Belmont, and Cornelius Venderbilt. The Oriental agents will be Messrs. Shewan, Tomes and Co,"
HONGKONG VOLUNTEER
CONTINGENT.
199
The contingent, which is expected back to the Colony towards the end of the present month, has made rather a good name for itself at home in the matter of water polo matches, according to a letter we have received from our correspondent, dated Alexandra Palace, 8th Angust. They won a team race on' the 5th, and on the 6th, at an entertainment provided at the new Aldershot baths by the London Rifle Brigade Volunteers, won by the credit- The game able core of three goals to nil. was very fast, and told greatly on the Hong kong lot, who were out of training; that they were able to gain such a decisive victory, however, says much for their natatorial capa- bilities. The team was-Sergeant T. Meek, Field Battery: Corporal C. E. A. Hance, Field Battery; Corporal R. Henderson, Field Battery; Corporal H. A. Lammert, Field Battery; Bombadier R. Lapsley, Field Battery; Gunner A. A. Alves, Field Battery; and Ganner A. E. Alves, Field Battery. The goals were mude ly
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On enquiry here we were informed that the American Asiatic Steamship Company has just been registered in New York. The fuil designatious of the firms mentioned are Messrs Kountze Brothers, Messrs. Vermilye & Co., Messrs. Brown Brothers & Co., Messrs. A. Belmont & Co., and Cornelias Var derbilt. Messrs. Shewan, Tomes & Co. are the managers of the Company in New York as well as the Eastern agents. The above are the firms in- terested in the Canton-Hankow Railway, the material for which will all be carried from Vessels America by the Company's steamers. will be chartered as required, and the Company may buy others. Our correspondent's state- ment about "specially built liners" is in the circumstances hardly likely to be accurate, we The Company elect to ship the railway learn. material by their own steamers because of the present high late freightage.
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A. Alves (1) and Henderson (2). Lieut. Armstrong, also of the Field Battery, was unable to play on account of a recent ill- ness, the doctor forbidding him to 1un any risk of catching a chill.
We are privately informed that a member of the contingent had a stroke of paralysis whilet in England, and temporarily lost the power of speech. The gift was restored again, but he uow stammers, and also shows the effect of the malady in a contraction of the right side of
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the face.
THE CHENCHOU MURDER.
A correspondent sends to the N.-C. Daily News the following details of the murder of Messrs. Bruco und Lowis at Chenchou. He dates his letter Changtė, Hunan, 18th August:-
The teacher and ccok have arrived from the above city and from them we have the following additional information concerning the murder of Messrs. Bruce and Lowis on the 15th of August. For weeks the cholera has been depopulating the cities along the Yuan River. In Changté they died daily by the score, and from reliable reports the same can be said of the cities west of here. Chenchou is built on a hil'side and in the centre of the city is a famous spring from which the people obtain much of their water. This was reported to bare been poisoned by the foreigners and hence the high death-rate. For a few days before the. trouble, talk of evil intentions could be freely. beard on the street, but the foreigners did not consider it of sufficient importance to speak to
the officials about it.
On Friday afternoon, about 3 o'clock, Mr. Lowis was studying with his teacher and Mr. Bruce was in his room across the hall, when, "in an instant," the house and street became crowded with people. Mr. Bruce at once sent to the hibfn for protection, but it was too late. They drew him by his hair out of the rcom and into the yard where, with clubs, stones, knives, swords, and torture, they soon killed bim.
Mr. Lowis and his teacher went out at the back door into the yard and started to climb up on an old shed, when a stroke from a sp ar brought the former to the ground. With the same instruments as used above his body was soon beyond recognition. Eyes were knocked ent and the bodies otherwise mutilated beyond After this the mob destroyed recording here. all foreign books and other articles they could not u e. The trunks and boxes were broken open, but not any of the poison could be found. When the crowd had almost disappeared, the Chihfu arrived and had the bodies moved into their respective rooms.
A few facts are worthy of notice. (a).--On the same street and a few doors away were stationed soldiers for their protection.
(b). To the rear and adjoining the mission compounds was a military camp.
(c).-The Fu and Hsien yamens were with a reasonable distance to grant relief.
(d) - The Chihsien was the same man who was in Changté in 1900 and refused to turn his hand to help us. It remains to be been whethe man shall be allowed to direct the such a affairs of a district in which foreigners reside.