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courage of his opinions when be maintained that the only humane war is one that is "fast, furious, and bloody until the speedy end is reached," and that the Japanese would have ended the war in the Philippines sooner than the Americans bave. He was courageous, but not diplomatic. Neither the Washington nor the Tokyo Government is likely to be gratified with the General's r marks. The natural sense of these is th t the Japanese would have waged "humaner warfare in the Philippines because they would hate made it faster, more furious, and bloodier. What will be said by the humanitarians am ng General YOUNG'S fellow-countrymen who have exclaimed so loudly against farin-burning and concentra tion camps in South Africa and the atroci ties actually alleged to have been perpetrated by the United States troops in the Philip- pines, it is easy to imagine. Morever, there is always party capital to be made out of rhetorical indiscretions. General Youso's superiors must a-suredly wish that the text of the speech had gone astray, nor are the Japanese likely to relish a compliment which, however sincerely paid, will be regarded by many people as the reverse of flattering.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND houses and that an increase of per cent, on gener taxation by made to meet the anunal upkeep. Should owners of European houses their shares. Any owner refusing to join in lso wish to co-operate, they will contribute the scheme shall have to adopt the meter system. The resolution was carried unani. monsly and a role of thanks recorded,
THE FIRE ON THE
INDRAPURA,“
A fire broke out in the after-hold of the steamer Indrapura at the Cosmopolitan Docks soon after eight o'clock ou Sunday morning, the 16th inst. The vessel was u dergoing slight repairs, and when the tire was first observed the workmen were displacing some plates in the ship's bottom. In a short space of time great volumes of smoke were pouring from the hold in thick, bliz ding clouds, making it utterly imposs ble to reach or even to ascertain the Mr. Smith, the manager exict seat of the fire. of the Cosmopolitan Docks, was very early o
the spot, and he and the workmen with him
rapidly fastened lengths of hose to the hydrants un each side of the dry dock in which the Thdrapura lay. Then, whilst one pipe was taken on board the steamer and a stream of water directed down the hatchway, another was dragged through a gap in the ship's bottom and the flames were attacked from below. Mr. Smith worked arduously, and, assisted by others, crawled through the pla'e-hole and poured a steady rush of water on the smoulder- ug jute, although the dense smoke threatened every moment to drive him and his companious, half-suffocated, to the outer ir, Assistance came with the arrival, in detachment of the A. Mackie, Chief Fire Brials under Mr. luspect r of Police, augmented by two
floating engines, one of which. for purposes of despatch, was towed half way across the harbour, whilst steam was being generated, by a Dock launch sent for the purpose. Mr. Dixon, chief nanagr of the Docks, and Mr. Wilson. manger of the Harghon establishment, were present, as was Mr. S. Wilson, in charge of the fire engine from Kowloon Docks; Mr D. Macdonald, executive engineer of the Fire Brigade, also at ended; and appreciable aid was rendered by a party of blurjackets from the German gunboat Tiger.
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As for the truth of General YoUNG's remarks, that is a very difficult matter t decide. When the over-gentle methods of conducting the campaign in South Africa had given place to more drastic steps, for a time it was not merely the sentimentalists who feared that exasperation of the Boers might result. Events have disproved this, But at its sternest the Boer War could never be described as fast, furious, and bloody Compared with the fighting in North China in 1900 (with which, of course, it is really hardly possible in any way to compare ), it was always leisurely. Compared with the campaign ju Samar, it was exceedingly mild, How far the three campaigns have achieved to be seen. permanent results remains Britons believe that South Africa has been pacified, in spite of immen-e difficulties, All day on Sunday the smoko belched in such a way that the future is at from the hatchway leading to the aft rhold. least hopeful. The authorities in the defying every effort to overe me it and making, Philippines have expressed their confi-impossible any systematic method of coping dence in the settlement in the Islands. The North China campaign was not a war of conquest, and its result, if any, must be sought in the lesson learnt by Peking. It may be said that the differences of the enemies met make the cases incon mensur- able, and on that ground General Youse's argument may be dismissed as unscientific, because to general. If the General himself
'white man's" ¡ were to come to apply it to a war, we doubt whether he would not with- draw the remark, if only from prudence. The moral reasons for a distinction of the kind are probably non-existent. But the discussion concerus war, not morals.
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THE WATER QUESTION, As a result of II. E. expressing his wiling ness to meet the wishes of the Chinese in the mattor of the water meters, a meeting was held on the 14th inst. at the Chinese Commercial Union Office, Traya (entral, to find out the views of Chinese property owners is to laying auxiliary pipes to houses instead of hav ug meters fixed. Those present were Mr. Fung Wa Chun, Dr Ho Kai, Messis. Ho Tung, Ho Kom Tong Lo Koon Tiug. Sin Tak Fan, Lau Chupak, Tam Tsz Kong. A. Rumjdin, Wong Kum Fuk, Chau Kang Yn, and acont 40 otl ers Ple auxiliary pipe sysm was ex- plained by Dr. Ho Kai. This is estimated to cost $100,000 and an annual maintenance of $25,000. It was proposed by Mr. Ho Tung and seconded by Mr. Lo Kom Ting That this meeting approve of thesdoption of the auxiliary | pipe system and that the expenses be met by a special tax to be levied on all owners of Chinese
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with the outbreak. In the midst of the fight. excitement already intenso was heightened by the news that a Chinam in had fallen down the batchway amongst the buraiug bemp. All hope for b'm was abandon d. and every no felt that any measures adopted for his re cue were fored ood to failure. "The dry dock was being fooled, and the water bad att ned a height of several fet, when the Chiunman was seen at the be chin the bottom of the ship, which was partly ?
covered with water. He scramble through the narrow spacs, and swam to the steps at the side of the dosk, where he was picked up in an exhausted chud tion When he fell he apprently alighted ou the twen decks underneath, au 1. gro, ing is way to the iron ladder which he ku w ran wn the full length of the hold, descendel to the bottom and reached the only ave..ne of escap· there, through which be wriggle. His adven- ture was one which might have cost him his life. Lowever.
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On Monday morning the fire had ben prae- tical y overcome, and when the suk-ha partially clear d away gange of cɔ l'es wara sat to work to clear away wait ren sin -l of th• cargo, which, we understud, is insur. d.
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O, the 11th ins', there arrived in Si ag por: from Marseilles by the French steamer Jadus. Mge, Gaidi, the Papil Delegie to the Philippines, who is ou ecial mission fo Man'la to conclude the ue, et ations carried on at Manila by Mgr. Chap He and continued a Rome by Governor Taft, for the settlement if the question of the Spuish friars, aud the purchass of their property by the American Governmen'. Ou the arrival of the Indus the Delegato was met by Mer. Fée whose guest ho remained till the afternoon, when he embarked on board the British India steamer Lalpora for Manila
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[November 22, 1902.
THE JANET WALDORF CÓ. AT THE THEATRE ROYAL.
"A ROYAL DIVORCE." There was a full auditorium at the Theatre Royal on the 17th inst, when the curtain was rung ap on the first of the Janet Waldorf Company's productions, A Royal Divorce. The unfolding of the plot was followed with keenest interest, the many fine dramatic groupings were appre- ciated to the full, and the play came to an und amid a storm of applause which told that the Waldorfs had scored a success at their first essay. To many here A Royal Divorce has the unfaling merit of novelty; it has never, we think we are right in saying, been staged in Hongkong before. In England, America, and Australia it has had a rogna and has met with wonderful popularity. The author, Mr. G. W. Wells, has contrived to endow his play with powerful émotional passages and stirring. rapid movement, combined with brilliancy of colouring and an element of sensationalism adequate to bring the piece into line with "the
popular idea of what the modern drama ought to be. Let us hasten to add that the emotioral parfs are never overstrained nor the "effects vulgar. A Royal Divarc belongs to a kind of play which has made itself felt as a force in the heatrical world of recent years. The historical drama may almost be said to be co-existent with the historical novel. When dramatists Legan to write round the great ones of the earth, it is no matter for wonderment that the majestic figure of Napoleon Bonaparte should present au attractive subject for dramat sation. His meteor career required no enlargement or exageration to fit it to the stage. Indeed the ore difficulty to beset the playwright must have been the proc ss of selection of the episodes upon which to build his plot. Mr. Wells has chosen for depict ment that period between the time when Napoleon's shadow lay a hwart all Europe and the final extiuction of his proud ambition amidst the solitudes of St Helena. It is almost unneces sary to recapitulate the plot, Lut its cssential points may be hurriedly glanced at. The r se of the curt in discovers a salon in Fontaine- bleau where Napoleon, acting in perversion of his better nature, conseuts to diverca Josephine that he may secure a Royal alliance
with Marie Louise of Austria and found
a dynasty. In Act II there is a meeting between the discarded, childless Queen and her Imperial successor, and in the second scene the ve no is chauged to Melinaison, amid Court surroundings. The next act is set in the garden of the Tuilleries where a féle is being held to celeb ato the Emperor's supposed victory at Morcow. Suddenly news arrives that not victory but disaster has attended Napoleon in Russia. The fete is stopped. The frantic populica would storm the palace, and are only
stained by Josephine's courageons appeal. Act IV shows Napoleou on bis way to Water- o, und, amougther incidents, his reconcilin- tion with Josephine; Act V, the deck of H. M.S. Northumberland. The spectacolar part of the play i brilliantly enhanc d by three tableaux: The Retreat from Moscow,' ·Waterloo-The Charge. The Rout," and "At St. Helena Alone.
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Of Miss Waldorf's Empress Jo ephine one cannot speak but in terms of praise. Stu Joked the part to perfection. It is a character which requires no meau capabilities in the exponent: Miss Waldorf responded ably to its demands aud won all he rts by her portrayal of the wronged Empress In the opeting scene where. the sadly ren unces Napoleon that he ; may pursue yet higher triumphs, she struck a true note of pathos, and, later, in the striking rencontre with Marie Louise and in her sejres- sion of the rabble's rage at the Tuilleries, her learing and mauner were convincingly majestie. All through the play Miss Waldorf acted with In the softer pessages grace and forcefulness,
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such as ber meeting with Napol on's heir-BO less than in the more regal sceño2, Lør ¡ortrayal carried conviction of womanly tenderness joined with queerly attributes, On Mr Nival Meliregor, the rile of Nupo'con at with aptitude.
Gifted with a fue presence, a good voice, and anerring dramatic instinct, he gave a reading of this complex character that was an entertainment of itself. The dark indomitable workings of the will of the splendid tyrant, relieved by his tenderness for