November 22, 1902.)
were
Josephine,
shadowed forth by Mr. McGregor in a fashion that could not fail to entrance the auditor's attention. His make-up, by the way, was after, but not a rigid copy of, the portraits of Napoleon with which we have all become famili vr. Both he and Miss Waldo.f were called before the cartrin during the curse of the evening Mr. Wilson Forbes made a splendid app arince as M. de Tallyrand, bringing out the e ndie wit and diplomatic astṛtuess of the did Minister to a nicety. Miss Mildred Yorke acted with great distinction in the rule of the haughty Empress Marie Louise. Very insdaciant aud graceful was the Stephanie de Beauharnais of Miss Amy Stan ey, who shone well in the with Napoleon where she reproaches him with dess tios of Josephine, and no less 80 in her morry love-ming pissages with Augereau (Mr. St. Clair Bayfield) and in the grotesque inn scene in the fourt act.
+
won
scere
She
and Mr. Bayfield were in fact responsible for most of the humorons situations, and they made the most of them. Mr. Joan do Lacy under- took the onerous part of the Marquis de Beaumont, the impassioned lover of Josephine; between whom there is in the third act a powerful scene in which the Empress re- pels his advances. Mr. Do Lney erined good dramatic qualities and
pra se on all hands for his enactment, A special word of commendatiou is due Mrs. A. Dɔw. Carrier for the admirable manner in which she performed the little she had to do as Madtme Vernois. Miss Edith Haye and Miss Mand Vinci appeared to advantage in the rules of Blanche and Angelique respectively, and also worthy of remark were the Murat of Mr. Ernest Macken, the Marshal Ney of Mr. Arthur Elton, the Admiral Keith of Mr. Albert Goldie and the Grimand of Mr. William Fitchelt. Other parts were suitably placed.
With regard to the scзuery, it was of a more extensive and a h avier kind than we are ac- customed to in Hongkong, and withal it was very pretty. Specially effective was the scene "Grden in the Tailleries" in which a lively ballet by six young and pretty ladies was in- troduce 1. The three tableau enumerate l above were vociferously applauded and deservol it. To Mrs. A. Dow-Currier, chiefly. the credit is due for the fine muner in which the piece was dressed. It remains to be added that the incidental music was appropriat ly rendered by a orchestra (made up by the bind of H.M.S. Ocean and the Portuguese Amateur Orchestra) under the ablo baton of Mr. II.
Lindsay Campbell The sco ery was prepared
by Mr. T. W. Wisby.
RATES AND TAXES IN THE EAST.
A paper was laid on the tabla at a meeting of the Singapore Municipal Commission on the 7th inst. giving the figures for rates and taxes in Calcutta, Bombay, Madras, Colombo, Rangoon, and Hoaglong. They are as follows :-
CALCUTTA,
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CHINA -OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
COLOMB) (FROM 1897 REPORT). Consolidate Rate-11 per cent,
Tax of Rs. 2 on every able-bodied mile be- tween the ages of 18 and 55 (Military, Volan- tears, Buddhist priests and immigrant Tamil coolies exemptel) equal to 21 per cant. Tax s on carriages, carts au:l animals; Licenses in carriages, boa s, etc... for hire; Klang`stering quor Lic ›nses; ffusive Licenses; Hotel and L' and dingeron ; tra·lès, vis., sale of opium pois ans. petroleum, dye-'ouses, soip manufactories, etc; Taxes on trades and professio us.
Goueral Rate Water Rata Lighting Rate
RANDON.
9 per cent. 4 per cent. per cent.
21
per c
nt
Sevenging Rate 7 per cent
Other Taxes-Corriges and animals, carts, pawnshop lies, lie nei fees for sale of meat. roadside ștalls, off nsive and dangerous trales.
599
INTERVIEW WITH SIR JAMES MACKAY,
The following is the report of an article on an interview with Sir James Mackay, which was published in th· San Francisc) Chronicle of the 10th Octobir:-
"Sir James Mackay does cot entirely agree with G neral Tha tuens 9. Sharrette in the latter's statements respecting the diffinities ha encountere in his effor s to protect American comm›rcial ·întero-ts in the revision of the Chinese tariff Sir James Mookay arrived on the steamer Coptic yesterday from China, where for a number of months past, as the diplomatic representative of Great Beltain he looked after the protection of Britain's trade interests in the framing of China's new tariff. lucidentally he negotiated a new British commercial treaty with Chin, which has bệu formally sigued and is to become effective one year from n xt Jan: 135y He is now on his way back to England after spen ling nearly a year in the Orient, and while passing through the United states he is Land Taxth of 1 per cent. of 1 ssessed value apparently taking advantage of his visit to throw discredit on the work accomplish d by brings in an incom equal to more than half the
General Sharretis, the American tariff commis- incom derivel from assessments an II nildings.sioner. But Sir James Mackay does not care
General Munic pal Rat-s-14 per cent.
HONGKONG,
Assesed Rites-13 par cant. Hawker's licences in addition to other licences and fes of Singaporo Municipality.
SHANGHAI,
1
Dues on Merchin lise. Licance fans, Hotels, liquor shop, stables, cirts and waggons, boats, lotteries, etc., opiun shop, etc. Water Supply does not belong to the Municipality.
THE NEW U.S. CONSUL FOR HONGKONG.
The following despatch to the San Francisco Chronicle is dated. Washington, 8th October :-
Edward S. Bragg. Consul-General at Haraua, has been trausfe red to the post of Consul-Gon- eral at Hongkong, taking the place of William A. Ruble, who has been transferred to the Consulate at Havana,
The change in the Havana Consulate General has been in contemplation for almost three
months. It was fully decided that it was necessary to make the chvuge and the only ques tion was where Co sul-General Bragg could be place without substantial loss to himself, for it is difficult to find in the consular service a position payig as well as that of Havaun. The off ial slary for the place is 85, 0 per annum. but there are fees attached, much of which go to the Corsal-General, which swell the total
compensation to about 87,000 a yea
Although it is realised that General Bragg has shown a lack of judgment, at least, in allow- ing to escape from him a rat' er contemptuous criticism of the Cuban people, in view of the fact that he was not directly responsible for its publication, the President decided to look on his case with a leni ut eye.
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to 2840me any responsibility for the belittling of Sharretts's service in the tariff readjustment, for while he had many things to say yesterday at the Palace Hotel in contradiction of state- ments made by Sharretts upon the latter's re- tura from China a few weeks ago, he was very much disinclined to be quoted on the matter.
When Gneral Sharretts arrived here last month he told how the British commissioner had attempted to depriva him of a voice in the framing of the now tariff, how all the other thirteen commissioners voted almost as a unit in opposition t his own vote where Americiu interests were under consideration, and how, single-bruded, ho finally generous recognition of American interests whereby the most importint American export 02 terms that commolities wore admitted
accomplished a
promis much for the growth and development
of American trade in China. Sir James Mackay would have it appear that this is all false. Grest Bri ain made no attempt nor endeavoured
to exercise any influence ti preront the participation of the United States in the conferenc) over the Tariff revision. The British diplomat would lie it understood that he wa13 instrumental in bringing about the Council of all Powers; that the meetings of the commissio 18:8 were si nally fres fom bickerings and disputes; that at no time was a rote of the commissioners taken on any proposition whatever; and that auder the provisions of the protocol the revision of the tariff was simply a matter of book-keeping and calculation. Al the meetings of the com- missioners were held in the office of Sir James Macky in Shanghai, and Sir James Mackay presided over the d-liberations of every meeting. "I read the interviews with Gene-al Sharretts hat were published upon his arrival here," said h British statesman, "aud to express it mildly, I think there must be some mistake about the whole business. I do not desire to become involved in any controversy with General Sharretis, so I do not care to say anything more. I was on the most friendly terms with him in Shanghai. When he left Shanghai he By direction of the State Department Mr. left me his powers, a d I was able to do him a Squiers called ou General Bragg for an explana-good servic, after which I fɔrwa ded his powers tion. He at onc) admitted the authenticity of to him. I am accordingly at a loss to nuder. the quotation, but held he had a right to write stand why he should say anything calculated to promote feelings of disc rd between Gast what he pleased in a strictly personal letter to
Britain and the United States." his own family, and without di cussing the ques- tion with the General, the State Department per cent 191 per cont.
decided that a change must be made and sat 4 par cent, j
about to find another plac› for General Bragz. Other Taxes:-Wheel tax, octroi duties on
About two weeks ago this was found through grain, flour, wine, beer and spirits, sugar, ghee, the willingness of United States Consul-General timber, firewood; tolls; tobacco duty and liquor William A. Rubles at Hongkong, China, to licences paid by Government; Licences, d nger-change his post for that at Havana. The delay ous and offensive trades.
General Rate 9 per caut. Water Rate 6 per cont. Lighting Rate 2 per ceat. Sewage Rate 2 per cent..
consolidated Rate of
191 per cent.
Taxes and Fees-Tax on pr fassions, trades and calling ; on carriages and animals; Fees for registration of carts and hackeries. Scaveng- ing; shed registry fees-fees for licensing st bles, ballock sheds and cowsheds; Feas under Licensed Warehouses and Fire Brigado Act of
1893.
General Tax Halilkhor Tax Water Tax
BOMBAY.
124 per cent.
MADRAS.
151 per
ceat.
Tax on buildings and land 10 per cent.] Water Tax do
per cent. Lighting Tax on do 11 per cent.
Other Taxes: -Tax on carriages, carts and animals; Tolls on vehicles entering Municipal Limits; Tax on arts, prefessions, trades and calling; License fees on import of timber and firewood; License fees -offensive trades, &c.
Farly in July, Gener 1 Brigg wrote a letter to bis wife at her ho ne in this country, in which he use this langungo : Uncle Sam might as well try to make a whistle of a pig's tail as to try to make something out of the Latin race'
A few The letter was published on July 14. days later the Cuban Government asked Mr. Squiers, one Minister to Havana, if the quota. tion was authentic, intimating that if it were so General Bragg probably had destroyed his use- fulness at Havana.
in making the announcement of the change has been caused by the necessity of arranging the details of the transfer. It is understood now that these havo bosa perfected and that the change will take place as son as Rublee can reach lavant. Mr. Rublee's post at Hongkong is salaried at $5,000 per annum and bis notarial fees, to all of which he is entitled, amounting last year to $1,047, so that General Bragg pro- bably will not loss very much by the change.
最怪
When General Sharratts arrived here bo told how he had prevented the signature by China of the new commercial treaty negotiated by Sir James Mackay. This treaty prov.ded, among t other things, the abolition of lekin tax, which is a tax imposed on goods, imp rted and domestic, moving up the waterways of China. The lekin tax is largely a squeeze" designed the benefit of the Chinese officials for more than for the benefit of the Chinese Government, and has done much to st fin trade with the interior markets of the Empire. Great Britain proposed in its treaty,
per in lies of the lekin charges, a surtax on imports that would raise the imp rt duty from cent. as provided in the protocal, to 10 per Sbarretts was opposel to this for the reason
cent.