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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
HONGKONG VOLUNTEER CORPS. Mackenzie: 9. Gun. Abraham; 10, Gun..
RIFLE AND CARBINE MEETING.
The prize meeting in connection with the Hongkong Volunteer Corps, which commenced at Kowloon on the 28th ult. on the Naval and Rifle Association ranges, concluded on the 14th inst, when Lady Blake distributed the prizes. Apart from its general interest, the meeting was invaluable in the direction of utility, for after all straight shooting is a more desirable accomplishment than merely ornamental proficiency in drill. The Volunteers were all the better for the excellent practice they were provided with, and if the trouble of completing the necessary arrangements was not slight, Major Pritchard, the Comman- dant of the Corps, and his able committes have their reward in the success attending their lab surg The ranges were 200, 400, 500, and 600 yards," and the number of shots at each was seven. Two sighters were allowed at each range in every competition, and the programme in cluded a carbine handicap, carbine aggregate (handicap), carbine aggregate (net scores), rifle handicap, rifle aggregate (bandicap), rifle ag. gregate (net scores), Corps championship, officers' handicap, ladies' purse, ladies' nomina- tion, and a consolation prize, besides a match between the instructors and staff. The Corps championship goes to the comp titor with the highest net aggregate with either rifle or carbine. and the cup is to be won two years in succession before becoming the property of the holder. Bom. Cameron won it this year with the carbine. The lighton Saturday was good, but a tricky wind operated against the marksmen, whose scoring was nevertheless highly creditable. When all the cards had been handed in the ceremony of rewarding the winners was proceeded with, Lady Blake, who was accompanied by Sir Henry Blake, Miss Blake, and Sir John Keane,
Private Secretary to His Excellency, per- forming it charmingly. Just before the "dis- tribution of the awards Major Pritchard ad- dressed a few words to the assembly, which included a number of civilians. He expressed the pleasure of all at the presence of the party from Government House, and commented on the kindness of Miss Blake in personally collecting the Ladies' Parse, which had been presented by the ladies of Hongkong. Gunner Pearse, the winner, hauded Miss Blake a bou.. quet of violets as be accepted the prise from her hands, and a similar graceful attention was paid to Lady Blake. Cheers for the Vice- regal party and for Major Pritchard and the officers of the Corps consummated the ceremony and brought to a close an interesting event in the history of the Colony's Volunteer regiment. Appended are the prize list and the names of
the members of the committee and the donors of prizes:-
PRIZE LIST,
Carbine Handicap (20 yards).-1, Guo, Pearse, 35; 2 Cor. Deas, 33; 3, Ser. Vincent, 31. Carbine Handicap (40 yards).-1, Gun. Strike, 35; 2, Bom, Grey, 33; 3, ( un, A. A. Alves, 33.
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Carbine Handicap (500 yards).-1, Gun. Penning, 35; 2, Gau. Cross, 32; 3, Bom. Mackie, 31.
Carbine Aggregate (handicap).—1, Gua. Penning, 98; 2, Bom. Cameron, 97; 3, Bom, Grey, 94.
Carbine Aggregate (net scores).—1, Bom. Cameron, 94; 2, Gun: Strike, 90.
Rifle Handicap (200 yards).-1, Sapper Russell, 33; 2, Capt. Ordish, 32,
Rifle Handicap (500 yards).-1, Ser. Parkes, 31; 2, Gun. Pidgeon, 29.
Rifle Handicap (600 yards)-1, Gan. S.ewart, 31; 2 Gun. Horley, 29.
Rifle Aggregate (handicap).-1, Cor. Lapsley, 93; 2. Gun, Stewart, 85.
Rifle Aggregate (ust scores).-1, Cor. Lapsley, 93.
Corps Championship.-1, Bom. Cameron, 94. Officers only. (handicap).—Major Chapman, Instructors and Staff only (net score).-1, Ser. Bartolome,
89,
Ladies' Purse (net soore; 200 yards).-1,
Gun. Pearse.
Ladies' Nomination (net score ; 200 yards) 1. Gun. Pidgeon; 2, Bom. Cameron; 3, Ber. Penning; 4, Gun. Strike; 5, Gun. Horley; 6, Lient, Smythe; 7, Ser. Stewart; &, Ser.-Maj.
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Holm's; 11, Cor. Lapsley; 12, Sør. Parkes..
“Consolation (nst score'; 200 yärds).—1, Gun, Rodgers, 33.
OFFICE-BEARERS
DONORS OF PRIZES.
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[March 23, 1903.
THE SIBERIAN ROUTE.
SHANGHAI-DALNY STEAMSHIP SERVICE. The N-C. Daily News of the 11th inst. has the following paragraph :---
Committee:-Major T'ritchard, Capt. Ordish. "The steamer Mongolia of the Chinese Liont. Lammert, Lieut. Crake, Lieut. North-Eastern Railway Co.'s Seagoing teamship cute. C. S. M. Hooper, Sergt. Stewart, Sorgt, Service has just made the run from Dalny to Parkes, Sergt. Andrew, Corporal Warren, Shangbai in 34 hours from the time of leaving
the former port to the mooring of the steamer. Bombr. Hance, and Bombr. Hay.
Ilon. Secretaries: Major Pritchard and at her buoy in this river. he will leave in Lieut. Northcote.
future every Thursday from Shanghai, and will connect at Dalny with the train de luxe for Europe, and from this week the trip can be regularly made every week in 21 days from Shanghai to Paris. In about three months' time there will be two trains de luxe a week, and it will not be 1. ng before this becomes the favourite route to and from Europe for all to whom time is a consideration or who do not thoroughly enjoy a long sea voyage."
U.E. Sir Henry Blake; H.E. Major-General Sir W. J. Gascoigne; Commodore Robinson and Dockyard Officials; Dockyard European Staff; Dockyard Works Loans Officials; Offi- cers of the Corps; H ngkong Dock Co. Staff; Sir C. P. Chater; H. N. Mody, Esq.; W: A. Baker, Esq., and Messrs. Brewer & Co.
The Ladies' Nomination prizes were presented by:-Messrs. C. E. Le Munyon; Watson & Co.; Kelly & Walsh; Price & Co.; Culdbeck, Macgregor & Co.; Lane, Crawford & Co.; Kuhn & Komor; Powell & Co.; Ying Kee; Lock Hing; Wang Hing, and A. Choo
HONGKONG OBSERVATORY.
The annual report of the Observatory prepared by Mr. FG. Eg, Acting Director, is published in the Government Gazette. From it we learn that the comparison of weather forecast, issued daily abont 11 a.m., with the weather subsequently experienced has shown the following results: Succes, 56 per cent.; partial success, 35 per cent.; partial failure, 8 per cent.; failure, 1 per cent. The Chius Coast Meteorological Register was printed every morning at the Observatory, and information regarding storms was telegraphed to Hongkong fully as such information could be justified by the weather telegrams received. This happened ou 95 days in 1902. The red drum was hoisted
and exhibited on notice-boards as often and as
times, the red south cone twice, black drum 3 times, te black south cone twice, the black north cone 3 times, and the black ball once. The typhoon gun was fired 3 times. issued on 26 occasions. The distribution of the Printed bulletins for general distribution were China Coast Meteorologic.l Register has been extended, and since last summer it has been delivered free daily to all shipping firms. His Honour the Commissioner of Weihaiwei has
been good enough to cause meteorological observations to be made there twice daily, and by the conrtesy of the Eastern Extension and Australasian Telograph Company, these observa- tious have been transmitted to the Observatory free by cable since November last. The thanks of the Government are due to the Telegraph Companies, who continue to forward the meteorological telegrams from outports to Hong kong free of charge, and also to the staffs of the Eastern Extension and Australasian Telegraph Company at Sharp Peak, Malate, Iloilo, Bacol. d ad Cebu, who make and transmit observations twice daily.
Telegraphic convection with Victoria was interrupted during the year on 39 days, and of course during thunderstorms. During 1902, in addition to meteorological registers kept at about 40 stations on shore, 1,253 ship logs have been copied on board or forwarded by the captains. The total number of vessels whose log-books have been made use of, was 164. The total number of days' observations (connting separately those made on board differe t ships on the same day) was 9,073,
The entry of observations made at sea in degree squares for the ares between 9 deg. South and 45 deg. North latitude, and between the longitude of Singapore and 180 deg. East of Greenwich for the construction of trustworthy pilot charta, has been continued by Miss Doberok, and 360,692 in all have now been entered
During the past yeɩr one barometer and two aneroids have been verified, and in addition several hundred barometers and aneroids on board ship were compared with the Observa tory's standard. This work is done free of cost.
For the purpose of payments in the Straits Settlements District Command the dollar has been fixed at a value of 1/7 for the quarter com- mencing on April 1.
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In another issue of our Northera contempo- rary appears the following:-" Beyond question the two finest local steamers running in these waters are the C. E. R. S. Mongolia, of 1,627 tons net register, Captain Podalka, which is now running weekly between Shanghai and Dalny in connection with the train de luxe from Dalay to Moscow, and her sister ship the Manchuria, which runs between Nagasaki and Daloy. The Mongolia is a new twin-screw steamer, built at Triest chiefly for passengers, with a speed of 174 knots. She made her last ran from Dainy to Shanghai in 32 hours' actual steaming time, the distance being 553 nautical miles, and the average speed 17.3 knots. This means that the Shanghailander can now travel from the Bund to the English Channel in twenty-one days, with only one night at sea.
The programme is for the Mongoliu to leave here on Thursday morning and arrive at the wharf at Dalny on Friday. afternoon. Passengers can sleep and breakfast on board, or go to a hotel, as they prefer; they will have the gr ater part of the day at Dalny. the train de luxe leaving at 4 p.m. on Saturday.'
CORRESPONDENCE.
"THE CLOUD ON THE HORIZON."
TO THE EDITOR OF THE
:
་་
DAILY PRESS,' Hongkong, 16th March. SIR,-The controversy started by “Humbug is likely to be a long one, and it is to be regretted therefore that the points raised by him are but side issues. The cloud on the horizon "the term used`by me to describe the threatened recrudescence of anti-foreign military activity in China-has been entirely overlooked: as is usual with, orities whose object is to vent their wrath on the writer of unpleasant truths, the man issue has been ignored. It is a matter for regret, therefore, that it shou'd be necessary to take up time in explanations of my meaning with regard to what I do not regard as a matter of mach importance
".
as I stated pretty clearly in my second letter and which, as also stated by me, I only used as an illustration. The important part of the matter is the question of assistance given to nations of the Chinese type without guaranteo that the strength thereby obtained will not be need in an uncivilised manner for purposes harmful alike to China and Europe. The point on which "Hambug" lays stress is the action, or rather the mental attitude, of one individual, and he seems to regard the morality or im- morality of that attitude as not worthy of discussion, and devotes his energies in a long letter to emphasising the supposition that Sir Robert Hart did not do or mean what I alleged seemed to be the logical onto me of his acts and words, and in one case, though he did it, did it many years earlier than is generally supposed. I am not much con. cerned as to my ability or inability to change "Humbug's" mind on the views he holds respecting this side issue. To endeavour to convince an angry critic who states that his tribe of errors and is virtually a veritable nidus opponent's "head... is instinct with a perfect of fallacies in general," would be as hopeless But silence is often me it is unnecessary. taken to mean inability to reply, and it will at least serve some purpose not only to show that “Humbug's” tirade is not so effective as ---
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