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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
abolition of extra territoriality will be quite) THE BROUGH COMPANY AT THE
superfluous.
and
The did, didn't" style of controversy is wearisome, distasteful, and unprofitable, and this letter is already too long. I will therefore only state in conclusion that a just and unbiassed d. duction from the letter which seems so unnecessarily to have aroused “Humbug's ire, is that Sir Robert Hart's aétion from first to last was dictated by what he believed to be his own (including that of those for whom he was responsible)
China's interests, and that the main issne, namely the rightness or wrongness of giving aid to nations of this type without guarantee that such action will not directly or indirectly produce great m'schief, has not even been alluded to by him Th se who saw the horrible carnage during the progress of the foreign troops to Peking-though it was after all but legitimate warfare brought by China apon herself-were not unnaturally blinded to the frightful atrocities previously committed by the Chinese in many parts of China--which was not legitimate warfare, but savage massacre. And finally, had any other nation similarly hidden her talent in the ground for thousands of years, instead of making herself strong and establishing good government, she would equal. ly have been responsible for and have deserved all the results accruing from that culpable neg. ligence. To argue otherwise is to cut away all distinction between industry and sloth, good and bad, merit and demerit. There is apt to be too much condoning now-a-days, both of the sins of individuals and of the sins of nations.
—Yours, &c.,
ANTI-HUMBUG.
THEATRE.
THE VILLAGE PRIES
| March 23, 1903
Parbury returns in contentment to home, and
so peace is restored.
In its performance of the comedy the Brough Company gave another excellent account of them. selves, and won applause, as h ́arty as it was Exchanging the light garb of farcial comedy spontaneous. Mr. Brough impersonated Clement for the sombre attire of genuine drama, the Parbury, a part for which he is admirably fitted Breugh Company on the 13th appeared in He played the role to the best possible advantage should Sydney Grundy's powerful creation, ▲ Village and always convincingly-just as we Priest, and made the transformation with all have expected him to play it. As the tearful the realism at their command. Applied to the wife Miss Temple had a difficult character to Broughs, the term versatile is far from a mis-depict, but she acted charmingly, and succeeded nomer and indeed fails to convey an adequate in reconciling her audience to the part. · Mrs. conception of the wonderful resource of the Brough was capitally suited as Clara Woodward, which part she characterised with easy groe organisation' which Mr. and Mrs. Brough so
and artistic finish, Mr. W. T. Lovell made ably lead: The story told in A Village Priest is a tragic one, and where previously the laughter of a first-rate George Gunning, always humorous a delighted audience following the absurdities and realistic, sud as Colonel Amylage Mr. of fanciful comedy had made the very wall-Orlando Daly scored an undoubted success. ring, now only silence reigned as every phase Aliss F. Gillies Brown and Mr. Percy Walsh as of the tragedy was revealed, the deep interest servants completed the cast, and played their aroused making applanse a distracting thing respective parts to the satisfaction of all. The scenery was agaiu in complete barmony with One and all, the performers excelled them. selves, Mr. Brough as L'Abbé Dubois carrying the nature of the piece.
the audience with him from the rise of the cur- tain 10 its fall. The full cast was as follows: Abbé Dubois
Mr. Brough -,གཏྟཱ,,、、- Jean Torquenie
Mr. W. T. Lovell! Armand D'Arcay A Captain of Gendarmes
François
Madame D'Arcay Comtesse de Tremaillan Marguerite de Tremeillan Jeanne Torquenie
Madeleine
Mr. Ernest Vere Mr. Orlando Daly Mr. Higson Miss Susie Vaughan Mrs. Brough Miss Brenda Clibson Miss Temple Miss Gillies Brown
The very amusing farcial comedy Facing the Music was produced in the Theatre by the [This correspondeure is now closed.-Er. Brongh Company on the 14th inst. before a full house, he piece was first played in the D.P.]
Colony a few months ago by the Janet-Waldorf THE WOUNDING OF A TIDEWAITER Company, but Saturday's representation was
AT MACAO.
'DAILY PRESS." Hongkong, 14th March. Sie-Referring to the paragraph is your issue of the 12th inst, of the wounding of a tide- waiter, the affair has been somewhat misrepro- sented. The tidewaiter was not "under the influence of liquor"; he was proceeding quietly in a ricksha to where a sapan was waiting convey him to Jappa, when his ricksha was stopped by. Portuguese soldiers. stepped out to remonstrate and was cowardly assaulted. He now lies severely wounded in the Macao Hospital with no less than seven bayonet
TO THE EDITOR OF THE
wounds.
He
He was not "thrown in the water and resoned,' but during the struggle fell in and `climbed out himself.
This is not the first-time a foreigner has been assaulted by Portuguese soldiers in Macao.-Yours, etc.,
ONE WHO KNOWS.
ROBBERIES IN THE COLONY, TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS." Hongkong, 16th March, Sre-There have lately been several robberies in the Colony, in the roads and in houses. Why not import bloodhounds to track the thieves? In America they have been used with advantage, and with a good scent these hounds will follow and find.Yours, etc.,
INTERESTED.
At the Shanghai Police Court on the 9th inst. Harry Wilson, a master mariner, but at present third officer on the Perla, was charged
·by his wife with wilful neglect to provide reasonable maintenance for his wife and infant children, and by such negloot caused her to live separately and apart from her husband. The parties were married in Hongkong in 1899, and the defendant, who stated that he had been twenty-four years on this cost, denied in his evidence that he had deserted his wife. He merely went down to Hongkong to seek employment, as he could find none in Shanghai. The magistrate, after hearing the evidence, said there was nothing to justify the Court in granting an order of separation, and dis- missed the case. The wife said she would have nothing more to do with her husband until he proved or withdrew certain accusations he had -made against her character.
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in some respects different. Mr. Brough took the leading character, in the person of John Smith, and played with his nsnal ability. keeping the audience in continual langhter, Mr. Leslie Victor's impersonation of the Rev. John Smith was als decidedly e'ever and very funuy. The part of Dick Desmond ably taken by Mr. M. McLean, and Mr. O. Daly appeared as the Colonel and Mr. P. Walshe as the detective sargeant, and their share in the performance was very credit- able. Miss Brenda Gibson was excellent as Mable (the Curate's wife) and the same must also be said of Mrs. Brough as Nora and Miss Temple as Mrs. Ponting, The performance altogether was exe llent and thoroughly enjoyed by those preseut.
"THE TYRANNY OF TEABN,'
The Tyranny of Tears was the production on the 16th inst. Thongh perhaps the comedy may not be called Mr. Haddon Chambers's best, yet it has a great deal to recommend it. Set in the damp environment of an emotional wife's tears, the story of the domestic life of the succgg-ful novelist, Charles Parbury, is summed up in Parbury's own words-If I wish to dine with a friend-tears! Or to go on a walking tour for two or three days-tears! Or to spend Despite the evening at the Club-tears! it all, however, he loves his wife just as much ́as she loves him, and so he endures, Following a latter-day practice amongst novelists, Parbury has his work type-written, and for this purpose employs a prepo.sessing young lady named Clara Woodward, who allows her sympathy for Mr. Parbury in his domestic worries to betray her into committing a slight indiscretion. She kisses her employer's photograph, and is caught in the act by Mrs. Parbury, who is deceived into imagining that the young lady loves Parbury, which in reality is not the case, for the relation. ship between the two is purely that of master and servant However, Mrs. Parbury prefers to see danger where none exists and demands the dismissal of the typist. Parbury refuses to send her away unless a definite reason is stated, and neither of the two ladies will give him the
Mrs. Parbury becomes indignant at | true one. her husband's attitude-which has derived a not inconsiderable amount of stiffening from the remarks of a bachelor friend who laughs at his marital subjection—and leaves him for a brief period, during which the bachelor in question, George Gunning, becomes engaged to Miss Woodward. The situation thus relieved, Mrs.
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FAREWELL PERFORMANCE.
The Brough Company gave their farewell performance in the Theatre Royal the 17th inst. when Are You a Mason? was repeated by special request before a crowded and highly appreciativə audience.
Mr. Brongh in a farewell speech at the fall of the curtain alluded to the need for improve. ments in the Theatre. He mentioned that a -well-known resident—“ not in the tea trade was interesting himself in the matter, and ex. pressed the hope that the improvements would be carried out by thy tims. the Company returned to the Colony. The Broughs sailed for Shanghai on the 18th inst, by the Athenian. ROYAL HONGKONG YACHT CLUB.
The race for the cup presented by the Vice- Commodore (Commodore C. G. Robinson, R N ) took place où the 14th inst. The course was Kowloon Rock, Channel Rocks, Meyer's East Buoy, and Channel Rocks (all to starboard). The wind was very tricky and squally, mostly from the south. Alannah got the best of the start, crossing the line almost immediately after gun- fire with most of the rest of the fleet fairly lovel a few lengths astern.. Changes in the position of the boats were frequent in the course of the race owing ohi, fly to the wind, but Dione's superiority to the rest, which was soon (stab- lished, took her over the line at the end considerably ahead of her rivals though she was unable to save her time on Maid Marian, Payne, Erica and Alannah, who finished on the handicap in the order given. At the end of the race the Vice-Comm‹ dore presented his hand- some onp to Mr. Ronse, the helmsman of the Maid Marian. The handicap, times of finish- ing, and corrected timen were as follows :--
Dione scratch... Alannah 5m. Ronito 8m. Colleen 8m. 3 Erica 8m.
Kathleen 8m, Mia Em. Iris/lim. 58.
H. M. 8.
Net tim 1. 4 30 0
4 30 0
4 34 03
4 29 03
4 41 31 4 42 05
4.35/45
4 33 31 4.34 05
4 27 45
4 34 45
4 42 45 did not finish did not finish
1 Maid Marian 12m.30s, 4 35 45 Doreen 14m, 30x...: /4 43 20 Chanticleer 14m. 30s./ 4 57 22 4 45 46 Payne 22m. 30s.
2
4 23 15
4 33 50
4 43 52 4.26 16
The eleventh club' race on the 15th inst. .produced one of the finest struggles that has ever been witnessed in Hongkong Harbour between the Payne designed cracks Vernon and Dione. There was quite a fresh breeze, with bard squalls, from the south, but as the ebb strengthen'g shortly before the starting hour the wind died down and became quite light and flaky.
Dione was on the line at gunfire, while Alannah forced Vernon the wrong side of tho mark-boat thereby giving her a very bad start. Dione was well on her journey when Alannah, which had started a little behind her, hailed her that her re-call fing was up. Dione though she could not make out the hated signal thought it best to return and re-cross the line. This gave her rival more than a quarter of a mile start before Dione was in pursuit