Page
*
Well 6-1803.)
ANTHROPY UNLIMITED,
DAILY:
Tat-April.
irit of mthrophy:in a great wa life, and, although generosity mers bas n.w become proverbial, ing, not to say startling, to realise limited companies are becoming in and that moneys invested for the sordid of gain are now being absorbed to or native friends to de over the of household worries. At least so to assume from the remarks of the airman at a recent meeting of Humphreys Ste, and Finance Co. Ld.He is reported to said that the fire premiums now charged are equivalent to two months' gross rentals, hat in to say a house worth $2,000 secures for his Company less than $16 a-month rent. Lucky Chinaman! Unlucky shareholders! Yet I should like to know where these houses are to be found and would venture to suggest that the Chairman's arithmetic is no sounder than his arguments, and that unless the cobbler sticks to his last, Reserves will most probably become Deficits an experience not altogether new in the history of limited companies who take upon their own shoulders the responsi. bilities of others.—Yours, etc.,
GENEROUS.
ROBBERIES IN THE COLONY,
2
سال
"
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
„TO...THE-EITOR OF THE
PRESS.
the mes
way that any novem The Anglo-J
of those well qualified to judge, both v honourables,
(4) The question of i England. There is - correspondent should not if he pleases, but the great the same that the Romans invaded Britai did the Normaus because they possession of sea power which enabled do so, and this was lacking by Britain - etc.,
Hongkong, 1st April. SIR,—With reference to your leading article on the 31st March commenting upon the polies returns, and especially the increase in the caNOS WI of robberies in which the thieves have not best trosted, and in further corroboration of the statements, made in Mr. Henry Humphreys's letter published in your to day's issue complain. ing about the alarming increase of burglaries and street robberies in the colony, permit me to state that my house No. 37, corner of Des Voeux Road and Donglas street, has been twice visited by barglars during the last month, and five robberies have been committed in houses in the immediate neighbourhood without the culprits being brought to book in any single case. I have escaped uninjured in both the cases by sheer good luck, as on both occasions the doors of my office on the first floor of the premises were so securely clowed that the noise made to force one of them open woke up one of my men sleeping in the office; but before he could open the door and rush out, the thief slip ped down the rain water pipe, by which he had climbed up, and escaped. On the second occa sion, the thief or thieves again climbed up the same rain water pipe in Douglas Street, and crossing the side verandah on to the stone verandah facing Des Voeux Road entered the neighbouring house No. 85, occupied by Kwoŋg. Cheong, tailors, and walked away with a rich harvest in the shape of pieces of serge, flannels, and Spanish stripes which had been hung on the verandah to dry, the aggregate value being about could be clearly seen on the cemented floor of $100. The foot-prints of the thief or thieves my verandah and also on the stone parapets, the night being wet and muddy. They were pointed to investigate the matter. out to a Chinese detective sergeant who came
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS.'
Hongkong, 31st March, 1903. SIR-I returned to the Colony six weeks ago, since when my wife has been robbed with violence, my house has been burgled and a European deprived of his watch chain outside my office. On the first occasion the robbery took place at 11 a.m. outside the house occupied by the Superintendent of the Botanical next to mine and occupied by Messrs. Ritchie A week later, the shop No. 39, immediately Gardens and was witnessed by a number & Co., was broken into and robbed, the daring of chair coolies who made no either to render assistance or catch the away with them jewellery, brass and iron ware, effort members of this enterprising fraternity taking thief, which they could easily have done perfumery, and tobacco pipes of the approximate as he ran past them within arm's length. On raine of $900. The house behind mine, No. 23, the seco d gcension, which occurred at 12.40 facing the Douglas wharf, was twice visited p.m. yesterday, my wife saw the thief making by thieres, who are supposed to have climbed his exit over the verandah and called for up the rain water pipe in Douglas Street, the assistance. The thief was okased by two of my occupiers loss amounting to about $100. To chair coolies and three Sikh poliosmen but was not captured, although carrying_with him one
cap it all, the occupier of the house next to Messrs. Ritchie & Co. lost last week sɔme silk silver oup and two silver trays. I am informed clothes that were put out to dry, and so far as I that there were no less than 71 thefts in different parts of the colony the same day. cases still remain at large, no doubt to ply their am-ware, the culprit or culprits in all these There are numbers of Chinese loafers to benefarious trade in other directions. seen now at all hours along the principal thoroughfares, many of whom must be known to the Police andall of whom could be charged as vagrants. The unwise policy of the Government in not attempting to suppress this undesirable element in the community is reponsible for the recent large increase of crime of the above nature. It cannot be expected that a Sikh policeman in his clumsy boots could catch a Chinaman if the latter had a start, but robberies would greatly diminish, if not conse, if the Vagrancy Act were enforced and it were made a punishable offence for people not to attempt preventing s thief making his escape.-Yours, etc.,
?
BENRY HUMPHRE(8.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRE88.”
Hongkong, 1st April. SIR,With reference to the letter of Mr. Humphreys in your issue to-day, I would strongly endorse the suggestion to make it punishable for Chinese to stand by and see evil committed without raising a finger to catch the evil doer.
|
It is high time our police woke up to a sense of the duty they owe to the public, and concerted such drastic measures as will afford the law. abiding citizens proper protection against such raids,
placed in the middle of Douglas Street which I may further suggest that a lamp post be
which, as well as the lane at the back of our is at present enveloped in complete darkness, and houses, affords a safe harbour of refuge to these undesirable visitors.—-Yours, etc.,
D. 8. DADY BURJOR.
THE NAVY LEAGUE CATECHISM.
TO THE EDITOR `OF THE “DAILY PRESS,"
13, Victoria St., London, 8.W.,
February 18th, 1903.
J
WM. CAIUS CRUTCHLEY.
Secretary of the Navy 1
TERRIBLE TRAGEDY ON THE HIGH SEAS.
A TRIPLE MURDER.
It was reported on the 28th nlt, by the police. that a terrible tragedy on the high sean had come to their knowledge On the previous night a licensed fishing junk cast anchor at Shaukiwan and her crew related to Inspector Robertson at the Police Station there a story ghastly in its details and happily not moh as The junk went off to the fishing ground w we are in the habit of hearing in Hongkong. with eleven sculs on board-the master, his wife and his concubine, his little child seven years of age,⠀
and seven of a crew.
of the
When about 160 miles from Hongkong three crew, with apparently piratical intentions, conspired together to seise the junk and the goods on her. First of all they contrived to get hold of all the firearms on board the junk's revolvers and on Thursda last while it was dark they fell un sleeping master and murdered him. Hib they threw overboard. Then they murdered their bodies were likewise pitched into the turn the master's concubine and his child
The three murderers next set about intimidation of the master's wife and the four. others who composed the crew, threatening the latter with death if they did not assist in the sailing of the vessel. The men had perforce to comply with the murderers' demand, backed up as it was by loaded revolvers.
But the four were determined if possible to defeat the ruffians in their designs and at night the opportunity came. One of the three v at the tiller and the other two were forward. Upon the steereman the four men rushed, and after a fierce struggle they overcame him and throw him overboard to his' fate: companions rushed to his sid soute. But by the time sccomplice had been given the four turned their attentions up purpose that he jump vessel into the water. hold carrying with
Meantime the third Thinking to
cure
battened down the
cut a hole in the Hongkong. But discovered that or into the non, he had extracted
SIN,—I have received from Captain Anderson, the Honorary Secretary of the Hongkong Branch of the Navy League, a copy of the Daily Press of January 8th, in which appears a I was returning from West Point in a ricksha questions with reference to the Navy Cat ohiam. letter from a correspondent asking certain lately and near Bonham Strand I observed a With regard to query (1) referring to + ikh policeman chasing a Chinese coolie over squadrons for local defence, it has always been a lot of boulders and stones near where building the principle of the dominant sea power | the vessel operations are in progress. Dozens of China to seek out the enemy's squadrons in its men stood by evidently enjoying the fan-but own territorial watera, cither to blockade the can be little not one would sender assistance. It was a very enemy's ports or to destroy its vessels that have fatter for me to stop iny-ricksha, take up emerged from them. Coast defence by local position, and collar the coolie as veenela'implies waiting to be attacked in this But why should it not manner and is a virtual adminuiom that you do aken into custody a half deson |-not posens the command of the sea. It will be laughing at the Sikh, as many long years bfore anything that
them their duty ? | be called an Australian Navy will be in existence, and when it is in being it is to be most devoutly hoped that being under the hand i
A. M.
were all are being
the