June 6, 1903.J
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CANTON.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.
IIDNAPPING.
Canton, 29th May.
It is reported that there has of late been a lage increase of crime in this district, chiefly taking the form of kidnapping, which goes on for the most part in the south part of the city. The children of rich men are taken off, and then given up in return for a handsome reward. On one occasion & merchant who had suffered in this way, two of his children having been taken off, refused to pay and requested the Viceroy to send troops to take the miscreants: the latter were indignant at this treatment, and accord- ingly-it is said-killed and cooked the children for their father's benefit. The prospect of more Thyestean feasts has now proved a sufficient deter ent from similar action; and rewards are now paid without hesitation. More doubtful tales | of kidnapping come in from country villages, where it is said that a number of men exist who have the power of compelling people to follow them a sort of mesmeric power which sounds very effective, though it sounds also rather legendary. Now the complaints are numerous and insistent about these elusive practices.
SUPERSTITION.
But in the city also there are just now equal calls upon popular superstition, for placards abound in which terrible calamities are promised next week, and many deaths by disease to those who do not mend their ways. On the other hand the sick are being wonderfully cured by a man named Lei, who is fortunate enough to have the reputation of being attended by a spirit with healing powers, and so numerous have ber the demands upon him that he is rapidly amassing a fortune Truly, as Carlyle said, the age of miracles is not dead.
BRITISH INVASION OF TIBET ! Nor is sensation her from abroad lacking, for the local Press this week have "authentic" accounts from "Special Correspondents" of a
· British Invasion of Tibet. It is announced that 11 000 troops, of whom 3,000 are British, and 1,000 are Ghurkas, have entered Tibet; while later intelligence was received to-day that 150 Russians have entered the country on the other side. "This," it is feelingly remarked, is news which concerns not only China, but the whole world.”
WEATHER.
To descend to the dull but solid region of fact, the rains have not abated; though there are occasional glimpses now of better days to come. The railway from here to Fatshan is suffering somewhat from the continued rainfall, as the enbankment (upon which no lines yet appear) is apt to subside after a heavy fall.
THE NURNBERG IN A TYPHOON,
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The German steamer Nurnberg, which `arrived here on the 2nd inst,, ran into a typhoon on the 3th inst., three and a half days ont from Singapore. The first force of the storm was experienced about half-past twelve the 31st inst, and for about twelve hours the steamer was battered and tossed about by the wind and waves. One German seaman was swept overboard and drowned, and nearly every one of the other mem- bers of the drew suffered injury, as well as several Chinese passengers travelling in the steerage. The ship stood in great danger for some time, and had to be slowed down to ride out the typhoon, which carried away com- panion-ladder leading from the lower to the upper deck and a couple of steam pipes con- nected with the winches]
The Italian steamer Capri and the Japanese steamer Tamba Maru which also arrived on the 2nd inst. from the South, got the edge of the typhoon only, and escaped without mishap.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
"WAR" OPERATIONS IN THE CHINA SEA.
**WAT
According to the service papers there were some interesting
operations in the neighbourhood of Hongkong in the month of March. On the 10th the cruisers Talbot and Eclipse left Hongkong and kept company until noon on the 11th. At that hour "war
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declared between France, as represented by these two ships, with Saigon as a base; and Britain, as represented by the oruiser Argonaut, with Hongkong as a base. The Talbot and Eclipse were commerce destroyers, and, parting company at noon on the 11th, the Eclipse took station to intercept all commerce between Manila and Singapore and Hongkong, and the Talbot between Shanghai and the North and Hongkong. "Our first capture" (says the writer) was the P. and O. Valetta, with the homeward going mails from Shanghai and Japan, and after escorting her for 1 hours she became a capture. We passed the Argonaut, but having disguised ourselves were not chased.
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Owing to the large number of the repairs, and to the arrangements which have been made with various administrations for maintaining their cables in good order, the Great Northern Telegraph Company are to provide another cable steamer for use in the Far East. A new and larger vessel is being built in the yards of Burmeister and Wain at Copenhagen,
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We overhauled several Japanese, German, French, and United States boats, and must have caused a little consternation by chasing them, showing searchlights on the stern, and then leaving. On Saturday morning, the 14th, the Argonaut was sighted, as we were after the P. and O. Chusan, with the outward mails. We immediately got ready for forced draught, and were off. We were built in 1895, at Devonport, for 19.5 knots, and the Argonaut for 21.5 knots, but it took the latter four hours to gain 14 knots on us. She got within three miles of us, and put as out of action for 24 hours. We met the Eclipse later, and found she had not seen the Argonaut, but had captared the P. and O. Chuson. We a so captured a collier with nearly 6,000 tons of coal (a most v.luable vessel), the Canadian-Pacific's Empress of China, sad the Athenian, he Indiana, with a cargo of flour, and six (thers. On the 20th we exchanged positions with the Eclipse, being in communication by wireless telegraphy. During the middle watch on Sunday, 22nd, we sighted the Argonaut, but having a very severe case in the sick bay steamed towards her, and were put out of action again. Later in the day the Argonaut gave us several hundredweight of ice for the patient, she having refrigerating and ice- making machinery.
"On the 2ird we made all preparati ns for cutting the cable to Singapore, and having re- mained over it for several hours without being disturbed were successful, At 2.30 a.m. on the 24th we got on the course for Hongkong. and steamed in the western entrance at a very rapid pace considering the large amount of shipping there at anchor. We were flying no ensign and three of the batteries fired on us, but we were past them, and succes ful. Dodg- ing, practically, from behind one steamer to another, we got very close to the flagship Glory before we broke our ensign. We steamed past the fleet, turned round, and anch red off Kowloon. The Talbot was the first ship to arrive there, the Eclipse following at 5 30 p.m., nearly ten hours after us.
"The Talbot did so well that, notwithstanding we had 48 hours' general leave only a month ago, we were now given 36 hours' general lave. Thus it will be seen what might have happened had we got on the scene before the steamers had known of a declaration of war.'
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RUSSIA AND MANCHURIA.
THE PROTEST OF THE UNITED STATES.
The official denials from St. Petersburg of the truth of the reported negotiation of a Con- vention which would give Russia sovereign rights over Manchuris have undoubtedly allayed excitement, though they have not convinced the world of Russia's intention to honestly fulfil the pledges contained in the Manchurian Convention of April, 1502.
The following interesting, acount of the interchange of views between the United States and Russia, supplied to the Times by its Now York correspondent at the end of last month, will not be without interest now to residents in the Far East:-
The Governments ‹f Russia and the United States are in active communication in regard to Manchuria, Russia appears to be well pleased at Mr. Hay's playing a lone hand, Eer aim being to divide the Powers interested, deal with each separately, and prevent any common or joint action, she naturally rejoices in the isolation of the United States, be the cause of isolation what it may. The State Department announces unofficially that United States interests are purely commercial interests, Count Cassini thereupon rises from his sick-bcd, visits Mr. Hay on Surday at his private house, and assures him that Russia has no warmer desire than to protect these commercial in- terests. He has, and has long had, an organ in the American Press on which he plays, sa occasion serves, Russian airs. He plays one to-day,
Mr. MoCormick, the American Ambassador in St. Petersburg, having presented Mr. Hay's "note of enquiry" to Count 1 amsdorff, Count Cassini is instructed to say how deeply dis- appointed is Russis at the American attitude. He repeats that the Tsar will make good his pledges to the United States. Asked to` `re- concile the pledge of the open door with the closing of the "ports" of Makden and Taku. shan, he again tak s refuge in smooth general- ities. If those particular " ports" be not open, advantages will be granted to the United States equivalent to any she would have gained if Chins observed the treaty and the ports remained treaty ports. And these advantages, 1dds the wily diplomatist, will be exclusive to America. Bat China must close those "ports" to the rest of the world. Moreover, if the United States desires to reap the benefit of this special exemp- tion on her behalf she will doubtless withdraw her present objection to Russian arrangements for Manchuria, which in any case will not be modified.
This is the Russian version of what has thus far occurred between Count Cassini and Mr. Hay, Sceptics, some of them English, who doubted from the first whether the promises Mr. Hay obtained from Russia about the open door were binding in form or, whatever their form, would be fulfilled by Russia, are rejoicing to-day in their unbelief. But St. Petersburg may well take note of what is now said in American journals formerly Russia's warmest friends. The Sun is one. To-day it follows yest rday's brief article with a full analysis of the Russian demands on China. It rejects them one by one and declares that "the United States cannot acquiesce in China's acceptance
It concludes as follows :— of these demands."
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"In the face of a proper protest from Washing- ton it is difficult to b lieve that the Russian Government will persist in the exaordinary demands put forward at Peking by its repre- re-sentative."
Major-General Sir Alfred Gaselee is, in cognition of his service in China, to be given the command of the Bengal Army, vice Lieut.. General Sir George Luck, who was obliged to proceed home at the end of last year in con- sequence of ill-health. Sir Alfred Gaselee will take up the command with the rank of Lieut.- General.
The P. & O. 8.8. Massilia, which brought the English mail on the 4th is one of the oldest vessels in the Company's service nd is to be sold after her next trip. She made a good ran up from Singapore and was well ahead of her time. Several of her passengers were bound for Europa via the Siberian railway, including Mr. L. G. Fraser, editor of the Times of India, who is to write a series of letters for that journal on his trip.
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But the proper protest from Washington has been made and we see what the Russian answer is. It is not the final answer, perhaps, but neither on this side has the last word been said. The
matter is one on which it is quite possible that the Government's hand may be forced American attention is not always easily attracted to disputes so remote, but it was instantly fixed on this and American indignation at Ras- sian methods is rising hourly higher. It will be strengthened by this afternoon's telegram from London, said to be oficial, that Chins has for- mally refused to grant the Russian demands. In refusing she will have the full moral support of the United States diplomatic support, also pos-ibly support of a more effective kind. The Ambassadors and Ministers of almost every Power directly concerned have been thronging