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July 18, 1903.]
CANTON.
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
Canton, 15th July.
THE NEW VICEROY. The cfficials of the Lang Kwang had indeed good cause for trembling in their shoes when | the appointment of the new Viceroy was an nounced. Upright and scrupulous himself, he is determined to show no mercy to those who line their own pockets at the expense of the people. During his short stay in Canton he degraded the famous Nam Hoi magistrate, and now, as the result of his investigations in Kwangsi, twenty of the highest officials in that province have been severely punished.
An Imperial Edict was issued on the 6th instant, in response to a memorial from the Viceroy denouncing many of the Kwangsi officials, and attributing the spread of the rebel- lion to their incapacity. The best known of the victims are Governor Wang, whose name has been prominent lately in connection with the famine fund, and Marshai Su, who failed signally in his attempts to put down the rebelliou. Two officials, Judge Huang and Brigadier-General Shop, have been dismissed and are to be exiled for some years. The Pro- vincial Treasurer, Tang Bhou Ming, has also been dismissed from office!
The new Viceroy is being vigorously sup- ported at Peking in his policy. Cleaning out the Augaenn stable is ulually a dangerous and at the best a thankless task, but the great Viceroy is evidently in favour at Court, and the reforms he is instituting will be thorough, and it is to be hoped will change the face of the southern provinces.
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RECENT APPOINTMEN18.
The Treasurer of Kiangsi, K'o Feng Shih, who has been appointed in the place of Governor Wang, bears a good reputation, and doubtless all the officials who fill the vacant places in Kwaugsi will be trustworthy men. News is to hand of the appointment of Wan Chung Yen as Chief Interpreter to the Viceroy in the place of the well-known Li Chi. Mr. Wan ́has been a clerk in the Imperial Maritime Customs service, and is a graduate of Queen's College, Hongkong. When the Viceroy returns to Canton he will doubtless proceed on the same lines, and the officials in this city are scarcely to be envied.
A CANTON KIDNAPPING TALE.
A Washington telegram dated the 10th June says:- News has reached here that Mr. Mc. Wade, American Consul General at Canton, has sent a gunboat to rescue, or to demand of the Viceroy to secure the release of, an American who has been kidnapped by pirates as he was proceeding to Heunghan [sic]. The commander of the gunboat will also demand the punishment of the pirates. The latter ask for a ransom of 89,000 for the captive The truth of this tale we believe to be as follows. In the first week in June a steam launch on her way to Houngshan was seized by pirates. Among those on board was an American-born C inaman, a naturalised citizen of the United States, whom the pirates thought a prize worth holding to rausom. Now it happened that the captive was insured in a great New York iusurauce office which has a branch in Canton, New3.of his mishap was despatched to Canton, and the U. S. Consal took immediate steps. A p remptory message was sent from Canton to the local magistrate charging him to get the man released. The appearance of the Callao ou the scene at this moment was, we are told, accidental, but the coincidence was most impressive to the Chinose: The magistrate hastened to the insurance office, "kowtowing" deeply and promising to secure the prisoner's release. True enough, he was at freedon without loss of time and the insurance office reo ived a very encouraging advertisement in native eyes.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
PAKHOI.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
Pakhoi, 9th July.
DEATH OF OUR HARBOUR MASTER.
It is with regret that I have to record the demiss of oue of the important members of our commuuity, in the person of Captain Henry Archibald McInnes, Tide Surveyor and Harbour Master, I. M. Customs, which occurred on the 7th instant, after a comparatively short illness. Small us is our cosmopolitan community, the oldu ato fates have claid one of its numbers, whoso loss is doubtless most severely felt by his two daughters, who are scarcely in their teens. To them the sympathy of the whole com- manity is freely offered. The funeral took place on the 8th instant, and was attend. ed by the whole community. The coffin was brought to the Protestant Cemetery by eight of the Customs boatmen in uniform, and after the reading of the burial service, which, in the absence of the Rev. Mr. Blanchett from this port, was duly performed by Dr. L. G. Bill, of the Church Misionary Hospital, the coffin was lowered into the grave by six members of the Customs staff. The deceased was in his 62ud year of ago, and had been in the Customs service for no lo s than 28 years, haring jined it in February, 1875.
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" THE COMETE. The French gunboat Comète has been with us for nearly one week and is likely to remain with us for sometime yet.
RAIN-STORM.
One of these tropical rain-storms visited us on the morning of the 27th ult. It began at 3 a m. and continued till 7 a.m., when there was a torrential downpour which flooded the town to such an extent that it rendered the streets almost impassable for a good part of the day. Many shanties, especially those innocent of limo in their erection, were partially and others wholly washed away. Thiroo beggars were found dead through exposure or drowning. Lightning struck two houses, killing one young man in each of them.
THE RICE-CROP.
The harvest of this grain has been all successfully collected, and the peasants in the surrounding villages are rejoicing at the fruit of their toil; but the price of the staple shows no material drop, as the well-to-do farmers are replenishing their granaries, rendered empty during the failing crops of the three previous
years.
THE NEW GERMAN CONSUL. Herr Von Varchmin arrived here on the 7th
instant to succeed Dr. A. Mudra as Cousul for Germany of this port. Dr. Mudra leaves to-day for Hongkong,
CORRESPONDENCE.
CRUELTY TO ANIMALS IN HONGKONG,
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS." Hongkong. 13th July.
SIR. The scandal on the Colony in permit ting the existence of such cruelties as were brought to light by the correspondence in Saturday's Daily Press should have no oiusa to thrive in a city with the oivilised population Hongkong is supposed to have. The state of affairs pointed out to us in the columns of the Daily Press is an every-day occurrence, milder in most instances, but crime none the less. Are not ponies seen at all hours night after night in the haruess they bave worn all day standing along various streets when they should be unharnessed and in stable or pasture? When they are driven every coolie who can gain a foot- or hand-hold clings ou. The combined weight of the passengers little animal attached to the clumsy vehicles. is seldom less than double the weight of the
If these things cannot be observed until pointed out to us by the Daily Press, when once they We
ars officially authorised to state that, sub- have been brought under the notice of the jest to audit, the directors of the Hongkong and public, can our Colonial Officials devise no way Shanghai Banking Corporation will recommend of regulating the bours and bardens of these at the forthcoming meeting dividend of dumb little Feasts to protect them against the £1. 10s. per share, add to the reserve fund cowardly and disgraceful treatment by their $500,000, write off property account $200,000; inferiors? Wake up!-Youre, etc., and carry forward about 81,425,000.
N. V. H.
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TO THE EDITOR OF THE “DAILY PRESS.
Hongkong, 15th July. SIR-How much longer wll the public have to wait for the Governmai t to fake motive measures against cruelty by Chinams i to animals, such as was ins auced in your columns only the other day. In my opinion Chinese carriage-dives should not be allowed the nee of the whip under any ciro-mstances, and the vehicles should only by drawn by animals fit for the purpos. I have no hesitation whatever in saying that the gherty ponies now in use are utterly fitted to be harnessed to the cumber- some affairs known as gharries, in addition to which they are ill-fed and thrashed mercilessly every day of their lives. Such being the case there is no alternative for the authorities but to bring the culprits face to face with rigorona justice; anything else would be a travesty and a hollow mockery of the common laws of humanity.Yours, etc.,
HUMANÉ.
SUPREME COURT.
Wednesday, 15th July.
IN ADMIRALTY JURISDICTION.
BEFORE HIS HONOUR SIR WILLIAM M. GOODMAN (CHIEF JUSTICE) AND CAPTAIN E. BEETHAM, 8.8.
+5
TARTAR (A SSESSOR).
KWOK PO v. 8.8.
RUBI.
This was an action of damages arising out of a colision which occurred between the San Kwong Hop fishing-junk, No. H. 2,141 and the ́ 8. Rubi in the Lema Chanuel near Putoy Island on 9th February, 1993. Mr. M. W. Slade, barrister-at-law (nstructed by Mr. H. J. Gedge of Messrs. Johnson, Stokes & Master, E. H. Sharp, K.C., barrister-at-law (instructed solicitors), appeared for the plaintiffs; and Mr. by Mr. H. W. Looker of Messrs. Deacon &
Hastings, solicitors), was for the defendants
Plaintiff in his preliminary, a t stated that the names of the colliding vessels were the Sun Kwong Hop fishing junk No, H. 2,141 masters, Kwok A Po and Kwok A Kan (now deceased), and the ss. Rubi, master, R. W. 3.30 am, and 4 a m. on the morning of the Almond. The collision occurred between
within the waters of the Colony and a short 9th February, 1903, in the Lema Channel distance to the south of Patoy Island. There was a strong easterly wind prevailing. It was a dark, dirty night; neither moon nor stars were The Sun Kwong Hop junk's course was about visible. State and force of the tide unknown, 8.8.E.; speed ab at three miles an hour. She carried one white light suspended on a pole at the ́stern of the junk. When first seen, the other ship was about two miles off of the port bow; her masthead light was first seen. Afterwards her red and green lights came into view before the collisiou. No measures except calling out ere taken to avoid collision. The stom of the Rubi and the port side of the junk behind her mainmast about 30 feet from the stern were the paris that came into collision. The other ship, the Rubi, was recklessly navigated, did not keep a proper lookout, and improperly. neglected to take in due time proper measures for avoiding a collision with the plaintiff's junk. The Rubi did not keep out of the way of the plaintiff junk.
Defendants in their preliminary act stated that the collision occurred at 3,30 a.m. on 9th February, in Lat. 228.30 N., Long. 114.16 Ej, off Putoy Island. There was a fresh breeze; direc'ion about N.E. The weather was clear but cloudy and very dark; tide half-flood, force unknown. The Ruby's course when the junk was first seen was about W. by N.; speed about 10 knots an hour; she carried all her s eru light and side light. When first seen the regalation lights, ie., masthead lights and
junk was about a suip's length ahead of the Rubi and slightly on her starboard bow. The first light seen on the junk was a dim light at the stern about three feet above the deck. No other lights on the junk came into view before the collision. With regard to the measures taken, and when, to avoid collision : directly the junk was seen the helm of the Rubi was put hard aport and her engines reversed full speed