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August 15, 1903.]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
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to have them carried out without delay. | blackened by fire for a distance of about forty The result was that one man, who declared | feet abaft the bridge. The lower holds of the that he knew of the conspiracy but was too vessel were full of water; and merchandise timid to join, was sentenced to ten years' | bales and boxes-stored in the lower holds were close imprisonment; two men who d'olared floating about. It is understood that nearly that they did not know of the conspiracy all the merchandi e destined for Yokohama was but associated with the conspirators, were lost or sea-damaged. A large quantity sentenced to seven years' class imprisonment; cargo in the after-holds was undamaged, one man, a nephew of the chief conspirator, was sentenced to five years' imprisonmont, while five others who devied any knowledge of the conspiracy but were caught in company with the conspirators, were deported to their native towns with liberty to obtain release by giving bondsmen to guarantee their fature good behaviour. Thus closes the last chapter of the | China New Year couspiracy of 1903.
THE FIRE ON THE “TONKIN.”
Lane, Crawford & Co., Lants Wegener & Co., P. Lemaire & Co., Linsteal & Davis, W. R. Loxley & Co, Lutgens, Einstamann & Co., MoEwen, Frickel & Co. McGreg r Bros. & Gow, Melchers & Co, Meyer & Co, Wm. Meyerink & Co., Mounsey & Brutton, E. Pabaney & Co., Panchard, Lowther & Co., Radecker & Co., Reiss & Co., Alex. Ross & Co., Rozario & Co., Sander, Wieler & Co., E. D. Sassoon & Co., Shewan, Tumes & Co., Siemssen & Co.. H. Skott & Co., Stewart Bros., l'ats & Co., Turner & Co., Verdon & Smyth, Wendt | & Co, Harry Wicking & Co., Goddard and Douglas, Barretto & Co. the Agencies Pacific Mail Steamship Co.. Occidental 8.8. Co. and Toyo Kisen Kaisha; Banque de l'Indo-Chine, Canadian Pacific Railway Co, Ld, Canton Insurance Office, Ld., hattered Bank of India, Australia & China, China Export, Import & Bank Co., China Firo Insurance Co., Ld., China Merchants Steam Navigation Co., China Sugar When the fire broke out in the French mail Refining Co., Ld., Compagnie des Messageries steamer Tonkin on the 7th ingt, at Kobe, she Maritimes, David Sassoon & Co., Ld., Deutsche had not many hours arrived from the onth, Asiatische Bank, Dodwell & Co., Id, East The flames spread with great rapidity, this being Asiatic Trading Co, Eastern Extension, due to the nature of the cargo in the fore-hold- Australasia & China Telegraph Co., Edwards, about 2,000 tons of chlorate of potash, half Piry & Co., Ld., Green Bland Cement Co., Ld, con igued to Kobe and half to Yokohama. In Guaranty Trust Co. of New York, Hambarg less than twenty minut a the flames had broken Amerika Linie, Hongkong and China Gas Co, out of the hold and bad seized on the wood and Hongkong Fire Insurance Co., Ld., Hongkong iron work in front of the funnels-the two & Kowloon Wharf & Godown Co., Ld.. Hong-bridges, and the lifeboats on either side of the kong laud Investment and Agency Co., Ld., vessel. Fanned by a strong north-easterly Hongkong Rope Manufacturing Co., Ld., breeze, the whole of this part of the ship was Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corpora soon a flaming furnace, burning its way gradu tion, Hongkong & Whimps Dock Co.. Ld., ally along the deck. Imperial Bank of China, International As soon as the fire was discovered, the pas- Banking Corporation, Mitsai Bussan Kaisha, sengers who were on board were sent ashore, National Bank of China, Id., Nippon Yusen but several returned to the burning ship, anxious Kaisha, Peninsular & Oriental S N. Co., Russo- to secure their baggage, which was, however, Chinese Bank. Shell Transport & Trading Co.,wall looked after by the officers. A short time Sperry Flour Co. of San Francisco, Standard after the outbreak the scene was quite awe- Oil Co. of New York, Watkins, Id. Yoko inspiring, the flames having gradually usurped hans Specie Bank, Ewens & Harstou, Gibb. the wuole space previously enveloped in thick Livington & Co. Total, 117
wreaths of smoke. Every minute increased the number of launches and sampans which arrived with passengers on business or merely spectators, and on many launches, as well as on board the vessel itself a feverish ac ivity and excitement were the features of the scene that were most noticeable.
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The following members did not record their votes-Sir C. P. Chater, CM.G, Messrs. C. D. Gorham, Ho Tang, H. N. Mody. A. H. Rennie, A. G. 8 okes, E. H. Sharp, K.C., Ming Kee Hong, N. Mody & Co., H. Price & Co., Renter, Brockelmann & Co., Smith, Bell & Co., British American Tobacco Co., Ld., China Commercial 8.S. Co., China Traders' Insurance Co., Ld.; Chun On Fire Insurance Co., L.d., Hongkong, Canton & Macao S. Co., Ld. Mer- cantile Bank of India, Ed;, Ogaka Sbosen Kaisha, Chun On S. S. Co., Ld.. Taishing Paper Manu- facturing Co., Ltd.. Union Insurance Socie y of Canton, (Ld.. Wilkinson, Heywood & Clark, LI. Total, 23.
Two" Expresses" were issu d on Wednesday in connection with the meeting of the Chamber. One asked the members to "Vote for Pollook the other rad as follows:-" ä ounce of practical experience is worth a ton of trained legal mind, therefore-Vote for Hewett."
THE LAST OF A CANTON PLOT.
From the N.-C. Daily News of the 28th ult. we take the following
As will be remembered a conspiracy of Triad revolutionists to blow up with gunpowder all the Chinese and Manolia officials of Canton on last China New Year Day was frustrated on y in the nick of time through information furnished by the Hongkong Government. Seven of the conspirators, if our memory serve us rightly, were beheaded in succession after a series of trials and tortures lasting a couple of months, while a zumber of accessories before, as well as after, the fast, but who did not actually participate in the attempt and were therefore, according to Chines law, worthy of lighter sentences, have been languishing in the Namhoi and Puuyu district gaols of Cantou up to very recently, waiting for their son'ences. A. Canton dispatch Bow states that with his characteristic energy and promptitude .E. Viceroy Trêa shortly after his arrival at Canton and taking over of office instructed the Magis- trata of Namhoi and Punya to send up to him a list of the names of those conspirators who wore still awaiting sentence with the degree of com. plicity of each clearly go down." This being done H.E. promptly wrote out after each name the man's sentence with instructions
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The harbour anthorities and others from the shore gave assistance as quickly as possible. At three o'clock the smoke had almost complete- ly given way to fire. The whole of the main deck forward of the funnels was by this time in the grip of the flames, and the fire could be seen blazing fi realy through the port-holes of the forecastle, the length of the ship covered by the Hanes being from forty to fif y feet. Efforts were now made to attack the fire from forward, and for this purpose one of the French seamen climbed over the ship's rails and knocked away the porthole covers so that hose coull be inserted or a stream of water projected from the lannobes.
THE CHEFOO DISASTER.
In the Chefoo Express of the 1st inst. there is an account of the damage caused by the great rainstorm on the 26th ult The damage in the Chinese town is roughly estimated at Tls 2,000,000; and that on the western side is even more severo. The yamen of the sub- magistrate disappeared entirely, as wall as part of the Tantai's yamen. The loss of life was estimated at 659, "but 1,000 would be nearer the mark. Nothing definite had been heard from the surrounding country, but it was reported that seven villages had been swept away and over a thousand lives lost near Fresh Water River. At the meeting of the Foreign Relief Committee on the 31st, Mr. O'Brien Butler, the British Con- - sal, announced that at present the Chinese offi ·ials found themselves quite competent to cope with the distress, and though they were very grateful to the foreign community for their consideration they considered that it would not be necessary to call upon them for funds just now. They would not hesitate to do so, however, should they require assistance later on. It was decided that the Relief Committee should still stand, and should it be found later that the system of relief instituted by the Chinese is inadequate, should call upon the general public for funds. Also it was decided that some members of the committee should take care to bring to the notice of the proper authorities any cases which might come under their notice that have been overlooked. The present relief, it appeared, is being given as follows:-Rios and conges will be distributed for one month. Each destituté gets 1,000 cash, and the Cantonese Guild with the Fushun magistrate is dis'ributing funds; the Governor at Chinanfu is also sending assistance.
THE "PEMBROKESHIRE" IN DOCK.
About 4 o'clock last Monday afternoon the s.s. Pembrokeshire, which ran ashore on the Saddles noar the entrance to the Yangisze last May. and after being patched up at Shanghai was seat on the 30th ult. on her way down here to be repaired by the Hongkong and Whampoa Dock C, arrived here safely, though delayed at Swatow by foul weather, and proceeded at once to Kowloon.
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Repairing gangs are already busy on the damaged ship, which has been docked in the Hunghom establishment, and was inspected ou the 11th inst by several of the By nine o'clock the whole of th forward
Dock Company's directors. When one looks part of the Tonkin, from the engine-room, was ablaze, burning furiously, The coal in that the steamer and notes the extraordinary: bunkers took fire at about six o'clock. There damage she has suffered, one wonders how was no hope whatever of saving the forward
she ever escaped going to the botton of the sea. Beginning at about the water-line, part of the vessel, and it was expected that the fire would burn itself out, and that the after her stem is bent and twisted as though part of the ship would be savet. The real it were of tin, and for a distance of thirty feet at was beached near Mirume, and scuttled. With least the keel plates have suffered to a7 even more remarkab's extent. In the forebold the the destruction of the fore part of the Tonkin is included the whole of the effects of the iron bottom of the ship has been forced seamen and several steerige passengers. As up into the form of a ridge, and in the soon as the fire broke out the whole length of hold adjoining great rents have been torn, the forecastle was filled with dense smoke, though these are not so large as in the forehold, where the greatest damage has been done. -- Ân making it impossible for the mea to recover their clothes, which several of them tried to do. emergency gang was despatched to Shanghai-
The fire was practically extinguished next by the local Dock Company, and day shortly after midday, after nearly twenty-pitched up the steamer for the passage down to Hongkong, which must have four hours' continuous work of the pumps. been an anxious one for those on board Even thou the f recastle and peak smouldering and throwing off a larga quautily of smoke. Viewed from the shore, the Tonkin presented a striking and novel sight in such a position. She looked like a wrec, heled over slightly to port Sampans, etc., wer p'ying betw en the ship and the shore, which wa dotted with spectators, besides a crowd of Lascars, who with their effro's, boxes and sail rs' bags, had been put ashore as soon as possible. On or two lighters were being loaded with the Lagoars' property, after which the Lascars went on board and were taken back to the ship.
were
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considering the state of the vessel A wooden cofferdam or deck was built in No. 1 hold, and in No. 2 hold cement and sand were used to effect the temporary repairs which included the covering of the holes in the ship's bottom from the outside by means of heavy plinks seens fastened to the plates. The work lently performed, and reflèc's groat those responsible for its exeontion.
L'Echo de Chine announces the death Rochefort of Admiral Pottier, who was in command of the French squadron on this
Both the hull outside and the decks arestation.