NEW TERRITORY NOTES.
SNIPE. Snipe have made their appearance in some parts but the e is yet too much water in the fields to ensure good short.
THE RICE CROPS.
The first rice-crop has yielded a good average this year all over San Op. The second rice- orop now planted, lɛoks very promising.
CROWN RENT.
It is not an easy mattorgetting in Crawo rent in the New Territory. Many who have ample means do not pay, for no other reason apparently than sheer "cussedness The Government has now adopted more stringent measures, however, and the police are engaged serving summonses and distress warrants on the principal offenders.
CANTON.
FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.
Capton, 19th August.
THE NEW TROO 8, Last week 2,500 of the Hapeh troops re. quisitioned by the Viceroy arrived, in the China Merobauts' steamers Feiching. Tuishun, and Kungping. With them came great stores of ammunition and several field-pieces, besides the men's own rifles. The last batch of these troops was conveyed by launch to Kwaugsi last. night. This great expedition, if it may be so called, is probably the best organised of its kind ever seen in China. The soldiers themselves are the pick of the Chinese army, but this is not saying much. I have seen these foreign- drilled troops ("foreign-drilled," by the by, is only second hand, referring merely to the officers) in two or three parts of China, and they could not be called smart by the most merciful critic. Their squad-drill is middling the men are kept up to the mark by vigorous kicks from their officers-but when they get to company drill their sins find them out. It is only, I believe, very rarely that any large operations are engaged in. At Nanking last year Chang Chih-lung's manoeuvres were said to be fairly successful, and these Hupeh troops were present then. Anyhow, their value will be put to the test pow.
THE REBELS.
The rebels are said to be full of confidence, owing to some small victories which they have gained lately over the Imperial troops. Among their ranks are large numbers of Marshal Su's late soldiers, and they are well supplied with arme by an anti-government society; so that a hard and interesting struggle will be witnessed. FEARS IN CANTON.
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Canton is now entirely denuded of troops, and the Acting Viceroy and Tartar General are reported to have memorialised the throne about this dangerous condition of affairs. The latter has probably not yet recovered from his New Year's scare. The Cantonese troops who have been suppressing the disorder in Waichow will return shortly! It will be remembered that in the spring Waichow prefecture was in a very bad state, almost". as bad, indeed, but on a smaller scale, as Kwangsi. The brigands have now been either driven out or slain, and the troops can be withdrawn with safety: The people who fear a rising of rebels in Canton itself should remember that there are thousands of troops within two day's journey, and that the active measures taken at New Year have taken the spirit bat of the leaders of the reform party here.
BOM ANOTHER CORRESPONDENT.]
-Canton, 19th August MEMORIAL AGAINST THE VICEROY.
The Tartar General and the Provincial Governor have jointly sent a memorial to the Emperor against the present Viceroy Shum, ving that in spite of the disturbances in some
of Kwanglung His Excellency has way all the soldiers, ammunition, and oto Kwangsi to fight the rebels, Canton quite unprotected and unpro-
TO STOP WILD RUMOURS.
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There are so many rumours about the ebellion that in some cases officials, disguised as civilians, have been sent into res
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND taurants and teashops with warrants and arrested | persons talking about the troops being defeated by the rebels, and spreading wild rumours,'
THE HOPEH TROOPS.
[August 24, 1903.
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Japanese goods. Upon Japanese sake the heavy duty of over 90 yen per tub or cask was imposed with an extra duty of 10 per cent. upon th, duty, on the ground that sake contained a large The Customs duty on The eight battalions (4,000 men) who arrived percentage of alcohol. from Rupel on the 13th inst, were provided adké would be about 100 yen per tub. When with quarters on the Eastern parade ground. any dispute arose in regard to the nature of One half of the mamber has now been sent Japanese goods on account of the misjudgment to Kwaugei under the command of General of the Customs officers, the importers and the Cheang Hao Su. They are very stupid-look-captain of the steamer which brought them ing sort of fellows, dressed in red uniforms, were held responsible. Thus it appeared, without bats, and each carrying two bamboo according to the account of this correspondent, baskets, one for food and the other for clothing. that the Russian authorities were trying their best to cause unpleasantness and disturb the trade between the two countries
ARMS IMPORTATION,
The Chinese officials have sent their agents; to Hongkong and Macao to buy ara-s. Stuce, however, H.E. the Governor of Hongkong has sent a despatch to the officials here remonstrat- ing. the Customs is making a very strict search ou every steamor that arrives,
A MILITARY ENROLMENT,
As I wrote b fore, a large aumber of suspicious- looking mon with strange faces have been arriving from Waichow daily by native boats. In cousequence of the large number of robberies the Namoi Magistrate, Wong Sung, has by permission of the Viceroy eulisted two hundred soldiers-one hundred to do patrol service at the entrance of his yamen, fifty to be quartered in the Temple of the Five Hundred Genii, and fifty
to act as water police.
THE PEN AND THE SWORD.
Two schoolmasters, by name Lam and Yao, who teach English in the elementary class in theChung Hok Tang prefectural school, have been ordered by Viceroy Shum to take some soldiers on to Kwangsi agaiast the rebels.
THE KWANGSI CAMPAIGN,
A traveller who has returned from Yum Chow to Canton says that General Fang Tse Choi, in spite of personal illness, reached Kwangsi on the 10th of Angust, having under his command: four thousand troops. When he reached Kwangsi he found twenty battations of soldiers were already awaiting him. By order of the Viceroy the baltations on the right of the river are to be under the command of General Cheang Yan Choi, and those on the left to be under the command of Fung Tse Choi. The greater number of Li Ka-cheuk's soldiers have joined one thousand of the rebellion, but there are them left to be under the command of the fourth son of Fung Tse Choi,
AN OFFICIAL RUMOUR. There is a rumour in mandarin circles that
another Viceroy, by name Pang, will be appointed to Kwangtung in the place of H. E. Shum Chan Huu, and that the latter is to remain in Kwangsi until he suppresses the rebellion there.
PLURALITY OF OFFICES.
In the absence of the Viceroy the Provincial acted in his stead, and be Treasurer having left for Kwaugsi, the Provincial Judge is now acting as Viceroy. Treasurer, and Judge combined.
THE USUAL TALE.
Theft and robbery are rife in Canton, Shan Ui. Shun Ning, Shew Hing, and Hok- The robbers attack rich and poor alike, Shan. take away what they can carry, and set fire to the houses. Whoever gives information to be attacked and against them is sure punished, so in most of the principal streets in Canton the inhabitants have engaged watch men to guard the houses,
VLADIVOSTOCK.
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The Kobe Chronicle writes :--The N.Y.K. steamer Ise Maru, which left Vladivostock on the 28th ult. and arrived in Kobe on Monday, brought news to the effect that upon her arrival at Vladivostock on the 24th ult. a number of bnoys were seen floating in the vicinity of the harbour. They proved, says a report in a Japanese paper, to be marks indicating the posi tion of torpedoes, laid in the course of manoeuvres by the Russian war-ships. On the shore repairs to the forts were going on apace, while troops were constantly being drilled. Everything in the port, on land and water, indicated that the Russians were absorbed in preparations. for defence against a possible attack. There were three armoured cruisers in the harbour of Vladivostock when the Ise Maru left there, and one of them was in dock. The Customs authorities were particularly strict in the examination of
CORRESPONDENCE.
NON-EFFICIENT VOLUNTEERS.
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TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS,'
Hongkong, 13th August.
SIR, Kindly allow me to say I fully endorse every word that your correspondent "One of the Gunners" has written in his letter to you of yesterday's date, but he does himself a gross injustice in hiding his identity under a nom de plume; such a patriotic and efficient (it would be horribly disappointing if this were not true) volunteer should not be allowed to bloom unseen and unknown. It militates strongly against his chances of promotion and deprives his country of the valuable knowledge and undoubted military ability such an efficient unit must possess, and which he would, no doubt, gladly place at her disposal in times of necessity and danger. Such a person could render her better and more valuable aid if he were in a more responsible position than that of a gunner; but if I may be permitted, I will point out the position that I think he would adorn and at the same time do justice to his pre- eniment abilities, it would be that of telepathic adviser to the C. O.," H.K.V., for the at- omple he has given to the public of his powers, in this direction is too good to be lost.- Yours, etc.,
A. J. ELLIS.
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TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS."
Hongkong, 14th August. EIR, As a civilian, may I record in your columns my hearty approval of Major in prosecuting & non- Chapman's action efficient volunteer. Mr. Playfair some months * uselese ago characterised the Volunteers as items" and thereby a oused a veritable storm of indignation in the Corps. It seems to me, if your correspondents' statements are correct that the Volunteers by their present conduct, are doing their best to prove the truth of Mr. It would only bring a Playfair's words. hornet's nest about ons's ears to hint that the Colony could very well do without the' Volunteers, and I should be the last to suggest, such a step, yet one is inclined to ask if, in the event of trouble, the majority of the Force would not be more of an anxiety and in the way of the officer.commanding the artillery than of assistance to him. As I have been a Volunteer artilleryman myself I know that the 10 days in camp, which I believe most of the men put in, though extremely valuable, are not enough to turn out a thoroughly efficient gunner. The Corps could not have a keener, more able or more energetic Commandant, and therefore if they wish to retain the sympathy and respect of the Colony they should follow his good example and wake up—Yours, etc.,
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TAXPAYER.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS.” Hongkong, 15th August. SIR,-I live read with much interest the correspondence in your paper on the subject of Volunteering in Hongkong, and; from the point of view of an old Volunteer, heartily commend the views expressed by Volunteer" and "Taxpayer.”
Judging from the gradually diminishing strength of the Corps, and the barely sufficient number of drills put in by the majority of units, it seems to me that there is a deplorable lack of interest shown by the rank and file in the actual hard work and application to drills necessary to the smartness and efficiency of a