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August 29, 1903.]
NAVAL BOAT RACE AT CILEFOO.
The Italian cruiser Lombardia, which left for home on the 26th inst., has a boat's crew who have won many laurels in the two years the ship has passed on the Far East station. Besides many successful races on a small scale with the other vessels of the Italian squadron, an exciting race was won against a boat's crew of the U.S. gunboat Elcano at Hankow on 25th June last for a bet of $140 a-s de.
When the Lombardia arrived at Chefoo, where there were 28 men-of-war, amongst them twelve belonging to the United States squadron, the fame of her boat's crew excited great interest, especially as the Oregon also had an excellent crew which had beaten all the others of the squadron. In a short time it arranged that the two crews should row a race of over two nautical miles The Americans commenced by betting $1,600, which promptly covered on the other side, and the sam was gradually increased until the bet was for $1,200 a-side.
was
was
The race was rowel on 21st July last in presence of the Italian Admiral, and after a hard struggle, the bosts keeping together almost the whole time, the crew of the Lombardia won by two lengths. After the race the two boats passed under the Italian flagship, and were enthusiastically cheered by the Italian blue jackets,
CHANG CHIH TUNG'S VIEWS.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
the great territory-swallower should remain sated for a moment than that hunger should at once drive him to seek a new mouthful. China is like the traveller pursued by wolves. She throws her children one by one to the pursuing pack.-Japan Mail.
FIRE ON THE "INDRAWADI " AT SINGAPORE,
In Singapore Harbour on the 18th inst. the British steamer Indrawadi of the Indra Line hoisted the signal that she was on fire, and the agents at once communicated with the Tanjong Pagar Dook Co., who sent the tugs Sunda and Bangkok to the assistance of the burning vessel. The fire, which occurred in the larger of the two after-nolds, was first discovered by the second offoer. The vessel was working cargo at this hold on the previous day, and as she was to leave for New York on the 18th the hatch was put ou and securely fas tened for the voyage. By a mistake, however, the cargo-slings were left in the hold, and as these were needed this morning to work a small quantity of cargo to be put in the fore-hold, the hatch was taken off and the second officer, Mr. Scot, went down into the hold with a quarter-master to obtain them While in the hold Mr. Scott discovered a small wisp of smoke issuing from behind some bales, and further examination proved that the s ooke was coming from the very bottom of the hold. Efforts wora made to locate the fire and extinguish it, but these were of no avail. The Ex-Viceroy Chang has been interviewed by hatch was then put on again and securely the Asahi's correspondent. His Excellency battened down, but before long the gases takes the view that China is not strong enough generated blew off the hatch, the force of the to give effect to her protests against Russias explosion sending it over the side, or otherwise continued occupation of Manchuria, and that if some third Power intervenes to bring bont hurt. The second officer as it was had a ner some of the crew might have been seriously evacuation, Russia will turn her hand towards Ili. It will be only a transfer of siuister
row escape, as he had only just stepped off the activity from one place to another.
hatch a minute or two before it was blown away. The old Viceroy is not represented as having followed had arrived and hose were got to work from By this time the tugs Sunda and Bangkok out that train of reasoning. He does not say these vessels on to the burning cargo. what he must have said had he pursued the
They matter to its logical sequel, namely, that under control till about 11.3, when it broke were only sufficient, however, to keep the fire since all China's outlying territories are doomed to be eaten up, it really doesn't
out again and volumes of stifling smoke poured from the hold, driving back the officers and crew matter much where the process of con- of the steamer, who were working strenuously sumption takes place. History has been inexorably consistent in this matter. It begauswamp the hold, and seven jets were got to to extinguish the fire. It was then decided to to be written in 1873 when Marquis Saigo led a Japanese force to Formosa to exact reparation for ontrags against the Liukin islanders. From that day Linkin, the first of the buffer states, practically ceased to be a Chinese dependency. Then followed the Kuldja affair in 1878. Rusia, on that occasion, set out along prett much the same route thit she has followed with regard to Mauchuria.
She showed at first the utmost readiness to
work, the pumps on the tugs working at full power. This fortunately subdued the fire, though the quantity of water pumped into the vessel gave her a heavy and dangerous list to starbard. The origin of the fire is not known, says the Free Press, but as the hold where it occurred was full of tea, gutta-percha, and kapok it probably broke out amongst the latter, through a match being carelessly dropped by taken to Tanjong Pagar, where the damaged one of the cargo-coolies. The vessel was to be
be removed. cargo, which is said to be fully insured, was to
The Indrawadi arrived at Singapore from Yokohama on the 12th, having called at Kobe, Moji, Shanghai, and Manila. Her owners are T. B. Royden of Liverpool, and she is quite a new ship, having been built only last year at Whiteinch on the Clyde. The Indrawadi is a vessel of 3,369 tons gross and is commanded by Captain Corby.
NEW TERRITORY NOTES. ·
SHOOTING.
consid r Chinese rights, and declared herself willing to surrender all the territory she had occupie·l so soon as China took steps to garrison it effectual y. But when the moment came to sign the Livadia Treaty, St. Petersburg he'd the Tekes Valley while giving ap Kaldja, thus retaining the passes through the mountains of Heaven to Kashgar. It is true that Russia subsequently conceded to Marquis Tseng's diplomacy nearly everything that she had refused to Chung How's, but this incident nevertheless belongs to the historical series of the shocks that have loosened China's hold on her dependencies. The loss of Annam, Tonkin, and the war of reprisals in 1995 strip- ped her of everything beyond the southern A number of shooting parties visited the borders of Kwangtung, Kwangsi, and Yuunan New Territory on Sunday intent on bagging Burma was torn off with similar ruthless- some of the snipe which are now beginning to ness, though not without the application come down. So far as the fijuding of the birds of a slight anesthetic in the shape of the was concerned there was considerable disp- O'Couor tribute. Corca, Formosa and the pointment, for they are not yet to be sen Pescudores all fell away simultaneously. Man- in such numbers as to make their pursuit churia is now virtually gone aud Viceroy Chang seeins to think that the best way to preveut Russia's hunger from entering at once upon another acute phase is to let her digest Manchuria at her leisure. But it is only deferring the evil. Ti, Kashgar, Mongolia -all will go as Burma, Annam, Tonkin, Formosa, Linkiu, Corea, and Manchuria have goue and China will inevitably stand uaked before this storm of foreign aggression, raging from the four quarters simultaneously. There is something plaintive and pitiful in Chang Chih-tung's caution; better that the stomach of
exhilafing; and there is too much water in the fields to permit of good sport. But given a week of dry weather, the paddy-flats should be in very fair condition and good shooting pleati- fal by n-xt Saturday. Pigaou provide the best sport at present,
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crops on record. At Shamohun, from which great quantities are shipped daily to the Hong- kong market, the choicest pineapples can be bought for two cents apiece, and considering that eight or ten cents is the price charged in Hongkong there must be an enormous profit made somewhere. The cost of freight down the river is trifling.
WATER BUFFALOES.
Dwellers in the New Territory have ample opportunity of noticing the antipathy which water buffaloes entertain for Europeans. These dangerous when roused, and nothing seems to big, cambersome looking brutes are exceedingly anger them so much as the sight of a white person, whom very often they endeavour to walking across country generally give them reach with their formidable horns. Sportsmen wide berth. Should anyone be charged by a buffalo he had better seek safety in fight. piece the best thing to do is to let the buffalo Should he be lucky enough to carry a fowling
yards away. The bullets will not penetrate his have a charge of smallshot when he is 40 or 50 thick hide, but they sting sufficiently to make a retreat advisable on the part of the quadruped.
CANTON,
[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]
Canton, 26th August,'
THE ALLEGED RIOT AT FATSHAN. Alarmist reports were in the air last week from Fatshan. It was said that the workmen on the railway had risen against the engineers, and that the latter had fired in self-defence and
killed three Chinese. The truth is that a stone was thrown at one of the engineers who had struck a coolie, but nothing more alarming than this occurred. There has, however, it is true, been a good deal of discontent among the employees of the Railway Company, and this stuck work, complaining that 40 cents per diem came to a head last Wednesday, when they was not enough for wages, considering the long hours and the great heat. They demanded a rise of 20 cents, which was refused, but finally they were given 10 couts rise a man, and matters are quite settled down at present
THE VICEROY'S POSITION. The Chinese papers have it that the Viceroy is to be transferred to Chili provinc›, and that he will be succeded either by Yuan Shikai or Ku'ei Chun, who was formerly viceroy in Szechuan. It is to be hoped that there is no truth in this rumour, and indeed it seems unlikely that Shum should be removed when he is obviously doing good work. The latest news of his doings is that he has degraded some more officials, and it is even reported that he intends to remove all the Kwangsi officials, high and his predecessor. low, civil and military alike, who served under
CORRUPTION.
A good example of the universal corruption which prevails in official ciroles is the case of Pei King Fuk, who as Namboi magistrate
roused universal hatred among the Cantonese, and who was degraded and heavily fined by Shum on his arrival. This man has now been appointed as Expectant Taotai in Kiangan, which post of course far exceeds in importance his late post at Namhoi. He is said to have given an enormous bribe to the chief eunuch Li to secure this position, and this would seem to be the truth. It is no wonder that the reformers should despair when they see the work of a patriotic Chinaman like Shum undons by the wire-pullers behind the throne.
Land values are still advancing steadily in every part of Singapore. On the 19th inst; -- the Straits Times records, Government dill very well indeed in the auction sale of certain land and houses on the railway side of Orchard Road. The land and houses referred to formed a portion of the property acquired by the Government some three years ago for the railway. The price then paid by Government was about $2.45 per square foot. At all events that was the upset price, and $3.05 was the figure realised on the 19th, giving a profit of over $5,000 on the area disposed of namely 8,943 square feet. The price is the highest that has yet been obtained for anything on Orchard Road, and it shows a marked increase Pears and pineapples are one of the largest in values in that part of Singaporė.
A gentleman, shooting on Saturday, killed a beautiful specimen of a kingfisher as it rose from the paddy. When the bird was picked up, there was found in its beak a small live fish that it had just taken from the water.
THE FRUIT CROP.