C
270 the Government might do well to repair, or cause to be repaired, some of the roads in the interior and on the west side of the New Territory. The roads around Santin, Sheungshui and Patheung, are in a very bad condition.
CANTON.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT3.]
Canton, 5th October.
THE VICEROY IN SHAMEEN.
On Saturday afternoon, the 3rd inst., His Excellency the Viceroy Shum Chun-hüu came to Shameen to make offcial calls upon the Consuls and the Commissioner of Customs, sscompanied by the usual retinue, flag and tablet- bearers, cavalry, etc., as well as by a detach ment of foreign-drilled. troops, with a band playing a march all the way with cornets and drums, which was quite a new and surprising spectacle to the Chinese in the city. The Shameen soldiers, ander the command of Capt. Yeang, formed a guard of honour in a long line to receive him. On His Excelleney leaving the Consulated some amateurs were abesrved taking snap-shota.
BANDITS.
In Tai Lang Tang, Sau Ning distriot next to Sun Ui, there were five to six hundred robbers against whom the Viceroy sent soldiers, but they outnumbered and defeated the soldiers, some of the latter being killed and others wounded. Fortunately the villagers turned out in a large mass and forced the robbers to retreat. The gentry of the district have peti- tioned the Viceroy for reinforcements.
CHUN KING-WA.
Chun King-wa, Magis rate of the district of Kwai Yuin, Kwangsi, who recently killed the Viceroy's emissary, Luk Kin, and the two rebel officers sent to arrange terms of peace with the Viceroy, as was reported about two months ago, is now in Macao, cressed in European style, with his quene out off. A reward of three thou- sand dollars is offered for his apprehension. His brother, who was a military offloor in com- mand of a battalion of soldiers in Canton, has also fled with his family, for fear of the wrath of the Viceroy.
Canton, 7th October. THE MOÓN FEAST. On Monday the Mid-Autumn Festival was celebrated, and the day was a holiday for al classes in Canton. This festival is also called the Moon Feast, and there is a pretty story in
connection with it.
More than 4000 years ago there dwelt in the realms of Yao one Hao I, whose skill with the bow earned him the name of the Archer Lord, This great chief was married to a lady called Chang Ngo, who seems to have been of an inquisitive disposition. Her husband, among
other accomplishments, excelled in the art of making cakes which possessed the peculiar property of conferring immortality on all who ate of them. As he presumably did not feel quite capable of sharing more than a mortal life with Chang Ngo, he kept these cakes hidden. One day, however, when he was absent, the lady discovered their hiding-place. As she was in the "set" of eating one, she heard the foot- steps of her returning husband; who, in fact, caught her in the act. She fled, pursued by her irate lord. Unable to escape in any other way, she finally decided to fly to the moon, and there she at length found safety, although Hao I let fly his bolts after her.
The Cantonese assemble on their roofs and on the walls to worship the moon, and eat-pumelos, boiled taro, and moon cakes, these last com- memorating Hao I'd cakes. There are no moon temples, and the worship is very informal; but no doubt some of the worshippers hope, with San Toy, that the moon will "drop a gift from her fairy balloon." Altogether it is a pretty and harmless custom,
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
PAKHOI.
[FROM QUE CORRESPONDENT.]
Pakboi, 28th September.
REBELS ACTIVE.
The latest news received from Yamchow, as might have been anticipated, is far from reassuring. I learn on reliable authority that on the 21st instant he market towns of Wong Ok Tün and Sia Tung were attacked by the so-called rebels. In Wong Ok Tün the rebels and residences in the principal business streets satisfied themselves with ransacking the shops and then decamped, but in Siu Tung they made a clean sweep of the whole town, excepting only the pawn-shops, the inmates of which offered a strong resistance; and also these establish. meats, as a rule, are less accessible to intruders. ninety is from Yamehow, and Wong Ok Tün, Siu Tung is an important market town, about also a market town of no less importance, is almost within sight of Yamchow, being only distant some forty lis from Yamchow. That the rebels are getting near and nearer all the time is evident from recent events, notwith- standing the arrival of 1,500 troops at Yamchow sent from Kwangsi by land as reinforcements to the garrison.
before they retired, as on several former occa
In Sin Tung the rebels set fire to a few shops sions. They also kidnapped from amongst the wealthiest residents about forty women and children, who will probably be detained for
ransom.
attempt to resist the attack, lost a fow men.
At both towns the soldiery, in their feeble
PORT ARTHUR.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
Port Arthur, 11th (24th) September. GENERAL AKIYAMA'S VISIT.
On the 29th August (Russian calendar), according to a recent issue of the Dalny Vostok of Vladivostock, General Akiyama, of the Japanese army, arrived in Vladivostock by the Ise Mart in company with his adjutant Oba. The General was very warmly welcomed at the waterside by a number of officers belonging to the Russian General Staff. The distinguished visitor proceeded from his ship to the rooms that had been thoughtfully provided for him in the Garrison Club, near the Railway station. The object of his visit is supposed to be in connection with the manoeuvres of the Russian troops near Nikolake-Ussuri. General Akiya- ma will be present at these manœuvres and will leave for Japan when they have come to an end.
to me.
AN UNFORTUNATE CONTRETEMPS.
On the same ship that brought General Akiyama came a Japanese tailor name: Okamoto and other Japanese, whose names are not known An inspection of these gentlemen and their effects at the Custom House revealed the fact that they had secreted a quantity of silk under their clothes, the silk being wrapped around their bodies. They were fined.
MANILA.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
CHANGES IN the customS SERVICE.
Manila, 29th September. The port of Aparri, in the Aparri Collection Distrior, was discontinued as a port of entry on September 24th and the ports of Bongao, Cape Melville, Balabao Island, and Puerto Princess were created ports of entry. The same act which closed and opened these ports vested the Insular Collector of Customs with the power to close any or all of the above mentioned ports for a period not to exceed six months, and to withdraw all or any of the employees of the established custom houses, provided that notice of such closing shall be posted at the office of the collec. The city is restored to tranquillity since the tor of the port to be closed at least forty days of the Viceroy. His Excellency before the date fixed for closing the port; how
in great state on Saturday, when he | ever, during the time that any of the above men- the Consular body. His retinae tioned ports may thus, be closed they shall be advantage, and was much admired by held as coast-wise ports, and the importation of in the city. There is great joy | merchandise into them sh ill subject both vessels at his return by the merchants, and ❘ and cargo to forfeiture and seisure. The port of security prevails, except among the of Aparri will be retained as an open port to
the Philippine coast-wise trade.
THE VICEROY'S RETURN.
[October 10, 1903.
IMPROVEMENTS TOÄID IMPORTERS. The Commission has appropriated 'he sum of 39,000 pesos, Philippines curr-noy, for the purchase and operation of the arrastre plant for unloading and delivering imported mer- chandise at the Manila Custom House. For the past four years this privilege of arrastre or the Laking of the merchandise and all imported stuffs from the cascos and lighters in the river, landing the same and placing it within the customs_godowns, was in the hands of Carman & Co. This company found Manila with the the custom house, and, as soon as the privilege most antiquated facilities for unloading goods at of arrastre was obtained, it imported powerful oranes and unloading derricks and laid a small steam railroad, so that the goods could be easily taken out of the lorchas and lighters and rolled into the godowns of the custom house. man or firm has a monopoly or a special However, as is bound to happen wh rever one privilege denied to others, there were numerous complaints, some claiming that Carman & Co. favoured its own lighters and unloaded them promptly while the other firms were kept waiting and were forced to pay demurrage. Whatever may be the facts, the unloading facilities proved of great value in the past, and now the oivil government has decided to take over all this work and place it under the charge of the custom-house, instituting a regular system of checks so that exch lighter will be unloaded in its tara, which will be determined by the time of its arrival at the custom-house wharf. Additional derricks of the latest pattern will be installed, the railroad will be improved, and every means will be used to facilitate the progress of trade. Tho syg'om will not be operated for Government profit, and it is proposed to charge the importers only the bare running expenses of the plant and the hire of the employees devoted to its operation. It is believed that when the new scheme is completed the passage of goods from the river into the custom-house godowns will be present. The merchants have naturally accepted accomplished in very much less time than at the innovation with much pleasure. The 39.000 pesos appropriated by the Commission will be used in purchasing the plant of Carman & Co.
THE GOVERNment and vagrants, A large increase in the number of worthless ment to take unusual measures in the hope of characters and vagrants nas caused the Govern-
later the majority of these men take up their getting rid of this undesirable class. Sooner or abodes in Manila, and through the vigilance of the police their residence in this city is asually of short duration. As a consequence the gaols contain a large number of men, some of them formerly soldiers and sailors who bore good reputations, but who have remained in the Islands unable or unwilling to obtain work and support themselves. Several Spaniards are in the same category. In order to rid the country of these people the Govern ment has authorised the courts to suspend sentence upon convicted vagrants, conditional upon the conviot leaving the Philippine Islands and not returning for a period of not more than ten years. In cases affecting Americans, the courts may order the removal of the convict to the penitentiary in the City of Manila, there to remain in custody until he can be placed upon a steamer returning te the United States.
SZECHUEN.
Tachionlu, 28th August.
AN INTERESTING MONARCH.
Jection of Tibet, who has a royal palace The Tibetan king now ruling over this here in the city, has an interesting history. His older brother, who preceded him in power, wanted him to become a Lima, but when hi refused to do so, he reduced him to a state of king died a few years ago he left no son to poverty bordering on beggary. When the old become heir to the throne, but an adopted on. The king's friends tried to put this adopted here, whose power exceeds that of the Tibetan son on the throne, but the Chiness magistrate monarch, decided against the adopted son and in favour of the late king's younger brother; so from a state of beggary he ascende l the throne. The proper amount which it is necessary to pay over to the Chinese Govern- ment was loaned him by some foreign friends
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