November 2, 1903.]
THE VOLUNTEER CAMP,
The Volunteer Camplat Stonecutters' has so far been a great success) Some useful instruc- tion drill has been put in. On the 24th alt. there were a great many visitors. The members of the Corps amused themselves in a variety of ways. Cricket and football were indulged in. In the cricket match the First Right beat the Left Right by five wickets. A. S. Watson's representatives played a particularly good game, Uphill and Austen distinguishing them- selves. At football "Binks" shony to some purpose. The score is not known. In the course of the afternoon there was a 100 yards sprint between Mr. J. D Logan and Mr. Tyrell, the latter conceding five yards to his more elderly opponent. The younger man won, but had to put his best foot forward to do so. It is said by Camp gossips that the bet money has, not yet been paid fer. Corporal Uphill, who was in charge of the guard yesterday after- noon, turned up without his stripes but managed his duty just s well as if he had bad them ou.
We are sorry to record a painful accident that occurred on Saturday night. Corporal J. Hays, was on guard duty and he was walking through the tents when he slipped on one of the bed-boards and stumbled, with the result that he cut his wrist on a piece of broken glass, severing two arteries. The wound bled pro- fusely and Dr. Swans assistance had to be got to stitch the severed arteries. We under- stand that Mr. Hays is making fair progress towards recovery.
The ubiquitous Corpor. Deas is again one of the leading lights of the Camp as he has been in former years.
Sergeant-Major Higly, the new S.M. of the Corps, is looking after things in general, and is already making himself a popular officer by reason of his tactfulness and courtesy.
The bars are in charge of Mr. E. G. Jordan, who has been decorated with the local rank of honorary Sergeant, and under his care this branch of the commissariat department is con- ducted in a first-class manner.- -Daily Press, 26th October.
On the 27th ult. the amp at Stonecutters'
Island had things made unpleasant for them by the heavy rains and the strong wind that was blowing. When members of the Corps woke up in the morning and found that, on dressing, their shoulders were in unwelcome proximity to the wet canvas of the tepts, there were many strong remarks made; but as the day men were sent away to work in Hong kong and the men remaining in camp settled cown to the serious business of the day general equanimity was restored, what with the help of breakfast and routine work. However, the weather throughout the day did not improve much, and there was much anxiety ex- pressed as to whether the typhoon rations would hold out or no, The boisterous nature of the sea kept Hongkongites from taking advantage of the Guest Night." H.E the Governor, Sir Henry Blake, was to attend the concert that was to have taken place last night, but did not attend, as the function was post- poned on account of the threatening typhoon. The decision was a wise one, in fact was inevitable.
On Monday night the Volunteers had a night practice at manning the forts. They travelled round by launch from the Camp pier to the stone pier at the south end, and then scaled the paved road to the batteries A successful practice was held. The purney started at about 6 p.m. and at 9 o'clock the Volunteers got back to quarters, very tired, but having thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
He was
The practice was attended by one regrettable incident. On the way to the forts in the dark Captain Sayer fell into a concreted ditch and sustained severe bruises, and probably some torn ligaments, on one of his shoulders. attended to in Camp, there still being no doctor in the Island, and was afterwards removed to the Government Civil Hospital. Dr. Swan was summoned from Kowloon to attend to his *injuries.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
launch rather lose his bearings. It was within twenty yards of the shore when a fortunate shift in the direction of the search-light showed the proximity of the rocks. The helm was put about just in time to escape a catastrophe,➡ Daily Press, 28th October.
CHARITABLE BAZAAR. On the 24th ult. a under the auspices of Mrs.
bazaar inaugurated F. H. May, Mr. Webb, and Mrs. Birdwood, was held by Leagu", on the Volunteer Parade ground the members of the Ministering Children's (which had been kindly lent for the occasion), in aid of the Victoria Home and Orphanage and School for Blind Children at Kowloon. The bazaar was also design d to show the work done by the children in connection with of the morning the afternoon turned out very the league. After th threatening appearance fine, and consequently by 4 p.m. the grounds presented a very animate scene, and the | ubiquitous chink of coin current testified to
stalls, of the amount of busines; done. Besides the which there were ten, there be doing a roaring trade, as the little ones a toboggan slide which appeared to
fast enough, and a ship's life-saving apparatus cold not get back to the starting point in which the children were hauled back and forth by some from H.M.S. Tumar. At 4 p.m. Sleeping Beauty was staged, the heroine's part being taken by girl named Miss Nan Roger, the other parts a pretty little being very cleverly filled by Misses Eva. Margy, Phyllis Sotli, Emily Bradly, Mary Blake, and Joan Roger, Nora Mitchell, G. Woodcock,
Woodcock, and Lily Palmer, Florrie Standish, and Esmee Masters Roger and Seth. stocks of fancy goods, from lamp-stands to lace The stalls were very prettily arranged with
refreshment stalls, on which there was collars, sweetstuffs, &c., flanked by ice cream and
tinuous run.
were
men
a con-
ful at these bazaars, was missing. We refer to One feature, generally so success. the bevy of little girls who parade ab ut selling buttonholes at famine prices, and generally carry off the palm for the amount of their earnings. Among the stall-holders were, (1) Mrs. Wesley Brown and Miss C. Goodman, (2)
Mrs. Robinson and Miss Hawkesley, (3) Mrs. Parker, Miss Denton, and Miss Tyler, (4) Mrs. Fullerton and Mrs. James, (5) Mrs. Mitchell, Mrs. Seth, Mrs. Chas. Lammert, and Misse Loureiro, (6) Mrs. Ormiston and Miss Goodmau, (7) Mrs. Baker Brown, Mrs. Trenchard Daris, 8) Mrs. Douison, Miss Cocker, and Miss Blair, (9) Mrs. Wyllie, Miss Wyllie, Ms. Siebs, Mrs. Danby, Mrs. Dickson, and Mrs. Rout, all being assisted by a large number of children. Fially there was a stall for packing parcels, tended by two bright young packers, Miss Mary Bryant and Miss Rosa Bradley. A special word of commendation is due to Mr. Branson, 10th
Bo. L.1., for his very successful conjuring exhibitions, which went far to swell the funds of the Ministering Children's League.
During the afternoon the Band of the 10th Bombay Infantry, by kind permission of Colonel Bird and the officers of that regiment, played a very choice selection of music.
Mrs. May and the ladies helping her deserve great credit for the manner in which the func tion was carried through, and no doubt, owing to their untiring efforts, the charities mentioned will benefit substantially.
The two new Admirals of the Germau squadron. Rear-Admiral von Prittwitz and Commander von Holtzendorff, left Genoa on the 14th inst. for China on board the German Mail I'rinz Heinrich.
in Manila for issuing forged certificates to In connection with the case against Miller
Chinese to facilitate their landing in the Philippines, columns, news has been received from Shanghai as already reported in these that Miller's partner in the alleged fraud, H. W. Ballantine, has been arrested in Shanghai, and his attempt to prove the arrest illegal, as On the way back to the Camp pier the Volun- Governor Taft with a request to that end, has it was effected by reason of a telegram from teer launch had a narrow escape of running on | failed, and Ballantine is being held in arrest the rocks. A search light was shining from pending the arrival of officials with the papers bebind and its rays made the steersman of the in the case from Manila.
1
819
NOTES FROM THE BOTANIC GARDENS.
The Hongkong Flora is particularly rich in flowering shruts, and Gordonia anomala, which is now in flower, is a very attractive species. The flowers are white, 2 or 3 inches across. somewhat like a single-flowered camellia, and are found in the upper axils of the leaves or at the ends of the branches. Two bushes may be seen in the gardens at the east end of the No. 1 house. In the Index Floræ Sinensis the plant is stated to be apparently seen many specimens of it growing in the endemic, but this is not the case. as we have New Territory. It belongs to the same family as the Camellia and the Tea-plant.
There is only one lady's slipper orchid found in a wild state in Hongkong, and that is Cypri- Paphiopedilum purpuratum, several specimens pedium purpuratum, or as it is now called, of which are in flower in the No. 2 house. The flowers are purple, produced singly on scapes 8 inches to I foot high, and last a perfection. The leaves are 4 or 5 inches long long time in
and variegated. the markings on those of different plants being extremely variable. This orchid is thought to be eademic in Hongkong, the case. but we have reason to believe that such is not We have found it on Mt. Victoria, Mt. Parker, and on the hills above Little Hongkong, but never in large numbers. In the Flora Hongkongensis the species is said to known to be incorrect. be a native of the Khasia Hills, but this is now
The typhoon, luckily, passed off without doing much damage in the gardens. The rainfall, which was badly needed for vegetation, amount- ed to .88 of an inch, aud the fall for the month has been 1.71 inches.
have been panicles.
The word funicles in last week's notes should
BOAT DISASTER ON SHAM- CHUN RIVER.
News has come to hand of a serious boat loss of many lives. On Monday last, while the disaster on the Shamchun River, involving the Hongkong launch the Wing Fook (owned by
a
Chinawoman here) was discharging her Passengers on to one of the flat-bottomed river boats that convey the passengers up the shallow Part of the river to Shamchun city, and when all had been transhipped and the boat had swung clear of the launch, the bat suddenly heeled over and filled,
veritable death-trap in the event of such an The formation of these boats makes them & accident. They are covered in from stem to stern almost, leaving a platform up each side for the coolies, who pole the craft upstream, to walk upon; and the entrances to the interior of this covered-in part are small doors. board when the accident happened. Many were In this case there were about 30 passengers on
thrown into the water and carried away by the swift ourrent that runs here. It is not known yet how many lives have been lost, but up till Wednesday the Santin police had recovered five dead bodies.
NEW TERRITORY NOTES.
[FROM A CORRESPONDENT.]
23rd October.
ANCESTRAL WORSHIP.
The date of this Chinese religious ceremony occurs in about five more days. At present the hillsides in British and Chiness Territory are dotted with Chinese visiting and repairing the numerous graves, preparing for the event. Those who can afford it have music of a kind, also food and samshu ad lib. Discarding their gay in their dresses of many-coloured silks. sombre blue clothes, the Chinese look quite
SAN ON MAGISTRATE.
Chinese on both sides of the frontier that A rumour is going the round among the
has been dismissed from office by the Viceroy Chau Leong Kit, the San On magistrate,
of Canton. If this is so, it would be interesting to know why, for the San On magistrate has always been popular with our
ན “,