involving a slightly increased expense, never- theless provides a convenient and strategic looition.
In conclusion the Governor said that the greatest needs of the Philippines were a little prosperity and a few quiet fair seasons together with a reduction of the tariff to twenty-five or better, fifteen per cent. This would show that the people of the United States want to and intend to help to bring the islands into clover relationship, thus building up a great trade, creating new markets, new wants, and new life.'
4
JAPANESE AND RUSSIAN NAVAL
EXPANSION.
The Japan correspondent of the N.-C. Daily News writes :—
Russia's naval expansion is now nearly com- pleted, and the greater majority of those ships built according to the programme are now afloat in the Pacific. The remainder are to be finished by the end of 1905. The vessels thus awaiting completion are:—
Battleships Armoured
Cruiser...
Craisers
Gunboat
Destroyers Torpedoes Submarines
201
***
***
8 ...111,300 tons.
H
1 ... 6
1
4
8,000 29,400 1,316
S
"
11
3,300
12
"
"
11
3
...
The above does not include those belonging to the programme set out for 1903 and after. On the other hand, the following nine Japanese warships, now being built, equipped or designed, will be gradually completed after 1903 :----
Battleship
Armoured Cruisers
13
...
Crniser Otona Cruiser
+
No. 1
414
***
31
"1
15
...16,000 tons.
2 ...16,000 .16,000
3
}}
...11,000
..11,000 13 ..11,000 3,048 5,000 5,000
15
19
19
15
CO 2
3
No. 1 2
"
...
Total...94,048 tons.
FIRE IN QUEEN'S ROAD,
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
At 3.15 a. m. on the 6th inst. a fire broke out in the jewelry shop of Chan Cheung Cheuk, carried on under the chop of Son Shing, at No. 98, Queen's Road Central, the whole premises being entirely gutted and damage, so far as could be estimated, done to the extent of $14,000/dollars. Besides the jewelry Chan also dealt in miscel laneous foreign goods, and these were insured to the extent of $12,000, the jewelry not being insured. As soon as the alarm was sent in to the Central Police Station, the first thing done was to telephone to have the water turned on, so that as soon as the Fire Brigade, under Chief Inspector Baker, and Mr. Macdonald, engineer of the Fire Brigade, arrived on the scene, which they did in a few moments after the alarm was given, they were enabled to set to work at once, and with the aid of the fire-escape soon had a stream of water playing on the roof, which was burning rapidly, and soon after collapsed, and the whole place was gutted. It was by a miracle that the fire did not spread to the adjoining houses, and it is entirely due to the yeoman service rendered by the Fire Brigade that the conflagration was confined to the one building. Had it spread to the next houses, it would have run like wildfire along the length of terrace, the houses there being old and easily combustible, and the damage done would have been enormous. The more credit is due to the Brigade through the fact that at the time of the outbreak there was a breeze blowing, favourable to the spread of the fire. The cause of the fire is believed to be due to the carelessness of a coolin who went to the second story to get some dried meat. carrying an ignited torch which he dropped, setting fire to some dry goods stored there. It is understood that a considerable quantity of jewelry was saved, as it was packed away in iron safes and boxes, which were fire-proof,
NOTES FROM THE BOTANIC GARDENS,
In the shrubbery at the east end of the grevillea walk are two or three specimens of Reinwardtia trigyna. This plant, which is the name more familiarly known under of Linum, makes a small shrub about 3 feet high and flowers most profusely at this time of the year. The flowers are very conspicuous, being bright yellow in colour and more than an inch aoross. The species is a native of the hilly parts of India, and it has also been found in China at Ichang and Chungking. It has been in oul- tivation in England since 799.
January 11, 1904.
SOKUNPO VALLEY,
One of the prettiest of Hongkong's many pretty valleys is the valley of Sokunpo. It is also one of the most secluded. Lying midway between Happy Valley and Causeway Bay, the place should be well known to many who traverse Caroline Road. Yet dach is not the case by any means. Travellers passing by on foot or in ricksha permit their gaze to feast
on the artificial beauties of the Ewo demesne and its fine old trees with never a thought for- the lovely valley that lies hidden on the other haud behind an unpromising exterior, The entrance to Sokunpo is not conspicuous. Jasminum azoricum, a sweet-scented, white Along the side of a vegetable garden boasting flowered species, is a good winter bloomer, and a pool of water resembling a horse-pond runs several specimens of it may be found in a narrow pathway. Following this, one dives various parts of the gardens. The individual immediately into a fine avenue of trees, mostly flowers are more than an inch in diameter, camphor-wood, and soon emerges into the open and as they are produced very plenti- with hills on every side, olad from base to crest the branches they with firs of greenest hue, grey boulders frown- fully towards the ends
The plant is a scanding out here and there upon the valley and make a fiue show. ent bush of some 4 or 5ft. high, and was intro- lending wildness to the view. For all the world the spectator could imagine himself in duced into England from Madeira in 1724.
Killarney or far north Inverness, so similar is the styly of scenery. In this little isolated strath one feels apart from all the world. Huge hawks float about the hill-tops, too,
A plant having a very curiously-shaped flat inflorescence and bearing the name Combre- tum Laflingi may be seen in the shrubbery in the statue plot. The flowers are in great numbers and are conspicuous by their yellow. coloured stamens. The species is a native of Brazil, and in Hongkong it forms a scandent shrub about 3ft. high.
ling the last touch of Highland semblance to Sokunpo. In the midst of this silent valley one feels not the least surprised to find a Chinese city of the dead." It seems so appropriate to the place. In the early morning, when A free-flowering Hongkong shrub, Justicio
sun ripens the aspect of the valley Adhatoda, is now in flower, and a specimeu Lue
only planted on the bank immediately below the into a kind of mellowness such as bandstand looks particularly well. The flowers sunsets are supposed to give, the Chinese funeral are in spikes on the upper axils of the leaves, train may on occasion be encountered, flanked and are white, with the exception of a purple by musicians who draw from their instruments marking on the inside of the lower lip of the dirges both weird and pathetic as they wend corolla. This plant has been known to cultiva- their way to the grave. Farther on there nestles tion in England for more than 200 years, as it amid a cluster of trees a lazy farmhouse whose was introduced into that country from Ceylon occupants stay their several labours to gaze in 1699. It is found also in India and Malaya.open-eyed at the unaccustomed stranger, while
The total rainfall for last year amounted to 9441 inches, which is nearly 8 inches above the average of the last ten years.
RICKSHA FARES IN THE NEW
TERRITORY.
By a regulation made by the Officer Adminis- tering the Government in Council under the authority of the Licensing Consolidation Ordinance of 1887, the following shall be the fares for hire of rickshas on the Taipo Road, beyond New Kowloon, in the New Territories. To 4th mile, single, 75 cents; reture, $1.00 :- Beyond the 4th to 6th mile, Single, $1.2)
Return, $1.50 6th to 9th mile, Single, 1.75
Return, $2.00 9th to 11th mile, Single, $2.00 Return, $2.50
11
19
#
*7
**
21
#{
Twenty cents shall be added for each extra hour, or part of an hour, if the birer causes the journey to take more than :-
1 hour for the first stage. 2 hours
95
J
19
99
return second
"
21
return
"
**
17
1J
third
19
*
12
11
return
梦哆
"
fourth return
字
זן
*
7 Fares for journeys beyond the 11th mile to be a matter of previous arrangement in each case. The fares here set out to apply to one ricksha with three coalies from Tsimshatsui.
A. Council of War was held at Tokyo on the morning of the 29th ult,, at which there were present Count Katsura, Baron Terauchi, Count Oyama, Baron Kodama, and Admirals Yamamoto and Ijuin. The conference was continued in the afternoon, and subsequently Baron Teruuchi. Minister of War, and Admiral Yam moto, Minister of the Navy, were received in audience. The Kobe correspondent of the N. C. Daily News, from which we take this, also adds:--- Progress is being made in the negotiations for the purchase of the Great Northern Co.'s tele- There graph cable from Tsushima to Fusan. has been further rioting in Cores, and it is spreading towards Seoul.
the barnyard fowis flatter into the undergrowth, the pigs gallop off with protesting gruuts. and the inevitable dog barks defiance for a space, then curries up the hill to a sife distance. Now the valley broadens ont into a cultivable strip of land with a stream flowing down the middle. The opposite hillsides are terraced and verdant, rising to grim eminences that, in this narrow dale appear higher than they really are. Then, before one realises that one has been traversing a semi-circular route, Caroline Road is debouched upon, and one is brought back to realism by the spectacle of the stern-looking prison that once was Belilios Reformatory and the hum of spindles from the prosaic, square, brick cotton-mill,
THE HONGKONG POLICE AT CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR.
The police quarters at the Central station were en fête on the afternoon of the 4th, the occasion being a Christmas-tree party to the children of the members of the Hongkong Police_force. The party was inaugurated by Captain Lyons, C.S.P., and Mr. Hallifax, the latter of whom had kindly given up his quarters for the evening. The arrangements were made by Chief Inspec- tor Baker with an able corps of assistants, the purchasing of gifts and delicacies for the delectation of the children being in the very capable hands of Mrs. Baker and Mrs. Hanson. As a result of their kindly oo- operation a Christmas-tree worthy of the best Yule-tide traditions, laden with all that most appeals to the heart of childhood, stood in- vitingly in the middle of the verandah. By four o'clock a large gathering of little ones had assembled, their sager, happy faces all be- tokening their keen anticipation of the result of "the baring of the tree." Esch little one present reo-ived a really handsome gift from the spreading branches, while some augmented theirs by winning prizes for races in the compound. That the efforts of all who had laboured for the success of this childrens' treat had turned out eminently successful was shown by the joyous shouts and delighted expression on the faces of the happy little throng, as games, races, and prize-receiving quickly followed each other. After partaking of dainty delicacies, and more substantial
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