March 21, 1904.]
Yingkow, 3rd March,
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
219
The ACTING Colonial SeCRETARY laid on the table the Report of the Finance Committee (No. 2) and moved its adoption.
tions of the large guns, the small arms, and other | Committee. The Russo-Chinese Bank has issued notices offensive fittings of the Russian gunboat The ACTING COLONIAL TREASUREE second- to depositors at Newohwang requesting them to Mandjour, have been deposited with the Imperialed, and the motion was agreed to. withdraw their deposits, as the bank is likely to Customs authorities, while the shells, ammuni be closed shortly. The Bank states that it will tion, and torpedoes have been placed on a small pay roubles for dollars, or will transfer accounts Chinese gunboat of an obsolete type for safe to other branches. This is regarded as indicat-keeping, this boat also being under the control ing that there will be trouble here before many of the Customs. The Japanese cruiser days pass.
Akitsushima was expected to leave Shanghai in
The Sivoutch (Russian gunboat) is cleared for action. No doubt the Russians will evacuate this place if attacked.-China Times.
[The N.-C. Daily News says that late tele- grams from Newchwang state that the Russians there are making no preparations for defence, but will probably retire on Haicheng as soon as the port opens, which will probably be on the 18th. The Russian gunboat Bobre in dook there will be blown up by her captain when the Russians retire].
Tokyo, 7th March. The construction of the railway between Seoul and Pingyang has been commenced. It will be opened in September.-N.-C. D. N.
Osaka, 8th March.
A report has reached here that there has been an engagement between Russian and Japanese troops about 100 miles from Vladivostock. The Russians fled, leaving their arms and stores behind.-N.-C. D. N.
Tokyo, 8th March.
Marquis Ito has been appointed special Ambassador for the purpose of presenting an antograph letter from the Emperor of Japan, embodying friendly enquiries addressed to the Emperor of Corea. The Marquis starts about the 15th instant.-N.-C. D. N,
NORTHERN NEWS,
The following items are from Shanghai and Japanese papers :
The Waiwapa and the Russian Minister at Peking are reported to have decided upon the following as contraband goods during the Russo-Japanese war:- Hand and artillery weapons, iron tools, combustible substances, explosive matters and apparatus, all supplies necessary for the artillery, military engineer- ing, and infantry, outting iron wires, building pontoons, and pontoon bridges, army provisions, uniforms, material for navigating vessels all kind of engines used on board vessels, all kinds of boilers, coal, Shih Non oil, spirits of wine, all telegram codes, railway materials, provis- ions, rica and stores, horses and live stock, all kinds of necessaries for land and naval en- gagements.
consequence.
The Sin Wen Pao states that Admiral Alexieff has again demanded the withdrawal of Chinese troops from Moukden. He has informed the Tartar General and civil Governor of this, stating that he will himself have the sity guarded, as a garrison of 40,000 men will be there shortly.
A
Writing on the 9th inst. with reference to the position at Vladivostock, the N.-C. Daily News says that, if it is true that the Russian squadron had gone out on another cruise aud that their retreat into the northern harbour has been cut off, it would seem that a regular naval engagement must be imminent. British steamer which left Vladivostock on the 23rd and reached Nagasaki on the 26th, reports that at the former date the four cruisers were lying inactive and showing no signs of leaving the harbour. Two armed transports were there also. The ice at the entrance to the harbour was 3 feet thick, and communications by land were very arduous.
A Russian official despatch reports that four of the enemy's posts were discovered at the Chingchin-gang River, north of Pingyang It declares that a Japanese cavalry patrol fell into an ambuscade and was dispersed.
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The ACTING Colonial Treasurer second- ed, and the motion was agreed to;
PAPERS.
The ACTING Colonial SECRETARY laid on the table the reports for 1903 on the Police, the Victoria Gaol, the Fire Brigade, the Widows' and Orphans' Pension Fund, the Tung Wa Hospital, Queen's College, and the plague epidemic.
SIR HENRY BLAKE'S SERVICES AS Governor. The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY also laid on the table the following paper :-
▪
Downing Street, 13th January, 1904. SIE, I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 513 of the 27th of November, forwarding extracts from the local press relating to the presentation of addresses to Sir H. A. Blake on his departure from the Colony to assume the Government of Ceylon.
2. I have read these reports with great in- terest and have been much pleased to note the evidence which they afford of the esteem in which Sir H. A. Blake is held by all classes of the community. I cordially agree with all that has been said as to the ability and success with which he has administered the Government of Hongkong.
3. The period of his administration has been marked by events of such importance to the well-being of the Colony, such as the hoisting. of the British flag in the territory leased by It is rumoured in Tokyo that the Russian China under the Agreement of the 8th of June, fest laft Port Arthur after the 10th instant, 1898, and the inauguration of works for provid- making a dash to join the squadron ating an additional and adequate water supply for Vladivostock. A foreigner who has arrived at the city of Victoria. It has, unfortunately, Newchwang from Port Arthur reports that a been marked by serious outbreaks of bubonic short engagement occurred there on Sunday, plague, and by no means the least part of the the 12th instant, the fleets exchanging twenty debt of gratitude which the Colony owes to its or thirty shots, the cruiser Diana receiving late Governor is due to the vigour and energy some damage.
which he has displayed in the endeavour to check the mortality from this disease and to diminish, so far as possible, the danger of fur- ther outbreaks.--I have, &c.,
ALFRED LYTTELTON. The Officer Administering the Government of Hongkong.
Admiral Alexieff, in a detailed account of the bombardment of Vladivostock, confirms that 200 shells were fired, but says nothing about their failure to explode. The Japanese squadron steamed up and down three times without doing any damage to the fortress or the entrenchments The damage to the town and other parts of the fortifications was inisgni- ficant. The operations for putting the batts- ries in readiness for action were carried out in
perfect order. On Monday the squadron The China Times correspondent at Yinkowskirted the shore without firing, and disappeared denies the truth of the report of the frustrated in a southerly direction. attempt to blow up the Sungari railway bridge and the hanging of three Japanese officers. The statement was circulated by the Russians to impress the Chinese.
It seems now that the Japanese who landed at Tengchou, Shantung, and were reported to have come from a sunken Japanese cruiser, were really from the steamer Jinsen which went down near the entrance to Port Arthur. They subsequently went on to Chefoo, and a Japanese cruiser and torpedo-boat entered Chefoo harbour without lights at 1 o'clock on the morning of the 26th ult. and took on board all the survivors, leaving before daylight.
A reliable correspondent sends to the N. C. Daily News the interesting news that the whole of the rolling stock from the Shan- haikwan-Yinkow line has been brought within the Wall, so that the Russians will find a bare line only when they come that way. From this the correspondent infers that the Chinese, in connection with their northern railway system, are going to profit by their last exper- ience with the Russians.
A Newchwang telegram of the 10th inst says:-"The ice in the rivers here is melting. The Japanese troops are expected soon to attack the Russians, who, contemplating such an eventuality, have ordered the inhabitants to remove their families into the interior, and are hurriedly landing their cannon." The Tung Wen Hu Pao hears that the Russians are greatly afraid that the Japanese will attack Newchwang. Therefore they have laid seven submarine mines in the Lisoho, and have established a signal-station at a point south-east of Yinkow.
It was officially stated to the Press in Shanghai on the 12th inst, that the vital por
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HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
A meeting of the Legislative Council was held on the 14th inst. in the Council Cham- ber. Present :-
HIS EXCELLENCY THE OFFICER AD- MINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT, F. H. MAY, C.M.G.
His Excellency Major-General VILLIERS HATTON, C.B.
Hon. A. M. THOMSON (Acting Colonial Secretary).
Hon. Sir H. S. BERKELEY (Attorney. General},
Hon. L. A. M. JOHNSTON (Acting Colonial Treasurer).
Hon. W. CHATHAM (Director of Public Works).
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Hon. A. W. BREWIN (Registrar-General). Hon. L. A. W. BARNES-LAWRENCE, É.N. (Harbour Master).
Hon. Sir C. P. CHATER, C.M.G. Hon. Dr. Ho KAI, C.M.G.
Hon. WEI A YUK.
Hon. C. W, DICKSON, Hon. GEESHOM STEWART.
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KOWLOON WATERWORKS.
The DIRECTOR of PUBLIC WORKS laid on the table the following report of the proceedings of the Public Works Committee at a meeting held on 19th February :--
The Chairman explained that when the scheme for the water supply of Kowloon, which is at present being carried out, was prepared, plans showing the surrounding country were not available, and consequently the area from which water could be collected by means of a catchwater could not be definitely ascertained. It was assumed, however, that there would be no difficulty in arranging for an area of 400 acres, and the estimate submitted by the engineers (Messrs. Denison, Ram and Gibbs) was based upon that assumption. The estimate for the catchwater amounted to $40,000. From plans which were now available and which he submitted to the Committee, it was found that it would be possible to construct a catchwater along the northern slopes of the Kowloon range of hills as far as the Shatia' Pass Valley. This catchwater would be about 5 miles in length and would intercept the drainage from an area of about 1,000 acres. It was estimated that the cost of constructing the entire catchwater would be $120,000, or, if the portion required to intercept the drainage from an area of 400 acres only were constructed of such dimensions as to admit of the complete scheme being carried out at some future tim the cost was estimated at $95,000. It was not le088- sary to carry out the entire scheme at once so far as present requirements were concerned, but there would be an economy in doing so as it
Mr. R. F. JOHNSTON (Acting Clerk of would be simpler for the contractor to carry out Councils).
NEW MEMBER.
Capt. L. A. W. Barnes-Lawrence, R.N., Harbour Master, took the oath and assumed his seat as a member of the Council.
FINANCIAL.
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table Financial Minutes (Nos. 13 to 18), and moved that they be referred to the Finance
the whole work simultaneously than in two or more sections at different periods.
The Committee unanimously agreed to re- commend that the entire scheme be carried out at once and, as it appeared likely that the storage reservoir would not be large enough to contain the water which would be rendered available, they also recommended that stepa should be taken to increase its capacity.