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It was proposed, seconded, and carried that the above accounts should be passed.
In consequence of the approaching departure from Hongkong on a holiday to England of Mr. Purcell, who has been the Hon. Treasurer of the society for many years past, Mr Newman Mumford was elected hou. troasurer for the ensuing year.
Mr. Pollock was re-elected hop. secretary. He stated that it was a matter of regret that he had not been able to get more lecturers to come forward during the current winter season, but that he would try to arrange for one or two more lectures before the begin ning of the summer. Since the last annual general meeting in November, 1902, the follow ing lectures have been given :-
"Malaria and its Relation to the Mosquito, H.E. Sir Henry Blake, G.C.M.G., in the chair.
Dr. J. C. Thomson o
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
CORR SPONDENCE
LIGHTS ON JUNKS.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS.
Hongkong, 21st March. SIR-May I ask the favour of space for a few words on the carrying of lights on junks sailing out of Hongkong The lighting of junks in general would include a very wide field, but there is, as far as I can see. no reason Why some order and system should not be introduced among the local craft; and it might be expected that such having been established and understood, it would by usance act as a sort of leaven and extend more or less to the outside The Chinese junk-man at present quite acknowledges and understands the necessity of lights; but with the characteristic fatuous carelessness £ his class, having provided the The Reason-light it seems no manner of concern to him how it is used and where it is placed, and the many and various devices employed in the matter are the cause of much perplexity, amoyance, and danger to those charged with the navigation of steamers on the water ‹ adjacent to the Colony.
The Rev. Dr. Penticost oa The Chinaman, the Anglo-Saxon, and the Orient," the Hon. F. H. May, C.M G., in the chair.
The Rev. Dr. Penticost, on ableness of Christianity," Mr. H E. Pallok, K.C., in the chair.
Capt. G. C. Anderson, on "The Defence of the Empire." H.E. Sir William Gascoigne K.C.M.G., in the chair.
เ
Mr. C. Clementi on Buddhism." IT E. Sir Henry Blake, G.C.M.G., in the chair.
The Rev. E. J. Hardy on "Marriage," H.E. Sir William Gascoigne in the chair.
The Hon. F. E. Ma, C.M.G, with A Plex
in the chair.
Mr. Eroest D. Haskell on Fiscal Policy and Imperial Federation." Mr. H. E. Pollock, K.C,
in the chair.
4.
The Rev. E. J. Hardy on Chinese Manners." HE. Major-General Villiers-Hatton, C.B.. in the chair.
fleet.
[March 26, 1904.
being charged them for it, in order to bring it more impressively before them, and they should be instructed to exhibit the light where it would be most visible in the direction of the approach. ing vessel.
There would be some consideration required in the matter of placing lights on junks, but I should
say if overy sailing junk was required aft, both of fair power, it would be a step in the to carry a high light forward and a low light
right direction, as it would indicate the direction of a crossing junk, but the general scheme would be a matter for discussion and arrangement.
This, I opine. is a matter which might well occupy the attention of the Government and the Harbour authorities, and, as in most matters, there is no time for it like the present,-Yours etc.
CHAS. V. LLOYD.
THE OPIUM FARM QUESTION.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS.
Hongkong, 21st March. SIR. Anti-Opium," as far as I can see, though evidently having good intentions, is a narrow-minded European who has in no way studied the opium question. When he says,
As an example, a dim light is seen low down; it looks such as might be expected on a small sampan. Nearer, the tall sail of one of the large
Instead of encouraging people to smoke, the one-masted boats that carry stone and coal lines itself out in the darkness, and it is seen that the Hongkong Government should, for the sake of humanity, suppress it altogether, as it does for Jowish Wit," Commodore Robinson, R.N., light comes from a diminutive lantern under gambling. Surely opium-smoking is as bad, the bowsprit close down to the water. Again, in fact much worse, than an occasional invest- a ghostly, hmlons glimmer. so dim that it can
ment of a few dollars in the Macao lottery ?" hardly be picked out on the surrounding black-
he does not know what he is talking about. ness, turus out to be a small light carried on or
Why does not this foreigner attack red-nosed in the poop of a big advancing junk, and inebriates, and advocate that all the bar-rooms obscured by the sail swung across in frout of it. Some carry the lantern high up on one of the instantaneously; the use of liquor is held by in the Colony, if not in the world, be closed masts, generally the foremast, and others frankly show no light whatever, and this last is a common injurious than the alleged opium vice.
many eminent European doctors to be more form among those lying at anchor. frequently in Attygalle, of Ceylon, recently wrote to the mid-channel. And therein is danger. A junk run down by a steamer in the ordinary exercise of to the use of opium by the Low-country Sing- Colombo papers as follows:-The evilsattributed thought means au occurrence of little considera-halese and others are not in keeping with my tion, a small matter, a trifle; not so always the experience. I have before my mind's eye at this reality-it means death. A large stone-laden junk such as is common on the route to Canton is an obstacle little less formidable than a rock, and hurling a steamer against one of them at full
FRONTIER NOTES,
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.
Monday. 21st March.
RAINS.
Much rain has fallen, but the sky has now slightly cleared. Although it has rained for the best part of a week, there is very little surplus moisture in the ground; the country was in such a parched condition after the long dry winter. The hills are putting on their green spring covering in exchange for their khaki -coloured winter one, and all around can be seen the beneficial effects of the recent rain. The wild hedge-rose is blooming everywhere in profusion and filling the air with its sweet perfumes. Pear-orchards are mass of
one
green
blossom, the haunt of myriad winged creatures. including the busy bee. That uncouth-looking but serviceable animal the buffalo is now employed from sunrise till sunset in preparing the fields for the first rice-crop. Little patches scattered throughout the valleys show where the rice for transplanting has been sown. Fields are also being prepared for the plant- ing of canes. the roots of last year's crops being dug up and burned. Everywhere the greatest activity prevails among the farming class. I am afraid the rain came too late to benefit much the sweet potato-crop, and this is a pity, seeing the sweet potato is one of the Chinese staple articles of diet.
one
MOSQUITOES.
With the rain has come, the mosquitoes; and sees in various parts of each village a “mosquito smudge smouldering night and day giving out a thick, acrid smoke.
STATE OF THE COUNTRY.
The state of the country is peaceful on the whole, although attacks by armed gangs are not infrequent. Probably this state of things will never be thoroughly remedied until the British once more take over Shamchun together with Shataukok and Namtau cities. North of these places lies a range of hills, the roads through which could be easily guarded. Not so the present level frontier, with roads leading everywhere and nowhere. As long as the pre- sent frontier exists armed attacks will happen as a matter of course in spite of all exertions made on the British side of the line.
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Dr.
moment more than half-a-dozen confirmed and
inveterate opium-eaters. They have indulged in the habit for years and years, apparently without any injurious results to their health, or speed means-what? Certain destruction. of rendering themselves obnoxious to others. One course, to the junk, with drowning of all on board, of them, it would hardly be credited when it is and for the steamer. River craft are of slight stated, is close on 100 years of age, and he has
construction, and the probable effect would be
been addicted to the opium habit for the last that she would be so rent and crushed in for 51 years! He is as well as could be, both physi- ward by the impact that she would fill, and.cally and mentally, at the present time, for a almost certainly entangled with the junk hy her dislodged anchors and chains. beaching her would be impossible, even if time allowed, and she would probably go down in deep water. The burning of the Iroquois Theatre in Chicago gave a shock to mankind the accompaniment of roaring. devastating flame lent a lurid picturesqueness to the horror; but the sinking of a steamer with a thousand or more helpless, distracted, uncon-
Chinese
passengers going down to death on મ dark and wild night will present all effective comparison and CWILSO somewhat of a stir through- out humanity. Fortunately, SO far we have been spared such a catastrophe, but it must be borne in mind that the number of steamers is increasing on the Canton River, multiplying the risk of accidents, and there is no one engaged in the traffic who cannot recall many instances of close shaving and many a heart-jump as he escaped by a seeming miracle what looked like an inevitable and awful crash.
trollable
There appears to me no reason why some beginning of order should not be introduced into the present chaotic state of things. A paternal legislation looks after the steamers and prescribes minutely a number of things that are to be done, some useful. others not so, and it seems a feasible scheme to impose certain com- pulsory regulation of lights on the junks. A torse and compendious set of instructions might be drawn up in Chinese, either in pamphlet form. or in the shape of a printed sheet pasted up in some conspicuous place in the junk. couched in the infantile diction that seems best adapted for conveying instruction to the Chinese mind. explaining the reasons for exhibiting the lights and prescribing penalties for not doing so..All the junks under Harbour authority should be compelled to have a copy, a few cash
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A
man of his age, and it is only last week that he came to see me, walking a distance of seven miles at one stretch. Doubtless the indulgence in opium as a habit is both objectionable and undesirable for many reasons, but in my opinion it is quite harmless compared with the use of intoxicating liquors. I have not known single instance in my long experience of any person committing a crime under the influence of opium, but, if I mistake not, more than half the assaults and murders reported throughout the island (Ceylon) are the outcome of drink in one way or another, and yet no serious attempt is made by our would-be philanthropists to restrict the liquor traffic. Verily, they are guides which strain at a gnat and swallow a camel."-Yours etc..
CHOP CHOP.
THE CHINA-BORNEO CO., LD,
The first annual meeting of the above Com-
pany was held at the offices of the Company, No. 4, Queen's Buildings, on the 19th inst. There were present:-Mr.A. G. Wood (chair- man). the Hon. Sir C. P. Chater, Mr. J. Wheeley, general manager, and Messrs. Gershom Stewart, J. Barton, A. W. vau Gibbs, W. Parlane, J. W. C. Bounar, O. Baptista, L. E. Czororio, and Leung Shui Lun.
The CHAIRMAN-Gentlemen,--The report and acc muts have now been in your hands for some days, and I presume there is no objection to th ir being taken as read. The company's operations during the year show a fairly satisfactory result, considering the bad state of business generally during the whole of the period under review, and that a considerable amount of time was lost, in the earlier
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