July 16, 1904.)
likely at this season retort:
<
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
The Public Works Department are not to be congratulated on their management of affairs at Queen's Road East. Arsenal Street has been blocked for some time, and the road notices have ricksha traffic through that somewhat unsavoury been so situated as to divert the whole of the byway. Ship Street.
1
The Police have decided to appl at the decision as to bamboo poles. Mr. Gompertz, Supreme Court regarding Mr. Gompertz's it will be remembered, recently held that coolies carrying bamboo poles along side-walks, under verandahs, etc.. were not, under the ordinance, causing an obstruction. The necessary $500. I understand. has been deposited at the Supreme Court, in the name of a Chinese constable, a If the Chief Justice's finding in the matter is recent complainant, to defray the cost of appeal. the same as Mr. Gompertz's there will b● need for legislation.
year
14 Bother you and your promotion. Go and catch some of these burglars who are annoying us.' It is particularly foolish to allege, as we are informed is being done, that there has been favouritism, that the Officer Administering the Government has overlooked or over- ridden the recommendations of the Captain Superintendent of Police. Assuming for a moment so iusupposable a case, the possibility of injustice is no whit increased, seeing that in his time, playing, as is the lot of Service men, many parts, the Officer Administering the Government has per- formed the functions of Police Captain, and may be supposed to know, much better than the malcontents give him credit for, the needs of the service and the deserts of the men therein. In one instance, the grievance is that men of longer service were passed over, and the obvious reply is The business, calling, or profession of a thief that for a special service a man with in Hongkong appears to be on the whole both special qualifications was selected. Some safe and profitable. Rarely indeed is the wily times, as in the parable, it is right and burglar caught, and I fancy the number of these proper that the later arrivals at the Vine- rascals carrying on operations in the Colony yard should have their reward, without too
increases as the years roll onward. Last much consideration for the feelings of those the value of the property reported stolen reach who have toiled beneath the heat and believe to be the biggest amount on record ed, according to the police returns, what I burden all the day. One promotion, in in the Colony. which two others were
The precise amount was passed over," has $228.061.37, and property to the value of only the very natural and suitable explanation $26,941.16 was recovered by the police. There that the recipient is more of a sinologue, a were 114 burglaries and 367 larcenies from consideration not to be ignored by the dwelling houses reported to the police last year, authorities, who are at such pains to pro-secured and 25 for larcenies from dwelling but only 28 convictions for burglary were mote among their men the very necessary houses. All of which goes to prove that the study of Chinese. Experience and seniority profession of the Chinese Sykes is both safe are quite English" as steps to advance and profitable in Hongkong. During the past ment, but no sensible person needs to few weeks there has been quite an epidemic of bave pointed out to him the possible impudent burglaries on the island and in Kow- qualifications and qualities of the first. loon. but I have not observed in the police court There is a difference between the man who reports that a single case has been brought in ten years has learned and done some-
before the magistrates, except that in which thing, and the man who in five has learned is it? I am told that one terrace in Kowloon Mr. Fung Wa Chun was the victim. Why and done more, and the sum of that has. in the space of a few days, been treated to difference, malgre the susceptibilities of the a succession of nocturnal visitations by burglars, ten year man, ought to be promotion for the and as further evidence of their impudence and abler junior. Some energy and zeal and daring I am informed that valuables have study will do more to entitle the policeman even been removed, and in one case a revolver, to the uniform, emolument, and honour of from under pillows while the owners slumbered the inspectorship than the longest term of Colony this year as last I am unable to say, but and slept. Whether robbery is as rife in the service, especially if part of that term has it is at least far more rife than it ought to be. been devoted to nothing more effectual than and in view of the public dissatisfaction with kicking against the pricks," or cavilling this state of things the Government might at the discretionary doings of superior very well consider the advisability of holding officers. No doubt, however, the tourmur-
an inquiry into the organisation, strength and ings that have been brought to our notice efficiency of the Police Force. will subside, and be no more thought o' save with a little self-shaine, perhaps, when the first flush of disappointment has paled. In which case it is unnecessary to offer un- wanted advice to a very, on the whole. praiseworthy body of meu; and it should suffice to remind them, as the "consumma- tion devoutly to be wished," that (as indicated in the recent Government paper relating to police probationers) the requirements of the Public Service should rank before every other consideration."
"
of
HONGKONG
46
JOTTINGS.
(Daily Press 11th July.) A correspondent enquires of me what is the respective rank that the Governor of Hongkong holds in relation to the Naval and Military Commanders in the Colony. Well. Sir Matthew Nathan, for instance, will be honorary Lieut.-General of the Forces and honorary Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. But his honorary positions interfere in no way with the prerogative of those two Executive Commanders. Troops can be moved and warships despatched without reference to the Governor, though he, as ultimate representative of His Majesty the King here, enjoys superior rank by courtesy. Of course in the case of local trouble the Governor
could call upon either Commander to lend
assistance, but this would be more in the nature of a request than an order.
When comparatively young men write the biographies of old men errors of fact are bound to creep into the story unless it is compiled from written or printed records. In the the career of the late Mr. Dorabjee old residents accounts which have appeared in the Press of have noted a few such errors, one at least-of which in the interests of historical accuracy is worth correcting. It is, am informed, hardly correct to say that the late Mr. Dorabjee was the founder of the Kowloon ferry service. That distinction belongs to Mr. Grant Smith, who is still residing in the Colony. Mr. Smith came to Hongkong in 1862, and when he took a trip home in 1868, he purchased from the firm of Yarrow and Hedley the engine for the first steam launch that was employed in the waters of the Colony. He subsequently sent further orders of the kind to the firm. getting the boats built here. Mr. Smith started a ferry service with a twin-screw launch in 1870, but thirty-four years ago the passenger traffic between the island and the mainland was not what it is to-day, and the first effort to establish a ferry service was consequently not a paying one. Times have changed since then, and when it is added that the firm which supplied Hongkong with its first steam launch was a struggling little concern we can say that firms have changed with the times, for the old firm of Yarrow and Hedley is now known the wide-
world over as the great Thames shipbuilding
firm of Yarrow & Co.
BANYAN.
THE WAR.
LAND OPERATIONS.
(REUTER'S SERVICE.]
ON THE ROAD TO MUKDEN.
LONDON, 7th July. General Sakharoff reports a general ad. vance of the Japanese ou the 6th instant from Siung-Yo-Cheng northwards. The Russ ans in retiring sustained a score of casualties. The Japanese are eight miles south-east of Kaichow.
THE NORTHERN ARMY.
LONDON, 9th July, after severe fighting General Oku occupied Reuter's Tokyo correspondent wires that Kaiping on Friday.
General Sakharoff estimates the strength of the Japanese force advancing south of Kai Chow (Kaiping) at a division of infantry, two regiments of cavalry and sixty guns.
Japanese camp was discovered at Siaoketzza, On the morning of the 7th instant, a vast
Kai Chow (Kaiping). The enemy have now east of the railway, seven miles south of resumed their advance along the railway.
FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT. |
JAPANESE CAPTURE KAIPING.
KOBE, 9th July, 3.35 p.m. Peninsula, souta of Newchwang, is captured Kaiping, ou the west of the Lisotung by the Japanese.
The Japanese left Sinag-yo, or Hsiung-yo, last [This is part of the advanos on Makien. Wednesday.—ED.]
[JAPANESE OFFICIAL DESPATCHES.] OFFICIAL CORROBORATION.
TOKYO, 10th July. 5.10. p.m. armuy commenced operations for occupying General Oku reports that the second Kaiping on the 6th inst.
from their positions, we finally occupied After successfully dislodging the Russians Kaiping and neighbouring heights on the
9th inst.
CLEARING THE ROAD,
TOKYO, 10th July, 10.20 p.m. just., our detachment, after expelling 300 General Kuroki reports that on the 6th
thirty miles north-east of Saimachi. Russian cavalry, occupied Hsienchang--- There
inst. we repulsed 1,300 cavalry of the were no casualties on our side. On the 5th
Chichinsky regiment which came to attack casualties were 4 killed and 3 wounded. us near to and north of Fenshuiling. Our
[REUTER'S SERVICE.]
VAGUE.
LONDON, 11th July. days round Port Arthur. According to one Fighting has been going on for several account the Russians lost 1,700 in one encounter on the 7th instant, but nothing official has been received from either side.
The Port Arthur organ the Nove Krai says that the warships left the harbour and participated in the fighting.
RUMOUR CONFIRMED.
LONDON, 12th July. The Neueste Nachrichten announces that
three weeks ago, representatives of Berlin Banks signed & contract with St. Petersburg for a loan of Marks 50,000,000 at 5 %.