ŕ
Anguts 8, 1904.]
HONGKONG JOTTINGS.
-
(Daily Press, 1st August.) Saturday being the first working day of the new tram system, it is perhaps unnecessary to dwell on the blemishes that were to be noticed, I hope that as the novelty wears off the Chinese conductors will learn to abstain from their unnecessary shrieks and yells, and that they will resign themselves to a tender parting with the cluster of Celestial acquaintances whose company on the footboards seemed to them necessary. The noise was distracting, and until it shows signs of abatement. I shall be tempted to stick to the jumpy-bumpy ricksha. My coolie on Saturday night almost turned; green when he saw the occasional flashes from the joined sections of the overhead wires. He plainly regarded the whole thing as “ devil- pidjîn,” and the line as wide a berth as he
could.
gave
The Lady Nathan who was announced in one of the published passenger lists to be accompanying His Excellency the Governor to Hongkong has not arrived, nor has Miss Nathan, who, according to the Colombo papers. was to be entertained with Sir Matthew by Sir Henry and Lady Blake on the arrival of the Moldavia at Colombo. Miss Nathan, in fact. remains in London.
An unusually large number of beggars-both European and Chinese-seem to be on the streets just now, pestering those who pass by for alms. Both classes no doubt keep beyond the ken of the police. but I have heard many complaints lately, especially regarding the importunity of the European beachcombers.
The sport at Saturday's Gymkhana may be summed up in an old phrase"short and sweet." There were at least two ding-dong races, the
last one in which Arranspogus was beaten by a
short head, and the other in which Ca Canny got home, as Willie Freear would say, "winning by a tongue." It seemed indeed from the grand stand as if Desert King might have won if he had put out his tongue at the crucial moment. Eclipse was a pretty beast, and pro- vided excellent sport. The first eccentric race was not a great success, except that it showed Mr. Johnstone's wonderful ability as a circus rider.
The hat-trimming race was fun for everybody. It was amusing to see the row of ladies and their different methods of high-speed millinery; the widely varied attitudes of their waiting squires, bridle in hand, some looking impatient, almost bored; others wisely kneeling and making themselves useful to the fair decorators. The ponies utilised the five minutes of waiting characteristically, by trimraing a little grass for themselves. The concrete paddock, while not so attractive as the lawuLS at Home, is a vast improvement on its sandy predecessor.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
93
It would be amusing if it were not so provoke | justified, and consistent with internatational ing to find other ports still declaring Hongkong law. to be an "infected port." Newchwang has just distinguished itself in this way. I suppose the alleged cause of the decision is the existence of plague here. but the course of the epidemic has now been run, and a week's total cases might now be counted on the fingers of one : hand.
The arrival of the Leviathan to go into dock at Kowloon suggests the reflection that our warships seem to find more uncharted rocks by bamping against them than any other fleet in these waters, naval or mercantile. At the same time it has to be stated that our warships have done more in the way of preparing charts of the China coast than any other, and such accidents as have occurred recently to the Sparrowhawk and the Leviathan ouly serve to show that after fifty years of this work it still does not do. on parts of the coast, but rarely frequented by large ships, to rely with too much confidence on the charts.
BANYAN
THE WAR.
FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.]
THE RUSSIAN VOLUNTEER
CRUISERS.
CONTROVERSY PASSED ACUTE
STAGE.
LONDON, 28th July. Mr. Balfour announced in the House of of Commons this afternoon that Russia had
given an undertaking that the Volunteer ships in the Red Sea shall be withdrawn. The controversy had passed the acute stage, and he believed Russia would give orders to prevent a recurrence of incidents like that of the Knight Commander. The question of compensation for the complained of was still open.
PORT ARTHUR.
acts
BELIEVED TO BE CAPTURED. LONDON, 30th July.
|
EVACUATION OF HAICHENG.
LONDON, 3rd Angust. The evacuation of Haicheng is confirmed by the Russians.
CONFIRMATION FROM KOBE.
KOBE, 4th August. Haicheng was occupied by the Japanese troops without opposition. The Russians are retreating.
(REUTER'S SERVICE.]
INTERNATIONAL LAWLESSNESS.
LONDON, 81st July. The American Government has issued a semi-official statement declaring that regardless of the rules propounded by Russia respecting the sinking of neutrals, America holds that it is opposed to all modern principles of international law.
The Russian Press is adopting a strong attitude in regard to sinking of neutrals with contraband, and maintains that the sinking of the Kaight Commander was entirely justified on account of the im- possibility of taking her into port.
JAPANESE OFFICIAL TELEGRAMS.
THE RECENT BATTLE AT TASHIKIAO.
Tokyo, 29th July. General Oku further reports, among other things, that according to the statement of captured Russian officers, General Kuropat kin was present on the battlefield, that Generals Sakaloff and Condradovitch were wounded, and that the Russian casualties were about 2,000. Our casualties amount to 1,000; the booty and number of prisoners taken are under investigation.
HAICHENG AND NEWCHWANG OCCUPIED.
TOKYO, 4th August. General Oku reports that the retreating
The British Fleet are to return to Wei-enemy have not stopped travelling north haiwei to-morrow.
since the 2nd inst.
It is believed that Port Arthur has been
Our army occupied Haicheng and New. captured. The Japanese loss is reported to chwang on the 3rd instant. have been 11,000.
THE RUSSIAN DECISION.
LONDON, 30th July.
The Russian Foreign Office has decided that her Volunteer cruisers Smolensk and St. Petersburg shall remain in commission
if thought necessary, to as warships, with the right to search and, sink neutral vessels.
GENERAL KELLER KILLED AT HAICHENG.
邋
that the
[JAPANESE OFFICIAL REPORTS,]
ANOTHER JAPANESE VICTORY. Mr. Noma, Japanese Consul, received a telegram last evening from Tokyo, stating Tomoucheng attacking force engaged the enemy on the 30th and 31st ultimo around that place. The Russians were strongly entrenched on the neigh- bouring heights, fifteen miles to the south- east of Haicheng. Fierce fighting, lasting throughout the second day, resulted in the Japanese left wing expelling the
LONDON, 2nd August. There has been more fighting, the Japan-enemy ese western columns having come in contact with the Russian force strongly posted at Haicheng, last stronghold before Liaoyang,
General Keller was killed. The first on its way to
As usual, there was a considerable exodus of residents from the Colony for the Bank Holiday, The bulk of the holiday-makers, of course, went to Macao, where the rooms at the hotels had been booked weeks in advance. Fan-tan croupiers must have had a busy, and it is safe to add, a profitable time. In this connection I may mention a report which is current that a Belgian company is arranging. or perhaps I
on their front. Having occupied ought to say, trying to arrange for the opening
the vacated position, they menaced the of a Casino at Macao, on Monte Carlo lines. A
rear of the enemy's main body, and the considerable item in the revenue account of
the night in the directon of Haicheng. Russians thereupon fell back, retreating in the neighbouring Portuguese Colony is the sum paid for the fan-tan monopoly, and I pre-Russian army corps is
General Alexieff in person commanded sume the terms of the agreement with the
the two Russian divisions of infantry and Government are comprehensive enough to exclude the Casino at least during the con-
seven batteries of artillery. The Japanese tinuance of the agreement. But the promoters
captured six field guns and some prisoners, meu. Que of the Casino, so the report runs, have offered
losing nearly four hundred LONDON, 3rd August. to dredge the harbour by way of inducement The reply of the Russian Government, to hundred and fifty Russian corpses were As, however, they stipulated that the mud so removed from the harbour should be regarded seizure of the Malacca, is an acceptance of the British protest in the matter of the as their property, the Government did not
our declaration that the ammunition on regard the inducement with favour, as Macao mud, I understand, is one of the assets of the board was Government stores for Hongkong. Colony, being regarded I am told as a valuable It announces that the commissions of the constituent in the manufacture of cement. Petersburg and Smolensk have expired. And so the Casino project remains but a Russia still insists, however, that the project.
operations of the Volunteer Fleet were
Vladivostock.
RUSSIA AND ENGLAND.
counted on the field.
FURTHER FIGHTING.
TOKIO, August 2. General Kuroki reports that our army com. menced operations at daybreak of the 31st July for attacking the enemy, who occupied Yushulin- tze (four miles west of Hsihoyen) and Yangtzul- ing (six miles west of Motienling). Both places
A