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October 17, 1904.]
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADË REPORT.
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in the press gallery as the Hansard and the Times men indistinctly heard the remark, and- decided amongst themselves that its purport was newspaper reports. Mr. Churchill was gravely Rats," and so it appeared in several of the rebuked in the press for the use of this undig. nified observation, and has had therefore to defend himself. While he does not quarrel with an ingenious paraphrase, he takes, be says the strongest objection to this form. Unofficial members of our own Council must not therefore model their style on this example. One moral to be drawn from the incident is the hear what is spoken. I have seen a few amusing advisability of seating reporters where they can instances of this nature in Hongkong.
Burma has been "most satisfactory." Ou | shoals and settle everywhere. The move | reporters who are not so advantageously placed the Times's own showing, the superlative meut of soldiers will begin at Hamoyang was misplaced. However, having discreetly (10th moon) and the night man will hedged," the Times finally faces the appear. When the five tigers come on the inevitable, and reaches a safe conclusion by scene the foreigners' life will be a thing adding: When, however, the separation of the past. The middle continent will comes, it may be hoped that the reasons for with difficulty be kept intact. Her hills the change will not be that the Indian and citadels are worth striving for. On Government has failed in its duty, or has both sides of the railway great disorder is been found lacking in statesmanship; but evident. The lotus flower is in full bloom, rather that, having created a prosperous The suffering of the people is full. Those and well-governed province, it must perforce who grasp the meaning of this should hand it over to others, since the administra- ! avert the calamity and flee for their tion of India proper is a sufficiently onerous lives, thus saving their whole family to task for any Government." The real ques- the third generation." He adds that tion has nothing to do with finding fault in the west of Hounn, Boxers are very with the past. Mr. LEELAND has done 80, numerous and audacious, and he states but that is Mr. IRELAND's way. The point that he has seen a proclamation by an offi. is that Burma, having made marvellous cin! announcing that all foreigners are to be progress under and in spite of India, is killed on the 15th of the 8th moon (23rd of capable of still greater expansion, and that | October); that all their followers are to be to:
this would be likely to come about more expeditiously if the present handicaps were .removed.
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BOXERISM AGAIN.
(Daily Press, 15th October.) That the spirit of reaction or anti-foreign feeling which in 1900 took the form of Boxerism is not by any means extinct in the North we are frequently reminded by warnings from foreigners resident in the interior. How far we are to accept these warnings as proofs that the embers of the -flame of nuti-foreign hatred, which assumed 80 sanguinary a hue a few short years ago still smoulder and are liable to blaze up again at any moment it is difficult to decide. It most not he forgotten that, however rampant hatred of the foreigner may be in the interior, and even in the capital, a lesson has been taught to the mandarins and to the Government that will not soon be forgotten. The Empress Dowager and her supporters have learned that, even with a crowd of fanatic Boxers behind them, the Chinese forces are wholly insufficient to enable them to bid defiance to the Treaty Powers. At the same time it is possible-aud due notice should be taken of the fact-that the Boxers may get up a rising which all the strength of the Feking Governinent would be powerless to cope with, and a new Government knowing little of foreign resources aud caring as little might suddenly spring into exist euce on the wreck of the Ta-t'aing dynasty. We say "might" advisedly, because we do not believe the Boxers are eitber sufficiently armed or prepared to risk a trial of strength with the Imperial forces. On the other band, there is also the possibility that this association has honeycombed the capital and chief cities, and could at once, on rais. ing its standard, seduce a large proportion of the Imperialist troops to follow it. Some rather suspicious circumstances have occur- red of late showing that the feeling of the official class is far from cordial towards foreigners, and that at least a considerable proportion of the mandarins would willingly. join in any movement against foreigners if
it could be shown that such demonstration could be safely indulged.
The Honan correspondent of our Shang-
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Members of the Volunteer Corps "who are desirous of taking a servant to camp' given instructions how to go about it in the last issued orders from Headquarters. It seems me rather farcical to have a camp at all if the men are to be allowed to have servants with them. If they have boys to cook and wash for them, to clean their boots and keep their ac- coutrements in order they might as well take coolies along to do their heavy gun-drill.
is evident from the number of dances already That we have got fairly into the cool season held or else arranged for. One of the most popular series of dances last winter was that promoted by the Masonic Quadrille Olub, and I am glad to hear that there is to be a con- tinuation of these dances this season. A meeting of the management committee is to be held next Wednesday evening to make the final
BANYAN.
removed immediately afterwards; and an advance will then be made to Peking. This may be mere brag, it may be a sportive attempt to create a panic and scare the foreigner, or it may be what is intended if only the conspirators are ready. Meantime, however, it is some consolation to note that the orops in North China have been ex- cellent, and the people will be correspond ingly more difficult to arouse, but none the less such threats as thos: above mentioned ought not to be passed over by the author ties, who could, if so disposed, readily pre vent the issue of these mischievous placards. There is always danger of outbreaks when the populace see that the issue of such notices is followed by no official disclaimer or contradiction. It therefore behoves the Foreign Representatives to keep a sharp watch on these demonstrations and to endeavour to discover what, if any, force lies behind. They ought, meantime, to insist upon the Chinese authorities issuing BEFORE HIS HONOUR T. SERCOMBE SMITH counter placards, probibiting such expres- sions and punishing, where practicable, the authors of such incendiary notices.
HONGKONG JOITINGS.
10th October.
held under the new Pilots Ordinance have In shipping circles the examinations now being naturally been much discussed. European can. didates are not so plentiful, it appears, as the authorities anticipated. The reason, I under. stand, is the meagreness of the pilot's pay according to the regulations. I am told it is not so low anywhere else on the China coat. out licences do not take kindly to the examina- It is also noticeable that those who wish to take tion. "I have been bringing ships into this harbour for many years and never had an accident." said a captain of one of the merchant steamers to me, but the probability is that I should be flummoxed in such an examination as the authorities consider necessary." And he imagined this would be the case with many excellent Chinese pilots who have been piloting here for years. There must be some test of efficiency, but whether proof of the fact that a man has been piloting for at least five years in these waters is a sufficient warrant for the issue of licences must be left to the decision of the responsible authorities.
In a bantering letter published in the Daily Press last week a correspondent incidentally set
arrangements..
SUPREME COURT.
Saturday, 8th October.
IN SUMMARY JURISDICTION.
(PUISNE JUDGE).
A NEW TERRITORY LAND CASE. His Lordship delivered judgment in the case in which Ma Fu Shan, 17, Gage Street, sued Tang Yun Kwong, land owner, Kowloontsai, and Ng Sik Ki, trader, of the Sze Wo shop. Yaumati, for $1,087.16 (restricted to $1,000), being 8950 paid by the plaintiff to the first defendant by way of deposit on the signing of the plaintiff on the one side and the two defendants an agreement, dated-March, 1903, made between together with one Poon Ming on the other, whereby it was agreed inter alia that if the
defendant should fail to obtain a certificate or other evidence of his title to certain
premises mentioned in the agreement and thereby agreed to be sold to the plaintiff within two years from 18th March, 1903, or if the decision of the Land Court or
any superior Court should be adverse to such
title
should be repaid to the plaintiff with interest which was the case), the said deposit at the rate of 10 per cent, from the date of the agreement; and $37.16 interest on the sum of $950 from 18th March, 1908, till 29th August, 1904. The defendant Ng Sik Ki was sued as surety for the repayment of the deposit and interest. Mr. A. U. Holborow, of Messrs. Deacon, Looker and Descon, solicitors, appeared for the plaintiff.
with a stay of execution in the case of Ng Sik Judgment was for the plaintiff with costs,
Ki pending the stamping of a document which was among the productions.
Monday, 10th October.
IN SUMMARY JurisdictION.
(PUISNE JUDGE.)
hai morning contemporary, writing from up a defence of flippancy in the debates of our Taikang-hsien, under date the 24th ult., a rising politician recently irreverently exclaim- Legislative Council by quoting the report that insists that Boxerism is not dying out in ed "Rats" by way of commenting on a state- BEFORE HIS HONOUE T. SERCOMBE SMITE that province, and that now the harvestment which was being made by a Minister in the season is practically over, these agitators are beginning to show activity by putting up placards in the towns. He gives the following translation of one recently posted in a neighbouring district :- The unavoid ale calamity is at hand. Blood and water will flow in floods. Foreigners come in
House of Commons, and the remark was allowed chair. Thereby hangs a tale amusing enough to to pass without a dignified reproof from the
the hon. member was not guilty of theirreverence secure space in this column. The joke is that some of the reporters charged him with. What he actually exclaimed was: Experience has dissipated these predictions." Some of the
A PROMIS80BY NOTE CABE.
Kwok Shut Ting sued the Yuen Ling firm note for $502.90, dated 11th March, 1904, and for $532.90, being money due on s promissory 630 lant by plaintiff to defendants on 9th 1904. Plaintiff also claimed interest until pay ment after judgment.