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292
Li Hsien-jui, the newly appointed Viceroy of Liang-Kiang, is reported to be seriously ill and he has asked to be allowed to resign. The post will probably be given to Chang-Chih-tang again if the request is granted by the Govern- ment.
The Japanese Military Administrator at Yinkow has issued orders to the pop lace to report to the military doctors esses of sickness of any description. They will be punishel if any of them conosal any sickness. The idea is to prevent the introduction of plagas,
The overdus French s.s. Melita arrived safely from Tourane, Indo-China, yesterday. She left porton the 5th inst., and, being a very small vessel, found it impossible to make headway against the strong N.E. monsoon. In due
course her bunker coal was eaten up, or nearly so, and the vessel had to put into Hoihow to replenish her supply. Altogether she took seven days over a two days' passage.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
In the Summary Court yesterday Ying Koif and Lin Wo, cook and boy to Mr. S. Swart, sued him for $15.8 and $18 respectively in respect of wages... Mr. Justics Sarcombe Smith after hearing evidence gave judgment against | the defendant, but advised him to prosecute the plaintiffs in the Police Court for having left his service before their time had expired. The defendant thanked his Lordship for the advice, but said he preferred to let the matter rest as it stood. It should be mentioned that an im- pudent letter was received by the defendant from the plaintiffs in the course of the case.
The members of the "Apostleship of Prayer," & religious confraternity in Macao, have es- tablished two schools for primary instruction, not only for their own associates, but also for whoever chooses to make use of them. One of these schools for Chinese alone has been in working order since May, and has had a daily
attendance of 117. The members desire to
instruction of Chinese boys, Catholic and non- Catholic; to teach them Religion, and the Portugues and English langaigas. A fre library is also named as an object in the circular soliciting subscriptions.
A Chinese gentleman, Mr. B. C. Wan, well-establish other schools in order to promote the known to foreigners and Chinese officials in Chinkiang and Nanking as the popular Inter preter of the American Consulats, first at Chinkiang and then in Nanking, for a period of twenty years, resigned from the American Consular service on the 1st instant to accept the higher post of special attaché tɔ Hi, Excellency the Viceroy of the Liangkian provinces and a member of the Secretariat of the Head Bureau of Foreign Affairs of the
Liangkiang provinces. Mr. B. C. Wan's official rank is that of First-class Secretary of the Imperial Patent Of, a department of the Grand Secretariat in Peking.
The Tientsin China Review says:- -We welcome to the town Mr. H. Rassell Brazier, who has just arrived here from Hongkong, where he was long and favourably known, to take over the duties hitherto carried out by Mr. Parrie, the Transvaal emigration agent, wao is shortly leaving to return to South Africa. Mr. Brazier is a fusnt Chinese scholar, and has already had some experience in connsotion with the coolie labour question in the south. He recently also visited the enlistment depots, en route, at Weihsiwei and Chefoɔ; and leaves here on Monday for Chingwautas to make an inspection and arrange as to the dispatch of the next steamer, which will leave in about a week. A number of khaki-clad medical students congregated at Tientsin station on the 1st inst., to bid farewell to two doctors and four senior medical students, all of whom were members of the Chinese medical college. They are journeying to Liaoyang to assist Dr. West- water, who has one hundred and seventy-five patients (Chinese) in his hospital; a large amount of hospital stores were also taken with them. Their professor, Dr. Mitoui, accom. panies them as far as Yinkow. The dress is one of the smartest in the Imperial servics. being a blue serge with red collar, trimmed with gold braid: black velvet cuffs, on which are three gold bands. The hat is of the usual official kind, in the centre being a silver disc, surrounding which is a gold wreath, while in the centre is a red glass oros8.
The first party of Japanese prisoners of war, to the number of 256, including 68 officers, ar- rived at Pensa on 6th inst. Among them are four Englishmi who were osptured at the sinking of the transports by the Vladivostock Squadron. The party left next day for Rjashsk, in the goverament of Rjasan. An English lady living at Ekaterinburg, in Biberia, writes that Japanese woun·led and prisoners are arriving there in large numbers. With the prisoners are many Japanese women, who are being snatched up as servants by the European households while the men are being engaged by the trades. psople as porters and messengers. The Japan ess prisoners are being distributed in all the large towns of Siberia, and their arrival in those sparsely populated districts is looked upon as a blessing. The Russian army in Manchuris is composed, mostly of conscripts, who dise been called to the colours from the rich agricultural districts of Siberia, so that the farmers and tradesmen, as well as the mill-owners and other employers of labour, have been left exceedingly short-handed. The handy little Japs have, therefore, come at an opportune moment. They are a cheerful lot of men and have few com- plaints to make about their treatment by the Russians.
-;
its ricksha pullers, for recently the
Malacca has had cause to realise the value of chief means of transport -3s a local paper tersely describes the coolies as a class-suddenly decided to go on strike.
The men on receiving their licenses were given identification tickets and badges, without which no one was allowed to propel a ricksha. The coolies used to exchange these tickets and badges, often with the result that a certificate granted to a young and healthy puller got into the hands of a man old and municipal authorities discovered this system of decrepit and utterly unfit for the work. The transfer and raised objections, the result being that some of the coolies were brought before the magistrate, fined, and their vehicles ordered to be confiscated. A petition was made to the Governor, but it was returned, and the coolies one and all determined to go on strike, most of them leaving their rickshas to go and work on the railway. Eventually, on requests of the ricksha owners would be con- a promise being made that the complaints and sidered at & special meeting of the Municipal Commission, the strike ended and the coolies resumed their business.
TRADE ITEMS.
0:
The Siam Observer reports that several automobiles are on board the German steamer Prinzess Alice, destined fo: Bangkok residents.
With characteristic enterprise, the Yokohams Specie Bank is making preparations to establish an agency at Liaoyang.
The salvage steamer Industrie (a Swedish Vessel) arrived here from Stockholm recently She has come out on speculation, and is owned in Shanghai.
It is notified that Mr. Gay D. B. Bidwell has severed his connection with the well-known Tientsin firm of brokers, Watts. Back and Bidwell, and will join Messrs. William Forbes and Co. Tientsin will not therefore lose one of her best sportsmen and keenest business men. Messrs. Watts and Buck continue their old firm.
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[October 17, 1904.
According to the British Consular report on the trade of Yucatan, the importation of Chinese labourers for the hemp plantations there has proved highly successful. It is eslculated that nearly 10,000 have entered the State of late, and it is probable that they will continue coming, as they earn good wages and are well treated. Their work, so far, has proved satisfactory, and if mɔrs comɔ, as is most pro- bable, immense advantage will score to the State in general, as one of its greatest difficulties has always been the scarety of hands, as the ordinary immigrant cannot do the work required or stand the climate.
We hear, says the Tentsin Times, that the Astor Hous) Hotel at Peitaiho will shortly become the property of a limitel liability com piny. The sum mentioned to us as capital was Tis. 10,000, half of which would be taken up by the present proprietor. If the figures are correct there would not be the least difficulty in ` effecting the arrangement, as the venture is assured of future prosperity. The foundations of the hotel have been so well made that they will allow of further storeys being added which will do away with the necessity of purchasing more land. The site to› of the building could
not be bettered.
I
It is reported from Weihaiwei, says the Chefo Daily News, that Messrs L. W. Sing Tai & Co, of Chefoo, have practically completed negotiations for the purchase of the King's Hotel there. The property is a valuable one, and under normal conditions enjoys a liberal patronage from guests arriving from points as far away as Singapore, Chefoo and Weihaiwei, being the summer resorts of the China coast. Messrs. Sing Tai & Co., are largely intereste i in hotel property locally, having added to their former holding (the Sea View Hotel) by the purchase of the Beach Hotel from Mr. R. Perez early this season.
The Correspondent of the Malay Mail writes that the Foochow Chinese Agricultural Colony established in September of last year at Sitiawan, Lower Perak, shows a very satisfactory growth. The Colonists, who for four or five months have occupied their own holdings and are
living in very suitable houses built by them. selves, seem to have every prospect of suc3933. Their chief crop hitherto has been sweet potatoes. Not much of this produce has been sold in the markets, the producers' preferring to use the tubers in fattening pigs.” The fat and sleek animals are indeed a sure proof of the nourishing quality of these potatoes. A fine commencement has been made in planting Para rubber a id cocoanuts, and for next year a good rice barvest is expected.
Messrs. Cawarjee Pallanjes & Cɔ. reported on the 7th instant: Since the issue of our last circular dated the23rd ultimo, our Yarn Market, during the period under review ruled rather weak. Owing to telegraphic news of decline in the prices of raw cotton and the weak tone at Bombay, importers showed great anxiety to quit their holdings, and the news from the interio and the consuming districts not being favourable the dealers showed less inclination to operate, hence prices declined from one to two dollars per bale all round. The business reported was for immediate requirements only. The dealers are afraid of a rise in the rate of Exchange and subsequently a fa 1 in prices of yarn, hence the slackuess of demand. A very limited business is
The steamer Canton left Shanghai on October 4th, ostensibly bound for Hongkong, but having reported in No. 203. of selected threads at a that she intended to try to force the blockade decline of $1 with a trivial business passing. A twenty-five days' coal on board; it is supposed decline of $1 to $2 per bale. No. 16s. show MĚ
On arriving at Woosung she moderate business is reported in No. 12s, at last at Port Arthur. broke down, and instead of returning to Shang-mail's rates and in some instances at a decline hai, workmen were sent down to her by a local of $1 per bale. As usual the bulk of the engineering firm late at night to effect the business is done in No. 10s. No. 85, and 68. necessary repairs.
move slowly at quotations. The market closes Some friction has arisen between the Gorer- unsteady. Siles during the past fortnight of Che-kiang and the French Consul- comprise about 50 bales of No. 6.; 25 bales of General at Shanghai with regard to the desire No. 8s.; 1,360 bilss of No. 10s.; 410 bales of of a French merchant to run steam launches No. 128.; 125 bales of No. 168.; and 380 bales of between Shanghai and Shao-hsin Fa. The No. 20s. in all about 2,350 bales. Arrivals per Consul insists that there is no such danger as steamers Malta, Catherine Apear, Namsäng; the Chinese officials are afraid of because the Capri, and Coromandel of about 9,800 balos. promoter of the company has himself surveyed Shipments to Shanghai and the Northern Ports the waterways and finds them quite suitable for about 2,500 bales. The unsold stock is estimated. the purpose. He asks the Governor te
at about 21,000 bales. 1,00al Yarn:-No the Customs Taotai that the compan will soon
business reported. Japanese Yarn :-Sales are be established. The matter wü probably be reported of about 100 bales of No. 6s, at $132 referred to Peking.
Jorm
per bale.