December 26, 1904.j
our late Governor, Sir Henry Blake, took the chair. I refer to that fact in particular, because an erroneous impression has got about in this Colony that the Navy League are in some way opposed to the Governor and the Government of the Colony, and it is not right for an officer of the Civil Service to belong to it. Sir Henry Blake's presence at Mr. Wyatt's lecture ought to have disposed of that idea. I hope that in future we shall have more support from the large Civil Service of this Colony, also from the Naval and Military services The Navy League, so far from being opposed to the Go vernment, has as its primary object the sup. port of the Government on every possible occa sion, because, we feel with the late Lord Salisbury, that the defence of the nation is the business of the people. Nobody could accuse Lord Salisbury of being an enthusiastic radical, or of in anyway desiring to curry favour with the popular vote. On the 9th May 1900 he said that national defence was the business of the
people and not of the Government, and if we
consider the British Constitution we must say that the words of Lord Salisbury are very well founded indeed, It is quite obvious that taxa- tion is essential for defence, and this comes out of the people. If their support cannot be secur.
ed for expensive measures in preparation for the possibility of war, it is quite obvions that the Naval and Military services must go down and with them the prestige and credit of the British Empire must suffer. As I said, before, it is for us to strive by every
possible means to educate the general body of people, and induce them to give their support. And if Lord Salisbury ex- pressed this opinion in 1900, how much more danger is there now since seeing the large sums expended in the South African War. These who have studied the course of events at home, must have noticed that party amongst whom is Winston Church hill, whose watchword will be that of economy 3 and no doubt that party will complain that we are spending too much on Naval and Military preparations. The Navy League's object is to show that that party is
war
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
to
478
know, who was walking along the grass plot with a small boy, sent the boy in a ricksha for Dr. Cox, who shortly afterwards arrived and had the wounded man, who had a large gash on the head, removed to the hospital. As the wounded man was being taken away Dr. Cox remarked to a bystander that he did not think the man would live to reach the hospital. About the same time the sailors were taken tó the Police Station,
It was understood that the men would be tried by Curt Martial on board the cruiser Askold.
manner they had done. It not only thanked the branch for its valuable assistance, but for the example it has set for years past which has had great effect in stimulating the energies of the people in Shanghai.] In con- nection with the Shanghai Branch, I was speak ing to a member of the committee only a few weeks ago, and I can tell you that that branch is showing very great activity indeed, and I hope the Hongkong branch will not allow themselves to be left behind (Applause). We have had sent out recently from home 100 copies of the British Navy past and present, and 300 Navy | League maps. The committee propose distribute the 100 copies amongst the Schools of the Colony, because it is considered that the education of youth with regard to the Navy is of great importance. The manuals they propose to distribute amongst members, and associates. The authorities here have decided to put seven or eight of the aloops and gunboats into reserve, and I believe the object of doing that is to obtain for torpedo-boat destroyers coming out here. hesitation, to the effect that they will restore That will no doubt be an important addi-China in Manchuria and Liaotung, when Russia tion to the fighting fleet, and as such has has been driven back; the exact terms to be the hearty approval of your committee. At the same time the committee have thought it right to inform the head office of the very
crews
useful work which has been performed by gunboats out here in the Far East in time past. There can be no doubt that these gun- boats have on various occasions, when dis-
turbances have arisen, been
of
very
great
assistance in affording protection to foreign residents in China, and in keeping up the prestige of the British name in places where otherwise Great Britain might not have made any showing at all (applause).
motion
Mr. DAVIES, in seconding the for the adoption of the report. on behalf of absent members thanked the President and committee for the work done by them in con- nection with the League. The motion was
carried.
ELECTION OF COMMITTEE.
Mr. MUMFORD moved that the retiring mem- bers of committee be re-elected with the exception of Messrs. Wilcox and Law who wished to resign as they were leaving the Colony, the former permanently and the latter temporarily, also that Mr. Cruićčk- shank, of Messrs. Jardine,
JAPAN AS CHINA'S PROTECTOR.
A pro-Russian paper in the North publishes the following:-These islanders are indeed a wonderful people, and understand thoroughly how to work themselves in. They make friends with the Chinese and remind them of their kinship. Promises are made without much
settled later on.
China, proud of such glorious, victorious, and generous relatives, feels bound to reciprocate.
We
far as
She engages them to teach her army, and buys arms of all descriptions, to be paid for by instalments. Japan tells her: can do all for you; do not let the aliens build your railway; cancel, as possible, your railway contracts, they dangerous; we will supply you with all neces- ar materials, and you need not pay at once; simply leave the control to us, and we will pay ourselves back out of the large revenue which we will create; and, when all that you owe is
аге
paid, we will hand the whole thing over to you in splendid condition.. What we do in one sphere we will do in all; and you shall no longer be in the hands of the greedy aliens; but under the care of your kinamen. We understand that your treasury is empty, because you have to pay the heavy indemnity to the foreigners, but we want to assist you and help you to get rid of them. We will build all your steamers on the same terms; and, in order to see that all works well, we will take charge of your fiscal system. So don't listen to any foreign proposals, they only want
power and profit." There are, however, many instances in life where relatives have shown themselves more dangerous than stran- gers. China ought to understand that, if she does not take care, she will be entirely under a Japanese protectorate." like Korea; and a far stronger rule than that of the present Ching Dynasty. It is to be hoped, however, that some of the more intelligent Vice- roys and other high officials are beginning to Mr. d'Oettenger, the Russian Vice Consul at see through the dangerous but alluring advice Shangbai, took some further evidence on December 17th in the Bund murder case.
Matheson and
Company, be elected a member. Mr. JOSEPH seconded the motion, which was agreed to.
A vote of thanks to the Chairman concluded the meeting.
THE MURDER ON SHANGHAI BUND.
A foreign wituess stated that at about 4.15 a.m. he heard a loud blowing of police whistles, and saw a large number of people running to wards the Nanking Road jetty. Witness also went to the jetty and on the footpath behind Sir Harry Parkes' statue he saw a Chinaman lying on the ground with a large wound in the head, from which was pouring a large quantity of blood, and close by the body was lying an adze. The Chinaman szemed to be unconscious
mistaken, and to demonstrate that what we pay for preparations is only the insurance we pay for protection of our interests, and the dividend we get out of the money is to be found in the security we get, without which the British Empire would very soon begin to go down (applause). I would ask you to bear in mind that not only would unpreparedness for war, suddenly coming upon us, cause very great damage to our prestige and material prosperity, but, if unfortunately the danger of should ultimately arrive, it is a well known fact that preparations which have to be made hurriedly at the last moment are the most expensive comparatively, and extremely uneconomical (applause). Gentlemen, I would therefore urge that it is incumbent upon us in this Colony to join the Navy League in large numbers, and I think that it is unsatisfactory that out of some 1,200 or more British and other members of this community exclusive of the service, we should only be able to have 235 members and 35 associates. I think it is very. necessary that we should in this far Eastern Colony, dependent as we are upon everything; upon our prosperity, for security of our maritime community, that we should join in great numbers the Hongkong branch of the Navy League. I feel sure we shall find a great number joining here and giving their support to the League. We should remember that the support which is recorded by British residents in this Colony to this branch of the League serves to en- courage the executive of the head office of the Navy League in London, and shows that Hongkong are heart and soul with them to put the defences of the empire, on a sound and safe footing. As is well known to you. the subscription to this branch of the League is a very triding one There is no entrance fee; Witness next saw the tall sailor rop the axe the subscription is only $5 a year for members, and run towards the end of the jetty with the and for associates $2. Therefore nobody can say tailor following close behind; a native constable they cannot afford to join this branch. [Show-rushed towards the men blowing his whistle; ing that the head office of the League sp- some Sikh constables came on the scene and the preciated the work done by the local branch, the
tall sailor began t› struggle with them. The smaller man began to gesticulate wildly and pointing to himself began speaking in the Rus sian language. A lady whom witness did not
speaker read a shortextract from head office which congratulated the committee of the local branch on having assisted them in the past in the
near the end of the jetty were two Russian sailors; one of them, the short man, was stand- ing close to a Sikh policeman, but witness could not see whether they were struggling or not. The police took the two sailors in custody. Shortly afterwards an ambulance came up and the wounded man was placed on it and taken away.
Another witness who was called stated that he was walking along the grass plot on the Bund foreshore towards the Astor House, when he heard the sound of whistles; on looking in the direction from which the sounds proceeded he saw a tail sailor with an axe in his hand.
so-called
**
of their brown cousins; and will still have faith in the counsels of Sir Robert Hart, and those
nations, like Great Britain and America, that have shown their ability and willingness to act in the best future interests of a united and strong China.
FATALITY AT THE DOCKS.
Au inquiry was held at the Magistracy on the 19th instant before Mr. H. H. J. Gomperts touching the death of Charles Frederick Richardson, an able seaman on board H.M.S. Robin, who was found dead in the Kowloon Docks on the 12th instant. Lieut. Commander Baughan, of the Robin, also sat on the Bench. Messrs. J. A. Woodguse, John Heywood and I. S. Perry were empanelled as a jury. first witness called was Dr. Macfarlane, officer in charge of the Mortuary at Kowloon, who made a post-mortem examination of the body. There was a small scalp wound at the back of the head which might have been caused by a fall or a blow. He found death was due to stricture caused by drowning. The head
籮
The
timekeeper of the dock gave evidence as to the finding of the body in the dock in about four or five feet of water. The deposi- tions of several seamen of the Robin went to prove the identification of the deceased, also, that he was a member of a party of blue- jackets who went to render assistance on the occasion of the fire on the s.s. Indravelli. The dock in which he was found, he would have to