May 1, 1905.]
HONGKONG'S REVENUE.
The account of the Colony's revenue and expenditure from the 1st to 31st January, 1905, showing the increase or decrease auder the various heads for the same period of last year is published in the Hongkong Government Gazette.
The revenue was $608,635.88 as against
$492,437.34 for the same period of last year, and the expenditure $566,568.38 as against 8475,548.03.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
MISCELLANEOUS.
A quantity of arms found on a fishing boat in Junk Bay was ordered to be confiscated at the Police Court on the 29th April, the owner not having a licence.
His Excellency the Governor has been
a
pleased to appoint Mr. H. W. Slade to be Mr. E. A. Hewett, resigned. member of the Sanitary Board in place of
His Excellency the Governor has been
The assets and liabilities on the 31st January, pleased to appoint provisionally or until further 1905, were as follows:-
notice Mr. W. J. Tutcher to act as super- intendent of the Botanical and Afforestation Department.
ASSETS.
Crown agents' balance
Bank balance
Do.
advance
Advances, &o.
$645,490.94 28,676.55 82,580:64 113,925.68
Subsidiary Coins
550,000.00
Suspense House Service
Total...
1,484.83
$1,422,158.64
LIABILITIES,
Deposits not available
Crown agents' drafts ..
Money order remittances...
Officers' remittances...
...$604,620.88 200,000,00 19,857.08 354.32
Total Liabilities... 824,832.28 Balance
Total
597,326.36
$1,422,158.64
The financial returns for the year 1904 show botal payments 8:9.071,412.21, leaving a nett balance on the 31st December of $314,257.69.
the
HONGKONG'S WATER SUPPLY. During 1904, the period of intermittent supply was 185 days as compared with 137 days during 1903. At the close of the year contents of the storage reservoir amounted to 341 million gallons. The total quantity of water supplied during the year was 1,267,362,000 gallons filtered and 22,429,000 gallons unfiltered, making a grand total 1,289,791,000 gallons or 21,186,000 gallons less than in 1903. This decrease is due to the intermittent supply being 'kept on for a longer period than is usual.
The building of Sharp's Memorial Hospital, Mount Kellett, is nearing completion. The new Military Hospital, Bowen Road, which has been in progress for over two years, is also nearing completion.
H. E. the Governor has appointed pro- visionally, or until further notice, Mr. E. C. L. Lewis to be a director of the Widows and Orphans' Pension Fund, vice Mr. C. Mol. Messer, on leave.
H. E. the Governor has appointed Major C. L. Josling, R.A.M.C., Aoting Principal Medical Officer of Troops, to be a member of the Sanitary Board in place of Colonel Webb, R.A.M.C., resigned.
The ex-Viceroy of Fukien, Wei Kuang-tao, has been studying the war in Manchuria. He now advocates for the province two artillery divisions, and points out that the country is too mountainous for cavalry.
According to returns made by the Japanese authorities on the 7th instant, the Russian prisoners now interned at various places in
numbered 58,759. Japan
A considerable number have yet to come forward from the field.
that
A Foochow telegram to the Shenpao states a numerously signed protest to the Waiwupu has been sent by the gentry of that city opposing the granting to a French syndicate now pushing its claims at Peking of certain mining rights in Fukien province, The Burmese in the paddy districts think that Japan will probably purchase rice in Burma in May and June, and are holding on to their stocks in that hope. Itis feared that a good many of them will lose money in consequence of the high interest they have to pay to the money lenders for advances,
The new floating dry dock for the Philippines,
Company, Sparrow Point, Maryland, is Dow nearly completed. It is destined for Olongapo, Subig Bay, P.I., the new American naval station in the Far East. The dock is capable of lifting the largest battleship.
The average consumption of filtered water per day during constant supply was 4,390,000 gallons, which with an estimated population of 224,000 gives an average daily consumption of 19-6 gallons per head for all purposes. During intermittent supply the average daily consump-building at the yard of the American Steel tion was 113 gallons per head, equivalent to a total daily supply of 2,524,000 gallons, whilst, taken over the whole year, the average consump- tion per head per day amounted to 154 gallons. The quantity pumped to the high level district of the City amounted to 49,001,000 gallons over the whole year equal to an average daily consumption of 133,882 gallons, whilst 26,180,00 gallons were pumped to the peak district giving an average daily consumption of 77,000 gallons.
CHINESE ESTIMATES.
The repairs necessitated by the recent fire at the Eastern Tombs is affording a most welcome opportunity to officials and coutractors for a little "legitimate" speculation. There bave not been any Imperial buildings to repair or construct at a convenient distance from Peking for some time, so all concerned will, of course, make the most of the present chance, actual estimate for the repairs is estimated at Tls. 1,800,000, but if four tenths is to be given to the contractor the estimate will be rendered Tls. 4,500,000, and if three tenths go to the contractor it will read Tis. 6.000,000. This is in strict accordance with the accepted rule
The
in all official contracts. Of what use is it to talk of the old China baving passed away, and a new era having dawred when such things as these are not only told in the car but boldly proclaimed on the housetops as part and parcel of official and legal precedure. In regard to Imperial prejudice and royal exclusiveness Mr. and Mrs. Conger may have done something, though the barri was already being demolished at the time of their arrival. But beyond that we regret we can see very little of the great transformation of which so much is spoken.-Peking Times.
A Seoul despatch received by the Jiji states that the Belgian Representative there has requested the Korean Foreign Office to grant a gold-mining concession to a Belgian syndicate. This action is said to have been taken in order to secure the balance of influence with Italy, a mining concession having recently been granted the latter.
Mr. P. H. de Lucy Fossarion, French Consul at Foochow abo years ago, is reported to be Kobe to his old charge.
"If you give me two cash as lucky money, you can search me,” said Ho Chuen to à Dég YouY Road barber on the 28th April. He had vinta the shop to get his head shaved, but during t
master's temporary absence had pocketed razor. The bluff failed. The two coins handed over, and the suspect, on being searche was found to have the razor soncealed in an
inner pocket. He was given in charge, and ou appearing before Mr. F. A. Hazeland at the Police Court on Saturday was sentenced to two weeks' hard labour.
The new tariff on rice of 34 cents per pienl will give a stimulus to the Saigoh-Manila riós trade and many vessels loaded with the staple food product of the Orient will arrive here, say a Manila paper, from the French port in the near future. The M. Struve, Petrach, Fiume and Brunhilde, most of which are not strangers in this port, and of which Behn, Meyer and local agents, have been Company are the tchartered at Hongkong to engage.in this. trade.
Mr. S. 8. Bose, who is a stout opponent of inoculation against plague, writes as follows in the course of a letter to the Statesman :-" How could Mr. Braunfeld and others (assembled at a meeting in Calcutta to discuss plague matters) propose in the name of humanity a compulsory moculation against plague alone, when we have other equally scientific inoculations against cholera, enteric, beri beri, Derbyshire-neck, kala-azar, pricklyheat, Gwalior ulcer, and Delhi- boil? If these are all made compulsory we should be mere masses of holes!"
A Native coal dealer at Bay View was on April 27th charged before Mr. Örme at the Police Court with being in unlawful possession of ten tons of coal. The Police stated that a number of junks, while coaling vessels in the harbour, dropped a quantity of coal overboard and dredged for it when the boats had departed. This, when recovered, was sold to various merchants. As the defendant could not satisfy His Worship as to how he came in possession of the coal he was fined $100 or three months' imprisonment, and the coal was ordered to be ccnfiscated.
A Manila paper says: It will probably in- terest some people to know that there is a very vigorous and well-schemed game on, at present, to corner that necessary of cordage,” hemp. Whether or not the projected "corner" is limited to the Philippines is more than we can say from the information in our possession, but the available facts suggest that the schemers are hitting high. The name of a Manila mer- chant who was at one time black in the govern- ment books is mentioned as one of the promoters and there is not the least doubt that he and his allies mean business. If they can put their game through, it will play (havoc) with the city brokers.
People should know their washerman before trusting him with too much of their apparel. Madame Guion, of the Pension Francaise, reported on April 28th at the Central Police The general reclamation at the Naval Yard Station that the Chinese washerman employed Extension is approaching completion. The by her had pawned a quantity of clothing he walls of the tidal basin and the sea walls are, in had taken away to wash, and with the proceeds The dock had gone to Canton. The Police instituted great part, ready for the coping, bottom is nearly completed and the dock walls inquiries at once, and found that Madame are well advanced The reclamation, West of Guion is not the only person the rogue has the dock, and the diversion of the Albany Nullah robbed. The belongings of several other residents were also found to have been pawned. are finished.
The washerman will be sought to answer the charge of larceny as a bailes.
A Chinese cook was on April 27th charged before Mr. Orme at the Police Court with unlaw-
The cook's master, who fully and by negligence causing hurt or damage to M. Passantini,
The Cablenews of April 27th says:-The Japanese colony in Manila has provided itself with a Buddhist temple in which it can wor ship its gods. The temple has been erected in the barrio of San Roque, Sampalos. It is of genuine Japan se architecture and painted in real Buddhist style. The inauguration of | spending a holiday in Canton, is the owner the temple took place last Saturday afternoon. | motor sår, and this the coook decided
When turning the corner Alongside the temple is to b› erected a Japanese | an airing."
Sailors and Soldiers' Home, the car. theatre.
manageable, and went ahead at a very It dashed into a number of ric Passantini, who was crossing the time, was unable to get out of ita was knocked down and badly bruis the driver could pull up his car. Th fined $20, with the alternative of fou
Mr. Passantinių imprisonment. decided to bring an action : el damages.
The Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific Company's tugboat, Robert K., sailed from Cavite for Hongkong on April 25th towing the hulks of the Marques de Dureo and Reina Cristina, which once belonged to the Spanish Philippine squadron commanded by Admiral Montojo, Kwong Woh Hing, a local Chinaman, is the shipper and the destination of the hulks is the Kowloon docks where, the Cablenews announces, they will be refitted.
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