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July 29, 1905.]
put them down, in order that they may fulfil the first requirement of style, that is, be clear. They are more likely to be this if they are simple and short than if they are complicated and long, and they must be grammatical. Thers must be no doubt as to which noun or pronoun a verb refera. It is to prevent confusion of this sort that you learn grammatical rules and how to parse sentenc:8. The selection of words is important. There are very few words that mean exactly the same thing, and if you know a large number of words you can give much more pre- cision to your descriptions than if you are cou- fined to comparatively few nouns, adjectives and verbs. A large vocabulary shows a good education. The labourer's conversation is made up of a few hundred words; a writer of repute will use many thousands. But you should never ase a word of which you are not quite certain of the meaning, and of two words which equally represent your meaning you should use the shorter, so long, of course, as it is not slang.
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With the same restriction do not be afraid of making use of little-used words if they express exactly your idea. I recommend to those girls who wish to write well, that whenever they come across, in their reading, a new word or phrase, they should learn precisely what it means, and put it down in a note book for future use. Again, avoid unnecessary superlatives. Your adjectives will be stronger if they are not constantly qualified by adverbs such as " tremen- dously,' enormously," and even "very" (which suppose means "verily or truly ") should only occasionally be used. The person who is always ready to swear to a fact will be less believed than the one who habitually answers with plain Yea" or
Nay." With words well selected, sentences simple and gram- matical, and the subject treated
in a clear and consecutive manner, an essay cannot fail to be intelligible and, if the writer has knowledge of what she is writing, must also be interesting. For most purposes this will suffice, but the girl who has achieved so much success will probably not be satisfied, but will want to make her composition really pleasurable to read. For this she must remember that as
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
CANTON NOTES,
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
Canton, 22nd July.
THE BOYCOTT AGAINST AMERICANS.
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These belong to a man who owns considerable property in Hongkong, Mr. Ho Ping Woon, whose Canton residence is at To Po Fong.
The Chinese have a peculiar old custom of burying people who are struck by lightning. The body of the girl was wrapped in red cloth and placed in a coffin painted red.
A general meeting will be beld on the 25th instant (Tuesday) for the purpose of deciding Instead of feeling intense remorse, as one on more stringent measures to be taken against would expect, this was considered a most aus- Americans--in fact to start a boycott proper.picions event, for such an accident is said to bring The Chiness, indeed, are continually speaking good luck to the family. According to theory to me about the way America is treating their it removed one, who, in the eyes of the gods, countrymen. It is not as if we were savages," did not deserve to live. It is common belief they urge, and put forward that the Chinese is that any person struck by lightning must have the oldest civilization in the world. Said one sinned greatly, or otherwise has to pay a penalty old gentleman to me with scorn:-" America, for parents or forefathers who have grievously America is only an upstart; a mere infant; sinned and to whom punishment has not been and yet it has the impudence to treat subjects visited. of venerable China in this manner. We will teach them a lesson. Japan paid Russia back in her own coin,' but we, by the Sage, can fix America without bloodshed."
Several preliminary public meetings have been held in the Kwong Yan Sing Tong lately to discuss the matter generally, and to give all patriots a chance of expressing their views. The grand promoters of the movement put forward that Chinamen, as merchants, have it within their power to kill American trade not only within the
Empire itself, but practically over the whole of Asia, particularly in such places as Hongkong, the Straits Settle. ments, Borneo, Indo China, Siam. Jara. etc.
The more enlightened Chinese are particularly delighted with the scheme, and laugh" up their long sleeves" at the idea of boastful American railroad kings threatening to place iron. with their leviathan steamers, into China at rates that will "bust European competitors, without China's consent. The Chinaman, they say. is always pictured as a money grabbing individual with little or no respect for himself or his people, but they will show America to her cost that this is not the case.
On the 19th instant a document was drawn up, and eight delegates were despatched up country to make it more generally known amongst the public that the American Govern- ment was enforcing laws excluding Chinese, indiscriminately whether they be labourers, merchants, artisans or scholars. from their country.
During the last week many delegates have been detailed in the. City of Honam to do like work. They lecture in the open air, calling on their countrymen to stick together and be loyal to this praiseworthy movement. They advise that when a man buys a sewing machine, a lamp, flour, or even raw material such as iron, to make sure that it is not American, and even to go so far as to boycott dealers in American goods, as being individuals naworthy of support. These proceelings generally take place in front of temples or where there are large open squares.
talking is everyday song, so is writing everyday poetry; harmony must be studied and discordant sounds avoided. Such sounds are inharmonious words, the unmusical repetition in one sentence of the same words, and arrangements of words which, if not actually ungrammatical, are nelegant, for instance split-infinitives, and the termination of a sentence by a preposition. I will leave the English teacher to explain, by examples, to any girls whom I may have interested in these matters, how such errors are to be avoided, as well as how they may improve their writing by balancing their sentences, introducing apt parallels, picturesque illustrations and effective quotations. I will close these remarks, I trust before they have become tedious, by emphasizing the beneficent So far the officials have not expressed them. effect on writing which results from the selves in the matter. but, at all events, they have reading of good books, and by presenting the taken no steps to discourage or stop these meet- works of a master of stylo (Macaulay's Essaysings and mass gatherings. Their attitude. and Biographies) to the girl who is most likely to profit by their perusal, that is to the girl who has shown the greatest promise in her English composition, Miss Brewster (Applause).
Before I sit down. I wish to thank the Rer. Father Maria for the attention which he has given in introducing at this school the particular study of hygiene. I saw the report on the school before it was read by the Rev. Father. and noticed that while reading it he omitted reference to the good work he himself had done in connection with that study. The Inspector of Schools is arranging for an examination on the subject to be held in December, for which prizes will be given, and I hope one will fall to this school (Applause).
The singing of the National Anthem terminated the proceedings in the schoolroom. after which His Excellency was conducted to the sitting room, where he was regaled with light refreshments.
A
"RAUB"
CRUSHING.
Messrs. Benjamin. Kelly & Potts received a telegram from Singap re on July 22nd stating that the Raub crushing for the past four weeks realized 165 ounces of smelted gold from 3,470 tons of stone.
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therefore, may be regarded as that of tacit approval. Or indifference. Ed.)
WRECKAGE IN THE RIVER.
A terrific thunder storm swept over Canton yesterday afternoon. The majority of junks and sainpaus, however, took warning from the threatening appearaucs of the weather, and either made their craft snug to face the music,” or sought shelter. Severat, nevertheless, wore caught unprepared, right in the thick of it. Numerous sampans capsized, and one large cargo boat was wrecked. Quite a number of flower boats had their top gear blown away. Under the circumstances it was, indeed, fortunato that no lives were lost on the water. storm was of but short duration those people who were thrown into the water managed to cling to their craft till such time when it was not daugerous for their. friends to effect a
rescue.
As the
The storm was also badly felt on land, where hundreds of windsails on the roofs of houses. both in the City and at Houam, wore swept
away.
KILLED BY LIGHTN NG.
During the storm a servant girl (twelve years of age) was struck by lightning while indoors playing with her master's daughters. She died instantly. Curiously enough the children with whom she was playing escaped without injury,
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Therefore, the inmates of the house where the
poor servant lived, to-day make thankful offer- ings to the God of Thunder. The Chinese affirm that every year during the festival to the Goddess of Mercy, or Kua Yam, there is aban- dant rain accompanied by a thunder storm. Nine years ago, on this same occasion, the storm was a very serious one indeed, and was the cause of numerous accidents! Let any disbeliever in this ancient Chinese theory refer to the records of the Hongkong Observatory (I should like to hear what Mr. Figg has to say on the subject) and be convinced.
CANTON, 24th July.
BIRTHDAY OF EMPEROR KWONG SUI,
The Imperial Maritime Customs will be closed for the transaction of business on the 28th instant, that day being the birthday of Emperor Kwong Sui.
FALSE ALARMS.
The Viceroy has issued a proclamation forbidding citizens from giving false alarms on the police whistle. It has been quite a little game of youngsters here to blow the call, and peep at
Bobby" from round corners. The proclamation said that persons caught so doing will be severely punished.
THE NEW SHANSI GOVERNOR.
Governor Chang (Cheong Yan Tsun), ex- Governor of Kwangtung Province, leaves, Canton to take up the Governorship of Shansi on the 10th August.
ALLEGED PIRATE CAPTURED.
A Chinaman alleged to be Wong Wan Poa a daring pirate, was captured in Canton yester. day by the police authorities, and, providing that he is proved to be the right man, his head is as good as gone. Wong Wan Poa is reputed to be a regular terror to the boat people, and those living near the river beyond Wuchow in the Kwongsi Province. His gang on numerous occasions armed with firearms and stinkpots, have held up peaceful boat people and robbed them of all the valuables they possessad. When the was arrested he was taking chow at a restaurant in Yau Lan Moon.
ma11
A SUPERSTITIOUS CHINAMAN. The Salt Comptrollor of Canton, surnamed Yan, recently conceived an idea that the large and beautiful trees at the back of his yamen would bring him ill luck. He immediately gave
orders to have them all cut down and ramoved
From the premises, quite spoiling the appearance of the compound. His friends, though probably just as bad in the same respect themselves, ara laughing at the superstition.
THE VICEROY'S SECRET.
Truth is stranger than fiction." I will tell you a story. The Viceroy will be very angry if he happeus to be a subscriber to the Daily Press but maskeo:-
An, old woman recently called at the Viceroy's yamn. She insisted upon forcing her way into the private apartments of His Excellency I have come to see Wing Hoi, a high official." she said, "and you can do and say what you will to me but I shall not leave these premises without so doing." The yamen ruunors thought it very strange and were some. what in pickle to know exactly what to do The woman, however, in spite of her strange request, did not appear to be a lunatic, but, on the contrary, acted in a remarkably calm and
collected manner.
Sail & muner repeat xlly: Who is thi Wing Hoi, and why are you so anxious and determined to interview him?" The only reply she gave was that Wing Hoi was a very high official, and that she had been informed that he resided in the yamen.