Oetober 30, 1905.]
Formoss, who is at present in Manchuria, with its beautiful grounds laid out by expert Japanese gardeners, may also be seen after some little formality. At Taihoku also is the finest con- vict prison in the whole of the Japanese Empire. There are three of these institutions in Formosa, but the one at the capital is regarded as the model one. It was all planned by the present Governor of the Prison, Mr. Komatsu, who is not only a typical Japanese aristocrat but a very clever man. In this institution come hundreds of Chinese (most of the prisoners were Chinese) are taught useful trades. They prepare the Panama- like fibre and weave Formosan hats, etc. they make furniture and lacquer ware; cloth and clothes; boots, machinery, and all sorts. of things. They are clcau, comfortable, and certainly better off in than out. When discbarged, they will doubtless be more useful members of colonial society. Parts of the old Chinese wall round the city are still standing; but the Japanese city long ago out-grow this boundary; and the streets, now wide, well made, and geometrically laid cut, present the "magnificent distances" noted at Tokyo. Skipping the shopping, and starting early in the morning, the traveller may take train and go up to one of the trading stations where the Formosan savages come into touch with civilisation as represented by Japanese police outposts. The journey is beautiful
enough, but whether the spectacle of a few semi-naked, surly savages is sufficient reward for a long and firing day is one for the traveller's own taste to decide. At the museum already mentioned, he may see their photographs and accoutrements with no more trouble than
a ten caut 'ricsha ride entails. The hotels are Japanese, und good and cheap. Three yon a day represents the top, first-class charge (including three meals). Some of them do not miod cooking chicken, fish" meat, etc., foreign style for guests who cannot stomach Japanese cooking. This might mean a slight extra charge. Tables and chairs are also available at some. Twatntia (where the foreign business men mostly live) is very handy by rail, as is also Keelung, the other and more important north. arn seaport. The whole trip, on the lines here sketched, should not cost more than a hundred dollars, the return fare being a little over $5 i, The monotony of the sea trip is broken by visits at Amoy aud Swatow.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
to a community which was in those days entirely dependent on itself for dramatic representations. As an actor and raconteur he was inimitable. As a steward of the Race Club, and as Chairman of the Hongkong Club for years, he wielded undisputed sway in all sporting and social matters. When he grew older and sought a well-earned rest at Home, the more praceful occupations of golf and fishing supplied him with recreation and amusement,
All who knew Atwell Coxon," remarks an old friend, “will feel that" the world is much the poorer by the loss of one who possessed all the attributes of a Christian and a gentleman." We offer our deep sympathy to. Mrs. Coxon in her bereavement.
CHINESE ANARCHISTS.
down from Peking last week, says the Peking The arrest of the six men who were brought
Times on 14th October, does not seem to have
satisfied the Peking anthorities that the real culprits have been traced, or that all danger is past. It is not generally known, we think, that on the same day as the outrage a bomb was found to have been laid on the line a short dis.
(auce beyond Fengtai, but like the one in Peking appears to have exploded with too much previous. ness and happily dil no harm. The story has been kept quiet here, but the Shanghai native W9 Lave had it papers ventilated it and
The story of the man privately corroborated. fou d on the roof of Tuan Fang's house which we published on a private authority is also true. and is e rroborated by a memorial from Censor Cheng Heng-ching, who is much concerned at the failure of the Peking detectives to arrest any of the party which is now Court must get a definite time for the arrest of terrorising the Capital. He urges that the the culprits otherwise they will never be caught, and the Commissioners' departure will be inde finitely delayed. He points out that the boldness of the ruffian on Tuin Fang's roof in shouting out “wo lui laio or "I come was very s guificaut, that there are not only more of thera but als of their determination. He has
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therefore petitioned the Throne to allow only maintains that if the officials and police go to ten days for the arrest of all the band, and work diligently and search all the tea shops and places where such ruffians usually resort they will effect something and set the public mind
DEATH OF MR. ATWELL COXON. | at rest.
A telegram has been received in Hongkong
bringing the melancholy intelligence that on October 17th there passed away, at Home, Mr. Atwell Coxon, who for many years was one of the most prominent men in Hongkong.
Mr. Coxon's life in the East commenced in the Mercantile Bank in Bombay about 1853, and ended in 1898, when he left Hongkong as a hale and hearty man. He came to this Colony
late in the fifties or early in the sixties, in the service of the Mercantile Bank, and a few years afterwards he took up the calling of an Exchange broker, which he carried on until he finally severed his connection with the Far
East.
Au Imperial Edict consequently directs that Na Tung aud Yuan Shi kai shall take steps for the "immediate arrest" of the guilty parties and report the same to the Throne. Such an order insures that arrests of some sort will be made, and a report will doubtless shortly be sent in that the chief culprits have been secured, and a few heads will possibly pay the penalty for some- body's daring. This will as usual call forth words of praise and officially restore the Imperial and public confideucs, but we have very little doubt that the party working against the dynasty is quite clever enough to keep out of harm's way. The report which we alluded to yesterday of a rumoured attempt on the Empress Dowager had, as is so often the case, a soupeon of foundation. Warning had reached the Palaos Blessed with a handsome presence and a that an attempt would be made when the charming manner, Mr. Coxon possess-d all the Court was on its way back to feking, and qualities caloulated to ensure success on the the time of departure was therefore kept a social side of life; and in addition he had su profound secret even from the Palace officials. energy and public spirit which carried him to The order to prepare for the trip instead the front of every useful movement in the of being given two or three days before community. He was Commandant of the hand as is usual, was only given a few hours Volunteers for years, and the army undoubtb-fore and when the procession s'arted on the edly lost an ideal soldier when, as a younger son, Mr. Coxon had to turn to commerce for a living. He was for years head of the local Fire Brigade, when it was entirely a volunteer body, and the post was no sinecure. Any old resident knows stories of the toil and hard work borne by the brigade when water and appliances were considerably less than they are now. During the great fire of 1878, we have heard that Mr. Coxon lived in his clothes for two or three days, taking odd snatches of sleep only when exhaustion made it absolutely necessary.
As an amateur actor, he, together with his talented wife, every winter afforded great joy
!
8th from the Summer Palace an unusually strong military escort accompanied it and the additional precaution was taken of haviny au empty chair in front of that occupied by the Empress Dowager, so that if any treachery had been attempted the assassin would have bean foiled. The position was too strong, or the ruffian was thrown off the scent, for nothing occurred to mar the journey. Such a state of affairs, however, only serves to show what a panic stricken condition the Court and official world of Peking must be in, and we can only presume that the Chinese who know the true inwardness of their own people better than we can do have good cause for their uneasiness,
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MISCELLANEOUS.
305
Wa Ting-faog has memorialised Peking to the effect that the recent edict abolishing judicial torture is being disobeyed. It has been repeated.
The Nanfangpao of October 17 says that the Chinese Government has decided to abandon the idea of redeeming the Chines Eastern Railway, as some foreign Powers show a ten- dency to intervene.
It is worthy of note that Shanghai Native City has the honour of inaugurating the first instalment of representative government in China. A Chinese Municipal Council has been olected there.
All restrictions on trade according to the neutrality regulations during the war have been withdrawn, and the Imperial Maritime Custom houses have received orders to act accordingly.
The International Chess Club of Shanghai was inaugurated on Oct. 19. The following Mr. H. W. de Sausmarez; hon. secretary and officers were unanimously elected :—President,
treasurer, Mr. W. B. Lockhart; committee; Messrs. J. Mencarini, J. E. Lemière, L. Dude- Dey, K. Schirmer, M. de Jesus, A. E. Moses, and P. S. Sethas, the obj et being to have as many nationalities represented as possible. The club meets at the French Hotel.
The St. Andrew's Society of Shanghai met in annual session on Oct. 16. The accounts showed a credit balance of $623.52, as against $122.52 last year. Less had been disbursed in charity, although there was an unprecedented number of unemployed seafaring mu in the Settlement." The ball was "a huge success," with "a record in liquid refreshments con- sumed" (vid2 Chairmin's speech). The Burns concert paid better than the ball.
"
There is an amusing article in the Japan the attention paid by the Englishman to sport Times on the interport cricket match in which
is gently deprecated. "To non-British minds, of many nationalities," says the writer, "it seems strange that serious business men, having to do their share in the world's work, should abandon all their occupations for a week and rarel hundreds of miles, simply to play a
game with a ball.”
child's
It is rumoured at Singapore, says the Free Press, that the new Governor of Labuan will be Mr. F. G. Penney, Colonial Secretary and previously Colonial Treasurer in Singapore. It
is believed that the British North Borneo Government has now decided to make Jesselton the capital of the country. The more will probably be effected on January 1st, 1906. The
arrangements at p esent are said to be that the land office, treasury and possibly the printing department will remain at Sandakan, the rest of the offices going to Jess-itou. The Governor will probably divide the year between Jesselton and Sandakan.
14
Mr. David Macrae, the President of the Scottish Patriotic Association, has uttered a protest against the alliance with Japan being si oken of as Anglo-Japanese." This use of the word 4
Anglo" be considers to be "not only historical inaccuracy but a breach of international good faith, violating as it does the very first condition of the Union Euphony does cot appeal to him where his amour propre is cor.cerned. The word "I ritish would be just as bistor icrlly inaccurate, by the way. To humour these sily Chauving, Lowever, let us speak of the Caledonian-Irish. Welsh-Pictish- Cymbri-Anglo Gaelic-Jute-Enzo-Japanese Al- liance
A Chinese firm (Zung Chi) at Ebanghai sued the Imperial Insurance Co., Ltd, for value of goods alleged to have been destroyed ly fire. The claim was resisted, and after considering evidence (that the gods were not on the site of the fire) the judge cercluded his judgment as follows:-"I give my rea: ons in the sort of way the case would Love influenced a jury, and the way they have influenced my mind, with my knowledge of Lumen affairs, and I have come to the conclusion that the seeds were act there. and therefore that the plaintiffs are guilty of fand, and I must give judgment for the defendants with costs.” The N.-C. Daily News saysThe Imperial Insurance Co., Ld., has done service toth to the public and to ether. companies by fighting this claim.