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CANTON.
[FROM OUR CorrespondeNT.]
THE BOYCOTT.
27th October.
Sometime ago the boycott committee here received a cable from the San Francisco Chinese enquiring whether the two men arrested, Ma-Poon and Ha, had been released. They also remitted a sum of 85,000 in aid of the boycott funds. The local committee have now cabled the following reply: "We acknowledge receipt of your remittance of $5,000 for the boycott fund. The two men arrested, Ma- Poon and Ha are still in custody in spite of the guarantee we have signed to bail them out. They are treated very well, however, and are patiently awaiting their release.
We are pushing the boycott with all our might."
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VICEROY'S BEREAVEMENT, It is reported that Viceroy Shum has received news to the effect that his elder brother, Taotai Shuu-Chan-Wing, who was living quietly in Shan-si province, suddenly taken ill on the 21st and died on the 25th. The news has affected the Viceroy very much as it is said that His Excellency loved his elder brother very dearly. He has gone into mourning.
RICH MEN'S PANIC
Yip-Po-Chun has sent a petition to Viceroy Shum in which he gives a detailed list of all the wealthy people in the province, and sug- gesting that His Excellency should call on them to subscribe sums in proportion to their wealth to enable the Viceroy to carry out his schemes. Viceroy Shum has replied saying that while funds were urgently needed by the Government he could not follow Y p-Po-Chun's absurd and, perhaps, interested suggestion There is nevertheless a general panic amongst the higher classes here and hundreds are leasing for other climes with their families and whatever valuables they have that are easily removable. If this wholesale exodus continues, the wealthy element will soon disappear from this province. The rich have been greatly scured by Viceroy Shum's severity in reference to Chau-Tung- Sing's case and are afraid of being punished for some misdeed committed, may-be, by one of their
ancestors.
SING-SONG HOUSES.
It is reported that the sing-song houses, which were closed up some time ago by the Ex-Governor of Cantoa, are to be re-opened on the 1st of the 10th Moon, the prohibition having been removed by His Excellency the Viceroy. The closing of these establishments has caused considerable losses to the shops in their neigh. bourbood and depressed trade generally in the western suburbs where these pleasure houses
were situated.
VICEROY SHUM ILL,
It is reported that Viceroy Shum has had a relapse and that he is seriously ill again. His Excellency is attended by a Shanghai native doctor who receives 100 taels a day for his
services.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
who were carrying his luggage. The R. Father who was on horseback, rode at once to the nearest yamen and immediately acquainted the petty military official in charge of the occurrence. This official placed twenty braves at the disposal of the Rev. Father and the party marched towards the village where the atten- dants bad been left. On nearing the village the braves marched ahead towards the house where the two attendants had been driven. The soldiers, who were only armed with swords and cutlasses, were, however, immediatly ejected from the village by the mob who had numerou : rifles in their hands and who started to fire on the running braves scattered in the neighbour- ing-fields. The Rer. Father immediately rode up and placed himself between the mob and the soldiers in the hope of preventing unnecessary bloodshed. The villagers continued to fire, how- ever, and the Rev. Father barely escaped with his life, having had his hat pierced by a bullet, A detailed report was subsequently sent by the petty military official to the sub-prefect.
This official, re lising the seriousness of the situation, sought to extricate himself and sent a re, ort to the Viceroy demanding the missionary's removal from the district. The French Bishop has laid the case before his consal.
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28th October.
BOYCOTT NOT ABATING.
The boycott committee here beg to acknow. ledge receipt of the following contributions towards the Boycott Union's funds: -25 inst. from Australia £11.00; 26 iust, from South Africa $1,323.05; and 26 inst. from Victoria $1100.
These items show that the local committee is not remaining idle. The boycott movement is far from abating. Numerous circulars, such as the one I translated the other day, are being distributed almost daily amongst the members of the union. In view of the Viceroy's attitude. however, the propagandists work cau'iously though actively. From reliable information I am inclined to bel ere that the morement is gaining a firmer hold every day.
KING'S BIRTHDAY.
The following circular bas been sent to all the British hongs and residents here: It has been decided to celebrate the king's birthday by sports in the afternoon and a dance in the evening of Nov. 9, to be held on the tennis courts, ΑΙ those who are willing to subscribe are request-d to write the amount of the subscription below." A very fair sum has already been subscribed.
A BIG SCHEME'S FAILURE.
On the 23rd of August I reported that a merchant named Lo-Wang-Fat had sent a p-ti- tion to Viceroy Shum offering tsels 20,000 for the purchase of 28 mow of the land in the Tung-Ho-Hun, this sum to include the rights and privileges for the erection and exploitation of a Theatre, Sing-song honses, Fantan shops, and other places of amusement.
It now appears that the above petition was sent in the joint names of Lo and another man, Cheong-Fook-Cheung. The purchase of the land was settled at the above price and the privileges grauted. Lo and Cheong jointly paid into the Siu-Hau-Kuk a sum of $10,000 as bargain money about a month ago. The balance was to be paid as follows: 90,000 taels at the expiration of one month from the date on which the bargain money was paid, and the remaining taels 10000 on the completion
THE LING-CHOW CASE: THE TRUE VERSION. I sent you a few days ago a translation of an article which appeared in one of the local papers with reference to the alleged misconduct of a French Missionary. I am now informed that the details published were entirely false, and that the following is the true version of the affair:of the reclamation of the foreshore (an ares
A Christian widow living in the Ling-chow village was recently murdered by the non- Christian brothers of her deceased husband. The relatives of the widow immediately reported the matter to the sub-prefect and asked for the murderers' arrest and punishment.
The sub-prefect did nothing, however, aud no investigation was made. The Missionary of the district sent a letter to the above official requesting him to lose no time in thoroughly investigating the affair Christians and non-Christians were equally entitled to claim his protection and that all creeds were to be granted justice on an equal footing. At this juncture the Rev. Father having been obliged to pass close by the village of Ling-chow in the course of a journey, necessitated by his duties as administrator of the district, was suddenly confronted by a how ling mob which rushed out of the village and started to attack his two native attendants
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of about 8 mow). The first instalment of 90,020 taels fel due several days ago but was not paid. It is now reported that Lo has filed a petition wherein he explains that the partuership between himself and Cheong having been dissolved on account of the latter's connec- tion with Chau-Tung-Sang, who stood to back his share in the undertaking, and owing to whose departure his partner had no funds to fulfill his part of the contract. Lo asked the S.n-Hu- Kak to allow him an extension of one month's time to look for the necessary capital from other quarters. The Sin-Hau-Kuk have, however, replied that it had nothing to do with the dissolu. tion of partnership between Cheong and the petitioner. They could only go by the agreement signed by petitioner, and gave him notice that unless the balance due was paid in within the next three days, the bargain money would be estreated and the ground and privileges would be offered to the public by tender.
(November 4, 1905.
ROBBEKIES ON THE SHAMEEN.
Within the last few days several robbo ies have been committed on the Shameen. One gentle. man living on the French cɔne ›ssion is minus a house-boy and about $300 ; another victim, an English gentleman on the British concession, ba lost various household articles valued at over 100 dollars. In both cases house-boys are the offaud- ders Both are still at large and there is not much 1.kelihood of the stolen property ever being recovered. In the Englishman's case, however, it has been discovered that part of the stolen articles were pwnd. What is surprising is the way which these robberies are committed. One would think that with only two exits from our Island concession (the two bridges which span the canal and half encircles the Shameen) such articles a tablo cloth, towels and European clothing in large bundles would attract the eye of the policeman and call for suspicion. These thieves apparently do not use the bridges to carry their booty over to Chins. town to be disposed of. They undoubtedly use the canal which, as I pointed out in a previous letter, is not adequately patrolled at night-o0 the British coucession at any rate. Sampana more along the canal all night, and with only the two policemen to guard a stretch of over 1,000 yards of bunding indifferently lighted and bordered with huge trees and other obstructions such as matsbeds, building materials and what-not, thieves could remove boat loads of stolen property without being detected. Tuis of the canal requires at least thres more portion policemen at night. Things are pretty bad when even the local coustable cinnot keep these scoundrels away from his own premises; I have been told that he als has been victimized lately. The pawnbrokers are reluctant to show their stock to searchers after stolen goods. There is no law here as in Hongkong forbidding pawnbrokers to take in any articles specially or exclusively used ly Europeans, and the sooner the foreign Consuls demand this restriction to be imposed by the Chinese authorities ou the local pawnbrokers, under penalty of having their licences cincelled, the better for the European community. Thieves will be less apt to carry away such articles as ladies' blouses and gentlemen's dress suits when they discover that the pawushops are closed to them. Hongkong will also bauefit by this measure of the articles stolen there are disposed of here. Where do all the Meerschaum pipes. amber cigarette holders and opera glasses that adorn the show ca es of many & curio-shop come from There is a fair held here in the early hours of the morning every day outside the temple of Longevity. It is called by the Chinese themselves the thieves' fair," as most of the goods offered for sale are supposed to come from the neighbouring towns and villages. European articles are conspionously numerous. Where do they come from? From Hongkong undoubtedly.
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30th October.
IMPORTATION OF FIREARMS.
Viceroy Shum has memorialized the Board of Revenue at Peking, stating that from the 9th moon of the 26th year of Kwang-Hsu, no arins were imported to the Kwangtuang Province from foreign countries. This was before the pro. hibition for the importation of arms was en- forced. The prohibition ceased in the 7th moon of the 29th year. The Kwang-si rabellion breaking out just then, the Province had to purchase 1,200,000) taels worth of firearms from foreign countries.
CHINESE MILITARY TITLES.
The local authorities have received a dispatch from the Board of Revenue at Peking stating - that people who have bought military titles and degrees prior to the edict issued some time ago probibiting the sale of such titles and degrees are now requested to register within the next five months their purchase under the penalty of being deprived of the use of such title or degree. It is reported that there is a great rush and that titles and degrees yet obtainable are at high promium.
ACCUSATIONS.
One of the Canton gentry memorialized Viceroy Shum that Ma-Yuen-Yum, a military officer, and his brother, had made use of their stations for carrying on a fantan-gambling
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