October 1, 1906.]
CANTON.
(FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.)
September 24th.
OFFICIAL AFFAIRS.
Viceroy Shum desired to leave Canton, to hand the Viceregal Seal, and to tarn over all public functions of his yamen to the Provincial Treasurer Woo. A few days ago His Excellency memorialized Peking imploring the Throns to Banotion him immediate leave to proceed to Shanghai to recruit his health before proceeding to Yunnan to take up his new appointment. He made preparations to embark for Shanghai on the 25th instant. It is said that an Imperial Edict has since reached the Viceroy forbidding him to leave Canton until Viceroy Chou Fa's arrival and that he is to personally deliver the Viceregal Seal and public affairs to the new Viceroy. It is said that an edict of this description has never been issued before, and it is surmised that owing to the complicated state of the Provincial debts and financial affairs, Viceroy Chou Fu does not wish to take over the financial responsibilities of the Kwangtung Province from any subordinate official but the Viceroy. Hence the issue of that unprecedented edict. No doubt the Imperial Edict of the removal of Viceroy Shum took him by surprise, as be never expected to be removed until after the Chinese New Year, H received the Imperial Edict appointing him Viceroy of Yuunsa while he was working at his desk. It was said that he was so angry that he struck his desk with such force that he swept every- thing off it. Yesterday Viceroy Shum received a telegram from His Excellency Chou Fu stating that he (Chou Fu) will arrive in Canton about the 25th of October and requesting Viceroy Shum not to grant leave or transfer any of the important officials. The Yuet Tung Press, the Viceroy's mouth-piece, established by Weu Tsotai last year, bas ceased to appear. The Yuet Han Railway Company's directors (Viceroy's clique) who memorialized the Central Government imploring the Throne not to transfer Viceroy Shum, have received a decree severely reprimanding them for their audacity. Wen Taotai, Shum's favourite, has petitioned the latter to sanction him to resign from his positions as Director of the Imperial Telegraph Head Office and Telephone Office, and also to permit him to go with the Viceroy to Kwei Lin. It was rumoured last week that Shum intended first to return to his native
place to spend a fortnight there before pro ceeding to Yunnan. Viceroy Shum has granted Wen 'T'aotai's prayers and has cabled to Viceroy Yuan Shi Kai to send and official to take up the above directorships.
ex-Nam
+
Hoi
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
arrival, and to be prepared for any emergency. | Instructions were also given to arrest sdy persons of suspicious character.
It was reported that the Magistrate, Pui King Fook, who was banished by Viceroy Shum to Shan Keung died before he reached that destination. Now it appears that Pui managed to "square some Peking high officials, while en route to Shan Keung, and the report of his death was false. Pui has been in Viceroy Chou Fu's employ ever since he was released, and it is reported that he is coming to Canton again with Chou Fu. The people here are much excited and angry over this piece of news. Pai was well-known to be a very avaricious official.
25th September.
NOTABLE FUNERAL, The funeral of ex-Viceroy Bui Ying Kwai took place yesterday. The funeral procession was half a mile long. Over one thousand people attended the funeral. Amongst those present were the Provincial Treasurer, Judge and other high officials, and Canton gentry. As an honour to the late ex-Viceroy an Im- perial Decree was issued granting the funeral procession freedom to pass through the walled city and gates.
THE CONSPIRATORS.
TO HELP ELECTRIC LIGHT BUSIN K88,
Since the Ho Nam Theatre was suppressed by the Government, the proprietors of the new theatre in Cheong Shau Temple have been making quite a fortune. The house is said to be fall, both day and night. The theatre is lighted with kerosene lamps and on the stage there is a row of kerosene lamps hung up by strings. A few days ago, one of those strings gave way and a lamp fell down. As a result the theatre nearly caught fire. The people in the neighbourhood got wind of the accident and at once petitioned the Chief Superintend ent of police requesting him to prohibit all evening performances until the proprietors install electric light in the building. It is said that a decree Was made to that effect. Shareholders of the China Light and Power Company, Limited, should be pleased to receive some more news of this description.
|
RESULT OF OPPRESSIVE TAXATION.
A riot of a rather serious nature took place in Kau Kong at about noon on the 23rd instant. It originated through the pork guild refusing to pay the new tax imposed by the pork monop- oly. The monopolists, finding that the pork dealers refused to pay the new tax, posted notification in the town warning the pork dealers that if they failed to pay tax for killing pigs on the 26th instant they would be liable to be arrested and severely punished. The pork guild engaged men to tear off all the notifications that were posted on the walls of the town, whereupon the excise officers of the monopoly_arrested several men who were doing this. dealers endeavoured to rescue the men in custody, and a fight ensued. In the meantime hundreds of bad characters had gaibered together at the pork tax bureau. At three o'clock a mob stormed, looted and burned the place. After that they went and burned the houses of several gentry who had interest in the monopoly. It is reported that twenty men were killed and over 100 wounded. Kau Kong is the place where a majority of the pirates boarded the 8.8. Sainam as passengers.
It is said that the pro- party destroyed and looted amounted to over 100,000 taels.
OFFICIAL APPOINTMENT.
The pork
September 26th. It is reported that Viceroy Choo Fa intends to appoint Taotai Wen Cho Tsoi, at present superintendent of the Imperial Chinese Tele- graph in Hongkong to be Director of the Imperial Telegraph of Canton, vice Tantai Wen Tsung Yao, who has resigned.
YUET-HAN RAILWAY.
Viceroy Shum held a conference with the president, the Civil Engineer (Kwong Suen Mox) and the Directors of the Railway Com- pany at his Yamen this morning regarding Yuet-Han Railway matters. The subjects discussed in the conference were not disclosed to the public.
NEW PRESS,
*
The merchant guilds here have established a new press nuder the style of Seventy two mercbant guilds' commercial Press." Its object is to act as a mouth-piece for the commercial community. The paper is well supported by all class of merchants, and has already a very wide circulation.
POLICING OF MONAM.
219
the outside of the eastern gats of the city of Cinton to Luchiayaan in Whampoa as its first section extending 40 li. Then from Whampoa to Amoy passing through Tseng-cheng and Shiblungchen of Tanghuan-bsien, Pa-to, Kwei- shan, Hai-feng and Lu-feng of Wei-chow-fu and Weilai, Puning and Chiysag of Chao. chow Fa and then from outside of Chao-ohow Fa to Amoy via Jaopinghsien extending altogether about 1,500 li.
The inauguration of the Chief Police Station in Honam will take place at noon to-morrow. Many high officials will attend the ceremony. Honam will be policed on the 28th instant. The matter has been hanging fire for over a The place needs policing ver badly, as robberies and kidnapping have hitherto been matters of common daily occurrence.
year.
[From the "Canton Daily News."]
CANTON AMOY RAILWAY.
The railway between Canton and Amoy has been granted by the Board concerned to be
THE FUNGSHUI BOGEY. There is a vast, deserted and uncultivated field near Wu-you-yu which the Shanghai- Soochow Railway Company must bug, for it lies in the railway line; but which the people of the place will not sell at any price, for it will, they say, spoil their "fung-shui." A few days ago, a Europe in engineer of the line, thinking that the company had settled the matter with the people, weut to the field in question with a large band of coolies to clear away the feld and to commence work. Screely had they removed the first bit of earth, how. ever, when about a hundred woman armed with bamboos and implements of the kitchen appeared on the field, and with one sovord went straight up to the foreigner, and show- ered blows on his head with their weapons. The coolies interfered, but neither dared to strike the women nor knew how to defend themselves. The day ended in an easy victory for these modern Amazons The engineer wa badly wounded in the struggle. The sub Prefect of Yong-Hu-bien, Mr. Wa, took care of the engineer, and at the same time telegraphed to the Governor for instructions.
A wai-ynen has been seut to settle the affair.
The Chinese Consul-General at Singapore cabled to Viceroy Shum that the notorious rebel Sun Yat-Sen is in Singapore. Sun has deputed one of his colleagues named Tang built by a uative concern. Tue Viceroy at Chi-Yu, who embarked for Canton by the Canton has issued a proclamation regarding the Japanese mail, to raise a rebellion in Kwang-sale of land for the route of the railway, warn- tung Province. Viceroy Shum has given ing the public to deal with the railway adminis orders to all Civil and Military Officials to tration fairly without causing troubles. The despatch secret emissaries to watch for Tang's proposed line will start from Chwanlung Kao at
MACAO.
(FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
September 20th.
THE TYPHOON,
+
The inhabitants of this city received the news of the calamity which has befallen your Colouy with great regret. We here were more for- tunate and suffered very little from the typhoon. On Tuesday morning à very strong wind blew from 9 o'clock till about 1 p.m. accompanied by heavy rains. Some damag was done to matsheds and other lightly built structures, a d many juuks are now coming into harbour di-masted or otherwise damaged. The lowest of the glass here W85 29.78. reading The naval authorities on hearing that the Heungsbau" did not arrive at her destination, were prepared to despatch the "Rio Lima" to search for her, but later when news was
4L
It
received that she was stranded near Lantao, the order was counterminded. The second blow, which began early this morning, was worse. came from the East, causing a good deal of damage to the Praya Grande wall and feet above the wall. flooding the market. The sea rose three waves dashing against the Praya Grande rose higher than the buildings. The "Honam left the wharf at 8 o'clock for her trip to Hongkong, but had to put into Mongohow for shelter. The pas sengers had previously deserted her, owing to
the
The
31
threatening westher. Many junks foundered outside our harbour, while the matsheds of the M1010 Hotel and the Bay View House were swept away. Doubtless som lives have been lost among the floating population.
September 26th,
ROYAL BIRTHDAY.
Friday, 28th instant, will be the birthday of Their Faithful Majesties Dom Carlos and his Royal consort Donna Amelia. The Boletim - announces that there will be a Te Deum in the
H.E. the Governor will. Cathedral at 10 a.m. hold a levée at 11 o'clook at Government · House.
EBAB-ADMIRAL SERGIO.
News was received here by the last English Mail of the death of Rear-Admiral Sergio. The deceased was aide-de-camp to his uuole when he was Governor of this city many years ago, and made many friends during his residence here. The late admiral revisited Macao about dix years ago as commander of the transport "Africa."
By the death of Rear-Admiral Sergio, our worthy barbour master, Senhor Alves Branco is promoted to the rank of