November 16, 1807.]
DISCHARGE GRANTED.
The Kwong Lun Cheong Firm applied for their discharge in bankruptcy and His Lord- ship granted the application, suspending the discharge for three months.
DISCLAIMING A LEASE.
Last week there was considerable argument in the Bankruptcy Court on an application to disclaim a lease of the Baltimore Hotel, m.de between Au Ka-po (bankrupt) and Messrs. David Sassoon & Co. Mr. H. W. Looker (of Messrs. Deacon, Looker and Deacon) appeared to oppose the application, and His Lordship reserved his decision. He said "I have considered the matter, and bave come to the conclusion to give leave to disclaim. In- nocent parties suffer but I don't see why the oreditors should suffer any more than your clients, so I give leave to disclaim."
Mr. Looker-Without any te ma! His Lordship-Yes.
TO RESCIND A RECEIVING ORDER.
Mr. E. J. Grist (of Messrs Wilkinson and Grist) applied that the receiving order granted in the case of the Cheong Wing bank be rescinded. An affidavit in support of the application showed that a meeting of creditors had been held at which it was agreed to accept a scheme. Since then he had learned that two creditors for whom Mr. R. F. C. Master appeared were not present and they objected to the application
Mr. Master-One of my clients filed for over $10,000, but I do not think we had notice of the meeting.
Mr. Grist-I can prove you had notice, though of course that does not matter if you objeot,
Mr. Master-We cannot consent without instructions, and must have time to write to our client in Singapore. The debtor is only offering 30 per cent,, but I think the petition itself shows that the assets are almost as large as the liabili ties and the statement of claim shows that 80 per cent, can be paid.
The application was adjourned for one month.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
valses
and Lady Lugard; Commodore Stokes and Mrs. May; Colonel Darling and Mrs Chatham; the Hon. Mr. F. H. May and Mrs. Atkinson; the Hon. Mr. W. Rees Dar es and Mrs. Hewett; the Hon. Mr. W. Chatham and Mrs Brewin; the Hoa, Dr. J. M. Atkinson and Mrs. Basil Tavlor: Music was supplied by the band of the Middlesex Regiment
included The progrimma
twelve three two steps, two lancers, two polkas and one galop. The supper menn was
as follows :- Clear Soup, Mayonnaise of lobster, Cold Quail, Lamb outlets in aspic, Galantine of chicken, Roast and boiled fowl, Ox tongue. Turkey-York bam, Game pie, Galantine of aspic, Salad, Fruit jelly, Tipsy oakes, Chocolate capon, nipe in aspic, Pressed beef, Quail in cream, Prune Jelly, Lemon Cream, Chocolat Russe.
EVOLUTION OF HONGKONG.
[Written for the Hongkong Daily Press].
(Continued from last week.)
VII.
Lin, the new Commissioner, who was to com. plete the victory of China over the upstart foreigner, and more especially root out the offending opium trade which was draining Chins of its financial reserves, and had already serioulsy disturbed the exchanges, arrived at Canton on the 10th March 1839. The date is
worthy of remembrance, as it marked an entirely altogether against the wish of her statesmen of new position, and drove Great Britain, though
all shades, and contrary to instinots of the nation at large, into a war. almost farcical in its incidents, yet fraught with most important issues to the world at large. Before his arrival, the Canton authorities under his orders had blockaded the Factories, stationed a crowd of native war-junks at the Bogus. and collected a number of gunboats and fireships, to attack in forge the British ships at anchor at Lintin, Elliott thereupon went down to Macao, where be conceived the English residents to be in danger; but finding that a war sloop, the Larne; had arrived he hastened to Canton, where he found the British residents besieged.
Lin on his arrival had sent an order to the residents to deliver on peril of their lives all the opium stored on board ship in Chinese waters, and on Elliott's arrival he found them in grave deliberation as to what to do. They had offered a thousand odd chests, an offer which was indignantly rejected, and Launcelot Dent, was ordered to appear before the Commissioner, and surrender himself at the city gate. As the other merchants refused to permit him to go, supplies were out off, and servants withdrawn; the Hong Merchants were moreover sent in chains to the Factors, and informed that unless they brought with them the recalcitrant foreigner, they would be decapitated. The oocasion was marked by a display of heroism on the part of the besieged residents worthy of note. Though they were determined not to permit Dent to go to the torture, four of their number-well known names too-Inglis, Fearon, Thom and Slade, volunteered to go to what seemed, at least, certain tortare in his place, The Chifu, who had been sent in charge of the Hong Merchants, probably moved with com. passion, accepted the alternative; and the four went into the city, where they were brought before a court composed of the high provincial authorities. The last, struck with the courage of the Englishmen, after a short examination sent the four back unharmed.
BALL AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE.
The beauty and the chivalry of Hongkong assembled at Government House on Nov. 11th to participate in the pleasures of the ball given by His Excellency the Governor and Lady Lugard in honour of His Majesty's birth day. Of the many successful dances which have taken place at Government House it is safe to say that there has not been one to eclipse the inaugural ball of Sir Frederick and Lady Lugard. The hospitality of the Governor's residence is traditional, and that the new admin- istrator and his wife know how to entertain was amply proved by the brilliant success attending the birthday ball. Nothing that could be done to enhance the enjoyment of the occasion was left undone, and it goes without saying that the large assembly present spent a memorable evening in celebration of King Edward's sixty-sixth birthda The splendour of the decorations calls for more than pissing notice, and the general effect revealed the fact that Messrs, Tutoher, Tooker and Wolfe who were responsible for the display, are no mean exponents of the art of decoration. The trees surrounding the gubernatorial resi- dance were alive with vari-coloured lanterns resembling different fruits, while festoons of lanterns lighte the grounds. On the steps leading to the ball room were palms, ferns and other pot plants, while the tastefully arranged decorations within the spacious room were 8:en to advantage under the brilliancy of many electric lights. The steps leading from the It was during these scenes that Captain, ball room into the garden at the rear of Elliott, having run the gauntlet of the Chines the residenca were covered by a specially gunboats on the river, arrived at the Factory, erected matshed, which was prettily draped Elliott, who notwithstanding his lack of disore in orimson cloth and glistened with elestriction had never been wanting in personal cour- lights. Supper was served below in the basement of the house There was also a special tent where the I dies could procure ices, and another where the gentlemen could obtain their refreshers, The grass in the gardens was covered with matting. From nine t'll ten o'clock His Excellency the Governor and Lady Lugard received their guests. At the litter hour the ball was opened by the state lancers, those forming the set being: His Excellency the Governor and Mrs. Stokes; Admiral Moore
age, at once took Dent under his persona. protection, and informed the officials who were again demanding him, that he would first give his life before permitting any of his nationals to be taken away by force.
Practically Elliott and the whole foreign com. munity were at the moment close prisoners, and the Chinese perfectly understood this. It was in fact, what Lin had all through been plotting; Elliott sent in to the Viceroy a letter respect- fully asking for passports for the British com.
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munity to go to Macao, but foolishly hinting at force if they were not granted within three days, speaking of a disturbance of the pease between the two countries. This brought the characteristic answer that this letter was not explicit, as no two countries were in question; China alone, whose Emperor overshadowed all, being in question; he would moreover not grant the passports, till Dent and all the opium had been surrendered. As Elliott had no force to
Larne which was moreover at Macao, and the back him, except the miserable little gun-brig residents were already on short allowances, the inevitable had to be faced; and Elliott issued a notice the next morning ordering his nationals under their control, agreeing on behalf of His to deliver up all opium in their possession, or Majesty's Government that it would take the responsibility of payment.
The result was the eventual delivery into the Commissioner's hands of over twenty thousand chests, of the destruction of which a great display was afterwards made, though there is every reason to suspect that, more sinico, a large portion of the forbidden drug eventually got into the hands of Lin's own officers. Lia. in fact, had made a mess all round. He had seriously compromised the very existence of British trade at Canton, which was the life- blood of Canton officialdom, and which it had been his object all through to preserve; he had for very shame to undertake the destruction of the opium delivered up which had certainly formed no part of his plan, and even in this he had been hoodwinked by his own officials; and, worst of all, instead of injaring the individual merchants, or hurting the opium trade he had by his destruction of the largest portion of the old stock, which was actually at the moment the demand for the drug, and saved from a drug in the market, enormously increased
bankruptcy, the dealers Chinese and foreign. Whatever doubts had formerly existed, a distributing, port, Hongkong, or an equiva- lent, in British hands had now, it was allowed on all sides become a matter of necessity. Commis sioner Lin's claim for the supremacy of China, which interpreted meant unrestrained extortion in trade, and the submission of British subj ots to the caprise of Chinese officials, however ignor. ant and uncivilised, had at least brought this about,
As soon as the opium had been delivered, thongh after a good deal of fencing on Lin's part, Elliott and the merchants were reluctantly permitted to make their way to Maoso. Elliott hired a quick sailing vessel, which he sent to Bombay, and the only remain. ing evidence of British power, the little Larne, was despatched to acquaint the Viceroy at Calcutta of the position of affairs. He also ordered the cessation of all British trade antil orders from H. M. Government were obtained. Lin on his part was now driven to bay, the more so as he had heard from various sources
that several British men of war, of which he bad a wholesome dread, were on their way at last. He, however, played his last card, and com- pelled, not altogether against his will, the Governor of Macao to refuse to permit the British to remain on shore.
There was no alternative; the British had to take refuge on board the ships and the ships had nowhere else to ge, and took refuge in the Harbour of Hongkong, never again to leave it. This was quite opposed to Lin's instructions which were not to injure the trade with Canton, while at the same time bringing the British under control; and he tried by every means to induce the merchants to reiu a to Canton. Meanwhile he made a foolish attempt to claim jurisdiction over the b dies of Englishmen in a case where a Chinaman had been killed in drunken brawl on the island of Hongkong Elliott invited him to send a deputy to witnes,, the trial, to which no answer was vouchsafed but on the contrary a demand was made, that bond should be signed agreeing that all British subjects charged with crimes should be handed over to the Chine e Government to be tried socording to Chinese custom, All those things were merely delaying but could not hɛnder the final result, and meanwhile reinforcement« in ships and troops were arriving. The first result was the decay of Lin's prestige with the Emperor, and his gradual fall from power,
[To be continued]