392
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
The Engineers batted first and facing the bowling of Bird and Reed contented themselves with scoring at the rate of one run per over for quite a long time, the first half hour's play producing something like 20 runs. Bird's bowling was particularly difficult to play, maiden after maiden being sent down. When the score stood at 60 for two wickets they quickened the pace and finally retired with 115 to their credit with the loss of six wickets. Power contributed 38 before being out by a smart return from Jackman, He was in great form, his straight drives being very attractive. McGregor scored 39 by very patient play and was probably responsible for the win of the R. E. team, Civil Service
were short of Hutchison, Brett, Sutherland and Wit- chell, and found to their cost that it does not pay
to
take any team cheaply. None of their bats made anything of a stand till the last wicket, or rather the ninth, as they were playing with one man short, when Pile and Mackay, with ten minutes to go, played for a draw against time The former played the last ball of the match on to his wicket. Time was up as the last ball was delivered and an interesting point was raised as to whether the result was a win or a draw.
*
*
too
The point open to discussion is this :-Nine wickets had fallen and time was declared. Under ordinary circumstances it would be a draw, but as the Civil Service had only ten men fielding, were they entitled to bat eleven? If any member of the club had been allowed to go to the wickets it must have been a draw, as it was then too late to send another ball down.
FOOTBALL.
UMPIRE.
The games played on Saturday afternoon did not provide anything in the way of surprises so far as results went, but no one expected the Club to go under by such a wide margin. The H.K. Club in losing by six goals did not do themselves justice, but the complete collapse of the team was entirely due to the unsuitable condition of the ground which would not at any time suit the play of the Club players.
*
*
The League champions are going strong and the only issue at stake so far in their matches seems to have been how many goals they would win by. When the game with the Club had been about ten minutes in progress on Saturday it was evident that there was only one team in it; it might be nearer the mark to say one player, as Taylor the centre of the Buffs, was the only player who seemed to be able to control the ball on the slippery surface. Judging by the form shown by Fitzpatrick at outside right he should be a fixture, and with the quintette thus decided the Buffs will no doubt take some ousting from their position at the top of the League table.
*
*
Kowloon made a good stand against the Sappers on Saturday and will take a lot of beating on their ground across the harbour. The defence is still the weak point, but rumour has it that an ex-Scottish leaguer lately arrived in the Colony has been secured and is likely to be seen playing for them on Saturday. Lapsley and Stubs did well in their new positions, and Bishop, an ex-Y.M.C.A. player at half, would have been more effective if less erratic.
* *
The Sappers were without the services of no less than three of their regular players and had some difficulty in managing to divide the points with Kowloon. The fact that Morrish was the only goal-scorer for the Sappers proves my asser- tion of last week that they cannot do without this player in the forward line. The Sappers hope to be at full strength on Saturday, when they meet the Gunners on the Mititary ground, and this being the tit-bit of the afternoon a large crowd of spectators will be present to see these old rivals decide the destiny of a brace of points The misunderstanding which prevented the Naval Yard-R. G. A. match being played was an unfortunate one, and one which is not likely to be repeated. It must have been very annoying to the R. A. players, some of whom travelled from Stonecutters and Lyemun, to find. on their arrival at the Valley that the match could not be played.
|
The second divison of the League, which some people will persist in miscalling the junior division, did not have a very successful com- mencement on Saturday. Of four matches to be played only one took place, two being cancelled owing to Artillery gun practice and the A Coy. v. Moslem being postponed owing to the non-appearance of the referee.
* *
*
[October 30, 1909, Hongkong direct were it possible to make the necessary revenue arrangements. Prices during the latter part of the year rose considerably owing to the drop in value of silver though the actual gold price had slightly fallen. It has been rumoured, though not authenticated, that the rise in price of kerosene oil per case during the latter part of the year was due to an under- standing between the Standard Oil and Asiatic The H. K. Club have been good enough to grant Petroleum Companies not to allow prices to fall the use of their ground at least once a month below a certain figure. The importation of for second League fixtures, thus helping to over-foreign rice has fallen from 4,548,202 piouls. come the ground difficulty. Kowloon have also during 1907 to 3,495,070 piouls. Paddy has to 667,901 picals. been approached, and no doubt they in their fallen from 1,037,906
Cuttle-fish decreased over 60 per cent., and the turn will do all they can to help.
**
figures are the lowest recorded, largely due to the want of a market for the fish usually imported from Japan. Rice, bran, dried and salt fish, ground-nuts, sapanwood, white sugar, timber, and leaf tobacco show substantial decreases. It is stated that one of the principal causes of the decrease in ground-nuts (imported chiefly from Java and neighbouring islands) from 171,756 to 70,283 piculs (the lowest figures since 1902) is the erection of two machine oil presses at Ran- goon, whence ground-net oil is exported to Coal recovered to the standard of China. previous years Rattans have increased over 100 per cent., showing the highest figures since 1902.
* *
Considering the difficulty goalkeepers have in holding the ball on a wet day it seems to me to be courting defeat not to supply them with rubber gloves. The slippery ball has had a lot to do with two heavy defeats already this season, and secretaries would do well to see to this matter before the season is much older,
A great fault with local linesmen is that they do not keep the flag above their heads when the player is about to throw in the ball. This of course adds to the work of the referee, who, in addition to doing his own work has to satisfy himself whether the throw-in was a foul or not.
LEADING GOAL SCORERS. Taylor, Buffs...
Crowne, Kowloon
Brewster, Buffs
Nash, R.G.A. ... Morrish, R.E.....
11
REFEREE.
THE KOWLOON CUSTOMS REPORT.
Mr. A. H. Harris, Commissioner in charge of the Chinese Imperial Customs at Kowloon, in his Report for 108 makes the following re- ference to the foreign trade:
Yarn
Foreign goods entered China from Hongkong via the Kowloon stations during the year 1908 to the value of Hk. Tls. 30,979,381, an increase over the previous year's figures of over 1 million taels. Cotton goods show decreases under most headings, with the exception of white shirtings, and more especially cotton thread, which con- tinue to advance satisfactorily. Business in piece goods has been dull owing to the high exchange. Indian cotton yarn passing our stations has dropped to 458 piculs, a fall of over 50 per cent. on the figures for 1907 and the lowest amount recorded in our archives since 1903. appears to have shared in the general disturbance in commercial dealings caused by the fluctus- tions and continual fall in silver. The bulk of the trade in this district is carried by steamship to Canton, and of which we have no cognizance. The local trade in the Indian production has advanced considerably during 1908. The dis- favour into which, from various causes, Japanese yarn has fallen materially assisted Bombay. It has been stated that the Indian yarn consigned to southern Chinese ports and to Tonkin, through Hongkong as the distributing centre, has reached some 220,000 bales during the course of the year, the estimated value being $24,750,000. Of the items under metals, yellow metal sheets, iron and mild steel, nail-rod, and lead in pigs and bars show increases, while iron and mild steel sheets and plates, old iron and mild steel, and steel in bars and plates have declined. It must
and
the
not be forgotten that the tendency to employ foreign-flagged lighters towed by steam-launches to carry machinery, metals, oils, etc., cuts considerably into native junk trade. This traffic appears to be on the increase calls for further regulation than has yet been accorded to it. Business in metals has been dull owing to high gold exchange rates. American kerosene oil has risen from 169,855 gallons in 1907 to 453,020 gallons, while Russian has fallen over 60 per cent. to 241,975 gallons and Sumatra by nearly 50 per cent. to 604,175 gallons, the latter figures being a little over a quarter of that passing through our stations in 1905. It is understood that the better class of Chinese object to the odours thrown off by the two latter oils. No Burma oil was imported by junk. Owing to present fiscal conditions many of the delta districts are, I understand, served from Canton, but they could be more conveniently supplied from
FAR EASTERN TELEGRAMS.
PRINCE ITO ASSASSINATED.
Tokyo, October 26th, Prince Ito was assassinated this morning at Harbin while alighting from a train on his arrival from Mukden. A Korean fired two revolver shots, wounding Prince Ito mortally, and seriously injuring Mr. Tanaka, the director of the South Manchurian Railway.
Later.
Prince Ito was shot at eight o'clock in the Mr. Tanaka morning and died in the afternoon. is slightly injured, but Mr. Kawakami, the Japanese Consul General at Harbin, is wounded seriously.
Later.
Prince Ito, who was welcomed by the Russian Minister of Finance, and entered a carriage together, was suddenly accosted by a Korean who fired, hitting Prince Ito in the breast.
Mr. Kawakami and Mr. Tanaka, who were also shot, fell to the ground.
The Korean assassin was instantly arrested. Prince Ito, Mr. Kawakami and Mr. Tanaka were removed to the Russian Hospital, where Prince Ito died at 10 o'clock this morning.
Tokyo, October 27th. Fuller particulars now to hand regarding the assassination of Prince Ito at Harbin state that the Korean assassin was a Roman Catholic con- vert. He fired several shots in quick successión, and when arrested he said he had accomplished what he had come for: he had avenged the wrongs of his country.
Two bullets pierced the Prince's lungs and a third the abdomen. His Excellency did not speak after being shot, except to inquire about the condition of one of his injured companions.
He was carried to his carriage and attended by his personal physician. The body was an hour after the Prince expired placed in the train by which he had travelled, for conveyance to Dalny, and will be brought from there to Japan on the cruiser Iwate.
The newspapers hardly realised the assassina- tion yesterday, but to-day there are overwhelm- ing expressions of sorrow.
Later.
Contrary to expectation, there has been a departure from official etiquette, the death being officially announced this afternoon as having occurred on the 26th inst.
Simultaneously an Imperial Ordinance was issued directing that national honours should be accorded at the funeral.
This is an unprecedented tribute to one who is not of Royal blood.
The warship conveying the body is due to arrive at Yokosuka on the 2nd prox., and the funeral will take place on the 4th.
Russia has handed over the assassin to the Japanese authorities for trial in Korea,
}
!