Page
BIG FIRE IN BEACONSFIELD ARCADE
TAREE ESTABLISHMENTS DESTROYED,
EXTENSIVE DAMAGE DONE,
A most disastroas, fire broke out, esuly.
yesterday morning at No. 12, 13 and 14, Beaconsfield Arcade, Queen's - Road, opposite the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank. The scene, of the fire is a block of throatoried buildings the ground and first Boors of which are used as offices, while the floors above are residential quarters. The conflagration blazed for over two hours-from 3.30 am to 5.99 a.m.-before it was subdued, and the por. | tion of the buildings which had been assalloi were completely gutted.
THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS. FRIDAY, AUGUST 2ND, 1913
HONGKONG MAGISTRACY.
ALLEGED, ILL-TREATMENT OF A GIRL.
A Chinese woman was diarged with ill-treating a little girl,
Inspector Davitt stated that the girl hat bon adopted by defendant. One when she was playing with some boys defendent struck her seven times with a chopper, as a result of which she was now in hospital -
Mr. Wolfe remanded the case, fixing tail at $100.
OPIUM CASEL
COMPANY MEETINGS SHANGHAI DOCK AND
ENGINEERING CO.
THE CIVIL WAR IN CHINA
INTERRUPTED BY THE HEAT.
CURIOUS ATTITUDE OF THE NAVY.
HOW OUR OWN CORESPONDENT.]
SWATOW, July 26th. The hot weather has rendered the troops
за
At the twelfth annual general mesting of the Shangliai Dock and Engineering Co., Ltd., on July 28th, Mr. John Pren- tice (Chairman) said: We are still suffering from diffenties and delay inlethargic. It is too great a harship procuring and
to fight! That is how John, Chinaman getting delivery of materials, and therefore the completion regards it. Your nows from `Peking to of work has been and is still being very the effect that the important post of much retarded. During the year we de-a-pu was taken by the Northerner is livered saree steamers of a deadweight correct. That would have been a capacity of about 6,500 tons, and another real gain for the Northerners and a A Chinese was charged with being in shortly. We have also carried out a largChan Kwet-ming's upper
of about 3,100 tons will be delivered very serious blow to the Southerners, lor it would have dfccted a cleavage between unlawful possession of four tacls of pre-amount of repair and real work forces and spelt disaster. On thres or and lover pared 'spintų
consider the result of the year's working tour occasions, however, the Ta-pu people It was stated that the opium A very satisfactory and this is entirely due got very serious frights, so much so that concealed in defendant's ersonal lug to the increased amount of work done. a great many led. It is a very romark- rage, which was on a junk, ready to suWe had the capacity for doing much able feature of this warfare that wherever for Taipin.
more, had materials bega procurable. the Northern troops approach
The amount transferred from General populace get torrified and make lor Working Account shows an increase of places of infety. Of old the Chinese lad nearly 6 per cent over that of last fixed places of refuge, usually on high year, which showed an increase of nearly cliffs difficult of access. These old-time, 45 per cent over the previous one.
forta are still to be met with in ramay places. Nowadays they are not resorted to. as they afford no refuge from modern
Defendunt stated that a friend gave him a parcel, and he was unaware contained opium,
Mr. Wolfe fined defendant $200, with the alternative of one santh's hard laboua,
According to several informants, the fire originated on the ground floor of Na 12, the office of the Wing Yick Filat Exchange Company, but others are of opinion that it started in the Greek Tobacey Manufactory, next door. At all events, the flatnes were first noticed issuing from one or other of these two preriises by some Indian constables, stationed on duty at the propises of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank. They immediately gave the alarm by blowing
An Indian watchman of the fai Hong their whistles. The bunk tree wrelated a long story, in which he stated quickly put into operation, and a stendy that while the boat was coming into flow of water played on the burning Hongkong he noticed five Chinese be kaziladings There Was very strong, having
in. a suspicious mumer. They northerly wind blowing at the time were talking to a Chinese salor, evident "and this famed the fames, which
ly making some arrangements, and later, sprowi -rapidly to they adjacent while the boat was being moored along.
premises. The
iL
residents
on
the
A Chinese was charged with attempt. ing to import into the Colony 2584 Lacs of opini
Mr. Wolfe remanded the case for week.
A CAPTIVE'S RANSOM.
a
ho
On the other hand, we do not hear that the Fukien people run away at the approach of Southam troops. This fact needs no cominent; it is too evident what the people think and how, they feel towards Lie-Northern and Southern
.772,800.00. armies.
Ofe
The net proût for the year, including the amount brought forward from last Fear, after paying all charges and allow ing for all known liabilities, amounts to Tls. 1,154,142:72, which we recommend should be dealt with as follows:--,
Tls. Pay-a-dividend of The 14 per
share
Place La Depreciation Fund 70,000.00 have failed to bring about peace. Place to Special Reserve Fund 940,000.00 | Now that political wisdom and strategy Carry forward to Now Account 70,749.72 hopes that the fighting spirit will ceino One would fain win, We have written nothing off for depre- trysn inanition. to the Depreciation Fund, which will North and South from a ciation, but propose to add Tls. 70,000 too, that the Allies would regard the "benevolost then amount to Tls. 422,067.82,
neutrality point of view, for it would
that whatever favour is shown is mani appear, not without some show of reason,
fested towards the Northörners: To lo absolutely neutral would show wisdon from a political point of view, as the Chinese five nations are unquestionably in favour of peace and good-will.
Special Reserve Fand it will then amount By adding the Fls. 240,000 to the
side the pier, some of the men jumped upper stories, nambering about thirty-round and go into a lunch which person awakened by the cornmotion."
had arrived on the scene. Two of the opened the doors and looked out, and
I
men, who were late in making their were surpfised to notice a sheen in the escape, were caught by him. A str88
witness was severely EN skyting danger, they made for the casted, and
saulted. One of the men huged to free to Tls. 500,000. several means of exit. Some managed himself and escope. The other WOA to make their csempe through the back caught, and, in a leather hand-bag, 40
tins of opium were found. stairways, which, however, were full of smoke, while atbers reached safety through the passage at the front. Within about ten minutes all the occupants, of the flats had vacated the building. The gentlema
mostly were
dressed in pyjamas, while the Tow Ladies living on, the premises had hastily covered their night atiro with overcoats, It is he lieved that everyone in the buildings escaped. One gentleman, who was sleep. ing in the building, unaware of the danger, was boully carried out of the building by fireman. The building was an old on, one of the oldest in the
Colony.
་
There is another imposing matter kept an the background of our vision which
We have at present à considerable amount of work on hand and have a cn tract with His Majesty's Government for three standard steamers of Clase "C."
We have given an option for the par Two Chinese we charged with being chase of some of our land, which we in unlawful posesion of $80, reason- can spare, without in any way interfer.ught to be a guiding star to other ne tions it is the attitude of the Chines ably suspected to have been stolen.
ing with our works, or extension of then,
The Sergeant Blackma informed
Navy. the
Northern and Southern The report and accounts as printed sections of the Chinese may have un-> Magistrate that he had been instructed by the Captain-Superintendent of Police were passed, with authorization to pay questionably arrived at a mutual under to apply for a week's remand so as to dividend of Tis. 14, and a donation of standing; it is a strange one, yet no eauble. bim to correspond with the
£1,000 to the Sailors' War Orphans'
out of keeping with the Oriental mind. authorities at Canton,
Sergeant Fallon stated that he arrested Fund was approved.
They appear to have agreed not to parti defendants on Wing Lok Wharf as they
cipate in the fighting between North and South-hot is, they will not engage cach were going on board a steamer bound for
other in naval battle, they will not aim Macao.
it mutual destruction. They disapprow of this internecine warfare; it a searched the money was found in his possession. The second man suddenly
At the 2nd annual general meeting of quarrat between North and South in vanished, but, later, came to the Central Police Station and reported that a man the members of The Liverpool and London which they take no part beyond a certain. ilmit. The limit is an Ulogical. one; who owned a shop in Canton had given and Globe Insurance Co., Ltd. Colonel convenient naval ships will onvoy troops them the money to effect the release of P. Reynolds, D.S.O., who presided, from one place to another, but not where
friend who was held captive by some
there is any likelihood of collision be bundits in Macao.
said:When last my predecessor had the
ween their Tespective squadrons'! The instructed by his master to interview the pleasure of rendering an account of oa Navy regards itself as an independen the heavy fighting at Bwatow, when leader of the bandit gang at Macao. He stewardship, particular attention was entity. It frowns on the quarrel. Dar the Canta Defence Corps.
ponderous guns sppear to have made ar-splitting noise with blank chargea Had it been otherwise her Brow have done serious damage to the South orners.
When one of the men was
LIVERPOOL AND LONDON · AND GLOBE INSURANCE CO., LTD.
The Polite, upon being notified of the outbreak, set all the alarm-bells ringing and in about half-an-hour, all the avail-a able Bremen, with the engines, and other. appliances were on the scene of the disaster. The volunteer &tamen, also, made their appearance, and the work of and the second, prisoner were members of called to the fact that the total income of big cruiser participated in the fight, hei
was
One of the defendants said he was
Mr. J. R. Wood said be was satisfied with the truth of the defendants' story and be discharged thern.
The shops and stores reported to have been badiy duianged are:-
A REBITAENT'S VERBIÓN,
Den
I
wire.
the Company had reached the large combating the flames commenced. More than ten koses were turned on to the
amount of £6,069,323, and you were good enough to generously acknowledge the burning premises, from different angles,
efforts which had produced that result.
Since writing the above there has been tl firemen scaling the walls, and apply.
I am sure, therefore, that you will view a local rumour:That Cban Kwet-ming ing hows at close quarters. The whole
has been killed by a shell and that Ta-pu the accounts submitted to you to-day with has fallen into the Northern bands row of buildings was surrounded by the
The Wing Yick Filin Exchange Co.
oven increased satisfaction, for, entirely this is truc, a very serious breach har by natural expansion, the income of the been made in the Southern lines, which fireinen, and a steady flow of water was The Greek Tobacco Factory.
Messrs. Noordin & Co., tailors Company has during last year increased will upset the whole plan of the Southern directed upon it at top pressure. One
The Yera Photographic Studio.
by no less than £509,512, reaching the caders. The rumour, however, is lacking hose was directed from the top of the
Soyce & Co., booksellers, had their gratifying amount of 26,060.840. To this definite ovidence and may be but an Bank building. For two hours, the fire-stock damaged by water, and it is also every section of our business has con- ocho of the news spread by the Peking reported that the establishment of tributed in a really remarkable degren; men, upon whom too much praise cannot Robertson & Wilson, importers and ax the more surprising when the abnormal be bestowed, fought the fire and at length porters, was badly burned. Nearly times in which we are living are em-
sidered. Following on with this develop Lite. Our total net new sums assured extinguisbed it," the min,
which all the shops were insured,
The damage to the structure and conment in our business we have realiad of 2638,495 show an increase over the the very handsome surplus of £310,07 previous year, and constitutes a record pouring down, assisting them tents is estimated at about $110,000.
which is increased by the interest on the for the Company. Having regard to the considerably. They then turned their
One of the occupants of a fat above funds (apart from life funds) to diminished field for life insurance attention to the other fate which had
the floor on which the fire originated; £1,107,00 the first time in the Com owing to so many otherwise eligible for escaped the flames. Their work was states At 8:30 am, we won suddenly pany's history we have exceeded the insurance having been called upon to face the risks of war, we feel that this is made all the more difficult by the inton awakened by the blowing of Police round million.
whistles, and the shouts of people After providing £223,824 necessary to an indication of very satisfactory pro sity of the heat, which drove many faragining it to be an attack by armed add to the various Funds owing to this gress. The Life Funds have increased spectators to take refuge in the various robbers, we hastened to the hnding and increased income, we have been enabled from £4,200,47% to 54,310,207, and the buildings opposite the scene of the disas looked out. The sky appeared in flames to carry to profit and loss a sum of Annuity Funds have diminished by
We concluded that some building, pre £883,135-2 result which, I am sure you fra,030. ter. The Japanese Photographic Studio, sumably the City Hall, wat on fire will agree with me, is a most satisfactory In addition to increasing, the Invest containing a large stock of chemicals and Thinking, however, that I might be of outcome of our year's working.
Fire. In this branch of our business other inflammable material, was
some help, I opened my door, leading on com-
to the back-stairs and was mout to go we have the pleasure to record that our pletely burnt out, and one heard sounds down when I discovered that thick, black premiums have increased by no less than while the fire was raging as of shots smoke was issuing from underneath the £204,301, and now amount to £3,557,40
stair-cases. Suddenly flames shot out, and I am glad to say that this is due to a being fired. These, no doubt, were dug I realised that it was our building which general increase in nearly the whole of ings acquired in the eighties and nineties was on fire, I called out to warn the the area of the Company's operations to explosions caused by the chemicals
When the fire was at an end the reaid other occupants, and then hatened back After adding £117,721 to the Fanda left into my flat and woke up my servant in this secount we are able, with the ents rauraed to their Hats and found boy. We did not wait to save any of our addition of interest, to bring £400,000 to their relief that their belongings, in effects but ran down the back-stair. In to the credit of profit and loss account
so doing we were nearly sufocated by as compared with £308,589 in 1916. most cases, were undamaged. In one the smoke. Fortunately though the flamer Accident. This Department continues two and a half millions, we have been case, however, a gentleman, who was were in the vicinity of the stair case to produce uniformly good results. After living immediately adjacent to the burn they did not reach the stairase itself, allowing for interest, and adding reserves We reached safety, and then found that to the extent of £38,163, the profit and the other occupants had also made their loss account is benefitted by a sum of escape through the other meme off exit £189,908, an against £85,606 in previous In my opinion, the flames, first attacked sccounts the buck portion of the building, which Marine The results in this branch of was thickly boarded
our operations may I think, he viewed One of the first things which struck ze with particular satisfaction. We have when I got down was the absence of the strengthened the reserves in this account Fire Brigade, which did not put in an by £87,457, and are still in positica, appearance until about if an hour with the addition of Interest, to transler However, the men worked like £181,874 to the credit of profit and loss later. trojans when they did arrive, and it was account the corresponding transfer in to their indefatigable efforts that the 1916 being £98,667. majority of the building was saved. (Continued at foot of next Column.)
ing stores, is reported to have lost all bus furniture, clothing, etc, valued at
øver $1,000.
The portion of the building facing the City Hall escaped. This was furtunate, as on one of the ground floors was the es tablishment of Messrs. William Schmidt Co., gunsmiths, containing, it is said, asveral cases of cartridges,
(Continued at foot of next Column.)
ment Fluctuation Fund from £1,000,000 to £1,300,000 we have written down some of our investments by the sum of $159,758. For years past this Company. has been steadily writing down its investi ments, and to-day its gild-edged hold have been brought from a 3 per cent to a 5 per cent level. We are paying for our prosperity in them days, and " think we may view with mine pride th fact, that while we have since 1903 prý vided for depreciation a sum of nearly able to add to our funds out of terenu even larger amount. Surely this achievement must give us all just con fidence in the future of the Company when this drain upon our resources will have ceased,
at the time when th Your Directors at the time when thi interim dividend payable on 92nd November me to be considered felt justified in incressing the same by 1s. por share, less tax They are of opinion tha a similar addition may be made to the final dividend, making a total dividend for the year of 58 por ginre, less tax is compared with 24s per share, les tax, paid in the previous year.
LANE CRAWFORD
AND COMPANY.
WALK-OVER
SHOES
MENS
LIGHT WEIGHT
BROWN KID
AND MEDIUM WEIGHT
BROWN LEATHER
BOOTS
UNEQUALLED VALUE
AT
$10.00 $12.00 $13.50 AND $15,00
G-E FANS
PER PATIL
LANE, CRAWFORD
AND COMPANY.
KEEP
COOL
PROMOTE · BODILY COMFORT.
FOR SALE BY ELECTRICAL DEALERS.
Andersen, Meyer & Co., Ltd.,
Sole Agents,
Hotel Mansions,
KONGKONG.
Missions Building,
CANTON.
Powell
"Wm.
<<TELEPHONE.34€
1180
FOR A FEW DAYS ONLY
SALE
OF SLIGHTLY SOILED AND SURPLUS
Having taken, more commodious premises for our GENTLEMEN'S TAILORING
AND OUTFITTING DEPARTMENTS we are holding, this SALE to clear all oddments thus opening the NEW PREMISES with a FRESH AND UP-TO-DATE STOCK ONLY.
SHIRTS,
BARGAINS in
PYJAMAS, TIES, SOOKS,
GOODS.
BOOTS AND SHOES, Etc., Tac.
SHING KEE CO.
SODA MERCHANTS,
IMPORTERS AND EXPORTERS
OF
Caustic Soda, Seda Ash, Muriate of Ammonia, Silicate of Soda, Refined Bicarbonate of Sada, Mineral Water, and Soda Crystal, Bleaching Powder, Sulphur Acid, Sulphate of Ammonia, etc., etc.
ALWAYS IN STOCK
No. 32, DES VOUX ROAD, WEST, HONGKONG.
(2278