North China Insurance Company-Tis.
1,125 por aliaro,
Fangteze Insurance Association Tls
810 per sbarc.
Chinese Insurance Company, -89312
per sharo, Sales.
THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, JUNE 23RD; 1881.
Brindisi, Messrs W. P. Evans and R. Self-to, and gain the undivided sup- Burke to Bombay, Mr L. E. Moson. port of, every branch of our essential- From Yokolarna, to Venico, Mrly commercial community Golf
SHIPPING REPORTS.
On Tai Insurance Company, Limited-The British steamer Scrapis reports
“T's. 148 per share, Hongkong Fire Insurance Company's 20th, Suez on the 26th; passed Singa
left Cardiff 11th May, Malta on the Shares- $1,000 per share, sellers.
pore on the 16th June, and had fiue China Fire Insurance Company's Shares
weather from Cardiff to Suez Canal, -$300 per share, sellers. Hongkong & Whampoa Dock Com very hot in the Red Sea, and strong monsoon crossing the Arabian Soa; any's Shares-54 per cent prem. thouce moderate woather to Singapore, sellors.
with light winds in the southern part Hongkong, Canton & Macao Stoam.
of the China Sea; thence strong west- boat Company's Shares-$31 por erly winds with rain to the Paracels share premium.
and moderate to light southerly winds nud clear weather to port,
Chinn Coast Steam Navigation Com-
pauy-Tls. 162 per share, Hongkong Gas Company's Shares-
$92 per share. Hongkong Hotel Company's Sharos-
$92 per share, Sales. China Sugar Refining Company, Lú-
mited-$187 per share. China Sugar Refining Company (De-
bentures)-8 per cent premium, Hongkong lee Company's Shares—
126 per share, sellers. Hongkong & China Bakery Company,
Limited-342 per share.
Chinese Imperial Government Loan
of 1874-(Nominal).
Chinese Imperial Government Loan
of 1887-(Nominal).
Exchange.
On LONDON,---
Bank Bills, on demand,
Bank Bills, at 30 days sight, 38!
show the many imperfections insep- arable from a first publication we know right well but we are fairly To every question affecting our entitled to claim some slight amount commercial and social systems, and of indulgence from our many friends, in all the miscellaneous matters whom we take this opportunity of which appeal to the hearts, and insincerely thanking for their liberal ants of the Colony of Hongkong the fluence the interests of the inhabit- support and hearty good wishes.
columns of this journal will ever be open to all nationalities as a conven-
There has been a good deal of ient channel for public discussion. conjecture for some time past as to With a mixed population number-
the cause of the extraordinary at titude lately assumed by our morning ng close upon one hundred and
contemporary, in discussing the ac- seventy thousand souls, there must accessarily be many conflicting in-bably the best managed, and cer- tions of the local government. Pro- terests, and many varied expressions tainly the best printed newspaper in of opinion. Where representatives the Far East, the Daily Press had of a dozen different nations meet fairly earned a high place amongst daily on equal terms in the ordinary colonial jonnals, by its extended routine of business, conflicting in-
circle of able correspondents in terests will frequently clash, opinions neighbouring countries, by the cor The Chinese steamer. Kang-chi ro
on the numerous questions which ports left Haiphong 19th June and arise on matters social and general
reet, graphic, and comprehensive re- Hailos Fud, experienced moderate must occasionally differ. All grierin and out of the colony, which con- 'ports of all important matters, both variable winds and fine weather. Hoiances, temperately stated, so long as stantly graced its pages; and by the how to llongkong moderate S. . they affect the welfare of the Colony fair and impartial manner in which at large, will in all cases receive at all questions of public interest were
The Chinese steamer Fu-Few. re-
ports left Shanghai at 5 am, on the 19h and had maderato S. W. winds and fine weather throughout.
wind and fine.
the pross are requisitioned (we will not say prostituted), for the purpose of daily vilifying and abusing in language coarse and scurrilous the representative of Her Majesty the Queen, and all his public actions. The coarse, meaningless, undignified vituperation, which during the past fortnight has given such an un- mistakeable significance to the lead- ing articles of our contemporaries, formed home circles, that of causing can only have one effect in well in-
a reaction in Sir John Pope Hen nessy's favor through inspiring ex- perienced men with a thorough con- tempt for, and utter misbelief in such shallow claptrap. Of this we possess ample proof.
In the issues of the Daily Press. dated June 14th, 16th, 17th, and 20th, appoar four leading articles, which are supposed to be an analysis of, and critical commentary on the recent Census Returns. We say supposed to be for the articles in question are simply a farrago of unintelligible. blind, to afford the writer an oppor- rubbish, evidently intended as a mere
NEWS for the ENGLISH MAIL our hands the most impartial consid-editorially discussed. If the Darbytunity of throwing a new collection
eration.
Is submitting to the public of. Without in any way abrogating Hongkong the first number of a new so far as we are personally concern journal, we deem it best to take oured), the undoubted prerogative of the readers into our confidence from the press to lead and direct any just cru- beginning, by adopting the time-side which may be instituted against honored custom of briefly stating the crying abuses, by an outraged com- reasons which have induced us to munity, we opine that there are many circumstances in these advanced believe that another Richmond”
Press leaders could hardly claim to rank as literary productions of a high. order they were generally dis- tinguished, by practical reasoning, sound common sense, and above all, by strict impartiality. Within the
of choice and elegant epithets at the Governor. The first of the series commences in the following chaste Sir John Pope Hennessy makes a wanner:-"When His Excellency statement and gives it particulár emphasis it usually happens that
that statement will on examination
of those to which he gives utterance."
Bank Bills, at 4 months' sight, 3/8 in the field of local journalism will days in which the Public Press morning the readers of our leading he found more incorrect than most
Documentary Bills, at 4.
Credits, at 4 inouths' sight,.
- months' sight,”
ON PARIS,-
3/93
Bank Bills, on demand, ...4.63
- Credits, at 4 months' sight, ...4.73
On BOMBAY,
Bauk, 3 days sight,.
228
On CALCUTTA,—
Bank, 3 days' sight,
2253
On SHANGHAI,-
Bank, sight,
Private, 30 days' sight,
Hongkong Temperature.
(Taken at Mosers. Falanter & Col's.
Register, Queen's-road)
HoscRONG, 22ndl & 23rd June, 1881. BAROMETER-1 PM.......
99.986 Do.
.20.964 4P.M.... THERMOMETER-1 PM..
.. 80. Do. .4 P...
.80. Do. 1 pm. (Wet Bulb) 82. Do.
Do. 81. BAROMETEK-9 wx.
.30.046
86..
THERMOMETER—AM,
Do. 9A. (Wet bull) $1. Do. Maximum
90.
Do Minimum (over night) 81.
SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.
ARRIVALS
Jane 22, Serapis, British steamer, 1271, S. F. North, Carliff, 11th May, Coals.--Captain. ( June 23, 5 am, Fu Yer, Chinese
steamer, 920, Crond, Shanghai 19th June, 5 a.tn., General. C. M. S. N. Co. June 23, Kang-chi, Chinese steamer,'
688, B. C. Marsden, Haiphong and Hoilow 19th and 22nd June, General.-C. M. S N Ca.
DEPARTURES Jnuo 22, Lorne, British steamor, for.
Singapore.
June 22, Kenmuir Castle, British
steamer, for Singapore, &c. June 23, Midge, British gunboat, for
Canton.
meet with a fair amount of general support, and of explaining in a few
a
sentences the course we intend to steer as a free and independent ro- presentative of public opinion.
Au idea appears to have prevailed in some quarters of the Colony for considerable period, that the public interests were so efficiently repre sented by the two journals of long standing already in existence, as to leave no room for a third newspaper, and doubtless the want of success which attended previous efforts to es- tablish or a firm. basis, a daily rival to the Press and China Mail consid- erably strengthicnel this opinion. It seems to us, however, times hay- ing so materially altered since the Hongkong Times became a mereland-
mark of the past, witliout any pro- vision or allowance having been made for the changed aspect of affairs.by our morning and evening contem- poraries, that a journal laid down on the lines of the Telegraph cannot fail to meet with a large share of public approbation, and support. With absolute faith in this belief, we have considered our case suffi.
would show wisdom by confining its functions to the impartial delin
cution
of public opinion, in- stead of, as is too often the case, distorting and exaggerating the same, to satisfy and gratify the illogical reasonings of a badly balanced judg ment, Horace truly wrote many centuries ago, that it was improper for any man to place his pretensions beyond his ability to maintain them, so, assuming a modesty which wo may or may not possess, our aim will be, so far as is practicable, to. accurately and fairly represent the feelings and expressed wishes of the community whose suffrages we now solicit, rather than to pass off in flowing periods of bombastic fustian, our own individual, and naturally at
times, mistaken and narrow-minded
views.
Political partisanship we would entirely eschew. Fortunately the sat- isfactory government. of this colony is in no way dependent on either of the rival political parties having the upper hand in the British Parlia- ment. We consider ourselves Whigs or Tories, Liberals or Conservatives, exactly as our feelings or sympathies
past month or two. however, all this has changed, and morning after
journal have been treated to varie- gated hashes of scurrilous abuse of His Excellency the Governor; in many cases unmerited, in all, ac-
complishing infinito harm to the cause of legitimate journalism. We are not desirous of quarreling with our morning contemporary, nor of entering into any wordy warfare on what may be after all, a mere differ- ence of opinions, the more especially as relations of the most friendly de- scription have for years existed be tween ourselves, and the entire liter-
ary staff of the Press, and it must
therefore be understood that our pres- ent observations have been elicited in the public interest, which we, however inadequately, represent to a cortain extent; and as a protest against what appears to us to be a systematic, unjust, unfair, and in- defensible crusade against the present head of Her Majesty's Government in this island.
Our own opinions on Governor Hennessy's general policy, from the first wock of his arrival up to the present time, are porfectly well known throughout the colony, and have at various times been expressed in the correspondence columns of both the
This is the Daily Press man's playful manner of telling an ex- Member of the British Parliament; a Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, and Governor of one of the most import- ant dependencies of the British Crown, that he is at all times a most egregious liar. If we remember rightly, it was O'Connell who expressed his belief that Disraeli was a lineal descendant of the Impenitent Thief. If matters run along in the same groovo much lougor here, we shall have one of our omniscient loader-writers out- doing O'Connell by asserting that Sir John Pope Hennessy is the Im- carefully read and re-road these penitent Thief himself. We have
four articles on the Census Returns, without being any the wiser as to their intention or meaning, Thinking there might possibly be something in them far beyond our powers of
research we submitted them to one of our most eminent legal practitoners for his candid opinion. He gave it briefly if not elegantly; but as it was the reverse of complimentary to the writer, we will spare his amour pro-
ciently good to risk in the face of many obstacles and difficulties, (some may tend, without really knowing Daily Press and China Mail in such pre, by not reproducing it here.
of which, by the way, might have been spared us), the ordeal of a fair public trial.
the true meanings of the relative terms, or being at all acquainted with the tangible differences of their respective creeds. As a matter of fact, with foreigners, political opin- ions in Chinaire far more a mere mat- ter of sentiment, than a practical
truth.
unmistakeable terms, that we are under, no apprehension that our motivos in constituting ourselves, not Sir John Pope Hennessy's champion, but a champion of fair play, and an interested defender of the highly prized privileges and prerogatives of an honorable profession, will either be questioned or misunderstood.
The many measures which Sir John Pope Hennessy has introduced for the benefit of the colony at large, and for the political amelioration of what he has consistently considered an, unfairly treated majority of the constituency, have generally failed to win our approval-not because they were not honest, statesman-like pro- posals brought forward with the best intentions, and under the firm belief that they were for the public weal; but simply because we were under a strong impression that they were ill-timed, and generally unsuited for the immediate requirements of the colony. Whether we were right or wrong matters little. Such were our opinions, and they have under gono no material alterations up to the prosent day.
There can be little doubt that the extremely high rate charged for the newspapers published in Hongkong, has hitherto debarred a large and not uninfluential section of our com- 'munity from becoming regular sub- In all matters relating to the local scribers to, and readers of our local Government, our course is quite clear. papers. Neither should it be over- The welfare of the inass of the people looked, that year after year the num is admittedly the first great law of a ber of Chinese who are capable of perfectly constituted government. reading and understanding English, The primary aim of all sound legis- and moreover who are becoming-for|lation should have for its objects the theirown sakes and in their own in- establishment of order, and security, terests, deeply concerned in allanat- and the diffusion of social happiness ters affecting the well-being of this by the aid of an ever. increasing Colony--is steadily on the increase, commercial prosperity Owing al Therefore by providing a well written legiance to no particular faction, our nowspaper-which it is hoped will attitude on all questions of import rival either of its contemporaries as ance affecting the welfare of this a comprehensive and correct record colony will be marked by thorough of local, commercial, and general independence, and a fearless desire nows, and as a true and impartial to use all legitimate means in the reflex of public opinion-at a price true interests of our fellow colonists. likely to suit all requirements, we at It is, however, as a commercial once secure a numerous constituency, newspaper that we mainly rely on and fairly meet a want long felt.. the community for support, and as a Guaranteeing from our first issue, correct and trustworthy record of all a circulation which will compare shipping matfors, we hope to fill a' It is however one thing to differ favorably with the majority of daily sphere of usefulness, not only to the honestly with a person of such exalt. From Hongkong-To Southamp- ton, Mr W... W. Leor to Madras, one
papers published in the Far East, residents in Hongkong and the Coasted ramens His Excellency, on ques privato, Gun-Imacar Company. From
wo have fixed our scale of charges as Ports of China, but also in many of Shanghai-to Melbourne, Mr D.
an advertising medium at a rate in the flourishing seaports in Japan, Cuates; to Southampton. Mr and Mrskoping with the altered character and in most countries which main Cooper and child, and Mossys J. L. of the times; a step in the right di- tain trading connections with China. Blackmore and W. Soainos; to rection which ought to commend it. That our modost little print will
June 28, Oxfordshire, British steamer,
for Amgy
June 23, Greyhound, British steamor,
for Hoihow. June 23, Vorwarts, German steamer,
for Touron.
PASSENGERS.
TO DEPART
The following are the passengers hooked to depart by the P. & O. Co.'s Steamer Ravenna, to-day at 4.p.m.
tions of policy which may or may not affect the public welfare, and on which you are likely enough to have the bost of the argument and quite author when the mighty powore of
We have partly been induced to dwell on the above matters in con-
sequence of information which came to
hand by last French Mail from a
gentleman, who at one time held high office in a Liberal Government, and who is still a prominent member gentleman alluded to, in discussing of the House of Commons. The
the subject of Governor Hennessy's general policy in Hongkong, referred
in distinct and unmistakeable terms to the unfavorable impression creat- ed in political circles at home, by the scurrilous and invariably one- sided articles which week after week appeared in the Hongkong news-
papers.
In expatiating on a subject which, is full of unpleasantness, we have studiously refrained from going fur- ther than necessity required. As an independent representative of public opinion, we could not have done less. That the majority of our community. agree with the course adopted by our. old established journals we do not for one moment believe. However much we may all differ with the Gov- ernor, it is only right that his pol- licy should be jadged on its merits. Scurrility and coarse vituperation applied to His Excellency may raise a laugh, may even he considered a good joke, but it should never be forgotten, more especially by news- paper mon that,
"Non est juous esso maligrum."