A. S. WATSON & Co. WHOLESALE AND RETAIL DRUGGISTS,
GENERAL CHEMISTS,
AND
Manufacturers of the following AERATED WATERS, viz: SODA, TONIC, SARSAPARILLA, AND POTASH, LEMONADE, GINGERADE, RASPBERRYADE, AND PHOSPHORIC CHAMPAGNE.
Deliveries in Town and Harbour from
7 AM to 7 PM.
Surs' MebicIENE, CHESTS REFITTED, PASSENGER SHIPS SUPPLIED.
Proopt Attention given to Coast Orders.
HONGKONG DISPENSARY.
HONGKONG. SHANGHAI PHARMACY,
SHANGBAL
CANTON DISPENSARY,
THE DISPENSARY,
CANTONY
Foocnow.
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THE
Hongkong Telegraph.
HONGKONG, 25TH JUNE, 1881.
Although we have been assured, from what may be considered a reliable source, that the difficulty raised in connection with the recent purchase of the Wey Sing Lottery Monopoly at Macao, will be easily tided over, later intelligence of a rather startling character, induces us to believe that both the Portuguese Government and Mr. John Pitman stand a great chance of becoming the victims of a powerful combination amongst the Chinese, formed for the express purpose of upsetting, at all costs, the late sale by auction of this valuable monopoly. According to latest advices, arrangements have been agreed to by Governor Graça, representing the Macao Government, and Mr. John Pitman, acting on behalf of his Chinese clients, that the sum of one hundred thousand dollars, on account of purchase money of the Wey Sing Monopoly, shall be paid into the Government Treasury this afternoon. We are credibly informed that this amount will not be forthcoming, and although we shall be glad to find ourselves mistaken, we have every reason for believing that a settlement has been privately effected between the oppos- ing Chinese factions, which will probably render null and void all former proceedings.
After Mr. Pitman and his Chinese friends had by sheer weight of metal carried the day against the old farmer's party at the auction, the defeated confederacy, aided, abetted, and advised, it is reported, by aclique of interested rascals who saw in the proposed new regime, a probable end to all their iniquitous squeezing, at onco took steps to come to some understanding with their victorious opponents. Cajolery and intimida- tion were both fruitlessly tried, and as a last resource, and in order to guin time, if nothing elso, influence of some sort was brought to bear upon Sonhor Graga, who getting alarmed, immediately insisted on a
THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH SATURDAY, JUNE 25TH, 1881.
portion of the purchase money being at once handed over as a proof of bona fides. That this was a reasonable enough request is beyond doubt; but it was surely a great want of foresight on the part of the officials who con- ducted the auction, in not making it a stipulation of the sale, that persons intending to bid must first deposit in the Government Treasury a sum of, say, Fifty thousand dollars. This would most certainly have obviated some of the difficulties which have now arisen. Mr. Pitman, so it is currently reported, handed over to the Macao Government a cheque for tea thousand dollars, and took immediatc steps to place himself in a position to be able to deposit the required $100,000 this afternoon. Should Mr. Pitman be unable to come up to time, as we are advised will be the case, it will not be his fault. Where cajolery, and intimidation failed, self interest met with unqualified success. Any deposit which may be declared forfeit by the Portuguese Government for breach of contract, will, so it is said by persons likely to be well informed, be refunded by the old monopolists. The motive is quite evident. The whole of the | Chinese interests being amalgamated and all powerful opposition quashed, what will be the result, should the Governor of Macao prove so weak minded as to re-sell the Wey Sing Lottery Monopoly to the highest bidder by public auction? Is it reasonable to think that the sum offered for the three years monopoly will amount to anything like one million and fifteen thousand dollars? We think not; in fact we have a strong impression that about six hundred thousand dollars will be the outside limit, thus leaving the Macao Treasury nearly half a million dollars
to the bad.
one day last month no fewer than 1500 German emigrants, arrived in New York, the majority of them be- ing of an age, which would subject them to military duty in their own country. If Imperial policy necessi- tates the whole of the German Em- pire being maintained as one vast armed camp, the commercial interests and prosperity of the country must suffer. It may well be asked, but not easily answered, when and where will this unsatisfactory condition of affairs end?
For many years there has existed a dispute between Liverpool and Glasgow, as to which of these cities could claim to rank, next to London, the most populous city in the British Empire. The completed returns of the Liverpool census, which have been recently published, answer the question satisfactorily. The pop ulation of the Scottish commercial capital within the city boundaries is 511,589; in the suburbs, which are really an extended portion of the city forming continuous lines of streets from Argyle Street, for miles on every side, 193,520, making a grand total of 705,109. The population of Liver pool is returned as follows: within the municipal boundaries, 540,649; suburbs 132,285; total 681,934; thus leaving the big city on the Clyde, 32,175 ahead of its rival on the Mersey. Glasgow has added to its population during the last ten years, over one hundred and fifty thousand inhabitants.
Let Glasgow flourish !
The wreck of a large intercolonial steamer, the Tararua, Captain Gerrard, is recorded as having occur red off the south east coast of New Zealand, while on a passage from Dunedin to the Bluff, with a loss of 120 lives out of a total of 142
pass
engers
and crew on board. The
As we shall be in possession of full particulars in the course of a few hours, we refrain from going at length Tararua was built in Dundee in into what, on the face of it, appears 1864 and was formerly one of the to be one of the most iniquitous fleet of steamers running under the pieces of jobbery ever perpetrated.well-known white anchor flag of the We would however strongly recom- Panama and New Zealand Mail mend Senhor Graça, in the event of Steamship Company. She was one the former sale resulting in a fiasco, of their fastest steamers and along not to re-sell the Wey Sing monopoly with other boats on the same line by public auction. Too clever people was regarded as a general favorite often unwittingly defeat their own by the travelling public. On the ends. The value of the monopoly collapse of the P. and N. Z. Comp- in question in Macao, has been proved any she passed into the hands of by demonstration lo be worth more
new owners, Messrs McMeckan, than has yet been offered for it. Blackwood, & Co., of Melbourne, who had extensive alterations effected That the former farmiers cleared a fortune out of their last speculation including new boilers and machine was clearly shown by their willing ry. Her saloon also was enlarged, mess to pay one million and ten
and with few exceptions there was not a better appointed or thousand dollars for a renewal of the contract. By advertising the mono- comfortable ship on the intercolon- poly at the upset price of one millionial trade. The disaster which has and twenty thousand dollars the Gov-been so terrible in its results occurred erument of Macao will get safely out
on the morning of Friday the 29th of April, while it was very dark and of their difficulty, as, beyond the shadow of a doubt this sum will be
with a thick haze over the land. paid for the privilege in less than a
Both the Captain and his officers month's time. But even assuming were on deck at the time, and ten that it would not, there is another
minutes before she struck it was course which is at the disposal of the
considered she was so far south as Portuguese Government, and which
to clear Waipapapa Point, and her any Government claiming self respect course was altered to west to make would prefer to adopt, rather than for the Bluff. The reef hotvever had become the tool of a combination of not been cleared and the vessel of unscrupulous Chinese speculators, grounded heavily, and as this was namely, to pass an ordinance render- followed by a strong sea sweeping ing the Wey Sing Lottery business the ship from steni to stern, numbers illegal, and punishable with heavy were washed overboard and she penalties, within Portuguese jurisdic-speedily became a total wreck. It tion.
· LOCAL AND GENERAL.
The Boers have established a news paper recently, called the South African Republic Gazette. British rule in Africa is entirely ignored in the columns of the now publication, which, with, the revolutionary title, would apparently indicate that our troubles at the Cape-are a long way from being finished.
The manner in which liability to military servico is inducing Germans to leave the Fatherland, may bo ga thered from the Emigration Returns published by the Government of the United States. We observe that in
more
not a huge joke, the Messrs Siemens having so far perfected their plans that they are enabled to run a train at the rate of eighteen miles an hoar On Thursday a number of German officials toola journey by Mr. Siem- ens's new train, accompanied by members of the press, to witness a trial of this electrical contrivance for removing impatient passengers from one part of the capital of the Father- land to the other. The electric car caused as profound a sensation am- ongst the ignorant folks as the bicy- cle did in its earliest days-amongst the rustics of Wilts and Berks. It makes no noise, the machinery is concealed, and the vehicle moves along as though his Satanic Majesty had his hand on the starting-lever. It cannot be a matter for surprise that the police authorities are puzzled what to do. They do not know whether to place the invention under the tramways or the railways act, nor can they call it a one-horse car. They cannot take the beast into cus- tody, because they are afraid of the lightning, while there are no bye-laws to meet the case. Under the circum- stances they have decided to let the thing run until some one is knock- ed down by it, when they hope to get a coroner's jury to state that the man was struck by lightning. At present all goes well with the car. Is it not, however, a little strange that an English inventor should have to go abroad to get his experi-
ment tried. ·
The number of American race- horses for the English turf would appear to be on the increase. Mr. R. Ten Broeck, whose name is doubt less familiar to many of our readers, has we hear, arrived in England with three equine aspirants for fame on English soil. Randolph (former- ly Sarsfield), 3 yrs, ch cyby Waverly (a son of Australian), dam, Nora Creina, by Mahomet, was bred in Kentucky, and faced the starter four times as a two-year-old, being bracket- ed twice a winner, with the sum of 1,400 dols, to his credit. His first ven- ture was at the Lexington, Ky., Spring Meeting, where he was unplaced to Farragut, another son of Wanderer, his dam also being by Mahomet. He was not seen again until, when, at the same place, he turned the tables on his former conqueror and five others, including Lelex, by Lelap, a son of Leamington. Four days after- wards he again conquered the same two and four others. He was then purchased by Mr. Leonard W.Jerome,
for whom he started a week later at Louisville, finishing third to Boot- jack, by Bonny Scotland, Lelex-be- ing second. He was selected a few weeks since by Mr. Ten Broeck, and it is understood will be known in England by his original name- Sarsfield. St. Patrick, ch. c. by Lelaps (son of Leamington and Pus sy, by Diophantus), dam Impudeuce, by Lexington, has never appeared in public, and Roman (3 yrs,) by Alarm (son of Eclipse), dam Rosalind (by Commodore), complete the lot, and are both well bred, and colts of great promise.
many
From recent Australian files, we learn that the district lately overrun by the notorious Kelly gang is still inca state of complete terrorism, is considered premature yet to award neither life nor proporty being con- the blame for this sad calamity to sidered safe. It was well-known, any individual, but as far as can be that at the extirpation of the Kelly, judged, it arose through too great there were
sympathisers eagerness to cut off the corner? amongst the less law abiding portion without a due regard being had as of the population, and these pests of to where the corner really was. It society are now beginning to make is to be regretted that there was a their presence felt. The police are large number of persons on board hampered in their endeavours to watch their movements or to trace whose names were not known, a circumstance which will doubtless them in the many cases of horse- cause much apprehension and anx-stealing which are now becoming iety.
We would recommend the append
more frequent all over the country, by the fact that the parties on whom they had formerly relied for inform- ed particulars, referring to the latation now no longer consider thoir est system of improved locomotion lives worth a moment's purchase and to the serious consideration of the are rapidly leaving the district. It promoters of the Tramway Scheme. is known that the more dangerous The electric railway after all isoharacters are in a somewhat organ-
ised state, and certain members, of the fraternity have more than once uttered threats of revenge for the destruction of the Kelly gang, At present they are following no legit- imate occupation, and when they do work it is only as occasional harvest- ers, horsebreakers, or laborera, and at this season of the year there is little or nothing for them to do. Some little time ago, two saws six feet long, and eleven inches wide at the broad ends, were stolen from a saw- pit near the now famous Glenrowan, while-a saw of much more useful dimensions was left. This is account- ed for by the supposition that the larger implements were selected for the purpose of making armour of a less cumbersome kind than that used by their prototypes the Kellys. Superintendent of Police Chomley has recently paid an inspectional visit to the unsettled district, and the result has been an augmentationTM of the police force, but this will be of little value unless they are en abled to regain the confidence of the class which formerly supplied them with their secret agents and informers. In the event of. any out- break taking place the police will be compelled to trust to their own unaided efforts to cope with the scoundrels, as the peaceful-living inhabitants will no longer render assistance, either actively or by giv- ing evidence against the despera- does, people are so panic stricken at the possible results. Altogether things seem lively in the Colonies.
A New Horse Disease. A peculiar. and heretofore unknown disease has broke out among the horses in Chicago and vicinity. It begins with a swelling just below the fet- lock, which after a little time gathers and suppurates, and will heal but slowly, with skilful treatment. Un- less taken in hand early, the poisonous matter spreads upward and through the blood, causing death. Under the most favourable circumstances the animals are laid up from two to three weeks. The disease has been slowly gaining ground, and on the 19th ult. a large proportion of the South Side Company's horses were under treatment. Two hundred hor- ses of the North Side Company and seventy-five horses of the West Side Company and Parmelee's. omnibus lines are laid up. Express companies and individuals also suffer from the effects of the discase. But few deaths have been so far reported.-- N. F. Turf, Field, and Farm.
Captain Wilcox, (R. N. R.) of the Glenfinlas reports having seen a comet of most surpassing brilliance about 4 o'clock yesterday morning, when off the Ninepins. The head 'or nucleus of the body resembled the planet Jupiter in size and bright- ness and was accompanied by the usual appendage of a long spread- : ing and luminous tail common to such phenomena. It appeared about 10 degrees above the horizon and was bearing about N. E. by N. The steamer Welle also reports hay- ing seen an unknown star of peculiar brightness also in a somewhat similar direction, but little heed appears to have been taken of the stranger, although no doubt it was the same as that seen by Captain Wilcox.
We regret to hear from Swatow of the death of Mr. Thomas Anthony, formerly of Hongkong. Mr. Anthony, who will be remembered as a partner in the firm of Broadbear, Authony & Co. has many friends amongst our shipping community, who will be grieved to hear of his untimely de-- Cease. He was only a comparatively young man, but suffered a good deal whilst resident hore, from an affec- tion of the lungs,
The British barque Velocity wout. on the Patent Slip; Belchers Bay, this morning, to undergo extensive repairs, prior to being reclassed. The barque Chatsan goes to the Cosmopolitan Dock on Monday,