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THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH-TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4TH, 1881.
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the subject. Again what will any sensible person think of the following paragraph:-
cents, while the florin would be good for 50 cents at the adjoining money- changing stall, where a reference "It is calculated that our proposed was made to solve the difficulty. Tramways (3.57 miles long) in Hong-The scales were called into requisi- kong from end to end of the town tion, and the rupee outweighed the will cost $45,901 per annum to work florin. The Chinaman was equal to with compressed air locomotives the occasion, and ascribed the depre against probable gross returns of ciation of the Indian coin to an in- $64,415. These engines when pur-ferior standard of silver. The rupee, chased are run at four pence per mile it may be mentioned, weighs exactly against sixpence three farthings for 180 grains, and is coined with the horses, and as it is highly probable same proportious of fine silver (37) that our Hongkong team will be a and alloy (3) as the moneys issued losing concern if we use the animal from the Royal Mint. power, the question is far more im- portant here than at home."
It would be interesting to know on what basis the "probable gross returns of $64,415 per annum" are made out; however, Mr. Alford may rest assured on one point, and that is, that with compressed air locomo- tives, equally with pony-traction, the Hongkong trams cannot fail to prove
losing concern.
a
LOCAL AND GENERAL.
We are informed by the Superia-
tendent of the Eastern Extension Tolo-
graph Company that the French mail steamer Sindh passod Cape St. James at 2.30 this morning.
Telegrams from the north of Africa state that the Arabs have twice defeat- ed the Tunisians, capturing their ar- billory. The French reinforcements amounting to 30,000 men, recently despatched to the seat of war should soon make their influence felt in this miserable business.
TA
The boisterous weather has rather
Agency, and so clearly, although un- wittingly, demonstrated that pony traction is the only possible motive power for our proposed tramways, GENERAL CHEMISTS,
which may practically be taken to mean that the whole scheme is as Manufacturers of the following
impracticable from a business point AERATED WATERS, viz:
of view as it is unnecessary for the SODA, TONIC, SARSAPARILLA, requirements of the colony.
AND POTASH, LEMONADE, According to Mr. Alford, the sub- GINGERADE, RASPBERRYADE,ject of the motive power best fitted AND PHOSPHORIC CHAMPAGNE. for the working of tramways is one which is now occupying much atten- Deliveries in Town and Harbour from tion in England, where the employ ment of mechanical power in place of horse traction is as yet a novelty. As a matter of fact, steam tramways have been running for some consider- able time in several large towns in the United Kingdoin, such as Bristol, Leeds, Glasrow, and Edinburgh, and they have not achieved, either as a financial speculation or as a boon to the public, anything like the succuss that was anticipated. They are ex- exceedingly expensive in running, and altogether unsuited for the crowd- It would only be waste of time ed throughfares of populous cities. wading through the whole of Mr. When enquiries from Hongkong Alford's extracts, nor would it serve were first instituted a year ago, friends any useful ond to detail how he from various parts of the world are smashes up, to his own apparent said to have warned the inquirers satisfaction, all the proposed systems against horse traction. In Bombay excepting the one he is agent for. it appears the horses used in the cars Full particulars of the advantages wear sun-hats; but even this protec-over other systems claimed by Beau- tion does not prevent some of them mont's Pacumatic Locomotives are from dying, and in Batavia the same set out at length in the report, but result has obtained. We are not
we need only deal with the expense of this particular motive power. As Mr. Alford fairly enough puts it, are we sufficiently assured of the success of this invention to spead some $33,000 to $10,000 on pro- viding engines of this type for our
Thore would appear to be a good deal of difficulty in the settlement of line?" The engines cost about 450 the Auglo-French Treaty of Commerce, cach, but a steam compressor suitable The British Government have at last to charge eight or ten engines costs inado a definite resolve not to accede £2,150. The estimate of annual to the one-sided proposals of the expenditure given is totally unreli-French, and the stand they have taken able, as applied to Hongkong, and has received the unanimous approval A late telegram informs to quote it would only mislead. Mr. of the Press.
us that there has been another hitch Alford considers that any comment from him on the information given in the negotiations, and in consequence in his report unnecessary. We think the English delegates have returned to so too, although it does seem passing London to confer with the Govern strange that an expert, officially connected with our tramway project, should decline to give his own opinion on a question of so much importance and with which he ought to be so well acquainted. We shall have faith in tramways. for our colony when we see them; until then we are contented to be classed as non-certificate that he has borne a good believers.
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Notices to Correspondents. Subscribers who do not receive their newspapers
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acquainted with the conditions of tramway work cither in Bombay or Batavia, but we do know that in Notice to Advertisers.
England, where the work it may Advertisements and Subscriptions which are not be noted is twice as severe as
countermauded.
THE
Hongkong Telegraph.
ordored for a fixed period will be continued until would be the case in Hongkong, the horses occasionally die from over exertion as well as from the other ills to which horse flesh is heir to, and nothing else could be looked for. In the face of the practical experience for many years of the Metropolitan Tramway Companies, Mr. Alford's assertion, on the authority of some one whose name is not given, that "the employ ment of horses on tramways is a misfit and a barbarism" is simply childish, and what are supposed to be his arguments against pony trac- tion for the proposed Hongkong line are really not worth alluding to.
The following passage is amusing if nothing else; and we reproduce it for the purpose of showing the public what we must frankly own is to us quite a new style of scientific argu- ment:--
"
upset Dock arrangements. The Hun- garian has been prevented from going
to Aberdoon, but will dock, weather permitting, this evening. The Cusca-
it is detained in the Cosmopolitan Dock, but is expected to get out this afternoon. The Gorman barque Mora and the American barque William
Fales are both booked, the one for
Sam-shui-po, and the other for Kow- loon, as soon as the galo moderates.
ment.
We hear that the case of Thirkell v.
Pickwoad, which promised to be in toresting, has been arranged to the satisfaction of the plaintiff, so that we shall hear nothing of it in Court. Mrs. Pickwoad pays to the plaintiff Taels
400 in settlement of his claim (of Tls. 162) and costs, and gives him a
character while he has been in the office of the North-China Daily News; and that for 18 months he was in charge of the Editorial department of that paper.-Courier.
Sportsmen had a good time of it at the usual shooting grounds on the
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Troubles in Ireland would appear to bo on the incrense. We now learn by telegram from London, dated October 2nd, that rioting continues throughout the country.
The duties which an independent newspaper owe to the public are too obvious to require detailed mention, As representatives of public opinion heavy responsibilities dovolve on the Press, to such an extent that the success and status of a journal may generally be fairly guaged by the confidence placed in its honour, impartiality, and good faith in foarlessly discharging the various duties which its constitu- ency have a right to expect. Tho difficulties which beset the editor of of a newspaper in this part of the world are occasionally of a very trying cha- racter. Items of nows are occasion-
ally furnished by outsiders for im- proper purposes; items which may be of sufficient general interest to warrant publication, but which the editor has no opportunity of verifying. This leads to one of the press abuses for which Hongkong has earned an ungu- It is a frequent viable notoriety. occurrence that the editorial columus of our local journals are made a medium by contemptible. rascals for the gratifi- cation of mean petty spitò. An instance of this has come under our notice in connection with our morning contem- porary, the Daily Press, which we think will meet with general reprobation. In yesterday's issue appears the follow- ing paragraph:
"From Macao we hear that still another appeal, this time to Lisbon, has been taken in the Do Cercal case, which is therefore as far off a settle- ment as ever; the question which now presents itself is, whether, when all theso protracted legal proceedings are terminated, there will be anything left to dispute about."
With reference to the above we are-
justified in stating that the first portion of the paragraph "From Macao we hear, &c.
is a gross and scandalous perversion of truth. Wo ask the pub- lie, we ask the editor of the Daily Press to believe that the supposed news from Macao was writton out of petty
spite in Hongkong by a person who had previously threatened openly that he would use his influence in this way for an anything but commendable.pur- poses. The author of the paragraphi wrote a previous one on the same sub- ject about ten days ago, and afterwards stated that he had it inserted although he knew it was untrue. Now, as a
matter of fact, the decision of the Goa
weeks ago, but this appeal does not in Tribunal was appealed against many
any way affect the decree already given.. So much for the value of the matter supplied by our contemporary's special contributor, who by the way, claims to be a well paid member of the staff. We do not expect much chivalry from the Daily Press; but we do think that the columns of a respectable public journal should be kept clear from con- temptible and malicious attacks against defeucoless woman. If the editor of our contemporary desires confirmation to favour him with full particulars. If the author of the paragraph visits this office we can promise him a warm reception.
a
HONGKONG, 4TH OCTOBER, 1881.
THE compilation of a few statistical and other particulars, recently pub- lished in pamphlet form by Mr. R. G. Alford, under the title, "A Report on the Best Motive Power for Street Tramways in the East," is an exceedingly feeble attempt at pro- fessional authorship. Mr. Alford is one of the professional gentlemen connected with the proposed Hong- kong Tramways Company, but whe ther he holds his position as a repre- sentative of the proposal favoured by the Hon. F. Bulkeley Johnson, or as an advocate and adherent of that other scheme which, in spite of the bombastic eloquence of the Hon. Ng Some interesting calculations have THE restrictions which retard the Choy strongly favouring independent lately been made on this subject by a development of mineral industry in opposition, was so remorselessly nip- gentleman in Hongkong, from which China, and the action of the Chinese ped in the bud, we are unable to he argues that if resistance both to Government in regard to the recently state authoritatively. We have, starting and traction be so great the announced mineral discoveries at however, the authority of the Daily expense of providing the power for car. Foochow, have created some measure Canton River on Sunday last. Oue Press for asserting that the claims riage of passengers per head will be of indignation in those new countries party of four, who patronised the vici- of the professional gentlemen who greater on any kind of tramways than where celestial immigration is viewed nity of Duop Bay, bagged forty-two had differed so greatly when in op- can be provided by coolie labour in the unfavourably and concessions of equi- braco of snipo, besides a quantity of position were satisfactorily adjusted drawing of jinrikshaws. The latter valent rights and privileges to the other birds, which must be considered of the above chargos we shall be glad after the amalgamation of conflict-vehicles are now run for Chinese at a
yellow race is disputed by the white a very satisfactory forenoon's work. ing intérests, so that Mr. Alford's speed of 7 or 8 miles an hour for a
population. The argument adduced At Castle l'eak equally gratifying re- charge of 5 cents for 2 miles, or IN. official connection with the Tramway per mile per head. There being no
in the countries adverted to appa-sults were obtained, and it would ap- Company may safely be taken for other charge contingent but the cost of rently upsets, to some extent, the in- pear that the snipe are more plentiful granted. Mr. Alford, who is an
the vehicle and its licenco (which is ternational law theory upon which this season than has been the case for years. The shooting in the neighbour- Assoc. M. Inst., C.E., is also Agent in very sinall,) this sum represents little the question hinged-at least, in re- China for the Beaumont Compressed more than the cost of traction only. spect to mining; for it is contested hood of Macao has also been first-class, but the excessivo heat has proved a Air Locomotive Company, Limited. But as the average nataber of passeu- that Chinamen can neither claim nor Possibly Mr. R. G. Alford had gers per uile anticipated for our expect in a foreign country a privi- some aim in view when he published, Ilongkong tramcars is 7 (according to lege from which they are debarred in ostensibly for the information of the home rule in large towns), and the their own native land. This is, ad- public, a few extracts from letters expense of traction 5d. to Gl. per milo mittedly, a principle of equity, but, and newspapers in the form of a re-
to our view, it requires strong sup- port bearing on the subject of motive per mile for steam or compressed airport, by fact and reason,
before it locomotives (when purchased), the cost powers for street tramways, although per head may by mechanical appliance we must own that we do not care to be made almost ouo-balf that of the admit that the object of publication rickshaws; for 7 persons are carried is altogether self-evident. As agent in a tramcar for 3d. to 4d, a mile, or for the Beaumont Compressed Air say 1. each, against one in a jinrick Locomotive Company, Limited, Mr. shaw for 1d. Nevertheless, the com Alford's motive in completely ex-parison is not an uninteresting one, the tinguishing, on paper, the claims of cheapness of coolie labour introducing the steel wire rope, steam engine, in China a feature not found in Euro- and pneumatic car and engine compean countries. bined systems is perfectly compre- hensible; but it is difficult togun- derstand on what grounds, either as Agent for the Compressed Air Company or as surveyor or engineer for the proposed Tramways Com pany, he should have so thoroughly demolished the prospects, so far as Hongkong is concerned, of his own
for horses (when owned) and 3d, or 4d."
The seven passengers per mile anti- cipated for our Hongkong tramcars, and the ridiculous and altogether unsupported assertion that the cost of running by mechanical appliance can be made almost one half of that of rickshaws, will only provoke a smile from those who have the slightest practical acquaintance with
great drawback.
We understand that Captain Hop. kins of the steamship Rajanattianakar has been so much upset at our remarks
parritch with," as his rabid utterances
referring to the repairs required by his vessel, that he has been vowing you-
and finally-Does the privilege want-tleman to "keep his breath to cool his can be utilised or practised. Briefly seance against us in grand style. We would recommend the worthy old gen. ed detrimentally affect the interests of those who have to grant it? We will leave the discussion of the vari- ous aspects of this problem for solu- tion for some future occasion. THE principle which guides some of our local money-changers could not, perhaps, be better illustrated than by the following bona fide occurrence yesterday. A gentleman tendering a rupee for an article for which two shillings was wanted, was surprised to find his offer rejected, and a florin accepted without demur. An ex- planation revealed the strange fact that the rupee would only realize 44
are quite lost on us. The insignificant littlo craft with the long name is really not worth the attention the press has already bestowed on her, and had we not considered it necessary to show up the so-called enterprise of our focal contemporaries, we should have allow ed both steamer and skipper to "bloom unseen and waste their fragrance" in the wilds of Sam-shui-po. Since pen ning the above we hear that the Rajanattianuhar broko adrift from her moorings during the gale of yesterday, but fortunately sustained no damage, Some vessels appear to be constructed to become famous. This old box is one of them,
FATAL ACCIDENT AT MURRAY BARRACKS.
We regret to have to record a fatal cident which occurred at Murray arracks this morning. About half- ast seven the roof of the Sergeants'
Mess fell in with a great crash, instan- taneously killing one coolje and in-
subsidence of a chimney, which, we juring another. The cause of the accident would appear to have been the understand, has been gradually and
perceptibly falling in for some consi. derable time past. As it is the duty of the Royal Engineers to see that theso buildings are kept in thorough repair, we cannot understand why a glaring instance like this could have been so neglected. It would be wise, we think, if the officers of the R.E. would see that their subordinates at. tended to more important matters than wasting valuable time, which might be much better employed, in attending to useless bathing ponds which are constantly out of repair. The serious nature of the accident at Murray Bar- racks must not be judged altogether by actual results. That we have not