1909-02-17 — Page 2

Page

A. S.

INTIMATION

WATSON

LIMITED.

ESTABLISHED A.D. 1841.

CO.

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infringing the exclusive rights of the Postmaster without a permit. The charge was proved and Gemeral by bringing letters into the Colony the defendant was fined in the sum of 850.

Mr. Willard D. Straight, formarly America,

TELEGRAMS.

[Protected by the Telegraphis Message

Copyright Ordinance, 1891.]

[EBUTER'S SERVICE. TO THE "HONGKONG DAILY TREES."] ADMIRAL LORD CHARLES

THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17TH, 1909. the cause of the earthquake.” Now we do to such abstruse questions as sun-spots, or At the Magistracy yesterday before Mr. J. B. know, thinks to long continued solar re-electricity. Again Jupiter acts on the Wood a native was proceeded against for ucsrches, a good deal about sun-spets, earth, and by slow degrees makes it shift its though the best informed astronomer is orbit. Directly we can probably novor see the willing to allow that his knowledge is even result on our tido gauges; but betimes the so sadly defcient, and is eagerly searching semi-annual fall of thres million miles bew. for more. He can connect sunspots with comes extended to fifteen millions; will any Consul-General at Makdon: hus been appointed many things on the face of the earth,with astronomer be bold enough to say that there Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs maguetie storms, with variations of tempera. will be no perceptible difference in the in the Department of State, succeeding Mr. tureaad peculiar lighting vilecta; but even the strains? We are just now anxiously looking William Phillips, formerly secretary of the most advancel have never sought to connect out for Hartley's comet, which, astronomere American Legation in Peking, who has in turn them with such an interference with the tell us, is shortly to pay us a visit. Wo do been appointed Third Assistant Secretary of Mr. Huntington Wilson, who is ordinary laws of gravity as would be implied not know much about him; true, but wo do State.

BERESFORD.

LONDON, February 15th, Interviewed regarding the terminn.

THE FUTURE OF CHINA,

SIR ROBERT HART AND THE OPIUM · TRAFFIC,

Sir Robert Hart was the guest the 15th Jannary of the Now Vagabond Club at dinner at the Hotel Cecil. Mr. Arthur Diosy was in the ohair, with Mr. G. B. Burgin, as deputy chairman, and the members and guests, among whom were many ladies, included Mrs, Dicey, Mra. Brace Hart, Captain J. P. Word, Jamieson (Chairman of the Chino Society), Mr. Mr. G. John Murray, Dr. Frank Wallace, Mr. Tom Gallon, Mrs. Ales Tweedie, Sir Thomas

Barlow, Dr. and Mrs. Bernard Hollander, Brigadier- General Julian Byng, Major Baden-Powell, Sir James Rivett-Carnac, Mr. Sydney P. Hal

{ in making thom the primary causes of earth- know that when he comes he will have autocoeded by Mr. Phillips and who will be retion of his command after. only two Sir J. S, Young, Sir John and Lady Furloy quake movemenis, which indicate the setting long tail. Is there not some connection momborod us Secretary to the Legation and years' tenure, Admiral Lord Charles Sir Alfred Turner, Colonel Maclean, Colonel

between his long tail and the distance appointed American Minister to Servia and

Embassy at Peking for nine years, has been Beresford's only answer was that he Stepford, and Colonel Preston. he is falling? If there be any it and Honmania and diplomatic agent in

"will obey orders." is at least a curions coincidence, that the Bulgaria, greater number of these heavy earthquakes

in movement of enormous masces of matter, But we may go further safely, and stato na a fact that we really do know a good deaf about those movements of the figures of

CHAMPAGNE the earth which are connected more or

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about the period of perihelion. The seismologists deny it, but their methods consist in applying rules so long as to cover the crests of a long series of waves; it is na if we were to seek to measure Atlantic waves

CANTON.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

15th February, INCREASE OF REVENUE ON REGISTRATION

OF LEASEHOLD PROPERTIES, The total sum of revenue collected in the

THE SANTIAGO AFFAIR.

LONDON, February 15th. The Chancellor of the German Legation at Santiago, Chile, has con- fessed that he killed the porter on the 13th inst., but says he did it in self- defence.

THE COMING BUDGET.

LONDON, February 16th. The newspapers dwell upon the gravity of the session of Parliament

opens to-day.

which

in the Budget, Mr. Lloyd George, the They point out that interest centres

Chancellor of the Exchequer, being blem that any of his predecessors have confronted with a more difficult pro-

had to face.

less intimately with the phenomenon of earthquake. cientific men, for instance, are pretty well convinced that old notions regarding the fluidity of the earth's interior must be given up. Direct measurement has by rulers stretching half over the ocean, former years by the Provincial Government of shown that the average specific gravity of There is little abstruse in the suggestion Kwangiang for the registration of Assignments the globe is about five and a half times that that we have not to go beyond the every of leasehold properties amounted to about 11,397 of water, while the average for the materials constituting the crust is only about half day effects of gravity to find a competent Hongkong Taels annually. But daring Pro- cause for 'carthquakes. Professedly we do vincial Troaurer Woo's tonuere of office he has The explanatiou is afforded by the enor-

not live in an age of miracles; why should caused Registration Bureaus to be established mour pressure of the superincumbent crust our scientific dabblers be perpetually trying in all the Districts throughout the Province, which must reduce the interior below to find them in natural phenomena, instead and this has resulted in a vast incresso of this! distance of twenty or thirty miles to what is of being content to look for the exciting shows that 438,200 teels was collected in the line of revenue. Treasurer Woo's recent report practically pulp, rea" to flow in any direc- causes in our ordinary surroundings? The 31st year of Kwang Su, and over 1.300,000 tuels tion in response to the least variation in scientific worker, perhapa unduly, distrusts were paid into the Provinsial Treasury for the superficial pressure. So a quarter of a century age proved the late Lord KELVIN. inspiration; but there is a class whose registration of assignments during the 32nd $54.00 But though Lord KELVIN showed this con- scientific knowledge with whom imagination NOTORIOUS PIRATE CHIEFS STILL AT LABOR

practice is to hang on to the fringea of and 3rd years of Kwang Su. clusively with reference to certain long is omnipotent. To this class is due the notorious pirate chefs Luk Lan Ching and Sometime ago it was reported that the period tides which are "wanted" to fill up multiplicity of paradoxes which so far from The You had been captured by the police in corinin gaļa not shown on the tide-guage, advancing the cause of knowledge, are apt Singapore and that the Chinese Authorities here bia words have been persistently mis to notually clog the wheels of progres......

ware asked to dispatch offers te Singapore to posals will be made to the House to presented, even by scientific experts. What

apply for their rendition. It subsequently increase the tax on incomes of £3,000 he said was, with reference to certain

turned out however that it was a case of mistaken and upwards. extremely small gravitational effects, that

identity. The men bare the same surnames as if the earth were a solid was as rigid as

the pirate chiefs. Yesterday the Groundnut Oil ateel, it would yield to these effects as if it

Guild here received a letter signed by Lak Lan were made of india-rubbor. Leaving out the

Ching and Tam Yee demanding payment of conclusion of the sentence Lord KELVIN'S

1,500 taols from each of the oil shops in Ya Lan Moon and threatening to burn their shop statement is usually interpreted as meaning

and kidnap the proprietors if they should refuse that the interior of the earth is as rigid as

to pay the money. This proves that Lak and steel, which, of course, is not what he in-

Ta are still at large. The matter has been tended to imply,

reported to the Chief of Police,

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Hongkong, 12th February, 1909.

[29

NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS. ONLY communications relating to the news olum should be addressed to THE EDITOR.

Correspondents must forward their names and addrevaco with comriunications addressed to the Editor, not for publication but as evidence of good faith.

All letters for publication should be written on ne side of paper only.

Na anonymiously signed communications that have already appeared in other papers will be

inwerled.

MARRIAGE.

At Wortley Parish Church, Yorkshire, on the 13th January, by the RAY. E. Wilcox, Georgs Hanter, of Messrs. Jardine. Matheson and Com pany, Hongkong, t. Maude Amelia Hallas, of

Leeds.

HONGKONG OFFICE: 10A, DES Vaux ROAD C LONDON OFFICE 131, FLEET STREET. EC

The Daily Press.

HONGKONG, FEBRUARY 17TH 1909.

THERE is a constant tendency amongst a class who may be called "semi-detached

scientists" to drive each new scientific dia.

covery far beyond its legitimate limits, and

make it serve as a swivel gun to bear on

The French craiser D'Entrecastcaux, flagship of Vice Admiral Perrin, was at Manila last

week.

H. M. the Emperor of Japan has been pleased to honour Korean officers, 152 in number, with various decorations for their services during the

late war.

We are informed that it was Mr. Chau Sui Pak (not Mr. Lau Chu Puk) who assisted Dr. Bo Kai in the truaslution of the Governor's appeal for the University Endowment Fund,

the command..

Messrs. H. B. Kadoorie & Co. kindly inform us that they are in receipt of telegraphic advices from Shanghai, that Langkats have declared first interim dividend of Tis. 123, for secount 1909.

:

In conséquence of the recent gan trials and testa, a Tientain contemporary says, the Krupy works anticipate a very large contract with the Chinese Governmont, for the supply of field batteries and other ordnance.

Rear Admiral Harris of the U.S. Philippine the necessary conditions for such equili-Squadron relinquished the office of Commandant brium as the earth possesses could not of the stations of Cavite and Olongapo on the be attained, and this is one of the 11th instant. Rear Admiral Naaro took over principal reasons which bave led all, or nearly all practical astronomers, who have to deal with problems of celestial mechanice, to hold the doctrine of a necessarily solid nucleus. Under the doctrine propounded by Lord KELVIN, there are conditions that | way force the interior batimes to shift, and such shiftings, it is allowed on all sides, are capable of renting on the brittle crust, and so becoming effective causes of surface movements, and so logically of earthquakes, The science of recording earth movements has of late been reduced to a degree of fineness which but a few years ago would have been considered impractical. Breaking Waves, the off.cts of storms, the rise and

As the thinese Government has proposed to fall of the tides, the passage of distant trans, redeem the Kisshou-Taianafa railway, the Ger- all left their impress on the new instumentsman Minister has informed the Government that whose ultra-sep:ibilities had in fact in the redemption fund must be raised by Chinese many in tances to be checked. Now all this went to show the truth of Lord KELVIN'S statement that though the earth might be considered a rigid as steel, yet as he suggested, it did actually yield to the deforming influence of gravity. So far practically all scientific men are in unison,

which Lord Kelvin alluded was that known Now the particular effect of gravity to

Inspector Langley proceeded against two seamen before Mr. J.R. Wood at the Magistracy yesterday for taking lique on board H.M.S. Kent. The offence was proved and the defendants were ordered to pay a fine of $5 each.

for such redemption. themselves and no foreign loans will be accepted

THE NEW WOODEN, OPIUM LICENSE- TROUBLEB REWING.

the various

Although notification was issued sometime ago by the Chief of Police heró requesting all opium smokers to call at police stations to arohanga their liceno for the new wooden ones, I am informed that up to the present moment only a few persons have applied for them and there are people of the coelia oles.

The Superintendent of Police does not know quite what to do in the matter. He is afraid that the "upper ten" might give him trouble if he should enforce the law top strictly. The Association for the Suppression of Opium Smoking held a meeting yesterday presided oroz by Mr. Chen Chuk Kwan. The following reso. Iation was proposed and passed:

That a circular be issued limiting the time to the end of the 1st moon for all applications for the new wooden licenses and from the 1st day of the 2nd moon all persons without a wooden license will not be permitted to purchase opium from any of the opium shops,"

MAÇÃO BOUNDARY QUESTION,

- THE IMPERIAL ARMY SCHEME.

Sir Robert Hart, in response to the toast of his health, proposed by the Chairman-who described him as the greatest emisiary ever sont by England to the East-began with some reminiscences of his experience of orimo in China and the operation of the penal code. He had been obliged to witness many execations, the stoicism of the Chinaman in facing death. and nothing impressd him more forcibly than On the whole crime was not very prevalent in Chim. The worship of ancestors and the do- mination of heads of communities and heads of families kept it very much under, and on the basis of percentage there was probably less crimes in China than in any Christian country The (hinese wore a very practical people, and when ann was sent to prison the cost of his main- tenance was largely levied off his ruintives. There were recognised kings of thieves and of

of beggara. He recollected an instance where a beggar who thorised to colleet alms in a particular that street. The result was that on the peat a certain shopkeeper in day the king of boggar collected his due share of alms. (Laughter.) It was usual also to set the king of the thieves to catch other thieves. In employment of the police. With respect to the the recovery of stolen property this was often found to bo a more efficient agonoy than the destiny of China, no one who had spent so many years in the country as he had, and who had been

street was insulted by

people, could for a single moment doubt that it closely identified with its official life and its was a country with a great future before it. He hoped that Great Britain, above all other countries, would be sympathetic with this vast It is regarded as certain that pro-community in its steadily developing aspira- not believe that the China the dir tions and its efforts after progres. He with any revolutionary ideas. The efforta pat forth by the Chinese would be slow, in accord- ance with the characteristics of the people. The Chinaman wished to enjoy life, and was never in a hurry, The Englishman's motto was sapposed to be "Never put off till to-morrow what you can do to-day"; the Chinaman's motte Was Never do today, what to-morrow." LONDON, February 10th.

The Englishma can put off till worked eight As a result of a Conference arranges for the whole day, with certain reasonable hours a day: the Chinaman worked more or ed by Mr. Haldone, the Secretary of State for War, with the Australian and Canadian military authorities a scheme for an Imperial General Staff has been worked out.

PROM THE CHUNG NOOI SAN ro"

THE CHINESE IMPERIAL GRAVES.

PEKING, February 16th. The Prince Regent has decided to reduce the amount proposed to be spent in preparing the grave of the Emperor Kwong Sü from six millions. to one million taels.

SUGGESTED WITHDRAWAL OF THE LEGATION GUARDS.

PEKING, February 16th. The Board of Foreign Affairs has

VICEROY OF NANKING

IMPEACHED.

This matter has been occupying the atten- communicated to the foreign Mins ton of the Vissy for sometime and many disters in Peking a proposal for the matches hero passed between Viceroy Chang and withdrawal of the Legation Guards. the Central Government His Excellency insists upon appointing delegate who is a native of the Kwangtung Province By kind permission of the Officers the band of and one who has been. * Minister in the 132 Rajputs, ander Bandroaster Coke, will foreign countries. But the Portuguese Minister play the following programme of music at the in Paking is reported to have flatly refused to

PEKING, February 16th. King Edward Hotel, during dinner, on Thursday, accept us adelegate any officialwho is a native of the 18th February, 1909 (weather permitting),

The Viceroy of Nanking has been Kwangtung. It is reported that the Wai-Wimpeached by the Censor on eleven March ................. On the Way to Delhi.pu has since given iv, nad, has proposed Taotal different counts, one of which is the

Claribel. Ko Yee Him who was formerly deputy in the Church Balls: forsign bureau here, to be delegate and he embezzlement of about one million Portuguese. Minister has accepted that official, taels which ought to have been devoted

Selection Bell Sulo. Selection Patrol

*********** (krtzen.

U8 A. (in anged by "';

"The Ki g."

Faust.

Coke),

in

The Emperor of Karen recently paid a visit to the residence of His Excellency, the Resident General. This unusual and splendid expression Seoul Fress (a Japanese newspaper printed of the Imperial confidence and favour, says the English), comes as a fitting climax to the intimate and cordial relations which the Im perial journeys Ave served to cement between His Majesty and Prince Ito. While it is not an unknown thing for a Sovereigu iu other lands to honour the mansion of some distinguished per songs with his presence, the step taken so happily and voluntarily by the Korean Emperor better day has dawned in this land. is another signal indication that a now and

PETITIONERS PUNISHED.

In Chins whenever a subject institutes to the relief of the sufferers in recent action against a follow subject it is customary to calamities. It is said that the Viceroy send a servant or engage some one to present will ascertain the views of the Prince the petition at the Court, On the 12th instant

intervals, and notar got tired of the process. With respect to the opium traflo, he wished to emphasise the fact that the Government of China was alive to its orils and wished to put an and to them. Although the present goneration of Chinamon, who were addicted to the use of

this drag, were not likely to give up using it, le

honestly believed that the next generation wouk! not be opium smokers, because the Government and public opinion were against it. In their endeavours to put down the evils of opin amoking he trusted the Chinese Administration would have the sympathetic support of the Government of this country.

HUMAN SACRIFICE IN THE PHILIPPINES.

An account of a recent sacrifice in the Philip official report by Mr. Allen Walker, the Dis pines of a child to the gods is published in an trict Governor of Davao, in Moro Land. The account gives fall details, and--shows-that-the secrifice was carofully arranged, and was for the parposs of appeasing the evil spirits. A large number of men and women attended the the name and address of each person who ceremony, and it seems a strange to note that participated is shown in the official report.

The account states that a boy named Saoure was brought forward and was placed against a small tree; his hands were tied above his head,

and he was fastened to the tree with bejuco

strips at his waist and knees. A native named

Ansle then placed the point of a spear at the child's right side, below his right arm and above the ribs. The spear was grasped by other natives, who, at a signal from Ansig, forced it through the child's body. It was then with drawn, and the body was afterwards taken from the tree and was hopped into bite by the people present, each of whom was allowed to take a Email portion as mements of the occasion. The remainder of the body was buried. It is said that the child did not realize what was to

happen to him until the moment when he was tied up, when he began to cry; further that death was almost instantaneous, the only ery the child's side. being one uttered when the spear first entered

in his life he has attended, or officiated at, 50 Ansig, a man about 60 years of age, says that Bagobos and the Bilanes, and that the sacrifice human sacrifices more or less, both among the of innan beings is also a practice among the at one held by that tribe. The Bagobos do not Tagacolos, although he has never been present sacrifice any bat old and decrepit or useless slares, captured from other tribes, but the Bilanes sacrifice even their own people.

The report says that the natives who took

Magistracy. Magistrate Chang who received favourable he will tender his resigna part in the recout sacrifice were not conscious 19 petitions wore presented at the Nambol Regent and should they prove un-

them personally, questioned all the petitioners. The result was that nine of the petitioners who were unable to explain the contents of their petitions were ordered to receive 20 strokes of. the birch each.

WEATHER REPORT.

as Nuation. The moon, it is known by its each and every object in sight. Out of the differential action of gravity at the extro favourite subjects of late has, of course mities of the Syzygial axis, causes the tides, been radium; and radiography in the opinion and the adjustment is so fine that the of the faddists was to solve every problem variation caned by most of its irregularities in physiography regarding which the scion of motion can be foreseen and caku tific man held bis judgment in suspense, lated. The moon, though moving on the but which his semi-detached confrere was whole in a great circle, occasionally node ever ready to settle at a moment's notice by to one side or other, and this movement is calling in the assistance of the latest half known as the "nutation", and it was this discovered phenomenon to radiography or that set Lord KELVIN thinking. The move the maguetio field. A still more fascinating ment, it was dear, ought to affect the tides, subject with the semi-detached scientist has but ne tide gauges recorded it; and why? been that of earthquakes, and on the occur Lord KELVIN concluded that it was because rence of an barthshaking of more than the body of the earth itself gave way, so that ordinary virulence we are sure to be treated the rise of the water was not needed to keep to a more than usual crop of the absurdities its figure in equilibrium. Here than is the of the semi-detached. It goes then without firai stip in a scientific explanation of earth saying that the recent earthquake in Sicily motions of defiguration. and Calabria has been no exception to the rule, and a gentleman who ought from his that ny has somewhat similar effecta iu kiang and manages the foreign official business position to know better has been launching redigosing to a change of figure; and so in there, points out in a memorial to the Governor in the Formoss Channel, and the China Sea.

ne of the latest of these fade in the sugges the long run any have something to say to of the province that foreigners are generally at 10 am, to-day, 0.00 inchsa tion that earthquakes are the results of earthquakes. The earth is much nearer, cannot read the vernacular newspapers, which spots on the sun. The hero of this latest some three mallion miles or so, to the sun alone can enlighten them. As a remedy, he to-day is as follow attempt as a theory has been Lieut. JOHN at the end of December than in June, that advises that the Chinese Governnient should Hongkong & Neighbourhood. mod te to freak; C. SoLay, one of the U.9. Hydrographic is to say it has to tumble the three million start newspapers in foreign languages at all the

That the Chinese are anxious to

zake

thoniselves and the opinione known to the outside would may be judged from the fact that

a certain (biness official named Vang Fong-

But there are other celestial movements hao, who is stationed in the province of Che

ignorant of Chinoso polities an affaire, and

the following report:—

The Hongkong Observatory yesterday issued On the 16th at 11.50a.m.-The depression,

and fallen moderately over. Formosa fund the is moving Bastwards to the North of Hokkaido.

Loochoos, A depression will probably develop The barometer has risen slightly over Chins,

to the Southward of the latter ares. of the Yangtze

Pressure is highest over Chinn to the North.

Moderate to fresh monsoon may be expected Hongkong rainfall for the 24 hours ending The forecast for the 24 hours ending at noon

N.E. winds,

staff. Lately one or two sun-spots of large miles in six months. Surely there must be treaty ports. The foreigners who buy and read Formoss Channel size have appeared on the face of the sun, and

view and the tread of Chinese public opinion,

fair.

N.E. winds, {fresh.

Same as No. I

on the principle post hoc propter hoc Lieut. pine tendency to change form, yet as in the them will then understand the Chinese point of south coast of China between 2 SOLEY has been trying to lag them into the Case of the station, the tide gauges are This, he says, cannot fail to benefit China in the South coast of China. between Same as No. 1

practically silent. This hus nothing to say years to come,

cause of science by representing them na

Kongkong and Lamocks.

Hongkong and Helman....

tion.

[FROM THE MANILA "CABLENEWS, "

U. 8. CONGRESS.

Washington, February 9th. The extra session of Congress to be called by President-elect Taft after he takes over the rains of government will convene March 13, nine days after the inauguration of the now president, The primary purpose for the extra session is to

DECREASE IN THE WORLD'S TRADE. consider the question of tariff revision.

of wrongdoing, but that upon investigation and proof they have been sentenced to long terms of imprisonment. Sentence, however, has been. suspended on their promise to stop the practice TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE

FAR EAST..

Lieutenant Walter Blake Isard, Paymaster's Department, United States Navy, won the individual tennis championship of the Far East on the courts of the Manila Athletic Association in two dashing sets with 1st Lieutenant. Wait C. Johnson, 25tli U. S. Infantry, who won the individual cap for tennis in the division meet last mouth.

The tennis tournament was under the auspices of the Carnival Association, and was Statistics relating to the trade and commerce open to entries from all pointe in the Far East. of various countries during the ten months end- Two silver cups were offered, one for doubles. ing October 1908 were issued by the Board of and one for singles, Feveral Hongkong Austria: Hungary and British India the imports one to stick through to the semi-finals, and he Trado last month. With the exception of Italy, gentlemon entered, but Mr. Norris was the only decreased, and the exports of all the countries lost in the semi-final singlas to Izard. decreased. The isuports of the leading countries The playing on the 11th inst between Izard and Johnson was a continuation of four hotly- United Kingdom ....

contested sets placed between them the previous United States......

afternoon, in which each won two, the fifth set France....

being postponed on account of darkness. Belgium....

were as follows: —

The exports were

United Kingdom United States... France Belgium

***

£421,753,000 £187,615,000 £199,088,000 £112,454,000

£318,671,000. £288,001,000 £172,596,000

£84,307

In the sets on the 11th inst. Paymaster Izard won both handily. The score in the first set was 9-7, that of the second 6-4, with Izard making eight points over his opponent both times. Lieutenant Johnson, while playing a strong and heady game, did not appear to be in his best form.

J