1889-03-27 — Page 2

Entimations.

DAKIN

BROTHERS.

SØRVER

HE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, WEDNESDAY,

important discovery of gold or any other valuable metal at Pahang, rather than to the extravagant offers made by London syndicates for the Punjom and other concessions? If he does, he will obtain but few converts to any such opinion. And is this representative of the Singapore share holders not going a little too far when he speaks "of the already ascertained valas of the admittedly rich concessions held at Panjom as well as Samatan ? "* We venture to suggest that the value of these concessions has not been already ascer- NON-POISONOUS, NON-CORROSIVE. tained, nor are they admittedly rich,"

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THE HONGKONG DISPENSARY, Hongkong, 13th March, 1889

Ts

The Hongkong Telegraph

notwithstanding Mr. W. BUCHANAN SMITH's ipse dixit to the contrary. Are three fourths of the Company's shares actually held in Singapore? That statement also we beg leave to doubt.

A

What Mr. W. BUCHANAN SMITH desires the Board of Directors to do he quite forgets to plainly define. He talks about the development of the concession with. out further delay: But has not this developing process been going on for several years, and unhappily without any satisfactory result? Is it not true that until the appearance of the vaunted London syndicate on the scene, nearly the whole been expended on developing the property, of the Company's available capital had

and, with such little effect that the winding up of the business was generally regarded as a mere question of time? It is gospel truth. Then what is it Mr. W. BUCHANAN SMITH and his Singapore friends really want? consulting committee at Singapore would seem to be their principal object, but as that would remove the gambling head-quarters from Hongkong, it is scarcely probable that the Directors will make any such concession. If Mr. W. BUCHANAN SMITH had given us some idea he of the "more energetic policy" so glibly refers to, some safe conclusion might have been arrived at. But he merely indulges in vague and useless genera- lities, and "safely promises" that at the close of the present year the shares will not only be quoted but will be actually worth hundreds of dollars each. We only regret that, after advancing so far into the region of prophecy, this worthy gentleman did not tell us exactly how many hundreds of dollars each Punjom share will realise next December.

TELEGRAMS

(Bouter)

❘

THE Superintendent of the P & O. S. N. Co. courteously informs us that the steamship Visas, with the next English mail, left Singa- pors for this port at 6 p.m. yesterday, We have to thank the Chinese Imperial Maris time Customs for a copy of a carefully compiled work on the China tea trade for the past year, which we propose reviewing at an carly date. THE eight men who made a disturbance at the Opium Farm yesterday were up before Mr. Wodehouse this morning. Two advocates had been retained Mr. Dennys for the prosecution and Mr. Caldwell for the defenes, but the only effect was to reinand the case,

FROM January 1st to March pih of the current from Saigon. In the course of a few weeks the

rice sesson in Saigon should commence, afford ing lucrative employment for local coasters,

WHO will watch the watchman ?" is an old conundrum. The answer bas been found thief will. Yesterday a lukeng bought a lot of pigeons, which he put into a basket. Whilst he was making other purchases he put them down and a a pushing young man of the light-fingered per suasion stole them. He began his twenty-one days to-day, though,

THE DEPARTURE-Uride: "Good-bye, mamma, good" Bridegroom: #Be careful, dear, your dress will brush against the wheel" "Good-bye, Jack, good--~.” “My own darling, look out: you nearly bumped your elbow. Give me that bouquet, it looks beavy." "Good bye, all." The Return.Bride. "Here, dear, take this bundle." Bridegroom: "Anything else?

THIS morning, the death of a Chinaman under Do you think I'm a cart-horse? Hurry up!"

police. On inquiries being made by Detective suspicious circumstances was reported to the Inspector Quincey it was found that the deceased went into Chinese Club in Gough Street last night and had quarreled with a man with whom struck in the face, but it is that he died soon he was gambling. It is not certain that he was afterwards. The body was first identified as that of a prominent Chinaman, but it was after wards found that he was the first steward of the Namos.

THUS the Hawk:-A correspondent, who was with the Prince of Wales at Homburg, tells me that the waters had very little effect indeed upon the corpulency of the Royal patient. Who ever thought they would when the Prince continues to eat so recklessly and so much! Night, too, seems to bring with it no palliative for the Royal appetite, for at Cower, this summer, two chefs, a Frenchman and an Italian, were specially attached to the Prince's yacht for the sold purpose of providing heavy meals for the Heir Apparent and his friends at two o'clock in the morning.

in the rooms of two boarders at the Hongkong A ROBBERY in reported to have been committed Hotel, early this morning. Complaints were made to the Manager that some articles bad been abstracted from the luggage of one of the boarders, and from the dressing-table of another. On enquiry. it was ascertained that new buildings on to the Hotel verandah at about a Chineman had been seen passing from the 1a.m.; but on search being made, no trace of the Intruder could be found. The Detective police were communicated with, and it is ex pected that the stolen articles will be traced to some of the pawnshops in the colony,

|

Two coolies, had to take a sheep along the Traya yesterday, and as it was foolish enough to refuse to walk their Arcadian minds evolved he idea of tying a rope round the neck and Cragging it. Singular to say, a wooden-headed, ft-hearted European constable arrested them, and, still more singularly, Mr. Pollock fined them $5 each this morning.

MANILA papers report that the news as to the

prevalence of cholera at Zamboanga is a little xaggerated. On the 27th ulto, four deaths occurred from the fell disease, on the 28th three, and from the 6th to the 11th inst, no death has heen reported. There was also an error in the computation of the inhabitants of the province of Zamboanga; they are over 10,000 and not P,000 as stated. A telegram dated Lingayen the place has bees considerably any proved, on of

eses of cholera were rare and malarial fever on

the decrease.

|

27, 1889.

dúst Care in American and Australian waters. A model of one from Newfoundland some forty feet long might have been seen at late South Kensington exhibit. There would be a certain vague fitness in the freak, if want of brain, which is here only doubtfully represented by a nervous ganglion in the head were compensated for by additional body. More seriously speaking it is quite a tenable theory in dealing with such an abnormality to hold that development does go on in the direction of continuous increase in size during life. Moreover there is no bone, shell or scaly frame to bind the bulk within mature limits.

something more than a surmise that the squid

3--That such privileges were first given to French Government mail steamers in British home parts in virtue of a Postal Convention made by Great Britain with Frante in 1856, by which Convention similar privileges were given by the French Government to British Govern

inent mail steamers in French and Algerian ports. 4. That these påviléges confer a prestige in the eyes of the Chinese upon the Foreign "lines" named, and facilitate the business

the "lines" to an extent injurious to the interests of British shipowners and carriers of cargo competing with them; that, on the other hand, such full privileges are not enjoyed by any British steamers In French ports.

That, for these and other reasons given in the address of the Hongkong Chamber to Her Majesty such privileges bestowed it Hongkong,

or elsewhere, should be withdrawn, or much

curtailed.

It is moreover stated in a letter from Lord Rosebery to Count Halzfeldt, dated April 26th, 1886, that a Postal Convention, similar to that made with France in 1856, was made with Belgium in 1876, and that in a case brought before the British courts in which privileges of the Conven tion were pleaded, judgment was given adverse to the terms of the Convention, on the ground that such Convention was not legal unless authorised by Parliament.

It is therefore the opinion of your Memorialista that such privileges, not being allowed by the law of the land, should be withdrawn; and furthemore, that ifit is necessary to grant any exemptions to vessels belonging to a foreign nation, they should be such alone aa are un avoidable on account of political esigenties, and they should not be of a character to give any undue prestige or freedom to foreign vessels to the prejudice of British vessels and the interests! of their owners.

+

mously adopted the following resolution, viz. :- The Council of this Chamber have unani.

subsidised or not by their Governments, should "That foreign vessels engaged in trade, whether

not enjoy any privileges in British ports which are not accorded to British vesscia"

Your Memorialists therefore humbly pray that 'your Lordships will be pleased to advise that the Ordinance No. 18 and No. 19 of 1888, passed by the Legislative Council of Hongkong on the 18th day of August, 1888, and objected to by the Hongkong Chamber may be disallowed, along with other Ordin. ances of a similar preferential kindi passed in other British Crown Colonies.

And your Memorialists will ever pray, Given under the Common Seal of the Incor porated Chamber of Commerce of Liverpool this toth day of January, 1889.

HENRY COKE, President, THOMAS H. BARKIR, Secretary.

THE OPENING OF THE UPPER

‹ YANGTZE,

HONGKONG, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 1889.

MR. W. BUCHANAN SMITH, for reasons which are not easy to understand, has heen airing in the local press his views- or perhaps it would be more accurate to say what he wishes the public to believe opinion that no ground exlats for liquidating the Pakhoj, have been causing some trouble. This as human food is confined to Italy and the South- sepial In different and quite modern authorities that there is no serious intention anywhere of

THE COMPTOIR D'ESCOMPTE.

LONDON, March 25th. The tribunal of Commerce has expressed the

Comptoir d'Escompte.

To supplement a belief so well supported if not now everywhere established by Professor Wilson of Glasgow that the sea-serpent is merely "Chang" among fishes I would put forward that sea-serpent are one the same; not by any means, however, let it be supposed with the object of justifying my head-line that I propose to do, in my next, efforts to excite THE following are the incomes of leading curiosity. As the squid is the sole food of the European rulers-The late Emperor William spern whale and of many blubber-yielding is credited with haying saved $12,000,000 out of cetaceans, is it the original manufacturer of the his public allowance. Switzerland gets Nong great oil-supply of the sea? and if so what pleasantly with a President who is satisfied with prospect have we of getting our oil at first the modest salary of $3,000 a year. Oscar li of hand? Are those ficcts of innumerable Chinese Sweden and Norway rubs along comfortably on small craft met with at incredible distances $575,525 that his subjects gracefully pay him. from sight of land in the China scas exclusively The Cear of Russia is credited with receiving squid, ishermen ? so when fishing out of $2,250,000 and upward from his domains, soundings, as they do, what to us novel appliances but upward is an unlimited term. The King do they use, and from what depths do they of Prussix (Emperor of Germany) is not badly draw their hauls? An age or two before "the "fixed" The Kingdom of Prussia pays him beginning there dwelt in the land of "Ned" $1,235,000, and besides that he has great an exceedingly wide-awake people indeed, a privatedomains, The sovereign of the dusky sons monograph such as one of these lincal des- of sunny Italy annually. takes $3,070,000 out ofcendants of prehistoric squid catch who the pockets of his impoverished subjects for the probably took up the industry about the same sole behoof of himself and kin. Milan, King of time as the whales, could supply materials his pelty kingdom of less than 2,000,000. He the very uniform size of the dessicated squid Servia, has had a pretty tough time in governing for, would be worth a great deal. How is

$200,000. The ruler of Bavaria is allowed only identically the same species several feet in and his kin cost the little limited monarchy of the shops to be accounted for when $1,307,040 a year, and out of this sum he has length is a common object of the sea-share in to pay for clothes and provisions for his family some parts of, the world ? How is it that all and to keep them in pocket money. The Em- squids found in the stomach of the Albatross are and valuable skipper to have on board the Ship peror Francis Joseph of Austria may be a wise again so uniform in size, about one quarter that of the better knows 7 and lastly how is it that all of State, but with $3,875,000 a year he is inade- the lacerated fragments of squid I have taken quately recompensed. The King of the Belgians.from the stomachs of sword-fish, saw-fish and has just about as much as he can do to keep

hammer-headed sharks have belonged to speci himself supplied with pic and confectionery on ment that must have weighed from ten to the $660,000 a year that his grateful subjects thirty-pounds when all there? These facts appear turn over to him. Queen Victoria rakes in to me to point to a gradual migration from the something like 185,000 for doing nothing but bottom where they emerge from over to the sur creating mischief.

face where sight is simulated, tissue hardened and colour taken on before again rettring to THE MOST INTERESTING OBJECT permanent habitat near the dark bottom, If Solomon bad said Who would sup off IN CHINA

the devil-fisk must have a long snout" no one would have ventured to dispute it. All More by the things we do not know about it deep, water blow-fish, except the sperm and than by those we do I anticipate justifying my

grampus, have bottle-noses and all dwellers in the deeper seas without exception have their head-line. The Chinese name for it is respiratory openings remate from their mouthes or (mab-yil), and it is to be seen almost in its defended in some way, as though designedly with The "Ichang Convention "is in the full throes. entirety in every native. provision store in the reference to just such danger as would be incurred of production. Seven high native officials and It is often called the sepia, but is more generally flood of light should be thrown on the endings about a month in altempting to frame "Ruler country. Its scientific name is Calige vulgaris. in an encounter with a too powerful squid. A full-fledged Consul have now been occupied for

known to English; fishermen and sailors us the of life obtaining at depths in the sea beyond theind Regulations" which shall supplement the squid or devilfish. It belongs to the family reach of daylight. Judging from the display at celebrated clause in the Cheloo Convention, of the Cephalopodes, always powerful, for the surface on a dark night we have every which permits British Merchants mat to trade some of the very oldest sedimentary rock-reason to believe that lower down the water can at Chungking until steamers have been there... formations are composed chiefly of a very close be iluminated at will of its denizens to a degree As far as we can learn, not only has no agrees side by side with remains of the great pelasgic as a raie only evidences itself while a fish is in the Chinese, but we are told that the deputier relative of our familiar example, the belemnite, limited only by their requirements. The light ment been arrived at between the Consul and saurians hitherto assumed to be extinct, but a motion, Its duration and power would seem to have not yet reached an agreement among them living specimen of which I have quite recently depend entirely on the amount of direct muscular selves. At this rate, we may wait till Christines seen, not for the first time, and a drawing of energy expended in producing it. These condi-before the long-looked-for permliilon is granted, which I am now preparing with the view of tions admirably meet the demand created by especially seeing that the negotiators on the sending it to Dr. Gunther of the British Museum. absence of an altemating sunlight and dark-Chinese side have to refer to their principals for A CORRESPONDENT, on whose knowledge and This, however, by the way. To-day the squidness and dispipate in a flash the awful ratification of everything they may agree to, to whom their fúntructions direct them to experience we can safely rely, writes as follows:, I believe, the most numerous of all living gloom one has always in imagination associated creatures in the great Oceans where it forms the with those known depths of old Ocean that can -I observe in the "Notes from Chinese Papers" sole food of more active rapacious dwellers in only be fathomed in figures too high to mean

report the progress of negotiations from time to time.” In Ichang itself, we are told, bets' are in your last night's haue that the Taos," des the greater waters of the world. Outside China, anything

freely offered that no conclusion will be come to cribed as a tribe of savages at Lien Chow, near where it is highly esteemed, its consumption Bare we not something to learn also of the this year and the general impression seems to be must refer to a tribe of aboriginea called the Sea Islands, and even there it is but little used, 1 and two recipes for Chinese ink: "Lampblack really opening up the west to foreign steamer "Pab Pail Tao," who live near Lien Chow at Its place in the grand scheme of life as related gum Arabic and musk" "sepis, ambergris and or to sleamers at all. The inference is that the the head of the North River in the North to that of the individual is fatal. A powerful, gum" both set down conclusively. I suspect, Tsung-li Yamén have not honestly determined Kwangtung, very long distance away from insatiable, treacherous, miscarriage and foetus, its that after all our jumps at conclusiona we have to comply with Sir John Walsham's request, but Llenchow, near Pakhoi. I am confirmed in this whole physical presentment in life corresponds

not yet quite mastered the secret of the universal opinion by the town of Sam Kong being mea in borror. Its huge glaring eyes, horny beak, and

that they are still temporising, either from doned, this place, which I visited some time boneless, shapeless truck give it peculiarly the siderable proportion at all of the ink used by genuine dread of a popular outburst. How ink of China. If the squid provided any con- dislike to offend the provincials, or from a since, being not very far distant from Lien appearance of a half-incubated chicken. Its this most ink-spilling of people how are such strong the Central Government really is when it Chow on the North River.

viscera and cartilaginous dersal column_are necessarily enormous quantities of sepia pro- maker up its mind, is shewn in the marvellous enclosed in a loose, round, tough envelope, cured and what is the market value of the crude smoothness with which the recent Oplum Con tapering finely from the open end below the article. Some five years ago there was a gentle-vention has worked from the beginning the head to a point at the tail. Heavier than all man in North China, whom I shall call Mr. orders from Peking have been literally obeyed the rest of the brute and more than twice as long. Smalth because that is not his name, and I only throughout each of the eighteen provinces, not are the ten prehensile limbs growing from round know of him from having read with, absorbing withstanding the large numbers of opium Zikis the heady those terrible weapons, pliable as whip interest a paper of his in the journal of the officials whose bread depended upon the innumer lashes and strong as hemp that have armed to N. C. Branch of the R.A.S. in which he disposed able transit dues to which the drug had previously many monsters of antique fable and modern of the Chinese crocodile in such a way that he been subjected. There, however, the gain to action but none more cruel than this one of must have made his mark in Zoology. Should he the Central Government by the change wil more obvious than in the present instance and, act. Covered with toothed sucking cups, these be still in the country he may see in the few. tentacles once thrown about a victim, only actual bints I have thrown out an opportunity for even no doubt, as long as the official and popular severance can free it from the deadly embrace. higher achievements.

objections to the scientific development of the Fastening round the gills of a fish many time

incabustible mineral resources of the west are larger than itself the squid must promptly drown

allowed to prevail, the benefits of steam com its prey. Fishermen declare that the arms feed

munication can be caly partially felt. Szechuen themselves drawing nutriment through the suckers

seems, from recent accounts, to be overpopulated and the fear that steamers' will diminish the demand for manual labour in one quarter (while independently of the mouth. There may be some germ of truth in this belief, as all the creature's functions appear to operate imperfectly

no openings are afforded for it in another), is, is one of the chief causes, of the persistent developed embryo lines. Its definite acts of

opposition to the Ruling's advance.status reproduction depart materially from general laws, after a certain stage of immaturity. The pro

Vested interests are all-powerful in this con- genitor then sheds a limb with its offspring, so

servative country and, with no counter interes to appeal to, the vii inertia to be overcome in that they are never truly born a separate entities but merely cast off to independent growth. These

starting any new project is almost insuperable. "chips of the block" are glued by a viscid

Unless a powerful impetus is given from with secretion to the bottom of the sea at what depths is

out the Chinese will do nothing of themselves be capable of living at any depth, while theopen

prises faaugurated by foreigner and, in the out of the question. So low an organism might

which may tend to give farther access to enter

the length of the body make the very best envelope and open water channel passing through

present instance, unless Sir John Walsham “puts his foot down?? there will be no steamer in |conceivable at:ucture for sustaining all-round

what he might well have done a year ago. Chungking this year, Sir John should do now and THE barque Chatias Leovilly has not been liquid pressure, distributing it from within as

give notice to the Tsungli Yamen that if by a exactly an abode of bliss during the last two from without over the greater possible extent of

certain fixed day the promised permit for the months. She left New York about so long since, surface. We know that the more deep the ses and just before reaching Singapore a French the more brightly shine the phosphorescent lights sailor named Julien began to act curiously. over its surface, every wave and movement in After leaving for Hongkong, about ten days ago, the water being marked by a burst of pale blue he flourished a knife and offered to give lessons fire very pleasant to the eye. Amidst this general in carving to anybody who came near bim. On glare may be seen many glowing orbs of light: being put into irons he tried to dash his brains much more intense and constant than the out against the stanchion to which he was #parkling region around them. I have planted a fastened, and it had to be padded, and a double net into these centres and brought up all The Memorial of the Incorporated Chamber of

Commerce of Liverpool. guard set. The crew alleged that he had squid time nod again shining se at night that confessed to the murder of another sailor at one hesitates to touch it lest the cold fabby Humbly Shewith-That your Memorialists) Brest, when he was in the French Navy, but thing should burn one. Of all rearch- | have received a series of communications from

COREALITS: POLITICAL AND the Consul knows nothing of it. He was brought light possessed by mariae creatures that of the Hongkong Gederal Chamber of Commerce,

COMMERCIAL CONDITION. the squid is the most powerful. This and amongst them an address from that Chamber before Mr. Pollock to-day and remanded for

would prove a cause of danger by revealing to Her Majesty the Queen, whereis it is stated— its presence to its enemies, prohibitive to a 1-That since the year 1880, there has been

Seoul, 18th February, 1889. lengthened existence, were it not provided with annually passed by the Legislative Council of Id debt to Chinese; in debt to Japanese an altogether extraordinary organ for throwing Hongkong an Ordinance-conferring upon the in debt to Britishere in debt to Germans i in an artificial shade over its riding-light. It carries steamers of the Compagnie des Mesingeries debt to Americans; in debt to Russiana. (Debts about it a pocket full of sepia, the black ink of Maritimes the rights, privileges, and fimmunities here, debts there, debts everywhere! The the east, the one foreign body that can be intro- of vessels of war, amongst which, according to Royal Mint at standstill (owing so the duced into the living tissue without setting up another document issued by the Hongkong poverty of the government and the hypotheci repellent action, nor is it ever absorbed, as is Chamber, are, the following 4-5 (a buen all || Flon by lt of metals, procured from Japan, to seen in tattooing with the best so-called Indian (0) Freedom from search in British ports, merchants who have temporarily relieved the unfess sanctioned by the resident repre- pressing deeds of the executive) ^ "Government ink. A little of this sepia ejected by the squid diffuses through the surrounding water and pro- sentative of the Government to which the funds squandered in every direction : Os duces, as our printers in water-colour and well versel belongo wako jest wecond-hand steamere; on chartering a steamer aware, a perfectly natural darkness differing in () Non liability for arrest in British port at to go to an unopened port in Japan on attempts brought against the vessels font officials In short, on every species of "fad?

so than at any time since it first sprang into

carry are for seething bod of invigus, corruption, despotire black-robed apostles of the Pope of the Vatitan | Bank, simply because no-reliable information the part of nature whers, she forgets to "dra (4 Non-application of the #Habeas Corpús 7 (-conceivables Jersey Z

in the case of any passengers they may No progress no prosperity. The capital's existence. Does Mr. W. BUCHANAN SMITH very little harm, but it cannot be too clearly complications. In due course we shall bay seem to take place very frequently among the That in 1886 and 1887 sifatlar privilege linery, and le barbarity. The people and wish the Hongkong public to belleve that understood that the long innings they have few questions to ask unless in the meantime aquids. The unanimous opinion of all fishing which are stated to be in excess of those asiced government gives up almost entirely to drank terminate, and in the fashion that is found most one or two maiters which, to view of the past, the largest fub in the sea- Many: speci" granted by the same; legislative body to the

«No pence ;" turmoil, the rule {tho-day} Company's sharps" was dus to any expeditious.

certainly require explanation,

| unens of gigantie proportions hava-bean takan staunces of Siim Maridewkacher Moydasiz bizga tala umell the " with wand " of the govaram

are his views-regarding the affairs of the Punjom Mining Company. This gentleman arrived here the other day, with a consi- derable flourish of trumpets, as the reputed agent or representative of avery large body of shareholders in Singapore. According to popular rumour he was MONTE CatsTo and ROTHSCHILD rolled into one, whose special mission was either to buy up the Company's entire property or to oblain control of the whole of the shares. So far, the promised sensation has not come off. The Punjom Company has yet an independant existence, its shares are still freely offered for sale on the local market, and even the threatened "boom" has not been realised. In fact, the advent of the great Singapore speculator has had no appreciable effect on the position or prospects of the concern. He is credited with having tendered a lakh of dollars for ten square miles of the Company's concession at Pahang, but his offer is understood to have been hampered with such conditions that it may be doubled whether it was ever seriously intended to lead to a bona fide purchase; and now, after threatening in the public press to extinguish the Board of Directors and remove the Company's bead-quarters to Singapore, he winds up by Indulging in purposeless predictions and dazzling gromises which are simply ludicrous.

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

ACCORDING to the Siam Mercantile Gaxette there has lately been an epidemic of small pox in Bangkok.

ACCORDING to latest advices from Manila Chia. rini's Circus was' performing at Lipa, a town in the province of Batangas.

We are informed by the agents (Messrs) D. Sassoon, Sons & Col that the steamer Japan left Singapore for this port to-day, and may be expected on or about the and proximo. MISS AMY SHERWIN'S Company gave another most successful entertainment at the Theatre Royal, City Hall, last night, to a large and enthusiastic andience. Owing to pressure on our space a full report is held over until to-morrow.

MAGISTRATE:Madame, your husband charges you with assault Lady defendant:"Yes, your honour; I asked him if he would ever cease to love me, and he was so slow in answering that I hit him on the ear with a tea pot. I am only a weak woman, your honour," she added, melting into tears, "and a woman's life is blighted unless she enjoys the tender love of the man to whom missed. she has entrusted her happiness." Case dis-

MR. HO AMEI, manager of the On Tai Insurance Co, La., courteously informs us, that he has received telegraphic advices from the Company's agent in Manila to the effect that the steamers Mindanao and Vitayos have been in collision off the coast of the Philippines with disastrous results. The Mindanao is a total loss, and the Visayas is considerably damaged. No details as to loss of life, etc, have been received, but doubtless we shall receive full information by next steamer from Manila.

་

THE piety of Holy Adelaide has discovered a solemn warning to the conflagration of Miss M'Shane, a barmaid. This unkappy nymph was heating her curling tongs at a spirit lamp, when the lamp fell down and the blazing oil, e, brought about results as usual. The accident is generally regarded (in redeemed circles) as Judg. ment upon poor Miss M'Shane for endeavour ing to make her head look more beautiful than ever, with a view to luring young men on to destruction, both of the liver and the soul.

On the 27th ult, a coolic, employed by a building contractor at the Peak, died after a few days iliness, The body was viewed and a post-morte held, and no suspicious circumstances discovered, but a few days later a man who claimed to be a

nephew of the decessed tried to squeeze the contractor for a hundred taels Failing to get them, he denounced the man to the police, saying that he had beaten the deceased to death. The prisoner was arrested, and brought up a second time before Mr. Pollock this morning, The "nephew" admitted that he had been trying to "squeeze" the prisoner, and yet, lastead of immediately putting him into the place of the latter, a further remand was ordered. Our Foochow contemporary understands that Hai-Yuan, the recently appointed Tartar General, holds the honorary rank of Marquis and is son of the famous High Commissioner Keiling, who negotiated the Tientsin treaties of 1858 with the Earl of Elgin and Kincardine, representing Great Britain, and Mr. W. B. Reid, the Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States. The Foochow Echo may be quite right as to His Excellency Hai Yuan's honorary rank, but we can scarcely understand Tartar General being the son of a man who was Captain General of "the Plain White Banner of the Manchu Banner Force. Perhaps our contemporary will set us right1

medical examination.

J. F. KEANE.

Hongkong, 26th March, 1889-

COMMERCE AND THE FOREIGN THE LIVERPOOL CHAMBER OF

MAIL STEAMERS ORDINANCES S

We append the text of a memorial recently sent to the British Government by the Incor- porated Chamber of Commerce of Liverpool regarding the special privileges accorded to foreign mail steamers in Hongkong and other Colonial ports. The Prime Minister has replied. to this memorial, stating that the subject· La that a further communication will shonly be engaging the attention of the Government, and

petition addressed to

the Chamber. Here is the

To the Most Honourable the Marquess of Salisbury, K.G. Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; To the Right Honourable Viscount is not granted, he will authorise her to Cranbrook, G.C.S., Lord President of Her proceed simply under existing regulations for Majesty's Privy Council To the Right steam navigation on the Lower River regulations Honourable Lord Knutsford, G.C.M.G., Her the junkmen hitherto, and under which no case which have been found amply sufficient to protect Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for of colision has occurred, that we can remember, the Colonies,

where the steamer, whether right or wrong, his not had to pay, and pay liberally, for the damage resulting.-N. G. Daily Newith N

Even assuming that Mr. W. BUCHANAN SMITH, as & large holder of Punjoms, is deeply interested in the Company's pros- perity, we still fall to gather what purpose his hopes to serve by the big game of bluff He is clearly attempting to play through the newspapers. The character of a rodo montadist, even if it is only on paper, is one which is essentially unsulted to such a quiet and cautious man of business as Mr. W. BUCHANAY SMITH, and he does not score Manila authorities have rendered compulsory It gives as great pleasure to report that the a success in the role. This gentleman must the teaching of the Spanish language throughout know perfectly well that, up to the present the Philippine Islands, thus defeating the con- stant endeavours of clerical bigotry, the aim of time, the light in which the Punjom Company which has been to keep the native classes in has been considered by the public here is profound ignorance of any civilised language the true light. The scrip has been a

The Spanish Government has lately been going ahead in the path of reform at such a rapid rate gambling medium and nothing else. Nor that we live in hope of yet seeing the fairest country on the face of the globe take its proper can we see from recent events that the post-place in the scals of great nations, Priestly It is perhaps as well to add that we have no faintest tint from the simple withdrawal of the instance of any civil suit that; may be to set up a 4 chan-on rică)'on superfluous

interference with mundane affairs must, bow ever, first be summarily stopped; so long as the "misfortune of the Hongkong and Shanghai That by no means uncommon oversight on

ton hasin anyway greatly changed; this is

"süll a purely gambling stock-even more

We note from the Comercio that the leading practical view of the recent arbitrary proceedings Spanish firms have taken a very sensible and sanctioned by the Manila Government in connection with the franch of the Hongkong and Shanghal Bank. They haye petitioned the Governor-General to find some speedy and efficacious remedy for the commercial dead-lock caused by the altogether unnecessary and unwarranted stoppage of the Bank's business, and we doubt not that His Excellency will do everything in his power to put matters right. refrained from discussing this latest Manila: light and ba

2, 360 "recent extraordinary run on the enjoyed in directing' affairs of the world mask | the Directors should see their way to explain peoples in all parts of the world' in that it is for by the Imperial German Government, werd Combers and licentious pleasures o

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