January 31, 1895.1
cɔntinuous work to manage sufficiently to be able to leave, and the arduousness of this becomes evident when it is known that the water in which they were working was below freezing point. This patch was finally finished by securing it by six two inch bolts and screwing it up so tight that the cotton packing, originally eight inches thick, was compre sed to three inches, This made such a close joint that no water could by any means enter...
The minute details given above of the method used to place the large patch will give an idea of the work done on the Chinyuer's botton, and that this was well done is proved by the telegraphic report of Admiral McClure to Chefoo that the ship had been ontside and tried her heavy guns and that no leakage had occurred.
A LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY FOR
SIAM.
A Royal Decree creating a Legislative Assem. bly or Council has been recently issued by the King of Siam. The business of such Assembly will be the making of news law and ordinances and the discussing and passing of budgets and esti- mates. It will be on the lines of a British Colonial Legislative Council, and all laws, &o.. passed by the Assembly must, of course, receive the Royal sanction before promulgation. The Chief Ministers of the Crown will be ex-officio members, while His Majesty will nominate other. members, chiefly from among the Privy Conn- cillors, all of whom will be of or above the rank of Phys. All members of the new Legislative Assembly will rank next to Ministers of the Crown, and will receive salaries while the sit- tings last. These are some of the chief points in the Decree, which is of sneh importance that we purpose giving it in full in our next issue. It is understood that the first sitting of the new Legislative Assembly will be held in a fort- night's time, Sim Observer.
THE SITUATION IN PEKING.
Advices from Peking from reliable sources show that the political condition of the capital is de- plorable in the extreme, and that the gravity of the situation, instead of stilling the voice of fac- tion and putting a stop to intrigue, has intensi- fied the one and increased the other. The anti-Li
scheme. *
HONGKONG.
87
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
burean, but was ordered to consult his foreign coadjutor in everything. In any case the association of incompatible elements, namely,
The event of the past week has been St. foreign skill and native prejudice, is working its George's Ball, which took place on the 23rd inst. inevitable result-dead failure. The colleagues and was a brilliant success. The Taipingshan differ ou many essential points, and as Hu prac-Arbitration Board is still continuing its adjudi- tically holds the purse strings he has an effective cition on the claims of the owners of property The New Balmoral veto on everything the foreigner suggests. Mr. in the condemned area. von Hanneken has already enlisted the aid of Gold Mining Co., Limited, has received favour sch foreigners as were available, but the fact able news from the mines. On the 24th inst. that the Tientsin petty officials are keenly try.a gunboat built by the Hongkong and Whampoa ing to hant up the antecedents of these recruits Deck Co.. Limited, to the order of the Spanish and are reporting their discoveries in Peking Government for servics in the Philippines, was The cricket clearly shows their bostile attitude to the whole launched from Kowloon Docks.
match played on the 25th and 26th iust. between Peking official opinion is, on the whole, be- the Club and the Army and Navy resulted in a ing foolishly optimistic again. By some curious victory for the Club on the first innings. On means the vapourings of the European press the 28th inst. a very enjoyable children's per which treat of China's boundless resources, etc., formance was given in the ball are being taken as gospel, aud the officials think Government House for the benefit of if they can prolong the war for one year, they children's charities, the piece presented being will not only roll back the tide of invesion but Ragged Robin:" The P. M. steamer City of panish the Japanese in turn. Utterly ignorant Rio de Janeiro, which recently struck a rock on of the nature of modern war, they think that the coast of Japan, as already reported, arrived science and discipline may be overcome by num- here on the 28th inst. and will go iuto dock for bers. They are even assertiug in many quar-repairs. News has been received that the N. P. ters that the newfangled foreign arms of pre-steamer Victoria, which left this on the 23rd Just. cision are the primary cause of the Chinese re for Tacoma, came into collision in Moji barbour Verses. and several prominent officials have not with the Ariake Maru and sustained rather hesitated to commend that the repeating rifles serions injuries, but after placing a patch on the should be discarded in favour of the ancient rent in her side she was able to go on to Kobe Brown Bess, or gingal, requiring two men and for survey. The two Winglok Street murderers Au Chan and Li Pong were executed on the four minutes to fire one round.
29th inst.
The Li party is, of course, not so foolish as this! It at least knows the true courses of Japa nese, success and Chinese failure, and recognises the absolute futility of carrying on the unequal struggle. But their assertion of these causes and their recommendations of peace are at once quoted against them as proofs of their want of patriotism and their incompetence to condust affairs.—N, (), Daily News,
EARTHQUAKE IN TOKYO AND ΤΟΚΟΗΑΜΑ.
+4
room at
There were 1,117 visitors to the City Hall Museum last week, of whom 117 were Europeans.
Amongst the passengers by the P.& Ọ. steamer Formosa, which left for home on Thurs day were Colonel Macdonnell, R.A., and Lieut.- Colonel St. Paul, of the Rifle Brigade.
On Friday Mr. H. E. Wodohonse conțiuned the inquiry into the circumstances connected with the fire at No. 337, Queen's Road West. Nothing definite was developed and the court adjourned till Friday next at 10.30.
An interesting cricket match was played at Happy Valley on Wednesday between teams re- presenting Queen's College and St. Joseph's The Japan Mail of the 19th inst. says:-To-College, which resulted in a victory for the lat kyo was visited, at a few minutes to 11 p.m. on ter, the runs being 74 for St. Joseph's and 66 for the 18th inst., by an earthquake of great severity. the Queen's. Records from seismological observatories have not reached us at this moment of writing, but we are disposed to think that the shock was even more severe than that of Jure last,
.
Messrs.
The German steamer Irene of the Kingsin line, which caught fire at Yokohama last month, is coming to Hongkong for repairs. The earthquake was attended in Yokohama Simon, Evers & Co., her Yokohama agents, ad party a month or two ago found an energ tie with fatal results to one man. While a Japan-vertised in the local press for estimates on the leader in Tze Jui, one of the leading spirits in ese pawnbroker (58) and his son (32) were escap-
work; but although there were many firms who the Haulin College, and the virtual chief of the ing from their shop at No. 97, in Honmura would have gladly undertaken the contract, in Li Pa. This official is said to have got at the Rond, they were caught by some falling bricks view of the fact that the Yokosuka people, in Imperial ear by means of the two favourite con- and tiles. The old man received some severe consequence of their engagements with the Go- cubines, said to be his daughters, and it was in injuries to his head, from which he succumbed vernment, would not surrender their docks for cous quence of his and their representations that during the night. The son had his left arm
more than two or three days, it was impossible Mr von Hanneken was called to the capital and broken and is now in hospital. At No 119 the to guarantee a fulfilment of the contract within entrusted with the reorganisation of China's mi- whole side of a godown gare cut, but for any specified period. As there seems to be no litary forces. The Dowager Empress has check-tunately without injuring any one. At No. probability of the Yokohama Docks being con- mated Tze Jai by getting him nominated Go. 28 a stone wall collapsed, while at No. 163 structed, the Japan Gazette understands that a vernor of some remote district on the Siberian the gable end of a large godown fell into scheme is in contemplation by a few influential frontier. and marked her disapproval of his the street. The office of M. Eymard, on the and experienced foreigners for the construction kioswomen's action by degrading them offioialy same lot, is so badly shaken that the house is of a floating poutoon dock. This would obviate in the Imperial Household.
almost uninhabitable. No. 146. in China-town, the sending of such vessels as the Irene to Hong. has its brick walls so twisted that it will have to kong. be pulled down. The Chinese Consulte also suffered severely, while a portion of the stone wall of Messrs. Vivanti Bros.' premises collapsed
The Li faction under this indefatigable lady is again on the top of the wave, but finds in creasing difficulty in holding its own, for though Prince Kang, the actual head of the administra- tion, is on the whole favourable to it, he is not a
A few gentlemen of the colony, interested in the education and entertainment of the young, have clubbed together aud imported from bome
thoroughgoing partisan and is apt 10 Ishikawa, Honmura, and other portions of the | a fine pair of màgic-lanterns that can be used with
The ignorance and fatal optimism of great officials is working steadily against the Li party. The utter collapse of the military force of the Empire against a power so despised as Japan is to them perfectly inexplicable on
native town, more or less damage was sustained, oil, calcium light, or electric ppliances. The tiles and plaster, etc., being detached, but no-instruments are of the best workmanship, being thing of a serious character has been reported. of mahogany frames, lined with air-cushioned On the Bluf the mischief done was compara Russia-iron, and with all mountings and fittings tively slight, but the top of a brick chimney at in heavy and highly finished brass. The lenses the Italian Consulate fell and the debris was are of the best quality and will give pic-
General Hospital at No. 82 was cracked.
any other ground except · Nous sommes tráhis " scattered in the road. One of the walls at the (ures from the size of a dollar to that of
a
This was
a house. They have also imported a select In the Native Town the damage was much assortment of slides to begin with and smaller. An old dwelling house at Otamachi will add to their stock as occasion suggests. was destroyed, and some damage was caused in They will operate the lanterns at present with earthenware shop at Yoshidamachi. No oil, and, on Saturday night, gave their maiden farther reports had been received at any of the exhibition to the young folks at the Soldiers' and
Sailors' Institute, Queen's Road East, Police Offices when we went to press.
the regular quarterly meeting of the little people and, after the tea and recitations and songs, the stereopticons were brought out and from seven to nine p.m. the gathering of from two to three hundred young and old were treated to a beautiful exhibition of magic scene effects. Mr. W. Machell is the prime mover in this en terprise and was the lecturer and planner of the evening's feast for the young,
and as Li's enemies persistently repeat this formula and point to him as the betrayer, many far-minded but ignorant. high officers are being slowly biassed against the anti-Li party. The edicts summoning nearly all his military nominees to Peking for punishment and the gradual super- session of Li himself all point to the steady de- cline of his power. Rightly or wrongly the Peking
We learn from Japanese papers that the authorities deemed that von Hanneken was not building of the Diet received some damage. A a persona grata to the great Viceroy, and hence dozen soldiers of the 2nd Regiment of the I their attempt to made his efforts and plans quite perial Bodyguard were som what serion ly in independent of viceregal control and finance. It jured by jumping out of the windows of barracks. is shrewdly suspected that some astute but felegrams from Ibaraki, Sendai, Sakata, Utsu secret supporter of Li suggested Mr, von Hannomiya, Aomori. Chiba, Kofu, Shizuoka, and neken's association with Hu Yü-fen; the latter Nagoya all report ashook of earthquake expe-
rienced on the same night. was made the nominal head of the re-organising
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