124
PROJECTED RAILWAYS. (Special Telegram to the" North-China
Daily News."}
Peking, 4th February.
THE PANTOMIME.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
HONGKONG.
A considerable amount of talk was occasioned during the week by the action of Commander Hastings in fining Mr. Mackintosh, of Messrs. A Ceusor, backed by one of the Imperial Butterfield and Swire, $50, in each of four cases, Princes, has memorialised the Throne to grant for contravention of the Building Ordinance, permission for the immediate building of a rail-with the alternative of two months' imprison way between the capital and the Yangtsze pro- ment with hard labour. The Magistrate decided vinces, and the Board of Revenue when ques to review his decision, and took off the alterna- tioned upon the matter by the Emperor also re- tive of imprisonment, without, however, reducing ported favourably upon the project. The reason Riven for the memorial was a comparison between the fine. Information was received by the last the ease with which the Tientsin railway had mail that Major General Digby Barker, C.B., transported troops during the war to Shanhai-had been promoted to the rank of Lient.-General, in consequence of the approaching retirement kuan and the difficulties and tardiness of the of Sir W. C. Drury-Lowe, K.C.B The police overland march from the south, in the absence officers who took an active part in the investiga- of railways! It is reported that the railwaytion of the Winglok Street murder have been material collected at Shanhaikuan, etc., will be atilised for the new line between Chihli and complimented by His Excellency the Governor. At an extraordinary general meeting of the Kiangsu
Green Island Cement Company it was resolved to transfer the management of the Company to Messrs. Shewan & Co., whose appointment dates from the 28th inst. Lieut-General Digby Bar- The second performance of " Robinson Crusoe" ker has a good opinion of the Volunteer Ambul- took place on Monday (4th inst.) under the patron-ance Corps and when he inspected a drill which age of Commodore Boyes and the officers of the the Corps went through he expressed himself Fleet. There was a large and very enthusiastic as highly satisfied with it. He also distributed audience, and successful as the pantomime was certificates to members of the St. John's on the first performance it was even brighter Ambulance Association who proved successful and more lively on Monday, and the numerous in the last examination. As usual, no dividend naval jokes introduced in honour of the patrons is being paid this year by the Dairy Farm excited much amusement. Encores were the Co., Limited, but at the annual meeting the order of the evening, Mr. Grace being recalled Chairman remarked that if the Company had What craven dares to talk of bis not accomplished a financial success, it had, at home," Mrs. Hagen for It may be that the any rate, accomplished a social success by dis- world is bright, and Mrs. Brown for " Alack tributing pare milk. This brought forth a day!" All the dances were vigorously ap remark from Mr. Douglas Jones that the Com- plauded and the fan dance and Spanish dance pany was not a philanthropic and charitable had to be repeated. The dance by Mrs institution. A cricket match between the Rifle Brown and Mr. Grace was also encored Brigade and the Navy, played on Tuesday. but the demand was not complied with. The resulted in a draw, the scores being-Navy 164, most urgent recall, however, was for Mr. Rifle Brigade 123 for seven wickets. Caldwell, whose eccentric dance pleased the audience immensely; the exertion was apparently too fatiguing for the performer to give a repeti- tion, but it was a long time before the cheering subsided sufficiently to allow the piece to proceed Another performance will be given this evening under the patronage of HE. Major General Digby Barker, C.B. The new drop scene, painted by Mr. Coughtrie, is now hung and was used on Monday night. The subject is a riverside meadow with trees in the background, and a man fishing and one or two other figures are introduced. The general effect is very pleas. ing and Mr. Conghtrie is to be congratulated on his production, which on Monday night was the subject of general admiration.
for his song
**
The third performance of " Robinson Crusoe " was given on Wednesday night, under the patron. age of Major-General Digby Barker. There was again a full house and the audience was as enthusiastic as on the last occasion, almost every item being applauded to the echo.
Saturday night's performance of "Robinson Crusoe" by the members of the Hongkong Amateur Dramatic Club was highly successful. The piece ran smoothly throughout, the au- dience frequently applauded the efforts of the various artists, and several times during the evening bouquets were handed to many of the lady performers. Of course it was to be expected that the recent Building Ordinance case would form a resourceful peg upon which to hang jokes about "quarterdeck justice," &c., and the half dozen comical allusions to the case were much appreciated by those present. There are to be only four more performances of the pantomime and each of these should be well attended.
Another performance of the Pantomime was given on Tuesday night.
The maximum temperature last month was 69.6, on the 1st, and the minimum 43.5, on the 19th. The rainfall amounted to 0.41 inch.
The stamp revenue last month amounted to $17,317, showing en izurease of $3,392 on the amount osilected in the corresponding month of last year.
Colonel Barrow, of the Hongkong Regiment, accompanied by Mrs. Barrow and family, re- turned from furlough yesterday, arriving by the P. & O. steamer Rohilla.
At a Chapter of Emergency of the Victoria Chapter, held on the 5th instant, Comp. G. A. Caldwell was elected Third Principal by Dis- pensation from the D.G. Superintendent, M. Ex. Comp. C. P. Chapter.
On Saturday evening the Chief and First Class Petty Officers of H.M. ships now in port held a smoking concert at the R. N. Seamen's Club. A good programme had been arranged and a very enjoyable evening was spent.
We are advised by the Secretary of the Pan- jum Mining Company of the receipt of a telegram from the mines to the effect that during the month of January the mill ran 27 days, crushing 615 tons yielding 300 ozs. of gold, and headings 405 tons yielding 50 ozs of gold.
In addition to the official changes we recently announced as likely to take place shortly we learn that the Hon. N. Mitchell-Innes will go on leave and that during his absence Mr. A. M. Thomson will probably act as Colonial Trea- surer.
On Sunday morning a carpenter removed a quantity of timber from No. 38, Bridges Street, placed it on a cart, and then despatched it to Wanchai in charge of half a dozen coolies. In Graham Street the coolies lost control of the cart, which travelled down the hill on its own impetus at a considerable rate, and before it could be stopped one of the coolies was run over He sustained a broken leg and was removed to the Government Civil Hospital.
The native papers at Shanghai are very indignant at the scant courtesy of the Japanese in the treatment of the Chinese Envoys at
At 9:25 on Wednesday night a fire broke out Hiroshima. They deolare that there now remains on the premises of Choi Shu Ting, birds' nest nothing more to be said, but war to the bitter purveyor, 73, Bonham Strand. The Fire Brigade, end. If the credentials were really found to under Mr. Horspool, Deputy Superintendent, have been insufficient for the purpose of treating attended as quickly as possible and found that a for peace the Japanese Government could at kerosine lamp had fallen in the front room of least have courteously informed the Envoys of the first floor. The place was well ablase at the the fact, and asked them to telegraph to Peking time, but the fire was extinguished in about fifty for further orders. If Peking refused to issue minutes. The premises were burnt out, and an Imperial decree granting the necessary damage to the extent of $6,000 was done. The powers to the Envoys, then would have been adjoining property was not damaged. The cou- the time to order them out of the country. tents were insured with Messrs. Scheele and Co.
[February 14, 1895.
Mr. Alf. Woolley, who will act as Superin- tendent of the P. & O. Company on the depar ture of Mr. H. H. Joseph, arrived here on the 6th inst. from Kobe by the P. & O. steamer Java, accompanied by Mrs. Woolley and family. We hear that Mr. Joseph will go home via Australia, where he will make an inspection of the Company's agencies. Mr. Woolley took charge of the Company's business at this port on Monday.
It has been decided, we believe, to offer
rewards for snakes killed in the colony. In this connection it may be interesting to note that the Allahabad Pioneer suggests that instead of the Government of India paying money to snake-catching folk, "who have not the smallest which they can make a profit," it should import idea of exterminating the venomous vermin by and acclimatise two well-known birds of acknow- ledged prowess against such reptiles. One is the Secretary Bird of Africa and the other is the Australian Laughing Jackass-the far-famed * kookaburra ”—both birds being protected in their native countries for their known enmity to snakes. There is little doubt that both birds will do well in India, and it would only be fol lowing the example of the Australians, who have introduced the Mynah bird from Manipur to deal with various pests.
At six minutes past one o'clock on Sunday morning the firemen were called to an outbreak at fire at No. 149, Queen's Road Central, an oil shop occupied by Ng Hing. The fire was a small one, fortunately, and was confined to the stairs leading from the back part of the shop to the first floor room. Ten minutes' work sufficed to put out the flames and the damage amounted to only about $30. The origin of the outbreak was rather amusing. One of the employés of Ng Hing went to a compartment under the stairs with a lighted candle, which he placed in When he left he forgot to a box of shavings. take the candle away with him, and it was not long ere the shavings became ignited and the stairs were set on fire. Had the flames spread
further the results would have been very serious indeed, as between thirty and forty in the shop, and it barrels of oil were was only owing to the promptitude of the brigade that the fire was kept within limits. Inspector Kemp was in charge of the police, and Mr. Horspool, Deputy Superintendent, also went to the shop, but by the time he arrived the flames had been extinguished. The contents of the shop were insured with the North German Fire Insurance Co. for $6,000.
f
"Carping Critic" writes-"The spirit which prompted the publication of The Imperial Institute Journal may be willing, but the editing, He refers to the heading is decidedly weak.”
Commercial Collections of the Institute," under which it is stated that the corresponding agent in the colony of Hongkong is the Collector of Customs, and expresses the fear that with Government servants voting themselves ex- change compensation such an official will soon be required, although up to the present this is fortunately, at least in name, a free port and certainly the Imperial Institute ought to know it. As it apparently does not it looks as if it were governed with as little wisdom as the colony. He also mentious as instances of in- excusable ignorance the quoting of the value of the dollar as three shillings and the Shropshire Regiment being put down as part of the garrison, and quotes the following as a queer jumble of fact and fiction :—
Straits Settlements.-British Silver Coinage in the East-In consequence of the popularity which the Mexican dollar has for a long time enjoyed in Asia," the English Government has decided to coin a British dollar, which is destined to take the place of the Mexican silver one. The coinage will be carried out by the Bombay Mint on a "standard" prepared in London. This corresponds to the Japanese “Yen,” and possesses, on the basis of the present market value of the white metal, an intrinsic value of 241d. in gold, but will be much more valuable in commerce, as the new coins will be more in circulation instead of the Mexican coins, when the needs of financial and trade circles in China, as well as Singapore and Japan, are taken into consideration.
The Introductory Notice states that it has taken the Institute six years to arrange a system of regular correspondence with the Colonies and that the latest information is collated from the advices of the special agents. The "Carping Critic" is curious to know who can be the special agent in Hongkong.
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