August 21, 1895.]
Dr. Cantlie-No, but he assisted me, The Magistrate-I suppose there is no necessity to call him. Will he differ from you at all ?
Dr. Cantlio-I do not know; I do not think so. The Magistrate (to Inspector Bremner)-You were of opinion at first that this man was killed by the opium smugglers?
Inspector Bremner-I thought that was likely, because the body was picked up only two days after the seizure.
The Magistrate-How far is this place away from the spot where the seizure took place ?
Inspector Hanson-It is a long way-seven and a half miles.
Inspector Bremner said that the tide had to be taken into account.
The_Magistrate-The inquiry is adjourned until Wednesday at ten o'clock.
MR. G. G. BRADY'S FAREWELL CONCERT.
There was a very large audience at Mr. Brady's farewell concert at the Theatre Royal on Satur- day evening, and the funds of the Kowloon Soldiers' and Sailors' Institute, on behalf of which the entertainment was given, should benefit very materially. Both the pit and the circle were full and the audience was most enthusiastic in its reception of Mr. Brady when he appeared. The programme opened with a selection by the Band of the Rifle Brigade, from " Il Trovatore," played in the Rifles' usual excellent style. Mr. E. W. Maitland then sang "Love's Nocturne," for which he was very heartily and deservedly applauded. Mr. Maitland was in exceptionally good voice, in fact we have never heard him sing so well before. The next item was "The Demon King," by Mr. W. E. Crow. who was encored and sang in response "Out on a raft.” Mrs. J. D. Humphreys then sang "11 Bacio," of which she gave a very tasteful rendering, and in response to the warm encore she gave "Scenes that are brightest," in which she was equally_successful. No. 5 was a recitation by Mr. Brady, and the appearance of the popular amateur lion co- mique was greeted with enthusiastic cheering and hand clapping. When at length he was allowed to make his voice heard Mr. Brady com- menced with "Mr. Montpellier's Recitation" and soon had the audience in a broad smile broken at frequent intervals by fits of laughter. He was encored of course, and in response gave Mark Twain's ever popular European Guides." Mr. M. Alsberg then charmed the audience with a finely executed violin solo. Mr. G. P. Lammert was put down for the next song, but as he was suffering from hoarseness his place was taken by Mr. Fritz Lammert, who sang “An Old Love Dream." The first part of the programme was brought to a close by a trio, Queen of the Night," by Messrs. Crow, Grace, and Sliman. Three weeks ago the same gen- tlemen sang this piece at the Alice Memorial Hospital Concert at the Mount Austin Hotel, and last Saturday evening's performance suf fered rather by comparison. Mr. Sliman's tenor does not seem to carry so well in the City Hall, and seemed hardly strong enough for the bass and baritone, whereas at Mount Austin the parts were balanced perfectly. The difference must be set down to the acoustic properties of the two
halls.
The second part opened with a selection from "A Gaiety Girl" by the Band, after which Mr. Grace sang in his nsnal fine style“ Oh, Promise Me." Mrs. Hagen's song Tell me my heart" was warmly encored, and she was even more successful in "Pierrot," which she sang in res- ponse. The latter suited her voice better. Mr. Brady's name was the next ou the programme, for another rooitation, but he appeared on the stage and said he was "requested by Mr. Brady" to say that as the time was getting late and the audience would not want to sit in the theatre all night in the tropical temperature he requested to be excused and instead would sing an extra song at the end of the programme. With come little demur this arrangement was acquiesced in. Miss Lammert, who never fails to charm her andience, then sang "She wandered down the mountain side," and iu response to the very warm encore she received gave "Sunshine and Rain." Mr. Aleborg gave another violin solo "Hungarian Danse," which he played with perfect execution and for which he received an encore, giving
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
another solo in response. Mr. Sliman then sang in good style "Under thy Window," after which Mr. Brady appeared for the final item, a comic soug. First he gave "The man who broke the Bank at Monte Carlo," then " You can't remember everything," and, being again recalled, "The Inquest." The enthusiastic ap- plause which followed brought him on to the stage for the fourth time, when he was greeted with cries of "speech, speech," and Mr. Brady, always equal to any demand made upon him, made a speech, short, witty, and to the point, in which be referred to the pleasant friend. ships he had made in Hongkong, to the regret with which he was leaving the colony, and to his hope that he might have the pleasure of again appearing before a Hongkong audienos on some future occasion when passing through. He mentioned that he had been in the colony nineteen months during which he had appeared before Hongkong andiences a hundred and thirty-seven times, and said that for anything he had done he had been well repaid by the kind applause he had received. Mr. Brady left the stage amid loud and long con- tinued cheering, expressive of the good wishes he carries with him and the regret with which his depature is viewed.
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The accompanists were Messrs. Cattaneo, Grimble, and Lammert,
Mention must not be omitted of the excel lent arrangement of the stage, Mr. Brady's own work, we believe. It might have been prepared for a fairy scene in a pantomime and the enjoyment of the evening was enhanced by pleasure being afforded to the eye as well as to the ear.
We congratulate Mr. Brady on the entire success of Saturday evening's entertainment and on the great amount of pleasure he has afforded to the community during his too short residence amongst us.
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12s. 6d. respectively, less 24 per cert, discount, and it will not be astonishing it we see these prices lower still, or at Mr. Johnston's £1 10s. actual rock bottom, ere the tide of affairs turns. I do not entirely agree with the theory that there would be difficulty in procuring skilled labour in sufficient quantity in Hongkong, for as a matter of fact the artisans all round the coast are recruited from this port, being Hongkong or Canton men who have served their times in the local yards and afterwards had to go elsewhere to find employment, whereas had they found work nearer home there is little doubt but that they would have remained. Again, as Mr. Johnston remarks, Chinese boys are very apt and at a certain age pick up their trade very quickly. Concerning stern-wheelers, yes, they can be built and put afloat at less cost than at home; the home builders referred to also make a speciality of this type. I have their tender before me and think Mr. Mitchell would be quite satisfied with the profit even if the difference was split between their price and the cost here. I am thoroughly convinced that the shipbuilding industry on a large scale only wants a start in Hongkong. Chinese merchants are already owners of a considerable amount of ship- ping property in the shape of tugs and large launches, but have never ventured on ordering cargo steamers from home, contenting themselves with chartering foreign steamers. Let them once see that handy and cheap coasting boats suitable for the rice and native passenger trade can be turned out on the spot, and the chances are that they will soon become shipowners as well as oharterers, and we will in a few years see the British flag once more in the ascendant in a British colony. Mr. Winterburg considers a Government subsidy as necessary to progress. What is the low rate of exchange but a subsidy in this case, aud we should wait a while if we wait for any other from the Foreign Office; it would be different if the colony was under the
SHIPBUILDING IN THE FAR EAST. fostering care of a Continental power; then sub-
ME. JACK'S REPLY TO THE DISCUSSION. At a meeting of the members of the Institu- tion of Engineers and Shipbuilders of Hong- kong held on Friday evening, Mr. Andrew Johnston, Secretary, read the following letter from Mr. W. C. Jack, of Haiphong, in reply to the discussion on his paper Shipbuilding in the Far East";----
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Haiphong, 8th August, 1895. Dear Mr. Johnston The criticisms and discussion of my paper on Engineering and Shipbuilding in the Far East have been so light and favourable that it were almost invidious on my part to offer a reply; in fact, I should have preferred that there had been more criticism on the comparative cost of steamers or launches of any description, as it would only have served to elicit facts with regard to our business that are becoming apparent to financial and business men all over the world. Mr. Bailey's remarks on the utteranoes of an in- fluential personage in the shipping line at home (the Chairman of the P & O. Co.) have been supplemented quite recently by a director of the China Mutual Steam Navigation Co. (Sen London and China Express, March 8th). Mr. Maitland stated that Supposing the cost of a steamer to be £50,000 a moderate estimate of the labour would be £12,000. Take the wages on the Clyde at 30/- a week, which is a low 08- timate, as many workmen receive 7/6 a day, and then take the wages in the East at $5 a week, which is high being equal to 10/- a week, we find that in this item of £12,000 there would be a saving of two thirds, or an economy of £8,000 in labour alone. Against this certainly there would be the shipping of material such as steel plates, which would cost say £2,400, and then there would be the payment of two or three skilled men specially sent out to superintend, which I will put down at £1,000 to £1,500, making toge- ther under £4,000, so that there would still be a saving of £4,000 in favour of building in the East," &c, &c,
带带
I would also refor you to a valuable paper by Mr. H, Kopsch, F.R.GS., of the Eastern Bime- tallic League, which although written from the political economist's point of view, only serves to prove our case up to the hilt.
Referring to the comparative cost tables I would refer Mr. Kinghorn to the trade report in Engineering, 28th June, 1895, where the prices of steel ship plates and angles are quoted considerably below my figure, viz., £4 158, and £4
sidies and monopolies would not be wanting. No, rather than ask favours from the Govern- ment, ask for a fair share of their work; torpedo boats and catchers could be built as well here as elsewhere, and the fact of our own Government putting Hongkong builders on the Admiralty list would be a valuable mark of confidence in their capabilities, and help to make some return for the military contribution which bears so hard on the colony at the present rate of exchange.
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It only remains for me now to return my sin- cerest thanks to Mr. Cooke for his kind remarks and valuable criticism, to the members of the institution and the press for the enthusiam with which my humble contribution was received, and I sincerely trust that it may bear fruit in the near future.-W. C. JacK.”
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THE TYPHOON OF 25-30th JULY.
The following description of the typhoon of last month appears with the meteorological observations in the Gazette :-
On the 25th July a trough-like slight depres sion was formed across the China Sea between 17 and 19 lat, as a result of a considerable in- crease of pressure which had taken place over 9. China between the 24th and 25th. Between the 26th and 27th a cyclonic depression, which was perhaps central in 1849, 118° at noon on the lat- ter day, may have been formed in the eastern part of the trough; but in the absence of observations from S. Formosa or from vessels in the adjacent waters this is uncertain.
The information for the 27th shows that a rather rapid decrease of pressure was in progress on the the S.E. coast of China, winds there being light, chiefly from a S. direction, and the weather fine, hot and dry. At Bolinao the barometer was rising and moderate S.W. and S, winds prevailed accompanied by wet weather. At 3 p.m. on this day we have the following observations:-Amoy 29.64, S.S.E, 3. b; Swatow 29.65, S.S.W. 1, 0, Hongkong 29.67, W. 1, o; Bolinao 29 73, 8. 2, or. The only vessel report ing bad weather on this day was the ship Paramita, which experienced a strong W. gale in 16° 9′, 116° 24'. Unfortunately barometrio observations were not recorded.
The bark Go. F. Manson began to feel the effects of the advancing typhoon at midnight of the 27th. The vessel was situated in 18′ 57′′, 114° 18' at this hour when the wind suddenly sprang up and blew with the force of a strong breeze from N.N.W. The barometer read 29.60
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