November 21, 1895.]
fair, and according to the defendant there was a fresh breeze blowing N. or N.N.W. or thereabouts. The state of the weather was
stated by the plaintiff to have been clear, and by the defendants to have been cloudy, but olear, and a still dark night. The plaintiff said there was a low tide; the defendant that there was no perceptible tide. As regards the lights the plaintiff said none were carried by the junk; the defendant that there was one light at the stern. The plaintiff said that the junk could not have taken any measures to avoid the collision, and kept a straight course, and the bow of the steamer ran into her port side and caused the boat to sink immediately in deep water. The defendant said that immediately the junk was sighted the engines were put from half speed to dead slow, and as soon as the course of the junk could be made out her helm was put hard astarboard. At about a ship's length off the junk altered her course, and crossed the steamship Agamemnon's bows to port. As soon as the steamer observed the junk to alter her course the engines were put to full speed astern. The defendant further stated that the stem of the steamship Agamemnon struck the port side of the junk a little abaft amidships. The plaintiff alleged that the steamship did not take
proper precautions, and did not alter her course or slacken her speed, but ran into the boat The defendant said that the junk altered her course and that if she had not the collision would not have occurred. His Lordship would therefore see from the preliminary acts that there was small difference between the parties. The real question was whether the junk changed her course, and the question about whether she had a light became an immaterial one if the course was not changed. On the other points there was practically no difference. The master of the junk and two seamen, one of whom was on the look-out and the other on the deck, were the survivors of the collision, and they would be called to support the plaintiff's contention that the junk did not alter her
course.
Witnesses were called on
behalf of the plaintiff to prove that the junk did not alter her course when the Agamemnon was sighted. The Court adjourned until this morning.
CORRES OND NC:
[We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our Correspondents.]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
THE TUNG WAH HOSPITAL. TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS." SIR,-Some controversy has arisen with re- gard to the Tung Wah Hospital and the powers that exist for the Executive Government to transfer patients against their will to the Government Civil Hospital. Into the legality of the question I have neither the wish nor the knowledge to go, but as to the condition of the Tung Wah and the pitiable state of the patients I may claim some right of criticism. It would take the literary ability of a Gibbon to word- paint the condition of the medical but more especially the surgical surroundings of the hap less inmates. The absolute want of all aseptic or antiseptic conditions can only be fully ap- preciated by those conversant with what is now required in modern surgery; such conditions if found in darkest Africa or Central Asia would sadden the professional mind, but seen in the midst of a prosperous British colony, it is apt to be filled with quite other feelings.
and septicemia. One man was suffering from a huge abscess of the apper part of the leg, the skin tightly stretched over the part from the contained pus: a prick of
a lancet would have been sufficient to set free the contained matter, but he would allow nothing to be done and the part was again covered with the inevitable plaister, leaving him to die a lingering and horrible death from septi- Viewing cases such as the above it comia. becomes difficult to write in any but unmea- sured terms, and one feels that avoidable suffer- ing such as this is a type of must recoil on the heads of those who allow such an institution to exist.
I feel quite sure that those in authority at home can have no idea that such an institution as the Tung Wah bould exist and such surgical atrocities persist in a civilized colony. With some experience of other countries, and more especially India, I dan venture to affirm that the condition of things in this Chinese hospital would be considered a reflection on our humanity and a disgrace to our country. I can also with some confidence say that should the Colonial Government take a firm stand and bring out an Ordinance placing the hospital under Euro- pean supervision and management they will have the approval and support of medical opinion both in this colony and at home, und lay opinion is bound to support professional opinion on what is a technical question.
Gunshot wounds, huge abscesses, fractures, in fact specimens of most surgical affections can be seen there, and all are treated alike with pitch plaister, the great panacea of Chinese surgical art. This treatment is purely relative; the larger the wound the larger the plaister. as it is very essential to cover the entire wound from the sight of the patient and his friends. The result of treating fractures with pitch plaistor can be readily understood, but the treatment of wounds on the some principle is to the professional mind almost as great enormity. The plaister acts as a focus for the oultivation of all kinds of pathogenic germis, from which arise thoce numerous affections which in modern surgery have been so success- fully combatted by cleanliness and antiseptic measures, viz., hospital gangrene, erysipelas,
an
Unless something is done to put a stop to the atrocities to be seen day in this calhouse, under the guise of official sanction. I feel sure that public opinion either at home or in the colony is bound to demand the reason.-I am, sir, yours faithfully,
WAYFARER.
Hongkong, 13th November, 185.
FORMOSAN STAMPS..
in-
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS,' Sir. With reference to the allusion Mr.
Formosan Republic Davidson makes to stamps in his article of October 30th it may terest philatelists to add that with the second issue fully half of the ten cent stamps were printed with black ink, no more violet being locally procurable. That both the provisional and second issues, especially the former, were genuine postal issues admits of no doubt.
Few of the first issue were sold to plulatelists, though it may be admitted a large quantity of the second were sold to augment the treasury of General Liu. It may interest your readers to know that 9,256 letters were sent over to the mainland ports bearing the provisional issue stamp of different values, particularly the three cent, during nine weeks, and some 8,000 odd under the second during some five weeks. The post offices still used the first issue after the second had been issued.-I au, sir, y. urs, etc., G. McCALLUM. Tainanfu, 10th November, 1895.
THE KUCHENG MASSACRE,
HONGKONG.,
391
Several steamers which arrived during the past week have sustained damage in a heavy monsoon, and the French mail was two days overdue owing to the rough weather between Saigon and Hongkong. At the Supreme Court
cases of interest have been heard, and on Mon- day the jury at the Criminal Sessions returned a verdict of not guilty in the case in which a man and woman were charged with the murder of a Norwegian seaman. On the previous Thursday an extraordinary general meeting of the Green Island Cement Company, Limited, was held, and on Saturday the final meeting of the Selama Tin Mining Company Limited took place. The opium case has at length been dis- in the Opium Farm being inflicted. posed of, a fine of $250 on each of the partners
Foochew, 9th November. The decapitation of the fire arch conspirators in this dreadful massacre took place on Thurs- day morning last on the parade ground outside the south gate of the city. Eye-witnesses describe the scene as imposing. Three sides of a square, or rather oblong, wer formed by troops in bright uniforms, istinated to unber 1,200 to 1,500. At the end of the oblong was a dais enclosed in a large tent in which sat the Perfect, accommodation being also provided for the Consuls and other members of the Commission of investigation and their friends. The condemned were brought one by one before the Prefect, answered to their names, and re- ceived sentence of death. They were then re- moved and the two executiouers did their work speedily and well. The names of the beheaded,
pronounced in the Mandarin were Cheng Hwai, alias Leng Chiu-chiu, alias Long finger-nails"; Tu Chu Yi, the Flag bearer Liu Hsiang-h'sing, known as Liu the Introducer; Yeh Hu Tieh," the Butterfly"; and Chang Ch'ih, alias Chang Yao, a high Vegetarian leader. The last named was not condemned by the Commission as he was not at Whasang, but by the Chinese as having been indirectly concerned in the ter- rible business.-Echo.
as
dialect,
**
The first match for the Hongkong Football Challenge Cup was played on the 12th inst. between the 35th Company S.D., R.A., and E. Company, R.B., and was won by the Artillery team by five goals to nil.
There were 1,909 visitors to the City Hall Museum last week, of whom 186 were Europeans.
The maximum temperature in October was 84 and the minimum 63, the mean being 74.8. The rainfall amounted to 0.50 inch.
The death rate last month was for the British and Foreign community (civil population) 31.3 and for the Chinese community 25.3.
It is reported that H.E. the Governor has decided to appoint a Commission to inquire into the management of the Tung Wah Hospital.
A coolie was assisting in loading the Iser at Wanchai on the 13th inst. when he got his head wedged between a rope which was used for steady- ing cargo and the side of the vessel. His skull was fractured and he died almost immediately.
Joao Nadorilla, 47. Queen's Road East, was fined $10 at the Police Court on Tuesday for exposing for sale eighteen cases and eighteen tins of condensed milk, which were in such a decomposed condition as to be unfit for human
food.
At the Supreme Court on Friday morning the Attorney-General (Hon. W. M. Goodman) moved in terms of a motion filed that Mr. Charles Alexander Dick Melbourne be admitted as a barrister. The Chief Justice (Sir Fielding Clarke) granted the application.
In Messrs. Warner, Blodget & Co.'s circular dated Manila, 11th November, it is stated that quarantine against arrivals frem Hongkong and China ports has been withdrawn, and as regards vessels arriving from Japan and Singa- pore it has been reduced to two and three days respectively.
The Hongkong Chess Club had a second match on Thursday night, when "A to K" met "L to Z." The former won easily. Lieut.- Colonel The O'Gorman played the first of three games with Mr Bischoff for the Challenge Cup, and after a stiff struggle the gallant Colonel won.
The following changes in the Customs ser- · vice are announced: Mr. T. H. Kingsley, Harbour Master at Tientsin, has been trans- ferred to Kowloon Mr. W. C. Howard, Har- bour Master at Chinkiang, has been transferred to Hankow; Captain C. H. Palmer, Harbour Master at Kowloon, goes to Chinkiang.
Wong Pak Sz, late accountant of the Hing Kee Shop, was charged at the Magistracy on Saturday with embezzling $1,400 belonging to his masters. He admitted his guilt and said that he lost $1,100 of the money by playing "po-tzai" at Kowloon City. A sentence of six months' imprisonment with hard labour was passed.
The Committee of the Cricket Club have left regretfully compelled to decline the pressing- invitation of the Singapore Cricket Club to take part in a cricket fortnight there at Christ- mas time! The meeting would have been quite unique in its way, involving as it would a match between colonies so far apart as Hongkong and Ceylon, as well as meetings with the Native States and Singapore. The final breakdown in the efforts to raise a team was due to the fact that no members of the Garrison are able to take part in the expedition; the Hon. Secretary has accordingly wired to Singapore that Hongkong is unable to send a team to take part in the festival.
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