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January 16, 1896.]
The mobilization of the Garrison having been postponed the orders previously issued have been countermanded.
On Sunday evening a Inkong was walking along Richmond Road when he saw the dead body of an eight year old boy lying on the road side bank. The body was taken to the mortuary, where an examination proved that the boy had been strangled to death with his queue. A short time afterwards the body was identified by his father, who lives in Centre Street, and there can be no doubt that the lad was murdered. He was reported missing on the previous day, when he was wearing a silver anklet. This was found to have been pawned in Queen's Road, and the police are now engaged in tracing the pawner of the anklet with the hope of eventu- ally arresting the murderer. Inspector Mackie has charge of the case.
Five lots of Crown land at Morrison Hill Road were sold by auction on the 7th Jan. Mr. Chan A Tong was the purchaser of the whole of the lots, which were disposed of as follows:- Lot 1,359, annual rental $39: contents. 3,052 square feet, upset price, $763; amount of pur- chase $1,213. Lot 1.360, annual rental $51; contents, 4,050 square feet; upset price $1,013; amount of purchase $1,720. Lot 1,361; annual rental $50; contents. 3,967 square feet; upset price, $992; amount of purchase, $1,570, Lot $1,362; annual rental, $51; contents, 4,042 square feet; upset price, $1,011 amount of purchase $2,010. Lot 1.363; annual rental. $50; contents, 4,022 square feet; upset price $1,006; amount of purchase, $2,690.
The installation of the Worshipful Master of the United Service Lodge, Wor. Bro. the Hon. W. C. H. Hastings, took place on the 8th January, the District Grand Master, Right Wor. Bro. the Hon. C. P. Chater performing the ceremony, assisted by the Grand Lodge officers. The following officers were invested by the Wor. Master:-S.W., Bro. G. Moffatt, J.W. Bro. H. E. A. Hoile; Chaplain, Bro. St. Aiden Baylee; Trea- surer, Wor. Bro. H. J. Watson, P.M.; Secre- tary, Wor. Bro. C. W. Duggan, P.M.; S.D., Bro. W. H. E. Smith; J.D., Bro. J. R. Craik; D.C., Bro. 8. A. Symes; Steward, Bro. C. Rae; I.G.. Bro. H. Horley; Tylor, Bro. J. Maxwell. Atthe conclusion of the ceremony the brethren and their guests sat down to a banquet, at which the usual loyal and masonic toasts were given.
We have received through Messrs. Robinson and Co. a copy of the Shanghai Garotte," by the Chevalier von Kontski, a tuneful com- position which no doubt many who enjoyed the Chevalier's playing when he visited Hong kong will be glad to possess as a reminiscence of the eminent performer. We have also re- ceived a copy of "Tere Vert," a barn dance, by Ruchwaldy, a very lively air with the time well marked; it ought to become a favourite at our local dances. From Francis, Day, and Hunter, 195, Oxford Street, W., we have received a copy of "God and our Queen march," by Re- ginald Wynne Simpson. This march, which has a fine swing with it, was performed by com- mand before Her Majesty the Queen by the Band of the Royal Marine Light Infantry, and also at the Indian Exhibition by the Band of the Grenadier Guards.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
The Japan Mail of the 4th January says:- On the second day out from Hongkong, this voyage, the O. & O. steamer Coptic sighted a large dismasted Chinese sea-going junk. She hove to and sent a boat's crew on board. No person was found on the junk, but a quantity of fresh water and potatoes were in the hold and store-lockers. From the appearance of the junk it was hazarded that the crew had left within twenty-four hours of the Coptic's sight ing her. Captain Lindsay in the interests of navigation generally had the junk set ou fire, and she soon burnt to the water's edge. The Coptic holds the record, we believe. by some 18 minutes for the run between Nagasaki and Hongkong, at least so far as the American mail companies are concerned.
A gentleman who went up to Canton a few days ago with the intention of proceeding from there to Wuchow-fu by launch found that the local launches, of which there is now a con- siderable fleet plying for hire, demanded such high rates that he decided to return to Hong- kong and engage a launch here on reasonable terms. Had he been aware that all launches at Canton now pay a special fee to the lekin office of 81 per ton per quarter in addition to the tonnage dues they pay to the Foreign Customs he would doubtless have engaged a local launch, first seeing that the fee in question had been paid and covered the time he was likely to em. ploy the launch and that she had the necessary licence from the lekin department. However, it is open to him, after engaging & launch in Hongkong, to pay the fee at Canton before he proceeds. The lekin people will no doubt make as much trouble as possible about it, but at any rate they will hesitate about seizing and con- fiscating a Hongkong launch, which they would have little compunction in doing were a local launch employed, probably advancing some plea of irregularity committed as the reason for their
act.
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A writer who is contributing to the Singapore Free Press a series of articles on Australia Revisited" says:-"For the better prevention of land booms, and pour encourager les autres, it is suggested that ten Melbourne valuers should be publicly hanged. This action might he tried in the Straits where there are two valuers who never would be missed. In Hongkong nothing short of the execution of the entire fraternity will stop the criminal inflation of values. When the State is every year imposing fresh responsi. bilities and penalties upon directors and auditors. why should not professional valuers be subject to penalties for grotesque unwarrantable tulna. tions of property without regard to its produc- tiveness?" We do not know what justification the writer conceives he has for his remarks with reference to Hongkong valuers.
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The Courrier d'Haiphong has issued in cele bration of its thousandth number a handsome illustrated supplement of twenty eight pages giving a history and description of the town of Haiphong with portraits of its principal per- sonages.
The Peking correspondent of a Shanghai native paper states that three rich Cantonese merchants have arrived at Peking. It is said they will have something to do with the con- struction of the railway from Lankowkew to Hankow.
At Shanghai on the 2nd January a fire oc- curred in Foochow Road, at Nos. 527, 528, and a godown in the rear belonging to the Shanghai Dispensary. The damage is estimated at from Tls. 20,000 to Tls. 25,000 and is covered by insurance.
A large number of silk workers have been lately engaged at Shanghai for the new filatures at Soochow and we (China Gazette) are informed that several of the most expert Chinese female hands are paid as high as $10 per month to proceed there.
A collision between the British steamer Phranang and the German steamer Amigo occur- red at Paknam on the 22nd December. The damage, however, was of a trifling character. The Amigo put back and her departure for Hongkong was delayed.
According to the Tientsin correspondent of the Sinwenpas, the authorities of Chihli have formed a department to reconstruct the Peiyang. squadron. All the ruined buildings attached to the Navy departments, and those which The Singapore Free Press says: - We think remain of the Peiyang fleet, are to be repaired. the Hongkong Unofficials, before the question The Native papers at Shanghai publish a was put to the Council as to the Military Con-letter from Tientsin stating that the British tribution, should have tabled a protest, risen in have applied to the Chinese Government for a body, and left the Council Chamber, so that permission to use Boat Island, one of the the vote had to stand as a protested official vote Chusans, for a winter anchorage on the same and not a majority on a division. Let them terms as the Russians have obtained Kyauchao unanimously play the Singapore trump and let Bay. What the reply is the native papers do all justices of the peace, European and Chinese not aver. visiting justices, and other unpaid public ser- vants resign their duties along with the Un- officials. Then work the telegraph wires and the home press in concert with the Hongkong Committee of the China Association, the 'eylou Association, and the Straits Settlements As- sociation in London. Hongkong has a first-rate case, and if it works with a will, all hands in. it will win to a certainty. And let it call a spade a spade; a good blunt Saxon epithet. if true and honestly deserved, will stick in the minds of a public that will not pay much heed to rose-water protests and kidglove tacklings and the militant demeanour of a Private Secretary," whose came of indignaut self- vindication was the mild threatening of a "good hard push."
MISCELLANEOUS.
A census of Macao is to be taken on the 13th February, Chinese New Year's Day. The last
census was taken on the 31st December, 1878.
The capital of the Shanghai Gas Co. is to be increased by the issne of 1,000 shares of Tls. 100 each, to provide new plant for the Company's increasing business.
From the Courrier de Saigon we learn that the expedition organised by the Gold Mining Company of the Upper Laos was to leave Saigon on the 5th January.
From a Shanghai contemporary we learn that work on the new Japanese Consulate at Hang- chow has been commenced. It is to be an unpretentious semi-foreign structure,
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We (Peking and Tientsin Times) are glad to be able to report that Lient. Rogers of H.M.S. Linnet is making favourable progress towards complete convalescence after his serious accident. Referring to the reports of the prevalence of smallpox at Shanghai the N. C. Daily News believes the cases are not unusually nunterous, though there has been an unusual number of bad cases, three or four. having terminated fatally.
The following Imperial decree of the 2nd January has been received by wire by the Shanghai Hupao Liu Kan-yi is commanded to return to his Viceroyalty of the Liangkiang provinces, and Chang Chih-tung will therefore go back to Wachang to take over his former post as Viceroy of the Hukuang provinces.
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Writing on the 25th December the Tientsin correspondent of the Mercury says:- -Mr. Mandl has just received advices from Peking saying that his firm's tenders for men-of-war had been accepted, amounting to Tls. 17,000,000. It is said the firm has also filed tenders for men-of-war in Japan. After all there is no- thing like success.
It is reported, according to the China Gazette, that the Shanghai Taotai has been ordered to consult with the British Consular authorities there in reference to the claim of the British steamer Birkhall, which was sunk through the gross incompetence of the people on the Chi. nese cruiser Kwangtai several months ago. The Birkhall's claim is for Tls. 160,000.
The China Gazette of the 3rd Jan. SAYS:--- Some mysterious and terribly fatal outbreak has visited the dairy yards or milk farms in the neighbourhood of Shanghai within the last few days. One well-known foreign dairy is reported to have lost as many as thirty milch cows in a night and a Hongkow Chinese dairy keeper has lost his entire stock of twenty odd head.
Owing to the enormous rise in prices of the necessaries of life in Japan during the past few months, says the Nagasaki Express, several of the banks and other large corporations are in- creasing the salaries of their employees. The Managers of the Mitsui Bank, which has fifteen branch offices, recently had their salaries raised; those who previously. received $70 per month now get $100; while those who got $50 now get $75.
The Donai, a new vessel for the Messageries Fluviales de Cochinchine, arrived at Saigon on the 2nd January, after a voyage of forty odd days from Havre. She is intended for the Saigon and Bangkok run and was built, like her unfortunate sister ship the Paknam, by Messrs. Napier and Sons, Glasgow. The Pak- nam, it will be remembered, was wrecked on her way out.
The Japan Gazette says that, according to the plan of the Nagasaki Harbour Improvement Association, it is to be dredged sufficiently deep to admit large vessels, and a pier 600 feet long is to be built. The mud obtained by the dredging is to be employed in reclaiming the shallows in the northern part of the bay and along the shore of Deshima, so as to make about 112,000 tsubo of ground for the town. Altogether the enter- prise is a pretty big one.
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