January 30, 1896.]
contain at least ten per cent. of morphine, whereas in this case the morphine was very difficult to find and no reasonable person would have purchased the stuff as opium. Mr. Watts had bought it from a firm carrying on business in London and Edinburgh and he had been assured that it was free from opium and nar. cotics. He acted quite openly and honestly, as he had been to the Opium Farmers and asked them to buy it to mix with their opium. There fore he (Mr. Grist) asked the Magistrate to dismiss the summons.
His Worship The defendant in this case is charged under section 9 with having in his possession prepared opium within the mean- ing of the Ordinance, that is, opium which had been subjected to some degree of artificial heat. It is proved to my satisfaction that an excise officer went to the defendant's premises and bought 11 lbs. of what is called vegetable Mr. Browne, the assistant analyst extract. at the Government Civil Hospital, said that he had analysed a sample of the vegetable extract bought on the 10th January, and it contained morphine, narcotine, and meconic acid. Mr. Browne further said that meconic acid and narcotine are substances to be found only in opium. That being so I am compelled to hold that this vegetable extract is opium and as Mr. Browne swore that the opium had been sub- jected to some degree of artificial heat for some purpose it comes within the meaning of the Ordinance, which says that prepared opium is "opium subjected to any degree of artificial heat for any purpose. Although there is actual evidence before me as to Mr. Watts's course of business and conduct in the matter I take a lenient view of the case
no
**
and content myself with finding that this vegetable extract is ¡prepared opium as defined by the Ordinance, and I shall inflict a nominal penalty of $10.
Mr. Dennys asked his Worship to order Mr. Watts to pay the costs.
His Worship pointed out that the Ordinance would allow no more than $5 for costs. He had no further power or he would give the pro- secution costs.
BREACH OF THE PASSENGER REGULATIONS.
At the Police Court on the 28th Jan., before Mr. T. Sercombe Smith, Captain Von Binzer, master of the steamship Bellona, was summoned for attempting to leave the waters of the colony with ninety-six passengers in excess of the number allowed by his port clearance, contrary to section 6 of Ordinance 26 of 1891, as amended by section 2 of Ordinance 21 of 1895.
A clerk froin the Harbour Master's office I said that the defendant cleared for twelve Chi
nese passengers for Singapore on the 14th September last. The ship had no passenger certificate.
Page
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
The defendant, said On the morning before, I intended to leave-14th September-the cook came to me and asked me if I could give him cooks' tickets. I asked him what kind of tickets he wanted, because as far as I knew the so-called cooks tickets were already delivered at the agents office in the customary way. I told the cook he had better see the first mate and ask him about them as he was the man who collected the tickets. I did not know whether the tickets had been sent to the agents' office or not. He did not go to the first mate I believe, because if he had the latter rould have informed me. On the afternoon of the 14th September I went ashore to sign the last bills of lading. I returned on board at 3 a.m. and immediately went to sleep. Then the In- spector came on board between 5 and 6 o'clock. When I asked the first officer how people came by their tickets he had delivered them to the cook. I said "Good gracious, how could you do nch a thing I did not give you any orders." He said The cook told me you had told him to see me. The cook, it appears, waited till I went ashore before going to the first mate. I would not have received a cent per head for these passengers.
Inspector Hanson said About five a.m.on the 15th September last I boarded the Bellona at Jardine's Wharf, Praya West, as she was being cast of. I saw the chief officer and told him I had come on board to count the passengers.
He pointed to some men on the top of the fore hatch with bedding and clothing. I counted twelve and they pos- sessed return tickets to Singapore issued by Siemssen and Co. On causing the removal of the after hatch I saw the 'tween decks occupied by a crowd of men. I had them sent up on deck. I asked the captain, whom I had sent for, to witness the counting. During the count- ing he was very impatient and said "I want to get away. I must get away. I'll give you a letter to my agents, who will be responsible for any fine incurred by me." I counted seventy; seven passengers who produced tickets and who had no tickets. Defendant said What shall I do ?" I said You have already broken the law, but I can give you the advice that it will be better for you not to go to sea, because, although it will make no dizer- ence in the penalty, you have no life saving apparatus for all these people u accident." I found that tue Seve passengers had paid for passages tub furnished with bogas tickets. SiLgapore is $7.
nineteen
he
the said
His Worship inflicted a fine of $200 and 82 for each passenger in excess -8392 altogether.
THE REPORTED CESSION OF LAPPA TO GERMANY.
PORTUGUESE CLAIMS,
The Extremo Oriente, after reproducing a translation of our note on the reported dession of the island of Lappa to Germany, says
The statements we have trauslated, though vague and lacking confirmation, are neverthe less very grave. It is generally known that priests and that we still have a detachment the village of Lappa was founded by Portuguese
of troops and a fire station there. China never having maintained a garrison there or established a definitive goverument. At various times assistance has been sent there from Macao and quite recently a plague hospital was erected од the shore. When in 1887 the Portuguese-Chinese treaty was concluded, in which China recognised Macao as a Portuguese possession, the delimitation of the frontiers of the colony and its dependencies was reserved for settlement by a mixed commission of officials representing the two countries. Portugal at that time claimed Lappa. urging her traditional rights and the necessity that she should have the island for the safeguarding of the interests of Macao and the defence of the city. Chinafon her part did not dispute the claims put forward, but left them for the settlement of the mixed com- mission, the status quo to be preserved in the meantime. How then could China cede
Lappa to Germany and how could the latter take it, in view of this state of affairs, without gravely offending against the principles of international law and, in the case of China, committing a breach of an agreement that she ought to hold sacred and seriously prejudicing a nation which is her oldest friend and from whom she has never received affronts, injury, or evil of any kind?
89
has had abundant reason and justification, and bad she done so she would not now have been confronted with the necessity of entering upon establish her rights. This she must now do, an arduous diplomatic campaign to and promptly, for otherwise the only thing to be done would be to sell Macao to whatever power would give anything for it, because with Germany established at Lappa our colony might consider itself dead.
FORMOSA.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT WITH THE JAPANESE ARMY.]
TAIPEHFU, 12th January. The reports of our little rebellion of a few days ago are now all in, and I am enabled to
hundred rebels assembled near Sho-sa-ka, a give you the complete account.
village between Kelung and Gelan and made an unexpected attack
On the 27th of December, three or four
on the small Japanese Karrison, who, unable to stand against the mob, retreated to a small village called Zuehong, but being followed, were obliged to leave the district and retreat to Kelung, where they were rein- forced, and returning drove the rebels back until the Japanese were able to reoccupy Sho-sa-ka.
Previous to the attack there were about 2,150 Chinese working at the gold washing, and at Zuehoug was the gold office, established by the Japanese for collecting the gold tax of fifteen cents per day for each man employed. The seven officials stationed there were able to retire safely. but lost all their effects.
On the 28th rebels began gathering to the north of Gelan and on the 30th made an attack on the city. Gelan is fortunately walled, and although the rebel force numbered about. 2,000 could have held out without danger of defeat, and the Japanese garrison 300, the latter
had it not been that rebels had previously entered the city and were trying to excite the inhabitants into action. The Japanese, filled with dismay at the new turn of affairs, collected their food and ammunition and stored it in one of the temples which they decided to occupy as a last resort. They determined to show a bold frout at all events, and by keeping up a heavy fire whenever the rebels attempted to enter the city they held their own until reinforcementa arrived a few days later, not, however, without a loss of twenty-six men killed and wounded, and seventeen who have disappeared, in other words been carried away by the rebels that a slow death might be inflicted upon them. Rein. forcements had been telegraphed for and were sent at once from Kelung, arriving at Saow bay on the 3rd inst. in time to oppose the rebels who were marching over the hill to attack the small garrison stationed there. The Chinese were of course defeated and retreated from the district.
The village of Sikkow is but a few miles to the East of Taipelifu, on the line of railroad to Kelung. The Japanese have been straightening some of the unexplainable curves in the road, and had quartered at Sikkow a number of rail- road workmen and twelve soldiers as guards.
On Dec. 31st at midnight, which was the
Japanese garrisons in the north, the telegraph time set for the simultaneous attack on all
line to Kelung was cut, the railway obstructed,
village. On Jan. 2nd a detachment of Japanese and the rebels easily took possession of the
was sent to attack the place and after consider. able opposition succeeded in driving the rebels off and occupied the village, which was after- wards fired. During the conflagration a Japa nese coolie was seen running towards them from one of the burning huts, where he had been hidden for two days without food or water. The Japanese loss in the engagement was one Por-killed and three wounded, and rebels killed about
If another power were in possession of Macao would be completely at its mercy and Lappa being unable to protect itself would soon be reduced to a complete ruin. Portugal, therefore, neither could nor ought to consent to the transfer of this island, which she herself claims as of right, to Germany or any other power. And China could not allow the transfer, for not only must she respect the rights of the case and neither seek nor cause the annihilation of the Portuguese colony, but it is better for China herself that Portugal should retain possession of Lappa than that any other nation should have it, especially a great power, tugal never has made nor will make war in the neighbourhood of Macao and in ease of China being involved in war with another power would preserve the urutrality
into observed, Would German
d power lestel: (shed at
a fy
bl ting vhich she
ten. Immediately upon entering the village the troops were homified at the ghastly spec- tacle of nineteeni
their countrymen beheaded and frug
utilated.
It was the railway work
...ad met their death at the hands
fiends. Many of of the cannibalism
of . ol av
--
although there
Josa butknows f the bodies is not aware
L..
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