386
got into the street he saw fire coming from the head of the staircase on the first floor. Joss paper and joss sticks were kept underneath a bed
on the second floor and were used
daily. They had been kept there since
last year.
The shop dealt in firewood and rice. There was over $1,000 worth of rice and $10 worth of firewood on the premises. Witness saw only one tin of kerosine in the shop, but he thought there were two old tins there as well. Passengers from California sometimes slept in the shop and they brought a large quantity of baggage with them. He had heard that the first defendant had a quarrel with a rice pounder named Lei Tai respecting wages. He did not hear Lei Tai threaten anything. The tubs were used for washing.
By Mr. Johnson-Lei Tai left in consequence of the quarrel and must be at work as a rice pounder in another shop.
The two other released men were called and they gave similar evidence, after which the case, which is likely to occupy a long time, remanded.
LAUNCH AT THE KOWLOON DOCKS.
was
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
Some fifteen months ago we gave our readers particulars of the launching of a composite gunboat built by the Hongkong and Wham- pos Dock Co. to the order of the Spanish Govern- ment, and on Saturday morning our local enterprise most successfully launched another vessel of larger dimensions also constructed for the same constituents. As the vessel slid into the water the ceremony of naming her the Villalobos was performed by Miss Contrers, the daughter of the Spanish Consul at Amoy, in the orthodox manner, after which a distinguished company, including Senor Don José de Navarro, Consul for Spain. Commander Padrinan. I.S.N., Messrs. G. Rubio, M. Munio, and others joined in drinking the usual felicitous toasts.
The following are the principal dimensions and particulars of the vessel-Length over all 155 ft., breadth 23 ft., depth moulded 11 ft., tonnage about 370 tons. The engines are of triple expansion type and the diameters of the cylinders are 13, 21, and 35 inches with a stroke of 24 inches. Her estimated horse power is 500. Steam will be supplied by two single ended circular multitubular boilers having a working pressure of 170 lbs. per square inch. The guaranteed speed on a two hours trial is 11 knots and she will carry enough bunker coal to steam 2,500 knots at full speed.
THE REDUCTION OF TEI E- GRAPHIC RAT. S.
The following letter from the Telegraph Companies to the Chamber of Commerce has been forwarded to us for publication: The Eastern Extension | The Great Northern
Australasia & China Telegraph Company, Limited.
B. C. WILCOX,
Telegraph Company of Copenhagen.
Hongkong Station, 2nd May, 1896
Secretary, Hongkong Chamber of Commerce. Sir,-With reference to previons correspon- dence, I am pleased to inform you that the question of reduction of local tariffs has been for a long time under consideration, and that a decision has been come to which will involve considerable reductions of rates on certain local traffic, affecting at present only the cable system south of Hongkong; and it is hoped that later the same principle may be extended to certain classes of local traffic affecting other Telegraph Administrations with whom negotiations are now proceeding.
I shall address the Chamber further when fuller details are to hand.-—Yours faithfully,
(Signed) J. M. BECK,
For Manager in China, E. E. A. & C. Telegraph Co.
The following correspondence has been published at Singapore :-
|
THE E. E. A. AND C. TELEGRAPH CO, TO THE
SINGAPORE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
Sir,-In continuation of correspondence and recent conversation on the subject of telegraph rates I have great pleasure in informing you that my Company are now engaged in revising
with a view to their reduction-the tele graph rates to adjacent countries and stations. This revision has been instituted in order to bring about, as far as possible, uniformity per mileage, and will apply to what we may term local telegraph rates such as between :-
The three Straits stations, Straits and Java, Straits and Cochin-China, Straits and India, India and China.
The reductions in many cases will be con- siderable and it is hoped they will take effect from the 1st of July next. Those between India and China may be somewhat later, on account of negotiations with other administra- tions. It will be readily understood that all such reductions mean a considerable loss to my Company, but they venture to bring them for ward to meet public requirements and in the hope that the volume of traffic will be greatly stimulated thereby.
I trust that this action will be duly appre- ciated by the Chamber of Commerce and the public generally. I am, &c.,
W. GRIGOR TAYLOR.
THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO THE TELEGRAPH COMPANY.
Chamber of Commerce. Singapore, 24th April, 1896. Sir, I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter under yesterday's date informing me that your Company is now engaged in revising- with a view to their reduction--the telegraph rates to adjacent countries and stations: that this revision will apply to what may be termed local telegraph rates, the reduction in many of which will be considerable, and that it will pro- bably take effect from the 1st July next. I have to thank you for your courtesy in thus early communicating the information, and desire on behalf of the Chamber to express their apprecia- tion of the concession, which will doubtless have the effect of stimulating traffic between the various stations. This spontaneons action of the Company leads the Chamber to anticipate their valuable assistance at the International Tele- graph Conference to be held at Buda Pesth in the course of the year in revising the existing high, tariff with European countries. I send you copy of the Chamber's report for 1895 and beg reference to the table in appendix H indicating the variations in rates during the last twenty years.
It will be observed that the present sterling cost somewhat exceeds that of 1876. I propose sending this correspondence to
for general information.-I am,
T. SHELFORD,
Chairman.
the
papers
HONGKONG POL· CLUB.
&c.,
The annual dinner of the Polo Club took place at the Hongkong Club_on_Tuesday evening, 28th April. The Hon. T. H. Whitehead, the senior member of the Polo Club, was in the chair, and Captain P. de S. Burney, R.A., was vice-chairman. Several members were unavoid- ably presented from being present. After doing justice to an exceptionally well cooked dinner, the toast of "The Queen" was loyally pledged and enthusiastically honoured.
The CHAIRMAN, midst much cheering, said Gentlemen, I fully realize the great privilege and honour you have conferred by asking me to be chairman at this jovial reunion. Doubtless your selection for this responsible position was prompted by a desire to do reverence unto age," but let me assure you that though when compared with most of you I may be getting on in years, yet the exercise which the manly game yields enables me to retain the best of good health and to feel much younger than men really younger in years but who do not join in our health giving recreation. (Prolonged cheers). The good that has been done in India, in the Far East, at home, and in every British colony by the national game of cricket and the most noble game of polo has been incalculable. I am very firmly convinced that it is the duty
of
[May 7, 1896.
every man to see that everything possible is done to maintain in their purest form athletic sports and health giving pastimes, which have of our great empire and its ever increasing so materially contributed to the building up
population, now upwards of 350 millions of people. (Loud cheering.) It is most ap propriate that the "hard hitting" Cap- tain Burney, of the Royal Artillery, so worthily fills the vice-chair on this occasion. His doing so calls to mind the happy recollection that our Club was founded in 1886 by the gallant Major Walter B. Fletcher-(cheers)—a distinguished officer in the Artillery branch of Her Majesty's service. Among those now present I think I am the only member who helped Fletcher to bring polo bere into existence, and he nursed the club with unceasing care and devotion. Through patience, perseverance, and tact he witnessed his baby grow in strength and health, and develop into a robust child.
The child is proud of its father, and if he had been able to witness the recent tournament on Causeway for the challenge cup so kindly presented by Mr. F. H. May, and the brilliant play of Cap. tain Loveband, I feel sure that the Major would not have been ashamed of his offspring. In this continuously changing community the Club from time to time has lost many of its playing members, among whom we can reckon the very pick of the best men ever stationed in the colony, and who in India and elsewhere in Her Majesty's dominions have rendered con- spicuous service. The friendships formed and the memory of those rare good fellows who are a distinct credit to the Anglo-Saxon race will remain fresh with us throughout our lives. The i far-famed "Steelbacks" (58th regiment) gave us the hard hitting Major, now Colonel Churchill, the brave and manly Major John Collinson, now in command of the Soudanese battalion at Akasheh, the slayer of three tigers in as many minutes in the neighbourhood of Amoy, and ever to the front when fun or fighting was the order of the hour; and the athletic Bramwell, who was ever a sure back." We also had the soldierly Captain Fred Des Voeux, of Indian renown and of the dashing Carbineers, whose excellent play commanded general admiration, and the handsome Slingsby Bethell, whose gallantry attracted to the ground a goodly attendance of the fair sex, including widows, with whom he was deservedly popular. There was also John Armstrong, whose fine form and good all round play reminds us of the neat hitting and smart form of our present champion, Captain Loveband, who is always to be found wherever the ball is; the genial" Kit Craddock," of Her Majesty's navy, who did much good work on dear old "Barebones; Captain the Hon. John St. Aubyn, of the Grenadier Guards, who scored many a well earned gaol; the sporting Major Joe Holliday; Captsin Glubb, R.E., a brilliant player, who had had much practice in India; Mr. Cyrill Platt, a hard rider and a daring horseman; while Mr. W. A. Cruickshank, Mr. Landale, Mr. John Hastings, Mr. Jardine Gresson, and others, have rendered good service. The departure of the revered founder of the club caused a big gap in our ranks, but the sturdy Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders added considerable strength to the club. They gave us the sporting Major, now Colonel, Hannay, who was celebrated for his excellent seat in the saddle, Captains Robinson, Cavendish, and Paterson, and Messrs. Boyd, Kirk, Grant, Gore, and Campbell. They were succeeded by the Shropshire Light Infantry, including Major Lyle, a very sure "hit," "Captains de Teissier, Buchanan, and Moore, Messrs. Howell, Forbes, Ruck-Keene, Benson, Strick, Smythe, and Meynell; while from time to time the Royal Artillery, the Royal Engineers, the Army Service Corps, and the Army Medical Staff have produced good talent. In addition, the latter has given us the famous African lion slayer, Surgeon Captain Edye. (Loud cheers) We also had, free north of the Tweed, the genial Captain Murray, of the North Lancashire Regiment, who on many occasions excelled himself; and the Hon. F. H. May, one of our original members, and an inde fatigable player, now in the old country, but whom we hope to sooh welcome back in our midst. It is to be deplored that the civilian element are now so slow to turn out. Without the invaluable assistance of our military friends
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