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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
On the 9th June the following letter was forwarded to Dr. Marques by the members of the Hongkong Police Force and the Magis tracy and Supreme Court staff-
try the effects of burning joss paper near to the | PRESENTATION TO DR. MARQUES. kerosine cases. The cargo was insured, but no local companies are affected. Fortunately it is many years since a big kerosine fire occurred in the colony and that was not in the harbour. About fourteen or fifteen years ago thirty thou- sand cases of kerosine were burnt at Wanchai
and on that occasion the fire lusted over two days and at the time caused considerable excite- ment.
17th June.
It has unfortunately been established that three lives were lost in the fire on cargo boat No. 69 on Monday. The police heard a rumour during the morning that a child had been burnt to death, but it was impossible, in the absence of the parties immediately interested, to ascertain if this story were correct. Yesterday morning, however, the cargo boat No. 114, which had taken off those occupants of the burnt boat who had saved themselves by jump ing into the sea, was found by the police at Hongham and the master of boat No. 69 was then on board. He was taken to the police station and questioned by Inspector Hanson, and he not only verified the accuracy of the first rumour, but proved that altogether three lives were lost. He stated that he was engaged in stacking cargo when he noticed smoke issuing from the after part of the boat. At that time his daughter, seven years of age, his son, four years of age, and his tallyman were in the cabin, and be knew that the tallyman was smoking opium. As soon as he saw the smoke he left the space reserved for the cargo and was going aft when there was an explosion and the after deck was splintered. Altogether there were ten persons in the boat, and all, with the exception of the three in the cabin, jumped overboard, his wife, who had a child on her back, being one of the first to get clear. The other cargo boat picked them up and they went away, the master not indicating by any act or word that two of his children and the tallyman were being left behind in the cabin to suffer the hor-
Hongkong, 8th June, 1896. To Dr. E. Pereira Marques, Fellow of the Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland, Member of the Royal College of Physicians, ¿..., &c., &c.
(June 18, 1896.
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The officers, engineers, and spare, staterooms for about 12 passengers, and the saloon, are in a steel house built on top of the bridge deck. On the top of this house is placed the chart and wheel house and a room for the use of the captain. The deck of this steel house reaches from side to side of the vessel, 80 that the passengers are fully pro- tected deck against the SUE or rain, Special attention has been paid to the loading and discharging arrangements, nine powerful Sir, It having come to our knowledge that steam winches and nine steel derricks being. you have retired from the Public Service, on a fitted on deck to lift heavy loads. The steams well-earned pension, we, the undersigned, on steering gear is at the after end of the engine behalf of the members of the Hongkong Police room and is controlled by a wheel from the Force and ourselves individually, desire to con- steering house on the bridge forward. A vey to you our best and sincerest thanks for the powerful screw gear is placed at the after end unfailing kindness, promptitude, and skilful of the poop. Water ballast is carried in ness with which you have attended us when-cellular double bottom from stem to stern, ever we had occasion to seek your professional The vessel is fore and aff schooner rigged with assistance; and we avail of this opportunity to pole masts On the upper bridge deck are four ask your acceptance of the small souvenir which large boats, the two life-boats being of seamless, accompanies this letter, as a token of the high steel, as is the case in all the other esteem in which you are held by us for your steamers recently built for Messrs. Rickmers. sterling qualities, both as a professional man The Maria Rickmers has a graceful clipper- and private individual.
stem with a well-carved figure-head, modelled by the celebrated sculptor Mr. Arthur Fitger, of Bremen. Steam is supplied for the triple-expansion engine by four multi- tubular boilers, working at 180 lbs. pressure, and all the most modern improvements in pro pelling machinery are fitted, including a patent ash ejector, by which all the ashes are blown overboard through a pipe instead of the old hoisting gear. Another novelty is the arrange- ment of the watertight doors. This is an in- vention of the superintending engineer of Messrs. Rickmers, and is so arranged that the commanding officer at the bridge can at any moment, by simply turning a tiller, shut all watertight doors at once, without any further assistance." This invention will especially prove very useful for passenger steamers. That everyone who visited the ship yesterday was well pleased goes without saying. guests were very handsomely treated, the refreshments being supplied with boundless liberality, and everything was done to makə the visit as enjoyable as possible. The steamer was prettily decorated and the band of the Hong- kong Regiment played many excellent selec- tions of music. The ceremony was exceedingly interesting, and most of the guests. showed a distinct reluctance to leave this very fine vessel.
In conclusion, we wish you long life, good health, and every success in your practice, and to express the hope that we may still have you amongst us for many years to come. We have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servants and sincere friends,
(Here follow names.)
The souvenir is a handsome, massive, embossed silver bowl, of Chinese workmanship, on a black- wood carved stand, and bears the following inscription:-
To Dr. L. P. Marques, Fellow of the Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland, Member of the Royal College of Physicians, Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society of Lisbon, Member of the Franco-Hispano-Portuguese Academy of Toulouse, &c. &c., &c., from the Members of the Hongkong Police Force, Magistracy, and Supreme Court Staff, as a token of esteem on his retirement from the Public Service on pension.
Hongkong, June, 1896.
FROM PLAGUE,
We regret to announce the death from bubonic plague of Inspector Moffatt, one of the Sanitary Board Inspectors. Moffatt had been in the service of the Board about three years and for the past week has been ailing and it was thought he was suffering from malarial fever. He was taken to the Government Civil Hospital and on Saturday morning the doctors diagnosed his case as one of bubonic plague and he Was thereupon moved to the Kennedytown Hospital, where he died on the morning of the 15th June at 5 o'clock. the disease in the performance of his duties, There can be no doubt that he contracted as a few days ago he removed a body which vory decomposed and which had per-
was
:
haps died from plague. As one of the Sanitary Board head officials remarked on hearing of of battle and died from his wounds."" Moffatt's death, he was wounded in the field
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rible fate of being roasted to death. Indeed DEATH; OF INSPECTOR MOFFATT the master must be said to have behaved in a callously cruel manner. If he had shouted out and there were plenty of people near who could have heard him-or indicated in any way that there yet remained three persons on the boat, two of them being his own children, desperate efforts would have been made by the police to rescue the victims. But no, the master did not utter a single word about those three poor souls who were still left on board and who, let us hope, were soon put out of their awful misery. The brutal fellow's one thought was of his own safety. When asked why he had displayed such stubborn indifference to the fate of the two children he said to Inspector Hanson, "Well, I knew you could not do anything." And so it happened that the police were in total ignorance that there was anyone remaining on board, and it was not until sometime afterwards that they were casually informed of the possibility of one child having been burnt to death. If the police had been told by the master or by anyone else that there were people on board that burning boat hat- chets would have soon ripped open the stern and many willing hands would have tried On the 12th June a large number of ladies their utmost to rescue the victims, remote and gentlemen visited the new steamer Maria as success would have appeared. Some of the Rickmers. (Captain Berg) by invitation of people who were saved did not escape without Messrs. Arnhold, Karberg and Co., the agents injury: The master was burnt on the face and for Messrs. Rickmers, of Bremen. The Maria on one foot, a foki's nose was tipped with the Rickmers, the first of three new vessels built for fire, and a third man had part of his body the Rickmers line between Europe and the Far slightly burnt. The master says he does not East, is a finely modelled steamer of about 5,000 know what caused the tire and that there was tons register, and when she left Hamburg had no burning of joss paper, but it is a reasonable about 9,300 tons general cargo on board. She is supposition that the outbreak was caused by 427 feet long, 50 feet 6 in: wide, and 30 ft. 6 in. the carelessness of the opium smoker. Some moulded depth. She has a large poop, of the tins were, according to the master's and 3 most capacions bridge house 100 story, leaking, and this no doubt was the ft. long. The poop as well as the bridge reason why the fames shot all over the boat house are to be used for cargo and steerage so rapidly. After the boat was beached at passengers or pilgrims, being well ventilated Hongham she was made fast by means of an with a good number of sidelights. These iron chain and a rope. During the right acargo spaces can also be used most ad. Chinaman cnt the rope, which was fixed round vantageously for descriptions of freight which a boulder. He was fortunately caught and have to be separated from the other portion of yesterday Hon. Commander Hastings sent him the cargo, and may therefore be used with to gaol for twenty-one days' hard labour.
advantage for camphor and similar produce.
THE" MARIA RICKMERS,”
The
THE HONGKONG ELECTRIC CO.,
LIMITED,
The following is the report of the Board of Directors to the seventh ordinary yearly meet- ing of shareholders to be held at the Company's offices, No. 27, Queen's Road, at noon, Saturday, 20th June:—
on
Gentlemen,-in submitting the accompanying statement of the Company's accounts for the year ending 30th April, 1896, your directors are pleased to be able to point to the continued increase in the earnings, and they can now congratulate sharehold rs on the Company at last attaining a dividend-paying- basis.
After deducting directors' fees, $2,000, there is left an amount of $30,119.23 available for appropriation, and your
directors recommend that this be disposed of as follows:--
To pay a dividend of 5 per cent., my-40
cents per
share
$12,000.00 To write off plant account for depreciation 10,000.00 To carry forward to next account ......... 8,119.23
$30,119.23
The manager's report annexed gives particulars of the number of arc and incandescent lamps installed during the year.
The shares previously forfeited for non-payment of calls have all been disposed of at a satisfactory, price.
DIRECTORS.
Hon. C. P. ('hater and Hon. J. J. Bell-Irving retire.by rotation, but Leing eligible offer themselves for re-election.
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AUDITORS.
The accounts have been audited by Mr. G. Stewart. and Mr. A. Coutts (in place of MJ. C. Peter, at presen tabsent from the colony). Messrs. Stewart and Peter offer themselves for re-election,
H.LDALRYMPLE,
Chairman.
Hongkong, 8th June, 1896,
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