June 8, 1897.]
HONGKONG.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
We notice that Mr. A Noel Blakeman, for merly chief reporter on the staff of this paper and for some time Secretary of the Hongkong Chamber of Commerce and Secretary to the unfortunate Indo-Chinese Sugar Company, was chief of staff of the parade at the dedication of the tomb of General Grant in New York. His portrait appears in the San Francisco Chronicle of 28th April.
The following interesting note appears in this week's orders of the Hongkong Volunteer Corps.-The Commandant has the gratification of informing the officers, non-commissioned officers, and men of the Corps that he has received a letter from Colonel H. Elsdale, C.R.E., who commanded the troops at the parade held on the 24th instant in celebration of Her Majesty's Birthday, in which there is the following paragraph:-"I have much col-pleasure in recording that I consider the Volun- teers made a most. creditable show. Should you care to publish a complimentary order to that effect, and to thank the Corps for their exertions on the occasion, I shall be very pleased that you should do so."
Since the last mail left it has been announced that the Mount Austin Hotel at the Peak has been sold to the Military authorities for £30,000, the object being to convert the hotel, which stands in a magnificent situation, into barracks capable of accommodating four hundred soldiers. The arson case ended on Friday in the prisoner being convicted, and he was sent to gaol for fifteen years with hard labour, a sentence which has caused a general feeling of satisfaction in the colony. The members of the Victoria Recreation Club held their annual meeting on Friday, when it was announced that the prospects of being able to build a new club-house on the present site were very bright. On Sunday Mr. Stanley Spencer essayed a parachute descent, but before he Ind risen very far the balloon lapsed and the aeronaut touched the ground before the parachute had fully expanded, the result of the impact being that he broke his leg above the ankle. On Monday the Legislative Council met. After fulfilling his duties at this meeting. His Excellency the Governor presented the prizes to the successful candidates at the recent examination held by the local branch of the London College, of Music. An insult offered to the Portuguese of Macao by Mr. Goffe, the British Vice-Consul in that colony, resulted in a meeting being held at Macao for the purpose of considering the matter and in the end Mr. Goffe was tabooed for his uncalled. for insult.
The appointment of Inspector T. Duncan to be an Inspector of Nuisances is gazetted.
There were 2,268 visitors to the City Hall -Museum last week, of whom 171 were Euro-
peans.
On Friday afternoon, while working on the Ellen Rickmers off Wanchai, a coolie fell through a hatch three feet square in the 'tween decks into the lower hold, a distance of 22 feet. He was instantly killed.
The Hon. Treasurer of the Alice Memorial and Nethersole Hospitals begs to acknowledge with thanks the following donation to the funds of the Hospitals:-
Yeung Tsit Sam
$10
From the telegrams in Australian papers we learn that Mr. John Bramston has been knighted. Mr. Bramston, after leaving Queensland and prior to his appointment in the Colonial Office, was Attorney-General of Hongkong.
The Finance Committee of the Legislative Council on 31st May voted a sum of $750 in aid of the Hongkong Public Library. The Govern ment in proposing the vote and the Committee in passing it are alike to be congratulated on a very sensible action.
On Monday evening, at 7.15, a fire occurred on the ground floor of a second-hand furniture shop. The outbreak was caused by the wick of a lamp being turned too high, the flame igniting some wall paper and a mosquito. cur- tain. Fortunately the inmates of the house were able to extinguish the flames, which did very little damage.
H.E. the Governor has given his assent, in the name and on behalf of the Queen, to the fol- lowing Ordinances:-An Ordinance to amend the Vacination Ordinance, an Ordinance to amend the law as to flogging, an Ordinance to amend the Regulation of Chinese Ordinance, and an Ordinance to provide for the punishment of stowaways arriving in this colony.
While bales of cotton were being shipped out of the steamship Bisagno on Thursday a fatal accident happened. Two men had raised a load of three bales from the hold and were lowering them over the side into a cargo boat when the load swerved and a coolie was crushed between it and a rail. He died from his injuries two hours after his admission into the Tung Wa Hospital.
441
Yesterday afternoon, says the China Gazette of the 27th May, a foreigner named Vincent, who had applied to Captain Mackenzie for enrolment in the Municipal Police, was arrested on the spot under instructions from the Captain Superintendent of the Hongkong Police, who wired thus:-" Arrest P. Vincent, (description). larceny, sailed by Rio, warrant issued." It appears the prisoner had on his arrival in Shanghai applied to join the Customs service, but he was considered too old-he being over 30 years. He then visited Capt. Mackenzie, with the object of joining the Police and the moment he opened his mouth and mentioned his name Capt. Mackenzie arrested him in his office. He
morning and remanded. Vincent is a slenderly was brought up at the British Consulate this
built man, standing about 6 feet in height, and with a light red oustache. From inquiries we learn that the man now in custody is Percy Vincent, an Englishman, employed as store- keeper in the Hongkong branch of the Canadian Pacific Railway Co.'s Royal Mail Steamship Line, and he was supposed to be on his way to Japan on sick leave."
There has been another mysterious robbery A thief who was arrested on Saturday night from a ship's treasury chest. This time the at Shaukiwan made two determined attempts theft was committed in Hongkong harbour, to commit suicide, his actions being somewhat On Friday afternoon $5,100 worth of gold leaf extraordinary. He cut open a man's trousers was placed in the treasury chest of the Loosok in a theatre and was just about to take away a for shipment to a firm in Bangkok. On Satur- purse containing $6 when he was collared. day afternoon it was found that the treasure After being taken to his cell he attempted to room had been entered and the gold leaf stolen. hang himself by fixing his quene round his reck So far no arrests have been made by the police and then to a bar in the window. Fortunately and the crime is completely shrouded in mystery.-acting Inspector Hall saw the man and saved There was only one key of the chest and that his life. A watch was kept on him all night was kept by the chief officer, who says that he and yesterday morning he was taken on board always carried it with him and had not parted the launch for Hongkong. When between with it to anyone. The assumption therefore Shaukiwan and Hongham the prisoner, who is that the chest was entered by means of a, was handcuffed, suddenly sprang into the water, false key, so the robbery was evidently carefully lakong No. 288 following closely upon him. planned and carried out.
The thief struggled most violently on the lukong catching hold of him and wrapped his legs round the lukong with the evident intention to drown him too. The lukong, however, behaved splendidly and by means of some sharp punches succeeded in freeing himself from the prisoners legs. Eventually both were got out of the water and when Hongkong was reached the prisoner was taken to the hospital.
A copy of the following notice, issued by the Straits Settlements Government, has been transmitted to the Hongkong General Cham- ber of Commerce by the local Goverment for general information:-Information has been received from the Acting Consul-General for the Netherlands, that the Government of Netherlands India has enacted that all vessels arriving in Netherlands India from or having touched at Swatow, Macao, Formosa. Bombay, and Kurachee will have to undergo nine days* quarantine from the date of departure from the above mentioned ports or from the last case of disease on board. Also, that the import of butter, provisions, rags, unmanufactured wool, hair, hides, and furs from the aforementioned ports is temporarily prohibited.
The Hon. A. M. Thomson, Postmaster- General, in his annual report laid on the table of the Legislative Council on 31st May, says :- The work of the Post Office has so largely in- creased in recent years that the present accom- modation is not sufficient to permit of its being satisfactorily performed. Delivery of mails is often delayed on account of the necessity of dealing, in the first instance, with those des patched from the Office. The opening of the the general work, the advantage gained being Registration Branch gave very little relief to that parcels and registered letters are now dealt with in a proper manner. In my opinion the only remedy is to have an office of sufficient size ments, one for outgoing and the other for in- to permit of two separate contiguous establish-
coming mails.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The wreck of the German steamship Doria, which recently stranded on the North Western end of Tsushima Island was sold by auction at Messrs. Holme, Ringer & Co.'s offices, Nagasaki, on the 26th May, for $16,850. Capt. I. Koch, of the German Consulate, acted as auctioneer. The bidding was slow and the operation lasted an entire hour. The ship eventually fell to Mr. R. H. Powers, who acted as broker for Japanese purchasers in Kobe.
The captain of a steamer lately across from Japan furnishes us with an object lesson that should be appreciated by those who may feel inclined to belittle the warlike spirit of the Japanese. He was at a certain unopened port where a celebration was being held and he was boys and girls, being drilled in military tactics. greatly surprised to see hundreds of children, The elder children, perhaps about fourteen years of age, had magazine rifles, while the younger ones had smaller weapons and other wore sashes, and they were drilled in the Ger- man style and showed great proficiency, Surely this is a subject that is food for the thoughtful warlike spirit of the Japanese.-Union, and should prevent their lightly estimating the
scribers to the Hongkong Volunteer Corps On Tuesday afternoon a meeting of the sub- dance was held at headquarters to consider what should be done with a surplus of $193 Esmeralda, met with a very unpleasant ex- Captain J. Turner Harrison, of the schooner from the dance fund. Major Sir John Carring-perience at Yokohama on Monday, 17th May, ton presided. It was decided to set apart a certain sum towards the expenses of the pro- very easily have resulted in a tragic ending, and one which might, says the Japan Mail, menade concert on Saturday and also to devote About a quarter-past nine Captain Harrison a sum to the purchase of tennis nets, &c., for happened to be riding down Main Street in an the use of the members of the Corps, A Re-open carriage, Just as he was opposite the creation Committee will shortly be appointed half-burnt ruins of Kingsell's late store, the at a meeting to be held of the whole Corps, the whole of the brick front, posts, and rafters fell idea being to provide forms of recreation on the into the road upon and around him. Captain excellent lawn in front of the headquarters. Harrison was struck by a portion of the falling Some time ago Major Sir John Carrington timber upon the legs, and was severely bruised, kindly presented the Corps with a set of bowls though fortunately no bones were broken; the betto driving the carriage was also injured, the of facilities for tennis playing will prove very horse received some cuts, and the carriage was popular amongst the men. The suggestion is half smashed up. Miss Shea had a providential certainly a good one and we hope to see it carried escape, having passed the place but a minute through."
before.
On Saturday afternoon there was a fight between coolies employed on the new Murray pier and coolies employed on the reclamation works. We do not know what was the origin of the disturbance, but it promised to be a very. serious one, as large stones, sticks, and even a spade were flung by the respective opponents.and it is thought that an addition in the shape One mati was very seriously injured on the head. Three of the assailants were afterwards arrested and on Tuesday they were sent to goal for six weeks with hard labour.
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