June 3, 1897.1
GRATUITIES IN THE ARMY.
The sentence passed on Sergeant FRETTER, though it may perhaps be regarded as com- paratively mild as military sentences go, is calculated, having regard to all the circum- stances of the case, to excite more sympathy for the accused than detestation for his wrong-doing. If the sentence had resolved itself into a simple caution the contrary and more desirable effect might have been pro
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
to
duced. As the matter stands the impression portions of the empire. The noble Earl was of British merchant shipping.reat naval
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE.
COUNCIL
A meeting of the Hongkong Legislative Connoil was held at the Council Chamber on 31st May. Present:
His EXCELLENCY the Governor, Sir WIL LIAM ROBINSON, K.C.M.G.
His EXCELLENCY Major-General BLACK, C.B. (Officer Commanding the Forces.)
Hon. J. H. STEWART LOCKHART (Colonial Secretary).
for such fortifications as they now possess. officially recognised, and it has within the past Prior to 1878 there were no forts either here seven years been
Alfredbean, raised at least a hundred per or in the Straits Settlements, Colombo, Aden, cent. It is, we believe, in contemplation to add or Mauritius. The garrisons of the coaling another 50 per cent. to its strength, and it stations were scarcely sufficient to quell also proposed to construct some new defences native riot, much less to offer any resistance on the southern side of the island, hitherto left however, to drive home the warnings of military hope so for wars sometimes break out with a foreign foe. The war scare of 1878 served, wholly unprotected. In time, at least we men, and gave the first impetus to the efforts startling suddenness-British coaling stations made by Lord Carnarvon, Captain Colomb, will be placed in a position to repel and others to induce the Government to under- most attacks unassisted and leave the Navy st take a system of defence for the outlying liberty to fulfil its primary duty, the protection
lost pro will be deepened that the sin consists in a member of the Royal Commission appointed digious sums of money in the last
în 1879 for the Defence of the British Possessions wars from this cause, and though we came out being found out, not in the wrong-
and Commerce abroad. That Commission sat victorious in the end, it was only at vast expense, doing. The facts of the case are simple.. for three years and then reported at consider the burden of which hung heavily for more Sergeant FRETTER, being in charge of able length on the subject, after going ex- than a generation on the shoulders of the people. the canteen, took a cumshaw of $75 from haustively into it. Lord Carnarvon did not If during the next great war this contingency the brewers for tapping the beer and then sit still. He pegged away at the Govern-be in part averted it will be largely due to the attending to o other details ordinarily ment from his seat in the House of Lords, wrote out-spoken and reiterated, warnings of the late devolving upon the sellers of the liquor. to the London Press, his letters to The Times Earl of Carnarvon, who never hesitated to tilt Under a recent order, which had not showing a most intimate knowledge of the sub- at the official windmill in spite of all discourage- previously been made public in the Hong-ject, and he never lost an opportunity of ugring ments,
his views before representative bodies and before kong garrison or in any way brought to the Government. Mainly to his exertions-by Sergeant Fretter's knowledge, the receiving the clear and convincing manner in which he of gratuities under any conditions is pointed out the dangers of a policy of drift- rendered illegal, and under this order the are the present fortifications of this colony due, unfortunate Sergeant has been sentenced to When the forts were erected he pressed for their reduction in rank. Of the spirit of the armament; and when that, as first supplied,proved order in question every one must approve, to be of an obsolete type, he insisted upon its but it strikes one as an outrage on justice the newest make and highest penetrative power, being replaced by breech-loading ordnance of that a humble sergeant should be made a
Now did the noble lord fail to dwell upon the victim to its letter when it is notorious that importance of providing effective garrisons, its spirit is daily violated in much higher and though in this respect he achieved only a ranks. In commercial life the acceptance qualified success, he did not fail to point out the "these critical of private gratuities by persons in a position folly of constructing forts at of trust is a canker that it seems impossible points on the great sea roads and then to leave to eradicate, and in the Navy and Army them, without armaments and the requisite it is probably as virulent as in commerce, if troops, to the mercy of our enemies on the not more so. The system is abominable and
Lord Carnarvon held a very different opinion must be reprobated by all honest men, but to that entertained by our Naval Authorities if it is sincerely desired to reduce the evil it on the value of Port Hamilton as a strategical must be grappled with by some more drastic post. The successive Admirals reported ad- means than the simple "breaking "of a versely on the question of its retention as a "non-com." When the sentence on Sergeant post that would require a large outlay for forti- FRETTER was published yesterday morning fications and also, we believe, on account of the General BLACK is said to have made a short limited capacity of its harbour. Lord Carnar- von however, in a letter to The Times on the speech to the Garrison. It is unfortunate 18th December, 1886, urged that it was one of that that short speech should not have been the keys of the China Sea, that it was open all reported, for it might perhaps have enabled the year, that it possesses a magnificent harbour, the public to understand His Excellency's and is "so naturally defensible that it has been reasons for confirming a sentence which called a Chinese Gibraltar." We are not inclined to most people, we think, must appear to agree with this conception of the little island unjust. It is quite right that the group. Lord Carnarvon had never seen them, Canteen Sergeant should be prevented and was apparently not aware that they were in Korean and not Chinese waters. Moreover, from receiving "tips," but while the system while situated some distance from the mainland is winked at and allowed to continue it is they are entirely non-productive. When he not quite right that heavy punishment should urges, however, that a coaling station north be awarded a man whose only fault is of Hongkong is absolutely necessary for protection of British commerce, ΠΟ that he happens to have been found out by the
one with him and deplore the a quite phenomenal display of inquisitive- are
neglect of the British Government to ness on the part of a superior officer. Any again acquire Chusan, a really valuable station, one who has read the report of the court-when that necessity has been so conclusively martial will probably be of opinion, to use common phrase, that there is more in it than meets the eye.
REVIEW.
outbreak of hostilities."
at
established by experts. Had Great Britain insisted upon that island being restored to her during the Chino-Japanese War for the protec- tion of British commercial interests in Central China-the Chinese Government being con- fessedly unable to afford protection either to Shanghai or the Yangtsze ports-there would have been no difficulties raised, and the Peking Government would have willingly acquiesced in an arrangement equally advantageous to Chinese as to British trade. That opportunity has passed for the present, however, and the only consolation left is the Treaty with China in she which engages never to cede the island to any other Power but Great Britain.
Hon. W. M. GOODMAN (Attorney-General), Hon. T. SERCOMBE SMITH (Colonial ·
Treasurer).
Hon F. H. MAY (Captain Superintendent of Police.)
Hon, R. MURRAY RUMSEY (Harbour Master).
Hon. W. CHATHAM (Acting Director of Public Works).
Hon. C. P.-CHATER. Hon, T. H. WHITEHEAD.
Hon. E. R. BELILIOS, C.M.G. Hon. Ho KAI,
Hon. WEI A YUK.
Mr. J. G. T. BUCKLE (Clerk of Councils). MINUTES. ·
The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.
SHIPPING DUES AND SHIPPING
EXPENDITURE.
The COLONIAL SECEKTARY-I am instructed
by His Excellency the Governor to make the following statement-Honourable members will remember that not long ago there was laid on the Council table a despatch from the Secre- tary of State on the subject of light dues. On receipt of that despatch H.E. the Governor at once took steps to have a return drawn up showing the expenditure incurred on accour of shipping and the fees levied on shipping, in this Colony. The Governor has received return from the Treasurer, Harbour Master, and Captain Superintendent of Police. From this return His Excellency is satisfied that the question of shipping dues and shipping expen- diture cannot be definitely settled until evidence has been taken on the subject, His Excellency therefore thinks that a Commission should be ap pointed to enquire into the important question of the fees levied upon and the expenditure incurred on account of shipping and has asked the follow- ing gentlemen whether they will serve as mem- bers of such a Commission (1) Sir John Carrington, (2) Hon. T. Sercombe Smith, (3) Hon. Ho Kai, (4) Mr Herbert Smith, (5) Mr. John Thurburn. His Excellency hopes they will consent to serve.
The Defence of the Empire. A Selection from the Letters and Speeches of HENRY HOWARD MOLYNEUX, Fourth Earl of CARNARVON. Edited by Lieut. Col. Sir George S, Clarke, RE. London: John Murray. This little volume has appeared at a favourable juncture. A generation is growing up that knew nothing of the late Earl of CARNARVON and can have little appreciation of his unwearied labours to induce the British Government to commence a scheme of intelligent defence for the scattered links that form. a chain Carnarvon - will, we trust, be energetically | Financial Minute No. 13 was referred to the
of empire that nearly girdles the world. The noble Earl has gone down to history as the beneficent promoter of federation in Canada, Australia, and the British Colonies of South Africa. His efforts to provide for the effective defence of the coaling stations are less well known.
1. Sir. GEORGE CLARKE has, by collect ing his speeches and despatches on the subject, shown to whom the coaling stations are indebted
FINANCE
On the motion of the COLONIAL SECRETARY,
Finance Committee and the report of the Finance Committee (No. 2) was adopted.
-PAPERS.
The good work so earnestly, so fearlessly, and so patriotically inaugurated by Lord prosecuted by Lord Brassey and others. We should be glad to see a statesman in the Con- servative ranks who would also take up the rôle
The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid the following so ably filled by the noble Earl. The coaling stations still require much attention, for though papers on the table-The report of the Harbour they have forts, guns, and garrisons now, few Master for 1896, the report of the Post-Master- of either are really equal to the requirements, General for 1896, and the medical report on more especially the latter. The insufficiency of the prevalence of bubonic plague in the colony the Hongong garrison has been several times 1 of Hongkong during the years 1995 and 1896,
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