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TIENTSIN.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
Tientsin, 24th May. Sport has for some time monopolized public attention, and the lay community is at present keenly excited over the most successful meet-
ing ever held in the Far North. Hongkong is so full of enthusiastic racing men that I feel sure they will condone any possible offence in giving prominence to the subject. There is no accounting for the fact that Tientsin is for the nonce fall of better ponies than it has ever previously possessed. Our course has been gradually improving for years, but no one would assert that within 6 or 12 months it has amelior- ated so much as to account for the phenomenal advance we have now made on our past records. Temperature and climate strongly react on the China pony, but although these elements were also extremely favourable on the first day they were not so on the third, and were posi- tively strongly adverse on the second. On the first day seven events went to seven different owners and to five jocks. As the appended summary shows the times were all good and two of them phenomenally so.
Spring Cup-13 miles, Mr. Leo's Mufti (J. Kruger), 2 mins. 40 secs.
Maiden Plate, mile-Mr. Campbell's Deer- foot (C. R. Morling), 1 min. 31 2-5th secs.
Tze Chu Lin Stakes, mile-Mr. Man- kisch's Bunder (H. T. Allan), 59 1-5th secs.
Pei Ho Stakes, mile-Mr. Tailai's Moribund (F. Sommer), 1 min. 30 secs.
Hsin Tai Hsong Souvenir, 14 miles-Mr.
Manthe's Palo Alto (J. Watts), 3 mins. 47 secs. Visitors' Cup, 1 mile-Mr. J. M. Dickinson's Stroy Shot (C. A. Macdonnell), 2 mins. 6 2-5th secs.
Northern Cup, 14 miles-Mr. Hansler's Guid ing Star (J. Watts), 3 mins. 16 4-5th secs.
In these seven events the local record was beaten four times, and as far as is known up here a China "record" was established by Palo Alto in the Hsing Tai Hsong Souvenir. This fine pony would also easily have won the Spring Cup had he got through at the right place. As it was there was a finish of four within a long head of each other--Mufti, Palo Alto, Stray Shot, and Syonara. All four subsequently distinguished themselves at the meeting. Mon- day's time on the Pie Ho Stakes (m.) was within 1-5th of a second of Hero's over the same distance. Had there been a close finish or had the jock known how near he was to fame he could easily have reduced the time by half a second; as it was he stopped riding.
The second day's summary was not so brilliant in times, but it was a day of heroic finishes, and Palo Alto's second performance was really finer than his feat on the first day, for he carried 1601b, and the wind was strong and the weather ex- ecrable.
Tientsin Derby, 1 miles Mr. Campbell's Deerfoot (C. R. Morling) 3 ming. 20 3-5th. secs. Anchor Flag Cup, mile-Mr. Tailai's Mori. bund (F. Sommer), 1 min. 33 2-5th. secs.
Orange Blossom Cup, 14 miles-Mr. Manton's Sayonara (C. R. Morling), 2 mins. 43. seos.
Criterion Stakes, 1 mile-Mr. Dalton's Never mind (J. Kruger),2 mins. 12 1-5th. secs.
Tientsin Stakes, 13 miles-Mr. Tailai's Osman (F.Sommer) 3 mins. 55 2-5th. secs.
Taotai's Cup, 1 mile-Mr. Heinemann's Haupt- mann (W. H. Hunt), 2 mins. 12 secs.
Dalton Challenge Cup, 14 miles Mr. Mun- the's Palo Alto (J. Watts), 2 mins. 414 secs.
On this day again the seven events went to seven different owners, seven different horses, and five jockeys—an almost exact repetition of the first day,
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND Dickinson's Stray Shot (A. MoDonnel), 2 mins. 7 secs.
Sweepstakes, 1 miles Mr. Mowkisch's Charger (H. M. Drummond), 8 min. 16 4-5 secs. (J. Watis), 1 min. 34 2-5th secs.
Mongol Cup, mile-Mr. Munthe's Svend
Compradore's Cup, 1 miles-Mr. V. Green's Last Toast (W. H. Hunt), 3 mins. 22 2-6th secs. Tit (A. McDonnell), 1 min. 51 secs.
Fly Away Cup, 7 furlongs-Mr. Edgar's Tom
PEKING.
[June 9, 1897,
now stares the Inspector-General in the face every time he comes out his gate, from over the Post Office door directly opposite.
Peking, 20th May. The new Chinese Imperial Post Office may be expected to take on fresh life and greater efficiency in the near future, as Sir Robert Hart has to-day despatched Mr. von Aalst to make a tour of all the ports and expectant post offices, to arrange for the proper management of the mails. Mr. von Aalst has had supervision Consolation Stakes, 1 mile-Fres Lance (J. of the system since its inception and knows all W. Fenton), 2 mins. 91-5th secs.
the detail of the service. Some even say he is Champion Stakes, 13 miles-Mr. J. M. Dickin-personally responsible for the hideous sign that son's Stray Shot (A. McDonnell), 2 mins. 37 secs. We have had the Russian Special Mission with us for two days. H. E. Prince Ughtomski and his suite have had a busy time receiving school for teaching Russian to the Chinese, and returning calls. They visited the new
the Naval College. They have been received which was established last year as an annexe to not only with the most punctilious etiquette and courtesy by all the officials, but with an em- pressement which is extremely significant when contrasted with the off-hand reception of H. I. Highness the Grand Duke Alexander Nivo- lovich some years ago. The Admiralty Build- military guard (horribile visu) provided, guns ings were upholstered at enormous cost, a fired, and music supplied galore. The Mission left for Peking by train on the morning of the 21st.
The metals are now down the whole way to the capital, and under favourable conditions one can go up in eight hours or even less. This is a great improvement on the two days' ride or the four days' "poling" in a river-boat. We shortly contemplate having the pleasure of seeing our diplomatie neighbours at our theat- rical and social meetings. Even at the "crawl". which obtains on the existing lines the journey will not take inuch over three hours and a half. The secret of the present "pace" consists in mized trains.
The Pao Ting Tu line is going steadily on. The fiasco in which the recent contract for rails ended was brought about by the Chinese authorities insisting on deferred payment by instalments. Messrs. Carnegie's agent refused to supply at the low figure tendered on such terms. The Chinese then tried Messrs. Buch- heister with a similar result, The order at last went to the Princely House. It is understood that such very large sums have been spent in telegraphy over this business that the margin of profit is microscopic even to the successful. The unsuccessful have fallen back on the solace of a communicatory service.
The Golden Jubilee promises to be a great year in the history of foreign Tientsin. The Street, an accomplished fact, though there is extension of the Settlement is, pace Downing still a doubt how the F. O. will receive it, Our area will in the future be five times greater that there is no "concession." The Chinese than at present, but it must be remembered only assent to the amplification of British Municipal Government over the new surface. tlements are in statu quo. The Richstag will The German and (suppositions) Japanese Set
former, and somehow the Fatherland officials not vote supplies for the development of the do not seem disposed to let private enterprise
exploit the site.
Our French neighbours are also seeking to en- large their borders, and will meet with no op- position from other nationalties in so doing.
Jubilee preparations are well in hand. They include the foundation ceremony of a general hospital to be built by British subjects only but to be maintained by general subscriptions; a children's fête, a gymkhana, a banquet, and fireworks.
The feature of the meeting was of course the Champions. In the field of eleven, eight ponies had already in the course of the three A daring theft was investigated at the Police Court on 5th inst. A Spanish lady was making days beaten the average Champions' time (2.43 2-5th) and great things were expected in
some purchases in a shop in Lyndhurst Terrace when a man entered and snatched her satchel, the presence of L'alo Alto. He performed his four quarters in 30 2-5ths, 1.0 4-5ths, 1.33,
which she bad left on the counter. The satchel contained $15 and a number of tram tickets 2.5 1-th and seemed to be romping in as he liked when suddenly Stray Shot came in like and very fortunately the owner happened to a rocket, dashed passed the paragon, and won
catch sight of the thief just as he had picked from him by three lengths in the splendid time up the satchel. He was chased by an Indian of 2mins, 37 secs. He lowered the local record by shopman and after a long run was caught secs and that for China by 1. The excite-in Gutzlaf Street. The Magistrate sent the ment and jubilatior were something to be seen. prisoner to gaol for six months with hard
Club Concordia Cup, 1 mile Mr. J. M.labour.
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The Customs service is hoping that in view missioners lately there will be a corresponding of the resignations of several of the older Com-
less to some extent this will be so, but the I. G. series of promotions all along the line. Doubt- skips men when he pleases and it is quite cer tain that some who are looking for a rise will be disappointed. Mr. von Grot's resignation, too, has left a vacancy in the Inspector-General's department that has temporarily been filled by Mr. Mayers, but it is uncertain that he will long occupy it.
The rumours that children are being stolen
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to lay under railroad sleepers to conciliate the "feng shui element and give rapidity to the cars are still current and may be heard with numerous absurd variations and additions at any of the tea shops nightly, to say nothing of the old street vendors' gossip on the subject.
The Russian Princes are expected to arrive in the city to-morrow and officialdom is quite excited over their proper reception. Rumours on this subject too are numerous, and it is reported among the people that the Czar him. self has come to do homage to little "Kuang Hsu,"
A good story is circulating here about Sir Claude MacDonald. It seems that on his trip of admiring compatriots to whom he was up from Shanghai he was the centre of a group describing the utter stupidity of the Tsung-li Yamên. Why, do you know he is reported as saying "They actually don't know that Reuters is not a foreign country; they don't know the difference between Reuters and England," A Yankee globetrotter who was listening atten- tively, here drawled out with the proverbial usual twang, "Well, they may be don't know the difference between Reuters and England, Sir Claude, but they seem to understand pretty well the difference between Russia and Eng- land, as I take it." Then the silence became so intense you could have heard a house fall down.
The Legation people are all talking of moving not been oppressively warm so far and residence to the Western Hills shortly. The spring bas
in the city has not been unbearable, but the with the nineties which warns missionary and thermometer is beginning to flirt occasionally diplomat alike that health cannot be trifled with in this abomnable city. The Methodist Presbyterians are beginning to follow. Mission people have all moved out and the
far as the Yung Ting gate of the city, but The railroad is now finished in the rough as tickets from Tientsin are only sold as far as
Feng T'ai, 18 li from the city. The railroad authorities should have an early morning train,, say at five a.m., for Tientsin to connect with the 8 a.m. train for Shanhaikuan, so that pas sengers for that place as well as for the new seaside resort, Pei Taiho, could reach their destination in one day and save a night in Tientsin, as is necessary at present. Doubtless when the road is declared open for traffic the manager, Mr. Gollard, will consider this sub- jeot. One hears constant stories of the cheat- ing of the ticket sellers at the stations in spite of the fare list posted or supposed to be posted in the stations. The squeeze system seems to be thoroughly incorporated in the present rail- road management,
Mr. F. D. Gamewell returned on Wednesday from Pei Tai-ho, where he had been to oversee his residence now building. Mrs. Gamewell is reported to be suffering with sciatica at the seashore.
Mr. Sidney Mayers, of the British Legation, is off on a trip in the neighbourhood of Jeho, with several expectant mine operators.
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