August 12, 1897.]
the trade of Haiphong and Hanoi more than the new port would take away from them. The reason that the proposal is again brought forward at the present juncture, however, is a fear lest the newly opened West River should capture trade that might be commanded by Tonkin if that country hall better facilities to offer. The West River and Tonkin are looked upon by our French neighbours as rival routes which must necessarily prove antago nistic, what is gained by the one being lost to the other. This is a radically wrong view of the position, for each route has its own tract of country to serve. So far as Great Britain is concerned; she could regard with equanimity the development of French routes penetrating China provided those routes were thrown open to the trade of the whole world, on equal terms, and France need certainly entertain no jealousy in respect of trade- openings secured by Great Britain, for French trade will be at liberty to freely make use of such openings if it finds it to its interest to do so.
ROADS IN THE HILL DISTRICT.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
In
ants. Tempting as the Pokfulam valley may be therefore, we are afraid those who covet building sites in it will have to be disappointed. There are already within the catchment area a considerable number of houses, which cannot now be interfered with, the land having passed into private ownership, but the decision of the Govern- ment into to dispose of any more sites where there is risk of contamination of the water supply must be regarded as a wise one. this connection, we believe it has been generally understood that since the drainage system was introduced at the Peak all sullage water from the existing houses had been led into the drains and so carried off safely, and it was with considerable surprise that we recently learned that in some cases bath-room pipes still discharge on to the hillside. That is a matter that should receive attention.
129
THE PAY OF THE OFFICERS OF THE HONGKONG REGIMENT.
From a paragraph in an Indian contem Porary it would seem that service with the Hongkong Regiment is not popular amongst the officers of the Indian Staff Corps, owing to the loss they sustain by exchange in drawing their pay. It appears that the rate of exchange was fixed at $44 as the equiva- lent of R.100, but the officers of the Hong- kong Regiment get 32 per cent. compensa- tion for loss on exchange, whereas in India for this quarter they get 9 per cent. Work- ing this out arithmetically, it will be seen that to make the pay in dollars equal to 189 between Hongkong and India is re- the pay in rupees an exchange of about
quired, whereas the present market rate is 152, so that the officers are subjected to a loss of about ten per cent., which goes a long way towards swallowing up THE CAUSEWAY BAY RECREATION the special allowance they receive for
GROUND.
serving on this station. Under these cir- cumstances the officers naturally prefer ser- The petition for the retention of the Polovice in India, where their expenses are less Ground at Cau.eway Bay as a public and the life more agreeable, and where they recreation ground is, as was to be expected, always have a chance of seeing active service receiving the general support of the Euro- on the frontier with its opportunities of dis- pean community, and it is to be hoped tinction and promotion. It is perhaps not It is satisfactory to learn that the project that the Government will see its way to to be expected that Hongkong should ever for a road from Plantation Road to Maga-grant the prayer. The danger of losing prove a really popular station with the Indian zine Gap is again under the consideration
Staff Corps, but the grievance as to the rate of the Government and is likely to be car-
of exchange adopted for pay purposes is one ried into effect. The road would be easy to
which there ought to be no difficulty in re- construct and the work therefore need not
moving. In all other departments of the prove an expensive one, while its advan-
service where salaries are paid in a different tages are obvious. It would, by placing
currency from that in which they are fixed. Magazine Gap in communication with the
the exchange is adjusted periodically to cor- tramway, make that locality more popular
respond. with the market rate, so that the as a place of residence, because more acces-
officers receive approximately the real sible, and the constantly growing demand for
amount to which they are entitled. This is residential sites in the hill district would be
a simple matter of justice and it is difficult met to a considerable extent in that direc-
to imagine any reason why an exception tion. We would also suggest that while the
should be made in the case of the Hongkong work is in hand the road should be extended
Regiment. from Wanchai Gap to Wongneichong Gap, forming the "Queen's Link" advo- cated by General BLACK as a Diamond Jubilee memorial. By this means a large building area would be opened up which could be utilised gradually as the demand grew, and in the meantime the road would at once become a popular walk and would afford residents at the Peak a ready means of reaching Happy Valley.
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REVIEW
The Rise of the Empire. By Sir WALTER
BESANT. London: Horace, Marshall & Son, THIS is the first volume of "The Story of the Empire" series, edited by howard Angus Kennedy, who writes the prologne. The volumes announced to sticceed "The Rise of Demetrius C. Boulger; "The Story of Austra the Empire are." The Story of India," by
lasia," by Flora L. Shaw; "The Story of South Africa," by E. F. Knight; and The Story of Canada," by Howard A. Kennedy, Further volumes are to be announced in due course. The series should prove a popular one, and Sir Walter Besant is to be congratu lated of
the ground was brought home to the polo players when land at North Point was purchased for oil tanks, and the matter was first publicly ventilated, in this journal, in February, 1896. We may again suggest, as on that occasion, that in the course of time a great transformation is likely to take place along the Shaukiwan Road, as it is in that part of the colony that some of the best sites for manufactories are to be found, and already there is a fair showing. At East Point we have the China Sugar Refinery, at Quarry Bay the Taikoo Sugar Refinery, midway between the two we now have the Langkat bil tanks and casing works, and there are besides one or two minor industries in the neighbourhood, while others are under consideration. and itis probable that within a comparatively brief period we shall see along the whole stretch of roadway as far as Quarry Bay extensive reclamations made to obtain deep water frontage and factories of various des- criptions established. The development As to the demand for residential sites, the will proceed more rapidly when the idea of ceasing to use the water from Pok- tramway, giving communication with the fulam reservoir for potable purposes and
centre of the town and extending east- throwing open the whole of the valley to ward to Shaukiwan, is made. It is prudent, building seems to be once more in the air. therefore, to take steps now for the preserva- If that step were taken there would at once tion of the polo ground for the be sufficient sites available to meet the de- public recreation, and if the prayer of the mand for some years to come, and from a petition be, granted, of which there can be residential point of view the slopes of the little doubt, the ground may appropriately Pokfulam valley and the immediate neigh-receive a name associated with the Diamond bourhood form probably the most desirable Jubilee year and so serve as another mem- locality in the island. The idea of abandon-orial of Her Majesty's long and glorious ing the Pokfulam reservoir, however, reign. appears to us altogether impracticable. Little more than twelve months have elapsed since the colony was suffering from a water famine, and although the supply at Tytam has since been largely ang mented by catchwaters it must on the other hand be borne in mind that the population is constantly growing and that in the course of years the demand may outstrip the supply from Tytam and Pokfulam combined, not to speak of the reserve required to meet periods of abnormal drought. We cannot think that a Government would under any circumstances take the responsibility of curtailing the water supply of a large com- munity, and perhaps giving rise to a water famine, in order to provide residential sites for a score or two of the wealthier inhabit-
purposes
29th July, before Sir Nicholas Hannen, the case In the Supreme Court at Shanghai on the of the Bank of China, Japan, and the Straits, Limitel v. J. A. Sullivan was heard. Judgment had been given in the Queen's Bench Division in England against the defendant for £3,652 8. 2d. for calls on 400 shares in the winding-up of the Bank, with £8 16s. 8d. costs. The pre- ment. Defendant, who appeared in person, did sent action was brought to enforce that judg- not contest the case. Julgment was given for the plaintiffs accordingly. Mr. MacNeil, who appeared for the Bank, then asked on behalf of the defendant Sullivan that judg. ment might be entered against Mr. N. E. 4 letter from Messrs. Johnson, Stokes & Master Cornish as the third party served in the action. was put in in which it was stated that their client (Mr. Cornish) did not dispute the claim of Mr. Sullivan. Judgment was given as asked for,
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on the excellence of his introductory twenty-five small pages he handles a great sub- volume. In the compass of a hundred and ject with consummate skill. The style adopted is that of an elementary primer or popu- lar lecture, in which the author makes a plentiful use of the first person singular and addresses his readers as "you." The scope of the book may be indicated by the headings of the chapters, which are:-1, The Making of a Preparation; 4, The Lessons of Virginia; People; 2, The Extension of a Country; 3, The Empire of the West; 6, The Empire, of the East;. The Empire of the South; 8, The Empire of the Isles; 9, The Heritage of the Race; 10, The Future of the Heritage In "The Lessons of Virgina" we have the most graphic and succinct account of England's our fortune to read. earliest attempts at colonisation that it has been .
We make the following extract from the chap- ter of " The future of the Heritage"
"In a word, there are now six countries- formerly we should have said six kingdoms- namely: Great Britain and Ireland, the United South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, States of America, the Dominion of Canada, without counting the islands which speak the same language, practically claim the same re- igion, have the same ancestry, obey the same
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