September 15, 1897.]
HONGKONG.
To-morrow the Mount Hustin Hotel closes its doors to the Hongkong residents and in future the building will recognize only the military force. Perhaps in time we shall find that the War au- thorities in England knew what they were about when they bought the property at a reasonable figure in order to convert it into barracks. The police scandal is far from being finished. The general feeling is that there should be a thorough and impartial inqiry into the whole subject with a view to the accused police officers having their case properly put before an unbias ed tribuual. A question was asked on the subject at a meet- ing of the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council which was held on Monday, but the Chairman ruled that the question should be put in the usual manner. Other matters of much interest were discussed at the meeting.
Three and a half lakbs of Mexican dollars arrived in the colony on 9th Sept. by the O. & O. steamer Belgic from San Francisco.
The appointment of Mr. H. H. J. Gompertz to be Assistant Registrar General and Deputy Registrar of Marriages is gazetted.
The stamp revenue last month amounted to $22,017, being an increase of $2,685 on the amount collected in the corresponding month of last year.
It is notified that the new stone pier at the end of Murray Road will be opened to traffic on the 16th inst. and that the old timber wharf
will be closed from that date.
The appointment of Mr. J. W. Jones to be Acting Deputy Registrar and Accountant in the Supreme Court during the absence of Mr. F. A. Hazeland is gazetted.
In reference to the case of Police Sergeant Phelps it should be said that he let the Police Force on Saturday last on the completion of his term of fifteen years' service.
-The American ship Le Schepp, which arrived here on 12th Sept from New York, reports that on the 27th July, whilst running in a heavy gale, three of the crew were washed overboard and drowned. The names of the unfortunate sea- men are Mathew Olsen, John Seindstrons, and William Whannel.
Mr. W. Machell was looking over the veran- dah of his residence, Victoria View, Kowloon, on Wednesday, when he caught sight of a poor, decrepit old man who had to rely upon a long stick to aid him along and compensate in a measure for weakness caused by senile decay and, perhaps, shortness of food. Mr. Machell went downstairs to interrogate his indigent visitor. The poor old gentleman, however, suddenly and miraculously had restored to him all the vitality of his youth, for he ran away at a tremendous pace, his stick seem- ingly being an encumbrance to him. Mr. Machell bolted after him, but he had to run nearly a quarter of a mile before he over- took the helpless patriarch, who appeared to be quite fresh, while his captor' was puffing for breath. The man who won the race charged the other with being a rogue and vagabond, and Mr. Wodehouse sentenced the rascal to fourteen days' imprisonment.
The news of the trouble that has fallen upon Inspector Quincey will no doubt have caused some feeling of regret amongst many persons who have at various periods visited the colony. When any globe-trotter of distinction arrived, a Duke, Earl, or Marquis, it was always In- spector Quincey who was told off to show him the sights of China-town, and when our mi- litary or naval friends made up parties to go to the native theatres the same officer's services were generally impressed as cicerone. By his courtesy and his sense of humour he added largely to the entertainment, and always commanded the kindly feelings of those whom he accom. panied. In the course of his career he has re- ceived testimonials and letters of thanks from various celebrities, among them being H.R.H. Prince Henry of Prussia, the late General Grant, ex-President, United States of America, the late King Kalakaua, of the Hawaiian Islands, Lord Wicklow, Lord Cadogan, and various other well known public men. The late General Gordon was, as everyone knows, a great friend to Quin- cey, who has, in addition to three or four recom- mendations, many private letters and documents from the great soldier which are of great in- terest.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
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An interim dividend of 3 per cent. has been declared on the preference shares of the China Mutual Steam Navigation Co., Limited, for the six months ended 30th June last.
The appointment is gazetted of Dr. John Buckmill Fowler to be Deputy Health Officer. of the Port for such time as he occupies the position of Assistant to Dr. G. P. Jordan, or until further notice.
The monetary loss to the police officers who
to be have been dismissed does not seem generally appreciated. Dismissal carries with it the loss of pension. The senior officers were entitled to pensions of from £80 to £100 a year, the capitalised value of which would vary from $10,000 to $15,000, according to age, health, etc. That seems rather a stiff fine to impose on a man without open trial, especially a man who has passed the best of his working years and has little or no other provision for his old age.
On the 10th Sept, the Victoria Recreation Club met the West Yorkshire Regiment in a polo match, which was played at the Club. There was a very large attendance of spectators among whom was Hon. J. H. Stewart Lockhart, Colo- nial Secretary. The game was an exceedingly good one, being particularly fast and exciting, In the first half the Regiment had the benefit of the tide and scored two goals to their oppo. nents' one. In the second half each side scored once, the Regiment thus winning a finely fought game by three goals to two. Sergeant Major
Westcott othiciated as referee.
The following returns of the average amount of Bank notes in circulation and of specie in reserve in Hongkong, during the month ended 31st August, 1897, as certified by the Managers of the respective Banks, are published :-
Average Amount.
Banks.
Chartered Bank of India, Australia, and China, Hongkong and Shanghai Bank-
$2,538,310
ing orporation, $4,925,978 National Bank of
China, Limited, $ 353,347
Specie in Keserve.
$1,300,000
$2,500,000
205,000
}
225
The Royal Hongkong Yacht Club will, dur. ing the forthcoming season, hold its races on Sunday afternoons, the starting time being 1.30 p.m. instead of 11.15 p.m. as formerly.
Amongst the passengers who arrived by the Belgic from America on 9th Sept. were Mr. R. Wildman, who succeeds Colonel Hunt as United States Consul at Hongkong, and Mrs. Wildman.
Gambling is still carried on to a great extent in junks and launches chartered for the purpose, and also in the larger brothels of Taipingshan. Private Chinese clubs bave ceased to admit strangers for the time being, but the establish- ments at Kowloon City are again in full swing.
It is notified in the Gazette that H.E. the Governor has been pleased to recognise, provi. sionally and pending the arrival of the Queen's exequatur, Mr. Rounsevelle Wildman as in charge of the U. S. Consulate. Mr. E. Hunt, the retiring Consul, and his family left by the P. M. steamer China on Saturday for America, carrying with them the best wishes of the en- tire community.
A teeble. toothless, and almost bairless old man was called as a witness in a Police Court case on 9th September. He could scarcely hobble into the witness box, and his form bent with age that while giving his evidence his shining bald head presented bolder front to his Worship than his wizened face, The entire absence of teeth
was so
a
made it difficult for him to speak, and the peng mo hu yin" part of the oath seemed, while he was uttering the words, to almost over. He was treated kindly and throw his balance. 8ntly. He was asked a question about his wife and he imparted the interesting information that he was a blooming, blushing bridegroom only two months ago. Aud what is the name of your wife?
sympathetically inquired his Worship. The question staggered the wit- ness. He clutched the railing of the witness box and s'owly turned round and seemed to implore the assistance of Acting Inspector Hall in helping him out of his difficulty. The rescue came not, and the old man was compelled to admit that he was not acquainted with the name of his better half. The Conrt, that is, the Magistrate, the clerks, the solicitors, the public, and even the reporters smiled; indeed they broadly grinned, and the poor old man was the only one who didn't see the joke. He ought to be ome more closely acquainted with his new- fledged companion.
Total... $7,817,635 $4,005,000 L'Avenir du Tonkin sums up the police scan. dal in the following terms:-The papers last received from Hongkong tell us that the con. tingent of police which represented the local forces during the Jubilee celebrations in oudor
The Spectator of the 17th July says:-"A has returned to the colony. For those who
most interesting statement comes this week read the journals of the neigbouring colony, from Mexico. It is reported that Chinese in- who have, for more than a month, seen each scriptions two thousand years old have been number full of articles concerning the Hong-discovered in the State of Sonora, and have kong police scandal, who learn that some dozen inspectors having 20, 24, and 27 years' services have been turned away like vulgar extortioners and sad sharpers-for these, the affair is not wanting in piquaney. The Queen who presides over the country of John Brown, the old lady Victoria, and "le charming Angleterre" ought to feel highly honoured to see themselves praised and flattered by these representatives of Ali Baba's band. Are all the public services com- posed of men of similar taste?
In an article on seamen at Singapore in the Straits Times we find the following Well, there's nothin' else to do in this place," says a burly salt.
been deciphered by Chinese experts, who say that they indicate the arrival about that time of Chinese exploring parties. It is quite possi ble that the statement is a hoax, but it is also possible that it is strictly true. The evidence collected by Mr. E. P. Vining, and published in his exhaustive but tedious book An Inglori- ons Columbus reems to demonstrate Chinese influence upon Mexican civilisation. Great is coincidence, but that six names of the signs of the Zodiac should in two countries be identical, though there never was any connection between them, is a coincidence which approaches the miraculons. So also is the fact that the civili. sation of Peru is an exact reproduction of the theory of the Chinese organisation of a state. There must of course be much further inquiry yet. but if it can once be proved that Chinamen at an early period reached Spanish America, many of the apparently insoluble mysteries of American civilisation ·will at once be solved. The explanation, be it remembered, does not explain the early people of the Americas, but the form assumed by the higher developments of their aboriginal or- ganisation." It is highly probable that Chinese craft drifted to America occasionally, but there could never have been anything like steady and premeditated intercourse between them. The hypothesis that the Aztecs (or rather the Toltecs) of Mexico originally derived their religion and civilisation from Egypt seems much more feasible than that they adopted them from a few Chinese mariners or cast-
No one cares wot becomes of us. T'aint the same 'ere as in 'Ongkong. There, There's the chaplain and they looks after us. 'is wife, an' lots of ladies, an' gentlemen, too, who gets up things for us; entertainments, an' concerts, an' teas; an' meetins in the evenins. An' Mr. Goldsmith, 'e were always in an' out First thing in the morning, 'e wos there in the library, Come along to breakfus you fellers, e'd say. That's wot 'e always called mrning prayers. Orfen 'e tuk us out pieniving or bathing. An at Church time, there wos the ladies a-waiting to see us into Church. We nsed to try to dodge 'em sometimes, but 't weren't no use. An' we didn't mind, bless ye. They wos real good to us, they wos. But ere, with nothing to do, we goes out, and we drinks bad stuff, or does worse'n that, an' gets run in, or gets fit for 'orspital, w'ere all our saving wot's left goes for fees. Then we gets shipped 'ome as destitute seamen; and we lands in Lon-aways. don wi'out a 'apenny, an' got to tramp miles, if we wants to see 'ome agin. ¡
The teocallies of Mexico may be an adaptation of the Egyptiam pyramid, but they have no counterpart in China.
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