"
October 21, 1897.]
SPAIN AND HER COLONIES.
Spain has at last decided to grant autonomy to Cuba, but intends nevertheless to cou- tinue the war until the rebellion is crushed, From this it would seem that the announce- ment of the intention to grant autonomy does not satisfy the rebels, and that they intend to continue the struggle until the complete independence of the island is secured. In this they appear likely to prove successful. A Madrid despatch of the 10th September to the Times_reads :- "News has reached here of the capture of the town of Victoria de las Tunas by the "Cuban insurgents. The intelligence has "caused great excitement here, and the "Cabinet has been summoned to meet this evening to consider this grave event. The strategical position of Victoria de las Tunas is of some importance. The town is in the eastern part of Cuba and is on the great central road which runs through the "island. It isdefended by seven forts and “ two Krupp guns. The siege lasted five days. It is believed that the object of the "insurgents in taking this place is to con- stitute a Government and obtain the re-
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
THE DAIRY FARM CASE,
The hearing of the charge of embezzlement against Li Kun, clerk at the Dairy Farm, was fixed for to-morrow at ten o'clock. Mr. Francis, Q.C., will represent the accused.
THE FORGED BANK NOTE CASE.
Sui Ho Yee was charged that he feloniously his possession a forged $10 note purporting to and without lawful authority and excuse bad in be a $50 note of the Chartered Bank of India, Australia, and China,
805
to prevent the funnel from toppling overboard. It swayed from two to three feet on each side, but by means of a chain purchase it was made secure, At 8 o'clock the squalls decreased in violence, but the ship laboured heavily in a very bigh N.E. and S. E. sea. From midnight, up to 8 a.m. the wind was S.E. with a force of 10. At 9.30 a.m. the ship was put on the ship then being 345 miles from the Gap her course and the fore and aft sails were set, Rock Lighthouse. From that time the weather gradually moderated to an ordinary N.E. monsoon, and at three o'clock on the morn- ing of the 17th Oct., much to the relief of every- The prisoner pleaded not guilty. The fol-body on board, Hongkong was reached. lowing jury was empannelled. Messrs. C. G. Engel, L. d'A. Roza, G. C. Fullerton, H. A. do Rozario, F. F. Ribeiro, Ho Yuet Cho, and
Hon. W. M. Goodman (Attorney-General) prosecuted, being instructed by Mr. H. L. Dennys (Crown Solicitor).
A. H. Skelton.
The prisoner lived on the second floor of 18, Chinese Street. On the 28th September, from information received, Detective Sergeant Scott visited the bouse and seized the forged note and a number of letters which showed that he had been dealing rather extensively in forged notes, the victims being ladies in China who preferred notes to silver.
The prisoner was found guilty and sentence was deferred until Wednesday morning at ten o'clock, to which time the Court adjourned.
STORM.
All the passengers speak in terms of the highest praise respecting the splendid conduct of the Captain and the whole of the crew, including the Lascars, and
the Captain himself gives the Lascars unstinted praise for their plucky behaviour. They had no means whatever of cooking their food, as their galley was washed out, but they submitted without amur. mer to work with great determination, although their only food was biscuits and sugar. Nearly all the first saloon passengers were berthed in the cabins on the hurricane deck and all had their belongings completely ruined.
The hall of the vessel is uninjured, but it needs very little examination of the decks to convince one of the terribly rough voyage the vessel made. She is totally stripped of boats
cognition of belligerent rights by the THE ENGLISH MAIL IN A VIOLENT and what darits remain will have to be re- "United States." Seeing that the rebels are strong enough to take a strongly forti fied town like the one in question it would appear that the Spanish force'in the island is of small effectiveness. Reinforcements are to be sent, but reinforcements have already been sent time and again, and the additions appear no more than sufficient to fill the gaps caused by disease in the ranks of their predecessors, so that the prospect of the Royal army being able to deal a crushing blow does not improve, but rather the reverse. Moreover, it is probable that the belligerent rights of the rebels will shortly be recognised by the United States, which will greatly add to their power and resources, as it will facilitate the importation of arms and ammunition. I would appear the more prudent course for Spain to abandon Cuba and concentrate all her energy on the stamping out of the remain- ing disaffection in the Philippines, which if allowed to smoulder is likely tongain become formidable. When the Spaniards recovered possession of Cavite it was supposed the rebellion was crushed, but during the last few months it has lifted its head in various other provinces and appears to be making some headway. The Governor-General is to be changed and more troops are to be sent out, but the task of dealing effectively with rebellions existing simultaneously in opposite hemispheres appears to be beyond the power of Spain. Instead of dividing her forces would be more prudent for her to concentrate her strength on the Philippines, where she is still strong, and evacuate her untenable position in Cúba.
placed as they are so twisted and bent as to render them quite useless. The after part of ALL THE BOATS SWEPT AWAY.
the ship seems to have felt the effects of the The P. & 0. mail steamer Kaiser-i-Hind,
storm most severely. The smoking room is arrived in Hongkong at three o'clock on the morn
almost unrecognisable as such, all the cushions ing of the 17th Oct.. or thirty-six hours after the having been washed away, the panes in the win- time she was expected. The reason of the delay dows smashed, and the various fittings broken was that she encounted a terrific storm on her way off. Cabins near the smoking room were totally yesterday she had the appearance of having been tained, even the doors and partitions being dashed up from Singapore, and as she came into port
wrecked and deprived of everything they con- badly battered by shot and shell. But although to pieces One compass near the aft steering so much damage was done to the vessel not a single life was lost, a fact which speaks volumes gear was washed overboard, and many iron fittings near it were wrenched off by the force for the able seamanship and pluck displayed by of the wind and waves. The first class piano, Captain Barcham and the whole of his crew. l'he passengers were not slow in recogniz- The scene forward presents an extraordinary a valuable instrument, was smashed to atoms. ing these qualities, as when the vessel had been got safely through the storm they pre-lying here and there twisted or cracked, while appearance of wreckage, great iron fittings seated an address to the men to whom they the entire absence of boats, the absence of seven rightly considered they owed their lives, while, davits, and the delapidated appearance of the re- as additional earnestles of this firm feeling mainder give a most desolate aspect to the vessel. the passengers on Monday night entertained the Fortunately the engine rooms are well pro- Captain and the officers to dinner at the Hong-tected, otherwise it is hard to say what would kong Hotel.
SUPREME COURT:
18th October.
IN CRIMINAL SESSIONS.
BEFORE SIR JOHN Carrington (Chief JUSTICE).
DISCHARGED,
In the case of Wong To, who was charged with the manslaughter of a woman by pushing her downstairs, the Attorney-General said he had decided to enter a nolle prosequi, as the evidence was not at all strong against the socused.
His Lordship said he thought, after having read the depositions, that the death was the re- mit of an accident.
The accused was then brought forward and told she was discharged.
On being seen on 17th October in re- ference to this eventful voyage Captain Barcham very kindly gave us an account of the fierce fight he and his men had had with the wind, and waves, He had just risen from a well-earned snooze and was delighted to first of all record the entire immunity from loss of life. The gale started about 6 a.m. on Thursday, the 14th inst., when the barometer was 9.68, and the wind N.NE. At 8 o'clock the wind freshened to a north-east gule with violent squalls. At noon a strong gale set in the wind being still N.N.E. with a force of 8. The ship was then put head to sea, as the weather was getting worse every minute. At 4 o'clock the first and third life-boats were washed away with the davits, the wind at this time being N.E. with a force 12, the barometer standing at 28.89. At 8 o'clock the wind was E.N.F., the force being 12, and the barometer had now dropped to 28.6 The ship laboured very bily during this gale of hurricane force and took large quantities of water force and aft. At 10 p.m. the upper forward bridge was totally wrecked and the officers had to go into the wheel house. p.m. the fourth life boat, the gig, and the mail boat were washed away, the weather all this time not showing the least signs of abatement. At 1 a.m on Friday, the 15th inst., the jolly boat was carried away, and two hours later the first cutter went overboard. sea broke over the quarter deck, the fittings being all washed away, to after bridge ladder store in, and the after cabins and smoking rooms being fooded with water. The vessel pitched in a most alarming fashion, the bows being repeatedly under water, but the after cabins felt the rough treatment much more than those for- ward, the latter being on several occasions filled with water. At 6 am. the funnel guys were carried away and steps were immediately taken
At 11
At 3.30 a heavy
have happened, for the vessel was kept afloat entirely by the engineers being able to keep the engines going and the steering gear in good working order.
It is not yet known when the ship will be ready for sea again, but the northern mails were carried by the Manila, which left here on 19th Oct.
The following is the address which was pre- sented to Captain Barcham. We understand it is to be printed on parchment:-
R.M.S. Kaisar-i-Hind. Hongkong. 17th October, 1897. To CAPT. S. BARCHAM.
We, the undersigned passengers, wish to convey to the Captain, Officers, and Crew of the Kaisar-i-Hind our high appreciation of the admirable way in which they managed the vessel during the recent gale of October 14th and 15th and their manful and cheerful bearing during that most critical period.
A. J. Verini G. Wonnall Tadamasa Hayashi Maneckin Cooverjee
Sethua
C. Wrenn Alice Mackenzie
Steuart
G. A. Roberts E. C. MacKenzie
Steuart Kavasji Edulji Shirinbai K. Edulji H. de Kergarion T. A. Howe J. Bily, on P. Barnes 8. C. Melta P. H. howard E. W. Cookly
Edgar Rowbottom Edward Hunt Alice Hunt George Kanderer Bernard Upward Alfred Jennings Walter Jennings Frank Tull
W. W. Robertson A. B. Wilson Graham McKie Kenneth McLeod J. Meiklejohn Franz T. Lienan John Walker
·F. W. 8. O'Neill,
M.A.
A. Woodroffe E. Aldren 8. R. Marcus
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