P
March 12, 1898.]
A SPITEFUL ATTACK ON ME. KINDER.
HE REJECTS HANYANG RAILS THAT SNAP
LIKE GLASS,
Under the heading "A Little Tin God," the Echo de "hina disgraces itself by making a savage attack, stuffed with falsehoods, on Mr. C. W. Kinder, the Engineer-in-Chief of the Imperial Railways of North-China. The trouble is this. The Echo tells us that: "It is known that the Hanyang Iron works, under the able direction of two Belgian engineers, Messrs. Ruppert and Bougnet, make to-day excellent rails, comparable with the best made in Europe." These rails have been passed by two impartial authorities, a French engineer and a German engineer, but Mr. Kinder submitted them to a test under which they broke like glass; and Mr. Kinder has had the audacity to suggest that in such matters H.E. Sheng should take the advice of a capable expert. This is too much for our contemporary, which gravely tells its readers that: "Mr. Kinder belongs to a missions. y family, and we believe that at one time he followed this pro. fession, Animated with a very natural desire
to escape from this despised caste, he made his début in lay life as a time-keeper or clerk of the works on a Japanese railway. Thence he came to China, where his career was brilliant and rapid-but undoubtedly less so than that of the loafing ferry-boat man who was shot into the position of Admiral during the war of 1895. China being the kingdom of the blind, this one- eyed wretch" (Mr. Kinder) "exercised for a long time in the little domain in which he was installed an absolute and uncontested empire." Later on the Echo suggests that in considera. tion of his age and services, Mr. Kinder should be offered an honourable retirement as keeper of a level crossing. And it is in that capacity that the Echo recommends him to the Director of the new line from Hankow to Peking, Mr.
Hubert.
It would seem that there must have been
something very wrong with those rails, for their condemnation by Mr. Kinder to call forth such a tissue of vulgar abuse. We have not quoted half of it. As a matter of fact, Mr. Kinder is the son of Major Kinder, who was Director of the Japanese Mint. He learnt his profession as an engineer in large works in England and Russia, then came out to Japan, where he was employed under Mr. Boyle (of Arrah fame) on the first railways built in Japan. He came to China about twenty years ago; and is responsible for all the existing rail- ways in China, all of which are working profit ably. But the speculative gentlemen who are exploiting H.E. Sheng object to him apparently because he does not waste his time in talking about the big things he is going to do.
It may perhaps be mentioned that the Han. yang rails, equal as, we are assured, they are to the best European manufacture, are not used for the Woosung railway- N. C. Daily News.
TRAMWAYS FOR SHANGHẢI. The Municipal Council of Shanghai has given notice that at the annual meeting it pro- poses to bring forward the following motion:-
That the Council be and is hereby authorised to consider the expediency of the establishment of a system of electric tramways in the streets of the Settlement and in its discretion to for mulate a scheme for ratification by the rate- payers by which the system be carried into effect."
THE NEW LOAN.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
Shanghai, 3rd Màrch. The contract for the new loan was signed on Tuesday at Peking, and the likin in the Yangtze Valley provinces and Chêkiang is to be collected by the Imperial Maritime Customs. While this will add enormously to Sir Robert Hart's work and responsibility. it is the inauguration of a reform that will be of the greatest benefit to China. When the Peking Government finds what an honest collection of likin in Central China really means, it will assuredly be anxious to extend the system to the remainder of the Empire, and this should be the beginning of the long-hoped-for financial reform without adopting which China cannot hope
to preserve her independence. It will need a skilful hand and great tact to formulate and put in action the regulations that this new system will require, and there could be no more experienced person found than Sir Robert Hart to undertake this and carry it through. All who are really friends of China will hear with great relief and satisfaction that the new loan has been settled on the terms that we have men- tioned. China's external troubles are at an end for the present; we must hope that the means by which they have been removed will not become the origin of any internal troubles, but that she will have the necessary time given her for reform and reorganisation, and that her rulers will have the sense to take advantage of the respite that has been granted her.-N, C. Daily News.
We understand that Chins only gets 85 per cent. of the face value of the £16,000,000 loan, while the issuing banks had to allow 2 per cent. for underwriting to the combinations of capitalists who took it up at 88 per cent., the Banks thus clearing 3 per cent. less underwrit- ing expenses. So China pays 19 per cent. the first year and 4 at 85 for the remaining period of the loan, or almost 5.8 per cent. Thus instead of receiving £16,000,000 China actually gets £13,600,000.—China Gazette,
THE ACCIDENT TO THE P. & O.
STEAMER “BURNEO."
According to the Japan Herald's account, it was while the P. & O. steamer Borneo was bound, at about 6.30 a.m. on Sunday, 20th leaving the harbour of Yokohama, outward February, that she was run into on the starboard quarter by the Japanese steamer Wayomaru, an accident which resulted in serious damage to
both vessels, and will necessitate the detention of the P. & O. boat some twenty-one days in Among port, before repairs can be effected. the passengers for Europe on board at the time were Mrs. A. H. Dare and family, Mrs. Bowdon, and her two sons, Mrs. E. B. S. Edwards and daughter.
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feet down the side. After the Wayo first struck she slid off and struck the Borneo again abont 20 feet farther aft, slightly bending some more plates, and carrying away several port holes. The Borneo went on her course and dropped anchor a short way outside the breakwater. The Wayo proceeded to her anchorage. The stem of the Wayo suffered badly, being torn away from the plates and hung over about 5 feet from the top. The Wayo made water and would probably have sunk if it had not been for the forward bulkhead. The Borneo returned to the harbour the same morning, and in anchoring lost her starboard anchor through the cable parting, and was obliged to steam to one of the N.Y.K. buoys. The crash of the collision was quite audible from the Pier.
JAPANESE OFFICERS FOR THE CHINESE ARMY.
Viceroy Chang Chih-tung, according to a letter received from Wuchang on Wednesday, has appointed six of his most promising young military officers to go as a Military Commission to Japan for the purpose of studying the mili tary system of that country. It is not unlikely that as a result of the Commission & number of Japanese officers will be invited to come over to China to give the benefit of their knowledge to the military organisation of the Liang Hu provinces. It is also reported that the Viceroy has been strongly advised to employ Japanese in preference to German military_instructors News. for his new disciplined army.-N. C. Daily
THE DEFENCE OF CHINA.
The following disposition of the Imperial” forces in the event of war with a foreign Power has been determined upon by the Imperial Grand Council of War at Peking, and sanc- tioned by special Imperial decree :---
Valley from seaward, this being his special duty. To Chang-tung, Viceroy of the Hukuang pro- vinces, is assigned the duty of safeguarding the central portion of the Yangtze Valley, while the safety of the portion west of the Tungting Lake is entrusted to Tan Chi-hsun and Chen
Liu Kun-yi, Viceroy of the Liangkiang pro- vinces, will be Generalissimo of the Army of The Borneo left the wharf about 6.30, the Yangtsze Valley with head-quarters at
The wind was blowing strongly daylight.
Tsingkiangpu, on the Grand Canal, his north- Several down, north by west.
steamers ern outposts to be in the vicinity of Hsuchou, were moored in close proximity to the on the Yellow River, and in touch with the Pier, and in consequence great care bad troops of the Governor of Shantung, Chang to be used in piloting the vessel clear of shipp- Ju-mei. He will then be able to co-operate ing until the Harbour mouth was opened up with the latter in the event of reinforcements a very difficult matter considering the ccnfined being needed north of the Yellow River, space in which to handle a 4,000-ton steamer while, on the other hand, the said Viceroy will with little cargo on board. Nearing the en-be able to guard the entrance of the Yangtze trance to the exit of the Harbour (i.e. between the two lighthouses) the Captain of the Borneo entrance at a high rate of speed, and in conse- observed that a vessel was approaching the quence of this gave the usual signal by blasts on the whistle to notify her that bis steamer was not under control in so far that if he had to anchored near the entrance. go astern he would foul two or more steamers Then to avoid damage the engines were put full speed ahead to make the passage through the breakwater as far north of east and west as possible, in order to allow the incoming steamer plenty of room in the confined entrance. The steamer Argyll was at the same time coming in, and seeing the entrance anchored on observing that the Wayomaru was blocked up, stopped, and it is reported that she also making her way towards the entrance. The collision occurred close to the North or red Lighthouse; in fact if the Borneo had not been going full speed ahead at the time she would have been struck in the midship-saloon, where the passengers were sleeping, and great credit is therefore due to Captain Lyon in avoiding what might have been a serious disas- ter to life. This accident, shows clearly that Japanese Captains should be given instructions that all outgoing steamers are entitled to the right of way when trying to get clear of ship ping and making for the entrance to this con- fined harbour. Our contemporary is of opinion that a strict inquiry should be held to ascertain why there are no Harbour regulations cal- culated to give navigators some idea of how to handle their vessels in leaving or entering the port. The damage to both vessels is estimated at about $40,000.
Further details of the collision show that the Borneo was struck on the starboard side aft of No. 3 hatch, cutting through the bulwarks and bending in the plates of the latter some fifteen
Pae-chen, Governors of Hupeb and Hunan, res- pectively. The waterway of the Yangtze River shall be placed under the care of Buang, Ad miral of the Yangtsze, with headquarters at Kiangyin. General Li of Anhui is appointed Commander-in-chief of the Nanyang Squadron and the troops garrisoning the places east of Chinkiang, including Tsungming, Woosung, etc., etc. The troops of Liu Kun-yi, Chang Chih-tung, Tan Chi-shûn, and Chên Pao-chen shall be so disposed as to be able to converge upon Shangtung if needed; and if the Capital be threatened they will join Chang Ju-mei, Governor of Shantung, to relieve Peking from the South, while Tung Fu-hsiang, General- issimo of the three provinces of Shensi, Shansi, and Honan, will march to Peking from the West. To Kuei Chün; Governor of Kiangsu, Tê Shou, Governor of Kiangai, Têng Hua-hsi, Governor of Anhui, and Liao Shou-feng, Governor of Chêkiang, are entrusted the duty of providing the and food supplies for the various army corps in the field, while also on them is devolved the guardianship of the various ports within their jurisdiction. We also herby sanction the memorial of Liu Kun-yi and his colleagues in command of the various army corps, reporting the number of troops under them, viz: · Liu Kun-yi, total 63,500 men; Chang Chih-tung, 48,000; Tan Chi heun, 18,000; Chiến Pao chén, 30,000; Kuei Chün, 24,000; Têng Hus-bai, 21,00; Tề Shou, 26,000 Liao Shou-fêng, 28,000 Huang, Admial of the Yangtaze, 40,000, and Li of Anhui, 34,000 men. The German
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