May 28, 1898.]
CHINA ÖVERLAND TRADE REPORT. have this year been victimised by the plague masts of most of the ships in the harbour and here ? Surely not even ten. As there is a from the business premises and houses of daily gathering at the Roman Catholic Cathe- many leading merchants and residents. dral, in spite of the inadvisability of overcrowd- the afternoon a solema Te Deum was sung In ing, might not a Te Deum, at least, have been in St. Joseph's Church, French Concession, sung in honour of the celebration, as was done Almost every member of the diplomatic and on Her Majesty's birthday? But nothing was consular bodies was present, also Tsai Taolai done beyond the hoisting of a flag at the Club and Mr. Cheng (Mixed Court Magistrate), to- Lusitano, an informal and very sparsily at-gether with the officers of various men-of-war, tended meeting at that Club, and the despatch the local volunteers, and the fire brigade. The of the telegrams mentioned in your issue service over, Señor Valdez, the Portuguese of this morning. Those telegrams, strange Consul-General, held a reception at the Club to say, were sent without the cognisance de Recreio and a large number of residents of most of the club's members, to say nothing transmitted through him their congratulations of the Portuguese community, in whose name to the King of Portugal. they went. No express was issued, no notice posted at the club even, convening any meeting. The Centenary Committee at Lisbon nevertheless wired to the effect that the Club Lusitano associated in the national jubilee, and the King saluted too by wire in the name of the Portuguese. One would fain disbelieve that it was all a delusion; still it was nothing but such, unless Consul Romano happened to be the com- munity, just as Louis XIV. was the state him-
self.
WUS
It is high time that the community should cease to be trifled with in this manner; it has interests to promote, prestige to maintain, in- stead of being thrown in the shade by the Portuguese community of Shanghai. whose splendid literary and musical achievements at the centenary fete may well serve as a lesson as to what may be done by a gifted and united community guided by a seusible and popular representative. Yours faithfully,
NONENTITY.
Hongkong, 26th May, 1898. WANTED A FOREIGN SECRETARY.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "
"} DAILY PRESS. Sir,-Surely the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of a country like Great Britain should make himself acquainted with the rudiments necessary to the proper conduc- tion of those affairs, Lord Salisbury has at last shewn his hand and explained how it is that British interests in the Far East have for so many years been allowed to go to the dogs. Renter informs us that the noble lord has publicly declared that he does not and will not believe that a nation of 100,000, brave people has completely collapsed. Further comment unnecessary. Massacres of missionaries and women and children by these brave people are trifling incidents which carry no mean- ing with them; cessions of territory by the hundreds of square miles, to be followed in the near future by cessions of thou- sands of square miles-leases they are called, for convenience; lying, trickery, thiering, all these are trifles, or possibly indications of bra- very, since bravado is to pass for bravery. Should these lines meet the eye of the noble lord, an improbable thing. I should like to inform him that China is not a nation of 400,000, 40, but a conglomeration of people of about that number. They are of course brave people, since his informants have told him so. What I shouid like to know is, where he gets his information from. Is it from the Chinese Legation in London, the London office of the I. M. Customs, or from permanent secretaries in the Foreign Office beholden to them?
DISGUSTED BRITISHER. Hongkong, 26th May, 1898.
THE VASCO DA GAMA' CELEBRA- TIONS.
|
On the evening of the 18th an entertainment was given at Chang Su-ho's Garden, which included dancing and a performance by a troupe
of native actors.
On the evening of the 19th a literary and musical entertainment was given at the Astor Hall, the literary items being as follows:- Hymno Vasco da Gama," written and com. posed by Portuguese amateurs in Shangbai; Discurso D'Abertura Pelo Sur. Joaquim Maria Travassos Valdez, Consul Geral de Por- tugal; Vasco da Gama e a Humanidade – Poema Pelo Snr. Luiz A Lubeck; The influence on China of Vasco da Gama's discovery as seen in works of the Ming Dynasty--Discurso pelo Sur. Dr. J. Edkins, Vasco da Gama-Poésie, tuguezes e seus effeitus-Discurso pelo Sur. Pelo Sur. L. de Gieter; Descobertas dos Por
Adelino Diniz; The Influence of Vasco da Gama's discoveries and travels on the trade of Europe-Discurso pelo Sur. P. G. von Mülleu- dorff (read by Mr. Fischer in the unavoidable absence of the author); Vasco da Gama, a Eulogy and a Defence-Discurso pelo Sur. C. E. de Lopes e Ozorio.
On the evening of the 20th, says the N. C. Daily News, the decorations on the Bund were seen to the greatest advantage, there being no wind to interfere with the thousands of coloured lanterns that were festooned along and across the roadway. Crowds of Chinese thronged each side of the road, gazing in wonderment and characteristic absent-mindedness on the scene which presented itself. Our Portuguese fellow-residents certainly have displayed great loyalty and patriotic spirit throughout, and the fourth centenary of Vasco da Gama's courageous expedition has been commemor. ated by them to the full. Several streamers were spread from side to side of the Bund dis- playing the significance of the celebration to the Portuguese, whilst the general effect pro- duced from the myriads of particoloured lau- terns, delicately festooned between Venetian poles and linked with national colours and em. blematical devices, amounted almost to a pein- ture of the severely criticised "feast of Oriental splendour.”
At Macao, on account of the plague, the celebrations were on a small scale as compared with the elaborate programme originally pre- pared. On the 17th a Te Deun was sung in the Cathedral. On the 18th alms were dis- tributed to two hundred poor persons. On the 19th a bronze wreath was placed on the bust of Camoes, when made by II.E. the Governor and Seahor patriotic speeches were Horacio Poiares. On the 20th the foundation stone was laid for the statue of Vasco da Gama, when H.E. the Governor made another speech, being followed by Senhor Ovido d'Alpoim, who described some of the more dramatic episodes of the first voyage to India. The military band was present at all the functions, and in the evening played in the S. Francisco gar. den. All the public offices and a number of private establishments were illuminated in the evenings.
|
The fourth centenary of the discovery of the sea route to India by Vasco da Gasma was cele- brated with great enthusiasm by the Portuguese residents at Shanghai, notwithstanding that the At Hongkong owing to the plague the weather was not altogether favourable. The aid proposed festivities were abandoned, or post- of the Municipal Council was asked and that poned sine die, but Senhor Romano, as Presid- body voted Tls. 1,000 to the funds. The French ent of the Club Lusitano sent the following Municipality also assisted in the decorating and telegram:-"Indian Centenary Commission, illuminating of the French band. On the 17th Lisbon. The Club Lusitano associates in the May the Portuguese flag was hoisted at day- national jubilee." In his capacity as Consul. break at the Consulate in North Szechnen General Senhor Romano also sent the following Road, an amateur band subsquently parading telegram:-"The King, Lisbon. The Port- the principal streets in Hongkew to the Club uguese salute Your Majesties on the occasion de Recreio playing the National Anthem of the national jubilee.” To this the following and the hymn of the centenary, whilst reply, signed by Conde Arnosa, was received:-- the Portuguese banner floated from the Their Majesties thank you much."
L4
429.
THE RECTIFICATION OF THE KOWLOON FRONTIER
for the rectification of the British frontier at We learn from Peking that the convention Kowloon-by including the strip of coast from Deep Bay to Mirs Bay-was to be signed im- mediately upon the return of Sir Claude Mac- donald to Peking.-China Gazette,
THE BRITISH RAILWAY CON-
CESSIONS.
The first of the Shanghai papers to get infor- mation of the railway concessions to the syndicate represented by Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co. and the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank was the French paper L'Echo de Chine, which presum ably obtained it through French official sources. The first mention of the matter appeared in the issue of the 16th May in the shape of a short paragraph, which displayed only partial know- ledge, but in the issue of the 17th fuller details the negotiations having leaked out before their were given. From the fact of no inkling of conclusion it would seem that they must have been conducted with unusual secrecy and ad- roitness. We translate our contemporary's statements and comments as follows:-
have purchased on account of an American (sic) 16th May." Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co.
Shanghai line, the Canton-Nanking line, and, syndicate the Shanghai-Woosung line and hare obtained the concession of the Soochow-
which is a more grave matter, the Cantou-Kow- loop line. We give the last part of this news under all reserve.
--
17th May. We are now able to give some further details in connection with the im- portant news that we published yesterday. Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co. and the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank have obtained the concession for the railway from Shanghai bearing interest at 6 per cent. to Soochow in return for a loan of £1,000,000 The Bank is to have per cent, on the bandling of the funds, and the direction also per cent. The Board of Directors is to be composed of six which was signed on Friday, 13th inst., has a Europeans and two Chinese. The contract, duration of ninety years. The concessionaries Chiukiang and Nanking. At the same time have the privilege of continuing the line to the Chinese authorities concede to the same parties the Woosung line against payment of the sum of Tls. 500,000. It is evident that the purchasers engage to respect contracts already entered into, it being understood, however, that all future purchases are to be made in England. We may permit ourselves to remark on the easygoing way in which the Chinese seem to the rate of issue of the loan, but if the Chinese run towards bankruptcy. We do not know
have been treated as in the Anglo-German loan the lenders will have nothing to complain of.”
THE NOTES FORGERY.
PRISONERS SENTENCED. The charge against the two Germans, Hein- rich Grosse and George Schultz of having on the 27th April used forged banknotes to the value of $2,550, all on the Hongkong and Shang. hai Bank; and of having in their possession an instrument for committing forgery, came before the Chief Justice at the Singapore Assizes on the 16th May. There was a large attendance in court, and the outcome of the trial was awaited with manifest interest. Asked to plead, both men admitted their guilt, and endeavoured to minimise their offence by stating that they were led to forge the notes by a third party in Ger many by whom they were promised a good share of the profits of the undertaking.
|
BENTENCES. ·
Sentence was postponed until the 17th, when both prisoners appeared in the dock downcast and nervous.
Addressing them, His Lordship said: Hein. rich Grosse and George Schultz, you pleaded guilty yesterday to the charges brought against you of using forged notes, In the statements which were made, you admitted that those notes had been forged by you in Germany about October or November last. The idea appears to have been suggested, first by Grosse, that money might be made by manufacturing for
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.