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Jane 11, 1898.]
PORIS STILL OPEN IN THE PHILIPPINES.
Senor José de Navarro, Spanish Consul,
writes us as follows:-
|
or
469
MEMORIAL TO SISTER GERTRUDE
AND SISTER FRANCES.
It is proposed to erect some memorial to the for the colony, at the Government Civil Hos- late Misses Ireland and Higgin. Their work
pital, extended over a period of nearly eight years; they lost their lives while in the per- formance of their duties.
L
The form of the memorial will be decided at a meeting of subscribers, after the friends of the deceased have been communicated with. Hongkong and Shanghai Bank, at Messrs. Lane,
Subscription lists will be found at the: Crawford & Co., Kelly & Walsh, and A. S.
Watson & Co.
Subscriptions, will also be received by Mrs. Holland, and Wilsone Black, Lady Carrington, Mrs. S. C.
T. JACKSON, Hon. Treasurer, pro. ten
POLO AND CAPTAIN LOVEBAND.
head gave a little “
On Monday evening the Hon. T. H. White- House" to Capt. F. R. Loveband, who has been farewell at the "Charter Honorary Secretary of the Hongkong Polo Club for the last three years and who left by land. Most of the older playing members were the Empress of China on Wednesday for Eng-
Hou. F. H. May, C.M.G., occupied the_vice- present. Covers were laid for twenty and the
chair bis happiest form. On Capt. Lore- band's menu, Ben Jonson's very appropriate words were appended
To night, grave Sir, both my poor house and I
Do equally desire your company. Not that we think us worthy such a gues,
CHÍNA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. parole not to bear arms against the United interesting to the world at large, the matter States during the continuance of the war. that most affects this colony is, without doubt, These proposals were instantly rejected, the the enlargement of its frontiers to such an destruction of everything being preferred to extent as will enable its garrison to provide for the giving of the pledge required. A new par- effective defence against bombardment ley secured honourable conditions, evacuation invasion. In regard to this matter we are asked alone being required, and the forces leaving with to possess our souls in patience, to make our. all the honours of war, with their arms and selves quite easy that the interests of this im. ammunition, provided that they should not portant colony are not being neglected, and attempt to set fire to or otherwise destroy any that all that is necessary will be secured. Now, thing, the enemy on his part undertaking to under a statesman of the type of Lord respect the Geneva Convention and private pro-Palmerston, we might be content to wait inde- perty. At five in the evening the survivors of finitely, knowing full well that the interests of the battle and bombardment evacuated the British trade would have paramount considera. Arsenal and retired upon Manila, where, ex- tion, but the history of our recent diplomatic hausted by the fatigues and hardships of the struggles has not been such as to imbue us with march, they arrived on the morning of the 4th. too strong a belief in the push or persistence of More than 50 killed and 200 wounded out of British diplomacy. We are ready to admit the the total of 800 men that composed the naval difficulties that have faced the Foreign force are figures that sufficiently prove that Minister, in the lack of veracity and want of the Navy knew how to seal with its blood the scruple on the part of Russia, but this is no sacrifice that the country imposed upon it in new experience, and it does not excuse want of honour of the flag.
foresight or determination. If report may From the Admiral to the last sailor, everyone be trusted, it seems only too probable that foresaw the catastrophe. With the greatest in the case of this colony the noble Lord pleasure they accepted the sacrifice of their the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs may lives, since the honour of the country and the prove less anxious for the accession of territory navy required it. The rivers of tears and the than for an easy settlement of the matter. It lamentations evoked by the loss of such dear is rumoured, though we cannot say with what brothers are eclipsed and stifled by the glory truth, that the only extension of territory ob. which to-day falls on all who wear the honour- tained will be permission to erect fortifications able anchor button. To-day, without ships, and to control passes, and that the Chinese having lost their effects, and some without desire to retain the collection of the Customs wearing apparel, but with much, honour, the revenue in this small district-backed of course sarvivors may be met in Manila, ready to share by the voices of "four hundred millions of brave with their brothers of the land forces the hard-people-will be regarded as an insurmountable ships and perils that still darken our horizon. obstacle in the way of the needed expansion of Peace and glory to the dead! History will Hongkong. We sincerely trust that this render them justice!
rumour may be falsified by subsequent events, but we fear that it will prove only too well founded. If we fail to secure the desired exten- sion of our boundaries there will be no one to blame but the British Foreign Office, The Hongkong Government, the Military and Naval Authorities past and present, the Navy League, the China Association, the Chamber of Commerce, the Press both in China, and at home, have all urged the absolute necessity for such enlargement, and the Tsangli Yamen would have been at Sir Claude MacDonald's most obedient command, were it only known that his instructions were precise and peremp. tory. But when weis Lord Salisbury's instruc- tions ever peremptory? It may be said that repose confidence in the hands that guide the we are anticipating evil, when we ought to destinies of the Empire. We plead guilty, bat in extenuation point to the failures of the past. Even such a trivial claim as that for the loss of the Indo-China S. N. Company's steamer Kow- shing, which M. Hanotaux or Baron Von Hey- king would have settled in a month, has been allowed to drag on for years in interminable par- leyings and endless delays when there were really The host gave a brief history of the Club no debateable points in the case. It took the since its formation some ten years ago, and re- Foreign Office many years to wring from Pek-ferred to the farewell given to Major W. B. ing the concession of the opening of the West River, although this should have been demanded as some slight compensation for the systematic evasion of the Treaties by the Kwangtung Authorities for a quarter of a century in refus. ing to allow the transit pass system in the Two Kwang. The awesome dread of the puissant Government representing four hundred millious of brave people seems to have weighed with crushing effect on successive occupants of the Foreign Secretariat, and even when Japan bad carefully exposed the Jack o'lintern nature of the bogey Lord Salisbury has seemed unable to divest himself of the Yellow Terror. In his absence, Mr. Balfour, under the pressure of public opinion, ventured to demand the lease of Weihaiwei, and, no doubt to his noble uncle's immeasurable astonishment, promptly obtained it. Under the influence of that surprise, the Marquis has dubbed Sir Claude MacDonald a hero. We do not grudge the Minister the [BY A CORRESPONDENT.]
title, and we have much confidence that he Time creeps on without anything official or could amply justify it either in the pursuit of definite being allowed to leak out in reference his old profession or in the mazier paths of to the results of the negotiations with the diplomacy, if only Lord Salisbury would give Peking Government for a rectification of the him a free hand for a few days and suspend .boundaries of Hongkong: Germany is seated telegraphic communication meanwhile. Under firmly at Kiaochan, Russia has taken possession such conditions we doubt not that the Kowloon of Port Arthur and Talienwan, France has hinterland and the necessary islands would hoisted the tricolour at Kwangchauwan, and soon be ceded and the concession to make the British ships are very shortly to occupy railway from Kowloon to Canton and thence to Waihaiwel. But while these events are very ' Wachang be granted without more ado.
El Illmo. Senor Intendente de Filipinas in- forms me under date of 27th May last that the following ports remain open to foreign trade :- Sual (Pangasinan), Aparri (Cagayan de Luzon), Manban (Tayabas), Legaspi y Tabaco (Albay), Sorsogon (Sorsogon), Catbalogan (Samar), Tacloban (Leyte) y Surigao (Mindanao).
THE WATER SUPPLY.
The Hon. R. D. Ormsby, Water Authority, courteously supplies us with the following water returns for May:
On 1st June, 1898, the water in Tytam reser- voir was 36 feet 11 inches below the overflow, representing a storage of 147 million gallons, while the water in Pokfulum reservoir was 24 feet 10 inches below the overflow, representing a storage of 15 million gallons. The total storage was thus 162 million gallons.
The following are the figures on the corres- ponding dates last year.
Level.
Storage. Tytam... 10 feet 10 inches 306,000,000 Pokfulam... 1
63,000,000
-Total 369,000,000. The total consumption for all purposes during May was 91 million gallons, giving with an estimated population of 177,450 an average daily consumption of 16 gallons per head.
3
t
17
For the corresponding period last year the total consumption was 95 million gallons, or an average daily consumption of 17 gallons per head for the population of 169,000.
The Government Analyst reports that the water is of excellent quality.
THE KOWLOON EXTENSION.
REPORTED FAILURE,
But that your worth will dignify our feast. In proposing the health of the guest of the evening Mr. Whitebead spoke in feeling terms of appreciation of the many and varied services rendered by Capt. Loveband to the Polo Club and all branches of sport, and said that. Hong- kong socially and otherwise would be all the poorer by the departure of the Polo Club's sporting and genial Secretary. The members and the whole community had keenly sym- pathised with Captain Loveband in his recent indisposition, and they all earnestly hoped that his trip to the old country would restore him to his usual good health and a long life of use- fulness and happiness. Mr. Whitehɓad then on behalf of the members asked Capt. LovebandTM to accept of a silver salver as a small souvenir of their respect and esteem, which bore the following inscription :
CAPTAIN F. R. LOVEBAND, A.D.C,
FROM MEMBERS OF THE HONGKONG POLO CLUB IN RECOGNITION OF
SERVICES RENDERED AS HONORARY SECRETARY,
Fletcher, R.A., the founder and father of the Polo Club, at which the Chairman bad said "Ever since the Club's birth Major Fletcher had nursed it with unceasing care and devo- tion. Through patience, perseverance and tact he had seen his baby grow in health, in wealth, and in strength, and develop into a fine, * robust, hardy child. The child was proud of its father and from his smiling and genial ex- pression of face it could be judged that the gal. lant Major was not ashamed of his off-spring. Our experience of the Major was a very happy one, in connection with the game of polo (the king of sports), his management of the gymk- hana and sky meetings held under the auspices of the Club, and socially.' His energy and resources in the promotion of manly healthy recreation were inexhaustible, while he was full of consi deration for the feelings of those about him, From time to time in this constantly changing community the Club had lost many of its bett playing members but memories of those friends and rare good fellows, who are a credit to their country, will long remain fresh with ns." Mr. Whitehead said that many of these words equally applied to their gallant friend who was so soon to leave these shores, and referred to the fact that his brilliant play, excellent horseman- ship, and sure and hard hitting would be remembered and emulated for years to come. The toast was then drunk in bumpers with musical and highland honours.
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