274
was also requisitioned did excellent service when it after long exertions got to the spot. throwing a couple of powerful jets. The extent of the damage is not really known as yet but it is expected to considerably exceed Tls. 100,000. The buildings are insured in the North British and Mercantile Insurance Company while as regards the destroyed cargo quite a number of insurance corporations are involved. The cause of the outbreak is not definitely known but is supposed to be due to spontaneous combastion of cotton.-N. C. Daily News
UNREST IN FUKIEN,
There seems to be considerable excitement in Fukien province over the movements of the Kwangtung und Kwangsi rebels, and despatches are to hand to the effect that a large body of malcontents from a place on the Fukien coast called Yangkou, belonging to Yenpingfu pre- fecture, have raised the flag of rebellion, headed by several well-known and wealthy notables of the first-named town. So also in the district of Shouning, in Faning prefecture, several risings have taken place, culminating in the union of all the insurgent bands into a formidable whole, The Viceroy Pien has sent troops to quell this rebellion.-N. C. Daily News.
STRIKE OF COTTON OPERATIVES ẤT SHA GHI.
labour
at
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
i
THE INQUEST,
An inquest was held on the 13th September on board the Zealandia, before the U.S." Cousul, Mr. C. H. Harris, acting as Coroner, and a special jury consisting of Messrs. 'W. H. Evans and R. H. Powers, and the Rev. J. C. Davidson.
Thomas Dowdall said-I am master of the Zealandia. Chaplain Freeman came on board at Manila from the Baltimore as a passenger to San Francisco. I never noticed anything about him, save melancholy. He looked naturally. He was not put in anyone's charge and I did not think it necessary to confine him, but kept watch on him to see that he was not allowed to leave the ship. He occasionally went ashore with someone. A quartermaster reported to the Chief Officer at 4 a.m. on Monday that Chaplain Freeman had jumped overboard. The body was recovered about 12 o'clock miduight the same day.
have seen and identified the
body.
Thos. P. Deering said-I am chief officer of the Zealandia. A few minutes before 4 a.m. on Monday Quartermaster Lowrath came and reported that Chaplain Freeman had jumped overboard. I turned ont and used every endea vour to recover the body, but was nasuccessful. I have seen and identified the body.
William Lowrath said-I am a quartermaster on the Zealandia. At 3.50 a.m. on Monday, I came up on the port side to call the watch. I called the quartermaster on the port side and was coming over to the starboard side around the corner of the house, when I heard someone
calling out, Telegraph my wife the result of this and send her my money.' As soon as I heard this I ran aft, some fifteen or thirty feet from where I first stood. I saw a man stand-
the chock of a davit five feet down the ship's side, and one land was holding on to the edge of the ship's side. I stooped down, trying to catch him, but did not get a good hold. At the same time, the deceased let go and dropped.
I saw that he had lead sinkers tied rouud his
waist. I then waited for some minutes and then called the Chief Officer. He told me to put a hand lead line over the side and tie some. thing over the side so that we would know where he went down. I thought the deceased very eccentric and very restless. I have since seen the body, having assisted to recover it, and recognise it as that of Mr. Freeman.
Shanghai. 21st September. The local cotton spinning trade, speaking as a whole, suffered what it is to be hoped is but a temporary check yesterday on acconut of the operatives at a leading mill displaying uumis. takable signs of dissatisfaction with the manageing over the side of the ship. One foot was on ment. It appears that an arrangement was come to on the part of the masters whereby the system of payment should be changed from time to piece work, the origin of so many disturbances at home. The result was notified to the workpeople, but was not received in the majority of instances in a favourable spirit, so much so that in consequence of the small number of bands returning to work the Soy Chee Cotton Mills the premises had to be shut down after the midday meal. There were also signs of discontent at the Laou Kung Mow Mill, but although an indifferent system of intimidation was practised on the part of the women at Soy chee, work at Messrs. Jardine, Matheson's E-jo. factory was conducted without the least outward signs of disapproval. That a labour struggle has been initiated there can be no doubt, but it is not thought that it will assume any more serious proportions. Should it, the action of the work- people will, in the opinion of au expert, recoil on their own heads as the movement will only The cause of tend to lower the price of cotton. the dispute may not be far distant from the fact, that Chinese compradores are engaged at cer tain places whilst at others, as at Ewo, the hands are paid direct.-N. C. Daily News.
The strike has since terminated.
L
SUICIDE OF AN AMERICAN NAVAL CHAPLAIN.
JUMPS OVERBOARD AT NAGASAKI.
A sad case of suicide occured at Nagasaki early on Monday morning, 12th September. Among the passengers on board the U.S. trans- port Zealandia, now in the local dockyard un- dergoing repairs occasioned by damages received during a typhoon on the way up from Manila, was the Rev. Mr. Freeman, chaplain to the U.S.S. Baltimore, whose mind had unfortuu- ately become unhinged by the terrible events of the 1st of May in Manila Bay. The reverend gentleman was placed under observation and Francisco was степ- passage for San tually taken for him in the Zealandia by the U.S. authorities. Ou the arrival of the vessel at Nagasaki Mr. Freeman's condi- tion was found to be very serious, and arrauge- ments were being made for his transference ashore to hospital. Early on Monday morning, however, at about four o'clock. a sailor on duty saw Mr. Freeman, who rushed past him and deliberately jumped overboard. An alarm was at once raised and a boat lowered, but nothing could be seen of the unfortunate gentleman. The body was subsequently recovered.
William P. Elliot. Lieut. U.S.N., testified that deceased was suffering from melancholia, but it was not thought necessary to place any- one in charge of him. On Sunday afternoon before going ashore witness left orders that deceased should not leave the ship until the return of witness, but on arrival on board ship ou Monday morning he learned that deceased had committed suicide.
C. H. Lowell, surgeon on the Zealandia, stated that the deceased was placed on board at He gave Manila, suffering from melancholia. no trouble to anyone on board and it was not thought necessary to confine him. He, how. erer, grew worse after arrival at Nagasaki, but gave no signs of any suicidal intentions. Witness last saw him alive at 19 o'clock on Sunday night,
The following verdict was returned: We rind that the body is that of T. S. Freeman ate Chaplain in the U.S. Navy, a passenger on the transport Zealandia. That the deceased took his life by drowning himself whilst under temporary aberration of miud, produced by was lying at nelancholy, whilst the vessel
We find that chor in Nagasaki Harbour. leceased was well treated by the officers of the Elliot, U.S.N., was vessel and that Lieut.
articularly kind and watchful to deceased.— Vagasaki l'ress.
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[October 1, 1898.
NEWCHWANG,
"RUSSIAN TOWN," AND WHAT THE RUSSIANS ARE DOING.
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12th September. At present there are four steamers along the Russian town,” discharging railway banks at sleepers, cement, etc., and room will be provided for more. Substantial stone and cement wharves for the accommodation of eight vessels are being built. The stone for the purpose will be obtained from the neighbouring coast and conveyed hi- ther by chartered steamers by the Russians them- selves, all negotiations with the Chinese having proved fatile, and the tenders which the latter submitted were considered 59 per cent, too high. Several large tramp steamers are to arrive from New York before the winter shuts down, one of which is due now. The cargoes consist of rails, dis- located railway cars, and locomotives. Large sheds are being constructed where two hundred Rus sian mechanics will be at work during the winter putting together this disjointed machinery. The entire Manchurian railway under construction is divided into three sections, each section having its own headquarters. The section in our neighbourhood has its headquarters here, and altogether 40,000 coolies will be employed on it during the forthcoming winter. About forty miles of the permanent way is ready for the sleepers to be laid and before next spring loco- motives will be placed on the rails. The work is carried o1 mont systematically and without inter-
even the coolies have cossacks as overseers. ruption. All supervising is done by the Russians: latter are met with occasionally garbed after the fashion of Chinese, and with the cheekbone and imagination of orientals present passable imitation Manchus. The cossacks are a hardy lot and the treatment they receive here is far from the traditional kind. They are however well fed. Their daily allowance comprises 3lbs, bread, 1lb. beef and a liberal allowance of regetables. In addition 10 kopacks for extras are allowed per diem. The hundreds of Rus- sinus already in the neighbourhood are being constantly augmented by new arrivals. They include all sorts and conditions of humanity, from a Director of Posts and Telegraphs of Siberia, with the rank of general, to the homely spouse of the humblest cossack. The occidental and oriental fraternize cordially enough where there is nothing to lose, but One hears of reports from inland differ. regular skirmishes between cossack and farmer and outrages of varions kinds. The land is taken from the farmer at the Russian's own valuation,
The
growing crop not being considered at all in many cases. The farmer may look towards the Chinese official but he gets no redress and in his plight he has to fight for dear home and existence- and the Russian being the fittest, survives! However, the higher authorities on either side are arranging for a method to valuate the land to the satisfaction of both sides. It is even biuted that these troubles are utilized as a plea for throwing more soldiery into the country for maintenance of order along the line.
A Belgian syndicate has contracted with the Russians for the monopoly of establishing restaurants and hotels along the entire line of at the Manchurian railway; the terms are present withheld.
Messrs. Clarkson & Co., merchants of Vladi- rostock and New York, have opened a branch office here. Their large contract with the Rail. way for carrying material alone requires local representation. In addition to their own feet of steamers they have chartered a number of Japanese ships and several tramps.
Messrs. Bush Brothers have ceased to be agents of the Russo-Chinese Bank at this port.· ́ Al- » though most liberal offers were inde no- thing could induce the firm or any of its Messrs. members to continue the connection. McCallum and Sebmidt are now the local The following French naval movements are published by the Avenir du Tonkin :-The Jean co-managers of the Bank, the Railway claim- Bart is to be the flag ship. The Pascal ising most of their time. Branches of this
Bank have been established at some of the prin at Manila. The Bruiz and Eclaireur, at pre- sent at Along Bay, are returning to France. cipal towns, through which the railway will pass. A party of three gentlemen recently left this port for Kirin in the Bank's interest. The Duguay-Trouin is to return to the Pacific. the Bayard has been dismantled and her guos have been lauded for the shore defences of the Hongay passOS.
The Bayard will remain at Hongay as a hulk. Two sou going torpedo boats are shortly expected at Saigon from France.
Dr. Morrison, the Times correspondent, arrived recently, but was hastily recalled to Peking after a short stay of twenty-four hours. H.M. torpedo-boat destroyer Fame has been in
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