208
Anderson, pilot, promptly boarded her. Capt. Aubert of the Sydney engaged the five available tugs and every effort was made to tow the vessel off. A nine-inch hawser was also carried out to the Company's buoy and hove on by the powerful winches on board, but all to no avail. At five o'clock, as the water had fallen, the tow boats cast off. It is anticipated that the steamer will be towed off on this morning's high water.
3rd March.
The M. M. Co's steamer Sydney was floated, under her own steam and assisted by four tags, at 4 a.m. yesterday and made fast to the Com. pany's buoy. She came off quite easily, and is none the worse for having been on the mud.— N. G. Daily News.
THE SAIGON RICH DUTY.
The export duty on rice has, we learn from Messrs. Wm. G. Hale & Co.'s circular, been altered since the 7th February and now stands as follows:-
White Rica
For France and Freuch colonies.
Per 100 kilos net.
Land Customs Tax. duty.
All other destina
tions without
distinction. Per 100 kilos net.
Land Tax.
Customs duty.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
...$0.19 cts Nil. $0.19 ots
0 fr.32 ets
Cargo Rice under
33 p. o. Paddy 0.15
0.15
0 42
Cargo Ries over
11
0.12
0 12
0.12
"
0 09
急
0.05
ན*་་**བ་
"
"
3. p c. Paddy 0.12
0 76 Paddy.........
0 76 Broken Rice
0.09 3 p.o. ad valorem Rice flour
0.05 3 p.4. In addition to the above, there is a Droit de statistique of 10 centimes per 1,000 kilos, when in bulk, and 10 centimes per package on packed goods.
FRENCH ANGLOPHOBIA,
The Courrier d'Haiphong has a long article headed "The English friendship" which opens with the question "Could we become friends with the English ?" and proceeds to discuss the relations of the two nations in various parts of the world, namely, Madagascar, China, New foundland, the Sudan, and Indo-China. We translate the following passages :—
In China England strives to thwart our ac tion and to ruin our influence. At the Court of Peking the English Minister loses no occa- sion of protesting against the advantages accorded to France. Do we obtain a ter-
projected line to Yunnan is a nightmare to her, for she is afraid that the whistle of our locomotires may be heard there before hers. She has already protested at Peking aganist the authorisation given to France to prolong this line to Yunnan-sen. We may be sure that she will not be sparing of her snares. Let us respond on our side by the calmness, energy, and force given by the consciousness of right and by the activity which all, Governor, Residents, and contractors, desire to promote in the construction of our railways.
[March 11, 1899.
The steam launch traffic inland, if the num ber of passengers at present carried is sny. guide, must be a paying business, as the launches always appear to be crowded.
It is rumoured that our two local companies, the Amoy Dock and Moalle & Co., will pay very handsome dividends for the past year.
Unfortunately for Amoy, a considerable amount of smallpox is reported to exist among the native population.
A number of important changes are, I believe, about to take place. H.B.M.'s Consul, Mr. C. From all these facts the impossibility of our T. Gardner, .M.G., etc., etc., proceeds to the being united in bonds of friendship with homeland after a residence here of several years, France clearly appears. Wherever we meet and I state the "simple truth" when I say the her she treats us as enemies; everywhere prayers and good wishes of the greater portion she tries to destroy us; all means seem of the residents follow him. I understand that right to her. Qui veut la fin veut les moyens, the foreign officials who have had to consult says the proverb. England acts ou this prin- with him are of the unanimous opinion that he ciple in her international relations. which has worthily filled his important post. The are based on a ferocious egotism. The English native officials are, I am told, more reserved in alliance would be more than a deception, it their expressions of approval. Socially Mr. Gárd- would be a plague for France. Let us never ner has ever been extremely active in further- forget these monstrous words spoken in Londoning all efforts made for our amusement and has~~ after the Fashoda incident :-" Never was there caused many a "poor heart to rejoice." That an occasion more favourable for England to be may long live to enjoy the honourable declare war against France, which would destroy retirement he has earned is the wish of all. French influence throughout the world for fifty years to come."
AMOY NOTES,
One of our two German firms has closed, and the representative, Mr. M. Michelsen, soon de- parts for the Fatherland. The Consular inter- ests of Sweden and Norway, which he has so
[FROM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT.]ably represented for years, have been handed
Amoy, 4th March.
During the last few months the community has been in somewhat of a flutter, looking forward with pleasurable anticipation to the arrival of Their Royal Highnesses Prince and Princess Henry of Prussia, as on the former short visit of the Prince his genial disposition had gained many admirers. While he was always gracious he never forgot what was due to him, and sofhe of our most ardent Republicans were thusiastic in his praise. Such being the case
one
en-
can readily imagine that the successful attempt of certain pushing members-leading residents of their own creation-to place them. selves before Royalty has excited feelings of pity. It appears that certain Britishers offered, without consulting any of the leading members of the community, entertainment to the Royal party. A picnic was decided on and has taken place. When it is said that the only people who were considered eligible to sit down at the tables were members of the Amoy Club I think it is enough to show that Thackery did certainly not include the outport snob when he wrote his celebrated book on the subject, or he would have added several pages necessary to describe the local specimen, a species not found, it is hoped, in Europe. When and where does membership of a local Club make the gentleman ? Echo answers, no- where! And yet many estimable residents have been relegated to outer darkness, because they were not members of this particular cirole. While a Club has the right to select its members, it has not the right to delegate itself as the mouthpiece of the community.
ritorial or railway concession, forthwith Eng land protests. Her rights are violated, her influence diminished, etc., etc. Always the same song, the whole world ought to belong to the English. Let us recall a recent incident, that of Shanghai. There existed in the French Concession & Chinese cemetery where in recent years seven or eight hundred corpses in badly jointed coffins had accumulated. We had asked for and obtained the removal of this focus of epidemics. But China wished to re- tain the ownership of the cemetery; France The Amoy community as compared with consented to this on condition that her Con- many outports stands high as regards character, cession was enlarged by an area equival- and the writer, who has resided in many out- ent to that of the cemetery. "What could beports during the last twenty-five years. has more just? The Chinese Government con- never found's higher standard of intelligence sented, but the English still protested and and respectability than exists here; therefore it the Court of Peking took back its word. is the more to be deprecated that a certain few see in this deplorable affair the hand of Lord should call themselves the elite and exclude Charles Beresford, charged with a pretended others who are every whit their equals from commercial mission to China and who filled the assisting to entertain the grandson of their Far East with the noise of his warlike speeches beloved Queen. and his suspicious negotiations with the Chinese authorities.
We
While the writer would be the last to lift the veil surrounding private interests, he cannot In Indo-China it would be easy to find traces but mention that the action of certain residents of their meddling. The Government ought to who have controlled the invitations to meet be informed on this point. We have on a pre-royalty has been ill-timed and has caused more vions occasion s atel that M. Doumer had to heartburning and strong language than any curtail his intended stay in France because he
event in the history of Amoy for many years. was advised of certain intrigues which required to be watched on the spot. It is said that the enquiries made in connection with the last dis- turbance at Hanoi revealed the action of foreign emissaries. England covets Indo-China, where our presence circumscribes her influence in China, which is, as will be understood, truly re- grettable. She will do anything and it will be understood what is meant by that—to cause as the greatest embarrassment possible. The construction of railways frightens her; the
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The following is the heading of the invite cards to the picnic; on which comment is un- necessary:-"The Club members of the British Community of Amoy have the honour to request the company of etc., eto
Messrs. Butterfield & Swire have completed the building of their offices and large godowns on either side, and as soon as they connect the hulk Shanghai with the band they will be in an unrivalled position to deal with the Northern trade...
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over to the efficient Consul for the Netherlands, Mr. A. Piehl. Mr. Michelsen during his long residence at Amoy has earned the respect and friendship of all, and be certainly "will be
missed."
Mr. Bennett, the able British Consular As- sistant, has already left for Ningpo, to assume the duties of Consul.
The Commisioner of Customs, Mr. Noyes Morehouse, goes on leave next month, so it is reported. Various opinions are expressed as to his office has been marked by a desire to accommo- administration, but it is admitted that his term of date the mercantile community as far as pos- will cause sible. The departure of Mrs. Noyes Morehouse a feeling of sorrow among the juvenile community, who always looked forward to the entertainment provided for their amuse- ment at Christmas. In theatricals, notably the “Tableaux" given some time ago, and at social events she has always given her talent and labour, as far as possible. Mr. Law, the repre- sentative of Messrs. Butterfield and Swire, leaves us also, and Mr. Mactavish, agent of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank, is trans- ferred, to the regret of all who have had occa sion to enter the portals of the financial institution he has managed with such success.
The German men-of-war Deutschland · and
Officers have been welcomed and will leave behind them pleasant memories of their stay here.
Irene leave for Woosung on the 8th. The
MACAO.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
MACAO, 9th March. The transport Africa arrived on Sunday last bringing about ninety European soldiers and forty Indians for the Garrison.
The men landed on Monday morning, and marched to their quarters, headed by the Regimental Band. The transport also brought a quantity of war- like stores, including rifles, and electric ma terials for the Telephone department. She is to pay a visit to Hongkong for the purpose of being docked, after which she will return here, remain a few days, and then leave on her home- ward voy age. She left Lisbon in November last, and on her way out has visited all the Portuguese colonies, including Goa. It is said she is to follow the same route on her way home.
During the past week there have been several cases of suicide by opium. Two Chinese girls about fourteen or fifteen years of age, servants in a private house, were found to have taken opium and were re- moved to the Chinese hospital, but the messures taken for their recovery were unsuccessful. The day before yesterday two Chinsmen also took opium and were removed to the hospital, but they also died from the effects of the poison. In neither case is the motive for the suicide
known.
་ ་ ་ འཚམ་པས། །
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