The disturbances in Liautung are serious, and that is practically all that we know about them. The skimpiest of telegrams have reached the Chinese officials here; they are to the effect that the Chinese in Kinobow, the city just to the north of the Regent's Sword (say sixty miles directly from Port Arthur), refused to pay their taxes; thereupon the Cossacks were brought out, a row took place, and one hundred natives were promptly shot dead, a larger number being wounded. This on the face of it is untrustworthy, and is clearly au inadequate description. Reuter's wire from Europe makes Talienwan the scene of the fracas; but Talienwan is not mentioned in the messages received hers. We shall hear all about It next week when the river opens. Talienwan is under Russian lease; it is doubtful if Kin- chow is..
Sir Claude MacDonald hopes to get a run home this spring or summer. Lady MacDonald with her children and sister will spend the time at Peitaiho The Minister has taken a oottage at East Shore for his family: he will this spring build a seaside residence for him lelf I understand that the Princely House, Mr. Probst of Shanghai, and Dr. Robertson of Tie.ntsin will be his neighbours in a little settlement one mile east of Rocky Point, the Missionary Settlement.
The very commodious new premises for the Legation at the Western Hills will be finished this summer.
Athleticism runs strong in Young England bere just now and ballons d'essai are being flown to see if a plot of ground could not be leased in the south-east angle of the Manchu city where polo, football, &o.. might be prac tised. Such a proposal would have been fatnons five years ago, but things have moved since then.
The British Marine Guard has been confined to the Legation all the winter; except drill, modified "socker," and bowling, physical exercise has been impossible.
· Sir Robert Hart has been suffering from a severe attack of lumbago, but is better again.
No confidence whatever can be placed in the rumours of intended Palace revolutions which are finding their way south viâ Tientsin.
NORTH FORMŪSA.
[FROM A CORRESPONDENT.]
Taipeh, 9th March.
The absorbing topic of the day is the Formosan Loan Bill, which has now been passed by the Diet. The 42 million yen desired for the con- straction of a railway to the south, harbour works, and other improvements has been cut down to 35,60 1,000 yen. Dr. Goto, Formosan Civil Chief, whose stay in Tokyo on this missiou has extended over half a year, has exerted his best endeavours and urged the necessity of improvements by interviewing Ministers and delivering speeches at social gatherings. At first opposition in the Lower House was seem. ingly slight and we here little doubted but that the money would be forthcoming. A few days back, however, the situation took on a different aspect and telegrams arriving from Tokyo were sufficiently discouraging to create considerable excitement among the Japanese population in the city, officials and merchants alike.
Two days ago the Japanese municipality suddenly met and wired to Tokyo a resolution stating that should the Loan Bill not pass the Diet the prospect would be so discouraging that Japanese merchants and colonists in general would think seriously of leaving the Island. To-day, however, there is a general feeling of satisfaction. The Bill has passed the Dist and we are now to have a railway through the Island and other much needed improvements.
No details have yet been received as to how large a vote the Bill received. Doubtless its opponents in the Diet believed that the affairs in the Island and the prospect of increased re- venue were not sufficiently bright to warrant such extensive works as those proposed.
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
we are unable to ascertain, but it is stated that some weeks ago two Japanese surveyors were killed a few miles up the Tamsui river from | Taipeh by banditti who had formerly been par- doned by the Government. No word of this, however, appeared in the Government journal.
Leaving the fate of the Loau Bill behind, Go- vernor General Baron Kodama left Kelung a few days ago for a visit to the Pescadores, where new fortifications are to be erected, the funds having recently been granted by the Diet.
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[March 18, 1899.
The stamp revenue last month was $35,948, being an increase of $9,696 on the amount col- lected in the corresponding month last year. The principal increase occurs under the head. of probate.
*
Å small lot of Crown land at Deepwater Bay was sold on Monday by public)auction. The lot contains 10,320 square feet and was bought by Messrs. Shewan, Tomes & Co., for the Green Island Cement Co., for $541.
On 15th March a plot of Crown land, immeasuring 5,000 square feet and situate on the Peak Road, was sold by public auction, Mr. John Lemm, architect, being the purchaser. The price paid was $1,000, being $400 above the upset price. The annual rent is $34, and the term 75 years.
There is in the Diet another Bill of much portance to the Island. It is the camphor mo nopoly scheme. The Government intends to purchase directly from producers all the camphor tarned out in the Island and sell it either in crude or refined form. It is expected to gain from this source a revenue of one million yen per
annum.
The Plagne epidemio is assuming large proportious, 17 cases in Tainan and two cases in Tamsui (Hobe) having been reported for the two days of the 4th and 5th instant.
The Arm of Mourilyan, Heiman & Co. has lately secured commodious quarters here with the intention of engaging in te and general business, and Mr. H. W. S. Edmunds, late of Osaka, agent for several large American manu- facturers, has during the month established him. self here as a general commission merchant.
Mr. Von Varchmin, the Acting German Consul here, leaves in a few days to take charge of the Swatow Consulate during the absence of Mr. Streich, who will go bome on leave. It is believed that Mr. Zimmerman, at present Vice- Consul at Shanghai, will take charge of the Tamsni Consulate.
Rumour here has it that the news of the capture of Koshan, a town in the southern extremity, by the insurgents at the close of the last year resulted in a loss of confidence in the present Formosan Government. The Autho rities here.support a Government organ and there is some doubt expressed as to whether the|| difficulties in the Island are always fully re- presented there. How far the story is correct
HONGKONG,
The U.S. monitor Monadnock arrived from
Mauila on 14th March.
H.M.S. Brisk. the ́Archer's relief, arrived on Sunday from Singapore.
A call of $1 per share has been made by the Punjom Mining Co., Limited.
There were 2,388 visitors to theity Hall Museum last week, of whom 186 wars Europeans. It is notified in the Gazette that Inspector W. Robertson has been appointed an Inspector of Nuisances.
The Governor's assent to the Ordinance to amend and consolidate the law relating to Prisons is notified in the Gazette.
The death rate last month was, for the British aud Foreign community, civil population, 25.5, and for the Chinese community 17.1.
Sergeant Scott has been appointed Acting Inspector, the appointment to date from March 4th, when Inspector Baker commenced his learo. Rear Admiral and Mrs. Swinton Holland will not leave by this mail as arranged, in conse- quence of the indisposition of Mrs. Holland.
Mr. E. Goetz has joined the Court of Direc tors of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank in place of Mr. Beurmanu, who has left the colony.
The search lights of the men-of-war were in practice on Tuesday night, with very fine effects both on the Hongkong and Kowloon sides of the harbonr.
A large supply of copper coin was received by the P. & O. steamer Tientsin. This should relieve the scarcity that has of late sent copper cents to a premium.
Early on Saturday the steamer Chittagong, which left the barbour on the 7th inst, returned with her bottom damaged through touching on the Pratas Shoal.
The maximum temperature last month was 74.5, on the 11th, and the minimum 47.6, on the 6th, the mean for the month being 59,6. The rainfall amounted to 2.205 inches.
We hear that steps are being taken for the formation of a Public Company to take over the Peak Hotel and Craigieburn. $350,000 is mentioned as the probable capital.
The new steam road roller may now be seen on the Praya reclamation near the Hongkong Club, apparently ready for work. It is quite a natty little affair," neat but not grudy.”
Messrs. Lütgeus, Einstmann & Co.. General Agents of the Great Eastern and Caledonian Gold Mining Co., Limited, inform us that they have received the following telegram from their manager at the mines:-
240 tons, 115 ounces, and 3 tons concentrates,
The Straits Insurance Co., Limited, has de- cided to issue 30,000 preference shares of $10. each. It is also proposed to reduce the present shares from $100 with $20 paid up to $90 with $10 paid up so that the nominal capital and the liability on the ordinary shares will remain the same as hitherto.
On 14th March Major-General Gascoigne held a general inspection of the Royal Welch Fusiliers, all the companies-eight in number
being present. The men, who were in full dress, looked very smart and apparently gave general satisfaction. The parade, in which the regimental goat took part, attracted a good number of spectators.
Among the public works projected is, we hear, the formation of a road along the Pok. fulam Conduit, in the same style as the Bowen Road. This would form a pleasant promenade and would open up a number of desirable building sites. In connection with the pro- jeated road running by High West and down in the direction of Richmond Road the Pokfulam Conduit Road would also give an alternative meaus of access to the Peak.
On the 13th March Mr. J. J. Francis, Q.C., ́ delivered a lecture at the City Hall. under the auspices of the Odd Volumes Society, on "The strength and weakness of England." The Hon. T. H. Whitehead occupied the chair, and amongst the large audience present were H E. the Governor and H.E. Major-General Gas- coigue. Mr. Francis's lecture was in large part a reply to the lecture delivered by Colonel Elsdale last week. Mr. Francis did not agres with Colonel Elsdale that the British nation was more vulgar than other natious, nor that it was deficient in imagination. The cause of the weakness in dealing with the various questions of foreign policy to which Colonel Elsd le had alluded was, he said, want of knowledge, and not want of imagination, and he recommended to his bearers, as he did in a lecture last year, a close study of Seeley's “Expansion of Eng. land." The reason the British were disliked by other nations was, he suggested, the national self-complacency and arrogance resulting from the accomplishment of great deeds. He also roferred to the system of party government as a cause of weakness in foreign policy. One of the principal strong poiuts to which he alluded was the equal administration of justice, not only as between man and man, but as between the executive and the individual --Colonel Elsdale, Lieut. Hobson. U.S N., and Mr. Granville Sharp each spoke on the topics raised by Mr. Francis. Lieut. Hobson's remarks were to the effect that the strength of the Anglo-Saxon race lay in the fact that the Auglo-Saxon was a hard working man. In all the industries, arts, aud sciences, there was a vast muss of accumulated knowledge that had to be mastered before progress could b · made, and it was in the' tenacity of the Anglo-Saxon in sticking to his work that the secret of his success lay. He illustrated this by a reference to the contrast between the activity which prevailed on the Am- erican ships when the outbreak of the recent war was anticipated and the supineness that prevailed in the Spanish fleet. In the former the men worked all day without a murmur, getting up coal and putting it back again, protecting weak points around the guns by coal bags and sand bags, and practising every possible movement, and then worked far into the night prac tising with the electric light, whereas on the Spanish ships the ordinary drill was gone through in the same perfunctory manner as in ordinary times. -Votes of thanks to the lecturer and to the chairman brought the meeting to a close.
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