April 29, 1899.]
to the sinking as far as possible of national and class distinctions and differences rather than to their voluntary multiplication. There are
not sufficient Irishinen or Welshmen to form special units of their own, and a decision to base the organisation on national distinctions might exclude many, and conceivably lead to the break up of the Corps after the first flush of en- thusiasm bad subsided. Mr. ANDERSON'S appeal is directed only to those Scots who are not already Volunteers, but if a distinctively Scottish unlt be formed, it is probable that many, possibly the majority of the Scottish members of the Field Battery and Maxim Gun Company would apply for a transfer, with a corresponding weakening of the units to which they at present belong. We
e are incliue to think that the case is one in which the greatest strength will be found in unity. On the other haud, it may be urged that division into separate units cor- responding to the divisions of the British Isles would lead to a healthy rivalry con- ducive alike to au increase of numbers and a keener striving after efficiency. The -point is a debateable one, and it would be well that the pros and cons should be care- fully weighed before any defiuite step is
taken.
LIGHTS ON PRIVAT: CHAIRS.
(Daily Press, 25th April.) Mouday next is the date fixed for the coming into operation of the law requiring private chairs to carry lights after the hour of sunset. If, however, the Government endeavours to enforce the law it will cover itself with ridicule, and as there is no- thing officials 'dislike more than to be laughed at we may assume either that the attempt will not be made or, if it is, that the law will very shortly be allowed to fall into abeyance. Seeing how brilliantly our streetsare now illuminated at night, to compel persons proceeding on foot to carry lights is little less absurd than it would be to compel them to carry flags in the day time. Chair traffic of course rauks with foot traffic, and how little occasion there is for the carrying of lights is proved by the fact that no record can be found of any single accident caused by the absence of lights on chairs, Recent occurrences must have convinced the Governor that the body of advisers by whom he is surrounded are not endowed with the gift of infallibility, and His Excellency would render a service not only to the public but to the Administration of which he is the head if in this matter he would condescend to exercise an indepen- dent judgment. His Excellency has been long enough in the colony to see for himself how ridiculous the new law is. In the nieantime, however, the owners of private chairs, to be on the safe side, had better provide themselves with lights.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
for the hinterland. The party, which is to be stationed at Un Toong, on the Deep Bay side of the peninsula, consisted of Sergeants Scott and McHardy, Constables Gerrard and Lamont, and 20 Indians.
DASTARDLY MURDER BY THE REBELS.
345
ger and his men, after a very severe fight, had was an important affair. When Captain Ber- driven the rebels out of Pat Heung Pass, Colonel The O'Gorman, who had been appointed to the command of the Kowloon Field Force, joined Captain Berger at Cheung Tsun. Atthree o'clock in the afternoon the Chinese advanced to attack the force at Piang Shan. As far as can be ascertained now that force was composed of the
MORE PARTICULARS OF THE BAT- force which Captain Berger had defeated the
TLE OF CHEUNG TSUN.
THE PRISONERS BEFORE THE
MAGISTRATE.
HOW THEY WERE CAPTURED.
26th April.
At the Magistracy yesterday morning the hinterland prisoners were brought before Mr T. Sercombe Smith to answer for their delin- quencies. Their names are Wan Hong Choi, who is a farmer, is 60 years of age, and hails from Lung Ah; Chung Cheung, agod 70, an aged 42, another farmer from the same place; other farmer, from Lam Tsun; Chung Shan, and Li To. age 39, a tinsmith from Am Ho village, Tung-kuu district.
Two charges were preferred against them. They were as follow:-
L. That they together with divers other evil.
disposed persons to the number of fifty and more. on the 17th day of April, 1899, being then armed with firearms and other offensive weapons, at Pat-benug Pass, British Kowloou, in this Colony, unlawfully, riotously and routously did assemble and gather together to disturb the peace, and being so assembled and gathered together armed as aforesaid, did then and there unlawfully riotously and routously make a great noise, riot and disturbance, and did then and there remain and continue armed as aforesaid, making such uoise, riot and disturbance for the space of an hour and more then next following to the great disturbance and terror not only of the liege subjects of Our Lady the Queen there being and residing, but of all other the liege subjects of Our said Lady the Queen then passing and repassing in and along the Queen's common highway there, in laws, to the evil example of all others in the contempt of Our said Ludy the Queen and her like case offending and against the peace of Our Lady the Queen, her crown and dignity,
1-That they on the 17th day of April, 899, being unlawfully assembled together and arrayed in warlike manner in a certain public street and highway situated in British Kowloon, in this Colony, unlawfully and to the great of our Lady the Queen then and there being terror and disturbance of divers liege subjects did make an affray in contempt of Our said Lady the Queen, and her laws, to the evil ex- ample of all others in the like case offending and against the peace of Our Lady the Queen, her crown and dignity,
Prisoner pleaded not guilty.
Arthur Leonard Barrett said-I am lieuten. inst. the rebels appeared at Taipohu. I ad- ant in the Hongkong Regiment. On the 17th vanced with a body of the Hongkong Regiment under Captain Berger. We drove the rebels as far as Pat Heung Pass, on the top of which they took up their position. We came into action again with them over the Pass, where they-scattered. The action at the Pass lasted from about 5 p.m. till a little after 6 p.m. When we got to the bottom height Goolistau, a AFFAIRS IN TH HINTERLAND. who I think is the third defendant as a prisoner member of the regiment, brought up a man and handed to me a German-made revolver and four loaded cartridges. The first defendant was also brought in by I think Havildar Jamra. Khan. The second and fourth defendants were
THE DISTURBANCE AT AN END.
24th April. So energetically has the work of dispersing the rebels been carried out since Monday last
that the disturbances in the hinterland are now practically over. Most of the men of the Hongkong Regiment have returned to Hong- kong, but some 300 troops have been left in the market town of Ping San, as of course it would not be safe to withdraw them all as yet. In this village were posted on some of the locked doors papers on which were written words to the effect that the village was friendly to the English.
On Saturday another party of police, in charge of Captain Superintendent May, loft
also brought in by men of the regiment. Next morning all four were sent as prisoners to Taipobu.
Captain Superintendent May said-I would ask your Worship to grant a remand for a week. I understand that two of the witnesses are a considerable distance up country.
His Worship-I will remand the cise for a week, and if you are ready to go on before that, which I think it is advisable to do, I shall do so.
The case
was then reminded till Tuesday, 2nd May, at 2.15 p.m.
bels at Cheang Tann on Tuesday of last week The encounter which took place with the re-
|
previous day—and which was probably a Taipo force-and forces from Kam Tin Loong, Piang Shan, and Ha Tsun. The forces from the two last-named villages were the forces which had occupied Castle Peak and fired on Mr. G. H. Potts and party the previous Sun- day. It was summoned from Castle Peak on the Tuesday morning to reinforce the other forces mentioned so as to join the attack on the British. The Chinese say that the rebels numbered no less than 2,600 men, and they were very confident of success. The fight, there- fore, was a very important one, because the two companies of the Hongkong Regiment had and there is no doubt that it was the crushing opposed to them the whole of the rebel force, defeat inflicted upon the latter which brought the campaign to such a speedy conclusion.
Here
The Chinese advanced in skirmishing order, covering a front of a mile and a half or two miles in extent. They showed the greatest courage, sticking to their guus and keeping up a heavy fire till two companies of the Hongkong Regiment, led by Captain Berger and Lieut- enant Barrett, assumed the offensive. the country is perfectly flat, intersected by a water-course and some broken ground, which afforded the Chinese good cover. Colouel The O'Gorman, Captain Berger, und Lieutenant Barrett are to be con gratulated on the decisive victory obtained)
victory which reflected the greatest credit on all concerned. The regiment was handled in a very able manner, and showed the greatest dash and steadiness under fire, soon dispersing the rebels when led forward by their officers, notwithstanding the pertinacity of those opposed to them.
There are now at Piang Shan a body of 27 Indian police (uader Acting Lispector Scott) Others of the troops are engagel in driving and a body of the Hongkong Regiment.
the rebels up north.
Shortly after the arrival of the troops at Piang Shan the widow of a Chinaman who resided in the Valley and who had undertaken to post up the proclamation of His Excellency the Governor, came into the camp, and com plained that her husband had been murdered at that when the man arrived in the village to Pang Shan on the 17th instant. It appeared post the proclamation he was set upon by a crowd of persons and severely beaten. He was then placed against a wall and fired at, his diabolical tormentors, however, with a view to prolonging his agony, taking care not to shoot him in any vital part. He was then put in a crate in which the Chinese carry pigs, thrown body being subsequently recovered by the troops. into the river, and drowned, the crate and the
SHANGHAI OPINION OF THE
KOWLOON TROUBLE.
Shanghai, 20th April. By some misfortune Sir Henry Blake has had to begin his career as Governor of Hongkong with a somewhat important matter that he has correspondent advises us, the public of the treated so mistakenly, that, as our Hongkong Colony are disgusted with the mismanagement of the whole affair. It has been very well- known in the Colony for some time that there Kowloon Extension. would be opposition to the taking over of the be expected; in every case of the kind Chin. It was indeed only to
use have to save their face,” by a show of opposition which is withdrawn if the proper measures are taken to repress it, but which grows rapidly if it is met with weakness. The initial mistake, and a very grave one, was made when the Governor, "in consequence of the obstruction offered by the Kowloon offici. als," posted off to Cantou to ask the Viceroy to afford military protection to the delimiting. party. In the first place, if the Governor Viceroy, custom demands that he should maką. had any communication to make to the
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.