May 27, 1899.1
A CURIOUS REPORT.
RI TURNING THE CAPTURED CHINESE
MEN- F-WAR.
A oarious report is current in Japanese circles to the effect that, as most of the Japanese men-of-war ordered from Europe and America are now completed and have been brought out to Japan, the Government proposes to return to China all the war-ships captured in the late war and thus assist in re-establishing the Chinese Navy. It is added that naval men almost unanimously approve of the proposal.
If this is really done, it would be the first occasion in history, as far as we can recoliect, that a victorious nation has voluntarily returned vessels captured in warfare. Even the children of Israel did not return the jewels of silver and jewels of gold which they "borrowed" from the Egyptians before leaving the laud of bond- age, though perhaps the parallel will hardly hold good, as according to the story told in Exodus the chosen people on that occasion cer- tainly did not escape because of their success in open warfare.-Kobe Chronicle.
THE EMPEROR AT YOKOHAMA.
PRESENTATION OF ADDRESS.-SPEECH BY HIS MAJESTY.
Yokobama, May 9th, 6.10 p.m. The Emperor reached Yokohama at 10 o'clock, accompanied by Prince Kanin, Viscount Tanaka (Minister of the Imperial Household), Marquis Tokudaiji (Lord Chamberlain), Vis- count General Okazawa, and Baron Sannomiya, when his Majesty was met by the Consular Body and the Committee, The address was presented by Messrs. Mitchell and Robison, and in reply his Imperial Majesty said: We have received your address with much satisfaction. We thank you for your cordial welcome, and hope the commeros between Japan and all foreign countries will be further developed." The Emperor wu8 accompanied by an escort of Lancers. The streets
were decorated
and the Bund quite transformed. Salutes were fired by H.B.M.'s warship Bafleur and the Japanese warships Akitsushima. Ya shima and Hashidate. His Imperial Majesty left at 5 o'clock.
[We learn from Japanese papers that at the grand stand on the race-course, his Majesty received in audience the Foreign Ministers and their wives and the British Admiral and others, His Majesty returned to Tokyo by a special train at 4.30 p.m. from Yokohama.]-Kobe Chronicle.
THE SENSATIONAL CASE AT SHANGHAI.
Shanghai. 15th May. Well might the unfortunate Chinese actor, Kor Chay-ynen, exclaim "Oh! save me from my friends. As we expected when the Muni. cipal Council made the blunder of interfering in what did not concern them in the slightest, by intervening in a purely Chinese drams, the whole brunt has been laid on the back of the luckless and amorous actor who has had to bear the "White man's burden" with a vengeance on that part of the human form divine which in China is ascred to bamboo. Since he was sent into City on Friday by the Mixed Court for further trial before the Chehsien and the Mixed Court Magistrate, he has had a very bad time indeed, and instead of the advocacy of his case by the Council and his lawyer doing him any good the erstwhile shiuing light of the Chinese theatrical world, has been brought within a measurable distance of sudden and painful death. His re- trial began yesterday afternoon at 4 o'el ck, in the Chehsien's yameu, before that official aud the Mixed Court Magistrate, the latter of whom took by far the most active part in the proceedings, and evinced the utmost engerness to lay it on the wretched actor thick and heavy. A dense mass of people, numbering fully 2,000, crowded into the building. A Chi- nese gentleman who was present has given
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
413
still at its disposal for improvements. The The Committee has a good sum Rev. W. Deans was selected Secretary, and Mag
Him Shan (agent for Messrs. Jardine, Mathe- son & Co.) was elected Treasurer. A Commit- tee was appointed to draw up a Vonstitution for what is to be called the Local Improvements Association.
day. not satisfied with this, wanted Kor Chay- | ing, which is a serious defect, considering the yaen to confess to several other things, and at narrow and tortuous channels of this upper last in a towering rage ordered the actorto re- river. ceive 2,000 blows of the bamboo. This terrible sentence was immediately carried out with re-chang Local Improvements Committee was On Saturday afternoon, a mesting of the lentless severity, the Magistrate, who apparently held in H.B.M's Consulate, Mr. Holland, at first suspected that the lictors were not lay, Consul, in the Chair, The Accounts for ing it ca bard enough, stood up in his seat and 1898 were laid before the meeting and ap. personally directed the operations, pointing proved. out where the blows should be laid and telling the runners to turn," their victim "round" more than once. The Inckless actor was soon reduced to an insensible condition and the flesh literally toru from his thighs and the backs of his legs. When he fainted he was soused with water and so resored to consciousness when the flagellation was again resumed till the full number of strokes was reached. He was by this One by the prefect dealing with the late execu- Several proclamations have been issued lately. tima reduced to a helpless, bleeding mass, in- tions, and exhorting the people to obedience, capable of motion and so was dragged away like and good behaviour; ons by the Vice-Governor a vanquished bull from the arena. The giddy against the kidnapping of women and girls. concubine was then brought in and questioned Ichang dose not bear a good name in this res as to why she had gone wroug with the pect. Women and girls are carried away into actor, to which she answered that it was because Hunan and sold as slaves or secondary wires. of a "certain weakness," which the Magistrate Another proclamation is issued by the Provin there and then avowed his intention of curing cial Judge calling upon the local officials to after his own fashion. After consulting with make full enquiries into all suicides. So many the Chelsien he ordered the lady also to be
are caused by oppression and ill usage. The flogged. The number of blows prescribed was
Empress Dowager has also issued what the 500. They were laid on her shoulders for people call a Teng Hwang. It deals with the which purpose she was stripped, and even the relieving from taxation of the people if the the unusual spectacle of a woman being bam-reference to native Christians and theit, treat- byestauders, hardened as they are, grow sick of
crops should fail, and the latter part has special booed. She was then sent away to the Sinza ment by officials and people Refuge, while the male prisoner was thrown into the Chehsien's prison. It is reported to- day that he will be sentenced to straugulation.
-China Gazette.
#7
The N. C. Daily News of the 19th May says:- The sensational stories that have been cir- culated about the treatment of the actor Kao Mixed Court are enormously exaggerated There Chai-yuen since his recent appearance in the is no doubt that he had a good beating, but it was not more than prisoners get every day at the Mixed Court who are condemned to 500 blows. He was ordered nomiually, to receive 2,000 blows, but it is rule in summer to deduct down to 1,600 blows, and his friends were twenty per cent. which brought his sentence able to make arrangements to ensure a further who had a long interview with him yesterday, very much larger reduction. From a foreigner and who is personally acquainted with him, we quite reasonably treated, while there is nothing learn that he is in a comfortable room and is in his appearance to indicate s.ffering. He has a plaster on the back of each thigh, not more than four inches in depth covering the beaten part, he is quite free from pain and he stated himself that he expected to be perfectly well in two or three days, when he will probably be sent away to his native place, and receive no further punishment.
THE OPENING OF SAMSAH,
INCREASED CUSTOMS DUTIES.
+1
11
The Ostasiatische Lloyd issued on 15th May the following extra.' We learn that a hulk has been sent up to Santu from Foochow for the temporary residence of the Customs staff :- "The port of Santu in the Bay of Samsah has been opened by the Chinese Government as a treaty port. By proclamation of the Viceroy at Foochow an additional duty of 2 per cent. is to be levied. It is expected that the treaty powers will not submit to this arbitrary step taken by the Chinese Government.
ICHANG.
8th May.
3
port, an event not often happening in our small To-day there are four merchant steamers in port. So much cargo is being brought up that junks cannot be procured fast enough to ship it on to the West before the river rises. We have had several days of heavy rain. The heat had been almost overp wering, but the rain Daily News correspondeut, cooled the weather and we were glad,—N. C.
JAPANESE LAR UKERS FOR
QUEENSLAND,
WARNING TO THE JAPANESE CONSUT...
Tokyo, 17th May.
Townsville, dated the 16th inst., says:—Sixteen A telegram from the Japanese Consul at Japanese who landed at Thursday Island on passports (issued by the Japanese authorities) the 17th April from the Futami maru, carried
for travel for commercial purposes, but all of them were found to be labourers. A note addressed by the Premier of Queensland to the Japanese Consul, contained a statement that should the Japanes Government fail to exercise a more effective. control over the departure of labourers for Queensland, his Government would be obliged to adopt measures for the restriction of the landing of all Japanese."
Sabsequently thirty-nine Japanese by.. the Yawata-mara, who carried passports for com- mercial travel, landed at Thurs (ay Island. and of this number fifteen were booked for Town- they have also been found to be labourers. Ont sville and Brisbane, but only two were allowed. to land, the remaining thirteen being refused permissison.
.
If Japanese labourers continue to proceed to Australia without previously obtaining the permission of the Australian Governments, the result will be that the immigration of Japanese will be put a stop to altogether.-Kobe Chronicle translation,
WRECK OF THE “.
“SELKIRK.”
TOTAL 1089 NEAR MINDORO, The new Japanese steamer Tuiyuen arrived
The Nova Scotian sailing ship Selkirk which here on Sunday evening at 7 o'clock. It had left here a few days ago, has been wrecked on been expected for some days. Crowds of Chi- the coast of Mindoro, a large island in the nese lined the Bund to see it come in. Boats put southern Philippines. The Selkirk was com- off-small and big-firing off several thousand manded by Captain Crowe She was disting- orackers as a welcome and for good luck. As uished as being. if we mistake not the first the cargo boats put off this morning for the vessel on which a Protestant baptism ever do. cargo again there was a waste of gunpowder.cured in Manila harbour, as was reported in the good cargo of between 4,000 and 5,00 packages. The Keilee is in port, and the two steamers are very much alike, the Taiyuen being broader in beam but shorter. It is reported she has much difficulty in steer-
anan account of the proceedings, which We hear the new steamer has brought up a Manila Times of the 3rd instant. After taking
appear to have been conducted by the Mixed Court Magistrate with the most vehement bias towards the prisoner. The latter, it will be remembered, admitted his guilt in the Mixed Court but the Magistrate, yast er-
in
a full cargo of hemp sabe sailed from this port on the 9th instant for Boston. No details have been received showing how the wreck cams about. The value of her cargo may be estim- ated at about $400,000.—Manila Times.
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