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CAPTAIN WINGATE'S JOURNEY.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
HONGKONG.
The second gymkhana of the season will be held on the Racecourse on Saturday, 17th Jane, There were 1,676 visitors to the City Hall Museum last weak, of whom 192 were Europeaus. The Eastern and Australian S.S. Company's new steamer Eastern arrived on the 20th May. The Italian cruiser Etna arrived on 22nd May from Europe, via Batavia, to join the Italian squadron on this station.
Captain Wingate skirted the new frontier of the Northern Shan States and the Kachin Captain Wingate. 14th Bengal Lancers, country to Bhamo, where he arrived on April 20, five mouths and twelve days from Hankow. brother of Sir Andrew Wingate, K. C. I. E., This seems un adventurous, not to say danger- and cousin of Sir Francis Wingate, of Egyptian ous, journey, but Captain Wingate makes very fame, has, as we have already chronicled, arrived light of it. He says that provided one sill em. in Rangoon, having successfully accomplished ploy only Chinese as assistants and servants. a long overland journey through China. and treat the Chinese as a civilised, peace. Captain Wingate left Peking about the time of loving people, there is little chance of meeting the recent coup d'etat and journeyed to Shang with real opposition. Of course, missionaries hai and thence up the Yangtze to Hankow, stand on a different footing, and their task is a visiting all the places of interest en route. At mnoh harder ons in China than that of the Hankow be was fortunate in having a most ordinary traveller. The two principal points interesting interview with Chang Chih-tang, of interest in this journey from a commercial China's greatest Viceroy Having completed point of view are, first, the poverty and diffe his preparations there for the long journey culties of railway construction in Yunnan, and through the little known and exceedingly anti-secondly, the wealth and enormous possibilities foreign province of Hunan, he set sail in a ua.
of Hunan, both in itself and as a highway of tive junk on November 8, being towed by ong the trade to Szechuan and Kueichon-Rangoon of the Viceroy's gunboats as far as Yochon, the Gazette. new open port on the Tungting Lake. Thence he proceeded by the Yuan river, following the route pursued in 1874 by Margary as far as Kueiyaugfu, The journey from Yochon to Kueiyangfu occupied two months and was a most interesting one. Hunanese, although at present hostile to missionaries, are an ex- tremely fine race of men, of China's hest blood, and are very energetic and intelligent. They boast that they alone of Chinamen have been unconquered by the Mauchus. The volume of trade with Hunan is enormous, as evidenced by the thousands of junks to be seen plying on the waters of the province, and some of the river scenery is described as very fine. On the route to Kasiyangfa, the capital of Kusiahou, Captain Wingate passed close to the scene of the mur. der of Mr. Fleming, one of the few British missionaries who have fallen victims of late gears to the Chinese anti-foreign feeling. By the way, Captain Wingate thins that the term should be "anti-foreigner," rather than "anti- foreign," for the great bulk of the Chinese are not opposed to many foreign methods and ous- toms, in fact, once they find out the value of these, they are quick to utilise them, but they prefer to reform China in their own way. Mr. Fleming was an extremely popular man among the Chinese, but the district where be was sent to work is a hot-bed of intrigue against mis- sionaries. Ample satisfaction has been obtain ed by the British Minister for this outrage. On the high road going East towards Yun- nan there is a cousiderable volume of trade, but it is almost solely opium that is carried. In Kueichou and Yunnan, opium is the principal and, indeed almost the only export; it is opium, practically nothing but opium. Every man carries a sword and an opiam pipe slung across his back.
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H.M.S. Powerful, which is to be relieved at Manila by the Grafton, is expected to leave for Hongkong on the 29th instant.
We understand that Agoncillo, whom Agui- naldo has designated his High Commissioner and Plenipotentiary, has returned to Hongkong. The provisional appointment of Mr. J. J Keswick to be an unofficial member of the Executive and Legislative Councils is gazetted. It is notified by advertisement that the colony is again to be put on short allowance of water, from this date, in the absence of further rain- fall.
The Postmaster-General (Commander Has. tings) has decided to close the Western Post Office in consequence of the shroff and clerk falling victims to the plague,
On 1st May Sergeant McHardy and a body of Indian and Chinese police went to the Island of Lantau, Deputy Superintendent Baddeley accompanying them.
It is notified in the Gazette that Mr. J. J. B. Heemskirk has been recognised as in temporary charge of the Netherlands Consulate General during the absence of Mr. Havre Droeze.
It is notified in the Gazette that the appoint- ment of Commander W. C. H. Hastings, R.N. (Retired) to be Postmaster-General, has been approved by the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
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May 27, 1899.
H.M,S. Grafton arrived from Weihaiwei on 25th May. She leaves again in a few days to relieve the Powerful at Manila.
On Saturday evening, 20th May, about eight o'clock, Mr. Bodemeyer had the good fortune to kill a splendid badger, measuring about 4 feet from snout to tail, in Lower Castle Road. The
anniinal was siting at the side of the road when Mr. Bodemeyer saw it and rushing up to it got in a blow with an umbrella which stunned it as it was darting away. Badgers are common on the hillside, but it is unusual for them to venture down amongst the houses.
Messrs. Jarding Matheson & Co., General Managers of the Indo-China Steam Navigation Co., Limited, inform us that they are in receipt of a telegram from the Head Office in London stating that at the annual general meeting of shareholders to be held on the 8th June the Directors will recommend a dividend of 6 per cent, and a bonas of 2 per cent. for the year 1898, both free of income tax, and to carry for ward £19,000. The balance at credit of under- writing account on 31st December; 1898, was £135,000.
Referring to the accounts of the District Watobman's Faud, the Acting Registrar. General, in his annual report says:-anton subsidiary coinage now stands at a discount of a little over 2 per cent., and cansea a loss on exchange of $74.81. Only 7 per cent. of the subscriptions paid in subsidiary coins is paid in a Hongkong coins. This probably represents the notual ratio of the two classes of coin in circulation. There is no reason to believe that Canton coins are "forced on the collector. The | sum paid in each instance is small and the shop- man pays the first coins that come to his hand in the till.
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Sport and Gossip says:-Sportsmen will re- grot to hear that during last week Mr. Hope- ful's Fenesei had to be destroyed owing to that fatal disease glanders. His first bow to the public was made in Hongkong in February last year when he won the Happy Valley Derby. In the Garrison Cup on the second day of the Meeting he was beaten a head by Queensberry, but the day after he made up for his defeat by winning the Champions. In the spring of 1898 here he was placed third in the Ladies' Purse and in the autumn of the same year second in the autumn Cup, the only occasion upon which he has troubled the judge in Shanghai. “The best go first" seems to apply in some cases as regards pony flesh.
At the Magistracy on 23rd May an Indiamoon- stable, No. 633, was charged with assaulting a Chinese boy, who appeared with a bruise over his right eyebrow which the boy said was caused by the constable striking him with his stick. Two soldiers saw the assault committed' and gave the constable into the custody of another constable. The latter remarked to them "He policeman," "Never mind whether he is; take him to the Central Police Station," said they, and hey followed him to see that he took him there. On the application of Mr.Dick-Melbourne, who appeared for defendant, the case was ad- journed until Thursday. It was stated that defendant has been in the Police Force for about 11 years.
From Kueiyangfu Captain Wingate took the southern of the two routes to Yaunanfu, that is. the high road in China's prosperous On 23rd May P. S. Sullivan arrived from Ma- days. Compared to Hunan and the rich pro. cao with a Chinaman named Wong Shui, who is vinces of the Yangtze valley, Kueichou and wanted for stealing gold leaf of the value of Yunnan are as a desert country, and they seem $65. The gold leaf was entrusted to bin by to attract all the unfer-do-wells in China. At his employer, aud the man cleared off with it. Yunnan the traveller was again fortunate, Numbers of people have visited Kowloon the first British officer to be thus honoured, walled city doing the past few days. H.E. the in being granted an interview with the Governor and Lady Blake were thers on 22nd Viceroy of those two provinces-a Manchu | May The Welch Fusiliers returned to Hong- Colonel R. B. Mainwaring, Acting Command. of most pleasing manners and address. kong yesterday, about 5 men of the Honkong ant, Hongkong Volunteer Corps, has addressed From Yunnan Captain Wingate proceeded in | Regiment taking their place.
the following letter to employers having Volun- the direction of the Kunlon Ferry by a routə We are informed by Me-sra. Tutgens, Einst-teers in their employ:-1 should like to place nover previously traversed by a Europan, not maun & Co.. General Agents of the Great on record the gratification it gave the Military · even by a missionary, and it is extremely dif- Eastern and Caledonian Gold Mining Co., Authorities on May 16th to find bow promptly ficult, outside the province of Húnan, to find Limited, that a telegram has heen received the Employers of labour responded to the any part of China where these energetic from the mines stating that 18 tous of quarts call for Volunteers for duty in the dis poineers have not been. He was proven- from the Bank of England Mine were crushed turbed district, notwithstanding the incon
venience and even loss that must have been ted passing through the Wa country by the yielding 55 oz. of gold. tribesmen, anʻl he marched along the new
occasioned. It will be. of course, well under- frontier now in course of settlement. He met
stood that such a call is and can only the northern party of the Boundary Commission
made when necessity arises-the greatest care and was not sorry, after more than five months
being taken not to interfere with the industries of more or less solitary travelling, to spend
of the Colony. In this case the Garrison was three days of well-earned rest with them in
so reduced that without the services of the the hills to the north of the Kuulon Ferry,
Hongkong Volunteer Corps it is possible that The work of the Commission, as we have re-
the expedition which was so successfully carried corded from time to time, is proceeding smoothly Last year amongst the British and foreign out would have to have been delayed till the and rapidly under its present chief and his able community there were 241 births, of which 140 Troops returned from the Frontier. In thank- staff. The party will probably soon braak up were boys and 103 girls. The rate per thon-ing you most heartily for the support you gave and be back in Bhamo by the middle of May. sand was 15.9. Amongst the Chinese commu- There still remains to be settled the tract of nity there were 963 births, of which 592 were country lying between the Kunlon Ferry and boys and 371 girls, the rate per thousand being the Kongtung frontier, and this will probably 4. The death rate was, for the British and be the most troublesome section of the frontier. foreign community, 19.18, and for Chinese From Malipa, the Tawnio of the English maps, community, 22.8.
A
The following appears in the Garrison Orders dated 13th May: On the recommendation of the Commander-in-Chief, the Secretary of State for War has appored of Lieut. Colouel and Bravet-Colonel R. B. Mainwaring being granted an extention of 12 months, from 1st July, 1899, in his period of command of 2nd Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers.
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on the occasion, I am sure you cannot but be satisfied that the existence of the Corps is a vital necessity to the Colony, and you will have been pleased at the way the Volunteers turned out and the excellence of their behaviour during the whole of a somewhat trying affair.
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