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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
Mr. OSBORNE spoke against the proposition. He said that as the Vice-President had pointed out, if they disturbed these people they were running the risk of carrying the infection to other areas. Therefore it was better for the moment to let them remain where they were. But in any case, if this overcrowding existed he did not think they ought to have it brought home to them by a recurrence of plague. Thoy ought to have found it out before. Their inspectors ought to have told them about it, and they could have taken steps at the time. He thought it was quite right they should do something, but he did not think they should do it now, and he proposed as an amendment that this matter be reconsidered three months hence. The Hon. R. D. ORMSBY seconded, and the amendment was carried, the mover and seconder and the Vice-President and Mr. Brewin voting
the launch reached Kamchuck Rapids, and when a certain signal was given the pirates were able to swarm over the launch and take everything in their own hands. They were all armed and apparently resistance would have been useless. One party took possession of the main deck and the other of the upper deck. The captain was ordered to steer in the direc tion of Kongmoon. He did so, and on arriv ing there the pirates found some of their con. federates awaiting them with a couple of light- ers and sampuns. The sampaus set out for the. launch and the pirates got into them and made off, having previously told the captain he could go. The Wa On is a large launch-some 178 foot long-and can go at the rate of 12 knots an hour. The wonder is, therefore, that it did not strike the captain to run the pirates down, as he could easily have done so when they were in the sampans. He, however, made his way at once The Hon. R. D. ORMSBY said that plans for to Canton, which is six hours' steaming away, the alteration of two-storey houses into four-and reported the matter there. In the meau. storey houses came into him almost every day. time the pirates got clear away. There is no He added that he got a notable one the other truth in the story about the Sandpiper coming day and he had brought it down with him, up with them. Mr. Ormsby pointed out to his colleagues what could be done under the present law in this respect.
for.
On the motion of Dr. CLARK, seconded by the VICE-PRESIDENT, it was decided to forward the draught bye-law road by Dr. Clark to the Gorerument for the advice of the law officers of Crown as to its legality.
Mr. OSBORNE, while ready to support Dr. Clark's purposal, said it seemed to him they were merely adding bye-law to bye- law and only tampering with the subject. Some six months ago, after they had experienced three or four outbreaks of plague, they arrived at the conclusion that they must do something. A Commission sat and reported. Bye-laws were drafted and there was a good deal of talk all round the colony, and here they were after the fifth outbreak of plague and very little done. This bye-law if it passed into law might effect something, but he should like to see the Sanitary Board pressing the matter home on the Government too. It was their business to do so, and keep pegging away until something was done. The Bill which was sent up six months ago had been lost sight of apparently, as far as they were concerned. It might have been too drastic in its requirements, but still even if at wore it might have effected something, and he should like to move that the Government be asked to state what was being done in connection with this. Bill.
Mr. BELWIN seconded and the motion was
carried.
This was all the business.
PIRACY ON THE WEST RIVER. A BRITISH STEAMER HELD UP.
HOW THE CHINESE TURPEDO BOATS ARE
EMPLOYED.
Information has been received that Messrs. Banker and Co.'s s.s. Wo. On was held up on 22nd May last at Kamchuck, on the West River, cargo being taken and passengers robbed to the extent of $7,000. There are three Chi- nese torpedo boats on the river to assist the Sandpiper to suppress piracy. One of them passed the Wo On while the latter had her flag flying reversed bat took not the slightest notice of her. The captains on the West River report that these torpedo boats do nothing but tow junks up and down from port to port, and as they get their coal gratis from the Govern- ment they make a nice squeeze for themselves. In the evenings they make a practise of anchor- ing in the creeks and becoming for the nonce flower boats, being crowded with singing girls. FURTHER DETAILS,
We have been able to glean some further de- tails as to the case of piracy which took place on the West River on Monday of last week, when Messrs. Banker and Co.'s steamer the Wa On was taken possession of by a party of pirates who had embarked as passengers and money and goods to the value of $7.000 taken.
It seems that many of the passengers were women who had considerable sums of money on their persons. The engine-room doors and the doors leading to the passengers' quarters were not shut, as they should have been, when
A STEAM LAUNCH IN DIFFI- CULTIES.
A PROVIDENTIAL ESCAPE, On Saturday the steam launch Lacsan, which left Hongkong on Wednesday morning of last week auder Captain Taylor for Iloilo, returned to the harbour in a battered condition, being towed by the Chan Tung.
It was about half-past five in the morning when the Lacean left Hongkong, and she sighted the Waglan Light at ten minutes to seven, when the captain set his course. About half-an-hour afterwards Captain Taylor found he was making water fast and that the pipes had began to choke, and he accordingly steered for Taitam Channel. At 10-30 he made fast to a junk and a new bilge pipe was put in. At 4 p.m. the launch proceeded on her way. At 8 p.m. the sea began to rise and a freshening breeze came from the north-east. At midnight, there being still a heavy swell, the launch shipped a lot of water. The following morning the sails were set with a view to steadying the lanach, but they soon had to be taken in again. Then the water commenced to rush into the engine-room, and this caused the crew to refuse to proceed any further. The engineer informed the Captain that the pumps, which up to now had been kept steadily at work, had giren ont and could not be repaired. Then the feed pipe became choked, and it was decided to return to Hongkong.
At that time the launch was in latitude 20-50 N. and longtitude 1152 E., and it was subsequently found that she was within 20 miles of the typhoon, of which He warning had been given in Hongkong.
At about 4-30 on the morning of the 26th the launch reached Tankam Head. Water was rushing into the engine room and the fires had been extinguished, the bottom of the boiler also threatening to fall out. In this dilemma the Captain sent a boat in charge of the chief however, came on to Hongkong. mate to Waglan Light for assistance. The boat,
In the meantime the Lacsan continued, to struggle home, and soon the Chang Tung hove in sight and asked if any assistance was required. Captain Taylor said no, but about ten minutes afterwards the bottom of the boiler gave out, and the Chang Tung was immediately called back and towed the disabled launch into Hong- kong.
June 3, 1899.
excellent, that they worked most under most trying circumstances, and upon an cheerfully occasion when there was not the prospect of actual fighting, to incite them to individually overcome the difficulties and hardships with which they were surrounded.
STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE OF CAPTAIN MUNCUR.
PEARED SUICIDE. Atabont eight o'clock on Wednesday morning the Indo-China Company's steamer Fausang arrived in the harbour flying a fag half- mast high. She was boarded by the police and an explanation asked for. Chief Officer T. A. Mitchell theroupon stated that the Fausarg, which had come from Java, anchored the previous evening off Waglan: Early on Wednesday morning he found in his cabin a are unable to give the contents of the note in note addressed to him by Captain Moncur. We full. but in this note the captain said he had gone over board and gave certain directions as to the settlement of his affairs. A thorough search of the ship was at ouce instituted, but nowhere could, the captain be found, and accord ingly the vessel was brought on to Hongkong without bim and the strange affair was reported.
of
Captain Moncur 42 years
was
well-known in the colony.
age and was
COLLAPSE OF VERANDAIS IN- QUEEN'S ROAD CENTRAL.
TWO MEN KILLED AND TWO INJURED,.
The danger to which the public of Hongkong scattered about the city has been forcibly are exposed from the many jerry buildings brought to the front by an accident which occurred iu Queen's Road Central on Tuesday evening resulting in the death of two China- men and serious injury to two others.
At about half-past seven the second floor. verandabs of houses 311 and 313 (three-storey buildings) gave way and fell into the the verandahs below and the fronts of street with a loud crash, taking with them
the houses. Fong Ling Cheung, who Was visiting at 318, and Mong Ki Mi, who lived at this address, were sitting writing on the second floor verandah and both were killed, one being buried beneath the debris in the street and the other going no further than the verandah below. Another man named Yan.
Yik, an accountant, who was sitting near them, was seriously injured, as also was Wong Pong, who was on the verandah below.
Chief Detective Inspector. Hauson and In- spector Warnock were soon or the spot with a party of men searching among the debris, but the quantity of the latter was so great that it was not until one o'clock on Wednesday morning that the last man was brought out. When freed he stretched himself out to see whetherany bones were broken and essayed to stand, but found he was not able to do so. It was some time before he could be made to realise what had happened. He and the other injured man were taken to the Government Civil Hospital, whilst the bodies of the killed were removed to the Mortuary.
*
It is little short of a miracle that no passers- by were hurt. At this time in the evening Queen's Road Central is crowded, and there is also a ricksha stand opposite the houses in question. As it happened, however, there were no rickshas there at that time, nor does there
THE TROOPS AND THE RECENT appear to have been anyone passing just then.
OPERATIONS,
COMMENDATION BY THE GENERAL,
20th May, 1899-
The following appears Garrison Orders, dated
The General Officer Commanding wishes to express to all ranks under his command his hearty appreciation of the conduct of the troops during the recent operations in the New Territory. His Excellency fully recognizes the arduous work which the Troops were called upon to perform, and it has given him great pleasure to be able to report to the Commander in-Chief, that the conduct of all ranks was'
If there had been it is difficult to conceive how they could have escaped, with their lives, for the stones, bricks, and timber completely blocked the road. Some of the stones are of great weight.
No one making an inspection of the premises andahs do not appear to have built into the can wonder at what has happened, for the ver walls and the stays were by no means sufficient. There are no doubt other buildings similarly situated in the city, and in Queen's Road Central too, and it behoves the authorities to look into them ere other lives are lost by a like catas. trophe.
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