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THE GROWTH OF HANKOW.
THE FOREIGN CONCESSIONS AND RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION.
[September 30, 1899,
-It is to be regretted that the prospects of the Winter Race Meeting are anything but bright. Foochow used to be able to make quite a respes- table show twice a year First the Spring Meeting diel from lack of interest and now it looks as though even the Winter races would not come off. Some attribute this to the very poor quality of the grifins sent last season from Shanghai, but perhaps smaller profits and the absence of such sportsmen as Mr. Consul Siem. ssen and Mr. Commissioner Edgar have a good deal more to do with it. If the present residents do not take an interest in horse racing or do not feel they have the money to throw away on it it is not to be wondered at that there should be indications of a collapse.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
the reorganisation of the Yangtze Valley, | guards turn green with envy. Whether they which England is so shy of foing, will shortly impressed Mr. Minister Conger or not it would fall into the hands of the au lacious Jap. be hard to say, but that they impressed the
Work on the northern railway is going on as natives there can be no doubt. usual. The road bed, as far as the borders of The Hankow correspondent of the N. C. Honan, is well advanced, but the bridges are Daily News writes under date of 15th Septem- still awanting. The rails are being laid, and it | ber
is expected that traius will be running from Hankow promises to become famous for its the seven-milk creek outwards by about the end concessions. It already has five, all in a row of the year. Some time must elapse before the -Finglish, Russian, French, German; and line can be brought to Hankow. There is the Japanese-and two more, an American and a Bel- difficulty of the seven-mile cre-k bridge, and a gian, are wanted. The new concessions do not more serious one still in the fact that a great seem to have harmed the English old one in the deal of the land on the railway route in the least, but quite the contrary. Property values vicinity of Hankow is claimed by French and are still rising, and a record figure was reached other foreigners. Of the forty engineers who the other day when the Railway Administration came out a short time ago to superintend the paid Tls. 31,500 for the site, on No. 1 road, construction of the road, upwards of a dozen on which Messrs. A. §. Watson and Co.'s hong are already on their way home again, victims stood before it was burnt. Two new hongs and of the climate and other discouragements. This, several godowns are going up, while the recently however, is not surprising when it is remembered acquired extension is being surveyed in order to that young men fresh from home are sent right mark out the roads. The most serious under- into the interior to live as best they can, through taking here will be to fill up the ground, not a Central Chins summer, without being able to with streets and houses, but with mad as a pre-speak a word to any one. If they knew Eng. liminary. The land by the Yangtze rises but a lish they would get on better, as English-speak- few inches above the summer level of the river, ing boys can alway be had, but the French and in high water seasons is, of course, inun edition of that indispensable factotum has not dated. The early residents raised the present yet been manufactured. settlement by digging mud out of what is now the new extension, leaving a large and varied selection of deep ponds and holes. These are now being filled up by digging a similar series out beyond the wall which, before very long, will have to be dealt with in the same way, as Hankow grow.
On the Russian Concession practically no. thing is being done. The only new erection there is Messrs. Jardine, Matheson and Co's fence which, right in the middle, encloses about a tenth of the whole. All the excitement about this fence has now died down, and there will be no further interference with it till arbitration has decided on the merits of the dispute. It seems a pity that there was no impartial anthority to which these land cases could have been referred at the first. That foreign officials should have it in their power to appropriate and dispose of other people's property, and at the same time be the only authority to which an appeal could be made against themselves, is hardly an arrangement which anyone could justify.
On the French concession great activity pre- vails. The streets have been laid out, and raised to an average height of five feet above the ground level. They have also been furnished with elegant names which appear on handsome enamelled plates sent fresh out from France-a striking contrast to the slow-going English- man's method, who, to this day, has never named his streets, but remains content with simply counting them, Upwards of twenty hongs and residences--many of them large and expensive buildings are already up and occupied, while others are being pushed forward with all speed. The owners of these properties belong to all nationalities, Chinese included, and the Grand Republic gives a bearty welcome to all who wish the protection of the tricolour.
The German concession contains, as yet, only number of large godowns connected with the oil, skin, and shipping business, but it promises to be an important place before long. In the thorough German way doing things; they are busy raising the whole area, and for this purpose have imported a tramway to bring the mud from a long way back. There will thus be no trouble from low-lying lots such as vezed the English Concession for so long, and which will by and by bother the French.
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The Japanese are doing nothing with their ground. It is occupied at present by a huge Chinese-owned match factory, and the huts of innumerable équatters. The Japanese Consu late is on the French Concession, and their fine new Post Office on the English. What they wants Post Office for they know best them- selves, but it is here, and all the others put together would not make a bettor. The French have also started one, so next to concessions, Hankow comes out strong in post offices.
Japanese interests are increasing at a great The German instructors of the Viceroy's ceived notice to quit, and their are to be filled by Japanese officers. Count Bernstorff has already gone, and the will follow in due time. It looks and if
FOOCHOW NÕTES.
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.] Foochow is a very quiet little. plans, but we have our little excitements sometimes. Last week we had a regular flutter. During the forenoon of Friday people fancied they heard something like the merry infantry bagle, but such a thing being highly improbable thought it could not have been anything but fancy. But truth is stranger than fiction and by and bye a Chinese military party healed by drums and trumpets marched through the principal street of the foreign settlement. The U.S. S. Princeton had arrived bringing Minister Couger on a visit to the port, and Mr. Consul Gracey, being anxious to render him all hos our possible, and, may be, not feeling over confident that the police force even in new uniforms would create a favourable impressión, obtained the loan of the Viceroy's bodyguard. Great Scott! What visions do the words "Viceroy's Bodyguard"
onli
up
in the mind of one who has seen
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MACAO.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT].
Macao, 25th September. tor of the Echo Macaense, and Mr. A. J. Basto,
On Saturday last Mr. F. H. Fernandes, edi the author of a paragraph which appeared in the same paper some weeks ago, were tried before the Chief Justice on a charge of defam- ing the Provincial Government. The paragraph which formed the basis of the charge referred to the alleged irregularities in connection with the issue of passports by the Portuguese Au thorities at Alacao to Chinese proceeding to the United States. The Attorney-General pro- secuted and Mr. A, A. Pacheco appeared for the defendants. The court was crowded during the hearing of the case, which occupied four hours. The court convicted the defendants and sentenced Mr. Fernandes to thirty days' impri- sonment and a fine of 85o and Mr Basto to twen ty days' imprisonment and a fine of $30, and in addition the defendants were ordered to pay the costs of the prosecution. Mr. Basto's sen. tence is not to take effect for two years, during which time he is to be of good behaviour, and in the event of any repetition of the offence during that period the sentence is to be doubled. It is said that both the defendants intedd tò appeal to the Gea court, and, if they are un successful there, to carry their appeal to the Supreme Court at Lisbon. Meantime the Echo has suspended publication.
Preparations are going on along the Praya Grande for the illuminations in honour of Their Majesty's birthday on the 28th inst., the desigu including arches in front of Government House. The illuminations will extend all along the Praya from 8. Francisco fort to Bom Pedro fort. No doubt the effect will be very fine. will be There is to be no ball, but a dinner given at Government House.
Bad news comes from Timor. The natives are rising again. There is a scarcity of provi- sions, flour amongst other things being or hausted, and the pay of the Government ser- vants is seven months in arrear. No doubt
demands will soon be made on the Macao ́er-
chequer and a great amount of our money will go to that disgracefully governed island. If we felt the money was doing good and helping sister colony we would not feel the grievance so much, but when it goes to help Mr. Celestino in his despotic and ill advised schemes, in which more valuable lives of officers and soldiers will be uselessly sacrificed, it is quite another thing.
the magnificent regiment of cavalry that goes by that name in Caloutta. The beau. tiful horses, the splendid set-up and bearing of their riders, and all the attendant pomp and circumstance of war! The early morning parade on the Maidan, when the Viceroy would arrive attended by staff and bolyguard to take up his position at the saluting point! Still the tootle-tootle of the trumpets and the sharp rattle of the kettle drams made at least one old volunteer's heart beat quiokly and made him look with a kindly eye upon the queer show as it went by. At the head of the party marched the drum-major with his staff, then came the drums and trumpets, and then the rank and file, two deep. British troops pride themselves upon wheeling "like a wall" and so perhaps it will not be taken as uncompliment- ary to say that the members of the Fokien Viceroy's bodyguard behaved for all the world like mechanical figures. The drum-major poised his staff and swung his arm as though his body was capable of no other motion. The step was distinctly peculis, bearing a strong resemblance to the goose-step, and being much slower than the British quick-step. Bat the whole party, some fifty strong, stopped as one man. The aniform was quite different from that of the ordinary Chinese braves--cloth top-boots, baggy breeches, something resembling a tunic, leather belt and cap, all of a dark colour not unlike the Rifle Brigade. The head gear resembled a fan projecting over and protecting the face and tied on by the wearer's queue, as frequently seen in Hongkong. All the rifles were carried at the "alope" and it was noticeable that each man carried his at the same angle as his fellows. They all appeared to be of the same pattern, "made in Germany," and well taken care of.
A steam laundry is about to be established in Another noticeable feature was that all the men were as nearly as possible of the same size. All Shanghai and the prospectus of a fairly wealthy appeared to have been very carefully drilled company will shortly be issued. An infiuential indeed and seemed to feel that they knew their Directorate in assured and the machinery, which drill and were conducting themselves in a man- I will be of American manufacture, has already ner salonlated to make all other Viceroy's body- ⠀ been negotiated for.—Shanghai Daily Press.
An officer of the name of Duarte has been shot during the fighting in Timor, and another officer is said to have shot a Portuguese · ser- geant. Many reports are in circulation with reference to the last named occurrence.
If demanda for money are made upon Hacso to carry on the war in Timor H.E. Senhor Galhardo should stand up firmly and say
Macao has none to send as all its revenue în
required locally. Many public improvements that are urgently required have to stand over on account of want of funds.
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