December 30, 1899.]
DISASTROUS FIRE AT WEST POINT,
HEAVY DAMAGES.
;
A fire which bas proved the most disastrous of any known in Hongkong for years past broke out at West Point on Friday night. It will be some time before anything like an accurate estimate of the damage is forthcom- ing, but it is considered by no means improbable that buildings and goods to the value of close one million dollars have been destroyed. A
heavy drain will be made upon the insurance companies, as the buildings affected are fully insured and local insurance companies have heavy lines on the goods stored in them.
The fire originated in the Chop Yik Godown, which is situated at the back of 258, Praya West. The building was packed full of goods of one kind or another, including matches, sulphur, crackers, tobacco, and bales of cotton cloth. It was about nine o'clock when the fire was discovered, and though the_Fire Brigade, under Deputy Superintendent Baddeley, arri- ved on the scene with commendable prompti. tude, the fire had already assumed cousiderable dimensions, the inflammable nature of the goods stored causing the flames to spread with astoni- shing rapidity. Shortly after the Brigade had got to work an explosion occurred, and a stage on which Constables Ritchie and Smith were standing collapsed. Ritchie was rather badly injured about the head and had to be taken to the Government Civil Hospital, but fortunately Smith was not much hurt Inspector Baker and two Chinese firemen were also injured during the course of the evening. Soon afterwards a second explosion took place, com- pletely lifting the roof off the building and throwing the debris into the adjoining street. A quantity of burning debris alighted on a preserve store and the shops Nos. 468, 470, and 47, sud set these buildings on fire, whilst the windows at the Gas Works and in a portion of Des Voeux Road were shattered by the concus
sion.
Quite early the godown to the east and the one to the west of the Chop Yik Godown had caught fire, and the dividing wall being completely shattered by the explosions an area of som 600 square yards was soon one mass of fames. The Fire Brigade had not only the original fire to deal with, but were called upon to cope with the subsidiary fires caused by the flying burning debris. By dint of great exer. tions they managed to prevent Howard's Go. down from sustaining any appreciable damage, and on this they are to be congratulated, as these godowns are very close to those which were ablaze, and it is wonderful how the fire was prevented from spreading to them.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
The keeper of the godown where the fire originated and also the owner were charged at the Magistracy on Tuesday with storing explo- sives without a license and were remauded.
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553
tinguished men have spoken and written upon that subject. Most of them have their own views as to the relative importance of different branches of education. Many of them have special hobbies, and when you know the subjects in which they, themselves, are
THE PATRIOTIC FOOTBALL MATCH. | great and shiring lights, you may reasonably
ROLL UP EVERYBODY.
Our country is fighting all she knows, for a tough
old man 18 Paul,
And her soldiers and sailors are rolling up, for they And he e were having a football mate', a fight of
Το
hear their country's call.
another kind,
get together a bit of brass for those who are left
behind.
So Roll up! Bowl up! Turn up on every side
isn't so very far to walk if you hav'nt got cash to ride. Only ten cents for a standing seat so line up in a row, And Roll ¡ Bout
up
up! Pack up your kit and go.
Tommy's a missus and kids at home and the grub
will be getting short;
And a white haired mother looks out for Jack when
ever he gets in port.
And the missus and kids will want feeding if Tommy's
laid under the grass.
While Jack' old mother will sorely miss his monthly
bit of brass.
So Roll up! Bowl up! Put down your dibs at the gate, Squat on your hunkers along the line, for the football will
be great..
Dont forget to give 'em a shout whenever the bame gets slow, And Roll up! Bowl up! Get on your duds and go. The Army and Navy are lively boys when they get
on the football field,
And when the Civilian blood is up they would sooner
die than yield.
Each man's going for all he's worth and both side;
mean to win
And everybody must help the fund with their little
So
bit of tin.
Roll up! Bowl up! Bring along all your pals, Stick your clay in your pocket, and a wink in your eye
for the gals.
Dont get crawling beneath the rope. And cheer for all
you knoto
go.
And Roll up! Bowl up! Pick up your feet and Twill be "Lift her good'un Nobby" and "Ginger
he's got pluck,"
H
"Jock'll give him a passage if he touches a bit of
luck"
ay up there re flat feet!" "Now, Georgi^, b'ing`er
alon
2
'D'yer se that long legged cove in white, 'e cadut
“do nothin' wrong.
So Roll up!
Bowl up! Give 'em a bit of a hand Take a hitch in your "reach-me-downs and a pull at your
leather band.
Don't yell out at the referee when you hear the whistle blow. And Roll rp! Brul up! Shove up a bit and go.
E
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assame that those are the subjects to which they think other branches of education should be subordinated. One would have supposed that at all events they were all agreed that reading, writing, and arith netic were elemen- tary essentials. Ruskin, the great art critic, does not, however, seem to be of that opinion. I was reading bis life the other day. On one occasion, he advanced some money to a mason, and handed him the receipt to sign. The mason hesitated, looked rather sheepish, and then said he must pul his mark, as he could not write. There upon Ruskin took him by both hands and said, "I am proud to know you," adding "Now I see how it is you are such an entirely excellent workman." Well, with all due respect to Mr. Ruskin. I see no reason why knowing how to write should have diminished the man's skill as a mason. On the contrary, I feel sure that such ignorance must have been a great draw- back to bim, and occasioned him much regret
and mortification. So much for educational hobbies. I was glad to find from the report of the headmistress that there are no less than 302 names on the register, and that the average at- tendance this year has been fully 12 per cent. higher than in 1898. Now, all the girls at this school may be divided into three classes: First, those those have tried to gain a prize and have succeeded in doing so; next, those who have tried to gain a prize, a d have failed to do so; lastly, those who have never taken the trouble to exert themselves to try and gain a prize at all. As regards those in the first class, I can only offer my congratulations and the hope that in life they may be as successful as at school. As to those in the second class, I can only say they have my sympathy, and I should like to remind thein of the good old adage, "If at first you don't succeed try, try, try again." Do not only try once more, bus often. The advantage is that such repeated efforts are likely to attain success, and, in any case, even if you should not gain a prize you will learn a great deal more than if you had not done your best, If you try hard to get to the top of B hill to Bre the country around, even if you fail to quite reach the summit you will see much more than those can who remained in the valley below. As to the third class, we had batter divide them into an upper and lower third. The upper third may cou- sist of those who feel they are not good at book work and that other girls are so much cleverer than they. To those 1 can only say that, in life, I have seen many a slow, steady, persever- ing, industrious person succeed far better than those who have fancied that smartness can take the place of quiet industry. Now come to the lower third, the genuine lazy brigade. I will not ask them to hold up their hands. (Laughter.) Let us hope their number is very small indeed. To them I can only say that this world was never intended to be a paradise for drones. If they are anxious to be amongst the failures in life, they are very likely to obtain their wishes; only they are too young to realise what that will mean some day. Boys and girls were never intended to vegetate, else they is strength;" pianofort duet Misses Ella King would have been born vegetables, as for- and Maude Parker; and some exercises with instance, cabbages or potatoes, Then, at Indian clubs by Miss Alice Lesbirel.
'all' events, they would have been of soms The Hon. W. MEIGH GOODMAN (Acting | use, especially about dinner time. But Chief justice) occupied the chair and now let me add a few words to all of you who distributed the prizes, after which he are pupils here. Do not suppose that when you delivered the following address :-Many of leave school your education is completed. It is you will remember that, on a former occasion, only begun here. The great world around us your prizes were distributed by Sir John Car- is the real school which we must all attend, rington, who takes a great interest in education. all through our lives. We only leave it In his absence I have been appointed to act as when we die. It has great prizes, and it can Chief Justice: and, I presume, it is to this fact inflict severe punishments, and its discipline that I owe the honour of having been asked to and teaching go on unceasingly, Instead of occupy on this occasion the position in which I mere book-work, we are taught the great lessons now find myself. I need hardly say that it has of life, taught by experience. what is true wie- given me much pleasure to be liere, to listen to dem and what is folly. We find we cannot al- Your music, to see your physical drill, and to ways have our own way, and that it would not be hand to happy recipients the prises they have good for us if we could. We find how little gained by industry, ability and good conduct, we know, and how much there is to learn. We At the Magistracy on Tuesday a coolie was You will be glad to hear that I do not propose find that success can only be gained by steady sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment for steal-to-day to deliver any elaborate address upon staiving. We are taught that to be happy ing from the leather godown.
the subject of education. Many wise and dis- we should have an object in life, and try to live
The Brigade worked hard all night, and many of them were on duty all day on Satur. day and Sunday. The Chop Yik and two ad- joining godowns are completely gutted, and the walls which are left are cracked and weakened by the explosions and the tremendous beat which was engendered.
Later
PRIZE DISTRIBUTIN AT BELI- LIS PUBLIC SCHOOL.
INTERESTING ADDRESS BY THE HON, ́W.
MRIGH GOODMAN.
Further investigation as to the damage done by the fire at West Point shows that the es- There was a large attendance at the annual timate of $1,000,000 for the three godowns and prize distribution which took place at Belilios their contents is about right. The damage to Public School on 21st December, when auder the buildings may be put down at $500,000 and the conductorship of Mrs. Tutcher, the acting the damage to the goods at a like figure. Goods head mistress, an interesting programme was to the value of $300,000 are covered by insur- goue through by the children, including physical ance, and so far as can be gathered the follow-drill, song "The ash grove; dialogue. Unity ing Companies are interested :-
Chuen Of........
...$22,000
Commercial and Union
Tungin
67,000 31,000
South British
35,000
Bombay Fire
20,000
North British and Mercantile 10,000
North German ...
10,000
London & Lancashire
David & Co.
Renter, Brookelmann & Co. China Fire... Carlowits
.
2,000 8,000 9,000 25,000 4,000
In addition to the above there is the damage -done to buildings and goods set fire to by the debris which was sent flying in all directions by the explosions, the goods in the leather godown being insured by Messrs. Siemssen & Co. to the extent of $12 500.
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