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RACING NOTES.
Work on the track is proceeding merrily, and it is gratifying to observe the absence of groggy ponies. The sorewing up process may find a few of the bad legged ones out later on. but so far the gruel has been taken kindly, and there are no disagreeable external symptoms.
The Derby candidates for this year's race are twenty-five in number, as against twenty-one last year. They are a good-looking lot, and represent thirteen different owners,
The Jockey Club are to be commended on their action to suppress the Chinese professional gambler. The heathen is, however, a wily chap, and even under the altered conditions will take a lot of watching.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND popularity. The discussed innovation might | inake it so and sit is therefore unlikely that the majority would take to it kindly unless indeed the difficulty of procuring griffens increase.
Some of our local magnates might, as an experiment obtain a certain number from the South for next season, and the_club could con- fine their to them our class. The mixed racing would be an extra attraction and the possibility of racing the stranger here would be thoroughly tested.
The Derby candidates Ting Haon, Strategist and Thunderstorm, are the whispered like- lihoods for the local blue riband of the turf. The firstnamed is a nippy little piebald, and appeals to me more than either of the others. He is a combination of colour, condition and conformity, and unless early impressions are er- Nine thousand four hundred and forty-four roneous, he will have something to say when the dollars is a lot to sacrifice, in the pursuance of whips are cracking in the classic event. what some people would call so small a cause. Carrying Mr. Gresson, he put a mile and a half This enm would, beyond a donbt, have been behind him on Saturday last in 3.32, thereby realised over and above the $945 obtained at establishing a record for this season's work. The the sale on Tuesday, were it not for the club's performance was a very fair one and impressed announced intention, referred to in the pre-most of the wary watchers. ceeding paragraph.
The total number of entries are in excess of last years. The Challenge Cup of 100, guineas presented by Mr. J. J. Bell-Irving, has attracted the largest field, and fifty-nine ponies have been written down as possible competitors. Despite the stipulated condition, that the cup has to be won by the same owner two years in succession before it passes from the club's trust, the race is evidently popular. The Consolation Stakes has appealed to the owners of forty-two, but as the list includes the names of most of the oracks, it is reasonable to predict that quite a large uum- ber of them will disappear before the third day, owing of course to the fact that only beaten ponies are eligible to compete.
The scarcity of griffens this season, and the continued advance in their value, makes the subject of introducing Australian povies for racing purposes, more interesting than it would otherwise he. The possibilities have been freely discussed both here and in Shanghai. In the latter place, owing to some extent to its con- tignity to the source from which the griffins are drawn, the concensus of opinion is opposed to such an innovation. Here however there are.
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(February 3, 1900,
unusual thing even in Hongkong to see a rider standing straight in his saddle and barely able to reach his irons. Surely if stirrup irons were only inten led for ornamentation, they would be dispensed with when racing. That such is not the case goes without saying, and yet some of our easterners only use them as indicated. Nothing is so unsightly or more ineffective than badly adjusted leathers, and a little pro- fessional attention in this direction, would make a marked difference in the riding of many of our men who possess good hands and heads. TRIDENT.
HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI BANKING corporatiON.
The following is the sixty-ninth Report of the court of directors to the ordinary half-yearly general meeting of shareholders to be held at the City Hall, Hongkong, on Saturday, the 17th February, 1900, at noon.
To the proprietors of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation.
· Gentlemen,—The directors have now to sub- mit to you a general statement of the affairs of the bank, and balance sheet for the half-year ending 31st December, 1899.
succeeded in outwitting his opponents. He is Strategist may be appropriately named, and
The net profits for that period, including; deserving of some special attention, if only on $963,542.06. balance brought forward from last Eleven stone saven, or six pounds more than account of his honoured position in the weights. account, after paying all obarges, deducting interest paid and due, and making provi- any of the others, is his allotted portion. Hission for bad and doubtful accounts, amount, to height may not be an advantage, but
$3,118,624.31. ances are distinctly in his favour, and he will probably carry his extra weight as well as the lightly laden division.
appear.
Thunderstorma is getting plenty of what stable boys call long strong, and seems to be thriving on it. The experienced Mr. Burkill will direct his destiny in the Derby, and the number of his followers will be augmented in
consequence.
The directors recommend the transfer of
$300,000 from the profit and loss account to credit of reserve fund, which fand will then stand at $11,500,000.
muneration to directors there remains for After making this transfer and deducting re- appropriation $2,603,624.31, out of which the of one pound and ten shillings sterling per directors recommend the payment of a dividend share, which at 4/6 will absorb $533,333.33, aud a bonus of ten shillings sterling per share which at 4/6 will absorb 8177,777.78. Cossack, the Rascal, and Tartar, Rescue,
The difference in change between 4/6, the Orange Blossom, and Snow King, Reserve. Sar- rate at which the dividend and Bonus are de cription griffins Some of the others may not be tow and Impabla seem to be the best of the subs-clared, and 1/11, the rate of the day, amounts. standing up to the watch and it is unsafe to make
to $931,669.64.
draws closer. a declaration against their ability until the day
The style of riding is a constant subject of
The balance $960,843.56 to be carried to new profit and loss account.
DIRECTORS. Mr. N. A. Siebs has been elected chairman
a few enthusiasts who would not hesitate to try discussion among Eastern amateurs, and various for the year 1900, and Mr. R. Shewan, deputy
the experiment. Fairly good Australians cau be procured readily enough, and at reasonable prices. There are hundreds running at subur- ban race meetings, round and abont the metro- politan centres, and most of them are of about equal calibre.
These would be purchased and would provide more interesting sport than the best of the local ponies. It must not be inferred from the preceeding remark, relating to price, that all the ponies referred to could be purchased cheaply: On the contrary, the cracks, who invariably
find their way to India, often relise as much as four thousand dollars. It is the Indian demand for champions that really equalises the calibre of the racing fields.
Opinions differ as to whether the foreigner would train on in this climate There appears to be no reason why he should not. He does well in Singapore, and in all parts of India and several good judges of local conditions, express opinious to the effect that his training here would not be a difficult operation.
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It is quite certain that the introduction would create a revolution în racing, but it is question, able, if the effect would be satisfying, or even lasting. The average Australian racing pony is aristocratically bred and suprisingly fast, in fact in all respects he is a miniature racehorse, and provides equally good sports. But, although as previously indicated, the initial cost would probably not exceed that of the China pony, the chances are that the outsider would require more attention, and consequently prove costlier in the long run. Racing, as it is conducted in this part of the East is not comparatively speaking, an expensive Inxury, and this fact accounts to a material extent for its general
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chairman.
resigned their seats, Mr. D. M. Moses and Mr. Mr. E. Shellim and Mr. Robert H. Hill having R. L. Richardson have been invited to fill the vacancies; these appointments require confirma- tion at this meeting.
Mr. A. Haupt, Mr. A. McConachie and Mr. P. Sachse retire in rotation, but being eligible for re-election offer themselves accordingly.
AUDITORS.
The accounts have been audited by Mr. F..
Henderson and Mr. A. G. Wood, the latter acting for Mr. C. S. Sharp who is absent from. the colony.
Mr. F. Henderson offers himself for re-elec- tion, ro also does Mr. C. S. Sharp who is shortly returning to the colony.
R. M. GRAY, Chairman.
Hongkong, 29th January, 1900.
another. Matthew Dawson and Robinson, two are the opinions advanced in favour of one and
of the best known Eaglish trainers, and Hug- gins, their successful American compaer, have ideas ou the subject, as wide apart as the various planets. It is therefore not surprising enthusiasts who, to say the least of it, are to find such a diversity of opinion among not so experienced as the professionals in question. Dawson, Huggins & Co. however discuss the situation from two standpoints only. The Englishman asserts that it is im- possible for a lad riding several holes short, and crouching forward over bis horse's wither. to do his mount justice in a vigorcus finish. The American on the other hand claims, and with a good deal of reason too, that the crouching for. ward relieves the horse, and better enables him to carry his weight. The fact remains however, that the representative cousins are equally capable, and the advantage, if any, of either style will forever remain a debatable | AMTRACT OF AMETA ANd Liabilities; 31st Decanaan, subject. The continual and almost tiresome reference in the English sporting papers to Tod Sloan's style, is apt to mislead people unao- customed to American racing. Sloan's style is not peculiar in any sense of the word. I saw most of the circuit racing in the United States last season and assert unhesitatingly that the true Yankee style and Sloan's are identical. All the American boys ride short and crouch, in fact a Morney Cannou, or a Sam Lostes on the great Sheepshead Bay Track in the state of New York, would create just as much surprise with their style as Sloan did when be first rode at Epsom in England. Among amateurs in this part of the East there appears to be no rule, and in most cases they seem to acquire, and cultivate habits peculiarly their own, many of them rendering good riding impossible by neglecting the elementary rules.
It is no
Paid-up capital
Reserve fund
1899.
LIABILITIBE.
Marine insurance account
O
10,000,000.00 .................................................. 11,000,000.00. 230,000.00
$:0,000,000.00
Notes in circulation :-
Authorised issue against securities deposited with the Crown Agents for the colonies Additional Lane autho
rised by Hongkong Or- dinance No. 1 of 1899, against | coln lodged with the Hongkong Government .............................. * 2,642, 716.00
Current account---
Silver fold, £1,676,675 12a.
11d.**
12,642,716./0
$69,978,962.45
17,197,334.76
78,176,317,31.
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