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is (it is reported) expected shortly in Shanghai, and intends to visit the out-ports. Sould this he the case, he may be called upon to pay the penalty of his treachery. We have no wish to record to any criminal and violent acts unless we are driven to it by these miscreants. Thank ing you in anticipation, and believe us, Sir,
Your sorrowing, but at the same time hopeful
SIO LI ANd Others.
servants.
CIVIL SERVANTS' SALARIE 1.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HONGKONG 54 WEEKLY PRESS." Sir,-The thanks of the small fry of the Civil Service are due to the Honourable . P. Chater and the Honourable T. H. Whitehead for championing their cause at yesterday's meeting of the Financial Committee. The tendency has been to keep these men, who form the backbone of the Civil Service, completely in the back-ground, and, if it were possible, to ignore their very existence. These men do not exchange compensation, no matter how low the dollar gets to. Why? Because they were not born in a gold-using country, as if they do not, owing to this adventitious circumstance of birth, consume the same goods and pay the same price for them as their more lucky fellow. servants of the public. How many of the latter remit money home? One man in ten would be over the mark.
This is class legislation with a rim, and it would appear that the Service is being ran for the beneft of the few on the mutual admiration ine. After this, talk of the grievances of the Uitlander!
It is with no dog-in-the-manger spirit that the subject is approached. The money belonga to the public, and, if the public do not object, let the "big fishes gorge themselves (like Dives), but remember, some of the crumbs for Lazarus-Yours truly,
EX-CIVIL SERVANT.
CHINESE REPRESENTATION.
1
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HONGKONG
" WEEKLY PRESS."
Hongkong, 10th March. DEAR SIR,-Having been informed of the contents of a letter addressed to you by a cor- respondent signing himself A Chinaman," which appeared in your issue of the 7th instant under the beading of " Chinese Representaton,' I cannot allow same to pass uncontradicted.
Whether A Chinaman purposely or unintentionally misunderstood me I cannot say but I certainly did not say or suggest anything to the effect that "our interests in this Colony were not sufficiently represented." We are, as a matter of fact, sufficiently and efficiently re- presented by the ablest men of the Chinese com. munity, and we are perfectly satisfied to leave our interests in their hands.
15
12
What I really said was that amongst the Chinese there is a lack of unity and that it was most necessary for them to unite together in rendering assistance and support to their repre- sentatives in the Legislative Council, by supply- ing them with their views, suggestions and in- formations, by taking more personal interest in the public affairs of the Colony and by earnest co-operation.
F
In future if A Chinaman "has any sugges- tions to make for the benefit of the Chinese I hope he will cause them to be inserted in one of the Chinese newspapers' which can be read and understood by most of his fellow countrymen. His suggestions, in my opinion, should not be published in an English newspaper, which very few indeed of the Chinese have an opportunity or the ability to peruse or understand.
་་
In conclusion I must remind “ A Chinaman (whoever he may be) that the Chinese alone can properly understand the wants of the Chinese, and that matters purely concerning or affecting the Chinese can only be advantageously discus- sed by the Chinese themselves through the medium of a Chinese newspaper.
Apologising for taking as a portion of the pacs of your valuable paper in contradicting 8 statement which was calenlated entirely to amisload,I am, dear air, yours faithfully,
“CHUN KING YUO.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
TO THE EDITOR, OF THE HONGKONG 44 WEEKLY PRESS,'
[March 17, 1900 /
British reverses in Africa are much talked about. There is a considerable emigration - to that part of the world from here, which ac- opinion seems to be gaining ground that En- counts for the exceptional interest taken. The gland cannot be nearly so powerful as was sup Imperial forces will dobbtless correct" this im posed. The early and complete triumph of the
Hongkong, 12th March. Dear Sir,With reference to Mr. Chun King Yuo's letter appearing in your issue of the 12th instant, it is somewhat difficult to ments he made in the circalar convening the reconcile the inconsistency between the state
meeting and those contained in his communica-pression. tion to your journal.
If it is true, as he says, that the Chinese are sufficiently and efficiently represented by the ablest men of their community, and are per fectly sa ised to leave their interests in the hands of the two hon. members, logical reason. ing will lead one to the belief of the utter use. lessness of calling a meeting to consider the advisiablity of retaining counsel sud solicitors to look after their interests in connection with legislation.
·
The constituted members of the Chinese in
the Council, by the very fact of their acceptance of the honourable positions to which they were nominated by Government, are under the strict moral obligation of doing all within their power in the best interests of their constituents with out fee, fear, or favour.
+
With all deference to the two hon. members representing the Chinese, I quite agree with “A Chinaman" that the Chinese should petition to the Government for another representative to be elected by the ratepayers of that com- manity. Failing the additional concession so devotedly to be wished for, a modification in the present system of nomination to one of the ordinary principles of political franchise would best meet the wishes of the Chinese.
1 advance this opinion with no spirit deroga- tory of the character of Mr. Chun King Yuo, nor of the two representatives of Chinese.
|
A short time ago lightning struck one of. the buildings of the Base. Mission doing con.. riderable damage and so injuring a workman that it was two hours before he regained con- sciousness. Some years ago a stroke of lightning killed a native preacher on the identical' spot. That is singular enough, but not so strange as this The building was erected on the site of a pawnshop twice struck by lightuing and abandoned as unlucky. A native theory ac- counts for it by supposing a great store of cop- per coin to have been buried there in Taiping days or before.
An agent of the Dutch Government has been here for the last two months.
P. S-I have just heard that the powder magazine in Chouchoufu, near the North Gate, blow up a few days ago, destroying thirty buildings and many lives and frightoning the Taotoi nearly to death,
MANILA.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
MANILA, 6th March. EMPTY PORTS.--SCARCITY OF TROOPS-
THE REIGN OF TEKROR, Gradually the situation in the southern is- lands is improving, although there will be much work, and an endless amount of bushwhacking before affairs will settle back into their normal state. The placing of troops at the various ports has thrown a year's produce upon the markets, and in spite of the insurrection all the available coasting steamers have been more than a month busily engaged in carrying the
I do not see why Mr. Chun King Yuo should object to A Chinaman's" writing to an Eng- lish newspaper for the discussion of public matters, because this is a British colony and English is the language of the place, to say nothing of the fact that most, if not all, of the intelligent Chinese speak and understand Eng-goods to Manila. The same feverish race is on Jish.-Yours faithfully,
CONSISTENCY.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HONGKONG
WEEKLY PRESS,'
""
Hongkong, 13th March. Dear Sir. With reference to Mr. Chun King Yao's reply to lay letter of the 7th instant, I beg to say that I did not either purposely or un- intentionally misunderstand him nor did I try to put a false construction upon the circular issued by him in order to mislead the public, as uo man after reading his manifest could have arrived at any conclusion other than the one pointed ont by me.
14
There is a certain amount of force in your correspondent's remark that, Chinese can alone properly understand the wants of the Chinese, but in my opinion for the present an English representative assisted and sup- ported by the Chinese community would do as well, if not better.-Yours truly,
A CHINAMAN.
KIAYING.
Some
[FROM A CORRESPONDENT.]
Kiaying. Kwangtung, 3rd March, The news of the setting aside of the Emper. or caused no special xcitement here. were disposed to justify it on the ground that thus far that it was evident he had no luck, and so many untoward events had marked his reign
so a change was necessary. The majority were apathetic, one saying my heart is ashes."
The report of Kwang Hsu's resumption, or retention, of power was, however, received with mild but real satisfaction.
A few of the younger scholars here regard themselves as Progressives, Education, ma. terial development, and the revival of Con- fucianism are their aims, and they look to Japan patriotism, but little moral earnestness. Un- for their inspiration. They have a degree of
less the adherents of Reform elsewhere are made of sterner stuff they will not soon re- volutionise the pressat order. Superstition they affect to despise, out have no notion of taking up the cudgels against opium, licen- tionsnése, or gambling.
to-day that marked the first opening of ports; ships come in and go out under full heads of steam and cargo; coolies are in demand more. than ever. The next month and a balf to two months should see every port cleared out as clean as a whistle, and then it is more than likely that many of the ships will be idle again. The smouldering insurrection and active ladrone will prevent cultivation on any extensive scale for months to come, and if p esent iudications count for anything I should say that next year's output will be limited. At the time of writing many of the ports are empty, every shred of hemp or leaf of tobacco having been taken off by the steamers. The rest are fast trausferring their goods to ships' holds. While the ports are comparatively safe the interior is, however, a mire of quicksand, and no sane person ventures away from the vicinity of the American garrisons. A few energetic
natives and Chinamen who went inland to look after their crops have failed to return and others are naturally hesitating to repeat the performance. There are tons of marketable stuff in the interior, but the insurrectors and ladrones will not allow it to pass to the coasts. It is rumoured that much of the money paid by shippers and hemphouses for the thousands of bales sont to Manila has already found its way into the insurgent coffers, and if this is true its disposition may be speculated upon. There will probably be another brisk season among the Alibusters of China and Japan.
"म"
INTERIOR GARRISONS AT PRESENT IMPOSSIBLE.
It is planned for the American troops to oo. oupy the inlaud towns as rapidly as possible, but I fear the department has again underestima- ted the strength of the enemy. The men that have been sent south have been almost entirely engaged in protecting thems Ives and holding the ports. Attempts have been made høre and there to penetrate the interior, bat nothing substantial has resulted. It is quite possible for a reasonably small force to make ita way almost anywhere it chooses, but that is not the point; to gain anything it is absolutely neces sary to have detachments quartered at short intervals, otherwise peace is exceedingly doubt. ful and common safety is unknown. The
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