16
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND HONGKONG VOLUNTEER CORPS. know a little more about that than the newly
KOWLOON DETACHMENT.
The fifth competition for the Gillies Cup took place on the Association Range, Gunner W. Stewart proving an easy winner with the net score of 102 points. The best scores were:-
200 400 500 T'cap. Total.
Gunner Stewart Gunner Lapsley · Bomb. Dess Sergeant Rutter Gunner Battey Gunner Baldwin Corporal White
34 34 34 scratch 102 29 34 30 3 96 28 20 26 15 89 29 29 99 3 83 33 25 19 scratch 77 29 30 18
77
25 25 19 5 74
"D." INFANTRY COMPANY.
The final sheet for the Captain Forbes' Cup took place at the Kowloon Range on Saturday, June 30th, in very bad weather. The eup was wen by Corporal Ritchie, the following scores being registered:
Names. Corporal Ritchie
3
200 500 600 cap. Totel yds, yds, yds.
28 28 26 18 100 32 31 31 scratch 94 27 24 25 14 90
Private Watson
Private May
Pte. H. E. Mackenzie 25 27 24 Lieut. Skinner
14
22 23 23
11
90 79
Private Andrews 24 26 14 Private A. Mokenzie 27 18
14
72
24
3
72
Captain Forbes 28 25.
J
11
73
THE TRADE OF BANGKOK FOR 1899.
The Customs Returns for last year show the following figures compared with those for 1898:-
Imports Exports
1898 $27,361,913 36,430,651
1899 $26,316,301 $33,659,888
Total $63,792,564 $59,976.189 Thus there is a falling off of 81,045,612 in the imports, and of $2,770,763 in the exports or a total of $3,816,375. Still the total of close on $60,000,000 compares very favourably with $69,890,461 in 1897, 851,407,240 in 1896, and $44,665,111 in 1895.
AGUINALDO'S NEW PROCLAMATION.
The text of the following proclamation by the Filipino leader has been privately com municated to the Singapore Free Press, from whose columns we quote it:-
In accordance with the humanitarian -principles followed by our Government and army, I make known to my beloved people that all those who have no official duties to discharge may, as far as we are concerned, retire into private life to attend to their own business at their own homes, even in cases where their towns are occupied by the enemy. I only ask ask them to observe strict neutrality, and in case the "Imperialists" attempt to enlist their aid either by threats or by other means, I leave it to the calm judgment of the people to adopt whatever line of action is best, because I am thoroughly satisfied that they are all perfectly loyal.
Our Government does not now require any very large body of troops, but only sufficient to maintain a force in the field and perform other duties. You may, moreover, rest satisfied in the knowledge that our army which has suffered so much will not cease its efforts as long as there are any strangers in the land trying to enslave the Philippine people. The Philippine army would a thousand times rather die in defence of justice than submit; and, in truth, what is life worth, without honour, and in slavery? Pitiful it would be, after more than three centuries with our ancient mother Spain, which gave us our civilisation, to let ourselves fall under the domination of strangers who wish to force upon ng new manners and customs, as for example their language, which we would have to become children again to learn. Keep in mind the saying—“ Ang izip na dilat ay mahirap nang Insbulag," "The fruits of civilization enter into the sonl never to be displaced.”
Does the invader say that we must be govern- ed according to the laws taken over from Spain? I think I am not wrong in believing that we
arrived foreigners. A people that has known enough to recover its independence knows
enough to use it.
On the other hand, this war, which we are Waging against the Imperialists, is beneficial to us inasmuch as it enlightens our people and brings out all their best points; and, the more lives we lose of our beloved brethren in arms, the stronger becomes our feeling of patriotism and solidarity.
But we must not forget that, having once become independent, we must take care not to promise more than we can perform, as did the Americans on arrival here, saying they came to benefit and help the oppressed people, and to make them free and independent, and to build up for us a government of our own, with a dis- tinctive national flag of our own, a binding mise on their own conscience and in the sight: of all the great nations.
pro.
And I call the civilised world to witness that
the Philippine people and army have not forgot, ten nor broken the convention of alliance and! friendship which they made with the first repre- sentative of the United States that came here, namely, Admiral Dewey, through the medium of the American consuls in Hongkong and Singapore. And so strongly is the heart of my people animated by that famous convention, that, on seeing the American soldiers who had fallen into our hands, the people and army of the Philippines oried out with one voice to liberate them immediately, saying:
"We don't want and we won't have war against the United States.
'The sons of that mighty nation are our friends and brothers.
"We only defend our recovered independence against the Imperialists and asked for recogni- tion.
"We therefore give back to the United States her sons that have fallen into our hands, because our brothers and friends cannot be our pri- soners."
In face of this unanimous petition, which agrees with my own feelings, I set the prisoners at liberty, authorizing the Secretary of War to return them to General Otis.
In America, there is a great party that insists on the U. S. Government recognizing Filipino independence. They will compel their country to fulfil the promises made to us in all solemnity and faith, although not put into writing. For this reason we must show our gratitude and maintain our position more resolutely than ever. We therefore pray to God on high that the great Democratic party of the United States will win the next election, and that Imperialism will fail in its mad attempts to subjugate us by force of arms.
We may base our hopes on the right feeling of the American people. There are, moreover, some Americans here in the Philippines who have joined our side, because they disapprove of the war which Mr. Atkinson calls criminal aggression, and these Americans when offered the chance to return to their own camp, have declined.
i
Oh, my beloved compatriots, turn your eyes on the loveliness of our virgin mother country, and in filial pity bring each of you a handful of ashes to scatter over her naked beauties, to hide them from view, lest they excite the passions of strangers, and cause her to be outraged.
In conclusion, I repeat to my compatriots that they should conceal the beauties of the Philippines and the riches of the country, in order that the grasping Imperialists should not cause us any more trouble, and we shall en- joy everlasting peace.
EMILIO AGUINALDO,
!
Fritz Max Ulbricht, the German who was ar- rested in Hongkong for embezzlement at Shanghai, has been brought before the German Consular Court at Shanghai and sentenced to 18 months, imprisonment. He has been sent home to undergo the term. The prisoner was charged with having embezzled $2,600, the pro- perty of the German Club at Shanghai, and also with having embezzled $700, the property of the Hongkow Coffee House proprietors. The prisoner made no defence, simply pleading guilty. When arrested in Hongkong, it will be remembered, the prisoner endeavoured to commit suicide by shooting himself.
[July 7, 1900.
AMERICAN LOSSES IN THE
PHILIPPINE WAR.
ült.,
A Washington telegram, dated the reports:Secretary Root to-day sent to the Senate, in response to the resolution of inquiry, an extended report on the number of soldiers who have been killed or have died of wounds in the Philippines. Secretary Root also gives the number of those who have gone insane and have c^nmitted suicide since 1895..
<<
Whereby it appears," he states, "that the aber of insane cases and the number of suicides have not been increased by service in the Philippines, but remain substantially the same number per thousand as in the period of peace prior to the war with Spain."
The casualties in the Philippines from July 31st, 1898, to May 24th, 1900, according to the
report, were:
Deaths-Regulars, 36 officers and 920 men, volunteers, 41 officers and 854 men.
Wounded-Regulars, 37 officers and 721 men; volunteers, 91 officers and 1,115 men.
The number of insane soldiers admitted to the hospital at Washington from the Philippines to May 24th, 1900, are: Regulars, 47, Volun- teers, 16, of which 19 have been discharged as recovered and 41 remain; one discharged un- improved and one on a visit from a hospital.
The number of insane soldiers from the Philippines now in the United States hcepital at San Francisco, to be sent to Washington, ar: Regulars, 5; Volunteers, 4. Held at San Francisco, diagnosis not confirmed: Regulars, 6; Volunteers, 18.
HONGKONG.
While engaged in building operations on the 2nd inst. at the Naval Yard, a Chinese workman fell off a scaffolding on to his head. Death was
instantaneous.
The Returr. of Visitors to the City Hall Library and Museum for the week ending 1st. July shows that the former institution was visit ed by 343 non-Chinese and 123 Chinese, the latter by 186 non-Chinese and 1,843 Chinese.
In the 48 hours preceding noon of the 2nd inst.. there were reported 20 fresh cases of plague and 18 deaths in the colony. During last week thero were 99 cases of plague (68 in Victoria) and 98 deaths. Of other diseases there was only a case of enteric fever, which ended fatally.
Mr. P. R. Crawford, of Messrs. Lane, Craw- ford and Co., Hongkong, who was on the Empress of India on his way to Japan, fell down the hold of the tender to the Empress on the 30th ult. at Shanghai, and was carried senseless to the Hospital. The latest account, we are pleased to say, are to the effect that he is doing well.
On the 2nd inst. Mr. G. J. W. King offered for competition at the office of the Public Works department two lots of Crown Land. The first lot-Lot No. 392, situate at Shauki- wan-was bought by a Chinaman for $460, the upset being $273. The second lot-Garden lot 9, situate in Peak Road-was sold to Mr. H. Humphreys for $20 above the upset, the latter being $131.
At the Harbour Office on the 2nd inst., befors Mr. 3asil Taylor, Stephen Smith and Henry Foster, firemen on board the steamer Drumgarth, were charged with disobeying the lawful com mands of the master, Captain S. Fowler, and also with being drunk and incapable at Moji on the 22nd ult. At 5 p.m. on that date the defendants
went after drink and assaulted the Chinese - steward. They refused duty and had continued to refuse duty ever since. They sentenced to 14 days, hard labour ship sails) and forfeited 40 days' pay.
Among the craft lying alongside Praya East is a launch] intended for Manila. On the 28th ult. a Chinese boy employed as coolie w on board when a Manila man, who is also engaged on the launch, came up to him and said he was not doing his work.
The boy replied, Neither are you," whereupon the Manila man struck him a violent blow in the stomach and the boy fell down unconscious. He was found in this condition by Inspector Ford, of No. 2 Police Station. The Inspector sent him to the Fospital, but he was able to give evidence at the Magistracy on the 29th ult., when his assailant was fined $5, or 14 days.
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