August 25, 1900.]
been saved
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
drink. Yes, we speak of the Chinese as barbar- ous compared with ourselves. spoken of the horrible barbarity of the Chinese, Many have Well, if it be true that they are barbarous, remember that our duty is therefore to go to them, and to teach them how to mend their ways. If they hunger through want of true knowledge, it is our duty it to give to them; if they are thirsty, it is our duty to drink.
give them Our duty is to pray wo do that that these present troubles taking can all place in China may be so overruled, that the result may be not only the triumph of Western civilisation in the East, but that this great deliverance, this great mercy, may be used by us to God's glory and the advancement of God's gospel, and as much as in us lies to the good of all mankind.
The Te Deum, Roland Smurt's in C, as the final hymn of thanksgiving, was then sung by the Choir, and after the Benediction by the Bishop. Mr. A. G. Ward, the Cathedral Organist, played the " Hallelujah Chorus" from The Messiah, the choir and congregation stand- ing. This fine piece was most tically rendered by the organist; seldom has it artis- been so appropriate, considering the object of the service, and never has it been heard locally to better advantage than on the powerful organ in the Cathedral on this occasion.
THE SAILORS AND SOLDIERS' CHINA RELIEF FUND.
A LADIES COMMITTEE. EXISTENCE OF AN OLD FUND.
With regard to the above Fund which we closed a few days ago, we have been asked to devote a portion of the money to providing the sick and wounded at the front with various comforts. We learn that a number of ladies approached Mrs. Gascoigne to ask her to form a Working Committee, who could make various articles of clothing and sundry things for the use of the sick and wounded English soldiers and sailors. As the China Field Force is thoroughly equipped, and every attention is being paid to the requirements of the men, having regard to the present hot weather in the north and the severity of the approaching winter, there i really little for such a Com- mittee to do. But while the War Office provides the essentials, a Ladies Working om- mittee can manufacture many little comforts that will be appreciated, especially shawls and pyjamas for hospital patients.
There were our friends and our fellow country-hunger give him food, if he thirst give him! men shut up in Peking, few in number, beset by large numbers of enemies; and whilst I do not wish for a moment to depreciate the courage, the skill, the determination and endurance of those who have been struggling on in Pe- king, we must all acknowledge that some 500 fighting men cannot resist tens of thous- ands of armed men, armed with heavier guns, and with all the supplies they wanted. As far as we can gather from the occasional messages that came through, they were without food, without water, without sufficient ammunition, and after some lapse of time they must have been depen- dent on what they could obtain from outside for their very existence. On the other hand, within 100 miles or so of Peking, a large fleet was assembled with heavy guns and every appliance of modern science-a magnificent fighting fleet -and there were messages coming through saying how argent was the need of help-"Come quickly; we are at the last extremity. Make haste, our food is running short, and our am- munition is running out." Yet there was the fleet of all the combined great powers, complete with all the science, intelligence and power of the world, as it is now, and yet they could do nothing certainly the one thought borne in upon our minds at that time and the great les- son that all of us may learn from the events of the past two mouths is: How impotent min is," and God has, in His own good way, satel those people Mau's impotence was showu hut God's power has also been shown.
Wo were led to realise that we could do nothing, and we knew not whether those people had supplies of food, whether they continued to live, and whether God had turned the hearts of enemies to desist from the attack. This we know, that when man was proved to be incapable of saving them they have Is it not, therefore, right for us to say "Behold! God is our salvation?" Is it not right for us to meet together as we have to-day to give glory to God, and to God alone? To give thanksgiving, to give glory to God and to God alone for the victory and deliverance which He has wrought; to praise Him for His endless mer- cies, to praise Him for not having to mourn over the loss of the Representatives of the West and for the many personal friends? We can meet to gether to rejoice to-day over their safety. Let us give thanks to God, for God is our salvation and by Him and Him alone our people wore saved. Another lesson is suggested by the second lesson we read, Romans 12, versos 9-21- Vengeance is mine, said the Lord. I will repay." I do think that we want to bear that lesson in mind; we want all of us to beware of a vengeful spirit. A great crime has undoubtedly been committed, who is exactly responsible we may not be able to
say at once, but this we
can say, that undoubtedly a great crime against the world, against civiliza- tion, against the law of nations has been committed. A just punishment for crime is taught in the Scriptures, but take care lest the vengeful spirit should take the place of a desire for a just an deterrent punishment for crime committed. We must take care also lest punishment fall upon the guiltless, instead of on those who are guilty. For remember this, that this vast nation of the Chinese is as a whole a peace- loving nation. a quiet nation, and whilst of late there have been these troubles, we must remember they have been caused by a small min ority. Already a vast number of these poor people have suffered from the violence of their own fellow countrymen, and from the necessary steps taken to put down that violence. We must take care, so far as in us lies, to make it a matter of prayer that the Western nations will deal out just punishment, and be careful not to let punishment turn into vengeance, nor to let passion rule instead of justice. We Western nations believe that we hold a higher civili- sation, a truer model of what man should be than these people in the Far East. We should, therefore, pray that those who now have to guide the counsels of those Nations, that those who are leading their armies, that those fighting in the north of China may all of them bear in mind that justice is needed not vengeance, and that even to the guilty justice should err on the side of mercy rather than undue severity. The spirit inculcated in the two lessons, "God is my salvation," "Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord, I will repay," is this:- If thine enemy
·
We must.
Mrs. Gascoigne at once kindly consented to form such a Committee, and H.E. Major. General Gascoigne promised a cheque of $100 for purchasing materials.
THE LI YUEN STREET GAMBLING CASE.
149
THE MAGISTRATE'S DECISION. At the Magistracy on the 17th inst. Mr. Haze. gambling case. · He said :— land gave his decision in the Li Ynen Street
The 1st defendant, Cheung Su Ki, was duly charged before me on the 6th August, 1900, for keep a house No. 7, Li Yuen Street West, as that he unlawfully on the 5th August, 1900, did
of Ordinance No. 7, of 1891, cited as the Gam a common gaming house, contrary to Section 7 bling Ordinance 1891.
The rest of the defendants, eleven in number, were charged for that they unlawfully did on the 5th August, 1900, play in a certain house Li Yuen Street West, contrary to Section 8 kept as a common gaming house, to wit No. 7, of the Gambling Ordinance 1891.
We also learn, in confirmation of our pre- vious remarks, that the Fund we commenced is really unnecessary, owing to the fact that there is in existence a Soldiers and Sailors Families Fund, which date its formation from the last China War of 1860. Its sole surviving administrator is, we believe, Mr. Francis, Q.C., and he has al- ready made known the existence of this Fund to H.E. the General Officer Commanding. Mr. Francis was asked to devote a portion of this Fund to provide materials for Mrs. Gas- coigne's committee, but his Fund is only for a specific object, to help the families of those killed in action and to assist the wounded. the old Fund is amply sufficient to cover these cases, we were enabled yesterday, with the con- sent of and on behalf of several of the subscribers to the Fund started in the Daily Press, to hand over a cheqns of $375. re- presenting their subscriptions, to Mrs. Gas- coigne's Committee. Should that Committee require any further assistance there is still a balance in hand, to be used with the consent of the remaining subscribers, and we feel sure that if necessity arises for even further help the community will generously respond.
Ás
The defendants were arrested pursuant to said Gambling Ordinance (2). - two warrants issued under Section 11 of the
The following facts were proved by the pro- secution to my satisfaction:
of the last three, were on the night of the 5th
(1) That all the defendants, with the exception | August, 1900, playing in the common gaming house, No. 7, Li Yuen Street West, at a game of dominoes commonly known amongst the Chinese as Pai Kau.
(2) That the 1st defendant acted as banker. (3) That the 1st defendant charged a per- centage or commission on the winnings. The evidence goes to show that on the night in question the 2nd defendant during one of the stakes won the sum of $5, which sum was handed to him by the 1st defendant. The 2nd defendant then handed back to the 1st defend- ant the sum of 25 cents as commission or percentage.
(4) That there was found in the said house on the arrest of the defendants one box of dice, one box of dominoes, and 4 loose dice.
By Section 2 of the said Gambling Ordinance it is declared:
The expression common gaming house shall mean and include any place opened, kept, or used, A. For playing therein any game of chances or any mixed games of chance and skill.
(1.) In which a bank is kept by one or more of the players exclusively of the other or others,
or
(2.) In which the chances of the game are not alike favourable to all the players, including among the players the banker or other person the players stake, play, or bet, or by whom the game is managed, or against whom
(3) In which any commission or percentage is charged in connection with the games, the stakes or the winnings.
B. For the purpose of a lottery or lotteries. Section 12 of the saidOrdinance reads as follows: tery tickets, books or other implements of Where any cards, dice, ball, counters, tables, lot. gambling shall be found in any place suspected of being a common gaming house and entered under a warrant issued under the provisions those who shall be found therein, it shall be of this Ordinance, or about the
person of
any of evidence (until the contrary be made to appear) that such place is used as a common gaming where such tables or implements of gambling house, and that the persons found in the place
though no play was actually going on in the shall have been found were playing therein, al-
same under a warrant issued under the provi- presence of the constable or officer entering the sions of this Ordinance, or in the presence of any assistants by whom he shall be accompanied as aforesaid; and it shall be lawful for the Magistrate before whom any person shall be such implements of gambling to be forfeited or taken, by virtue of the warrant, to direct all destroyed."
On the evidence before me referred to above I find as a fact that this house, No. 7, Li Yuen Street West, 2nd floor, house within the meaning of sections 2 and 12 a common gaming of the Gambling Ordinance.
The Glengyle, freight ship, was ordered to call at Portsmouth on 23rd ult. to ship the follow ing gun-mountings for China: - One 47 in., two 4 in., and four 13-pounders. The mountings the first defendant is a keeper of a common gam- The next point for my decision is whether are intended for land service. The Press Asso-ing house within the meaning of this Ordin- ciation says that orders have been received at ance. Section 4, which defines a keeper, rends Portsmouth Dockyard to prepare four 40 ft. steam-pinnaces for service in Chinese waters. I clude the occupier or person having the use tem-
follows: Keeper shall mean and They are to be forwarded to Taku in the Glengyle. porary of any common gaming house, or any
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.