270
TIENTSIN.
[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]
Tientsin, 19th September.
PUNITIVE WORK.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
been Tls. 70, and the issue : rate Tls. 75 figures exhibiting this descrepancy still obtain in some banks,
A LUIL IN THE FIGHT,
CONSUL CURLES RETIRES,
Mr. W. R. Carles, the Consul of Tientsin. retires on a pension from the service this week: there is of course much speculation as to the inner meaning of this very unexpected step.
subject.
[October 6, 1900.
SANDAKAN NOTES.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
The Russians are willing that he should come, and indeed had an imposing military demon- stration at Chun Liang-chung in his honour, as well as a guard of honour at Tientsin Station. A large expeditionary force is being They moreover sent down a special train for organized in Peking for Chê-Chou, a big pre- him, so that if the German Admiral has stopped fectural city in Southern Chihli, and practic-him there will be some sore feeling on the The Peking news is that the second functionally the head-quarters of the Boxer movement. of the Field Force, viz., its punitive agency, is at There is a universal tendency apparent all round last coming into play. Why the responsible to defer all new movements until the arrival of leaders have been so long in abstaining from Count von Waldergee. this urgent duty is best known to themselves. The Boxers in the absence of arms and real discipline may be contemptible as an enemy in the feld, but none the less have they been the fons et origo of the whole volcanic upheaval; and until their society and hocus pocus have been reduced to descredit they will still be a tremendous power for evil, and a source of disquietude to M. de Giers was recalled.
It was reported in Peking last week that I believe this the natives, if not to the foreigners. Incredible is wrong: it is Admiral Hiltebrandt, the as it may seem, faith still has its victory over
senior officer in Taku, who is recalled. sense, and they still vaunt them of their thau. Common report ascribes the recall to official maturgic rubbish and maintain that their condemnation of the decision by which the ulti- mystic spells and supernatural power only failmatum was sent in to the Taku forts on June because of (1) the unbelief of the elect, (2) of the breaking of their charms by the more powerful exorcism of the foreigner, or by the presence of women in the scene of action. Truly might the American boy observe that Faith is the belief in things that you know ain't so": the Boxer movement and Christian Science are not mental erotics even at the end of the XIXth,
Century; but let us come to fact. Reconnai- sances were made by the Lancers (1st Bengal) and Germans in succession away to the 8. W. of Lau-ko-chian or Polo's Bridge. They found the Boxers in force near Liang Hsiang, the first station on the Pao- tingfu line. Next day a large body of Ger- mans went out accompanied by fifty Lancers, and engaged the enemy. It was an affair and no battle: some five hundred (I quote the smal- lest number given) were killed and apparently some escaped. The Germans had one killed and five wounded, including a officer.
A LITTLE OUTING.
Du
Tientsin in the same week but, a day or two earlier, had a similar affair in hand. General Dorward took out some 2,000 odd men towards Du Lin (23 miles down the Grand Canal). He had all arms, including a complete cavalry regiment and a fine battery of Horse Artillery, and made his dispositions to bag the whole covey if fight were offered, but the inhabitants met him with absolute- ly no resistance and took their punishment like Gentle Jane in the Sunday school story. Liu has for many years b.en notorious as a rowdy anti-foreign city: foreign boat-passengers were always insulted and often robbed and threatened in transit; and moreover throughout this great sedition it has had an evil reputation as a Boxer centre. They knew punishment was coming and had transfered much of their goods and wealth into junks: they begged to be allowed to go on board of these: this was granted. The column was given permission to loot two large pawn-shops before the town was fired and burned completely out. The outing' took four days and was greatly enjoyed as such by the men and officers though the regret was widespread that there was no enemy to fight.
+
AN OFFICIAL RECALL.
16th; if this be true it reveals a very low ebb in official ineptitude. The Peking official folk all more or less affect the theory that this ultima- tum was the sole cause of the attack on the Legation and on the Tientsin Settlements; but surely the history of the last six months does not support the notion that the official Peking view is a sound one. Almost to a man every lay judge in North China holds that the ultima- tion only precipitated the crisis; it did not create it Native Tientsin and Peking cities had gone hopelessly "Boxer" before the ultima- tum was dreamed of, and it was only a question of one or two days that the officials and troops would declare for them also. The taking of the forts was a desperate remedy, and, like all such, created much disturbance in the body politic, but it certainly saved our lives. It is not generally known that 8,000 men were actually marching from Lutai to re-inforce the garri son at the foris at the moment of the attack. It
to was only due that these men did not get rail transit railway civilian and come down in two hours. Great issues hang on small causes. It is to be devoutly hoped that the gallant Russian sailor is not going to suffer for a sound strong policy and to be Jonalized to save the face of a weak Minister!
8
THE COMING ATTACK ON PEITANG.
Every day for the last nine weeks we have been told that the Pei Tang forts were about to be bombarded and stormed: numberless re- conaissances have been made. I believe it is at last to be done. Some people who affect to be behind the scenes say that the whole thing has been arranged: that the Allies are to make a show of attack, the Chinese a show of resistance. and that all will be over in half an hour. The poor Commander wants to save his face, and the half-starved garrison to get back to their wives and families. I must profess some scepticism as to this pretty scheme. I think there will be a fight. The ground is well mined, though mines under Chinese management are not very effective. The co-operation of the Navy is doubtful, but military men think the heavier guns at the Taku Forts will try long bowls-54 or 6 miles. We know the Russian, French, and Tientsin has ever since been ludicrously like Germans are in it, as these forces have entrained Rag Fair: at every street corner the swarthy to-day: as the Japanese are very strong at their Aryans are to be seen selling old clothes by Taku base they will probably be there too. Our pantomime, and a crowd of clamourous Chinese people are supposed to be in it by the British coolies eager to buy cheap, but failing officers here, but the Russians assert we have miserably in the attempt. Women's under-elected to stand out and are growling according wear and winter clothing figure largely in the ly. I need not state that the Pei Tang Forts sale and offer of course illimitable chances of command the Railway and communication with wit to the wags and scally-wags of both races, the Far North as well as the Tong Shan Coal
pits.
THE STATE OF TIENTSIN.
Coolie wages run from 30 to 50 cents. per diem and generally with rice thrown in. There can be no doubt that many of the thousands now employed by the different Commissariats. are. quondam Boxers. The metamorphosis is easy-simply doffing some ribbons: "thus we get the startling paradox that would-be homicides are now being rewarded by higher wages and better food by their putative
victims.
C
THE MONET MARKET. For the first time in three months the Bank to-day bought specie and sold dollars in the normal way. I believe it is still forbidden, however, to soldiers and sailors, so as not to en- courage the disposal of illegally held loot. For months the paying in rate of Mexicans has
Later, 6 p.m.
LI HUNG-CHANG ARRIVES. I hear on the authority of a foreign Consul here that Li Hang-chang has reached Tongku to-day. He was allowed to pass through the Fleet flying his own flag, but Admiral Bondemann, now senior officer, followed the Anping up, and told the old Seung Sang that he could not be allowed to proceed until the arrival of Connt Waldersee.
Li has been expected for the last six days, and was understood to be about to take up his quarters in thang Yen-mao's great Yamen-like place in the Bt. Municipal Extension, though as that is Japanese head-quarters it was difficult to see how it could well be.
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Sandakan, 23rd Septemb ́r. THE RESIGNATION OF GOVERNOR CLIFFORD,
Confirming the cable message sent you a couple of days ago, it is with the greatest pos- sible regret that the general community here have learned that H.E. Hugh Clifford, C.M.G., is wishful of resigning the Governorship, and has cabled home to that effect. Many reasons for his desire are given, but the probable one is the railway from Jesselton, now being con- structed by Messrs. Paulingi, and of which he entirely disapproves. If this is the case Mr. Clifford is certainly showing his disapproval in the strongest possible manner in his power, and responsibility for the railway. At the same no one will ever be able to saddle him with any time, it will be a thousand pities if he be allowed to resign. The unanimous opinion is that Governor Clifford is the best man the country has ever had, and that it has every possible chance of proving itself under his guidance, He has not been with us long, but it is safe to say his influence has been felt by all, and has penetrated every branch of the Government, planting, and commercial life of the territory.
THE LOSS OF THE “SABINE.'
news notes to you, the small Sandakan steamer About the time of the despatch of my last
Sabine was slightly overdue. As the vessel did not arrive back here in due course, and there was no word of her at the first port she was to have visited. Joló, the steamor Normanhurat
aud Joló. She spent nearly five days in this was sent out to search the islands between here
work, and returned with one of the Sabine's boats, a lot of small wreckage, and reported the finding of two bodies. The vessel had about 47 passengers and 17 crow on board, of which not a single person would appear to have escaped. She was Chinese owned, and neither hull nor cargo was insured. been done to find any survivors, but, unfor Everything possible hus
Hor tunately, without the slightest success. disappearance is a mystery, and, as the actual wreck has not been found, it is probable that it will never be known definitely how she was lost.
a SteamER FOR MANILA, The East India 8.8. Co, Ltd., have now started running steamers to Manila from Singapore, via Sandakan. The first steamer sailed hence this day week, and the second leaves
here to-morrow,
MANILA.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
Manila, 28th September, INSURGENTS SCORE SEVERAL SUCCESSES---- FIFTY-SEVEN AMERICANS REPORTED CAPTURED IN MARINDUQUE. As the time of the Presidential elections in the United States draws near the insurgents are fulfilling their promises and showing a spurt of hostility that outdistances the hopes of their greatest admirers. At no time during the insurrection have the Filipinos been more determined and aggressive, and seldom have they met with more success. The greater part of the fighting has taken place in central and southern Luzon, but disturbances have been and are general throughout the Archipelago. Three or four well planned ambushes have caused severe losses to the Americans, and though every effort has been put forward to bring swift punishment to the enemy, it must be admit ted that only very little has been accomplished. The losses of the Americans in killed, wounded, and captured, during one fortnight amount to between ninety and one hundred, while the re- ported casualties of the enemy were about one hundred and twenty-five. Such things as these are alarming. As a rule the losses inflicted on the insurgents are five to ten times heavier than those sustained by the Americans,
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