October 6, 1900.]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
Canton he advised the Commander not to use force in retaliation.
Practically all the Grand Council have gone except Wang Wen Shao.
Another decree orders funeral honours in respect of Sagiyama, the Japanese Chancel- lor who was murdered at Peking. this probably prevents the court, from going There is a terrible famine in Shensi, and
to Пsianfu.
t
FINANCIAL.
268
The COLONIAL Secretary laid on the table Financial minutes Nos. 46 to 53, and moved that they be referred to the Finance Committee.
The COLONIAL TREASURER secondled, and the motion was carried.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table
PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE. The DIRECTOR of PUBLIC WORKS laid on the table report of the Public Works Committee (Nos. 4 and 5).
OF THE COLONY,
In
lastly, an injection pipe, through which is spirted the subtle poison that causes the irri- tation and subsequent swelling, and which by the light of corroborated investigation
SHANGHAI, 30th September, 8.55 p.m. we know, holds the parasite that generates
Ernest Satow arrived here yesterday. malaria, elephantiasis, or some other of the Imperial decrees have been issued order- many disagreeable ills to which frail fleshing the performance of funeral honours the report of the Finance Committee (No. 15) is heir in the tropics. Accurately described, in respect of the late Baron Ketteler at and moved its adoption. the wound inflicted by the mosquito is not Peking and Berlin; lamenting the sad occur- The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and a bite at all; for the flesh is not pinched, rence; depriving several Princes and Minis- the motion was carried. nipped, held, or seized in any manner ters who encouraged the Boxers of their either by teeth or by anything equivalent titles, ranks, and offices; depriving Prince to teeth. It is rather a comparatively deep Tuan of his offices and ordering his trial incision. The intolerable smarting sen- before the Imperial clan court; and order- sation may be partly the result of contacting other Ministers before other courts for of the exposed edges of the wound with the severe punishment. air, directly the glutted insect withdraws its proboscis; but it is more probably very largely due to the after-effects of the injec tion. The liquid food of the mosquito, it should be noticed, is venous, not arterial blood. This is a most important factor in the mos- quito's life-history, and deserves the closest attention. Generally stated, the arteries are too deeply seated to be reached by the minute instruments at the insect's disposal; or, rather, suitable veins are more readily accessible. The creature's food is also the medium whereby it infects as with disease. Venous blood, dark-coloured, devitalized, detritus-laden, flows sluggishly and evenly through the veins, and is less able to ward off the insidious attacks made on it by the imported parasite of disease than the bright- bued, re-quickened, hacmatin-charged blood that pulses along the arteries. The mosquito, in fact, instinctively selects the feebler of the two forms of blood as a medium of trans- mission. The after-swelling causes the lips of the puncture to close up tightly; and thus, hermetically scaled from the influences of light and air, enemies of all forms of disease, the implanted parasite is enabled to accomplish its mission the more thoroughly. This little scientific digression, we hope, is not wholly out of place. In view of the undisputed magnitude of the issues involved, we think it behoves the wardens of the public health of the Colony to bestir them selves, and to see that every thing possible is done to render our island an undesirable abode to all species of culer.
THE CRISIS: TELEGRAMS.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENTS.] SHANGĂAI, 28th September, 9.25 p.m. An Imperial Decree, dated the 13th, formally announces that. Hsianfu is of be the future capital of China, and orders Tuan Fang, the Acting Governor of Shensi, to prepare the palace.
Economy is enjoined on account of hard times.
Huang, the Admiral of the Yangtze, has been appointed Vice-Generalissimo of the Peiyang forces, under Yung-Lu, this enabl- ing Lui Kung-yi to appoint most trusted officials as Acting Admiral of the Yangtze and Provincial Chief Commander of Kiang-
nan.
MACAO, 30th September, 5 p.m. The river gunboat Robin proceeded to Luklan, near Kumchuk, West River, and bombarded the village in retaliation of the natives firing upon the British steamer Lingkiang, the gentry being also compelled to flog the guilty parties. Notices have been posted stating the reason for the punishment.
When the Sandpiper, which has arrived here, passed Shikwan, West River, the natives stoned her. It is reported that on the mat- ter being reported to the British Consul at
Shanghai, 2nd October, 9 p.m. It is reported that the Empress-Dowager and the Court left Taiyuan-fu for Hsian-fu yesterday (Monday).
THE ESTIMATES, THE PROSPEROUS CONDITION
His EXCELLENCY the Governor said: laying the estimates on the table, I have to congratulate you on the prosperous condition of the Colony as disclosed in the figures to be laid before you. The period embraced within the past twelve months has been one fraught
Supremacy in South Africa has happily been with momentous issues to the British Empire. The carefully planned attempt to subvert British frustrated, and I congratulate this Colony upon the generous contribution of over $153,000 in response to a call for funds for the families of the sailors and soldiers engaged in the serious South African War, now rapidly drawing to a successful conclusion. Nor can we close our eyes to the gravity of the present position in the North of China, where a fanatical ante-for- Society, was ultimately joined by the Imperial eign movement, originating with the Boxer
troops. The Foreign Settlements of Tientsin Yu Hsien, Governor of Shansi, has been were attacked, large numbers of foreign miss. ordered to resign and await a fresh position. ionaries and native Christians have been murder- Lu Chuan-lin is retained at Peking as Granded under circumstances of horrible barbarity, Councillor.
and for eight weeks the Legations of all the For- eign Powers in Peking were closely besieged by Chinese soldiers, aided by Boxers. The of Tientsin, and of Peking was not effected capture of the Taku Forts, the Chinese city without loss of life and destruction of property and now the Allied Forces are in full possession of the capital, while it has yet to be decided what retribution shall be exacted from the
The two Tartar generals in Manchuria who were recently defeated by the Russians have been deprived of all rank until their characters shall have been retrieved.
Tao Mu, Viceroy of the Shen-kan, has been transferred to Canton.
A large allied force, military and naval, has gone to Shanhaikwan.
WITHDRAWAL OF BRITISH SHIPS FROM THE WEST RIVER. Owing to the restrictive regulations and differential treatment accorded to British vessels on the West River, the shipping companies of Hongkong have withdrawn and sold all their vessels.
This leaves the British Flag practically unrepresented in those waters, and, it is needless to say, renders the position of foreigners on the West River precarious in event of a rising.
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
On Monday afternoon, the 1st inst., a meeting of the Hongkong Legislative Council was held in the Council Chamber at the Government
Offices, there being present:~
His EXCELLENCY the GOVERNOR (Sir HENRY BLAKE, G.C.M.G.).
His EXCELLENCY Major-General GASCOIGNE. C.M.G. (Commanding the troops).
The Hon. J. H. STEWART LOCKHART, C.M.G. (Colonial Secretary),
The Hon. W. MEIGH GOODMAN, QC. (Attorney-General).
er).
The Hon. A. M. THOMSON (Colonial Treasur-
The Hon. R. D. ORMSBY (Director of Public Works).
The Hon. F. II. MAY, C.M.G. (Captain Superintendent of Police).
Hon. BASIL TAYLOR (Acting Harbour Master). Hon. A. W. BREWIN. Hon. C. P. CHATER, C.M.G. Hon. Dr. HO KAI. Hon. J. THURBURN, Hon. R. M. GRAY,
Hon. WEI A YUK.
Chinese Empire for these sanguinary murders and the gross violation of the universal in. present effect of this position upon Hong- violability of diplomatic Missions. The kong is to increase its income. Large numbers of transports have passed through the Port bearing troops of all nations, and money has been spont. Considerable sums have been sent down from China to be invested under the regis of British security in the Colony, and the go- downs are taxed to their utmost capicity for the storage of merchandise. But it must be remembered that this apparent plethora of business is caused to a great extent by the un- readiness of Chinese buyers to take delivery in consequence of the uncertainty of the trade conditions in the interior, and we must look forward to possible diminution in the volume of trade during the ensuing year. I regret to say that during the present year we have again the number of cases up to the present being been visited by a serious epidemic of plague,
cent. I have directed that returns similar to 1065, and number of deaths 1007, or 94.5 per
that ultimately the comparison of returns may those of last year shall be prepared, in the hope
favourable to this scourge. I can vouch for the efford some clue to the conditions especially
that has been done appears to affect the high activity of the Sanitary Board, but so far nothing
death rate of those stricken with the disease The systematic killing of rats has been actively 40,500 have been destroyed. It is possible that carried out, and this year up to the present
number of cases as compared with last year. this may account for the diminution of the
The condition of the New Territory is satisfac- tory, and the people now realize the benefits of effective protection of life and property. The collection of land revenue has been delayed owing to the necessity of having an accurate survey of the land occupied, and the determina-
Mr. R. F. JOHNSTON (Acting Clerk of Coun- tion of rights of occupancy, on which subject cils).
THE HON. F. H. MAY TAKES THE OATH,
many conflicting claims have been entered. The Hon. F. H. MAY, who, during the ab-staff of surveyors, lent by the Indian Govern- The survey is being rapidly carried out by a sence of the Hon. G. H. Stewart Lockhart, was ment, and the Land Court has been established, Acting Colonial Secretary, was sworn in on which will begin its operations in November. his re-appointment as a member of the Council. The main road projected for easy access to the
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