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June. He professed himself a great devotee of the “Fox" and set up tablets to Reynard the temples. He has now began to take Boxer heads and to pole them. hoping to mitigate foreign wrath. He is one of the men whom repentance should not save. It is a curious fact that up to date not one Ta-jais life has been taken, unless we except Viceroy Yu-lu and General Nieh, both killed in action; and yet this is the only way in which the official mind can be impressed. The killing of Boxer peasants, the burning of villages, the winning of battles, and the seizure and looting of great cities from which the precious rascals of officials have fled all this is labour vain as regards the non-recurrence of trouble. Civic sympathy and the pangs of a wounded patriotism do not appeal to the men who en- couraged this orgie of blood and murder. If it is to be once and for ever stopped, the officials responsible must be shot, and if possible denied honourable burial. The latter would profoundly impress posterity.
A NEGLECTED OUTRAGE.
I do not think, by the bye, that the horrid desecration of the Peking foreign cemetery has been noticed in the Southern Press. The Chinese opened and rifled graves and treated the remains with savage indecorum. Even this the greatest of crimes to a Chinaman only provokes contempt.
WHAT IS TO COME?
There is still doubt as to the locality of the Empress and the Court. Some say Taiyuanfu, othors the Shansi southern border. I hope the fact that the Court physician was hastily summoned from Peking a few days ago does not portend evil to Kwang Hsu. Up to date the Commissioners, who, I have heard, are nominated to enter into negotiation, are Li Hung-chang, Yung Ln, and Ting Yung-the Allies have already once refused the second though they may now accept him; the third ought to be rejected with contumely. It is now universally believed in Peking that the winter garrison is to be reduced to 5,600-eight hundred of each of the powers except Austria. We know that Russia initiated this policy, and on several grounds:
(1.)—The indignity of Ministers accredited to the sovereign remaining after that sovereig has attacked them, failed, and fled. - (2.)—The propriety of making the Chinaman sue for peace at a place of our choice.
(3.)The difficulty of army supply. (4.)The greater probability of the Manchu Court returning to the Capital.
WHY NEGOTIATIONS ARE IMPOSSIBLE AT TIENTSIN.
All these are plausible enough but can be easily controverted. We may be absolutely certain that loss of prestige-a matter of vast importance in Asia will ensue if we leave Pek- ing and make peace in Tientsin: the matter will be completely distorted to the Chinese readers in the Peking Gazette. It would not be a bad thing to insert in the new conditions a clause giving the foreigners some control in the office of this ancient paper, and some veto power in the Imperial Proclamation office. Both are often used to reduce us to contempt in pro- vincial eyes.
THE SHANHAIKWAN AFFAIR.
Sir Walter Hillier, I hear, was one of the first men ashore after the little episode of the sur- render of the Shanhaikwan forts and camps. The whole affair was of ludicrous simplicity, the forts being evacuated and surrendered to the Pigmy. Our account of it, not yet confirmed however, is that an officer and seventeen men did the whole thing in a few minutes. We have also been informed the Aurora was close by to back up. the little ship, but I doubt it, as she was in Nagasaki a few days ago. I have some reason for thinking the Americans would have done the business, if our folks had not: they are credited even now with the resolution of seizing Ching-wan- tao, 18 miles down the coast, and so securing winter access to Tientsin. The iron pier or jetty giving berths of good draught to ocean-going steamers is all but complete, and the loop line connecting this pier, with Lo Au Chai can be finished before the river closes. This simplifies very con- siderably the question of winter supply to the One watering place, Pei Tai Ho, is within the limits of - Ching-wàn-tao. • With-
armies.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND | out exception every one of the hundred foreign houses has been looted and burned, and even the wreckage afterwards pillaged. The bit of wood and iron-work has gone, nothing remains but bricks and stone. The caretakers are now down here and represent this whole locality as being in paroxysm of guilty fear now that they see their own danger and their bad pro- vision.
TYPHOID IN TIENTSIN.
I grieve to say that intractable scourge of military operations is among us-typhoid, There are many cases in the Service hos pitals, and several in the Civil. In the latter there have already been three deaths: one of which was Mr. R. B. de Courcey, a gallant young Irish Cadet in the Customs' Service, who did fine work during the siege of Peking, and who was highly esteemed for his personal qualities and sporting ability.
PUBLIC BENEFACTORS.
The forces here ove much to the manage- ment of our quite new Waterworks Company. It was only started last year, and has a plant for the daily supply of 60,000 gal- lons: it is now giving 90,000 of clean filtered water delivered under pressure, and thus ob- viating recourse to the death-ridden Peibo fluid in its natural state. Among the great- est benefactors of Tientsin are the volun- teers and the Company's officials who have by unremitting labour secured this end-Mr. H. W. Walker, Mr. R. Oswald and Mr. Catelle.
THE FUTURE.
The political situation and the intentions of There is ab- the Court are as obscure as ever. solutely no news on the subject. tingfa be burned to the ground speculation of the moment.
Will Pao is the chife
SANDAKAN NOTES.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
Sandakan, 5th October. GOVERNOR HUGH CLIFFORD'S RESIGNATION. Borneo is on trial. The resignation of H. E. Hugh (lifford, C.M.G., has been accepted by that wonderfully enlightened body, the London Court of Directors of the British North Borneo Co., and the public has risen against them, and cabled a strong protest to the Right Hon. Joseph Chamberlain. The cable sent was as follows: Public Meeting Sandakan called to consider Governor Clifford's resignation unanimously in sympathy with Governor's views as to Railway and General Policy-differences as to which with Directors have caused resignation. Meeting earnestly pray for your intervention prevent country losing so able and conscientious administrator. Suggest appointment Imperial Commissioner in. vestigate. Meeting considers Governor's retire- ment would be absolutely disastrous to country. Petition following." The object of this cable, which was signed by W. G. Darby, Esq., the Unofficial Member of the Governor's Council, was to de'ay any action at home pending the arrival of the Petition, and it is not at all unlikely that this object will be achieved -all things considered. It has always been understood here rightly or wrongly- that the Colonial Office had at least as much to do with the appointment of Mr. Clifford to the Governorship of this country as the Board of Directors, and therefore it is that we have hopes of check-mating the action of the latter. If there is the slightest founds tion in our belief, the Colonial Secretary will certainly see to it that Mr. Clifford is not so quickly shelved, simply because he has the courage of his convictions convictions very largely, if not ananimonsly, showed by those interested in the country, and resident here- planters, merchants, and others. The Court evidently want their Governor to be more or less an ornament; at least he must not in the slightest oppose their wishes, however absurd they may be, or however prejudicial to the wel- fare of the country. But the public thinks differently, and having found a man who knows his own mind, and is not afraid to speak out, they intend to make the most strenuous endeavours to keep him, and if he goes they will at least have done everything in their power for the country, and for the Court if the latter could only see it, which is not to be expected!
[October 20–1900.
that has
Probably the most ever taken place in Br solemnized on the 29th ult, when Mr., W. G Darby, manager in Borneo of the China-Borneo Co., Ltd., and Miss Beeston, youngest daughter of the late Capt. Beeston, a former Commandant here, were joined in matrimony by the Rev. W. H. Elton, assisted by the Rev. H. J. Edney, at the English Church here. At the breakfast afterwards H.E. the Governor proposed the health of the happy couple, which was onthusi- astically drunk.
SHIPPING NEWS.
The Sabah S. 8. Co., Ltd., have decided to build their new steamer here, and a contract has been made with the China-Borneo Co., Ltd., who are to be entrusted with the work. The vessel is expected to take about six months to
build.
Captain Wilson, of Hongkong, has bought the Sandakan Launch Lizzie, and sails for the Philippines at once, where he hopes to effect a good sale.
The arrivals at Sandakan during September numbered 31, with an aggregate tonnage of 10,944, whilst the sailings were 82, totalling 10,924 tons.
CANTON INSURANCE COMPANY, LIMITED.
On Saturday, 13th inst., at noon, the 19th ordin ary general meeting of shareholders in the Canton Insurance Company, Limited, was held. - The Hon. O. P. Chater, C. M. G., presided, and there were also present the Hon J. J. Keswick, Messre, D. Gillies, F. Maitland, J. H. Lewis, D. M. Moses (Consulting Committee), G. T. Veitch, (Secretary), R. C. Wilcox, P. Jordan, J. Me Kie, J. Y. V. Vernon, G. Stewart, J. Goox- mann, B. Byramjce, G. C. Anderson, R. M. Mehta, H. W. Bell, J. C. Peter, Ho Fook, Lo Cheung Shin, E. C. Emmett, R. M. Mehta, Leung Hin Cho, Chan Ban and Wong Ki Lam
The SECRETARY read the notice convening the meeting.
.
The CHAIRMAN said-Gentlemen, with your permission, we will take the report and accounts, which have been in your hands since the 1st inst., as read. Before commenting on the re- port, I am sure you will all join with me in an expression of regret at the loss sustained by the office through the death of our late col- league Mr. Henry Liston Dalrymple, who ever since the office was reconstituted, 19 years ago. and for eight years previously, was a valued mem! ber of the Consulting Committee. The fins, result of the working of the 1899 account, in spite of abnormally heavy losses; compares fav- ourably with that of the two previous years, and we are in a position to propose the payment of a larger dividend to shareholders, also the carrying forward of a substantially increased amount to the current year's account, sufficient, we trust, to provide for outstanding and other claims that may arise under policies attaching to 1899. It is a matter of regret that we are unable to strengthen the reserve fund by replacing to some extent the amount withdrawn from this fund in 1898. We hope this may be possible later on, as I am sure you will all agree with me as to the advisability of doing so whenever the opportunity occurs. So far the current year's working is satisfactory and the position of the office compared with last year to date is distinctly more favourable. Bates generally. I regret, show no sign of improvement. The trouble in the north of Chins have interfered greatly with the business of our northern agencies, but any loss in premis there has been more than counterbalanced by increases in other directions. It is, of course, impossible
for me to forecast what, the ultimate result of
the year will be; let us hope it will at least equal that of last your. As regards our funds thene you will note show an increase after writing $25,372 74 off the book value of our holding of United States Bonds, which account we hope to still further reduce, as theee Bonds are held for a permanent investment and will be repayable at par when they become due. Our surveyors have made their annual report various properties mortgaged to the have satisfied themselves that, there is smple margin. – I do there is anything more moving the adoption
the
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