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November 3, 1900.]
only in the vicinity of the new discoveries, but in all parts of Hokkaido.
The new Government trunk line for the is- land and the line from Otaru to Muroran, with branches to the Yubari, Poronai and Ikushim betsu coal mines (268 miles), were the only lines open to traffic in Hokkaido when Mr. Chal- mers wrote, but the construction of the Govern- ment line to Kushiro was already being pro- reeded with, and it was hoped that the section from Kushiro to Shiranuka (17 miles) will be open to traffic by the present month.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
On the 27th ult. it was reported to the police that a sampan girl fell from the bow of a bont into the harbour and was drowned.
visited last week by 495 non-Chinese and 150 The City Hall Library and Museum were Chinese, and 416 non-Chinese and 2,145 Chinese respectively.
The hockey match on the 30th ult. between the Hongkong Hockey Club and the officers of the Royal Artillery ended in a victory for the Club by three goals to one.
We see from the List of Stamps sent us by The population of Hokkaido at the end of the Hongkong Post Office that the new stamps 1899 was 848,826, of which fully one half inhabit this year are as follows: the agricultural districts of Ishikari and Os-cents Red, 5 cents Yellow, 10 cents Blue, 30 2 cents Green, 4 hima. The population of Hakodate on Decem-cents Olive Brown. ber 31st, 1899, was 90,131. showing an increase Apart from the one fatal plague case (which of 12,659, as compared with 1898. By a census of occurred in the Harbour) last week, there were the Ainu, or aborigines, taken in 1899, they reported two cases of diphtheria and two number 17,570, of which 8,560 were males and cases of enteric fever in the City of Victoris, 9,010 females. They do not appear to be de-both the enteric cases proving fatal. creasing in numbers, judging by the statistics of the last eight years, and migration between Saghalien and Hokkaido is sufficient to account for any slight increase or decrease appearing from year to year.
HONGKONG.
The preparations for the St. Andrew's Ball on the 30th inst. are now being taken in hand and the various committees have begun their sittings.
At the post-mortem examination held on the 31st ult, on the body of the Cingalese whose sudden death at 13, Old Bailey Street, ou Tuesday afternoon was reported in our columns on Wednesday. Dr. Thomson found that death
was due to natural causes.
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Some months ago a coolie named Lan Fin was arrested for stealing $30 worth of wire. He was admitted out on bail, but neglected to respond when his name was called. Having been re-arrested by Inspector Cuthbert, he was on the 27th ult. committed to the sessions.
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Sergt. Burton, R. G. A., late drill-instructor to the C. A. V. at Colombo, was a passenger by 8.8. Coromandel. He comes to Hongkong to take up the position of Sergt. Major in the R. G. A. here. He was presented with a hand- some gold watch as a souvenir hy Nos. 1 and 2 section of the C. V. A. before he left Colombo, Mr. Hazeland on Thursday concluded the en- quiry into the circumstances attending the deaths of Han Chau, 30, a married woman, and Li Yit Yau, a girl of 13, who were killed by the collapse of kitchens in Hollywood Road on 25th September. Mr. Hazeland found that both accidentally met their deaths by misfortune. and owing to the conflicting nature of the evid- ence no one could be blamed.
Shortly after six o'clock on the 27th ult. while the ferry launch Guiding Star was cross-
Two bodies-one that of a private in the Royal Horse Artillery, dressed in dreadnought jacket, riding trousers and putties, and re- gulation boots and spurs, and the other that of a Chinaman, partly undressed-were found float- ing in the harbour onthe 31st ult. The body of the artilleryman was in a decomposed condition.ing from Kowloon, and when about half-way He had not been previously reported missing.
We regret to announce that Mr. A. A. da Cruz. agent at Macao of the Hongkong. Canton and Macao Steamboat Company, Limited, died on the 26th ult., after a protracted illness, at the house of a relative in Peel Street. The deceased gentleman, who made many friends in the colony, was about fifty-five years of age. Death was due to cancer in the stomach.
A Chinese constable was on duty near the Government Civil Hospital at one o'clock on the 26th ult. when he heard two of his countrymen shouting at the top of their voices. He told them to stop, as people wanted to sleep. One of the men was drunk, and he took notice of what the constable said, whilst the other, who was sober, shouted all the more. The constable accordingly took them to the Magistracy, where they were fined.
The Blue-funnel steamer Menclaus, from Liverpool, went ashore on Green Island on the 30th ult. On enquiry at the office of the agents of the company. Messrs. Butter- field and Swire, we were informed that the ac- cident happened while the Menelaus was getting out of the way of a junk. She was floated off on Wednesday night at 8 o'clock and goes into dock to-day.
News has been received in the city of the death of Mr. John Wildley, an overseer in the employment of the Public Works Department. He left Hongkong on the 17th ult. in the homeward German Mail, and died three days afterwards. He had not been well for some time. The deceased camo to Hongkong about 12 years ago for the purpose of acting as in- spector of roads. Ho has a wife and family at home.
over, a Chinese passenger fell or jumped over- board, and was drowned. The launch Was stopped and an effort made to save the man. but in the gathering darkness it was rendered fruit- less. A sampan was passing at the time, the occupants of which made no effort to effect a rescue. The case is supposed to be one of suicide.
The pier now well on its way to completion at New Peddar's Wharf was designed by Messrs. Coode, Son and Matthews, consulting engineers, of Westminster, and is being constructed by the Horslay Iron Company. When completed, it will be 200 feet long, 41 feet wide, and cost upwards of £10,000. It has eight flights of iron steps, and will easily accommodate eight launches at one time. The base of the pier, which is of granite and has two flights of stona steps, is 126 feet wide, and projects 40 feet into the harbonr. His Excellency the Governor, we understand, has consented to open the pier on a date to be fixed in November.
On the 31st ult. being the ninth day of the ninth moon, a day which has been observed by the Chinese from tinie immemorial, numerous family picnic parties were to be met with in different parts of the island. Hundreds found their way to the Peak and ascending the highest points let go their kites therefrom and ent the strings. If the freed kite soared still higher the happy possessor returned to the lower levels encour aged by the thought that there was a good time in store for him. If on the other hand the kito showed a hurried inclination to seek mother earth, the owner took it as a call to brace his nerves for coming adversity.
Much regret will be felt by the community on learning that the Rev. G. R. Vallings and Our readers will have noticed a large two-his wife are not returning to Hongkong, he storied building rising on the sky-line just above Victoria. This is the new hospital in course of erection for Drs. Hartigan. Stedman and Rennie, and it is now being roofed and will be ready for occupation in a few months. It contains twenty bedrooms and is specialy designed for the comfort of patients. The site is a healthy and bracing one, commanding un- rivalled views Loth of the harbour and of the is'ands to the south. A short though steep path is being cut from the Tram Station up to the Hospital, which will save a journey of a quarter of a mile.
having been appointed to a position in Scotland. Mrs. Vallings was one of the most finished amateur singers ever heard in Hongkong, and she also showed considerable ability in con- nection with the performances of the A.D.C. As a military chaplain Mr. Vallings was very popular with the local garrison, and his interest in the men was not entirely confined to things spiritual, for he was a keen sportsman, being a well known figure on the cricket ground. Their withdrawal is certainly a distinct loss to the local community, and many good wishes will go with them in their new sphere.
MISCELLANEOUS.
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Owing to the certainty felt that sickness was cutta, quinine manufactured at the Ceylon Gov. certain to follow the late heavy floods in Cal- ernment plantations is now kept for sale at all the town postal sub-offices and through the postmen. The quinine is in small five-grain packets bearing the Government stamp.
In reply to a question asked in the Dutch Parliament as to what steps the Government had taken for the protection of the interests of Dutch subjects in China, M. de Beaufort, Min- mander of the Dutch Squadron had been ister for Foreign Affairs, replied that the Com- instructed not to take any part in the military operations, except for the protection of Dutch subjects.
The Matin (Paris) says:-The annexation of Manchuria will necessarily occasion an exchango of explanations. At present nothing definite has been done. Everything is subordinate to the intervention treaty. If, moreover, an un- derstanding should be impossible, France has in her hand the portion which has been assigned to her, but she prefers, with all the Powers, to adhere to the principle of the territorial in- togrity of China.
The German transport Frankfurt on her last entered the harbour with the police flag flying. return journey from hina to San Francisco Two of her crew had mutinied while crossing the Pacific, and had severely assaulted Mr. Christek, the second engineer. The Frankfur was formally chartered by the German Govern- meat but a few weeks ago. It was the original intention of the Government that she should ply between Germany and China and oirry troops only, but these plans were altered, and when the vessel arrived in Chinese waters she was ordered to San Francisco for a cargo of horses. The transport carries 102 men.
The Times records that the P. and O. steam- ship Indio, which arrived at Plymouth on the 22nd ult., brought 44 naval and military in- valids from China. The worst cases on board were those of A. Bevis, A.B. of the Centurion, who has lost his sight through a bullet wound in the right cheek, and Sergeant H. C. Miller, R.M.A., who was shot through both hips. The 22 men who landed could walk, and they were soon dis embarked, together with their baggage. Many of the cases were of men whe were invalided from enteric fever contracted during their stay at the front. Most of the invalids were with Admiral Seymour's column, and, although they are fust recovering health, many of them bear unmistakable signs of their severe experiences.
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The British torpedo-boat destroyer Fame, which has been under repairs at the local patent slip at Kosuge, Nagasaki, was taken out for a trial trip on the 18th ult.
The trial proved successful, and the Fame left Nagasaki next day for Taku via Weihaiwei.
Plans are at present under discussion, says Engineering, for opening a new direct line of communication overland between China and Russia. It is proposed to build a line from Samarkand to Hankow via Chodschend, Margi- tan, and through one of the Pamirs. It will be necessary to drive a tunnel through the Koshgor mountains. From Kashgar, which is the centre of the transit trade between East Turkestan and Russian Central Asia, the railway will either pass through the broad Tarim
valley or go in 4 south-eastern direction to hatan, on to Tschortschon and Tschorjolyk at the Lobnor lake. From there the line will have to be carried through one of the passes in the Altyn mountains to the Tsoidam plateau, along the Semenow moun- tains. past the Luku-Nor lake to the Hoang- ho valley and the town of Lau-tschow, which is the capital of the province of Kansu, which boasts a population of 11,000,000 of souls. From Lan-tschow it is proposed to carry the railway through the towns of Feng-hsiang, Hai-hsiang, and Hsing-an to the province of Shensi, with 9,000,000 inhabitants. From this province the railway is to proceed through the Hankiang river valley to Hankow, a centre for inland Chỉ- nese trade. Hankow has steamer connection with the rich province of Szechuan, which has a population of 46,000,000. The railway, if constructed, will no doubt prove of immense im- portance to Russian trade, and the Russian Government is understood to be greatly interes-
ted in the scheme.
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