396
dry clothing. As the ship afterwards com- menced to drag towards a lee shore the Captain decided to weigh and go into har- bour, which of course was an easy matter for the ship herself; the other steamboat follow- ed the cutter and the launch was towed; this latter boat was as safe as possible the whole time.
All the men who had been in the boats yat they were so well attended to after coming all night had met with an unusual experience, on board again that in the evening they appeared none the worse for the practical seamanship lesson of the night previous.
Except for the loss of the picket boat-which it is hoped may be recovered—the episode had a happy ending.
Weihaiwei, 6th November.
RECOVERY OF THE STEAM-BOAT.
The Terrible has recovered her sunken steam- boat. The St. Enoch (dredger) took out a party of men and the ship's divers under Commander Ogilvy on the 2nd inst., and were not long in locating the spot where the boat had sunk. Two attempts were made by the divers to go down, but they failed to reach the boat owing to the strong tide; they were successful at slack water. A wire hawser was shackled to the boat's hoisting slings, and was drawn to the sur- face by the St. Enoch's machinery and brought alongside the ship. The appearance of the boat now would not indicate that it had spent three days and nights at the bottom of the gulf of
Pechili.
WINTER PLANS.
The Rear-Admiral is expected here on the 11th inst. and will winter north, but the move- ments of the other ships are uncertain.
KIAYING.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
Kiaying, 5th November,
BAD NEWS FROM KIANGSI.
I have just heard that some traders on their way into Kiangsi were turned back at the border -three days' journey away-by reports that bands of robbers had been seen.
This causes some alarm here, as the Kiangsi trade is very important and if interrupted would affect this city seriously. The mountainous region where the boundaries of the three provinces come to- gether has always contained lawless men and a fortified camp of soldiers-Hunanese-has been maintained for over a hundred years on the Kiangsi side, but close to the Fuhkien border. It is about two weeks now since the latest in- stances of looting of native Christian families in Changloh hien. Near Chouping hien the large Roman Catholic colony have made every preparation to defend themselves if attacked.
THE STATE OF KIAYING DISTRICT.
In this city and the county immmediately
subordinate to it there have been no disturbances,
and I do not think there are likely to be any, but in the outlying counties, particularly Chan- loh and Hingning, the conditions are different.
THE RICE SUPPLY.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
The dry weather has caused the partial failure of the rice crop and it is feared that scarcity of rice may lead to disturbances. Hwang Kung tu has come forward with a scheme for buying rice wholesale, chartering steamers to bring it from Wahu or Saigon, and so keeping down its price. In his prospectus he makes some interesting statements. He estimates the population of the city and the county in which it is situated at 180,000 souls. Formerly a dollar would buy two pecks of rice, now only a little more than one. Fully half of the rice consumed must be pur- chased outside the boundaries of this district. Chanchau prefecture cannot supply the defici ency, or the farmer. there find the culture of sugar-cane more profitable than that of rice. Changloh and Hingning hiens cannot spare much. The latter, being the centre of cotton manufacturing, uses much rice, the daily con sumption of rice in the preparation of starch | alone being forty shih. He suggests not only importation via Swatow, but also from the rice producing sections of Southern Kiangsi. The roads giving access to that region should be improved so that pack animals and carta could be used.
SANDAKAN NOTES.
[FROM OUR OWN COBBESPONDENT.]
Sandakan, 2nd November. GOVERNOR CLIFFORD'S RESIGNATION,
[November 17, 1900.
Boxers were there in some strength. Rein forcements then went out, and the Bengal Lancers as on previons occasions did excellent work, some 300 of the Boxers being killed. On the 23rd ult., a force of Italians reconnoitring to the north of Paoting also encountered a large body of Boxers, and had a near shave of being
surrounded. We reinforced them in time to
wiped out. prevent this and the Boxers there were fairly
fu officials went out to meet General Gaseleo On the approach of our column, the Paoting-
with presents and bribes, but they do not ap-
There is nothing fresh to report as yet in regard to Governor Clifford's resignation; mean- being sigued by all the principal men in the time the Petition praying for his retention is country, and will be sent home as promptly Es possible.
ber were 29, whilst the sailings were one less,
The number of arrivals at this port in Octo-pear to have influenced his subsequent action. the tonnage being 12,382 and 8,574 respectively.
SHIPPING NEWS.
CHARTER DAY,
Yesterday, Charter Day, was observed here by a noon salute, and in the decoration of the Government House flagstaff, and of the ships in the Harbour-the Mausang, Sandakan and Singora. The Ball is to be held to-night, the 2nd, and sports, ste, on the 5th inst.
TIENTSIN.
The Peking and Tientsin Times of the 3rd inst. has the following items of information:-
Sir Claude and Lady MacDonald left Tientsin at noon on the 31st ult. They were met at the station by many Tientsin friends, and the senior military officers, to wish them bon voyage, besides a guard of honour. The Hongkong Regimental Band was also there. They embarked on H. M. S. Endymion for Japan.
The 14th U. 8. infantry from Peking left on 31st October last en route for Manila.
General Lorne Campbell with the British column is expected here from Paotingfu about Monday (5th instant).
Part of the 1st Bengal Lancers entrained on the 2nd inst. en route for Hongkong where the whole regiment will winter. We very much regret the departure of the Lancers, who have done splendid work up here. The precise object of their withdrawal to Hongkong is not clear. but it is presumably thought they will be of valuable service in dealing with the difficulties arising in the Hongkong hinterland.
The Tongshan coal mines resumed work under the old management on the 25th October, though the Russian flag is still flying over the
works.
In bidding farewell to the Hongkong Sing- apore Artillery, Sir A. Gaselee thanked them for their services on this campaign. It is the first time the Corps has been actively employed, and it will be a satisfaction to the Government to know that they have so officient and useful a body of Native Artillery in the Far East.
The idea to which we referred last week about prospects improving for the Chinese after the port closes seems to be quite universal, as the same argument was found in the letter to the
Empress Dowager discovered in the possession of Chi Sin, the ex-member of the Tsungli Yamen, captured by the Japanese in Peking.
[
the foreign force in accordance with Li Hung. Paotingfu undoubtedly made no resistance to chang's instructions, which were also respon sible for the absence of fighting at Shanhai. kwan. But wo wonder whether Li also was responsible for the effort made to "Square the
Powers with a few hundred thousand taels !'
Paotingfu is now being occupied in four divisions by the British, French, Germans and Italians, and there is probability that each Power will maintain a garrison there for the winter. A small force has also been sent on to Chengtingfu. A big fight oconrred in the passes between Shansi and Chihli on the 27th ult., outside of I-chow-fu, N.W., of Paotingfu between an Anglo-German force and Imperial troops Wo have not heard any particulars further than there were no British casualities.
The Brigadier-General and Customs Tsotai at Chunking have each 40 small gunboats under their command, which were formerly intended for the escort of officials, etc. We hear how. ever that now they are being overhauled and drilled every day with the greatest activity.
The route throngh the Imperial Palace Gate from the Chen-Men Gate to the Forbidden City, Peking, is reserved for officers and orderlies proceeding to Count von Walderseo's quarters in the Palace of the Empress.
It is proposed to form an International Club in Peking somewhere in the vicinity of the Le- gations, with the object of promoting friendly intercourse between the officers of the various forces represented in the Capital.
CORRESPONDENCE.
[We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents.]
THE TYPHOON SUFFERERS.
K
11
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS
Naval Yard, 11th November. SIR, In view of the large amount of damago and losses sustained by a large number of very poor people during the typhoon, does not this seem an occasion for a little practical sympathy by means of a public subscription?
I feel certain that if His Excellency the if indeed this were necessary he would take Governor were approached on the subject - this matter in hand. Personally I should be glad to contribute my mite to the fund.-I am, etc.,
G.H.E.
#
Everyone is asking what has become of the large Japanese force that came to North China. Twenty thousand men can hardly melt into space: yet this is precisely what has happened TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS. if we are to believe the Japanese themselves, as BIE,-Among the sufferers by the recent according to the following return compiled by typhoon, there can be no doubt, the worst are them, they have not a man in Peking; they the sampan population. The majority of these were not represented in the Paotingfu column poor folk have no other habitation but their either. We know however where a few of them sampans, which are also their only means of are in the Native City, where they are billet-earning their livelihood. The loss of every ting out in twos and threes to a house. The sampan, therefore, spells destitution to a whole troops remaining in this city after the depar- family. tare of the Paotingfa expedition are:--
British Russian German
Franch
American
Italian
2,500 infantry; 440 cavalry; 4 guns. 1 company under a Captain. 2 battalions of marines, 90 engineers and
2 field-guns.
2 battalions of infantry and 11 guns with 1,116 men of the 9th Regiment of infantry,
gunners.
Do you not think, Mr. Editor, that this is a case for a public subscription, in order to put these poor people on their legs again? There need be no apprehension that the money thus raised will not go in the right direction. It could be handed over to the Capt. Superinten- dant of Police, to use at his own discretion. I am sure Capt. May will assist all he can in such a deserving cause.
I enclose $10 as my subscription.—Yours, etc.,
J.
do. 1,036
14th
do. 445 cavalry of the 6th Battalion.
6 guns. 500 infantry; 250 marinos; 2 machine
gyms. Austrian 906 marines.
[We shall be pleased to acknowledge any The column that went to Paotingfu, though subscriptions, though the question of distribu- they had no fighting at the city itself, had ation is a somewhat difficult prol lem. A Public sharp brush with the Boxers to the north-west Committee, on which representative Chinete of that city on the 21st alt, a strong reconnoi- should serve, to deal with the raising and die. | tring force being sent out in that direction, bursal of funds, would, we think, be the best
which heliographed the intelligence that the plan.--Ed. D. P.] .
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