438
HOCKEY.
The hockey match between the Officers, R.A., and the Indian Brigade at Kowloon came off on Saturday, and resulted, after a close and exciting fight, in a victory for the Indian Brigade by 1 goal to nil. The game through energy, which for the time of year was most out was characterised by a display of dash and
creditable.
The Thursday previous, the Indian Brigade had a friendly encounter with the Siege Train, in which, after a good game, the latter came off victors by 3 goals (2 obtained from penalty bullies) to 1.
YOKOHAMA RACES.
[FROM A CORRESPONDENT.]
Taipeh, 14th May. The winners at to-day's meeting (second day) at the Nippon Race Club at Yokohama, as telegraphed here, are :---- Champagne Challenge Cup (Walers 1901) 1 mile
Nanking Stakes (Sub- - scription China Ponies) 1 mile Adelaide Cup (all horses, winners of 2 races excluded, 1 mile Brisbane Cup (Coun-
trybreds
and Walers) 1 mile Ladies' Purse (China
Ponies) 1 mile New South Wales Cap
(Walers) 1 mile
The Yokohama Derby
Mr. Iris' Aranami
Mr. Hugo's The Crown *
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
contingent, of which General Gaselee was so proud, it was a noble sight. His keen eyes lighted with conscious pride at the excellent appearance of his command, his fine figure showed at its best advantage on horseback, and the well-worn expression came to the minds of every Anglo-Saxon, "He certainly looks every His officers are very fond of him. He is genial, and easy to approach and inch a soldier."
His manner is simple and anassuming. One talks with the General but a moment before becoming positive that he is an eminently just and good man, as well as a wise
converse with.
one.
RUSSIA AND JAPAN.
In a letter to the Daily Express Mr. Stafford Ransome writes :-
It had been my firm conviction that at no time during the last three years has war between Japan and Russia been imminent. From rumours I had heard before arriving in Japan this time I began to imagine that my convic tion would have to undergo a change, for Mr. Hugo's The Orb (gelding) | everyone was talking of the "Kokumin Doumeikaai," a political party which had been formed for the purpose of checking Russian aggression in Manchuria; and the old fable of Japan being in that condition which is known as ** spoiling for a fight" was revived. Its leaders were men of standing; and the sup. porters of the Government found themselves shoulder to shoulder with influential Opposi- tionists, and the president of the party was no less a personage than Princo Konoye. The object of the Kokumin Donmeikusi" is to make impossible the annexation of Corea by Russia. That is the beginning and the end of Japanese policy as far as Russia is concerned; and Japan will be able to effect this when the time comes, because the heart of the nation will be in the work and becanse she understands her subject.
Mr. Russia's Mira
Mr. Tytherleigh's Aberdeen
Mr. Sphinx's Fourée
(All horses) 1† mile Mr. Avis's Haufinch-
Peking Cup (Subscrip
tion China Ponies) 1} mile
Mr. Russia's Onrod * Late Truth.
GENERAL GASELEE.
An article on General Gaselee appears in the Daily News by Mr. Frederick Coleman, in which he states:-
Lieutenant-General Sir Alfred Gaselee is not only an experienced soldier, but a far-seeing and able diplomat as well. The work which was placed in his hands when he was sent to China last year and given command of the British forces in that part of the world was of ch character as would necessitate the exercise, on his part, of the combined military knowledge of the soldier and the judical ability of the statesman. The General arrived at Tientsin in the morning. By night we heard many a story of his indignation at the lack of prepara- tion. The statement that the Legations could not have hold out forty-eight hours longer than they did calls forth much criticism as being exaggerated, yet it was made by certain men among the besieged who generally know what they are talking about. At all events, General Gaselea was responsible for the arrival of the Allies in Peking at the date they finally did reach that city, which reflects much credit on his action in pushing the expedition forward, whether or not its arrival a week later would have achieved the same result.
- So much for General Gaselee's dash and en- terprise when such characteristics are called upon. But important as military skill is to military operation, it was not more so in China last year than were coolness, sound judgment, and tact. More than once during the march to Peking, the days of preparation for it, and the days which followed its successful termination, did the judicial ability of the General make itself felt in international councils. In General Barrow, General Gaselee had a Chief of Staff of rare judgment, and one who has laboured hard and well to assist his superior in the arduous duties of the Chinese campaign.
I remember seeing General Gaselee ride down the front of the British line with General Lineveitch, the Russian Commander-in-Chief, on the morning of Aug. 23, just prior to the historical triumphal entry into the Forbiddden City. General Lineveitch is an old man, with white hair and moustache, a face of singular strength, perfect seat in the saddle, and an altogether magnificent appearance. As the two Generals passed down the lines of the Indian
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There are people who have suggested that a compact should be entered into to the effect that in return for Russia having a free hand in Manchuria Japan should have a correspond- ing advantage in Corea. Such an arrangement would snit Japan perfectly, were it not that Japan has fully grasped the fact that a treaty .mado with Russia at the present day is no more likely to be respected by that country than is a treaty made with China by the authorities of the 'I'sang-li Yamên. It is for this reason that Japau feels that the only means of safeguarding Corea is to protest, and to protest vehemently, against the Russian absorption of Man- churia. From Japan's point of view, she is bound to sacrifice everything to the extent of going to war with Russia in order to preserve her influence with Corea. Russia would never care to try to take Corea if in doing so she had to face the fact that the price she would have to pay for it would be the annihila- tion of her Pacific fleet and of her ports. In all probability Japan could accomplish this single- handed with her present equipment. Japan does not want to possess Cores to-day, because the business of holding it would be a heavy tax on her military strength, and the governing of it would be more than she would care to undertake just now. Japan will not fight Russia unless the integrity of Corea is menaced, and my contention that there is no reason to suppose that it will come to war just now is based on the assumption that Great Britain will, in her own interests, be forced to aid and abet Japan in checking Russian aggression in Manchuria.
On the morning of the 10th inst. the Siamese Royal yacht Maha Chakrkri, escorted by the Siamese gunboats Sigret and Bali, arrived at Singapore from Bangkok, and H. E. Sir Frank Swettenham, and the captain of H.M.S. Rosario (as Senior Naval Officer) paid a visit to H. M. King Chulalongkorn on board the yacht. Later the Royal party landed and went to Government House. In the afternoon the King visited the Botanical Gardens with the Siamese Consul General, while the Queen visited the General Hospital and also went for a drive. On the 11th their Majesties sailed for Java. They were expected to return to Singapore in about five weeks' time, on their way back to Siam,
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(May 25, 1901.
BURMA'S RELATIONS WITH SIAM:
The Bangkok Times says the Siamese autho- rities received news from the British State of Kengtung (Northern Shan States) that Chi- nese posters had been placed in a number of towns in that State threatening its invasion by Yunnanese soldiers. Another rumour was to the effect that 3,000 Yunnanese had already in- vaded Kengtung and that 30,000 more were on the way. This State lies between Yunnan and northern Siam and it is natural such rumours, baseless as they may be, ahould occasion con- cern to our neighbours, but, according to our information in Burma, there never has been any apprehension of the Chinese beyond the north-eastern frontier adopting a hostile attitude. There has been a considerable in- crease in recent years in the trade between Yunnan and northern Siam which passes through the Kengtang State. This piece of territory batween the Salween and the Mekong, on which France has had her eye, is important as being the highway of a growing trade between south-eastern China and Siam. The Siamese are engaged in constracting a road to the frontier of Kengtung, and it is said that within a year the northern telegraph line in Siam will reach the same boundary. There is talk even of a railway to the Keng- tung border. On the Burma side we can, by the construction of roads, telegraphs and railways to connect with such under- takings in Siam, encourage the Siamese to promote closer trade relationship between the two countries. A few years ago Lord Salisbury, when asked by wealthy financiers at home if the State would guarantee railway projects capitalised with British money in Siam and south-eastern China, said the gov ernment would not undertake to meddle with any project beyond the borders of the empire. As Siam has now awakened to the necessity of improving her communications, the financiers alluded to might induce the Government to guarantee railways in Burma constructed for the purpose of forming a connection with proposed lines in Siam.-Rangoon Times.
Revere
A WONDERFUL STORY.
We have now a wonderful statement. It comes by a roundabout channel, having been originally published by the Patrie of Paris, then copied by the Franco-California, which is said to be the French organ of San Francisco, and finally it is reproduced in Tokyo journals. The tale is that the injury which incapacitated Mr. Yang Yu for further conference with the Russian Foreign Office about Manchuria, was due to the Chinese diplomat's having been thrown down stairs by the servants of Count Lamsdorf. Mr. Yang having insulted the Count at an interview when the Manchurian treaty was under discussion, the Count ordered his domestics to put him out of the apartment, and they, employing more seal than discretion, used such violence that Yang was precipitated to the bottom of the stairs and received a injury on the head. Such is the yarn,” and those that repeat it in Tokyo call attention to the circumstance that the Patrie is strongly pro-Russian and that the Franco-Californian is a constant advocate of the Franco-Russian Alliance, so that neither journal would be likely to spread an injurious mour of such a kind were it not founded · fact. Our « Tokyo contemporaries pay an undeservedly high com- pliment to these journals respect for truth. When newspapers of the Patrie type are shown to set truth or patriotism above the gain of publishing⠀⠀ a sensational story, journalism will have entered a more wholesome atmosphere than it now breathes. There are evidently folks whose gullibility has no limits, and to long as that is the case there will be other folks to cater for them. What disappoints us in that any lie, however clumsy or ridiculous, should interfere with the credit due Yang for inventing an admirable no diplomacy. Whether the
it of apoplexy or himself over the bar timeliness of the inci
of
genius, and it is too canards as that of the France be imported into such a c
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