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MISCELLANEOUS.
Drs. Christopher and Stevens are expected shortly from England to make inquiries and investigations in India into the canses of malarial fever.
The French papers state that M. Klobukowski, at present French Consul-General at Calcutta. is almost certain to receive the appointment of Minister at Bangkok. Me.
Comte Louis Jouffroy D'Abbans, French Consul at Singapore, was last month in Selan- gor for the purpose of arranging for the partici- pation of the Federated Malay States in next year's inter-colonial exhibition at Hanoi, and to gather materials for a report on the trade and commerce of the States generally.
A fire broke out on the evening of the 30th ult. in the China Merchant Company's premises known as the Stone House, Foochow Road, Shanghai. The fire originated in the basement, and the flames soon broke through the flooring of the hall, but on the arrival of the Fire Brigade, the fire was soon under control. The cause of the fire is not known, but the damage was small, and the premises and contents were insured.
On the last day of the Singapore Races, the 25th ult., the Sourry Stakes were won by Mr. Tunnicliffe's Orpheus, the Stewards' Cup by Messrs. Smada's and Gwynne's Fagrant (8 run- ning), and the Singapore Stakes by Mr. Tam boosamy Pillay's Battlefield, who was followed by Mr. Cheang Thye's Residue and Mr. Tunni- cliffe's Orpheus. Orpheus was the only triple winner at the meeting.
A Nagasaki despatch states that an American soldier assaulted a passer-by in the street there with a sword on the 25th ult, and the offender was sent to the local Chiho Saibansho. The American was sentenced to imprisonment for a month and a half. The telegram adds that outrages by American soldiers are reported from various quarters in the town and the judicial officials and the police force are thereby kept busy at present,
A despatch to the Asahi states that an out- break of bubonic plague in Tokyo is threatened. Five dead rats have been found in the kitchen and goods store of the Imperial University hospital and these were analytically examined. Plague germs were found. The metropolitan police issued an urgent order on the 25th ult. for the enforcement of general measures for disinfection and the extermination of rats as preventive measures against the plague.
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The recent outburst of the Kloet volcano in Java was attended by great loss of life, Torrents of lava and hot mud flowed amid showers of ashes and stones. Many natives and a few Europeans perished. On an estate called Alas Kedarung, the manager, amid a shower of stones. fled from a torrent of lava in a carriage with his wife, two children, and a nurse. The lava overtook them. The children, the nurse, the syce, and the horses perished. The parents jumped into a clump of bamboos and saved themselves The lava also consumed the superintendent of the estate and about twenty-five coolies. Many coffee estates in the neighbourhood were destroyed. The country around was strewn with corpses.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
The Singapore Free Press quotes a private letter from a very competent observer of the situation as it is at Peking, or at least as it was during his recent visit there. It calls a spade a spade with extreme precision, says our contemporary, and, if we could, we would much enjoy quoting its text. Without naming names, this racy bit of epigrammatic summing up deals with the Foreign Ministers other than British. It is for those who know to supply the gaps --" As regards the Foreign Ministors, somebody said that a very heavy indemnity should be demanded from the Chinese for not having killed them. A. is a coward and a drivelling fool. B. rides very well in steeple, chases, C. was just the man for West of the Mississippi. D. represents a dying nation with painful exactness. E. ests enormous dinners. F. and C., like E., are new men and don't know or care about anything. H. speaks no language but his own and Russian, and keeps an eye on de Giers. And J. used to be called the best dressed man in London, but having lost all his kit in the siege, has how to be content with! trying to avoid looking like a beachcomber."
M. Pichon, late French Minister at Peking, has reached Japan after a short visit to Corea, Tuesday for Calcutta. Yesterday the transport The British hospital ship Carthage left on Ula arrived from the same.
Locusts wore swarming in Manila at the end of May and were being sold as delicacies in the local markets. the Filipinos buying them eagerly. It is reported from Seoul that two French teachers recently engaged at the Mining School by the Corean Government have been dismissed. The following appointments have been made at the Admiralty:-Captain-R. H. 8. Stokes, to the Eclipse, to date May 30; Lieutenant D. Fulton (R.N.R.), to the Ocean, for twelve months' training, to date May 17.
The British river gunboat Snipe, it is reported extensive journey all round the Poyang and from Shanghai, starts early this month for an Tongting Lakes, "to show the flag" to the natives of those populous and important regions. authorities of Chekiang wished to impose an The Echo de Chine says it learns that the extraordinary tax of $2 on each bale of silk exported, but that, on an energetic protest of M. Ratard, French Consul-General, the tax was immediately abolished.
Duffadar Dul Singh, of the Imperial Service Lancers, has been admitted to Jodhpore the 3rd class Order of Merit for conspicuous gallantry near Shanhaikwan in North China on 12th January. He, with only three men, effectually protected a foraging party of his regiment against a superior force of Chinese.
We received on the 4th inst. from the Acting Colonial Secretary a letter informing us that a British Congress on Tuberculosis will be held in London on the 22nd July, 1901, and that any one who may wish to attend the Congress or to support it financially can obtain full particulars on applying at the Colonial Secre- tary's Office.
It is understood that H. E Sir Claude MacDonald and Lady MacDonald are likely to make a short trip to Europe, leaving Japan early next month. Sir Claude has not had leave of absence for several years, and it is to be hoped that no unlooked-for complication may interfere to prevent his enjoyment of a well-earned spell of leisure.
Epidemics of so-called "queue-cutting" have on various occasions caused panics in China. The natives have as a rule attributed the outrage either to "foreign devils " White Lily society.
or to the A Japaness doctor, however, according to the Chinese native papers, has discovered that the loss of a queue may often result from the action of a microbe which is found on flies and rats. Perhaps the "bald- head disease" which ravaged Formosa was of the same origin.
It is stated that Count von Waldersee has declined being given a special reception by the Japanese Government during his stay in this country His visit to Japan, he says. is merely with the object of enjoying the beautiful scenery for which the country is famous and to witness the progress which the Japanese Army, organised upon the basis of the German army, has made. Nevertheless there is no doubt that Count von Waldersee will receive distinguished attention in this country-Kobe Chronicle.
The Ottoman mission to Chins, which left Constantinople on the 1st May under Brigadier General Enver Pacha, consists partly of military men and partly of Mussulman clergy, and is charged to established relations with Mussulmans in China. There are two high military officers and two distinguished Ulemas. The delay in the departure of the mission, which had been fixed several times but postponed again and again, was principally due to Russian opposition. On the other hand, the idea of the mission was favoured by the German Embassy.
The King of Siam accompanied by his suite arrived at Batavia over a fortnight ago, and was received with every honour. After a few days' sightseeing he left Batavia for Bandong, a health resort in west Java, where he arrived on the 19th ult. A shower of Siamese orders fell on the King's departure from Bataris, the Straits Times says. The Governor-General of Netherlands India received the Grand Cross of the Crown Order, the decorations of which also reached nine other recipients. Tan persons received decorations of the White Elephant Order. Of course, most of those thus honoured * wern oficials.
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(June 8, 1901.
For services and courtesies extended to the Spanish Crown, previous to American cocupa- of Manila has been decorated by the Spanish tion of the Philippines, Mr. John T. Macleod Government with the order of the Grand Cross of Isabel la Catolica.
graph Co.'s cable steamer, the Store Nordiske, On the 39th ult. the Great Northern Tele-
finished the laying of the duplicate Chefoo Taku cable, which is intended to streng hen the independent cable connection between Shanghai and North China.
with Prince Konoye in the scheme for drawing Viscount Nagaoka, who is closely associated Japan and China more closely together, left Shanghai on the 30th ult., accompanied by the Japanese Consul-General, to see the Viceroys Liu Kuug-yi and Chang Chih-tung.
jury question here, says:-British jurors in The Bangkok Times, discussing the special Bangkok have the same grievance as those in proportion of cases here the sensible plan is Hongkong, with this difference, that in a fair adopted of calling practical business men as assessors.
A number of missionaries have returned to. Anhwei and Kiangan. The Roman Catholic Anhwei. The Christian Missions are at Chacheo mission is at Wahohien in the north east of and Tsweintsiaohien, and the C.I.M at Liaang- bien. At Lucheofu the Christian Mission are at work, and in Luanchoo the C.I.M. have most of their workers back on the field.
Great activity is shown in fortifying the country along the coast at Batavis. It is in- tended to utilise pensioners as guards in these fortifications in time of peace. In time of war, ✅ the troops detached to garrison them will be held in readiness at Batavia to hasten to their posts at the first alarm. Another id-a that has found favour is to encourage the growth of brushwood around the forts, so as to conceal them from the enemy.
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The China Gazette of the 31st ult. is very indignant about the paragraph in our report of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce meeting dealing with the "Piracy of Reuter's Political Telegrams Our contemporary goes. on to say that it does not indulge in such piracy. That being so, the vigour of the protest, we should think, must strike the average reader as unnecessary, for such proceedings as may be instituted here under Ordinance No. 14 of 1894 would only be directed against those who are guilty of piracy.
A Corean despatch says that M.. Caosarey who concluded the loan with the Government, has secretly applied to Mr. Morgan, conces sionaire of the Inzan gold mine, to supply him with the requisite amount of gold. The nature of the Yuunan syndicate is being gradually exposed. It is even asserted that it is a body of speculators, not of capitalists, who are seizing the opportunity to make large profits. Their operations are being looked upon with suspicion. The contract, however, has not yet been broken off.
Mr. and Mrs. Broadbent arrived in Hong- kong from Amoy on the 24th inst., en route for England; and we understand that they do not intend to return to the Far East. Mr. Broadbent is an old China hand, having spent some 40 years in these parts, during nearly 30 of which he has been honourably connected with the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank. For many years he has been Manager of the Amoy Branch of the Bank, and his departure, and thst of his wife, will leave a great blank in Amoy, where they have by their goodness and kind geniality endeared themselves to everybody. Mrs. Broadbent, too, will be sorely missed by the Chinese women at the port. Some years ago; she founded a Laos Guild, in which she personally instructed Chinese women to make lace, and made arrangements for the sale of the lace they made. Gradually the Lace Guild at'ained considerable proportions; large numbers of women have learned in it a useful art by which they have been able to contribute in no small degree to the support of their homes; and have also learned many a lesson of good living from the constant contact with Mrs. Broadbent. The crowds of neatly dressed but tearful women who came to see her off bore witness to the great influence which Mrs. Broadbent had acquired amongst them by har kindly love and sympathy, and wise practical help.
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