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The hired transport Ula sailed on the 8th inst. for the North with stores, ordnance, etc.
The Austrian 3rd class cruiser Leopard, of | 1,582, tons, arrived on Friday afternoon from the Pescadores. The German gunboat Jaguar left for Pakhoi.
The half-yearly test of hydrants at the Ordnance Buildings, Wellington Barracks, and Victoria Barracks, will be carried out on Friday, the 21st inst.
On the 11th inst, the British transport Glengyle, arrived from Taku, and the German troopship Rhein from Bremen. The Rhein, which left on the 13th inst., had 1,849 troops on board.
A Government Gazette Extraordinary, issued on the 13th, published a despatch from H.B.M. Acting Consul-General at Bangkok, euclosing a regulation enforcing against British vessels from Hongkong the provisions of a Siamese Quarantine Decree.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
On the 13th inst. the British transport Chingtu left for Taku, and on the 13th inst. the Glengyle for Calcutta.
It is notified in the Gazette that Mr. Galicano Apacible has been added to the register of qualified medical and surgical p aetitioners in the Colony.
A polo match took place on the 11th inst. at Kowloon between the V.R.C. and a team from H.M.S. Janus. The former were victorious by five goals to two.
Last week the Army Inspector started on his half-yearly inspection of the Garrison Schools, and will make a visit to all the schools during the course of the week.
A number of Chinese boys were, on the 10th inst., swinging on the gate at the entrance to the Race-course, when the hinges gave way, and one of the boys was killed by the gate falling apon him.
A dead rat was found a day or two ago in A water polo matchat Kowloonon Wednes. the room adjoining the library at the Supreme day evening between the V.R.C. and 25th Co. | Court. The sanitary authorities were com- E.D.R.A. attracted a good number of spectators. municated with, and on Sunday the building The 25th Co. were much the superior team, was disinfected. although the final score was only four goals to three in their favour.
From the returns of the Subordinate Court for 1900 it appears that 14,081 cases, involving 16,696 prisoners, came under the cognisance of the Police Magistrate's Court during the year. 13,149 males and 501 females were convicted and punished, 2,416 males and 235 females dis- charged, 131 males and 5 females committed for trial at the Supreme Court, and 11 males committed to prison or detained pending orders of H.E. the Governor.
Wong Po, the widow who was sentenced to death for the murder of Kwong Cheung, Supreme Court messenger, and whose sentence was commuted to imprisonment for life, died од the 7th inst. in the Government Civil
Hospital, where she was removed from prison recently on account of her health. An inquest
was held on the 8th inst.: and resulted in a verdict of death from malignant malarial fever after premature child birth. The woman remained unconscious till she died.
The damage by the fire at 292, Queen's Road Central on the 8th inst. is estimated at $15,000. The premises, a paper and stationery shop, are insured for 821,100 the Transatlantic Company (of which the. local agents are Messrs. Siemssen & Co.), $8,000; the Chung On, $6,000; and the Tung On, $7,100. The owner of the adjoining house, No. 296, claims $7,000 for water damage. These premises are insured for $40,000. The cause of the outbreak is unknown, but it is believed to have been accidental,
Fire broke out at 10 p.m. on the 7th inst. in a Chinese dwelling-house on the top floor at 292, Queen's Road Central. Viewed from the street, the premises involved presented one sheet of flame, and burning embers were drop. ping freely on the street. The Fire Brigade lost no time in getting to work, and streams of water were directed on the flames from every available direction. The wall of the adjoining house was broken through and a hose played on the burning house. By eleven o'clock the fire was well in hand, the only indication of its extistence being the great volumes of smoke rising.
The feast of Corpus Christi was held with unusual pomp and solemnity this year on Sun- day last at the Roman Catholic Cathedral, the Right Rev. Bishop Piazzoli officiating, assisted by all the Roman Catholic clergy in Hongkong. In the afternoon vespers were sung by the choir and the clergy, and were followed by a sermon very eloquently delivered by the Rev. Theodosio Xavier, of the Macao diocese. A grand procession then took place on the com- pound of the Cathedral, and was followed by a very large concourse of people, among whom we noticed the Consul General for Portugal, the Consul for Italy, the Consul for Austria Hungary, the Vice-Consul for Brazil, and several naval officers from the Portuguese gun boat Zaire. The Portuguese Amateur Band was also in attendance, and played two slow marches for the procession. The service con- cluded with the Benediction. A word of praise is due to the gentlemen who so efficiently carried out the arrangements for the feast, the interior of the Cathedral being tastefully decorated with a profusion of plants in pots and flowers.
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The steamer Hatching, whose departure was delayed owing to one of the engineers having been taken ili with plague, was released from quarantine on the 7th inst, and sailed in the evening for Calcutta.
A fire broke out on the top floor of 31, Peel Street, on the 13th inst.. at about 1 o'clock. The whole of the roof fell in, but the damage was estimated at being not more than $200. The cause of the outbreak is unknown.
Lieut. Col. J. L. Wheeler, Ordnance Officer of the Second Class, has been appointed to be Ordnance Officer of the First Class, with the substantive rank of Colonel in the Army. Lieutenant Douglas Clapham, R.G.A, has been promoted to the rank of Captain.
With reference to our notice of the 7th inst.
we regret to state that advices were received in the Colony yesterday that the Rev. G. L. Mackay
D.D., died at Tamsui on the 2nd instant, after just having completed his thirtieth year of ministry in North Formosa.
The Rev. E. J. Hardy, M.A., has been appointed chaplain to the forces in Hongkong, in succession to the Rev. G. R. Vallings, who has been appointed to a living in Argylleshire. Many will be disappointed to learn that Mr. and Mrs. Vallings are not returning to the colony, and the latter will be especially missed in musical circles. The new chaplain is well known as a magazine writer, and is the author of How to be happy though married.
MISCELLANEOUS.
A society has been founded, with headquarters in Paris, which has for its object the promotion of irrigation to assist in the agrionltural development of Indo-China,
A suggestion has been made in Bangkok that a Chinese Protectorate should be established by the Siamese Government, with an advisory Board of prominent Chinese residents.
On Sunday, the 2nd inst., a new church at Yokohama was consecrated, Dr. Awdry, Bishop of South Tokyo. performing the ceremony. The church will be known as Christ Church,
Yokohama.
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Tonkin papers report the first instance of the operation of M. de Saigon "-in other words, the headsmau-in Tonkin. The occasion was the execution of two Annamites for the murder of their European master.
Shanghai mandarins have received an officia! despatch from Peking informing them that the Roman Catholic Bishop of Shansi has demanded an indemnity of no less than seven million taels for the losses sustained by Romanist converts in that province. It is claimed that at least 7,000 of the latter were massacred in Shansi last year. It is plain that the remainder will be in very affluent circumstances in the future. The first batch of mules, about 50 in number, purchased under General Gazelee's orders in China for Mountain Battery and transport work in India, arrived in Calcutta at the end of last month. After being classed, they will be sent on to the various military centres selected. The testing operations will occupy three weeks. The transports Formosa, Clavering, Chinglu, Haiching," Glengyle and Umia take 4,000 more mules for India.
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[June 17, 1901.
Dr. P. L. Sherman, special agent of the Forestry Bureau of the Philippines, left Manila recently on a tour of investigation in the Straits Settlements and Java, and, if necessary, Sumatra, to obtain information regarding the rubber and gutta percha industries, with a view to their development in the Philippines. Daring his mission Doctor Sherman will study the best methods of obtaining gutta peroha, a'd devote special attention to the new process of extract- ing it from leaves, bark, and twigs, a' method altogether unknown among the more crude and primitive workers of the Philippinė Islands, who usually obtain their supply by recklessly cutting down the tree, and removing the exuda- tion of gum.
The Sinwenpuo has the following from its the Mahomedan population of Haicheng, a Shonsi correspondent:-A few months ago
district of Kuynan, Kansu province, said to in insurrection and commenced pillaging and have been pushed thereto by famine. rose up
wealthy residents of that city not belonging robbing the Government granaries and the
to the Mahomedan faith. This insurrection Fahsiang, who personally led his troops from was eventally suppressed by General Tung Pingliangfu, in the same province, where Tung's headquarters had been established over since his transference from Hsian last winter.
There is also a rumpur that someone has been busy in Kansu province trying to stir up the
Mahomedans there to rebel.
A Simla telegram of the 30th ult. says:- The following further reductions of the China Expeditionary Force have been sanctioned: B" Battery, Royal Horss Artillery; the First Infantry Brigade, viz., 7th Bengal Infantry, Infantry; No 2 Company, Bombay Sappers; 26th Bombay Infantry, lat Sikhs, 24th Punjab the Staff of the First Infantry and Cavalry Brigades; Commanding Royal Artillery and telegram says:-Ninety days' privilege leave Commanding Royal Engineers-Another
is sanctioned for all officers and subordinates subject to military rules reverting from Field Service in China. In view of the uncertainty Indian Contingent in South Africa, the ques- regarding the relief or otherwise of units of the
tion of sending home more families is held over until the next trooping season.
An official despatch from Chefoo to the Japanese Government states that only one Chinese gunboat has been sent to suppress the pirates to the west of Chefoo and to the south of Liaotung. A single gunboat was not suffi- cient to suppress the piracy, and things have been getting worse lately. Chinese junks aro frequently attacked and robbed, and communica- tion along the coasts mentioned is interrupted. A large quantity of merchandise is stored in Chefoo, and the local market is afflicted. Various Japanese steamboats have been chartered lately to tow junks on Rinko, Kotogai, Yokakko and Tasanho, near the frontier of Chihli; but the pirates show no sign of relinquishing their depredat ons. The latest report is that large piratical oraft have been seen cruising off the coast to intercept and board passing junka. Tho pirates have fire-arms, swords, and other weapons, and a number of casualties have occurred already.
The San Francisco Call, emphasising its remark with an appalling portrait of the gentleman, announces that Mr. John Barrett, former U.S. Minister to Siam, will snocoed Mr. E. H. Conger as U.S. Minister to Peking. Our contemporary says:- "Mr. Barrett is now engaged in the work of enlisting the leading men and the commercial bodies of tho Pacific Coast in his behalf as a candidate for the Chinese appointment. He has interviewed the members of the California Congressional delegation and the trustees and directors of leading commercial bodies, and has secured indorsements tending to show that he is favoured by the Pacific Coast people. It being understood that President McKinley considers such evidence of favour an indispensable prerequisite to the appointment, the President being of opinion that the wishes of the coast should be the leading factor in determining the matter." Of course, we need not add that Mr. Barrett disclaims making any efforts at San Francisco to be Minister to Peking. The situation will strike those who do not belong to the Land of Freedom as rather amusing,
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