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Heads of Departments should receive the bene. fit of experience in other colonies, and not be allowed to get into ruts here, as has been the case of late years. I know that it is argued that the knowledge our officials have of Chinese would thus be lost, but to this I would reply that the Sinologues have almost without ex- ception proved the worst administrative officers, and that some of the best men we have over had, and who have shown the truest apprecia- tion of the Chinese character, have been officials who have gained their first experiences in other colonies.
NORTHERN NOTES.
The following items are from the P & T. Times of the 7th inst.:-
The Russians have sent 500 troops with some artillery to Huai-lai-hsien, but for what reason is not stated.
Gen. Chiang's troops are not yet allowed into Peking, consent being witheld by some of the Foreign Ministers.
The Imperial Customs Post has established a branch in Chingtingfu and proposes to open one in Taiynenfu.
Col. F. F. O'Conner. I. M.S., assumed charge of the office of the Principal Medical Officer yesterday.
The Allied Villagers around Peking uniting with the brigands have been causing a great deal of trouble lately, and robbing wealthy families.
No answer has as yet been received from the Court to the memorial of the Plenipotentiaries asking for the abolition of the edict of post- ponement.
Li Hung.chang has sent messengers to Shan- tu. g for one million rounds of cartridges, and one of them has just passed through here with 480,0 0 rounds.
Since Peking has been restored to the Chinese, placards have been again posted up. but Li Hung-chang profiting by past experience is endeavouring to stop them and has arrested
one man.
The Chih Pao remarks that a great many Russian soldiers have appeared in Peking lately and a few days ago some 70 or 80 carts were hired by them to go to Kalgan, but no further particulars are known.
Certain foreign soldiers are said to be again arresting Chinese ou the eastern side of the river to act as coolies, and one man so arrested Was a respectable Chinese who had very important business to attend to and suffered great loss,
The Chinese officials entrusted with the collection of missionary indemnities have been getting in one dollar for themselves and one for the mission, and this has led to all such collections being stopped in order to end the scandal.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
J. J. Cleary, E. A. Stansville (drivers), all of the 3rd section 1 Pr. Vaxims R. A.., have been sen-
tenced to six months' hard labour and stoppage of pay until they have made good the sum of 862.50 stolen from a Japanese in Peking by intimidating with a revolver. As all the men bare borne excellent characters in the past the sentence in each case was reduced by General Creagh, the first two only getting three months, the third 42 days, and the fourth two months.
A regrettable accident occurred on Saturday last, when Mr. Bauld, who has been for some years the representative of Messrs. Vickers. Song and Maxim, while handling a box of friction tubes in connection with some work for Messrs. Arnhold, Karberg & Co., accidentally caused an explosion by which his head, chest, and hands got severely burnt, and he had to be taken to the Victoria Jubilee Hospital, where he will be under treatment for some time pro- hably. Fortunately his case in not considered in any way critical, but his suffering is great.
The State Lottery to be start d in Peking to help obtaining funds for the indemnity has been revised by the advice of Sir Robert Hart, and the tickets reduced to $5 each and Chinese allowed to participate. One million tickets will be issued monthly and it is estimated that allowing for all expenses the Government profit should be over a million taels per month. According to local native papers the new lottery is to be run on the same lines as the Manila Lottery, and a certain number of tickets will be sent to each port and customs station according to the population and trade of the district and the commissioner will be held responsible for their disposal.
(September 23, 1901.
CORRESPONDENCE.
[We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents.]
WEIHAIWEI'S PROSPECTS.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE 'DAILY PRESS."
Hongkong, 11th September. 818.- I read with deep interest this morning your leading article re Weihaiwei. In every way I most cordially agree with " A Resident and endorse all his views. I am well aware that a certain number of high naval and military manent occupation of and the strengthening authorities, also politicians, oppose our per. of Weihaiwei. These oppose it for one reason only-Money. But most of the able, patriotio the subject are much in favour of Weihaiwei. and thinking naval officers who have studied-
Its advantages are numerous :---
1. Climate very good.
2. Capabilities of defence and strengthening excellent.
could be built, so as to form an excellent har- 3. Ease and cheapness by which breakwaters
bour.
be carried on. Mostly mnd to dredge.
4. Ease by which dredging operations could
5. It would make an excellent base from which to act.
6. Last, but not least, it is a first-class train- ing ground for our large fleet out here.
A dock should be commenced there forthwith.
and the breakwaters and dredging operations
proceeded with,
It is proposed to form a Naval Gun Corps with foreign Powers, &c., but Germany would I have not touched on politics, our relations among the Tientsin Volunteers, four 12 pounders having been left here, two of which go with us, I feel sure. Arrangements could be made to run a railway straight from Peking, have been taken by the R. W. F. and the remaining two were offered to the Volunteers through German territory to Weihaiwei, hav- if sufficient men offered themselves to benefiting this latter as a base and thus doing away to by the instruction of a marine gun instructer
a great extent with that impracticable and available for one month. We believe the poisonous place Taku, which is now used as a
base.-Yours, etc.. required number for one gun have already come forward and it is boped that the full comple- ment for the other gun will be forthcoming in
a
few days. Instruction will be given on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. 7 to 8 a.m. in the Base Ordnance Park, Bruce i sad, and begins on the 9th. We think the opportunity an excellent one, which should commend itself to young Tientsin residents.
The native papers contain a prospectus of a new tribunal whose specific offics will be the consideration of reforms. The document con- sisting of a preamble and ten articles emenates from the Throne though not in the form of a decree. It recognises the demand for reform, yet whether it is designed to further the object or to strangle it in its cradle remains open to question. The language has the ring of revolu- tion yet so intricate are the formalities required for bringing about the desired changes that one doubts whether any will succeed in getting through the labyrinth Noticeable is it that the native Press is to be placed under a censorate. Moreover it is expressly stated that con-
all reforms except the most urgent are to be postponed until the return of the Court to Peking." That event is itself postponed until some time next year. There is not much reason there fore to apprehend a sudden influx of novelties in the way of legislation.
Prince Su is said to be instituting numerous reforms in connection with the collection of lekin in the Peking gates, commencing work at 8 a.m. instead of late in the day as formerly, and thereby facilitating the venience of foreigners.
A list of over 500 names of so-called Boxers has been handed a military officer by Prince Ching and twenty have been already arrested, including one official. It is not certain whether these men are really what they are represented or reformers.
According to the Je Je the French evacuated Paoting over a week ago, the Chinese officials escorting the last detachment to the station, | and after their departure ordering the people to remove all flags and lanterns and restore the place to its normal condition.
The following items are from the Foochow Echo of the 14th inst :-H.M.8. Pigmy arrived at Pagoda on the 12th inst.-Messrs. H. 8. Brand & Co.'s auction on the 12th inst, included The the residence of the late Mrs. Schönfeld.
The Chinese have been demolishing walls out-property sold for $2,950.-Business in tea side the Summer Palace and selling the bricks continues on a very small scale in spite of the to the various Legatious where building is short supplies. The arrivals of Congou to date going on, the Ministers being in ignorance are only 282,000 half-chests against 447,000 of where they were obtained from. Investi-half-chests at the same date last year.-Under gation has led to the arrest and punishment | the auspices of the Foochow Gun Club a shoot of six of the offenders.
on somewhat new lines was held yesterday afternoon for a prize kindly presented by Mrs. M. W Greig. The conditions were that the competitor walked towards the four traps and while walking a pigeon was released. If the pigeon was broken by the first barrel another bird was immediately thrown. For breaking two birds the gun scored 3 points, if only one broken 2 points. Mr. C. L. Howell being the winner, Mrs. Greig presented him with the prize.
The Yahong folks have been getting into disputes with the villagers and have thus been introduced to the notice of the P. G. and some of them have been found to possess arms. The native papers state however the hong men hold- ing certificates to show they are under German protection, were released and the arms re- turned.
Four men, C. J. Baker, gunner, G. Baston,
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R. N.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS.
Hongkong, 14th September. SIR-It seems to me that the most note- worthy feature with regard to the occupation of Weihaiwai by the British has been the strange apathy and indifference shown with regard to the colony. Surely the Government must have known what they were doing when they occupied the place, but for some time after the occupation they seem to have been doubtful of their action. The latest, according to the papers, has been the stoppage of all work on the new fortifications and so leaving them in a half finished state. Frequently cold water seems to have been thrown on commercial enterprise, as witness the prohibition of mining in the interior of the Colony three years ago.
Was enter- company started in Shanghai
a few houses prising enough to put up on the mainland, but last summer when they hoped to get some return for their outlay the Government suddenly forbade anybody to land, and I believe that up to now no compen- sation has been given to the company. Then again there is Mr. Balfour's fatuous promise to Germany not to build a railroad inland from Weihaiwei, when everybody agrees that it is essential to the commercial development of the place. I quite agree with your correspondent
11
A.
R.N." that Weihaiwei should be developed as a naval base and that a dock with repairing shops, &c., should be built. The naval and military authorities in Hongkong tend to stifle commercial development by occupying some of the best positions in this Colony and so over- crowding it. It would be better for business people here if they removed their energies to Weihaiwei, and immeasurably better for them- selves on account of the superior climate of the It has not our annual blessing northern port.
-the plague-and labour and living expenses ought to be less than here.
Why cannot the British authorities show a modicum of the energy displayed by the Germans at Kiaochau and the Russians at Port Arthur? Is it that the South African war has so crippled England financially that she has closed her money bags to poor little Weihaiwei? —Yours, etc.,
MOONRAKER.
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