.918-
having seen some copies, is much in favour of it. Several readers will be found in the palace, and all that will be needed will be silence as to all faults in the place.
EDUCATIONAL WORK.
The official Industrial School. under Ch'en Pi himself, has been started by first purchasing a building at a cost of some 8,000 taels, and by placing several officials in charge. Industrial work has not yet been begun.
-Schools for foreign languages and learning are being reopened after the new year festivities, and several are being opened for the first time. They all are being run "on the cheap, and are content with any one who professes to know Western science. They are all remarkble for elaborate regulations, I think there are many who have noticed that the literary Chinese are always keen on drawing up lengthy regulations, and are never satisfied with merely a few simple rules. Even a small boys' school, as managed by Hanlius, must have enough regulations to weigh down an ordinary German university The main thing with them is a "System of Regulations" rather than a first-class instructor. The Chancellor of the Imperial University, Chang Pei-hsi, has already enlarged the site at present utilised, by taking in the property adjoining at his own price, or rather according to the reckoning of his deputies. PREPARATIONS FOR THE IMPERIAL JOURNEY. The Provincial Treasurer, Chou Fu has been here to have an audience, and to receive instructions concerning the preparations he is to make for the Imperial journey to the Eastern Tombs.
•
HONOURS FOR MISIONARIES.
Through a report from him, the Viceroy has presented & Memorial to the Throne asking for Imperial honours and, I suppose, buttons-to be bestowed
OD tho officials and missionaries who have through the last year
been conferring about Church indemnities in Peking and this province, and about the punishment of Boxers and the settlement of lawgnite. The Viceroy reported that everything has been set: led. We hear, how ever, that very few on the list of guilty leaders and murderers made out by the missionaries, have been punished,. Some have even been pro- moted and honoured. We have not yet learned what missionaries have been seconded for recognition," but the list cannot be a small one, as nearly every Protestant missionary had some- thing to do in the matters of the last year. The two Catholic Bishops in Peking, one of whom has a second button and the other a third, will be advanced one grade.
ACCOMMODATION FOR THE FOREIGN GARRISON.
The United
The Russian Legation is at last engaged in putting up buildings for the Russian barracks and military officers.
States Legation is laying the foundation for its own buildings, as the present quarters are soon to be occupied by the Corean Legation, the property having been purchased by the Corean Govern mont from Col. Denby. The Japanese military quarters with their buildings and tall brick chimmey or tower, look very much like a Shanghai cotton-mill. The Italian and Austrian quarters look something like a medieval castle.
-Ñ.-C. Daily News.
FOOCHOW.
The following items are from the Foochow
· Echo of the 8th March :---
Mr. G. W. W. Pearson was appointed Pro- Consul at the British Consulate on the 6th instant.
H. B. M. Consul has appointed Mr. R. B. Begley to be Acting Posta! Agent.
The entries for the Spring Meeting of the Fohkien Race Club closed on the 6th instant. Although the ponies in training aro not numerous there are sufficient to ensure good sport. The fixture is for the 19th and 20th of this month.
To the great relief of agriculturists, garden owners and others, rain has at length come. It commenced on the night of the 2nd inst. and al- though it has not been continuous, enough has fallen during the week to meet immediate wants. Wells and ponds have been replenished, and we hear that those interested in the coming Race Meeting are particularly pleased at having a softer course to train their ponies on
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
The fire of Thursday night was on the north bank of the river, below the long bridge. It broke out at about 8 o'clock, and is said to have been caused by some accident in a small native kerosene oil-store. Be that as it may, the timber yard close by was quickly in flames, and the fire spread with such rapidity from stack to stack of dry poles that in a couple of hours the conflagration was appalling. Much more so was it in the small hours of the morning, by which time the fire had extended over several acres of land. The blaze must have been seen for many miles round. For fifteen hours the fire continued to rage, and the smouldering went on until late last evening. The best endeavours of those in charge of fire-engines were of no avail. The soldiery sent from the city to keep order were duty all night. A good deal of destruction might have been saved had the authorities taken the responsiblity of pulling down a row or two of the stacks earlier. A multitude of pillagers were, as usual on such occasions, busy carrying away what they could get in spite of the intense heat, many of them getting badly burnt. Besides almost all of the stacked timber the entire street running at the back of the yards was destroyed, numbering some two to three hundred houses, Fears were entertained that the foreign godowns, a little lower down the river, would suffer, but luckily there was no wind and they escaped. The value of the wood destroyed, which belonged to Ningpo timber merchants, is estimated at $500,000.
CORRESPONDENCE.
01
[We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents.]
THE BUILDING ORDINANCE,
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS." Hongkong, 15th March.
SIE, The new Bill to consolidate and amend the Laws relating to Buildings which the Gov- ernment now endeavours to rush through the Council is
a very drastic and A very arbitrary measure to be put befa e the public. To criticise its various sections vuld tike up columns of your valuable paper. The effect of the Ordinance would be the means of increasing the already high rents and the cost of living; it will also increase wages all round and would also be the means of encouraging crimes.
years
The present state of high rents and cost of living can be easily traced to the voluminous laws and bye-laws of the Sanitary Board. Alterations and improvements to buildings in the last few have been done at the expense of landlords, without their receiving the slightest compensation from the Government, which is alone responsible for laying out building sites in the streets and lanes; and the class of houses which the Government now tries to condemn has been prected with its cognisance and ap- proval. As a natural sequence the landlords, to recoup themselves for the extra outlay,
demand an increased rent.
The new Bill, if passed as it stands, would also be the means of driving capital out of this Colony and causing hundreds of families to find shelter in Macao or Canton, The Bill with its many other sweeping and most arbitrary clauses, without mentioning any compensation, tries to sweep away about one-tenth of the existing tenement houses without giving the landlords concerned a chance of re-constructing them and also enacts the re-modelling of almost all the remaining houses, as opportunities occur, at the expense of the landlords and tenants.
The Government is playing a waiting game by sitting quietly to see the re-construction of these houses, necessitated by fire, old age, earthquake, typhoon, etc.. which will take decades of years.
| March 24, 1902.
and thousands of dollars in fumigation and other flea-bite remedies and have thousands and thousands of people die like rats (for the measures in the Bill cannot touch even the most insanitary building until its re- construction from one of the causes above described), and why not resume at once the most ill-ventilated and unhealthy lots? It would be more straightforward if the Government would build at once sufficient up-to-date sanitary houses and then resume a certain number of the buildings that are con- sidered unhealthy to accommodate he tenants of the resumed ares.
It behoves our sanitary authorities, if they have the over- crowding question at heart, to begin by taking steps to remove the disorderly houses in the central district first.
J
The new Bill in its crude form is an ill wind that blows nobody say good, and unless the Government plays a fair game by giving com. pensation of resuming at once insanitary houses and dwellings, the Colony will be the same in the next twent -five years as it is now.-Yours, etc.,
A. tt.
[Our correspondent will see that the second reading of the Bill in question has been post- poned-ED., D.P.]
THE VOLUNTEERS AND THE CORONATION,
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS,"
Hongkong, 20th March. SIX-It is sincerely to be hoped that the home authorities will approve of Major-General Gascoigue's proposal to send a strong detach- ment of the 'Hongkong Volunteer Corps to represent this Colony at the forthcoming Coro- nation. In that event, may I saggest that the men to be sent should be the pick of the corps -of fine physique and smart-so that the Colony will be as worthily represented as the other colonies P-Yours, eto,
E.
13
++
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRE88. Hongkong, 21st March, here will be equally glad, the suggestion made SIR-I was glad to see, and other Volunteers by your correspondent "E" that in the event of a detachment of the Hongkong Volunteer Corps being sent home for the Coronation the men stand however that the detachment to be sent sent should be the pick of the Corps. I under-
will consist of those who are able to obtain the essential leave. This does n t necessarily mean the smartest men in the Corps, and although the whole scheme is still in the air, may I suggest that the required number of men be selected, proficiency and smartness being of course taken into account, and an official
application for leave be made to the various employers? The leave required is only three months (as at Singapore) and if the Corps is to be properly represented and able to run the gauntlet of the critical spectators of the pro- cession, and comparison with other bodies, this appears to me to be the only course that can be adopted. Yours, etc.,
F. B.
A NUISANCE TO SLEEPERS.
TO THE EDITOR of the DAILY PRESS.”
8.m.
Hongkong, 19th March. SIB, I should like to call attention to the annoyance cansed to many people by the guas being fired on the American men-of-war at 5 of people enjoy their best sleep about that time, It is fairly safe to say that the majority and surely the men on the boats do not sleep so soundly as to need awakening by gun-fire. The practice is a real source of annoyance to light sleepers and invalids such as—Yours, etc.,
W.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS,
The question arises-hat has induced the Government to introduce this most arbitrary. and sweeping measure to endeavour to stamp CRUELTY TO DOGS IN HONGKONG. out plague and to have a better class o build- ings all round? The Government, through its own past åots and omissions, has been a party to the existing state of things, as all houses, whether sanitary or insanitary, have been built with the consent and approval of the Government, which now wishes to remodel them at the sole expense of those to whom support and encouragement | have been given by itself. Why waste thousands
Hongkong, 21st March. SIR,--Will you please grant me a small space in your valuable paper to voice the cause of man's best friend, the dog? I notice that for some time past the police have been running in in right earnest all unlicensed dogs that are found prowling about the streets, This is a step in the
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.