August 25, 1902.]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
only a small number is said to have been late typhoon and floods in Tonkin, when a large admitted.
{FROM THE“CHUNG NGHI LAN PH
THE CANTON-HANKOW I NE.
H.E. Chang Pat-shi, director of the Haukow and Canton railway, has arrived at Canton and paid official calls to the high authorities. A deputy has been sout to hire two hun Ired able bodied natives as Inkongs from the districts of Ying Tak and Ching Un for the protection of the railway, and a matshed is to be erected at Wong Sa for temporarily housing the two hundred. It is reported that all the land through which the railway is to pass will be resumed at reasonable market prices, accord- ing to the present value, half of the proceeds being returned to the owners, and the other half going as shares in the railway to the land- lords, who will be entitled to the same rights as the other shareholders. The land-owners are permitted, if they prefer, to have all the pro ceeds of their land resumed as shares.
MINES IN CHINA.
It is reported that Sheng Kung Pao has sent a despatch to the Viceroy saying that he has already engaged several English mineralogists for the purpose of opening all the mines in the different provinces and asking the Viceroy o send officials to make an inspection of all the places in which mines are reported to exist.
- AN EVIL DRAGON INDEED.
On account of the heavy rains, most of the district of Wai-yuen, in Lau Clow prefecture, Kwangsi, was terrible flooded on the 17th July. | Inside the city the water was seven feet above the level in the morning, and many people climbed up the frees and the city wall for safety, but in the evening the water gradually increased to about sixty feet high. The magis. trate and his family, together with a great number of people, were washed away. All the houses in Pak-ms-tan, together with the in- habitants, were carried away by the water. is reported that over a thousand people were drowned and several thousand rendered home- less. The people say that this flood was enused by "the evil tailless dragon."
THE NEW GOVERNOR.
It
H.E. Li Hing-yui, the new Governor, is ex pected to arrive in a day or two. The Nam-hoi and Pun-yu magistrates have made all necessary preparations for his reception. As soon as he arrives, Viceroy Tao Mu will haud over his seals to the Acting Viceroy Tak-sow.
PAKHOI,
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.
Pakhoi, 15th Angust.
THE NEW COMMISSIONER.
Mr. E. O. Reis, who had been appointed to succeed Mr. W. Noyes Morehouse, Commissiouer of Customs here, arrived on the 26th ult.. and assumed office on the 1st inst., on which day Mr. Morehouse left for Macan to take up his new appointment at Lappa. I was in error in stating that Mr. Morehouse bad been trausføred to Chefoo,
DEARTH OF RICE.
quantity of the paddy about to be gathered was destroyed, has caused the export of rice from Haiphong to be considerably curtailed.
CHOLERA.
have been
Since the beginning of the month therei amongst the native population. but it is not some sporadic cases of cholera yet considered infections or epidemic in its
forms.
+
I learn that cholera Las also broken out in Holow and about 100 natives are dying daily.
DEATHS AMONGST EMIGRANTS,
Some of the emigrants who were being
recruited for Mintok have sneruubel, but
whether to cholera or some other such disease
accommodation.
had been lodging I was unable to ascertain. Those men, who
in the houses near the the Kerosene Depot on the beach for better German Mission, were as once rumored to
Had it not been for this timely measure, the deaths amongst these poor wretches might have increased to an alarming extent, considering the congested condition in After the which they were originally living. amongst them decreased considerably. men's remoral to the Depôt, the mortality
DUMPING OF DEAD BODIES.
THE EMIGRANT STEAMER
Pitsannluk, consigne I to Messrs, A. Schi mburg & Co., arrived here on the 8th instant having already on board some 400 emigrants whom she took in Hoihor for Mintek. After left on the 11th instaut for her destination. taking again about 6 (4) men from this port, she
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VLADIVOSTOCK.
145
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.]
TRAN FORMING A FORTRESS.
Vladivostock, August, 1902.
If it were not for the official adhere to the title of "Fortress," which from purpose fo
the beginning has attached to this place, there would be no hesitancy in designating it as a business city which has grown almost as if under the touch of magic and which promises title is not unmerited. for the sheltering hills iufiui e commercial development. The warlike
practically impossible hostile advance uLou Rus- on all sides are so heavily armed as to make sian territory from this starting point; a fleet usually lies in the harbour of sufficient strength maintains here a full equipment for military to repulso ordinary attack; and the government and uncal administration. Yet growth bas not been impelled by or for these agencies. Under cover of the forts, the frings of water front for two miles or more and inland for nearly half that distanco is rapidly passing to business use, some of it in stately stone blocks, facing upon broad streets, and dwellings Dead bodies, evidently of the coolies intended hillsides, and along the hollows. Stories that for civiliaus are fist filling places left bare on the
dumped on some yacint pieces of ground, in for emigration abroad, were seen last week
haro come from visitors to Vladiv stock, who sono cases within a few yards from the Cu-tommosphere, had their origin either when the felt oppressed while here by the military at. House and other Luildings occupied by fer place had not become as at p esent, or in ill signers. These immediately connected with the emigration or recruiting the men for that
informed observation. There are uniforms purpose are responsible for it; it would cost no military or naval connection.
everywhere, but that does not signi'y necessarily more than a couple of dollars for a thin board gets public employment, brass buttons on a blo When a map coffin and bearers to give a decout funeral fo coal go with the position, and he becomes en- the so who sneenmhed to the disenso Some of the emigrants, too, were turned out into the streets
titled to wear the dress so long as may please on being discovered to be incapacitated by occupation. As a large percentage of the his fancy, regardless of the period of that disease from proceeding on the voyage: heit g friend ess, and from distant places, they wander office, these uniforms, not yet worn out, continue Russians hero were first, attracted by chance of along in the most pitiable condition, falling in daily evidence on the backs of many who no here and there from exhaustion. I hope to see longer draw pay from the government, and some restraint put on those natives who reernit
strangers cannot be expected to distinguish emigrants to work abroad.
such wearers from military or naval officers. The place is Russian enough, with its break- fastless mornings and midnight dinners; its by horses mustered out of lumbering irortchik, hauled on tho r
the artillery. cntinually under the lash of unshaved moudjiks, trained to seek the jerkiest places in the rough roads, so that a rider must hug always tight his companion to save her from jolting out; its store signs of demorali-ed Greek and baffling pronur- theciation; and in the wind which blows cold, when not hitingly sarage. One is left in no doubt also that he is in Russia, when hats must come off on a call at the post-office for mail, or on sufering a shop in which a priest has hung an ikon, to ask the price of something in the win- dow, or to make a trifling purchase. But military life neither obtrudes nor offends, aud one may escape the affliction imposed at Port Arthur, of reporting oneself to the police on arrival, and telling them one's life history. In- deed the military force is not so much on view as at Port Arthur, where one would estimate off-hand the number of troops by thousands. The force hore is probably larger than there, but it would not be suspected from street appearances. Although generally both the military and pol c keep in the background, the latt r insists upon knowledge of departares in spite of their seeming disregard of arrivals. A steamship agent will not sellasiiling ticket without written police order, attached to the passport of the visitor. There are times also when the vigilance of the police operates to the di comfort of those who wander forth without knowledge of the language. The captain of an English ship learned this fact the other night, when he came ashore to dine with the agent of his line. In the after- noon the residence of the hot had been pointed out to him, and he had no doubt that he could find it, when he went aboard ship to dress for dinner. His confidence did not desert him on coming ashore again, but in order to make sure of ringing the right bell, he crossed the yard to the front room window before mounting the steps. Peering through the blinds, he saw his friend within, but as he was about to turn to- ward the doorstep, a haud fell heavily on each of his shoulders, and his surprised vaze found two policemen standing over him. Sign language usually passes in these parts, and he employed it to indicate that he belonged to the house before
+ THE REBELL ON IN KWANGAL
I note that your Cantou correspondent, writing under date of July 24, states that district between Yamchów and Limehow aro
still occupied by the rebels, who keep up the struggle against the troops under the command of General Chan Ping Chick." Had he written bandilli instead of rebels, he would be about right, for there are only some brigands and ent- laws, whose culy aim, I think, is plunder, and they are still giving any amount of trou le to the Imp rial troops.
THE WEATHER.
Rain fell copiously for three days--the 12h, 13th and 14th instant, It was almost incessaut and generally accompained by thunder storms The natives are beginuing to speculate that their Indra must be iu had humour, as besides
Limehow is partially flooded; in some parts of the city the water is as deep as two feet. Strong fresbets are ruuning from the hin
The scarcity of this grain, toth here and in the torrential rain of these last few days, light. the adjacent districts, is now being severely felt.ning has struck the ground on three occasions It formed the bas's for some speculators to
since the beginning of the rainy season; on the import this indispensable article lately from third occasion (14th instant) the electricity Hongkong. The steamships Apeurale and travelled through the roofs of three houses in Hoihao brought over, ou the 7th inst., more
the busiest portion of Chinatown; fortunately than one thousand bags of common rice, and nobody was hurt. judging by the eagerness with which the first consignment was taken up, the speculation is likely to be repeated. The price now ranges from $4.50 for the commonest kind to 85.8) and $6.00 for the best. For nearly a decade we imported no rice from Hongkong, as there was always a plentiful and cheap supply from the nearest prefectures as well ns from Kwangsi; so much so that we used to export to Hoihow every year to relieve the half-starved inhabitants there, owing to the never-failing harvest thoughout Hainan.
In consequence of the poor harvest of the first and second crops this year in the surround- ing districts-which was owing to the late unprecedentedly long drought in the South- the anticipated dearth of the staple has long been staring in the face those who possessed a little foresight. Unfortunately, too, the
terland.
As the result of St. Petersburg instructions, it is reported, a mining deal has been carried through between the Russian and Chinese authorities at Kirin, Manchuria, by which the Russians may open mines, bearing all costs of operation. Engineers and all supervisors of
work will be Russians. The commander in Kiriu must not in any way. oppose or iut rrupt them in their proceedings. If any interference be made by the local rioters, the Chinese com- mander in Kirin is required to protect the mines. It is agreed that five per cent. of the gross product of the mines will be given to the Chinese Government as taxes.
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