LS.
the Poet Commons, mesange of that the British do not
to neglect oppor- for the more rapid transport of the Far East. MF. AUSTEN announced that if the Railway fered a speedier service he be obliged and ted that he was in authorities with ment bra service the Für East. As yet, agreement had been reached, ng that he would he obliged to service, Mr.. AURTEN CHAM. o doubt, intended to convey that „would prefer to use a British but that, if the Siberian Bulway can His Majesty's mails as securely and more expeditiously than the Peninsular set Oriental 8.N. Oo, can transport them in their steamers he will feel compelled to send them by the best of the competing routes. Naturally it is not palatable to have to go past the historic Company which for so many decades well and faithfully performed this important work Moreover, Wir very desirable that, if possible, a lish Company should carry the British Loyer British route to the most British Colony of Hongkong. sacrificing all the advantages noh transport, it would be well, to weigh impartially all the pros and wee whether an accelerated service that would compete with Siberian roule is not possible. India is concerned a railway via Persia, is of cours practicable, ill no doubt eventually be constructed, but it must be many years before Burma in connected with China by railway, and in any case it seems impossible that any
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
of telegraphy, this means of communication will be rendered much less costly, and that the mail letters will more and more become mere confirmation of the week's telegrams,
CHINA'S CURRENCY,
(Daily Press, 15th May.)
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A few weeks ago the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce unanimously passed a re- solution expressing the opinion that the Treaty Powers should urge the Chinese Government to take the necessary steps to provide for an uniform national coinage as a first step towards establishing the currency of China on a gold basin at as early a date as practicable, Some attempt is actually to be made by China in this direction, for Prince CHING has by Imperial Edict been instructed, in conjunction with the Board of Revenue, to establish að imperiul mint in Peking to provide an uniform coinage for the Empire. We prefer not to hazard any prediction as to when China will actually be in possession of this uniform currency, but it is satis. factory to note that steps are being taken to give effect to the undertaking given in Article II of Sir J. L. MacKAY's Treaty, and if the representatives of the Trenty Powers in Peking are at all desirous of acting upon the Shanghai resolution their task will not be a difficult one for the Chinese Government, we may take it, is already convinced of the desirability as well as the feasibility of this important reform. We learn from the native papers that Prince CHING has requested the various Viceroys and Governors to furnish reports on the dollar currency wherever it is used, and to suggest what should be the definite and uniform exchange values. between silver dollars and copper coins. An uniform currency for China is one thing, however, and a stable, currency is another, but in the interests of China the one must follow the other, and the sooner we have in the past been accustomed to hear against a gold currency for China have been exploded by the experiences of India, and there is nothing in the experienes of India to justify pessimism or doubt as to the beneficial effect likely to accrue to China from the adoption of a gold standard.
"
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might have
Court but not to a civil 'was not inclined to let advantage of this technical obje and ordered the writ to 1 company put in as plaintiffs The case was adjourned.
Tuesday, 12th May.
YA
IN ORIGINAL' JUKINDICTION. ad Siir
Bɩrorn His HoxoUR Sık Harar 8.2.
BERKELEY (ACTING CHIEF JUSTICE)
ACTION FOR SLANDER. mae was onlled in which Franci Gomes aned Antonio Simplicia. ComPOR $20,000 damages for alleged alander,
ME. H. Sharp, K.O barris (instructed by Mr. H. W. Looker, i Deacon and Hastings, solicitors). the plaintiff, and Mr. MEW. Blade at-law (instructed by Messrs.
Dennys and Bowley, appeared" for the defendant.
Mé. Blade" said that before jury
called in this case he would ask his Lordship'a attention to a passage in the China Mail of the previous night, which stated that, “At eleven o'clock to-morrow, befoty, Bie Honour Sir H. 8. Berkeley, Acting Chief Justice, and a special jury, slander case will be tried in the Supreme Court. The parties are Francisco d'Amis Gomes (plaintin) and Antonio Simplicie Gomes, junior (defendant); the plaintim: *1 Presented by Messrs. Deacon and Hastings and defendant by Messrs. Dennys and Bowley. The amount of claim is $50,000, and the defen dant had paid the sum of $200 into Court As his Lordship knew. It was laid down in the Code that" Where a cause or matter in tried by the Court with a jury no communication, to the jury shall be made, until after the verdiet has been given, either of the fast that sooner has been paid into Court or of the amount paid in." He had no doubt that the sewspaper
%
$
to the Far East, can compete in puineth better. Many of the arguments which, absolutely bona-fide in making this statement
of
time with the Fiberian Railway. But before opting the latter as a mail route it will surely be advisable, 19 vâït and, soe, how , worked and whether it will run un- lingly throughout the winter, or whether is likely to be snowed up occasionally
radio impeded er blocked by the severity cold. There is no reason to doubt
Russian Government will, do their make this line a success commers nd financially as well as strategically, must also be remembered that
undertakings of the kind Lapse into sual ways and the in charge are very prone to the anctity
time table.
Bre
SUPREME COURT.
Monday, 11th May.
IN SUMMARy JurisdictION!
BEFORE HIS Hosour A. G. Wish (PUISNH JUDGE).
A CAPTAIN'S COMPLAINT.
sure, bower that theed Ho Fu, master of cargo-boat No. 631, for Robert Morgan, master of the 8.8. Pak Kong, Goxerament will not decide upon 15 damages siid to have been caused by the age from the existing arrangement defendant's negligence in fouling the steamer's ing the Eastern mai in a hurry or propeller with a rope from his cargo-boat. Mr. giving due consideration to the cer- O. D. Thomson," solicitor, appeared for the
srity of their delivery. The defendant. the early delivery of correspon- discounted by the
It is prob
e telegraph, and the afforded to lifferent mails and lace the im- the early Bo much is this His:Mainety's
tooked for hardly
Captain Morgan stated in evidence that on 12th April at 11.40 a.m; after making fast to the wharf at the Harbour Master's once his steamer's propeller fouled a cable running from the defendant's cargo-boat. He had to engage, Chinese divers to clear the propeller, The jauks which lay about there woull not give the steamer à bleur rond.“
-4
Hi Lordship said he supposed it was not the money that Captain Morgan was driving at ? The Captain replied that it was not; it
to
o make the junks give his stesmer On approaching the whart he blew nouify the jacks to go out from
but they would Hót go**
usamined by Mr. Thomson,
It had not paid
divers
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But, of course, it was clear that the Legislature had directed that the fact of payment into Court and of the amount divulged, and he thought should not be he ought to draw his Lordship's attention to the fact when a newspaper made, that fact public in the most einspionons manner.
His Lordship—What section are you ra ring to ?
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Mr. Blade-Section 160 of the Code of Civil Procedure. I thought it only right to draw your" Lordship's" attention to this matter... rather with regard to any future perhaps than with regard to this of the factios of a paper making,stałe which are not quite full and may affect the
His Lordship-I think that rule applies only to practitioners. I do not think that it means that a newspaper cannot state the fict.
submit, for paper to absolutely and deliberately Mr. Slade But surely it is not right, I nullify the Code.
His Lordship-What this means is sel in opening the case shall not of the fact that money, Court. The intention no doubt shall not be in any way, bisssed by the knowledge that the defen money into Court, 1 quite that the same principle should spp. a newspaper from making a may be read by the jury, în con body else, and which migh In the circumstances - 1 feel publisher of the newspape of the existence
Mr. Blade
ing
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