September 12, 1903.1
His first attack on it was when he somewhat superciliously declared in the House of Commous that England grants alliances, does not seek them, or words to that effect. With the stoicism of their Old Samurai the Japanes did not seem to winge in the least under this home thrust, but nevertheless they felt it.
some-
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
the fishermen were sent back to Japan at the expense of the Russian Government and the rest detained. The fisherm had provided thomselves with all the ne ssary permits but | had done so in the name of Russian men of straw, of whom they had no less than 17 or 18 aboard their litt flet. August 19 msre
Towards the end of captured.
vessels and 400 men were in
Whether be Russian authorities the Far East waut to forcs Japingse into war or into peace by
the acts it is impossible to
these say. Technical'y. the Eussiana are perhaps right. events
At all it is improbable that the captures so far wat will coustitute another knot in the already tangled diplomatic situation.
ARSH TREATMENT.
195
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS,' Kowloon Dock, 7th September. of your valuable paper, ventilate what I consider SIR,-Will you kindly through the mediam the decidedly unchristianlike feeling displayed by our Sanitary authorities. I had the extreme misfortune to lose my only brother through typhoid fever on the 5th inst. at the G verament Civil Hospital. After his decease I visited his home and found everything in order. Whilst I was busy with other du'ies, the Sani- tary authorities later in the day visited his house with a view to disinfecting whatever effects he had. I certainly do not in any way protest against that, if those in authority consider it expedient, although in this case the patient was taken to hospital directly the nature of his Echo of the 291 ult. :
The following items are from the Forchow illness was ascertained. What I wish to call
Lord Cranborne's next blow at the alliance was his statement made in July last, also in the House of Commons, to the effect that Great Britain racognises the exceptional position occupied by Russia in Manchuria. The Japanese were almost at fever heut before that chilly remark reached their ears, and, needless to say, it chilled them. They felt that England had done thing very like calmly au phlegmatically throwing them over in the fica of the whole world simply because they throateus ! to commit a breach of the pears if Russia did not at one! leave Manchuria; and their suspicions seemed to them to be confirmed by what they recollected about the fervour of the Anglo-French eutente, by the report that the Tsar intended to visi England, and most of all by a recaut visit of Sir Claude MacDonald to the Japanese Foreign Office with the scothing intelligence that bis Government counselled moderation. I do not swear to the scen acy of this story, but inclined to believe that the British line of policy at present is to prevent war and, with that end in view, to induce Japan to take all shepreciated it; can get by diplomatic wrangling.
400
To show the mournful state of doubt into which the Japanese papers have fallen about Englaud's attitude towards the Manchurian question, I may mention that the Jiji, ose of the best papers, if not the best paper, in this country, thinks that an agreement is about to be concluded between Eagland and Russia. the former making to the latter some concession as to the exact nature of which there is (says the Jiji) yet no clne. Naturally the Jiji is very anxious to know what the concession may be and is much disquieted lest it take a form unpalatable to Japan.
To the average Briton, however, it will ba clear that the mere fact that Great Britain
is blamed by both sides is proof positive, that she is discharging the important but dan- gerous role of peace-maker with great succOS. The Japanese must not forget in their warliko exaltation-and to do them justice it is only a small percentage of then that are suffering from warlike exaltation-that. though Eugland will go a long way in order to prevent a war, she will never stand by and see Japan attacked by more than one Powe. So much for tha Manchurian question.
YONG AMPHO.
I dɔ
As for the question of Yong-ampho, the Russians seem to be purposely delaying a fiaa! arrangement in order that they ein withdraw gracefully in the event of a agreement with Japan being 8000 signed. Instead of closing the negotiations with a soap, they delayed and are now reopening negotiations while all the time the Japanese Minister is sending in small cart-loads of 'strong notes " per day and following them up by frantic solicitations for an audience at most unseasonable times. not think Mr. Hayashi would be quite go strenuous if he knew that the Russians attach no great importance to Yong-ampho uuless as a lever for obtaining something more desirable and that his “strong_notes" are all so much waste paper, since the Yong-ampho question will be settled at St. Petersburg, not at Seoul.
However that may be, both sides are at present showing their teeth. The Japanese are now conducting military mancavres off Fukuoka and will soon conduct two sets of military manœuvres almost simultaneously-an unprecedented occurrence in Japan. The usual grand manoeuvres,' as they are called, will take place at Himeji on or nearly on the Inland Sea and, besides, a big experiment, it cannot exactly be called manoeuvres, will come off in Hokkaido, the idea being to see how many troops can be brought by train (five trains per day will rua) at short notice from the interior of Hokkaido to Maroran and Olaru. Meanwhile the Russians have come down very heavily on the Japanese fishermeu. On August the 1st one or several Russian warships captur d 17 Japanese fishing boats and 278 men off the coast of Kamschatka. The men and ship were brought at once to Vladivostock, where 150 of
FOOCHOW.
The wather at the close of the moth appars to b) settled, which is more than could have been svd of it any day looked for in August, but the break in August since it opened. A break in the su.umer heat is
intervals of typhoons we had threa'ouings of this year was more merkel than usual. In the
fresh ones. Altogether the mouth, as far as builders have been the only class who bare ap: the weither goes, has ben disagreab'e. The they have had a distinctly good
time of it.
Mr. G. H. Hubbard writes from Sharp P ak on the 25th:
blowing great gaus here August 18, 19, and The second heavy typhoon of the se.son was
previous. The sauitarium of the Zonans Society did more damag than the first of two weeks suffered most in loss of tiles and plastering, Cable and Telegraph (E.E..) Office had its while the residence of the head Chinese of the
roof entirely taken off The mason wants specially great damage was done to buildings 81,20) Mex. to put it in haps a ain; no other
h-re. Tuo natives who are accustomed 10 dive at this season in deep water for the big your persons were attacked by some sort of sea fellow oysters are in distress again List year
Que
monster and three of thesɔ died of their wounds escapod with a cat in his hand, the other had Two have been set upon this month
only able to gasp when draggel into the boat, his legs so badly mangled that he WAS and with the words Ai-ai ab-ai! ama!'
.
**
Alas alas! O Mother! ho expired. The keng) and describe it as having two long arms natives say the monster is a "sea-log" (hai-
with claws
to
a tail like a lobster, and two
paddles behin I. They say they have caught such in their nets. Que would go quite a way se it but had rather not meet it while bathing. bat as it sms to keep in deep water we are not yet greatly frightened. A small boy, while hardieg goats, claims to have seen one sporting on the surface of the water a few days agɔ.
CORRESPONDENCE.
BATHING AT LAICHIKOK.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS.'
11
Hongkong, 5th September. SIR,-In last night's China Mail the reappeared a letter under the heading An Explanatiou " and signed "R. E." purporting to be a reply to belonging to a party of soldiers who went to my later re the indecent exposure of two men Laicbikok by the Miner on the Sunday in question (3th August). First of all let me say that "qui s'excuse s'uccuse and his saying that the two bathers were astounded to see people iuside the Joss House is invention. They had to piss close to the pure house to go to the place where they stripped themselves. Moreover, what about the jig on the sand on their way back and tho silly antics and see-saw they played in the water soaroly ten yards from the Joss House? The least R.E." says about this unsavoury basiuess the better for him and his comrades. been punished for their misconduct they If they have richly deserved it, but I shall be very sorry if the innocent should also be made to pay for the guilty few.-Yours, etc.,
DECENCY.
13
|
attention to is the manner in which the articles were returned the following morning by two coolies, all soiled linen, greasy boiler-clothing, and the best wearing apparel (the latter damp raga and deposited upon the floor, for practically now), all bundled up like a heap of those whose feelings are sufficiently injurel to go and assort. Now I have read the correspondence regarding the unnecessary waste lavished upon the unfortunate coolies plague, and whilst I maintain that it is a great and Chinese generally as a precaution against injustice even to the humblest creatures, yet I consider that when a case amongst Europeans arises that less waste and a little more feeling other. It would be well if those superintending might be displayed by Christians toward each
they would like others to act unto them, if this department would act towards others as they were placed in the bereaved persons' as at home with those that are dear to us, bat position, and to consider we are not surrounded
surrounded by strangers.—Yours, etc.,
W. J. RUSSELL.
THE RAIN EQUIPMENT OF
THE POLICE.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS,' Hongkong, 9th September. SIE, The continued inclemency of the wea- ther--it has now rained about eleven days with only brief intervals between the showers-has forced on my attention the inadequate provision made for the Police in such circumstances. The constables on duty are obliged to be out in the torrents without shelter, and the only protection they appear to have is the short cape, which however serviceable for fine cold weather affords little The military are provided with serviceable protection for their leg. greatcoats, which reach to their boots, and give shelter from rain and protection from cold. Why cannot the Police be provided with long water-proof coats to shield them from the torrential rains of summer? I should like to know how much sickness in the ranks-in the shape of colds, influenza, and fever-is due to such exposure. Yours, etc.,
MEMBER, H.S.P.C.A. [With reference to this letter, it may ba mentioned that about a dozen men in the Polic are at present suffering from influnza and dengue.-ED. D.P.]
THE P.W.D. IN KOWLOON.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS.'
Kowloon, 8th September. SIR,-Can nothing be done to arouse the P.W.D. to a sense of it responsibilities as regards the Kowloon roads? Residents in that unfor- tanate district have long since become wearied of the amusement to be derived from th peculiar methods employed in the making and repair- ing of the roads, and it is high time that some energetic protest be made against them.
for providing employment for Chinese coolie Were the P.W.D. a philanthropio institution labour in playing with sand and gravel, the situation might be intelligible, but the ordinary person has by this time arrived at the con.
for the money which he pays in rates. clusion that he is decidedly not receiving value
I confidently appeal to Kowloon residents to publicly support this protest.-Yours, etc.,
KOWLOON RESIDENT.
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