September 26, 1903)
MR. R. SHEWAN AND THE DOCKYARD QUESTION.
Mr. Robert Shewan sent the following letter to the Times last month:
Will not some member of the House of
Commons put the following ques ions to the First Lord of the Admiralty?
1. Do the Admiralty object to the request of the residents of Hongkong, contained in a petition to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, dated Hongkong, April 4, that Royal Commission be appointed to consider the question of the change of site for the new Admiralty dock ?
2. Is it true that the original borings taken by Admiralty officials out here have proved incorrect and misleading?
3. Is it true that, in consequence of the nature of the ground having proved very different from what was expected, the time and cost of construction will exceed the original
estimates ?
4. If so, what is the estimated extra time and cost F
5. Is it not true that the early completion of the work is not essential, as there is already a large dock at Hongkong, capable of docking all but the very largest ships in His Majesty's Navy, and another in course of construction which, it is understood, will be subsidised by the Admiralty, and which will be capable of docking the largest vessels in the world, both of which docks will, of course, be entirely at the disposal of the Admiralty in times of emergency, as well as available under ordinary
circumstances?
6. In view of their being no danger from delay, will the Admiralty explain their reasons for refusing the request of the petitioners?
7. In view of the coufined and crampe position of the present intended site, is it not probable that the accommodation there will be found insufficient evba before the works are completed P
8. Could not another and more commodious site, capable of indefinite expausiou, be found on the island of Honkong, or on the point of main- land opposite which juts into the middle of the
harbour ?
9. Is it not a fact that the value of the present site and work is estimated by expert judges to be sufficient to defray the whole cost of removal as well as the cost of the new site? The object of these questions is to draw attention to the great and unnecessary hardship the community of Hongkong will suffer if this foolish scheme of the Admiralty to build a dook where no dock should be is persisted in. The site, when it was first chosen, was generally condemned, although many only dared say so under their breath; and now it is an open secret that some one has blundered over the original borings and that difficulties have arisen in finding, or rather having to make, a prope bottom-so much so that it is generally under: stood it would be cheaper and better if instead of throwing good money after bad the Admiralty would face the music and admit their mistake.
an
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
colony by blocking up our water front and cutting off the cast from the west end of the town-although, of course, most are chary of openly condemning the acts of their predecessors.
The two points on which the Admiralty now seem to rely-for they seem to have given up their old contention that their great god stra- tegy would not allow them to build anywhere but in the middle of our principal thoroughfares and the cost of changing the site now the work --are the want of other dock accommodation has been began. But the first objection is met by the existing docks, and that now in course of construction by a private firm, and the second does not exist, for the value of the present site that it should be wasted on such a purpose when on Queen's Road is enormous, and it is ridiculous
the town. there is so much cheap land availabl» outside Where I think the petition was weak of Mr. Chamberlain to these points; for we was in not more forcibly drawing the attention were bound to propound a remedy for the evils of which we complain, and could not expect my Lords of the Admiralty to shift their dock merely because it would prove a nuisance-it 18 that already.
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for none could be more ill-chosen than the As to an alternative site, there are saveral,
be pleased to forward you a proposal for what present one; and in a subsequent letter I shall would be a far more commodious, economical, and suitable naval establishment than that at present contemplated. I hope that you will kindly find space for this letter in your columns, and that some old China hand or other public- spirited member of the Honse may read it and
A petition asking for a Royal Commission to enquire into the truth of these matters was forwarded on April 8 last to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, through the Governor here, Sir Henry Blake, wh› was quite in accord with it. In reply, Mr. Chamberlain states that the Admiralty admit it would be advantage if more room were available for extension, and enclosed an extract of a letter from the Admiralty to the Colonial Office, dated March 9, 1093 (which could not, therefore, be a special reply to the petition), which says that their lordships cannot assent to the abandonment of the works, "the early comple- tion of which they believe to be necessary to security." It is possible that the Admiralty believe this; but their belief is evidently not strong enough to enable them to face a Royal Commission and give reasons for the faith that is in them. The residents of Hongkong, on the other hand, are strongly of opinion that the present dook accommodation of Hongkong is ample, and will soon be more than ample for all the requirements of the Admiralty and every engineer or military or naval official tht you meet will privately admit not only this but also that a most inconvenient and expensive site has been chosen-a site that is furthermore a direct loss and injury to the traffic of the
come to our assistance.
CANTON.
FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]
Canton, 20th September.
NO RIOT ON CITY GOD'S DAY.
and it was not found necessary to close the Last Monday's festival passed off quietly gales earlier than at 6 p.m. Enormous crowils flocked into the city to pay their respects to the City God, but they were as orderly as a Chinese crowd usually is, and no disturbance took place. It is, however, rumoured that there are many members of the Triad Soc'ety in Canton. I do not know whether any have been arrested, but on Monday I saw a desperat looking individual being carried off to prison heavily loaded with chains. The news that Admiral Ho Cheun: Ching has been ordered to Canton from Kwangsi with two battalions will be welcome to nervous people.
KWANGTUNG DISORDERS,
The interior of Kwangtung province is in a state of chronic disorder. No sooner is com- parative quiet restored in one district than trouble begins elsewhere. Waiohow has been reduced to order, but very bad reports are coming in from Sauwui and Kongmoon, where robberies are of daily occurrence. Hongkong has certainly not a monopoly of the bad characters. The Viceroy will have a difficult task in restoring order when he returus, as the disturbances are spread over a large area, and a considerable body of men will be required to keep down the brigands.
RICE.
231
[FROM THE "CHUNG NGOI SAN PO."]
THE CASE OF CHAN KING W 1. H. E. Shum Chan-hua has sent a memorial to the Throne reporting on the conduct of the Magistrate Chan King-wa as follows:-" Chan King-wa took over the seal of the Magistrate of Kwei-Hsien on 16th January last. Two days after his taking over the appointment, he gave orders to wash the prison completely, ie, to persons in all, the majority of whom were kill all the prisoners, one hundred and one
last seeing that a good number of robbers convict d only of minor crimes In March were hiding themselves in the two villages named Ngoi Lung Sung and Loi Leung Sung, effect the capture of all persons, old and young, he sent soldiers to surround the houses and therein and further to destroy all the houses, which were not allowed to be rebuilt. Being afraid that his or ler had not been promptly to the said villages with a good number of carried out, he afterwards went in person soldiers. When he arrived he was obstructed by a leader of the robbers named Chin Kwen- fook in company with many followers, with whom he had a hot engagement. The numbers bitants of the villages were forced to join them of the robbers multiplied largely, for the inha-
When the robbers retired, he [Chan] ordered for fear that they would be killed without mercy. the destruction of the two said villages as well as the neighbouring villages, numbering twenty- three in ail. He moreover allowed the soldiers to seize all the young women and girls, who exported to other places for sale, and to ransack were eit er married by force by the soldiers or
the whole region. Out of the twenty-three villages in question, eleven had not a single house left standing and the others had only from one to ten per cent. of their buildings left. On that day from one hundred and sixty to one hundred and seventy innocent. persons were killed, about one hundred kid- napped, some five hundred wer rendered death after making good their escape, and homeless and ultimately were starved to
two hundred and seventy were missing, while from two to three hundred horses and cattle were carried off by the soldiers, any prisoner was brought before him, Chan put him to the sword at once without trial, and even if the parents went to him to ask mercy for their out a word." The Viceroy asked the Imperial sons, they would be put to death likewise with. sanction for the execution of this cruel magis- trate. In Imperial edict has been issue to the effect that response to the memorial, an
Chau King-wa shall be executed at onos.
Meanwhile the prospects of the province seem far brighter this year than they were last year. The rice-harvest is promising, and as the rains have ceased only just in time, tue crop will probably be very good. The rice-merchants have been endeavouring to create a corner, but orders have been issued by the officials, who wish to pose as beneficent rulers, that the raising of prices must cease. I should however mention, in justice to the officials, that this is their almost invariable practice where staple articles are concerned. Such are the advantages of autocratic rule.
THE M.A. EXAMINATION,
The great Master of Arts examination will begin on the 8th day of the 8th moon, the 28th instant. The Literary Chancellor arrives in Canton on Sunday, and during the week thousands of candidates will be pouring into the oily from every part of the province. The arrival of such a number of visitors will be hailed with delight by the innkeepers and tradesmen, who do good business during the examination period.
Whenever
DEATH OF A NOTED GENERAL News has reached Canton to the effect that General Fung Tez-tsoi, a great favourite of the Emperor, who gained many distinctions in seventy-six years in the afternoon of the 18th former fights, died in Kwangsi at the age of about
inst. The great General was sent by the Em- him assistance to cope with the Kwangsi rebels. peror at the request of Viceroy Shum to render
A NEW OFFICIAL.
Kwangtung, who was appointed to act. As Ying Tai-sheung, the provincial treasurer of
governor of Kwangsi in place of Wang Chi- chún, is expected to arrive at Canton in a fow days to resume his duty as provincial treasurer, for H.E. Aw Fuug-sz, the governor-designate of Kwangsi, has arrived in the province.
The Havas Agency in Paris last month published the following semi-official commu- niqué:"Contrary to the statements of certain journals, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, as soon as he was acquainted with the demand for extradition of the Shanghai journalists, immediately pronounced for its rajection, and telegraphed instructions accordingly." recommend this to the attention of our French contemporary in Shanghai, L'Echo de Chine,
We
The Japanese steamship company which is about to run shallow draught steamers into Hunan waters is to be called the Hunan Kisen Kaisha. Two steamers at the Osaka Iron Works are approaching completion, while two barges built at Shanghai are expected to be ready by the end of this month. All arrangements will be finished early in November. The company will commence operations about the middle of
hat month.
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