October 5, 1993.]
shops. benefited: so great was the run upon their stock that hardly a wheel that could bear the weight of a rider bat was chartered for the afternoon. Gharries too emerged in their dozens from the mysterious 1ecesses of Wanchai and East Point, begring evidence of years of inglorious occupation as chicken-roosts; and the jades that drew these antiquated stages were in keeping with their load.
ASSAULT AND INTIMIDATION
BY STRIKEBS.
As a sequel to the strike of ricksha- pullers on Saturday a coolie was prosecuted at the Magistracy last week by Mr. P. P. J. Wodehouse, Superintendent of Police, with intimidating and assaulting coolie
a
not on strike. Evidence was led that a Chinese policeman in plain clothes saw defendant throwing stones at a ricksha-coolie, aud on arresting the stone thrower found in his hand more missiles. Mr. Hallifax stated that when
the strike was reported at the Central, plain- clothes men
were sent out to collect in formation. On the charge of intimidation the defendant received two months' hard labour, and for the assault 8 or 14 days-compensation | for the damage done to the ricksha to be paid out of the fiue. His Worship said that this was more serious than a case of ordinary assault. because it prevented a
man following his lawful occupation.
sentenced to three months hard labour
For the same offences another cool was assault and threatening, and 85 or 14 days damaging a ricksha.
for
for
AN ANGLO-RUSSIAN
AGREEMENT.
[FROM A CORRESPONDENT.
account
Port Arthur, Aug. 31st (Sept. 13, The Novi Krai, which has always advocated an understanding between Russia and England, publishes with great satisfaction an of the debate which took place in tue British House of Commons towards the end of June last on the Far Eastern question. It may le remembered that in that debate Sir Edward
Grey spoke in favour of England coming to some understanding with Russia in regard to China. The Port Arthur paper also devotes to the subject a leading article in which it speaks as follows:-
"A whole series of articles has been written in the Novi Krai on the theoretical foundations for a rapprochement letween Russia and England for the joint action of these great Powers in the Far East for the good of the international politics of the world. The arguments which
were adduced by in support of this view must, it seems to us, have been sufficiently cogent to per- suade the readers of the Novi Krai that our scheme
was as practicable s it was theoretically sound. In order to make a
us
thorough study of the suitability of the soil for the reception of this doctrine among the ruling classes in England as well as in the Press and among the Public, our regular collaborator, Mr. B. 8. Levitoft, was recently despatched specially to London.
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:
:
"From the time we first cast in the field of international politics the seed of this new idea, no small interval has elapsed, in the course of which there have taken place in the life of European nations events which have necessarily had a modifying influence on the mutual relations of the Powers. The principal of these events are the undoubted facts of a rapprochement between our ally France and England; of the appearance of symptoms which would seem to indicate that the Anglo-Japanese Alliance has reached beginning of the end; of the most success- the fal individual action of Germany in the Near East; of the danger with which the American Trusts threaten England; and, to crown all, of the revolution in the Balkan Peninsula. These circumstances have prepared the field for a rapprochement between Russia and England, and have thus prevented the seed which we have sown from perishing by the roadside.
"From the account we reproduce in our Colonial Review to-day of the last sitting of the English Parliament, the readers of the
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
of an Anglo-Russian rapprochement, formerly Novi Krai may be convinced that the question existing only in theory, is now entering the domain of practical polities.
"From the high Rassisu Throne resounded ou the 30th of July last an eloquent declaration in which the overwhelming importance of the political question in the Far East, in contra- distinction to political questions in the Near East and the West, was affirmed.
"It would at first sight have seemed to us that such an authoritative s atement on this question should have at once given the keynote to Rus- sian official circles, to the Russian Press, and to the Russian public in general, but, to our grent regret, the Press of Russia proper has {{ } to the present done nothing but divert the attention of the public to erents in the Balkan Peninsu ́a, and has this lessened their interest in the Far East.
circumstance that the debate which took place This explains, in our opinion, the astonishing
in th British Parliament in Londo in the beginning of July last, a trauslat d account of which we rep aduce elsewhere in the Vort Kraito-day, is not crea so much as alinded to either in special telegrams or in leading articles by the great newspapers of St. Petersburg. We console ourselves, how ver, with the reflec. tin that now that the articles in the Noct Krui are cited in translatious appearing in the this bading article of the suggestion regarding foreign Colonial Press, our sincere welcome in
an Aug o-fussian arrangement which was made in the debate in question, may be tau up by the English Press, and that this gord xzed may
unt be allowed to die.
..
With referefice to what the English leaders say, we are disposed to confess that Sir Edward Grey was right when he said that in its action on the Far East I am not sure that I'ussia pursues a settled policy. This holds good only candidly confess that in the past our policy in of our past actions in the Far East, for we must this part of the world was, a Sir Edward Gray observes, not a settled policy. That time, however, is now gone for ever. With the appointment of a Viceroy over the Russian Far East, all our problems here will be resolved, but our demands will become clearly defined an! our resolution to have those demands granted immovable. Under these circumstances the two, great Powers, Russia and England, can easily join hands or joint work in the Far spheres of influence within the limits of reason- East, and for the defining of their respective ableness and justice. At the same time the interests of the friends of these two Powers will not be overlooked."
!
!
S. ANDREW'S SOCIETY. The annual general meeting of the Hongkong S. Andrew's Society was held at 5.30 p.m. on the 29th att. in the City Hall, It was agreed at the commencement of the meeting not to The principal proceedings were the passing of allow a fall report of the meeting to be published. the report, given below, and the election of officers and committee.
The election resulted as follows:-President. Hon. G. W. F. Playfair, Vice-president, Dr. Rennie; Committee, Mr. J. Hon. C. W. Dickson, Mr. J. R. M. Smith, R. Brazier, Hon. Gershom Stewart, Mr. W. Wilson, Mr. N. S. Brown (Hon. Sec.), and Mr. J. Stodart (Hon. Treasurer)
It was also decided to have a S. Andrew's Ball on the 30th November, the details being left to the Committee.
The report is as follows:-
249
Forbes, the Hon. Tre sarar, both left the Wood, the Hon. Secretary, and Mr. Andrew Colony last spring on holiday leave, and were Mr. J. Stodart, to both of whom the thanks of replaced respectively by Mr. N. S. Brown and members are due. The Committee are indebted to Mr. A. R. Lowe for kindly auditing the accounts. The Committee deeply regret to have to record the death of Mr. J. Maclebose, a very old member of the Society.
NOTES FROM THE BOTANIC GARDENS.'
A curious creeper, which has poorsioned oon- siderable interest in the gardens from time to time, is now in flower in the nursery near the office. Another specimen with a few buds on it is growing. trained on a fence, at the west
Sturtevanti), and it is a native of Guatemala. Ít end of the plant houses in the old g rden. The nim of the plant is Aristolochia gigas (variety
is sometimes known as the pelican plant from the resemblance of the flowers when in bud to that bird. The species was introduced into England ab 60 years ago, bat had been lest to cultivation for many years until it was re-introduced to Kew in 1888. It flowered there in 1891 and attracted much stten- tion at the time. The corolla of the Kew
sistance from the charitable fund were received, During the year several applications for as- and, after full investigation, grants in aid were given. These amounted to $548.75 as against $674.75 the previous year. Situations were | found for several applicants. at the credit of the Society now stands at The balance
$2,548,50 as against $2,320.85 last year. Thirty- two members have joined the Society during the year. S. Andrew's Day 1902 was celebrated by a Ball held in the City Hall, which, both socially and financially, was a success. Hon. R. Shewan, Vice-Chairman, and Mr, The William Kidd resigned their places on the Committes on Colony. During the year, the Hon. C. W. their departure from the Dickson joined the Committee. Mr. David
Some of the first flowers on the plants in the plant measured 17 inches across and 5ft. in length. 3ft. of which was narrowed into a tail.
gardens here attained narly a similar size. thickly mottled with dark purple. It is a most The colour of the flowers is creamy yellow eril-smelling plant, but flies are attracted to it in larg numbers In our war which was opened we found about a hundred blow-flies and thres earwigs, which would have been, after pollination. in the ordioary cours of events, liberated
ing orchid, Cymbidium dayanum, an addition A day or two ago we determined an intereauf- to the flora of Chin, but which had hitherto been recorded from Assam and Sikkim only. The plant is growing in a pot in the No. 2 from Hainan in 1893 from a uative collector who house, and was, with another speci-s, receiv.d had been seut down there to make a collection of the plants of the island. The flowers are produced in decurved racemes, 14 to 15 flowers to a receme. The individual flowers are 2 inches across, and the sepals and petals are greyish white, with a blood-red contral streak which reaches almost to the apex. The history of the species is of much interest. It was founded in 1869 by the late Professor Reichen- bach, a great authority on orchids, on a plant from Assam seut to him by a Mr. Day, who was a large orchid-grower in fugland. In the Joseph Hooker reduces it to a variety of Flora of British India, published in 1890, Sir
Cymbidium eburneum, but adds a note to the effect that he had not seen the plant. In 1895 of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, under the name it is described as a new species in the Journal
Pontling. (Sir George King was at that time of Cymbidium simonsianum, by King and Superintendent of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Calcutta.) It is also described aud figured Magazine for last year, where it is stated that the plant was bought as Cymbidium dayanum London nurserymen, who stated it had been for the Royal Gardens, Kew, from a firm of
the index for the Botanical Magazine was received from Japan with other orchids. When made
under the latter name
in the Botanical
np, a footnote was added that the plant had then been determined by Mr. Rolfe, the best-known living authority on orchids, as Cymbidium dayanum. It will be interesting to Japan or not. know whether the plant is really a native of
The total rainfall for the month is 21.95 inches.
dence between Europe and the Far East by the The transit of international postal correspon- trans-Siberian and trans-Manchurian Railway was to commence on the 1st inst. The Echo de Chine states that the French postal administra- example of the German post office, and that tion at Shanghai has decided to follow the dating from the 1st correspondence directed by despatch by that route at the French post- the trans-Siberian Railway will be received for offices in Shanghai and the outports.
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