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Under the auspices of the Union Church | terary Club, the Rev. T. W. Pearce delivered interesting lecture on Thursday night on the "Curiosities of Controversy.”
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
MISCELLANEOUS.
A Calcutta telegram of the 4th inst. says
that latest advices from the l'ibot Frontier
have been
Thieves and wrongdoers receive sentences of Commission state that owing to rece .t develop- an exhibition in the stocks not only as a punishments at the front Sir Claude White arrived at ment, but also in order to furnish an example Gangtok on his way to Darjeeling. Colonel to others of the same fraternity. This does Younghusband was still at Kamba Jong. not always seem to fact immediately. On Monday afternoon, while three of the high way robbers at West Polat were on view in the stocks, with a laughing prowd gathered round, an incorrigible native improved the occasion by outting out the pocket of a spectator, and ap propriating the contents; but he was caught in the act!
Many residents who witnessed the procession through Queen's Road to the Police Court on Tuesday of a gang of coolies, escorted by numerous police, must have thought a rising had taken place at East Point, and they would not have been very far wrong, as the coolies did rise-from their sleep under the stars when a posse of police rudely disturbed them. On Tuesday morning sixteen more or less able-bodied men lined up before the Magistrate awaiting sentence for not having the wherewithal to purchase a meal and a bed-rogues and vagabonds" is the police definition. Mr. Sercombe Smith `ordered them all three hours in the stocks. Unfortunately, after the three hours in the stocks, sixteen out-of works must again be rogues and vagabonds' In connection with the carrying out of the above sentence, a difficulty arose-there were only four sets of stocks in the colony.
C
18
$8,109,430, Mexican currency. exported from the Philippine Islands to date by latest advices. It is estimated that there another $4,000,000 in the Islands, all of which it is expected will have been exported bofore January 1st, 194, on which date they cease to be legal tender in the Islands.
|
[October 24, 1903.
A contradiction was madè from Paris last month of the rumour that France is about to
send naval reinforcements to the Far East.
Singapore waters must have a great attrac- tion for the dwellers in the deep. Following on the story of the appearance of the Ses Serpent in those waters comes the report of an influx of turtles, one being described as a monster, which was captured by Sergeant Wilson of the marines.
According to the Japan Mail, Newchwang telegraphs that the 8th inst. brought no change in its condition. The streets still continued to be patrolled by parti-s of Russian soldiers, and the Taotai. Li Ping-san, was quietly residing Alan Strachan, a native of Scotland, and a in Kinchau, evidently entertaining no expecta marine engineer of Iloilo, Philippine Islands, tion that the day appointed by treaty for the died on the 9th inst. at the General Hospital, end of Russian military occupation and for the Yokohama, as the result of a self-inflicted restoration of the administration to China would wound with a razor. He had a successful | be marked by the fulfilment of either promise. business in Iloilo, and as he was not in any financial trouble, and apparently quite sane, no reason is known for his strange, and, perhaps, rash act. The deceased was 54 years of age.
Sugar, writes the Acting Commissioner of Customs in
his report on the trade of Newchwang, "is certainly becoming more popular in Southern Manchuria. An interesting point arises whether the sugar beet could be growu in Manchuria. So far the three provinces produce no sugar, and a fine field offers to the Hongkong refineries." Doubtless the local refineries will take a note of this.
In the course of the enquiry into the cause of the outbreak of fire on the 8 s. Saikio Maru, near Bokureu, Japan, some flagrant cases of false declarations of cargo were discovered. Cases said to contain dried mushrooms were found to also contain matches, and other ca 303 were found to contain oil paper, though they were not declared as such. Oil paper is often subject to spontaneous combustion, and is recognised as a dangerous article of cargo The shippers of these goods have been prosecuted for their wrong declarations.
We are glad to see that the Senior Magistrate, Mr. T. Sercombe Smith, is with us in our views as to how a remedy might be effected in the overcrowded condition of the gaol. In a larceny case which came before the Magistrate on Monday morning, it transpired that the accused had arrived in the colony from Canton only a few days ago. The reason why we have been favoured with his company was pat down by His Worship to the undesired attentions We learn on what we believe to be reliable of a mandarin, who "phased him away from authority that the Russo-Chinese Bank are Canton." After passing sentence of one contemplating the establishment of several month's hard labour, Mr. Sercombe Smith branches in the interior. This is not the first opened his mind on the subject:-“ You have we have heard of this, but until now we have only been in the colony a few days, and the first dismissed the report as a mere fable. We are thing we have to do is to provide you with now assured, however, that the intention actually comfortable quarters. If I could give you a exists, although there is nothing in the treaties flogging, I would do it with pleasure it which can justify what is a purely foreign bank is the only punishment fit for you." This in spite of its name, establishing agencies in the practically bears out what we have written interior of China. The proposed localities previously on the subject-that Hongkong would, as far as we can gather, command all the should not be made the prison-house of South | principal trade routes; but this may be mere China, offering habitual criminals from Kwang-accident.-P. & T. Times. tang the invitation of good board and lodging, with splendid opportunites for some more plunder on the expiry of their prison visit.
Since last Juns the Government of China has been quiescent in the matter of Reformers; but that it has not put these man entirely out of view has now been instinced in Hongkong. Kang Yu-wei, it will be remembered, almost fell into the trap laid for him by the astute officials. In June a telegram was supposed to have been sent to Kang in exile at Darjiling, recalling him to service under his Government. The plot fell through, as the Reformer was turned back by Hongkong friends on reaching this port. Nothing having resulted from the show. ing-up of Chinese methods of putting a closure on the reform movement, of which the Gage Street murder is a case in point. emissaries have now arrived from Canton with instructions to take the lives of three Chinese known to be keen supporters of Reform. It would not, of course, be politic to give the names of those wanted, but we may state that they are well- known locally, and are engaged in business here. Sums amounting to $140,000 are to be paid as rewards. besides decorations--38 in the case of one of the gang concerned in the murder of Yueng Kwan, the schoolmaster. The police are keeping a keen look out, we believe, for an attempt on the lives of the Reformers, and may be trusted to make things uncomfortable for suspicious characters.
Two saloon dining cars of the Wagon Lits Company will be running between Paking and Newchwang about the end of this month. They are coming out Hy sea.
H.E. Viceroy Shum, according to the N.-C. Daily News, recently sent the following telegram to the Waiwapu-I have strongly reinforced the garrison stationed at the treaty ports of Wuchow and Lungohow, and have also detailed a strong fleet of well-armed gunboats to cruise in the vicinity to prevent any meditated attacks on the said treaty ports on the part of the rebels and bandits. Wüchow and Lungchow are therefore well protected against harm, and there is not the slightest necessity for the French near Lungchow to send guards there to protect their merchants and traders. I have also notifid the French Consul-General to the above effect, and I must request Your Excellencies to do the same towards H E. the French Minister in your capital.
M. Bean. Governor-General of French Indo- China, visited French Laos last month. Daring his stay at the agency of the Messageries Fluviales at Pakse, M. Simon, the Director, made a speech in the course of which he said: The opposite bank is still Siamese, but we have reason to-day to believe that in a short time you, M. le Gouverneur-General, will have the honour of proclaiming the right bank of the Mekong, French. I drink to the pacific conquest of the territories of the setting sun, to the industrial and commercial prosperity of the valley of the French Mekong.' In reply M. Beau said: "In drinking to the francisation of the two banks of the Mekong, I drink at the same time to the prosperity of the Messageries Fluviales." They are evidently confident about the ratification of the treaty in Laos. says the Bangkok Times, and though it does not apply to more than a section of the right bank, it is perhaps the section desired.
The China Times says that letters have been received from Port Arthur giving the details of the affair of the steamship Stanley Dollar. It appears that the steamer had been engaged for six months to convey lumber from the Russian concession on the Yala. She made her first trip to Yong-ampho, and was taking on cargo when a Japanese gunboat entered the river and found her there. The commander of the gunboat informed the captain that Yong-ampho was not an open port and that his ship had no right to take cargo there. The captain of the Stanley Dollar fared com- plications and telegraphed to his employers that the Japanese objected to his enterprise. After some urging he finally took on the cargo and discharged it at Dalay. He refused, however, to continue in the work, and would hot return to the Yala. The Kobe Chronicle considers it extraordinary that nothing of this seems to b, known to the authorities in Japa
A law has been issued by the Formosan Government, prohibiting the importation into Formosa of gassen (a spurious Chinese copper coin with a square hole in the centre) on and after the 1st April next. Another law has been enacted by which spurious silver imported into Formosa is rendered liable to the imposition of a duty equal to 5 per cent. of the value of the silver. This law also comes into force on and after the 1st April next. Hitherto, it seems, sparious silver coins from China have been largely circulated in Formosa. The increasing confidence pliced in the notes of the Bank of Formosa is, however, gradually checking the circulation of inferior silver, but the value of such silver imported from China still amounts to some 8,000,000 yen a year, and this of course is most unsatisfactory, as it tends seriously to affect the public confidence regarding the genuine article. Although nothing is definitely stated, it is to be presumed that the circulation of sparious coins will become illegal when the new law in regard to coins comes into force; otherwise, those responsible for the coining in China will be busy between now and April next.-Kobe Chronicle.
A curious case is pending in the Court at San Fernando de la Union, P.I.. according to the Manila Times, as the outcome of It the notorious Tompkins_forgery case. appears that Tompkins had a staunch friend in one Lieutenant Chauncy McGovern, and the latter determined to do all in his power to aid his friend on his trial. He was accordingly called as a witness, as, in fact, an expert on handwriting, and on the witness-stand stated that he had been called as such expert in the celebrated Dreyfus case, the Molineux murder case, the Fair will case, and in many other causes célèbres. The court regarded the youth- ful officer with wonder, but, he being an officer, and, presumably, a gentleman, and being under oath, the court believed him, and his evidence might have materially benefited his friend had he been endowed with a little more discretion, and the power to keep his mouth sbut. Un- fortunately he was devoid of these qualities, for as soon as he left the court he began to laugh with his friends over his story in the witness box, saying that it was all a joke, and that he merely told the yard in the hope of getting his friend off. But Attorney-General G. P. Harvey was standing near and heard the foolish yoang man's confession, and Lieutenant McGovern is now under bond of $1,000, gold, to stand his trial for perjury.
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