-
368
construct this section had been acquired by others, the Belgians had likewise to give up the ides. [This we believe to be quite incorrect. Ed D.P.] They then at last hit upon the scheme of the Shanghai-Hunan Railway which was to come into contact with the Canton-
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
NOTES FROM THE BỌTANIC GARDENS.
attractive flowers with which the Far East has Gardenia florida i perhaps one of the most enriched English gardens. It grows wild only in China and Japan, but in consequence of it- fragrance and beauty spread long ago in culti vation to other parts of the world, though how and by whom carried we cannot say. But when the light of accurate botany dawned upon the world it was found already in India, Ceylon and at the Cape. nised by Linnæus, writing in the middle of
Chins was not even recog the eighteenth century, as one of its sources, It was first introduced to England from the Cape and known as Cape Jasmine.
Hankow Railway in Hunan Province. They proposed to build this line from Shanghai to Hangchow and then by way of Changshan of Chachou of Hangchow to Ynshan, Kiangsi then by way of Nanchang, the provincial city of Kiangsi, to Changsha, Human; consequently the line will pass through the four provinces of Kiangsu, Chekiang, Kiangsi and Hunan, where it would cut through the branch line of the Canton-Hankow Railway. The Belgians pro posed further to compete for the privilege of constructing this branch line so as to share its profits with the Americans. Now this whole scheme was taken up by the Belgians before the Boxer disturbance, but it was not till last winter that it assumed any definite shape. At that time, a Hunan, a Fohkien, and two Chekiang merchants, with some Belgian merchants in Shanghai, got hold of this idea, and it was proposed that the Belgians were to go to Peking and ask the representative of a certain Power (the Belgian Minister?) to obtaining on their behalf this concession from the Chinese
Government, while the Chinese originators were to proceed to Peking to work the scheme to a success through influential officials They promised the Empress-Dowager through a certain Imperial clansman that the Belgians proposed to prospect for a capital of Tls. 3,000,000 to build this line, and the latter would present out of this Tls. 1.000.000 to her as a royalty, as soon as she had given consent, the amount to be immediately deposited with the Russo-Chinese Bank at Peking. It was under- stood that the originators would get Ts. 300,000 as their reward for carrying out the scheme to a success and the four Chinese originators would also get appointed to lucrative and influential posts on the railway when it has been completed during construction. The whole scheme has been carried out most secretly.
but it is said that its success is now assured. After a decree sanctioning the right to the Belgians has been promulgated they will immediately proceed to Belgium to prospect for
the Chinese wanted 8 capital. If number of shares, they could purchase them in advance now and the shares could be retained
for them, but not otherwise.
certain
It war
named Gardeniu after a certain Mr. Alexande
Garden, & doctor of Charlestown, Carolina, about this time, and the scientific name has gradually supplanted the more popular one.
not valued for its scent.
In China, curiously enough, the Gardenia is Too smell" is the usual verdict. The fruit is used for medicine under the name of Wong Tse, and a yellow dye is extracted from the seeds and used for colour.
food.
In Hongkong, as everyone knows, the shrub is one of the chief ornaments of our much- favoured flora. Its starry white flowers are already appearing in every little patch of bushes on the hill-sides. and it will continue to brighten our country walks for many months to come.
HONGKONG FIRE BRIGADE.
PRESENTATION OF PRIZES.
[May 16, 1904
HARBOUR MASTER'S REPORT FOR 1903.
The report of Mr. Basil Taylor, Acting Harbour Master, for the year 1909 is published in the Gazette. We make the following
extracts:--
SHIPPING.
The total tonnage entering and clearing dur. ing the year 1903. amounted to 24,039,862 tons. 2.511,082 tons, and the same number in excess being an increase, compared with 1902, of
rivals of 12.027,092 tons, and 54,009 departures of any previous year. There were 53.991 ar-
of 12.012.770 tons. Of British ocean-going tonnage. 3.396,314 tons entered, and 3,382,121 tons cleared. Of British river steamers 2,237,249 tons entered, and 2,234,613 tons cleared. Of entered, and 3,665,880 tons cleared. Of foreign foreign ocean-going tonnage, 3,667,871 tons river steamers, 217,619 tons entered, and 216,744 tons cleared. Of steam launches trading to ports outside the Colony 93,239 tons entered, and 93,239 tons cleared. Of junks in foreign trade. 1.347,001 tons entered, and 1,351,458 tous cleared. Of junks in local trade, 1,067.799 tous entered, and 1,008,715 tons cleared. Thus-
18.60
per cent. British ocean-going tonnage represented 28.20
river Foreign ocean-going river
++
11
Steam launches in foreign trade Junks
local trade
"
30.51
1.81
0.77
14
11.22
57
**
8.89
100.00
7,215 steamers, 36 sailing vessels, 1,765 steam launches, and 15,803 junks in foreign trade. entered during the year, giving a daily average For European of 69, as against 71.2 in 1902. constructed vessels the daily average would be 19.9 as against 17.1 in 1902.
For vessels under the British flag, there is an increase of 1.347 ships of 1.678,500 tons, an increase of 427 ships of 762.845 tons to ocean- going, and an increase of 920 ships of 915,664 tons to river trade.
been
established-the China Commercial Steamship Company, the British India steamers now visiting the port, the addition of some new steamers to local firms, and lastly to an increase of coal imported from Australia in steamers new to the port.
On the 13th inst. there was a parade of the Police Force at the Central Station when the Governor's award was presented to Sergt. Mortimer O'Sullivan for proficiency during the past year. H.F. the Officer Administering the Government. Mr. F. H. May, C.M.G., was ac- companied by Mrs. May. Mr. R. A. B. Ponsonby, Private Secretary to H.E.. Captain Hodgson, A.D.C., and a party from Government House. His Excellency inspected the men, in company
The above increase in ocean-going is prin- with Mr. F. J. Badeley. Captain Superintendent of Police; Mr. Ponsonby, Captain Hodgson.cipally due to the fact of some new lines having and Mr. P. P. J. Wodehouse. Subsequently Sergeant__O'Sullivan was called forward, and H. E. addressed a few congratulatory words to him on the proficiency he had shown.
more He said it gave him the pleasure to note that he was the successful candidate for the year as he was a countryman of his own, and had proved himself a credit to the force, and a worthy member of the con- munity. He had. H.E. added. much pleasure in handing Sergeant O'Sullivan a handsome gold watch. His Excellency then referred to On the 1'th inst. we published a special the excellent work done generally, and espe- telegram, from the Daily Press Manila correscially in the late Fire Brigade contest. pondent, saying that Dr. Gomez was acquitted. He called upon the successful competitors There were two defendants in the case, Dr. and presented them each with a handsome Dominador Gomez and Snor Buenaventura goldwatch-charm, while he congratulated Kabalza. Dr. Gomez, the more prominent of Sergeant R. Macdonald on the work of the two, was charged with having communion the Chinese members of the Brigade, for with rebels fighting in the hills, with founding which he was mainly responsible. H.E. stated an illegal society the Labour Union), and with
that the Kowloon Godown Company. in recognition of the work done by the Brigade
It is to be noticed that no British railway schemes in China are talked about. This is as we should expect.
ACQUITTAL OF DR. GOMEZ,
mis-appropriation of certain funds of the society. The Court was occupied with the trial for a period of more than six months. Hundreds of witnesses were examined and arguments before the court extended over almost two weeks.
Dr. Gomez in his youth was a medical student at Manila, but, after taking three degrees at the Manila Medical College, went to Madrid to complete his course of study. By passing a competitive examination he became a surgeon in the Spanish Army and as such accompanied the Spanish soldiers against the Cuban in- surgents. For distinguishing himself in active ser ice he was given the Cruz de Muria Cris- tiana, a distinction carrying monetary advan- tages. He returned to Madrid, and some time later, after the American occupation of the Philippines, came to Manila, where he set up in practice as a physician. Here he became prominent in politics, succeeding Senor Isabelo de los Reyes as President of the Labor Union. He founded a labour newspaper at Manila, Los Obreros, which was stoppet by the authorities. He was summoned for again issuing it two mouths after the prohibition.
I
beautiful
at the last fires, had offered a shield to be competed for at the annual con- tests of the Fire Brigade. He congratulated Sergeant John Grant for the proficiency shown by his section, which had placed it at the head at this year's contest.
Considerable feeling has been excited in Peking by the summary arrest of Wang Shao. says the P. & T. Times, and grave fears are felt lest his imprisonment should end in another tragic death like that of Mr. Shen, last year. Na Tung in arresting him has apparently aimed at gaining favour with the Court, and the incident is generally regarded as an anti-foreign demonstration. Mr. Wang Shao was disgraced as an official in 1898 for being a friend of Kang Yu-wei, and after the coup d'état left Peking. Some time ago he returned. however, and has since been a teacher in the Methodist Mission School, Peking, and also in a School for Romanising Chinese. understand the missionaries have taken the case up, and we hope they have.
We
The increase in river trade is almost wholly due to the new steamers Kinshan and Wing Chai being in the river trade during the greater part of 1903, and to an increased number of sailings by the Hongkong. Canton and Macao Steam Boat Company, Limited.
Under foreign flags, there is an increase of 681 ships of 1,063,904 tons, of which 328 ships of 821.216 tons are ocean-going; the remainder, 353 ships, measuring 242,688 tons, are river steamers.
The increase in ocean-going is made up principally by an increased number of steamers calling at the port in 1903 under the U. S. dag and to the increased tonnage of some of the Pacific Mail steamers, and to an increase under Chinese. Japanese, and French flags.
The increase in river trade is made up by two- French steamers Son Cheung, and Kong Nam, the former being a new steamer and the latter was transferred from the British flag in July, 1903, also to the Chinese steamers Chan Wai and Chan On, whose running commenced in the first quarter of 1903.
The actual number of ships of European construction (exclusive of river steamers and steam launches) entering the port during 1903, was 741, of which 344 were British, and 397 foreign. These 741 ships entered 4,419 times, giving a total tonnage entered of 7,064,185 tons. Thus, compared with 1902, 23 more ships entered 372 more times, and gave a total tonnage increased by 779,927 tons.
The 344 British vessels carried 2,670 British officers and 24 foreign officers as follows:— British 2,679, Norwegian 3, Dutch 1. German 2, United Statee 18, Total 2,703. Thus the proportion of foreign officers in British ships was 0.89 per cent. comprising four nationalities. an increase of 0.11 per cent. with a decrease of ships.
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