136
A TYPHOON NEAR PAKHOL.
On the 2nd instant the day broke suspiciously dull as if indicating an atmospheric disturbance of some kind near at hand. A slight N.E. wind was then blowing. As the day advanced the wind gradually veered to the S.E. and stiffening until dusk, by which time it was blowing a gale with occasional showers of rain, and continued till the morning of the 3rd. It was then apparent that nothing short of a typhoon must have been spending itself in the Gulf of Tonkin. The steamer Hanoi, from Hoihow to Haiphong, bad to seek shelter in this harbour early on the 3rd. She left for her destination on the morn. ing of the 4th, when the weather cleared up.
A BAD DREAM.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
16th August.
SUICIDE OF A PRISONER. Kwong Sii Lum was a monopolist holding the sole privilege from the Government to deal in brimstone and nitre in Limchow and to retail the same exclusively to the fire-cracker factories both there and in this port. The monopolist was arrested some time aro on a charge of supplying the pirates with these explosive components. He managed, however, to escape from the gaol the other day and drowned himself in a pond.
THE SUPPOSED LIBEL CASE.
As mentioned in mine of 26th ult, comp'aints were lodged at the German Consulate by the two offended parties surnamed Chui and Cha against the vernacular weekly. the Tung Sai Sun Mun, for publishing "insinuating infor- ences." The editor, a German gentleman, was
[August 22, 1904.
CANTON.
[FROM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT ]
13th August.
THE SACRED HEART COLLEGE.
Having been established only a few months, this institution, which is under the charge of the French Fathers in Canton, will undoubtedly attain in the next few years the hopeful and desired aims of its founders and well wishers. It is very much liked by the natives, judging by the number of pupils, which is gradually increas ing. When the colle.e was first opened the number of boys who presented themselves for enrolment was nearly 150, and this has since been augmented to about 300, the daily atten- dance of regular students averaging 250.—On
and English languages, it is in contemplation to incorporate the eaching of the Russian. German and Japanese languages. In the recent examinations, most of the boys acquitted themselves very credi.ably. The next term begins on the 1st September To Monsgr. Morel, to whose initiative and untiring efforts the existence of the college is due, a word of prais is well deserved, and His Lordship as well as the teachers in general must be pleased with the ood result of their work.
A married woman, who is said to have been haunted by ghosts or possessed by some evil spirits, in a dream recently cut off her own, tongue. She was immediately taken to the Church Missionary Hospital for initial treat-summoned to appear at the German Consulated, in addition to the tuition of the French ment, in an unconscious condition, owing to immense loss of blood. She is still alive, and is able to take liquid nourishment, but can scarcely describe what really happened to her or what had influenced her to act in the rash way she did in severing the articulating member. Her relations have taken her home again.
13th August. AN INTREPID SPORTSMAN MAULED BY TIGER. Since I last reported to ou about tiger hunting several other expeditions have been arranged to go to the village called Yik Má, a little over three miles from the town. The last expedition was that of a single gentleman, who took with him his boy and a few coolies on the afternoon of the 6th instant. According to preconcerted arrangement as soon as he could localise any of t e beasts he would send word to his companions to join him. Early on the morn- ing of the 7th a coolie came on horseback to report that several tigers had been seen. His companions lost no time in proceeding to the, spot, when to their surprise they found the sportsman had been mauled in the calf of a leg, and that he was almost in an unconscious con- dition. It appeared that while the coolie was on his way to call them the sportsman saw a tiger and fired at it with very good effect. he beast was seen rolling on the ground, sn rlin and growling with pain. The shooter waited; then approached the beast to see whether it was as dead as it seemed. Suddenly another tiger sprang from the bush and attacked him. Fortunately it confined its attention to his leg. The injured man wa immediately brought home, and had his wound attended to, and is now gradually improving. This accident did not in the least deter others from going, after the tigers, as it is reported there are five or six about the place. Further expeditions are being arranged to give the striped beasts a hot time of it, and by this time there are half a dozen gentlemen all eagerly looking for a trophy.
A HURRICANE IN PAKHOI.
The most violent typhoon ever experienced at this port within the recollection of the oldest residents, natives included, surprised us on the 10th inst. It was nothing short of the 1874 affair in Macao and Hongkong, except in duration. The glass began to fall early in the afternoon, and it went falling until it reached 28.90 Or thereabout. As is usual, the wind commenced to blow with increased force after dusk, and by half-past eight the storm was unmercifully lifting tiles, chim- ney caps, and rendering the best waterproof roofs of the foreign dwellings leaky. Part of the walls of the French Post Office as well as that of the French School came flat to the ground. Messrs. A. Schomburg & Co.'s kerosene vodown is almost roofless, while Mr. A. R. Marty's kerosene godown, probably because more exposed to the wind, was com- pletely razed to the ground. Hundreds of native houses were totally wrecked, and others were rendered more or less uninhabitable. Three pawnshops of substantial construction, owing to their height, also had to yield to the force of the wind. Four or five big junks, outward bound, are reported missing. In the harbour one or two junks capsized, and about two dozen junks, including one guard-boat, were damaged. Fortunately the storm was of little over three hours' duration. Had it been longer I would have had quite a different narrative to give.
to offer explanations, when he declared that he was quite ignorant of the offending character of the paragraph or its purport. and that it crept into the paper without consent, but probably it
his knowledge or W88 maliciously written and inserted for the purpose of damaging the popularity of his paper by a writer who had left his service scarcely a couple of days previons to the publication of the paragraph. The editor has tendered, however, a short apology in the following issue of his paper. Through the application of the Consul a warrant has been issued by the Sub-prefect of Limehow for the arrest of the writer of the paragraph, who is still at large.
THE LIMCHOW BRIBERY CASE. This long-standing case has now come to a close. Chong Chan, the late Pakhoi Tze or magistrate, besides having to refund the amount of the bribe he had received for delaying execu. tion of the warrant on the Kwong Cheong Hing shop and for other favours extended to the principal of the shop, is to be cashiered. Cheong Kwak Fong, the principal of the shop is question, was ordered to make a deposit of $500 to pay rewards for the apprehension of the pirates who sold him the cow hides.
EMPEROR KWONG T801'S BIRTHDAY.
The 7th instant was the birthday anniversary of HIM. the Emperor of China. With the exception of a profase display of bunting on the Imperial Maritime Customs flagstaff, with a big dragon flag on the top, the day passed without any public demonstration.
EXECUTIONS.
Three pirates were executed here on the 14th instant Thousands of natives and 8 few foreiners went to see the sanguinary process. Immediately after the execution the soldiery scrambled on the corpses and disembowelled them to secure the heart, li er and gall of the delinquents. Such acts of barbarity should be put a stop to. They should never be allowed within a stone-throw of a foreign residence. The executions took place on a piece of vacant ground near the German Mission Esta- blishments.
THE TYPHOON.
:
SCARCITY OF EUROPEAN HOUSES.
The European; population in this city is steadily increasing, partly on account of the establishment of the Canton-Hankow Railway. and partly due to the advancement of trade, but the supply of suitable dwellings does not keep. pace with the demand. The 8 arcity of foreign tenements is already keenly felt in Shameen,
where there is no land available for new erections. There are some good vacant grounds in Honam and Fati, and some at Fong Tsuin in front of Shameen (the residential quarters of many wealt y natives who have recently return- ed from Australia, America and the Phi ippines, and who are carrying on their business on the spot). It requires only a move on the part of some enterprising land investors and capitalists for the acquisition of these grounds. Residences built thereon should yield a good profit.
The water which surrounds the vacant pround at Fong Tsuin is deep enough for vessels of large draft. The place named is also in close proximity to the Railway Station and the Asiatic Pe roleum Company and on the opposite side lie the large godowns of Messrs. Butterfield and Swire.
TRAFFIC IN THE RIVER.
There is an entire absence of proper supervi- sion over the boat population. The river boats, on the arrivals and departures, always encounter the greatest difficulty with the junks and other smaller craft which obstruct the way Capsizes and collisions occur very often. It is certainly high time that the proper authorities should provide some regulations to stop the nuisance. Visitors to this place are warned that during the months of June, July and August, the tide and the current then prevailing are very strong and swift, and that it is very perilous to cross the river in small craft at these times.
CORRESPONDENCE.
The typhoon which visited us on the 10th inst., of which I could only give you a scanty account, has cansed other damages to property than those I stated in my last. It seems curious that all the newly-built brick fences around foreign residences collapsed like so many houses of cards, while those of some five or more years standing withstood the weather finely. The German Consulate, being of light materials, was considerably damaged. The loss of property in TREE FELLING: STILL ANOTHER the whole town is estimated to be no less than $400,000. Building materials have gone up in price threefold and building workmen are as arrogant as prince merchants. What with the work in the new buildings in the course of erec- tion and others in contemplation which for want of contractors are not commenced, and
with the now inevitable process of repairing broken houses. there is room for one or two contractors from other parts to come and enrich themselves.
The Health Officer at Shanghai reports thir- teen foreign residents died there in July, and eight non-residents. Including Chinese, the total deaths were 627. There was one case of cholers and two of scarlet fever. The laundry men having all been properly licensed, more effective supervision is now possible.
PROTESTANT.
44
TO THE EDITOE' OF THE DAILY PRESS,"
66
Hongkong, 12th August. SIE,Is it a case of new brooms sweeping clean, or of walking where angels fear to tread ? On this tree question, I am on the side of the angels. Mr. Dunn, if allowed to run 'amok," bids fair to sweep away, in as many weeks, the patient effort of thirty years. It cannot be because money is wanted for the department, for applications by residents to purchase seed- lings and pot plants are either met with a refusal or partially executed with a very bad grace. Does the Botanical Department exist as a sinecure, or does it exist pro bono publico ? Mr. Ford by supplying, even anticipating }
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