Page
December 26, 1904.]
Turning to the men-This being the case your refusal of duty cannot be entertained. By the articles of agreement you are bound to continue on this service, as you are not called проп
to
carry
out any
duties outside its provi- I give you the opportunity to recon- sions. sider your act, which will, if persisted in, involve serious consequences. I understand that the master is prepared to withdraw the charge if you now return to your duty.
The defendants discussed the matter, and finally said that they would return if the captain would give them an assurance that their personal effects would be made good in the event of any accident to the same during the voyage.
The Captain consented. A guarantee was drawn up and handed to the carpenter. The charge was withdrawn and the men returned to their duty.
Tuesday, 20th December.
BEFORE MR. B. R. H. TAYLOR (ASSISTANT HARBOUR MASTER.)
A COLLISION ENQUIRY.
An enquiry was held into the circumstances connected with a collision between the launches Hapag (Hamburg-America Line launch) and E Wo (owned by Mr. Chan Tsun Kwai). in the waters of the Colony on the 11th inst. Mr. P. W. Goldring watched the case on behalf of the E Wo, and Mr. Russel on behalf of the Hapag.
The master of the Hapag said he was about to proceed to Queen's Statue Wharf. He had been anchored off Yaumati wharf. After getting his anchor aweigh he saw two Chinese junks anchored on his star- board bow; as the E Wo was behind these be could not see her. He was steaming at a very slow rate of speed. When abreast the junks
one of the crew shouted out that there was a junk on his starboard bow. He then saw the E Wo, about eighty yards off, and went full speed astern, blowing three blasts on his whistle to indicate that he was giving way to the EW. The E Wo gave a long blast. She ported her helm at first, altering her course about a point, and then resumed her original course, striking the Hopag abreast the boiler on the starboard side. The Hapag had sternway on her.
The master of the E Wo said he blew a short blast meaning that he was porting his helm, and the Hapag blew a short blast in reply. When the launches were about fifty feet apart the Hapag blew two blasts and starboarded across his bows. She was going full speed ahead. When he saw this he went full speed astern, but
too late to avoid collision.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. Leung Tak, master of the launch, said: saw the Police launch steaming down from Blake Pier. She was on my star
the shore. board beam steaming along I blew two long blasts on my whistle to show the coxswain of the Police launch that I was-
going to cross her bows. I did not alter my thelm at all. It did not occur tme to go astern,. as I had a vessel in tow.
Was
By the Court: The vessel a lighter belonging to the dockyard. She was being taken back from H.M.S. Albion. I know that extra lights are shown when towing vessels. I was showing two white lights on this occasion. I am not aware that the regulations say the lights should be six feet apart.
Charles Aries, recalled: I am positive I saw only one light. It was about 10 feet above the deck.-On the first charge the defendant was discharged, and on the second fined $5.
CANTON.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
18th December.
KWANGSI REBELS.
It is reported that the armies under the command of Generals Wong Wan Ko. Ho Yao Shau, and U Shing Kak have had a big fight with the rebels in Kwangsi and gained a victory. The rebels, and their chief Wong Son Wo, were surrounded by the mandarin soldiers in Sam Tun for two days and two nights. The rebel chief Wong at last succeed. ed in effecting his escape, but another rebel chief, Luk A Fat, has been captured. The rebels were armed with quick-firing rifles supplied to them from Singapore. Upon these facts being reported to the Throne by the Viceroy &hum the Empress Dowager expressed satisfaction, and sent some presents consisting of valuable jewellery to Their Excellencies the Li. the Governor of Viceroy Shum, and Kwangsi. Meantime she ordered that the rebels who had surrendered themselves should be leniently treated and not punished with cruelty.
H.E. SHUM,
His Excellency Shum Chou Hun arrived at Wuchow on the 13th inst. to deal with some important official business. Nearly all the
He is time he was detained in Kwai Chow. now living in the yamen of the Salt Com- missioner in Wuchow.
THE INDEMNITY.
La'ely the Viceroy Shum has sent a memorial to the Throne referring to Canton's contribution to the war indemnity. The yearly amount was four hundred and eighty thousand After going very fully into the matter. Mrtels taken from the Wai Shing, a lottery Taylor said he found the story of the E Wo monopoly; it was to be paid quarterly. It has entirely improbable; that of the Hapag was been regularly paid since the 22nd year of Kwangsu, but of late, on account of the aboli- tion of the military examination, and of alteration in civil literary examination, there has been some difficulty in raising the amount. This year the indemnity for the last two quarters, amounting to ninety six thousand faels, has not been paid. His Excellency requests that the Board of Revenue be ordered to pay this amount so as not to cause any disappointment. EVADING LIKIN SQUEEZES.
He considered not altogether satisfactory. that there was negligent navigation on the part of Cheung Kam, master of the E Wo, and suspended his certificate for a month.
Wednesday, 21st December.
BEFORE HON. CAPT. L. A. W. BARNES- LAWRENCE (MARINE MAGISTRATE).
NON-OBSERVANCE OF THE RULES
OF THE ROAD.
Sergeant Aries of the Water Police charged Leung Fook. Master of Naval Yard lausch 68," with unlawfully failing to hoist the regulation towing lights, whilst fowing a lighter at 12.30 a.m., also with failing to observe the rules of the road on the 17th inst., in the waters of the Colony.
Sergeant Aries deposed: At 12.30 a.m. on the 17th instant I was steering No. 6 Police launch east from Blake Pier. When some 50 yards clear of the Naval yard I saw defendant's launch coming from a N.E. direc- tion, and making a straight line for the entrance. I kept on my course, and defendant's launch kept on its course. Both met ab ut ten yards from the entrance. The defendant did not attempt to alter his course. I followed him and found that on his port side was a lighter which he had in tow. No regulation towing lights were hoisted.
were
By the Court:-The steaming lights in both launches
No showing.
sound signals were made use of.
For the last few years it has been customary owners to pay for Chinese steam launch foreigners a small sum for acting as figure heads, to fly foreign flags on their launches, to avoid the official squeez s. and to gain likin barrier. Of facility in passing. the lute it has come to the knowledge of the foreign Consuls, and they communicated this fact to the Chinese officials. The latter communicated with the I.M. Commissioner. and the Commissioner has issued an order to prohibit all stam launches and boats not owned by foreigners from flying foreign flags under severe penalty, as it is against the law of
China.
BANDITTI.
As a sequel to the story of robbery by local banditti in Sui Tung in the prefecture of Kochow-as reported in my letter of the 12th November last I have gathered further news. After the robbery all shops in that market town were closed, and it was almost deserted When the Magistrate of Tin Pak went with soldiers, and advised the
for about a month.
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shopkeepers there to re-open their shops and but in resume business transactions, they did so, fear and trembling. Every day they heard of rumours of robberies in the neighbouring vil. lages. Some of the traders had removed their families to Canton, Hongkong, or Macao. One day being the day of a fair, someone cried out Robbery." The traders and buyers in the fair ran, throwing down their money and wares ~ in the street, some falling down, trampling upon each other, and breaking their heads. The traders closed their shops again, and the vagabonds who raised the false alarm seized this opportunity to pick up a large quantity of goods and money. As last time, one third of the robbers came from other districts and the rest were vagabonds of the place, who availed themselves of the opportunity to rob.
SQUEEZING PRISONERS.
Last year, when the ex-magistrate Pai King Fuk was in Nam Hoi, he permitted his runners, police, and underlings to squeeze and ill-treat the prisoners in the house of detention. After his time, another magistrate took up the appoint- ment and introduced some reforms to better the conditions of the prisoners; but of late this evil practice has begun to grow again. In case the relatives and friends of the prisoner bribe the keepers of the gaol, the prisoner is not ill-treated, but has every convenience. If no bribe be paid he is put to cangue, and kept on the point of starvation. The bribe to be paid varies from twenty dollars to three hundred dollars according to the circumstances of the prisoner. A slight or pretended illness is reported as a serious illness, so as to avoid trial.
If no bribe be paid, the prisoner, however sick, may lie almost half dead and the keeper takes no notice of him.
[FROM OUR
*
CORRESPONDENȚ.]
22nd December.
THE VICEROY.
The Viceroy, who lately went to Wuchow- his base from Kweilin, is about to leave that place for Louchow, where the mutiny took place early in this year. He intends to thoroughly quell the rebellion in the Louchow district, and then to proceed to Kweilin, which is free from trouble. His next visit will be paid to Pak Sik, after which he will return to Canton.
STUDENTS.
Cheung, the head of the Educational Depart- ment here, has gone to Kwangsi to visit the Viceroy. During his absence the Provincial Treasurer, Yu, acts in his stead, and he has just sent twenty-five students from the Military College to Japan, where they will This military college study for some years. was only establisbed this year under foreign
tuition, and this I believe is the first batch of its students to go abroad. No doubt
in future many men will be sent to Japan, whence they will return with a good education. A good many civilians have been sent abroad-both to Japan and to Europe this year, and the Viceroy evidently means to keep to this policy.
GAOLS.
The Prefect of Kwong Chow Fu has lately given orders that all the gaols in his prefecture should be inspected, and a report made to him. It may be interesting to know that in the Pun Yu prison, which receives criminals from a large district to the east, there are 299 prisoners of whom 15 are women. Ninety-four of these are imprisoned for grave offences, most of them of the class "highway robber."
TRIADS.
Protection has been applied for by a district a little to the south of Canton; it is complained that the number of soldiers sent as a guard on a former occasion was not large enough to keep the disorderly characters in check. In most parts of the province the respectable people band together to protect themselves. When on a trip recently into the country east of Canton, I was told that the Triads were becoming very powerful and oppressive. The villagers have armed themselves with revolvers and smooth- bores, and placards are seen posted up along the road, urgi g the people to unite against the robbers.
PEOGRESSIVE WORKMEN.
I hear that some time ago the silversmiths here introduced the use of steam into their trade,
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