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captain, approaching. At the command, escort and prisoner stand up very wooden looking and rigid whilst the sergeant salutes by puffling his chest out, bracing his knees, staring stnily at the wall opposite and describing a circular curve with his right arm until the palm of his hand, with fingers closed, is outwards, the back of the hand to the rear and the forefing er about an inch above the right eye. On his part the President acknowledges the salute to the King's Commission by a slight upward inclination of the right hand. The orderly of the court opens the door of the Court Martial Room, the two officers already present turn their backs on the fire and salute the President with much gravity as he places a blue O.H.M.S. envelope upon the table and extracts from it the charge sheet, the orier convening the Court and summary evidence. The court orderly places on the table the usual army form on which the proceedings are to be taken down and the evidence produced written verbatim either by the President himself or one of the members of the Court.
The President then seats himself in the centre chair whilst the next senior to himself sits on his right hand with the junior on his left.
March in the prisoner and witnesses," orders the President.
At this the orderly bustles to the door and repeats the order.
be
[July 10, 1905. from their principals and engaging generally two sailors who, being poorly paid, are generally beggars or bad characters. If an inspection is to be held by some high officer, they wil engage some c olies, paying them ten cents each for the hour, and if coolies are not to be obtained quickly enough, a few boat-women can be made to suffice by wearing the uniform and helmet.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
found guilty at once and allows him, if he likes, to substitute the plea of "Not Guilty;"the Court is cleared of all save the President, members, prosecutor, escort and prisoner, and the trial proceeds as in ordinary Civil Courts by each witness for the prosecution giving evidence on oath in his turn and being cross- examined by the defence. When the proseca- tion is closed the prisoner can call his witness for defence. giving evidence himself if he wishes to. If prisoner prefers he can represented in Court by a solicitor or a "friend." frequently his company captain or another regimental officer, who conducts the defence for him and cross-examines the prosecution's witnesses. Finally the Court is closed to con- sider its Finding." only the members being present at this deliberation. If the finding is Not Guilty" the Prisoner is again brought in, If informed of the fact and instantly released.
Guilty" he can make a statement in mitigation of punishment and produce witnesses as to his general character; the prosecutor on oath also producing the true copies of the prisoner's service records of conduct contained in the regimental defaulter books together with the man's defaulter sheet. The Court then closes for the last time, the sentence is con- sidered, entered on the proceedings which are forwarded, signed by the P.esident to the officer who convened the Court for his con.
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Escort and prisoner - Right tan-Queek-firmation March!" snaps the sergeant, skilfully man- ceuvring his little force into position with the following words:
"Right wheel-Right wheel-Mark time--- Halt-left-tun-Right dress! The witnesses, three in number, march themselves in and stand rigidly behind prisoner.
The President, pen in hand, then commences to read from the blue army form, filling in gaps in the printing as they become necessiry, the sergeant removing the prisoner's headdress at the opening sentence.
Proceedings of Regimental Court Martial held at Sbot-town this-let me see what day is it-Ob, yes!-this eighteenth (filling in the date) day of November, 1904, by order (writing) Lieutenant Colonel M. V. R. du Slasher du Dasher, Commanding the 1st Battalion, the Royal Footit Regiment. At 10 a.m. the Court opens for the trial of No. 2 234 (referring to the orders) Private Thomas Atkins, 1st Battalion. R.F.R."
necessary
Next the President's uams and those of the members of the Court are read over and entered on the form. As each name is called its owner auswers "Here, Sir." If any young officers are present for instruction their names are also read out and included in the copy of pre ceelings. The President satisfies himself that the Court is legally constituted-i. e.. that the
have the officers composing it minimum of two years' service each--and, having done so, notes the fact on the proceedings and continues. The prisoner is afforded the opportunity of objecting to any member of the Court by the question: Do you object to be tried by me as president or by any of the members whose
heard names you have read?" No objection being forthcoming, the President and members are sworn on the Bible, the President "swearing" the members first and himself being next sworn by the senior member, headdresses being removed during the administration of the oath, and the glove of the At the conclusiou, right hand being taken off. of the oath each member kisses the book as a solemn pledge that he will by the prisoner well and truly according to the evi ence, duly administer justice according to the Army Act in force at the time, excluding from his mind all partiality, favour or affection; further that he will not divulge the sentence of the Court until it be duly confirmed or at any time or on any account, unless thereunto required in due course of the law, disclose or discover the vote or opinion of any particular member of the "So help me, God" reply the Court Martial. members. Then the presence of the prosecutor, who is already present and has answered to his name, and in presence of the is read over to witnesses, the charge sheet the prisoner. He is asked whether he
guilty or not guilty of the charge-or, if more than one each charge in order on the charge sheet The President, should prisoner plead "Guilty" points out to him that in this case he will be
in
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or otherwise. The prisoner is confined in the guard-room until the confirma- tion is complete, to be eventually marched on to the parade, where the adjutant, in presence of the battalion reads out the charge, finding and sentence, the latter dating from the day on which the proceedings were signed by the
President of the Court Martial.
KWANGSI RIOTS AGAIN.
It is reported that riots in the prefectures of Lau and Hing are again breaking out, and the rioters have commenced to make attacks on the villages, and persuaded the people to join An Imperial order has been hands with them. wired to Viceroy sham telling him to stay in Canton to take steps to root out the robbers and pirates of the province of Kwangtung, leaving the Governor of Kwangsi to exert his utmost to suppress the riots.
OFFER FOR WHAMPOA DOCKS.
A merchant has sent a petition to Viceroy Sham asing to be allowed to make use of the docks in Whampoa, which have been abandoned for a long time. He wants them to repair vessels, etc., and offers to pay a rent annually to the Government. Viceroy Sham has taken the application into favourable consideration, and has ordered a deputy officer to make a careful enquiry into the matter.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.)
A NEW TREATY PORT.
7th July.
JAPANESE MEDICAL COLLEGE AT CANTON.
Viceroy Sham proposes to establish a foreign- tained medical college in Canton, for he, who had been ill for a long time, was at last cured by a forsign doctor, the Chinese doctors, many of whom had been engaged, being unable to restore him to health. He has sent a despatch to the Chinese Minister in Japan asking him to approach the Japanese Government to obtain This is a very brief outline of a Court Martial the services of a Japanese doctor as superinten- of course, but, even from this it can be gathereddent of the elege. The Japanese Government that a military prisoner, when tried by his has recommendet the Japanese doctor in Canton own officers, receives fair play throughout and to the situation, but the Japanese doctor declines is given every opportunity of clearing himself. to accept the appointment and has recommen død
one of his friends. Both prosecutor and president. I am told, do their utmost to prevent the prisoner suffering in his case from lack of knowledge of law or procedure, whilst the whole trial is so open and free from legal or complicated phraseology that a fair decision upon the actual facts of the case, set forth most plainly in the charge, seems almost certain. To anyone who has at any time formed some erroneous opinions as to the administration of justice in the British army I should give the advice to attend-the courts are open to the public-a Court Martial. There is a novelty and dignity about the procedure, a simplicity about the law, an absence of any brow-beating of witnes es, aud a general sense of impartiality and fairness-on- might almost say, a sportsmanlike feeling- which are by no means always to be encountered in an ordinary trial by Jury in our Civil Courts. The most curious impression created in the mind of a civilian, however, is the complete absence of oratory throughout a trial, possibly because any superfinous verbiage would be hopelessly powerless upon the minds of military men whose training accustoms them to listen to and accept facts only.
sence
CANTON NOTES.
[FROM THE "CHUNG NGOI SAN PO."}
REVELATION OF CHINESE METHODS,
The Viceroy has given strict orders to reform the arrangements of the guard boats, which have hitherto been managed in a lamentable manner. They were insufficiently manned, and lacked arms and ammunition, so that they were unable to check the pirates, who took no notice of them and attacked passing vessels even in their pre- When the report of the attacks of pirates gained admission to their ears, instead of hastening to the scene and offering opposition, they quickly made their way to some place and concealed themselves. If one knows thoroughly the affairs of the guard boats, he does not wonder that they behave in such a manner, because the officers who take charge of the guard boats are subject to heavy squeeze by their superiors, who pay them only a smail amount of money monthly which is really insufficient to keep a crew of more than three people. The officers in charge of the guard boats are, therefore, obliged to make squeeze, too, by selling the ammunition which they get
Haishow, a sea-port between Shantung aud Kiangsu, with its harbour protected, like. Hongkong's, by an island, is to be thrown open, it is said, as a Treaty Port so that Germany cannot get it. In spite of the contradiction of the recent flag-hoisting rumours, the officials think that Germany wishes to occupy this place.
HOW REFORMS MAY COME.
His Excellency Viceroy Shum has been ill for some time, and the infallible medicine of t8 Chinese quack doctors has not yet" touched the spot'
The excusably impatient patient has now engaged a European doctor, who has cured him. Being well pleased with foreign medical treatment he intends to establish a school of medicine, and to engage clever foreign doctors to train the students. Japanese · will preponderate.
JAPANESE-PRIESTS.
Some Japanese priests have rented & house in Po Hing Street, Cautʊn, to pro, agate the Budd- hist doctrine. A sign-board hangs about the Pun Yuin door, with a legend to this effect mission for the propagation of Japanese doctrine in Canton." The seizing and closing of the Cheng Sow temple by order of the Viceroy reudered homologs a great number of Buddhist priests. These men have joined the Japanese.
up
MARCO POLO CONSOLES HIM. Not long ago am Imperial Astronomer made his appearance in Canton, and brought with him the Imperial Order and Diploma. He was low class restauraut ia Kee living in a Cheong Street. Whenever he went to take the sir, he was carried by eight bearers in a big chair. On his hat, instead of a
blue or
red official button, he carried a flower_pagoda, He never which attracted much attention. received or made any official call. Presently, Canton began to whisper that he must be s fraud. Learning this, the gaudy stranger" left and went to pay a visit to the “tomb” of Marco Polo, which is,not far from Canton ?
A LOT OF LOW RASCALS.
The secretaries, writers, polios, and runners in the yamen of the Nam Hoi and Punyni Magistrates, and at other small yamens, are very
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