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158
junk. She is about 65 feet long. I believe she was built and engined by Mesars. Bailey and Co., of Ho gkong, and is the first motor boat of her size to be built for the passenger trade up the Wet River. The owner is Mr. G. C. Moxon, of Hongkong.
TRIENNIAL EXAMINATIONS ABOLISHED.
T
Yesterday som of the local authorities received private telegrame from Peking stating that the Government had decided to abolish the public examinations of the Kne Yan" and "Teum Sze" degrees. An Imperial Edict authorizing their abolition is expected to be issued shortly.
REMOVAL OF GOVERNMENT OFFICES. His Excellency Viceroy Shum has ordered the following offices to be removed to the Governor's Yamen, viz -Sin Hau Kuk, Li Kin Head Department, Chief Police Station and the Sha Tin Kuk.
WINE AND SPIRIT TAX.
Viceroy Yuan Shih-kai has successfully levied a tax on wine and spirit in the Province of Chihli. The Peking Government observing that this new tax was enforced without much difficulty has notified the Viceroys and Governors of all the Provinces ordering the enforcement of this tax. Vicerby Shum has already received a despatch to the above effect. He has given official instructions to the Sui Han Kuk and the Li Kin Kuk to cease collecting the tax from the distilleries and to draw up new regalitions for taxing all wine and spirit dealers and to submit same for his approval at an early date. KEGISTRATION OF PROPRIETORS OF BANKS
BANK AND PAWN SHOPS.
Owing to the numerons failures lately of local banks and pawn shops which has shaken the commercial foundations of Canton, His Excellency Viceroy Shum has given instructions to the Nam Hoi to authorize the assistant
"Ti Pow magistrate to go round with the
of the varions districts in the city and enquire from every bank and pawn shop, the number of partners, their n.mes, and the actual amount of their subscribed capital.
VICEROY SHUM ILL
"
His Excellency Viceroy Shum is said to be seriously ill to-day. He has requested a certain European doctor to attend to him at his Yamen.
Canton, 31st August.
VICEROY SHUM DANGEROUSLY ILL, ' Last evening, there were rumours in the city that Viceroy Shum was dead, but they have since been officially contradicted. From inquiries made, I hear that his health is in a very precarious condition and that he had twice lost Consciousness. In the meantime, all public functions and transactions of the Viceroy's yamen will be attended to by the Provincial Treasurer, Provincial Judge, the Salt Comp- troller and the Taotais.
THE TYPHOON,
At about 6.30. p.m. yesterday the threatening appearance of the weather indicated the approach of a strong gale, and the floating the quick population took warning from gathering of dense dark clouds. All went and sought for shelter up the numerous creeks and canals. By 7.30 p.m. the wind had risen to a terrific gale, and it lasted up to this morning. There were also maar heavy rain squalls during the night. Many wind sails and bamboo sun. shades were carried away in the tempest. So far, I have not heard of any serious damage or accidents. Judging from the steamers that left here on the evening of the 29th instant for your port, I presume the weather must have been worse in Hongkong, as they all arrived here this morning with no passengers and did not discharge their cargo.
TREATY RIGHTS.
Recently, the merchants and gentry of To Shing complained to the Sai Ning Magistrate that a certain French merchant, named Baudet, had established a firm in On Ning Tai Kai, at To Shing, and that the establishment of a foreign firm in a city which is not a treaty port is strictly in contravention of the Treaty rights of foreigners. The Sai Ning Magistrate reported the matter to Viceroy Shum. His Excellency has already communicated with the French Consul and requested him to instruct the French subject to close up the firm without delay.
IMPORTANT -OFFICIAL APPOINTMENT. The latest news from the North is that the Peking Government intends to place the
THE HONGKONG WZEKLY PRESS AND
Nanyang, Pei Yang and Kwangtung squadrons under the supreme command of ons admiral. It is said that this lofty position will be given to Admiral Sat Chan Ping, who is now com- mander-in-chief of the Nanyang and Peiyang fleets. He has lately received an Imperial order appointing him Admiral of the Kwangtung! squadron and is expected to arrive here shortly. I
A SAD, REMARKABLE COINCIDENCE.
During the thunder storm of the 27th instant the master of the Li Loong Shop in Wing on Street, Fat Shan, was struck by lightning and died instantly. The accountant of the shop sent a foki to report the sad news to his master's wife, who, he knew, had gone to the Lo Rong Village, in Poon Yü District, to visit her parents, When the messenger arrived at the house in Le Hong he was surprised to find that the inmates were already in mourning and weeping. He at first thought they had received news of the sad affair from some other sourc but on his enquir ing into the matter be discovered that his master's wife was killed by lightning on the same day and at the same hour. Such a coincidence is very strange. indeed.
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CHINESE PENAL CODE REFORM. ! Trauslation from the Sze Man Po:-
The present made five common laws for the punishment of criminals, viz:- Chi" (ie) to whip with a short bamboo; “Cheong” (¿.e.) to fog with a cudgel; To" (r.) banishment not exceeding 500 li; "Lau" (ie.) banishment beyond the barrier of a province; and " Tai Pik“ (e) capital punishment or beheading. The ministers appointed to amend the criminal laws have already pointed out that although 'Chi" and Cheong are very light punish- ments yet it is extremely easy to infict the body. The bost serious injuries to way is to follow the methods of western nations, and that is to substitute these two punishments either by imprisonment with labour or by monetary fines, the last of which is similar to our ancient custom by which one could atone for a crime by payment of money. The minis- ters have memorialized the throne to the above effect, and their memorial has been favourably received, and ordered to be carried into effect in all the provinces. We now bear that the Board of Punishment at Peking states that owing to the large number of petty officers and runners being employed in that department, and that the sum of money granted to that department is insufficient to meet its current expenses, the board, have decided that every district in a province is to contribute an annual sum of 100 taels to the board for meeting its current expenses. A dispatch to this effect has reached the local authorities here yesterday."
CHINESE BARBER BOYCOTTS AMERICANS.
A Chinese barber named Cheong, who shaves Europeans, in Shameen, has publicly announced that he has temporarily refused to accept any business from American citizens until the Chinese Exclusion Act is withdrawn by govern- ment
MACAO.
(FROM OCR CORRESPONDENT.)
THE TYPHOON.
Macao, 31st August. 1905. This city was visited by a typhoon yesterday. It was at first thought that the storm would be a severe one, and the inhabitants were rather alarmed at this owing to the buildings having been rather badly shaken by the recent earthquake: but happily such was not the case. The tide in the inner harbour rose abnormally high during the blow, and the water was a foot higher than the sea wall and swept a lot of things on the praya. Junks and sampana went for shelter in time, hence there is very little damage doneafloat, except that the stern wheel house boat of the Macao Hotel was sunk near the Heungshan wharf.
In the city very little or no dama te has been done to the buildings, but the roads along the praya suffered somewhat owing to the heavy seas, and many trees were uprooted. I have not any loss of life to report. It rained in torrents during the storm, and this will materially help to increase the storage of water in all the wells in the city, from where our main water supply is dawn.
7
[September 4, 1905.
PARHOI
(FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.)
THE BOYCOTT.
August 24th.
The viras of this Celestial craze at present being developed throughout the ancient Empire against the Amricans has at last infected the native community of this port. Circulars and plabards anent the agitation have been forwarded here last month from Shanghai and Canton to be freely distributed amongst the merchants, who, at the time, seem to have taken the matter with apathy. Lately, however, communications have been received by some of the principal marchants from their agents and principals in Hongkong to the effect that, as the boycott has started at Shanghai, Canton and at all the coa-t ports, the merchants here should join in the agitation as well. As recently as the 19th instat some of the traders have received inti- mation from their agents in Hongkong that no ba forwarded more American goods would to them; and also that the stocks in hand should · be cleared. It remains now to be seen how long the present agitation will last. There are several kinds of American goods for which the natives can scaroly find a substituts, such as wheat flour. Th natives fave their own flour to fall back on, but its quality is beyond.com. parison in coarseness, and the supply, I am afraid, will, by a long way, be smaller than the demind; consequently its price will doubtless be enhanced.
BOYCOTTING AN ANCIENT CHINESE
PRACTICE.
Boycotting is not a new display in the Middle Kingdom. It had been indulged in by its people long before the incident befell the unfortunate Captain in County Mayo one score and five years ago. It has been a common practice amongst the Chinese merchants to excommunicate one of their number when any commercial villainy is discovered to have bee perpetrated by him.
A TIGER KILLED.
Another tiger was killed on the 13th by the peasants, near the spot where the last one had been slain a few weeks ago, in Loong-t'am village, and the carcase was brought out here to be disposed of in the usual way.
PORK TAX RIOTS: A BUTCHER KILLED.
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Since the imposition of the tax, some two never been successfully years ago, it has collected, as the butchers had always resisted with threats those who attempted to do so. the 13th instant the pork farmer paid a visit to the markets, accompanied by seven soldiers, to begin the collection of the tax on the butchers. The latter assembled in such numbers to resist that the soldiers thought that prudence was the better part of valour and withdrew, but not before the farmer hal exprienced some violence at the hands of the market folks.. On the 21st instant, however, the sub-prefect made up his mind
down from to come Limchow with the sole intention of seeing the law effectively carried through. Soon after his arrival a squad of thirty-two men under a sergeant was despatched to the old market to enforce the collection from each stall, when resistance was offered as on previous occasions. The soldiers then proceeded to the new market to make a slart, where the butchers, embold-ned. perhaps, by the success of their brethren in the guild, showed fight with clubs and pieces of fire-wood. One man, the leader it is said, on being arrested. resis'el madly, but the soldiers soon overpowered him, beating him with the buttends of their guns. Another butcher audaciously tried to wrest the gun from one of the soldiers. In the struggle the charge went off, apparently by accident, making a big hole in his right breast besides smashing his left wrist into pulp. He fell down dead. It is needless to state the whole crowd took to their heels on hearing the report of the gun, followed by the tumbling of the riotous butcher. The Årst man arrested had received such a rough handling that the sol·liers resolved to leave him on the spot to be cared for by his comrades. The man killed was also left there until the following day when his remains were removed. The sub-prefect, probably disgusted by the unfortunate affair, left for Limehow yesterday morning. The pork butchers have all gone on strike, and not an inch of pork could be found in any of the stalls since the
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