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November 4, 1905.]
to stop, and another instructed the smiling Celestial to bring everything in duplicate, while the libations which followed seemed deeper than usual.
"What's
After such an afternoon of violent exercise one would have naturally inferred that most of the volunteers would have been too tired to prolong the fun that evening. But such was not the case. Up-till "lights out "the rollicking ohoras and the boisterous song were heard all over the island. Then a few were foolish enough to retire. The merry blades who felt their way along the lines in the hope of finding their respective tents did not soothe the slumbers of the others, and remonstrances were uttered, only to be met with the peaceful suswer "all right old chap, waut to go home." At length I dropped off to sleep, but awoke with a start when I found an apparition in white standing in the door of the tent and look ing ghostly in the pale moonlight. up?" I demanded. Can you find a bed for me here," was the reply. "Why?" was the natural query. "Oh, some bounders have brought our tent down, and the other chaps are rather con- fused and don't realise what has happened." Fortunately for him there was an empty bed there that night. When he had settled down I learned that one of his tent companions, coming up with another comrade in a very jolly state, ha began manoeuvring with the ropes and of
pegs certain tents on the way. Not being able to distinguish his own tent, he played the same game there, but the fun was grater to his mind, because an irate man in pyjamas rushed out and demanded to know what they ment. Not stopping for an explanation, be tightene the ropes again; but while he was at one side the other two had loosened the r pes a second time. They kept the game going until the man in pyjamas realised it was hopeless to compete against the two if they were bent on mischief, and so desisted. By this time the canvas was hanging limply to the pole, which was canted very considerably, and its fill was imminent. Before that occurred the other man discovered his mistake, but he was too confused to remedy it. He dropped on his bed, which was outside the canvas, and after returning Maskee to all solicitations for assistance, dropped off to sleep, murmuring
Mine's B
mint."
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i
In my previous contributions I expressed disappointment that the uniform had not the santimental value it possesses at home in attract- ing feminine eyes, but I di-covered a practical value one morning. Happening to miss the 8 30 launch I availed myself of the offer of a friend y lift to Kowloon and crossed in the ferry. When I put my money down I found that I was only charged ten cents instead of the usual fifteen. Needless to say I made no protest but mar velled greatly. Had the apparently impossible happened had the Chinaman actually made a mistake in calculating money that was not in his own interest. I could not understand it until it occurred to me to examine my ticket. There I learned that the fare for soldiers, sailors and policemen in uniform was ten cents. Of course I felt a wee bit proud of myself. That I should be actually taken for a soldier in less than three weeks from joining the service was more than I ever expected, and I felt so generous that I thought of returning and " tipping that boy. But the ferry boat moved and I was prevented from displaying my generosity.
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Going on guard” is not relished by the ordinary volunteer. It cuts him off from the social pleasures of the evening and imposes upon him duties which are rather irksome, yet it has its compensations. With the corporal and the two men not on sentry go" gathered round the table in good form there are usually some very entertaining yarns told and the merry laugh which comes occasionally from the guard tent indicates that those on duty are not repining in silence over their comparative isolation. When the bugle sounds just before six o'clock and the men for guard fail out they are usually regarded by their comrades as almost martyrs. While there are few who willingly seek to go on guard, there are some who pride themselves on avoiding that duty. Needless to say, this is not playing the game fairly, as it means that the conscientious have to undertake the wearisome task more often than they ought.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
Leaving the guns, those of us for guard hasten to our tents, clean our rifles, buckle on our waist belts and side arms, and fall in on the level ground below. Here we and our arms are inspected by the orderly officer, and we are marched off to the main guard tent. We and four off. I get the last turn-from 10 to are informed that each man has two hours on
fixed bayonets, ready at hand, we sit down at 12 and from 4 to 6. Keeping our rifles, with
the table outside the tent. Not unnaturally the experiences of others on guard become the subject of the conversation, and I was advised not to emulate the exploits of a certain individual who challenged all the water carrying coolies, and as they did not respond, arrested then and contined them in the guard tent. When his successor came on duty be apparently wished to have the distinction of a capture also, and on a coolie approaching he chased him until he captured him. What the orderly officer said next
norning when presented with the frightened Chinamen need not be printed. Suffice it to say that he did not commend their excess of zeal.
One advantage of being on guard is that you are well attended to in the matter of chow. There is no waiting and shouting to attract the boy Everything is brought with dispatch and you really enjoy your meal in comfort. After dinner some of " the boys"
come
A
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along to commiserate with you on your banishment f om the canteen and most probably sit down to have a share in the quieter amusements of the guard tent A cup of coffee is brought along for each and then I relieve the sentry. Of course I must not divulge the nature of the charge that was committed to me on that occasion. Bu it was important, overwhelmingly important, and the burden of it was so great that I hard y knew what my feelings were. Happily my beat was along th~ shore and I waS able to look out to sea. As the searchlight was at work, the scene was invested with an additional though tempo ary charm, and one did not feel the time so tedious when there was so mach to delight the eye. The arrival of an occasional launch gave oue the opportunity of challenging those who landed, but fortunately for themselves they were all friends. Had they been otherwise one shudders to think of what duty would have comp lled one to do. By 11 o'clock all the noise in the camp had ceased, and the stillness of the night was only broken by the lapping of the waves on be so e. A peculiar sound behind made me stop. I strained my ears, but could not discover its na'are. beavy footfall induced me to go forward and under the shadow of the tower I saw a dim form. Then I made out two eyes, and closer inspection reveal d them t› bel ›ng to a barmless pony. At midnight I summoned the corporal and was relieved." Turning in, I tried to sleep, but the bed seemed harder than usual and the belt and bayonet always seemed to be getting in the way. My fitful slumbers were disturbed at 4 o'clock, when I had again to shoulder my rifl. and patrol the beat. It was an eariu sousation going out into the chilly morning in a dazed and sleepless condition, but footsteps woke me up and was on the qui vive to oĥallenge the Indian soldiers going on and off guard. At five o'clock I woke the corporal, who roused the bugler, and he in turn annoyed the whole camp by sounding the Reveille a quarter of an hour later. Then the duties of the guard practically ceased, The coffee arrived a few minutes after the bugle call and, I need not t-11 you that it was very welcome. Putting the tent in order, we waited the appearance of the orderly officer who dismissed us at 6 o'clock and our vigil was concluded. A swim refreshed us mewhat, but not till we had made up theso arrears of sleep did we feel ourselves again.
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I cannot conclude this record of my experiences without a reference to the in- spection of last week end. On Saturday afternoon we proceeded to the north of the island, and on the way had to go through a stretch of sand where walking was difficult. Arrived at the place where the guns were drawn up, we wait d in some anxiety for the inspecting officer, but when he did arrive be put us all at our ease, and then we went on with the work of the day, trying to hit targets on the hills on the opposite side and afterward scattering a few targets in the water. To test us still further, we were ordered to pick up
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spades and dig a trench. Some entered into the work with great enthusiasm and some didn't. When a fellow hasn't handled a spade seriously since his boyhood days on the sands of some watering place at home, be is apt to find the exercise somewhat trying. That several were awkward at the work will be
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readily understood, and it frequently happened
to
excused
not
the intended destination. One man left the that the sand lifted on the spade did not reach
trench and seemed to engage in some form of gymnastics, bending his head to the ground. When questioned on the subject, he remarked -"Why some blessed idiot has put a shovelful down my neck." Whether there was exactly a shorelful deposited there I wou'd like say but he certainly had a fair quantity of sand which was not likely to be very soothing. One fellow was conspionous because he had not taken off his jacket and himself by saying that his shirt was all holes and buttons. Ultimately our work was concluded and we set out for camp. But our return was not so easy as we had anticipated. We had to take back the guus, and as these had to be dragged over the stretch of sand on which we found it so difficult 10 walk before, you can imagine something of the task that was set us. It was back-aching and leg-aching work and we reached camp panting and tired. Fortunately, after the am sement of the evening there was on this occasion nothing to disturb our rest and we rose fres« in the morning for the inspection by the Com- mandant and the G-neral Officer Commanding. The general was very complimentary to us and that was reckoned by most as ample compensa- tion for the exertions of the day before. Subse- qu-nly we li-tened to the ministra1ions of the pastor-at least some did-and then we realised that the official programme of the camp
was concluded. The afternoon was devoted to entertaining friends and swargering round in dress suits and field service capy, and swinging sticks, while those with cameras were very busy for an hour or two. The sports which followed were very exciting and after the last race we took our departure for home. We did not, like the Arabs, fold our tents and silently steal away." We were more prosaic. We returned our bedding and moved off amidst much chin-wagging and pledging our next merry meeting."
*
PROGRESS OF MERCHANT SHIPPING IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THE PRINCIPAL FÒREIGN COUNTRIES.
A Parliamentary Blue Book was published in London on the day of the departure of the German Mail, giving various tables relating to the shipping of the world; the figures for the United Kingdom being for 1904, and those for the Colonies and Foreign Countries for 1903; It is to be noted that the Hongkong figures are exclusive of Chines juuks engaged in the foreign trade, and yet without them Hongkong has attained the summit of its ambition, it being now the first shipping port in the world. The following are the totals of entrances and clear- auces for some of the principal ports:·
Hongkong London ... Antwerp New York Hamburg Liverpool Rotterdam Cardiff
...19,204,889 ... 18,63,159 18.139,184 ..17,900,168
...16,466,639
..14,716,790.
.13,597,819
.18,119,472
Singapore
...12,004,919
Marseilles
..11,336,077
Monte Video..., Genoa
..11,143,852
.10,098,753
9,439,632-
9,4 17,316--
8,882,158€
7,769,069%
7,185,288
7,165,185
6,670,977
6,487,290
004
6,192,044
...
5,934,411
Calcutta... Bombay
***
3,032,326€
142.
Colombo Lisbon Tyne ports Gibraltar Malta Capetown Kobe Melbourne Shanghai Sydney
***
3,000,199
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