..
June 25, 1906.]
collector stayed at the smail Chinese village of Buong Kang, about 13 miles from the town, and made an exhaustive collection of the flors of the romantic gorge in which it was situated as well as of the grassy downs at the summit. Both wood-oil and paper are made at the village and the excellent opportunity of obtaining full details of their manufacture was not neglected. Several points which had been obscure or misunderstood in these industries were fortunately able to be cleared up. A full description of these and other interesting results of the expedition are given below. Buong Kang was left aud a return made to Yeaping after a sty of three weeks. The namber of additional species collected there was about 600. A few days were spent in collecting at Yonping while waiting for the return of the two collectors from the Upper Min. Upon their return a rapid-boat was secured and the collections taken back with all possible speed to Foochow and Hongkong which was reached on the 24th of June.
CANTON.
|
|
|
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
June 18th.
IMPERIAL DICT ARRIVES.
ап
+
455
and thus it will lead the Government into trouble. I beg that your Majesty will im-
merchants and approve of the appointments. already made by me of the president and the board of directors so that they may lake over the railway affairs.”
THE PSEUDO-DECISION.
The following cable reply was received on the With -" Shum Chan-huen's memorial received and contents noted. I have sent you an Ediot yesterday instructing you to consult with the merchants. If the people you have appointed® as president and directors of the company are men that can be relied upon. I instruct you to start, the construction of the line at aŭ early
Viceroy Sham received the following Immediately decide to satisfy the wishes of the perial Edict from Peking on the 16th inst: -
"With reference to the memorial sent by H. E. Chan Foo to the Central Chovernment --- As the construction of the railway is important public affair, and the merchants have agreed to ruixa the necessary funds to construct it, the officials must give full profection lo the merchants, which is undoubtedly the best, i policy. The carrying out and the completion : of this great scheme is entirely dependent on the action of the officials, geutry and merchants of the whole Kwangtung Province. It also greatly depends on the union of the above three classes of people to work harinoniously date." together. They should be of one mind and opinion, so as not to impede public affairs that are beneficial to the general public. According to H. E. Chau Foo's memorial the Kwangtung people have been very euergetic, having already subscribed many thousands of dollars. This shows their earnestness of purpose and their generosity. It is my earnest desire that this railway shall be completed in the near future. I now issue instructions to Viceroy Shum to settle this matterin an impartial manner and to convene a meeting and to appoint a president and a kong. June 18th.
board of directors and to memorialise to me when
(FROM QUE CORRESPONDENT.)
SAD DROWNING FATALITY.
A sad occurrence took place yesterday afternoon on the river north of the Shameen. A party had left the Shameen on a steam launch on dunday afternoon for a picnic and having reached clearer waters indulged in bathing. Mr. Max Kretzschmar, of Messrs. Carlowitz &Co. suddenly saak and disappeared. He was seen sinking and those of his friends that could swim immediately went to his assistance, but were unable to recover his body. Later in the evening a fisherman found the body and the unfortunate young man was brought back in Mr. Proton's houseboat. Deceased was here only two months, and as he was a fair swimmer it is surmised that he was overcome by the heat as the water was abnormally warm. Deceased was only twenty-two years of age,
+
THE MERCHANTS' LINE.
The Canton Chronicle has received a telegram from Peking announcing that the management of the Canton Hankow railway will be entirely left in the hands of the merchants.
蒙 SALE OF JEWELLERY.
The Sin Hau Kuk bas issued a notification to the effect that all the jewellery seized from the five families Chan Tung-sang, Chan Tit-sai, Fu Ka-yu, Fu Ka-siu and Poou Man-hing are offered for sale.. Intending buyers are requested to examine the articles and to make sealed tenders. The lots will be disposed of to the highest bidder.
TRIAD THREATS.
A rich family surnamed Tani has received a threatening letter signed Sam Hop-win", a Tríad Society chop. The letter informs the __receiver that unless a sum of Tls. 5,00 is paid over within a specified time at a given place, the sons of the family will be kidnapped. The family is greatly alarmed, and have repi rted the matter to the authorities.
TRADE COMPETITION.
Chu-obin, of the Kwong-Wo Co. Las petitioned the Sin Hau Kuk stating that the work done by his rival Chan was very poor and that bad materials bad been used in the construction of the Prays reclamation. Over forty cheung of the retaining walls cracked, Petitioner offers to undertake the work at a cheaper rate and to supply better materials. The 8in Hau Kuk has instructed the reclamation officials to make a careful examination of the whole work and to report.
CUSTOMS NOTIFICATION.
A notification was sent round by the Customs here yesterday stating that importers and ex- porters must state all values given ou Customs applications in Haikwan Taels. Applications giving values in other currencies will not be accepted. There will be posted weekly at the Custom House, and in the two Examination Sheds, notices showing the rates of exchange for pounds sterling, gold dollars, marks, francs and Japanese yen. These rates will rule until -new notice has been posted.
everything is settled. I also instruct Shum Chun-hued to superintend with energy the construction of the line for the benefit of the general public.
As regards Lai Kwai-pui, Li Shun-yuen, and Leang Hing-kwai, as Chau Foo's memorial states
that they have not made use of seditions expressions. I order that they be The reinstated in their titles and ranks, Poon Yu magistrate has conducted himself rashly and is ordered to be removed from office and to be watched to see if he still does his duties in such a rough manner.
THE VICEROY'S REPLY.
On receipt of the above Edict Viceroy Shum immediately sent the following memorial by cible :-
at
“When the charitable institutions cabled their memorial to the Central Government asking that the Yust-Han railway be handed over to the merchants to be constructed by them, there were only ten million dollars subscribed, but about a month later twenty millions were collected altogether. If the president, Cheang Taotai. and the members of the board appointed by me were not popular. how is it that since their appointment the amount of shares subscribed has doubled The only people who protested were a handful of Hongkong merchants at the instigation of a few members of the gentry who held a different view of the matter. I bare no doubt your Majesty will be able
action
its to appreciate their calae. Some of the Cantonese gentry have gone to Peking and have tried to poison the minds of the officials. If the rail way is not placed at once in the hands of the people I bave appointed. I am afraid the matter will fall through. The Cantonese gentry here have made their fortunes without capital and the people diead them more than they do the officials. It was distinctly stipulated that should the matter fall through the money would be reimbursed to the subscribers, and before the Imperial Edict arrived there
were already rumours that the company would not be fated and that the people wanted the 20 per cent. paid up to be refunded to them.
1
!
!
:
F
June 21st.
MAUSERS FOR CANTON TROOPS.
The rifles in use at present by the provincial army are old-fashioned, and Viceroy Shum instructed the Sin Hau Kuk some time ago to order a large quantity of Mauser repeaters and smokeless powder cartridges. It is now reported that the rifles and ammunition, which were ordered through Messrs. Carlowitz & Co., have arrived, and that the necessary steps are being taken to take early delivery of them in Hong-
i
A MERITORIOUS OFFICIAL.
Cheong-Ming-ki, treasurer of Kwangsi province, is greatly esteemed by Viceroy Shum, who cousiders him to be a very energetic and capable official. It is believed that H. E. will probably be promoted to the rank of Treasurer of the Kwangtang Province, which is a much more important post.
THE RAILWAY OFFICE.
The Canton-Hankow Railway Company are contemplating the purchase of Chan Tung- use it as their head sang's residence, to office. The price demanded by Government is said to be Tls. 70,000.
“I (Shum) have no grudge against them. The concern is now floated Bud if the Central Government dos not approve of the appoint- ments made by me to start the building of the line and if the scheme falls through, then I shall be ungrateful of all the favours his Majesty has bestowed on me and also unwindful of the kindness which has been shown to me by his Majesty's subjects. If I bad a hundred bodies I shall be unable to redeem my fault. Other railway schemes have failed in China from inability to raise the necessary fauds. With regard to the Yuet-Hao railway, we have paid an enormous sum of money to redeem it; the first installment of the foreign loan was repaid | with funds from the Government treasury with | great di@culty and inconvenience. Should this project fall through I really do not know where to find the money to repay the foreign loan,'
The
in Canton.
PLAQUE FIGURES. Canton Chronicle (the Government Gazette) gives the following returns for plague In the Old City, there were 27 deaths in the 3rd Moon, and 26 in the 4th. In the New City there were two deaths in the 3rd Moou, and thirty in the 4th. In the Western suburbs there were 176 deaths in the 3rd Moon and 175 in the 4th. It will be seen from this that plague has been much more severe in the suburbs where dwelling houses are
live.
more
numerous and where the coolie classes
RAILWAY STARTING AT ONCE.
Yesterday the Sin Hau Kuk handed to the President of the Cantou-Hankow Railway the seal of the Company. The concern will be officially transferred on the 23rd and operations will be started at once. The railway company are credited with having the intention to buy the premises occupiel by the Foon lak Bank in the Ta Tung Street. It is said that this is one of the largest local banks and that it possesses a vault capib'e of holding several millions of subsidiary coins.
A POPULAR MAGISTRATE.
The Provincial Treasurer has issued a notice to the effect that Chong Wan-yu is appointed Poon-Yu Magistrate. He is said to be a very fair-minded and energetic official, and his appointment to the post is a very p›pular one. The new Nam-Hoi Magistrate bas issued a notice to the effect that in future all civil suits filed at the Chamber of Commerce and approved will be promptly tried and decided.
CANTON NOTES.
From the Chung Nyoi San Po.]
BOLD ROBBERS
There is scarcely a day withont some serious case of robbery being reported. One that recurred on the 9th inst. in Hohow market- place, several miles from the city of Tang-on district, was a particularly impudent affair. A gang of over two hundred robbers, ail well- armed, broke into the market-plac in broad daylight. All the shops, numbering about seventy, were completely ransacked. A district watchman was fatally shot, and about a dozen peasants were wounded. When the robbers departed, they were not satisfied with the spoils
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.