7
CANTON
(FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.)
BAILWAY AFFAIRS
July 17th.
His Excellency Viceroy Shum has returned to Canton from Whampoa. He has invited the President, Vice-President and the Board of Direc- tors of the Canton-Hankow Railway Company to a banquet at his Yamen on the 18th instant.
I. M. CUSTOMS LOOTED.
It is reported in the native newspapers that last week a daring ging of robbers over a hundred, armed with rifles and revolvers, attacked the I. M. Customs at Samshui, While they were ransacking the place, information was conveyed to the nearest military station, and a large body of braves appeared on the scene A fight ensued and lasted about an hour. Seven of the robbers were arrested on the spot. The rest of them left with a considerable sum of money and booty. The Samshui Magistrate has sent seven robbers to Canton for trial. No further arrests have been made.
THE LINCHOW MASSACRE,
'
The Tis. 46,000 compensation for the murder of the missionaries at Linchow and the de- struction of their property has just been paid to the American Consulate at anton, as ordered. Recently Viceroy Shum communicat- ed with the American onɛul-General stating that the people in Linchow are very poor and that he was unable to exact the enormous sum of money from the village and pay the indemnity at once. He begged for a reduction of the amount or else more time in which to pay it. The Consul replied that the matter was decided between the respective Governments, that he had no power to alter it, and that if the amount were not forthwith paid over he would telegraph to his Minister at Peking. On receipt of this reply Viceroy Shum gave instructions to the Bureau of Local Affairs on the 13th instant to hand Tis. 46, 00 to Wen Taotai, who paid it over to the American Consul on the same day." The abinchow murder affair is now closed.
MUTINY OF PRISONERS,
Since Western reforms have been introduced in the prisons of China (referring to the introduction of handicrafts such as shoe-making rattan work, etc.), there have been several cases of mating and in one or two instances prisoners have successfully used their tools as weapons. On the 12th instant the prisoners over 300) of the Yeong Kong city (near Kongmoon) prison matinied. They took advantage of a temporary reduction in the number of their guards, killed the officer in charge, and disabled such of the braves a did not run away.
They broke down the gate, and set the rest of the prisoners free and made for the department where all the firearms were kept. They took these, and most of them are now armed bandita. CANTON PUBLIC GARDEN.
The land for making the public garden in the Chinese city has been surveyed and the plan has been drawn up, on similar lines to the public garden in Hongkong. It is proposed to commence the work on the 1st day of the ith
moon.
FRENCH COLONIAL CONGRESS.
The banquet held to close the French Colonial Congress was largely attended. The pr sident, M. Déloncle, dwelt on the growing propaganda of the congress for the complete knowledge of the colonies and particularly of Indo-China. The Chinese Minister expressed the mutual desire of China and France to strengthen the bonds between the two countries. The repre- sentative of the Annamite Mission affirmed the loyalty of the Annamites towards France. Mr. Leygues, the Colonial Minister, outlined a notable political and colonial programme; he was not in favour of assimilating the natives, but would respect the beliefs, the customs, the traditions, and strive to render flexible the administrative system. The ministry would encourage the colonials, who ought to feel they had the Government behind them.–Echo de ¦ Chine.
!
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
THE RAILWAY IN YUNNAN.
A LETTER OF DEFENCE.
The following letter, with a postscript to the effect that no wages were withheld, appeared
in the Echo de Chine:-
I have taken notice of the attacks directed by certain papers against the French Railway Company of Yunuan. It happens that I have just now arrived in Shanghai after having followed the works of the iron road along its whole cours from Laokai to Yunnansen. I b-lieve that it is my duty to protest against certain assertions which can only be based on ill- vill or on an excessive credulity.
It is not correct to say that the coolies are badly treated. They are never struck, and that for several reasons; among others this, that the Company needs workers, and if they are badly treated they go away They are better paid than everywhere el-e in the interior of China. In the Namti Valley rice is supplied at a price appreciably lower than the net cost. price, because without this, by reason of the difficulty of communications, they would have to pay too dear. Barracks and hospitals hare been constructed. Doe ́ors are found all along the way. From Mêngize to Yunnansen local workmen are employed. These are the same coolies who come to work every year when they have finished their agricultural works in their own districts. They are not then so unhappy.
In the Nami Valley there are no inhabitants. One is obliged to employ Annamites and Chinese who come from the four quarters of China. The country is unhealthy. It was more so at the commencement of the works before the undergrowth all along the way had been barat, By reason of this there have been from the commencement epidemics and a considerable loss among the coolies employed in this region. What was possible has been done to remedy this state of things, by imp oving the barracks, making the country salubrious, and by stopping work when the heavy rains are on. Finally in the Namti Valley the indigenous workers, the same as the European employees, are paid more than elsewhers. This increased payment is remuneration for the risk run,
I will add that everywhere, here railroad has to be made in a tropical country, new and uncultivated, the same difficulties llave to be encountered and the same accidents submitted to. A bad time has to be encountered, but it is & relatively short period, which is ultimately compensated by the uulimited advan. tages which come to the people of the country.
To those who consider that the expenditure of human life which has been recently made in the Namti Valley is too heavy I will say that no one has suffered from that, in bis interest and in his purse, more than the Company which has the concession. I will and that one ought to judge only by comparison in this matter. Seek then to ascertain what has been the cost of bringing into existence the railway from Colombo to Kandy, and certain sections of the Burmese railways. It will then be seen on which side inclines the balance.
CTE. DE MARSAY.
[July 23, 1906. pushed forward in the face of great difficulties, both olimstic and economio. The vile climate of the Nau-bsi Valley has levied a heavy toll on those who have dared to open up its primeval . jangles ant gullies The death" rate among the coolies imported from various parts of the Empire and put to work in this dreaded valley may, without exaggeration, be estimated at 5,00', or 70 per cent. of the total number employed on that particular section of the line. The company has made praiseworthy efforts to counteract the evils of the climite in this valley. They have constructed a large number of suitable dwellings both for foreigners and natives, an have doubled the number of hospitals, placing as many as seven doctors on the first 15 kilometres from Hokow. Instead, of attempting to carry on the work in the Nan. hsi Valley all the year through, the work is suspended almost entirely during the summer rains and the coolies moved up to the works on the high and healthier plate This masura while it economises the life of that most important individual in the building of any railway, namely, the coolie, mast considerably delay the completion of the line, and we must therefore wait till 910 at least for that great desideratum, namely, the_linking up of Yan- 'nau-fu with H siphong. The year under review marks an important epoch in the history of French railway enterprise in Indo-China. Ou Christmas Day the first locomotive reached Laokai on the Tonkia-Yannın border, and it is hoped that the coming spring will see the commencement of a through railway service between Haiphong and Laoksi. What can be thought now of the reckless statements of which we complained ?
"
A MINE AT THE YANGTZE MOUTH
THE ESCAPE OF THE C. N. 8. XINGPO."
Another serious accident by collision with a floating mine occurred on July 6th (morning) within about 14 miles of Shanghai, but it was fortunately not attended by any loss of life. The C. N. 8. Ningpo (Capt. Eedy) left Shang. hai for Japin ports on Thursday, the 5th in- stant, in place of the regular str. Chenan which was undergoing repairs in the New Dock. All went well until 3.25 a.m. on the 6th instant, when the vessel was in Lat. 31 deg. 35' N., Long, 124 deg. 25' E, about 130 miles E. N. E. of the Bell Buoy. At that time, without any warn- ing, the steamer came in contact with a drifting miue. There was a tremendous explosion, fol- Lowed by a heavy shock and a sheet of fame. The shock was so great that the crew in the forecastle were almost thrown out of their buaks, and those ou deck wore thrown off their feet. The vessel was showered with spray from stem to stero, and pieces of the exploded mine rained upon the deck, one huge piece of metal falling upon the bridge deck and narrowly missing the second officer, Mr. L itch, who was on watch at the time. The passengers- Mr. Farrell and child and Mr. J. W. aud Mrs. Burtwell-rushed into the saloon, and Capt. Eedy and the crew who were not on watch rushed on deck. The captain gave orders for the boats to be swang out, and this gas done quick- ly, the officers aud crew taking their stations aud carrying out orders quite coolly. engines were stopped and the bolds ware sounded, a considerable quantity of water being i found in the forepeak. Owing to the darkness, a) no estimate could then be made of the extent of the damage; but at daylight a thorough investigation was made, and it was then found that there was a large jagged hole-some two feet in diameter-jast on the water line on the starboard bow, through which water was rushing into the fore-peak. The stem of the vessel was badly twisted and a number of plates on both port and starboard bows were dented or balged. Fortunately the fore-peak bulkheid was nai. jured, and this prevented the water from filling the holds. pumped out and the damaged bow thus raised high out of the water. The engineers impro- vised a stop-gap by means of plank's and canvas and this was lowered over the bow and fixed in position over the hole. The Ningpo then put back to Shanghai, going slowly under her own, steam, and arrived about 6.30 a.m. on July 7th, taking up her berth at Mesra. Butterfeld and
This letter, as well as French coasular repudiations, has failed to coupince the mission. aries, who are now collecting subscriptions for the coolies.
THOSE ILL TREATED COOLIES": AUTHORITATIVE ANSWER.
We feel glad now that we did not lend credulous ear to the stories of cruelty and ill treatment of coolies employed by the Yun in railway syndicate. It will be remembered that one missionary committed himself to plain suggestions of murder and swindling; and that alone among the press of China, eran before the French Echo de Chine, the Daily Press risked the opinion that the charges bore in. ternal evidence of reckless exaggeration.
Mr. A. Wilson, author of the Meagtsz trade report for 1905, issued by the Imperial Maritime Customs of Chins (animpeachable evidence, we hope), writes as follows:--
"The construction of the railway between Taokai and Yunnan-fu-that great euterprise to which all well-wishers of Yuguan look forward as the one means of permitting this province to take her proper place in the markets of the world-has been perseveringly
The
The forward ballast tanks were
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