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about. He meant to teach some of them that hymn. He sang the first verse, and then abruptly asked "Do you like it?" The question was so unexpected that the audience langhed. Then you begin to suspect that he is a humorist. He leads the whole assembly in singing the first verse. It is not quite right. Let the gal. lery sing it. The gallery sing it. Very good. never thought you could have sung it so well. Now, will those on the floor plesse sing it? The "pittites oblige, Stay by me, he shouts, but they hasten to the last note. Not so well.
Now the choir, please? The choir obey. Very good I never thought a choir that had only one practice could have done so well. Now, let us have it altogether. And so he goes on. He doesn't seem to know what he is going to say after he has completed the seu tence he is speaking. Maskee! Neither do his hearers. Of course he is a quick thinker. He knows how to make a point, and he knows how to drive it home. Like many others who occupy the same platform he consciously or unconsciously makes use of the hypnotism that sways aggregations of people. The emo. tions are roused by stimulating reminiscencer, by appeals to home ties, mother's love, and like sentimente, and soon the hysteria is pro- duced which is the necessary prelude to the "religious awakening." Mr. Alexander knowa how to move his audience both with humour and pathos. He knows something of psycho. logy. Hence his success in the role he has adopted. While he is not so irreverent as some revivalists, he is not above using some of their
For instance, theatrical methods.
"All who know their mother is in heaven, hold up their hand." Again "If any body wants ns to pray for him hold up his hand." One man complied. Unexpectedly he called upon his wife to give a recitation about "the lost black sheep" which she did and the audience rewarded her with applause. At ten o'clock he said-“It is now ten o'clock. Any body want to go home? No! Well, stay here." Then he resumed. The meeting concluded with prayer and the invita tion to inquirers to come forward,
MURDEROUS ASSAULT.
A BAD HOUSEBOAT BOY.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
THE ROYAL VISIT.
On Feb. 8th was soother basy day for the Duke of Connaught. Carrying out his duties as Inspector General of the Forces, he left Govern
Ho ment House at nine o'clock for the Peak. was accompanied by H.E. the Governor, Major General Broadwood, G.0.C., Major General Sir John Maxwell, staff officer, and other military officers. A special tram, nicely decorated, couveyed them to the Peak.
The military quarters, hospitals and military works were gone over by His Royal Highness, who afterwards proceeded to Belcher's Fort. Subse quently a military Lunch couseyed the party to Stonecutters where all the fortifications were inspected. Then the Duke was conducted over i a portion of the Kowloon Canton Railway as i far as the mouth of the tunnel by His Ex-{ cellency the Governor, after which the party embarked for Lyeemoon forts, tiffio being served on the way. His Royal Highness did not com- plate his tour of inspection till late in the afternoon.
After an uneventful voyage the Royal party reached Canton at eight o'clock on Feb. 9th morning by the steamer Honam. Mr. R. W. Mansfield, the British Consul General, at once went on board and tendered his respects to the Duke and Duchess and Princess Patricia. After breakfast the Royal visitors stepped on shore at. 9.30, and received by a Chinese guard of honour with the usual trumpet aud drum band. Almost every resident of the Shameen turned out to welcome them. There was uo official
but His greeting,
Excelleucy Viceroy
Chou Fu sent the escort of Chinese soldiers to
guard the distinguished visitors during their tour of the city. Various places of interest wers visited and some time was spent in shopping. Tifflu was served at the British Yamen in the Tartar City. Their Royal High. nesses and suite returned to the Shameen BL 5.20 when they proceeded to Consulate for tea.
the
Our Canton correspondent telegraphs that subsequently they went оп board a gaily decorated flower boat which lay alongsidethe Honam and partook of dinner and witnessed an entertainment. They left Cauton at eleveu o'clock.
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The Honam was expected here at nine o'clock on Feb. 10th morning, and the members of the Reception Committee attended at Blake Pier where also assembled a considerable section of the Europeau community. But as tue hours passed without any sign of the Honum the gathering dwindled. The Government launch with the Harbour Master and Mr. T. Hough and others on board went out some distance to see if the vessel was within sight, but had to return without a satisfactory report. At length | the steamer with the Royal passengers was sighted and the Reception Committee were
quickly on the pier ready to greet the hoyal
Party on landing. After a few words of fare.
At the Magistracy on Feb. 16th before Mr. F. A. Hazeland the coxswain of the houseboat May was charged by Mr. Pepper with assault. ing him. It appeared that Mr. and Mrs Pepper, who live on the May, employed two coxswains, to whom they paid good wages. On Tuesday the coxswain obtained three days' leave to celebrate the New Year, the second coxswain being left in charge. On Friday night the Coxswain returned very much under the influence of liquor, and early in the morning he went up to Mr. Pepper and demanded his wages in full as he intended to leave. Mr. Pepper refused, telling him that a month's notice was necessary, and jordered the man biok to his quarters. Incensed by the refusal, the Coxswain sprang at his employer and
long dug his
nails into his face and neck, causing the blood to flow. Mr. Pepper, acting in self defence, bit out, and in the struggle that ensued both fell to the deck. A chopper happened to be close at hand and this the Chinaman seized and was about to use it on his prostrate master when Mrs. Pepperiutes to the Duke and Duchess and Princess, called to her husband to take care and at the same time screamed for help. Mr. Pepper succeeded in overpowering the coxswain and the screams having brought P. C. Berry, who was in the police pinnace in the typhoon anchorage at Causeway Bay, ou the scene, the man retired aft and tried to appear as if he had taken no part in the disturbance His Worship bound defendant over in the sum of $200 to be of good behaviour for twelve months.
The Nanfangpao publishes a Tientsin telegram of the 6th instant stating that while H.E. Viceroy Yuan Shib-kai was entertaining that day to dinner H.E: Yang Shih ch'i, Junior Vice-President-designate of the Ministry of Agriculture, Works and Commerce, a suspicions character managed to get into the Viceregal yamen who upon being arrested confessed to an
intention to assassinate their excellancias.
well had been exchanged on Bisks Pier the Royal party embarked on board the Victoria, Just as the launch was leaving the Pier H.E. the Governor came along and went on board. The Royal visitors were conveyed to the waiting P. & 0. steamer Deltu and soon to Hongkong. A pretty feature of their departure was the escort of decorated launches which escorted the steamer out of the harbour and waved the last
bade good-bye
Some surprise was occasioned by the Delta leaving the harbour by way of Lysemoon.
THE NEW PEAK TRAMWAY.
PLANS SUBMITTED FOR HIS BICELLENCY'S APPROVAL.
We have been informed from reliable sources
that the drawings for the new Peak Tramway have been prepared for some time, and the approval of the Governor-in-Council is now awaited, his sanction to the transfer of the old Company's undertaking to the new being ■ necessary preliminary to the removal of the injunction resting on the Company. These drawings, we understand, show no extension of the present line down to Queen's Road.
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[February 18, 1907.
THE A.D.C.
It has been remarked before that amateur theatricals ia Hongkong reach a higher standard of perfection than in other parts of the Empire where professionals claim more attention and this dictum is likely to become all the more acceptable to the public by the present prodaé. tion of the Amateur Dramatic Club. “Facing the Music is a distinct success. Last night', performance came up to the expectations of patrons, who, being accustomed to high olası histrionic work from this combination, are, while not lacking in sympathy, inclined to criticism, and the fact that there was nothing heard last night but anqualified approval indientes bitter than words how well the amateurs played their parts.
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Mr. Charles Heary Darnley's farcical comedy depends for its success on a good stage presenc› and the ability of the actors to suggest or insinaste its fuer points. The comedy is not rollicking. Neither is it very subtle. some respects its humour is pronounced, but it is always effective. As the dramatis perzonde are not griffins on the stage, but have proved themselves worthy of the positions entrusted to them, it practically goes without saying that they made the most of the opportnuities afforded them.
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Under the designation of Johu Smith of London any man's identity may be carefully concealed, but when there is more than one of him in the same house, and when one is a clergy- man and the other is a gay young man about town, and when both are married, with their respective wives on holiday, possibilities of con- . fusion arise. These are utilised by the author very skilfully, and a succession of mirthful misunderstandings and funny episodes keep the auditors in the beat of humour from start to Boisb.
Thongh the piecs allows considerable individual scope a certain amount of co-ope stion is required. This was forthcoming last night. The comedy went with a swing throughout. There were Do bitches, по hesitation, bat & pleasing smoothness. Оп this result Messrs. R. Sutherland and John Robertson are to be congratulated. Their work, though not so apparent as those who figured before the footlights, was none the less real, and the success of the production was their succeSS.
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The cast was constituted as nader :— Rev. John Smith, Carste of St. Andrews,
Mr A. W. J. WATT. John Smith, the other Mr. Smith,
Lt. Com. LLoyd-Thomas. Dick Desmond, the other Mr. Smith's G 198t,
Mr. T. C. LETHBRIDGE.
Col. D. Smith, the other Mr. Smith's Uacle,
Mr. H. M. KENDALL
Dr. J. W. HARTLEY
Miss C. SHELTON HOOPER. Nora, the other Mr. Smith's Wife
Mrs. VAN Der Wonde. Miss Fotheringay, of the Bijou Theatre,
Sergeant Duffeld, of Vine Street,
Mabel, the Curate's Wite,
Miss. MARCHANT. Mrs. Poating, the other Mr. Smith's House- keeper--Miss LLOYD-THOMAS, Collectively and individually the performers were deserving of the highest praise, and it is not too much to say that Lieutenant-Commander Lloyd Thomas as the "other Mr. Smith," and bin sister Miss Lloyd Thomas as Mrs. Pouting, the housekeeper, were the mainstay of the produc tion. niss Lloyd Thomas is a decided nequisi. tion to the ranks of local thespians, She is perfectly at ease on the stage, and noquits herself with all the composure sal verve of a professional. Her interpretation of the part of Mrs. Ponting, the other Mr. Smith's ́honse- keeper, who believed in having “a little biţ da” was very artistic, and she gained the warm encomiums of the audience. The role of M18 Fotheringay was admirably taken by Miss Marchaat, who carried herself throughout the production with all the assurancS of the actress she pourtrayed. Miss Shelton Hooper deserved the hearty applause that was frequently accorded her. In the representation of Mabel, the curate's wife, she was responsible for a good deal of fun, and her acting throughout
characterised by feminine grace and
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