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Honourable Sir Hedworth Lambton, K.C.B., 1.C.V.O., Commander-in-Chief, China Station.
I have sto.,
His Excellency,
R. H. 8. STOKES, Rear-Admiral.
Sir Frederick J. D. Lagard, K.C.M.G.,
C.B., D.8.0., Governor, &c.,
TELEGRAM,
From Commander-in-Chief, Tsingtan, to Senior Naval Officer, Hongkong, of 29th July, 1908.
Very much regret to hear of typhoon. Hope no lives lost in Colony."
FROM THE CONSUL FÖR FRANCE TO THE
COLONIAL SECRETARY.
oon.
Hongkong, le 30th Juillet 1908. Monsieur le Secrétaire Colonial, Par un télégram parti hier soir de Hanoi, M. le Gouverneur Général p.í. de l'Indo-Chine, à qui j'avais communiqué des renseignements détaillée au sujet des résultats désastreux du typhoon de la nuit de lundi à mardi dernier, m'a prié de transmettre au Gouvernement de Hongkong l'expression des sincères doléances de l'Indo-Chine française, pour les dommages subis par la colonie anglaise de Hongkong. Je me permets d'y joindre mes regrets personnels. Je ne doute d'ailleurs pas que le Gouvernement français, à qui j'ai égale ment fait part de cet événement inattendu, ne sera douloureusement ému a la nouvelle dé ce déssétre qui a suivi de si près celui du 18 Sep- tembre 1906.
Je vous serais particulièrement reconnaissant de vouloir bien donner connaissance de la
présente communication à Son Excellence le
Gouverneur,
Veuilles agréer, Monsieur le Seoretaire Colonial, les assurances de ma haute con- sideration.
(Sd) G-STON LIEBERT,
FORM THE GOVERNOR, MAÇÃO TO THE GOVERNOR,
30th July, 1908. "The Colony of Macao deeply regrets the disasters and damages suffered by Hongkong. I present Your Excellency my sincere sympathy.
FROM THE JAPANESE CONSUL.
Japanese Consulate, Hongkong, 31st July, 1908. Sir, I have the honour to inform you that I have just received a telegram from Viscount Tersuchi, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, instructing me to convey to His Excellency the Governor the expression of his profound sympathy at the terrible disaster which has befallen this port.—I have etc..
T. FUNATSU, Vice-Consul for Japan. Hon. F. I. May, C.M.G..
Colonial Secretary,
Hongkong.
TELEGRAM.
"Convey to Governor of Hongkong expression of my profound sympathy at terrible disaster which has befallen that port."
ELECTROCUTED.
On August 1st a native employed by the China and Japan Telephone Company met with a strange death in Wing Lok Street While engaged in repairing some wires which had been damaged by the typhoon he got in contact with one of the Electric Light Co.'s live wires, and could not be released until the supply of current had been cut off at the generating station. About an hour and a half was spent in extricating the body which, after being taken to the Central Police Station, was removed to the Mortuary,
The many friends of Captain Mitchell- Taylor, A.D.O., to H. E, the Governor, will be sorry to learn that he is suffering from appendicitis and that it will probably be necessary for him to undergo an operation?
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The directors of the Eastern Extension Australasia and China Telegraph Company, Limited, have declared an interim dividend for the quarter ended March 31 last of 2a, 6d, par share, free of income-tax.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
|
¦
THE TYPHOON SHELTER
THE GOVERNMENT'S REJOINDER.
The following reply has been returned by the Government to the letter from the Shipping Firms published which appears on page 14 ---
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 6th August, 1908. the receipt of your letter of the 5th instant Gentlemen,-I am directed to acknowledge
protesting against the resolution to be consider- ed to-day by the Legislative Council to raise the Light Dues from cent to 2 cents per net register ton for the purpose of defraying half the cost of the proposed Typhoon Shelter at Mongkoktsui.
Your letter of the 23rd of June to which reference is made was rec ived under cover of a
letter from the Chamber of Commerce dated the 3rd ultimo.
A reply was sent to the Chamber on the 25th altimo and in the circumstances the Govern ment did not conceive that a s-palate answer to your letter of the 23rd of June was necessary.
2. With regard to the 2nd and 3rd para- graphs of your letter ander reply, I am to point out that you have misunderstood the nature of the reference made to the Typhoon Relie Committee in my letter of the 18th of Decem- ber, 1906. That letter covered a report by Mr. J. E. Boulton in which several pohemes for a second boat shelter were discussed and the opinion of the Typhoon Relief Committee on the merits of the several proposals were invited.
in favour of The Committee pronounced Mongkoktsui,
you aver
3. Your contention now is that so large and: costly a shelter is not necessary, and that on the night of the typhoon of the 27th July the shelter at Causeway Bay was by no mesus fall and that on the afternoon of the same day there was congestion owing to the inability of the oraft already in the refuge to get further in and make room for others.
It is possible that on the afternoon in question owing to low tide some congestion did occur, but with the rising tide the shelter was filled with boats; and that it was not adequate to accommodate all the craft that would have sought shelter if shelter had been available is proved by the fact that in the Harbour no less than 6 stem-launches, 1 motorboat, 10 Euro- pean lighters, and 66 junks, cargo-boats and sampans were wrecked, with a loss of 45 lives, on the night in question. Large numbers of oraft of various descriptions took shelter behind Stonecutters' Island and along the Yaumati shore, and it was solely due to the fact that st по time did the typhoon blow from the westward that these did not suffer great loss and damage.
4. It is within your knowledge that steps are being taken to deepen that portion of Causeway Bay which becomes exposed at low tide, for which Shipping will not be charged. There is no present Intention to fill in Causeway Bay on the provision of a second shelter. The Causeway Bay shelter is regarded as a useful barbour of refuge especially for the cumerous boats that frequent the eastern portion of the Harbour, But it has its limitations, one of which is its inadequate size and the other its inaccessibility for lighters and other oralt using the western and north-western portions of the Harbour.
I am to remind you that the question of the provision of a second Typhoon Shelter has now been under consideration for four years during which period the Government has been urged in the Public Press and in the Legislative Council to prosecute the work with expedition in response to the loudly declared desire of the community. The location of the shelter at Mongkoktsui has been approved by various representative Committees and procrastination now on the part of the Government would justly merit censure.
5. For these and other reisons fully set out in the printed correspondence of which a copy is enclosed, His Broallangy is not prepared to re- open the question of the provision of a second shelter, of its location or of the method of financing its construction, matters which have received the very earnest consideration of the Government, its expert advisers and the Pablie
[August: 8,-1908. Works Committee of the Legislative Counci! for many months past —I am, &c.,
F. H. MAY, Colonial Secretary. The Acting Superintendent, Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, and others.
UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF OPIUM.
CHARGE AGAINst captain pennRFATHIE,
Before Mr. J. H. Kemp at the Magistracy on the 5th inst, the case was called on in which Captain Pennefather of the sa, Bankiang" was charged with having in his possession 1,880 taels of prepared opium without a valid certificate; also with having a quantity of looss opium without a certificate of purchasG from the licensee,
Mr. A. Holborow (of Mesars. Descon. Looker and Deacon) represented the Opium Farmer, while Captain Fennefather was represented by Mr. Daniels (of Messrs. Johnson, Stokes and Master).
Mr. Daniels said he had been instructed that morning, and asked for an adjournment. The defendant got the suminons on Tuesday after- noon and his boat was to have sailed later in the evening, but was delayed until the following morning in consequence.
Mr. Holborow-Before your Worship decides to grant an adjournment I might say that the defendant left without giving any explanation at all. I understand my friend is not concerned with say of the specific charges brought by the Opium Farmer.
Mr. Daniels-My friend seems to know a great deal more about my position here than I The summons do. I am here to defend Captain Pennefather. was served on him yesterday afternoon, and in the evening Messrs. Butterfield and Swire saw Inspector Hanson who said if the captain went away, and notified the police when he returned, it would be all right. I am prepared to give an undertaking that the Opium Farmer shall be informed of his I should like an adjournment until about three weeks' time. The other side cannot be prejudiced in any way.
return.
The bearing was adjourned sine die.
A FAMOUS PERJURY CASE.
These men mer-
The action heard in the Supreme Court of Hongkong, in which Wong Ka Chuen since was the principal has now reached the dead House of Lords," It will be remembered that at the end of the trial of the issue as to whether Wong Ka Chuen was a partner in the Lai Hing firm his Lordship committed sight of the wit- nesses to prison for perjury. chants in Hongkong appealed against this order but the Fail Court confirmed it, Part of the sentence had been served. The petitioners now asked for special leave to appeal on the ground that they were not informed of the allegations of perjury made against them, or allowed time for their defence. Lord Robert- son said their lordships would humbly advise His Majesty to grant special leave to appeal.
RUSSIANS SEIZE A JAPANESE VESSEL.
A Tokyo, telegram to the Daily Press, dated August 2nd, says :-—-—-—
A Tokyo Lewspaper, the “Amhi,” gives details of the seisure of the "Miye Maru." vessel which was seized by a Russian patrol, it is alleged, outside the fishing limits.
The Russians, it appears, confiscated the ship's papers, treated the crew arbitrarily and sold the cargo. Six of the crew were sentenced, to death by a Court Martial which mi at Nicolaevak.
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The Tokyo Government demanded the release of these men, and the Russian Embassy issued a statement that the Japanese condemned had attacked and caused injury to the guard.
On the compound of the Central “Poli Station on Aug. End there were:152 Chinese, had been deported from the Dutch East Indies. They will be shipped to their nativé pláčna in China during this week!
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