December 21, 1908.]
CANTON.
[BY OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
December 10th. LUK LAN CHING, THE NOTORIOUS PIRATE
CHIEF.
The military authorities have reported to the Viceroy that Luk Lan Ching has proceeded to Kwangsi. His Excellency has cabled to the Kwangsi Governor to do all in his power to effect his capture.
CHURCH BURNT DOWN BY MOB.
It is reported that a telegram has been received here stating that the French Church at Yun-kong was burnt down yesterday and that the Christians have been obliged to fly for safety.
THE CAPITAL OF KWANGSI. In July last the Central Government in- structed the Governor of Kwangsi to remove the capital to Nanning on account of the city of Kweilin being badly situated for the effective control of the Province. Viceroy Chang also received instructions from Peking to assist the Kwangsi Governor to raise the necessary funds
to effect the removal. Both these officials replied that the treasures of their respective provinces were empty and that it required an enormous sum of money to carry out the project They begged that the matter be postponed and nothing more was heard of it. Owing however to the recent recrudescence of brigandage in the region the Central Government has again telegraphed to the Viceroy to consult his colleague on the question of removal. The telegram adds that funds must be raised and the capital transferred without any further delay. Some new taxation will be imposed in the
Kwangtang Province before long and the Cantonese people will have to pay the piper for the transference of their neighbouring capital.
A TRICKY OFFICIAL AND THE STARVING
BARBERS.
A few days ago the Barbers Guild presented a petition to the Taotai of Industries stating that many of their fraternity are now on the verge of starvation through being thrown on. of employment on account of the State mourning. The petitioners begged the Taotai to ask the * Government to grant a certain allowance for the maintainance of each barber during the mourning period of 100 days, if the Government should refuse their permission for the re-opening of their shops after 27 days' mourning. In support of their request they mentioned that an allowance of $2 to each barber had been made by the Government in Tientsin, Hankow and other places during the mourning period. The Tao- tai drew the attention of the Guild to the fact
that their petition was not in proper order as it did not bear the signature of any person and requested the Guild to send a fresh petition signed by at least two leading members of the Guild. On receipt of the second petition the Taotsi ordered the signatories to be arrested for their audacity in making such a proposal. They are now in the Nam Hoi prison and will be tried and punished when the mourning period is over.
CANTON-HANKOW RAILWAY.
The Directors of the Company have informed the public that a further 15 days' time is allowed
to the shareholders who reside in Canton to
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
and on account of these gambling establishments being permitted to exist in the Tonkin frontier their money is daily pouring into a foreign country. Koong Tactal has been exhorting the merchants and the people there to abstain from crossing the frontier to gamble but has been unable to prevent them. He has deputed officials
to interview the French authorities on the
frontier, but the latter are said to have refused to interfereas there is no means of prohibiting gam bling in the Toukin frontier. The people of the Yam and Lim Prefectures will suffer seriously, Taotai Koong says and he has cabled to Viceroy Chang to communicate with the French Consul on the matter requesting him to forward the complaint to the Governor-General of Tonkin with a request that stern measures may be taken to suppress gambling.
December 15th.
CANTON-HANKOW RAILWAY.
The To Hang Company have placed four steam launches on the Canton-Fatahan run since the railway fares of the Fatahan line were increased. But the traffic is so great that a rival concern, called the Fook Sing Company, are now placing two launches on the same run. The Board of Posts and Communications has cabled to the Canton-Hankow Railway Company refusing to sanction the building of the branch line of railway from Fatshan to Kongmoon.
ANOTHER BARBER PUNISHED.
A barber who was caught shaving a client in his shop in Shan Wah Street, Fatshan, the other day, was fined heavily. He was unable to
pay the fine and was ordered to kneel outside the Police Station for four hours.
AN EX-MINISTER TO JAPAN.
Their Excellencies Chang Chi Tung and
Yuan Shik Kai have sent telegrams to Yeong Shu, ex-minister to Japan, who is now in Canton, instructing him to return at once to Peking where he is wanted for pressing work in the Wai-wu-pu.
December 16th.
SMUGGLING OF AMMUNITION.
The Commissioner of the Koong Pak Customs near Macao has reported to the Viceroy that the Custom House officers there have seized a
contain cement.
445
Deember 17th.
“ MARTYRS" EXECUTED. The two reformers, Yim Kwok Tung- and Kot Him, who, while under arrest, wrote their confession, were executed at 7 am. yes- terday. The day previous to their execution they were photographed in Admiral Li Tran's Kot Him remarked that the Chinese know of Yamen and certain questions were put to them,
a Washington who succeeded, and will now know of Washingtons who had failed. He un- fortunately was one of them, he said.
Two men were arrested and later deported to their native village in Hunan by Admiral Li who is reported to have said that he would divulged concerning those alleged to be im not take account of what the prisoners had
plicated, many of whom were high officials, að he was afraid that this information was unreliable and prompted by a spirit of revenge.
MACAO BOUNDARY - QUESTION.
Magistrate to make investigations relative to A few months ago the Viceroy instructed a
the dates and rights, if any, on which the Portuguese Government had encroached on Chinese territory in the vicinity of Macao. Particulars were needed for the purpose of discussing the Macao boundary question with the return of those places. It is reported that the Portuguese Govern nent and demanding
the Magistrate has sent a report to the Viceroy stating that he has discovered that the following places represent encroachments by the Por- tuguese Government :—
1. Green Island is situated between Macao
Wan Chai and on the and
North of the Sea. The Island is connected with Chin Shan. During the 15th and 16th year of Kwang Su the Portuguese made a treated the Island as Portuguese territory. road leading up to the Island and subsequently
new
were
2. Mong Ha Kok and Loong Tin Villages were places outside the Macao boundary. China formerly established military guard house5 and had forts in those places, which included in the Portuguese territory by the Portuguese in the 1st year of Kwang Su. In the 13th year of Kwang Su Governor Wu was deputed to settle the Macao_boundary question but, owing to some urgent Government affairs, it was put off, and in the 24th year of Kwang Su these two places were claimed as Por tuguese territory.
quantity of ammunition on board the small The ammunition was steamer Cheong Kong.
3. Kwo Lo Wan is an important place and packed in two cement barrels purporting to
They contained 8 packages of forms the door of Macao, giving access to the gunpowder weighing 111 catties and 20,000 Sea. To the left of Kwo Lo Wan is Kan 0, The Captain of the vessel and to the right is Wang Kam. Kwo. Lo Wan percussion caps. declared that he was ignorant of the contents of itself is several times larger than Macao. The the barrels. Upon making further inquiries it Koong Pok Customs formerly had launches and was discovered that the ammunition was ship-cruisers on patrol there to prevent smugg.
In the 1st year of Kwang Su. ped by an arms store in Macao and consigned to the Yeo Shing shop in To Huk Street in the the Portuguese Government placed soldiers town of Kwonghoi near the Sunning City. at Kwo Lo Wan and also in Lai Chi Wan and The Viceroy immediately cabled instructions to Shek O and annexed the territory. Afterwards
the Sunning Magistrate to arrest the proprietor and the managers of the Yee Shing shop and have them tried and punished. Yesterday His Excellency received a cablegram from the Sun- ning Magistrate saying that upon receipt of the Viceroy's telegram he immediately went per- sonally to To Huk Street in Kwong Hoito investi. gate the matter but was unable to find any shop corresponding to the name given by the Viceroy. However, he subsequently discovered a grocer's shop in that street, named Hop Shing, and upon making inquiries the inmates informed him that during a clan fight between the Chan and Ng families which occured 'sometime ago the Hop Shing shop imported a quantity of fire arms for one of the belligerent parties, whereupon he caused the grocer's shop to be searched and two rifles, one revolver, 150 cartridges and a box of percussion caps were discovered. He has arrested the master and seized the shop. December, 11th.
pay the second instalment due one their shares. Shareholders who reside in any other part of China, are requested to pay the second call not later than the 30th day of the 12th moon and those who are residing in foreign countries can pay the second call whenever they like because they are allowed to apply for an extension of time after the 1st moon next year.
GAMBLING ON THE TONKIN FRONTIER.
It is reported that numerous gambling establishments are existing on the Tonkin frontier. Sometime ago Taotais Koong and Kwok of Lim-chow and Yam-chow Prefectures issued orders strictly prohibiting all officers and soldiers from crossing the frontier to gamble. Recently numerous labourers and traders of Tung Hing and Mat Yee have crossed over to gamble and there is now a perfect craze amongst the Chinese people to cross the frontier for the sole purpose of gambling. The people on the border of Lim-chow and Yam-chow are very poor'
THE CANTON-HANKOW RAILWAY,
It is reported that during the last three or four weeks the Canton-Hankow Railway Com pany have collected over $5,000,000, due on the second instalment of the shares. This sudden change is attributed to the decision recently made by the Central Government to raise funds from foreign contries for the construction of the Hunan and Hupeh sections of the line and has acted as an impetus on the shareholders of the Kwangtung section of the Railway. This will, no doubt, set operations in full swing here.
ling.
they also administered and controlled the ter ritory of Wan Chai and Ngan Hang. These places havo still Chinese guard houses and forts as a proof that they were Chinese territory.
BIG GOVERNMENT ORDER.
The Viceroy has given instructions to the Bureau of Local Affairs to purchase several steam dredgers to dredge certain inland rivers so as to prevent a repetition of floods such as those that took place recently which were so disastrous to life and property.
ST. JOHN'S LODGE INSTALLATION.
The installation of officers of St. Johns' Lodge, S.C., took place on the 12th instant at tho Masonic Hall and was followed by the usual banquet which was regarded as one of the most successful held this season. The instal lation ceremony was conducted by the Right Wor. D.G.M. Bro. Dr. Jordan and the following officers were installed - Right Worshipful Master, Wor. Bro. G. Sim; Immediate Past Master, Wor. Bro. H. Jillings; Wor. Senior Warden, Bro. A. Course; Wor. Junior Warden, Bro. W. Robertson; Treasurer, Bro. A. Ritchie; Chaplain, Bro. E. R. Kify; Secretary, Bro. W.H.T. Beanas : Organist, Bro. W. Anderson; Senior Deacon, Bro. W. Glendenning; Junior Deacon, Bro. J. Devney; Director of Ceremonies, Bro. J. Craik; Inner Guard, Bro. F. Hoggard; First Steward, Bro. G. Watt; Second Steward, Bro. S. J. R. Belly; Tyler, Bro. J. Vanstone.
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