April 3, 1909.1
In
Kate are coming to the point when the curtain drops. Miss Ella Rowe acted the part of Kate with a naturalness and charm which delighted the audience. Lieut - Commander Lloyd-Thomas, R.N., admirably filled the rôle of Gerald, and Mr. W. G. Worcester made the most of the minor part of the butler. Altiget. her the place was capitally enterpreted.
The second item of the bill was a comedy by G. M. Bryant named The "Peace Maker." this piece a young married couple, Joyce and Richard Harford, have quarrelled and separ ated, and Elizabeth Lavender a spinster who before the marriage was on close terms of friendship with Joyce, feigns ignorance of the separation which had occurred while she was. travelling abroad, and arranges a little dinner on her return, to which Joyce and Richard, as well as Dr. Burton, and old lover of Elizabeth's, were unvited, Elizabeth's object being to effect a reconciliation of the young couple, Dinner begins gloomily, for the meeting of Joyce and Richard was unexpected. Conversation at the table drags and is confined to a few banalities about the weather. By pre-arrangement, the Doctor is suddenly summoned away on pro- fessional business and shortly afterwards the hostess herself is called to the cook who has got into hysterics. Thus the young couple who had quarrelled, are left to themselves. Both had secretly longed for a reconcilia- tion, but neither had found the courage to make the overture. Now, alone with each other they feign an aloftnes that is felt by neither, but presently a thaw sets in. There is reconciliation in the end and before the hostess has returned from her attendance
on the
hysterical cook, Joyce (whose suspicions that it had all been pre-arranged by Elizabeth had been unwittingly confirmed by the parlor maid) leaves the house, accompanied by her husband. Feminine perversity, however, asserts itself to the last. Not wishing that Elizabeth should take credit for the success of her plans,
Joyce leaves a curt note in which she roundly abuses Elizabeth for meddling in the delicate affairs of other people. Elizabeth has scarcely finished reading this startling note, when Dr. Burdon returns, and
88 he had been strolling outside the house all the time and had seen Richard and Joyce enter a cab together and direct the driver to go to the Carlton Hotel, he is able to lift a great burden from the soul of Elizabeth. Then it is the Doctor's turn and he and Elizabeth are leaving for the Carlton too when the curtain falls.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
The piece was admirably staged and most excellently acted. The acting of Mrs Hastings as the hostess and of Mrs. Gompertz as Joyce Harford gave unbounded satisfaction. Mrs. Worthington took the minor character of the parlourmaid and had very little to say but when she told Joyce between her sobs that her mistress had unbraided her for calling the doctor too soon and for anticipating by several minutes the cook's hysterics she did it admirably. Mr. H. W. Bird, too, as the doctor was excellent, and Mr. W. J. Daniel creditably took the part of Joyce's husband. Great applause followed the fall of the curtain.
The last item of the triple bill was an admirably arranged pot pourri, for which we believe Mrs. Dooner was responsible. The Curtain rose on a group of strolling players encamped around a fire at night, on the estate of a gentleman whose son is about to be married. Coming suddenly upon them he con- ceives the idea of engaging them forthe marriage festivities and the members of the troop give the old gentleman and his son a private rehearsal of their entertainment which included songs and dances, a whistling solo, a quartette ("Brightly won our wedding and banjo performances. Those taking part in day") this item included Mrs. Badeley, Capt. and Mrs. Beasley, Mr. F. G, Carroll, Mr. and Mrs. Coch- rane, Capt. and Mrs. Dooper, Dr, Hooper, R.N., Capt. Murray, Capt. and Mrs. Penfold, Miss Ella Rowe, & rs Wait, and Mr. W. G. Wor- cester.
FAR EASTERN TELEGRAMS.
A JAPANESE COMPLIMENT.
Tokyo, April 1st. Prince Fushimi has been appointed as a special envoy
to the obsequies of the deceased Emperor and Dowager Empress of China.
BASELESS REPORTS.
Tokyo, April 1st. China is proposing arbitration and that Japan is Peking officials state that the reports that
refusing are groundless.
FAMOUS TEMPLE DESTROYED.
Tokoy, April 1st. destroyed by fire and damage amounting to a Jojoji the famous temple at Shiba, has been million yen has been done.
[FROM THE
露荡
CHUNG NGOI BAN PO”]
THE CHINESE NAVY.
Peking, March 30th. The Chinese Government has decided to award those who give financial assistance for the development of the Chinese Navy with high official rank.
PROHIBITION OF LOTTERIES.
Peking, March 31st.
It is the intention of the Government to prohibit the running of lotteries within twelve months.
|
FOREIGN ENGINEERS NOT WANTED.
Reking, March 31st. Affairs, has disapproved of the appointment of Tih Liang, President of the Board of Military Foreign Engineers to superintend the construc- tion of naval docks in Chips.
CANTON-HANKOW RAILWAY
MANAGEMENT.
Heking, March 31st. Owing to complaints which have been made concerning the management of the Canton- Hankow Railway, Grand Secretary Chang Chih- tung has despatched an officer named Ko Ling Wai to Canton to make investigations.
!
Admiral Li Chun and Provincial Treasurer Wu have been asked to assist him in his labours.
CHINA'S NAVAL ANTICIPATIONS. Į
Peking, April 1st.
Chinese Minister at Tokyo asking him to consult The Peking Government have wired to the the Japanese Government with a view to admit ting more students into the Japanese naval college.
CIGARETTE SMOKING IN CHINA. Peking, April 1st. The Powers have refused to allow China impose heavier taxation on cigarettes.
[This is the outcome of a proposition made some time ago by a Chinese official that increased duties be levied with a view to stopping the importation of cigarettes in China, the smoking of which was a great evil.]
CHINESE REFORMERS.
Peking, April 1st.
Yunnan and Kweichow, has requisitioned the Li King Hi, the newly appointed Viceroy of Throne to forgive the reformers Kang Ya Wei and Liang Kai Chiu. The Prince Regent has refused.
Little more than a casual inspection of the worm-eaten condition of the Oriente Hotel building at Manila has been necessary to prove that several thousand pesos will have to be added to the P650,000 the insular government actually dangerous at the present time it has While the building is not
by the construction division of the Bureau of been found that more than ordinary expenditure Public Works will be required to make it safe for future occupancy.
By kind permission of the Commander-in-paid for it in 1903. Chief, the Captain and Officers the Band of H.M.S. King Alfred played some much ap- preciated selections during the intervals, and altogether the evening was one which the audience thoroughly enjoyed.
THE ACCIDENT TO THE 8.8.
KUTSANG."
"
THE CAPTAIN EXONERATED.
287
A Naval Court of Inquiry consisting of Navigating Lient. Harman of H.M.8. Astraca (President), Mr. O R. Coales, H.M. Vice- Consul, and Captain Lavers of the str. Chengtu sat at Shanghai on the 24th inst. to hear evidence with regard to the accident which recently took place to the Indo-China 8. N. Co.'s steamer Haitan Straits, after she had struck a submerged Kutsang, which was beached at Chim Island.
rock.
Assistant Paymaster Perkins of H.M.S. Astraea wasClerk of the Court; Mr. W. F. Inglis of the Indo-China Steam Navigation Company attended on behalf of the owners of the
Kutsang.
Was
88
Captain R. C. D. Bradley of the Indo-China Steamship Co.'s steamer Kutsang, read a state. ment to the Court. He said that on March 4, in the early morning, there was a strong North- east by North wind and the tide was favourable for passing through the narrows of the Haitan Straits, and at daylight the ship was heading towards the south entrance to the Haitan Straits. The course was altered three times and imme- diately after the last time the ship struck some- thing on the starboard aide. he could judge, it
As far a sliding blow without any shock to the ship and of short duration with absolutely no cessation of the ship's speed through the water. The speed of the ship at the time was eleven knots. It perfectly clear and as the south entrance was was a dark morning, but the weather was
charted free from danger he had no hesitation in directing the ship's course. At the time of the striking the chief officer was on the bridge. At the request of witness the chief officer reported that there were three, and one and a
be alarmed as there was half feet of water in the foreholds. The passen- gers were told to get up and dress, but not to no danger to life. The lifeboats were also lowered. As the next soundings showed that the water was rising rapidly in both the forward holds and that the No. 2 ballast tank was full, and it could-be seen that the ship was settling down by the head, witness after a careful look at the chart, decided to ground the ship on a mud flat to the South- west on the lee side of Chim Island. The vessel was put at full speed and she went at full speed on the mud flat. She beached quite easily. From the effect of the blows that were struck witness considered that the ship had struck a rock, but there was no ripple of tide there. Where the ship was struck she was drawing about fifteen feet. The maximum draught of the Kutsang was twenty-four feet ten and a half
the draught of the ship was fifteen feet six, and inches loaded, and at the time of the accident she
eighteen feet, but witness reckoned that they was only partially loaded. On leaving Hongkong
had lightened by six inches coming up so that at the time of the accident she would be drawing about fifteen feet and seventeen feet nine inches. The stern was not touched at all. Witness was under the impression that it was a rounded pinnacle of rock, a small rock of had been through the channel many times no great extent, that the vessel struck. Witness
before. He brought this ship out from England in 1905.
C. B. Tweedy, First Officer of the Kutsang, deposed that on the morning of the accident he was on watch from four to eight o'clock, he having relieved the Second Officer. When she struck the ship had just been steadied on her course.
in bed at the time of the accident. He did not A. S. Latta, Chief Engineer, said that he was feel any shock beyond a grating, and he got up to ascertain what was the cause. Afterwards he had the pumps going in both No. 1 and No. 2 holds. He estimated the speed of the ship at about ten and a half knots.
J. E. Dallas, Second Engineer, stated that he was on watch at the time of the accident, but he first order was to start the pumps going in No. did not know that the vessel had touched. His 1 and No. 2 holds. He would say that the speed
Bradley's record for the information of the of the vessel was about eleven knots.
Mr. Inglis asked if he could give Captain Court. He had been a very long time in the employ of the Company.
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