A perusal of the report of the proceedings of the Municipal Council will show the reader that there exists a dispute between that body and Mr. Gory, agent for Mr. Ince, a gentleman living in England, or what would be called in Ireland an "absentee landlord," with regard to 8 portion of the foreshore of the Soochow Creek between the Upper Yuening-yuen and Szechuen Roads. It is claimed, we understand, on behalf of Mr. Ince, that the foreshore is his absolute property, or at all events that ho is at liberty to utilise it as he likes; whereas the Municipal Gouncil claim' that all foreshore is under their control. A short time ago, a contractor, under Mr. Cory's orders, we hear, erected a small bamboo fence, enclosing part of the foreshore for the purpose of storing building material thereon; and, as has already appeared in our columns in the report of the pro-coudings of the Municipal Council, the Council demanded that this fence should be removed. Their instructions, however, in this respect were not complied with, and 1 few mornings ago, the fence was removed by Municipal employes in the presence of a body of policemen, who were there to protect them in case they were molested. The Consular Body is the only tribunal before which the Manicipal Council can be procosded against, and with the vi force a settlement of the dispute into the British Court, vigorous measures were resorted to yesterday morning, resulting in what Mr. Wainewright, Mr. Cory's legal adviser, in one of his letters to the Council said would be the case, namely, a " public scandal." Since the fence was removed aa stated above, by the Municipal employes, watch has been kept over the property, and early yesterday morning a number of workmen, protected by four foreigners specially engaged, it is said, by Mr. Cory for the purpose, commenced to again put up the fence. Mr. Cory and his legal adviser, Me. Wainewright, wore also present. Information of this was conveyed to the Central Police Station about nine o'clock, and a foreign sergeant and some constables word sent to the place. On this officer walking on tothe foreshore, he was requested by Mr. Cory to leave, as he was a trespasser; the sergeant declined, and ordered Mr. Cory to leave. After some farther parley, Mr. Cory seized the policeman and jostled him about, with a view to eject him from the property. Little violence, however, was used on either side. Two other constables arrived, and on remonstrating with the foreigners engaged by Mr. Cory they were hustled and shoved about, and, fearing that they were outnumbered, the police appealed for an armistice, which was accordingly arranged. Shortly after, Inspector Fowler from the Central Station, and Inspector Stripling from the Hongkew Station, arrived on the scene together, and requested that the workmen should desist in the erection of the fence, and a few minutes afterwards they were joined by Superintendent Penfold. In the meantime, a miniature army of native constables, numbering about fifty, had arrived, and they wore marshalled in what was described to us as inspootion order," in front of the plot of land that was rapidly being enclosed by the bamboo fencing, which by this time formed two of a square, open towards the creek, A-similar colloquy took place between Superintendent Penfold and Mr. Cory as we have narrated between that gentleman and the sergeant, culminating in an explanation, we hear, by Mr. Penfold that he had instructions to remove the fence, and though o very unpleasant duty, ho would have to perform it, The workmen were then formally requested to cease operations, and their non-compliance with this order was immediately followed by a gallant attack by the police. They advanced by tactics very similar to those adopted by the Allied Forces in storming the Taku Forts. They first executed a brilliant flank movement, then made an impetuous charge, and the workmen, overawed by the superior number against them, doomed discretion the better part of valour, took to their heels, and retired from the scone with much more celerity than dignity, Under these circumstances the foreigners engaged to protect them, felt, we presum: in duty bound to do something for the pay, and accordingly pushed the foreign constables about, or rather, perhaps, allowed themselves to be scuted with, but with one exception they retreated into the road. The solitary individual referred to assumed a recumbent attitude on the ground; he was lifted bodily by members of the force and carefully deposited on a soft part of the road neat his confreres who had preceded him. The agent himself embraced one policeman, and endeavoured to show that he had not forgotten all the athletic amusoments of his younger days, but he also shortly found himself in the vicinity of his legal adviser and his foreign employes. By this time all his Chinese workmen, if not out of mind, were at least out of sight, and the police, having possession of the situation, proceeded to demolish the works, or rather the fence, the component parts of which were arranged artistically round the pile from which they had been taken.
Two constables wore left in possession during the day. The violence on both sides was confined to pulling and pushing one another about; no blows were struck, and the only injuries received by the combatants was that they came out of the strife considerably the worse for dust and loss of breath.
We shall doubtless hear more of the affair in H.B.M.'s Supreme Court.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.