RANGE, 26th June.
Donina recent years the land on each side of the Rifle Range in Hongkew; which was all agricultural land thirty years ago and far from any European habitation, has been bought up piece by piece by foreigners, who have built themselves houses abutting on the range, and used the range as a means of getting access to their houses. They are now making a movement to have self, some of the officers including five! the Butts taken away and the range out of the six engineers, and nearly four converted into a road at the public hundred others of the crew. 'I'he Vic- expense for their convenience, hey ton appears to have turned over before claim that they hold good deeds to their she sank and this no doubt increased the Jand, usually "bounded by the middle Joss of life, 'I'wo hundred and fifty-six! of the Rifle Range Road," and they lives, including the majority of the object to people firing across what they officers, were saved, the Camperdown' cull their land or into their houses. herself escaping with serious injuries. One of the aggrieved persons says that Vice-Admiral'T'ryon was recognised as he bought his land "at a time when the one of our best admirals. He had given Municipal Council had decided to make a great deal of attention to the subject a broad avenue there, extending it to of maneuyring a fleet, and was the the West as far as the Gas Works, and author of a much simplified system of to the Hast as far as the Point. The signalling, which the ships under him Chairman of the Municipal Council told were no doubt practising when this dis- ime," he continues, "that they would aster happened. Captain Johnstone of have to cease firing here, whether they the Camperdown is known to be a very got another range or not." We do smart officer, and until we receive far- not know which Chairman this was, ther details, it is impossible to do more or what right he had to make than conjecture how the disaster hap- the statements in question, but the pened. It may have occurred from a} gentleman whom we quote was, we misunderstanding on one side or the think, rather premature in buying this other of the signals which were being Jand on the strength of these state-made, or from the engines or the! ments. For it does not seem to us steering-gear of one of the two vessels that those who complain uow of the breaking down suddenly. Such mou- Rifle Range have a leg to stand on. sters of the deep as the Victoria, The range was there long before they which was one of the Jubilee ships,' bought the laud, and as each house was named after Her Majesty herself, are nn- built, the owner of it was specially wieldy and dangerous craft at the best warned that the range was not a of times. It was only a few weeks thoroughfare, and that he built at his ago that the Victoria ran ashore going own risk. It is absolutely necessary from Alexandria, and was got off with that there should be a Rifle Range here little or no injury. In the British navy for the use of the Volunteers, the Police, there are at the present time something and the ships-of-war in these waters like "three hundred and seventy-five! from time to time, and that range vessels in commission, and it is immust be convenient of access. If these possible that with such a force accidents people who have built on the Rifle should not happen. It is just fifteen Range had bought ground abutting on years since a somewhat similar disaster a railway at home, and had then been happened in the English channel, in annoyed by the passing trains, would which the Grosser Aurziirst was sunk) they have petitioned to have the rail-by the Kénig Wilhelm, with the loss} way removed, and if so, with what of some two hundred and eighty success? 'The claim appears to us pre+ lives. When such a disaster as this' pesterous, and if these people have been misled by the indiscreet revelations of a Chairman of the Council, the ratepayers are not to be made to suffer. "hat it will be necessary, sooner or later, to find a new site for the range, seeing the rapidity with which Hongkew is being built over, seems probable enough, and then the foresight of those who have built houses along the present range will be rewarded; but that these latter have any claim whatever to require the range to be removed, we are entirely unable to see. There would be more reason for listeuing to them if they exerted themselves to find a new and sufficiently convenient site for the range, and could come before the Council and the ratepayers with an acceptable proposition on the subject.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.