Tur "Hongkong Telegraph" publishes the following telegrams from its own correspondent at Labuan 2ud May.
It is reported that the Rajah of Sarawak started to-day on an expedition into the interior by way of the rusin River with a force a of thousand men, in order to attack the Murat tribes bordering on Datch territory. These Muruts are said to have Killed hundreds of Kyan Dyaks, a tribe owing allegiance to Rajah Brooke.
May 3rd.
On the night of Friday last the town of Kudat and its environs were attacked by a native force under the command of Mat Sater, the half brother of the late Mat Salleh, the notorious rebel chief. The town itself suffered severely, the Government magazine and a Maxim gun being captured by the rebels. These were, however. subsequently retaken. Two of the British North Borneo Constabulary were killed and seven wounded, including Mr. G. N. Malcolm, Wing 01 cer of the force, Twenty: five Chinese were killed and the environs of the town were entirely destroyed. Many refugees have arrived hero. The catty of the outbreak and the attack upon Kudwt is the general dissatisfaction. amongst. the natives with the rule of the Chartered Company.
May 4th, The se. Taganac is overdue and has probably been requisitioned for the relief of Kudat, either at Sandakan or the former port. The Marudy sailed at midnight yesterday for Gaya with extra police. There is no further news from Kudat.
The departure of Rajah Brooke's expedition, presumably for the Trusan River, is assuming @ more inhportant phase, as it is now rumoured that he intends to compel the people of Brunei to pay poll-tax. Tam proceeding to Brunei to make enquiries and will advise you later.
Tae: "Hongkong Telegraph" of the 10th has the following dispatch from its own correspondent Labuan, 10th May.
There is nothing fresh to report from Kudat itself, but the coast ports are in an excited: state and are fearing attack. A force of British North Borneo Constabulary is pursuing the enemy with the usual The Rajah of Sarawak's expedition turns out to be most important. Ie consists of fifteen hundred men, part proceeding to the Trusin River and part to the Bara River. The Rajah is said to the affairs of Muara, which the Suitan's and by s contemni the latter's sovereign rights and with no protest upon the part of Great Britain, the protecting Power.
Tt is reported that the contingent sent to the Trusin River, under the command of the Rajah Muda, hes experienced ce siderable trouble and has halted to await re-inforcements coming from Sarawak: with Rajah Brooke four days hence.
The hinterland tribes are said to muster ten thousand strong and to be well armed. It is reported that they refri sent to the Rvjah's benevolent assimilation and decline to pay tribute which has never yet been exacted by the Sultan of Bri taken frgen Vokohome (0 tu Sits, We have received Japan pers with 8th, Kobe the} 9th, and Nayasaki the 10th instant.—There is " remarkable. "penchant" in Japan at present for casting statues of public men.—[ete news tothe "Japan Mail" to. leora that there are any hills near Shanghai, bat then the Mail's" omnis ce does not extend to China—In. the three weeks ending the 25th of April foreign firms are stated to have exported gold Is attacked the fishes in the Tokio ponds that is fatal only to Yokio are to be destroyed by the administration of this bacillus in their food.—The Kobe Herald" gives a very graphic account of the review of the Japanese fleet—anchored in four lines, three miles long, parallel w Japan Brewery Cv, Li, pays a final dividend of 15 per cent for the year ended 3ist March tas for the year,—'the N.Y.K. "hav the Russia steamer Vostok Tokio Maru.—There has been explosion of chemicals in Kobe harbour, this time on board the Bambery.—The rats of Osaka are being inoculated with rat-typhus.—It is report-d that Russi distribution of Tls. 3,000,000 luis obtaine the righttoextend the trans-Siberian railway to Peking.—The Nagasaki Press" says Seoul telegram states that an American capitalist has offered to advance the Corean ernment a loan of 5 million yen, pro-ided that the Government will grant him a concession, the nature of which is not stated. Another Seoul telegram states that Mr. Pritchard Meagan has left for England, where he will me w syndicate it nil 'a capital of one lion pennis sterto he invested ious indust 1 undertakings in Corea."—The Mitsui Bussan i proposes to re-export 6,000 bales of cheap cotton to England.—Mr. Kent, the officer of the Tampa Maru who was treated so unjustly in the Japanese Courts, received a cheque for 550 yen and an explanatory letter from the Yokohama Chamber of Commerce before leaving re: cently for home.—According to the Japan Cotton Spinners' U there were 71 mills working in Japan in 1899 aysiust i77: in 1898. "They produced 770,742 and 671,059 bales of yarn respectively; and their respective consumption of cotton is given as 2,796,6°5 and 5,139,076 piculs; in which there seems to be some error.—Great preparations were being made for Ube imperial wed di Tue "Japan Mail" has the following under the heading Corean Affairs The title deeds of the land acquired by Rassia at Masampho have been duly li ed over, it is said. The land will he ap: plied to the use of the Volunteer Fleet.
her words, it will he a ce after the fashion of Inasaat With regard to the much-rumoured seer treaty between Russia and Corea concerning the non-alienation of Koje Island, it remains still secret. Newspiper correspondents telegraphing from Seoul aver that there is no prospect of its contents becoming known unless the Japanese G vernment presses the Corean for an e: planation, and that the Japanese Gover ment is not likely to do so uni becomes inconveniently inquisitive treaty begins to assume a mythical character, we think.
The Corean Government's attempt to secure a loan of silver for the purpose of coinage is said to have been unsuccessful, conditions being prohibitive, but it is anticipated that no difficulty will ultimately be experienced in getting the money.
Rumour says that the Curean Government had agreed to take twenty thousand yen worth of stock in the Sedul-Fusan Railway.
Tae "Japan Mait™ says:—
The twelve articles of a secret convention said to have been recently concluded he-tween Russia and Cores, are published by the Mainichi Shimbun." They bear the mark of a canard cut their face, but it may interest our readers to know the kind of concessions that the newsmongers ti probable under such circumstances. They wre these:—(1) shall be perpetunt peace between ud Corea. (2) Coéea shall he under the protection and moats which is caused by x bacillus Russia and Japan, (3) Limits slull be wet rats, The rats of to the rights and privileges enjoyed by the Japanese in Cores. (4) Lhe Empress of Coren shall be chosen from the Russian princesses, (5) The 6 shall be the State religion of Corea, (6) A Russian subject shall be employed in the. capacity of adviser to the Corean Finances Department, and (7) A Russian subject shall be similarly: pyoiuted to the Wae th. (8) The consent of the Ras: of Russian subjects in Corea shall be encouraged. (10) AM mining and for. entry conerssions in Corea shall be given to Russian subjects. (11, Russia shall have naval port in Corea. (12) That all Corea subjects shall remove their top-kno These fantastic provisions are said to have been published by a Corean newspaper and, to have elicited " denial from the Emperor. The Mainichi Shimbun's" correspondent adds that there is back-entrance communica tion between the Russian Legation and the Palace, and that the Emperor often visits the Russian Representative privately. That touch alone was wanted tu finish off the burlesque picture.
Tae Japan Ferald A telegram has been received in Osaka to the effect that the U.S. steamer Winchester foundered somewhere in the Pacific, while on her to the East, with 8,50) bales of cotton on hurd, cons ned to the Mitsui Bussan Kaisha and pon Cotton Company. The value of the cargo is ¥.800,000, Tuts appears to be the vessel mentioned in the following extract from the "N.Y, Maritime Regis Winchester (Br. from Pensacola via and Hivzo, Sheikseyd, near narrow straits." She was extensively damaged about the forefoot, and her port tank was leak after part of the vessel was resting on the rocks, but her stempost hid sustained no apparent damage. Her cargo was being discharged 24th. AN attempts to tow off ithe stranded vessel proved unsuccessful.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.