(Thermometers in the open ainu a shaded situation in the English Settlement.)
1903.
Bahr: Thérmometer: Rainfall Min. inthe We are officially informed that Mr. W. R. Kahler has been elected Chief Engineer of the Fire Department for 1904.
A RUMOUR was current inthe Settlements on Sunday to.the effect that: an American missionary -had been murdered in Corea and that the U.S. S, Vieksbery had received orders to. proceed north at once to demand reparation. The marines and bluejackets on shore belonging to that vessel were recalled, but then orders wore received countermanding the original telegram. The Vicksburg is now taking in stores, but it is not known when she vill leave this port.
Ir is announced that an arrangement has been come to between His Majesty's Government and the Italian Government for the mutual protection of trade marks China.
Tr is explained that the statement that war risks are quoted at forty guineas at Livyds means that the betting there' is forty guineas to sixty that there will be war between Russia and Japan.
Os Wednesday morning the employees of the British Post Office were busily engaged in distributing the two hundred and sixty-nine boxes of mail brought "by the P, & 0.8, Coromandel. The distribution was completed at noon.
SHortTLx before4a.m. on Wednesday the alarm: waa rang for a fire in No. 1 district. The brigade at once turned out and found some small huts off the Hanbury Road ablaze. There was some difficulty in get ting ona stream, as the nearest hydrant was a long way off, and the huts could only be reached by taking the hose through several alleyways. The flames were soon got under, and about 4.30 most of the reels were sent away.
'Ar 11.15 p.m. on Wednesday the' bell tower men rang 7 strokes for a fire in the Sinza district. The Deluge arrive! on the scene first and found some small huts off! the Sinza Koad ablaze." Streams were at once put on but before the fire was got under 3 native huts were destroyed... Just before 1a.m. on Thursday the bell rang for another fire in No. 1 district.
Tue Fire Brizade had a busy time on Sunday night. First the alarm was given for a blaze in Sinza Road about 8.50. The Mih-ho-loong got on the scene first and had two streams on before any other company. The fire however had gained a firm hold and it was about: hour before any of the "streams were taken off. Quantities of bamboos were burnt, and Several houses round the yard were more or less damaged. The coolie corps wore left in charge of the smoking ruins. The exact amount of d done has not yet been ascertained, and the origin of the outbreak is unknown. Shortly" be-'Then just before midnight 5 bells: rang fore midnight another alarm! was given, fora fire in: French Town, and before the alarm had stopped n reported in the Sinz District. The ladders a ringing another fire was and most of the trucks had-then gane into the French Concession and the: Mih-ho-loong No. 2 truck was therefore sent up t" the Sinza fire. The Frenchtown fire broke out in a small godown in the Quai de la Broche, and was got under io about half an hour. The outbreak in No. 9 district occurred in a small but at the, back of the Horse Bazaar, The nearest hydrant was @ long way off, "and in' order to reach the flames a length'had to bs taken from the Coolie Corps. In a few minutes'the-stream began to' tell, and by the' timethab-such trucks as: could be spared from the Frenchtown fire had: arrived the: water had- been turned off. The Brigade have been called out no less than 101 times this year, Anour 9.50 p.m on Monday the: 10: fire of the' year broke out'in the H Road. The' Torrents got' the' first' stream on, followed by the Deluge and Victorias, 'The other companies also put on streams \from the Yang-king-pang'' side: 'The fire' broke" out on" the same' spot as the' big. fre' a short' time ago. Tn'spite of the enormous: volunie of water put on it was quite #"bf an hour before the flames'showed signs of abating, It'is impossible to estimate'the damage accurately," but it is believed' that"? or'8 shops were burnt dow:
A Court of Enquiry'was held'at the Russian Vice-Consulate at: Hakodate on the 16th ult., as we-learn froma fullroport published in the "Kobe Chronicle" of the 19th inst:, to investigate the: cause of. the: collision between the: Russian steamer Progress: and: the. N.-Y. steamer Tokai-maru' off Hakodate on the morning of the 29th of October. Baron von Hedenstrom, Russian Vice-Consul,' was President of the Court, the' Assessors being Mr. John Will, master mariner and shipping. clerk -of.' the British " Vice-Consulate at Hakodate; and' Mri H.-deo. Martelli, master mariner,: and.' chief officer: of the British steamer Airlie. "On. the. Court. being: opened,. the -President read: a letter previously received from Captain C. B. Gunderson; the cay ptain- of the Progress, asking thats a Court? Enquiry: should be appointed.:
The evidence of the captain and officers of the Progress was taken, and the evidence of the oticers and othere of the Tokai-maru, given to the Marine Bureau in Tokio, was read, and after-an hour's deliberation, the " following... decision, signed by the President of the Court. and the. Assessors,..was. given:—"We the undersigned,- having fully considered the evidence given before us, hold the Master of the Progress free from blame, in that he carried out the rule of the road as laid down sin Article XXI-of the International Maritime Law, Russian Edition 1903, and kept.his course and speed until he "iw. the' collision was unavoidable} and at the steps taken thereafter-by him were such as to diminish the force of the impact. We further consider the: behaviour of the captain, officers, and crew of the. Progress in saving so many lives deserving of the highest praise."
Frow the Osaka Shosen Kaisha: we have received complete tables for 1904 of the Seamers-betwoon Shanghai. ead takow proposed sailings of the company's. river and also between Hankow and Ichang.
'A ne corp: in prices was-reachediat: the sale of Chinese Cugios at the rooms of "the Great, Eastern: Dispensary:_on Thursday last when Messrs. L. Moore & Ca. knocked down twa present Manchu Dynasty vases
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.