The Wanganui Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] MONDAY, JULY 16, 1900. A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10087, 16 July 1900, Page 2

The Wanganui Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] MONDAY, JULY 16, 1900. A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

The massacre of the Europeans who took refuge m the different Lcij.itio'is in Pekin, numbering some thousand persons, which was reported lately, is officially confirmed. At the time of the massacre the following wore the Ministers of the principal Powcis at Pokiii, coaeerniug whose safety anxiety has been felt during the past week or two: — England— Sir Claude M. Macdonald, X.C.8., K.C.M.G., Secretary of Legation; Mr 11. O. Box-Iroiisidc, Mihtiuy Attache, Colonel G. F. Browne, D.S.O. The other officers of the Legation include Messrs W. G. N. Dpring, H. Cockburn, C.8., J. N. Corkbmn, C.8., J. W. J.imicqon, and Dr W. Poole. United States— Mr Edwin H. Conger, with whom were Messrs 11. G. Squires, AY. E. Bainbridge, and F. i D. Clicshiic. Russia— M. Michael do Giers. Germany — Baion de Kctteler (previously murdered). France — M. S. Pichon. Japan I—Bnron1 — Bnron Nislni. > Belgium— Baron de Vinok de deux Orp. Italy — Marquiß Salvago RnKgi. Austria-Hungary— Baron CVihann de Wahlborn. rr Sugiynma Akira, Chancellor of the Japanese Legation at Pekin, was reported on June 16th as having been massacred m the streets of Pekin by tho Empress' bodyguard. The nbovo list includes many distinguished officials, of whom Sir Claude M. Macdonald, Secretary of tho British Legation, was one of the foremost. Ho was born in 1852, and iva« the son of Maior-General J. O. llacdonald Hr was educated at Uppingham and Sandhurst, and joined the 71th Highlander in 1872, serving through the Egyptian campaign of 1882, and in tho Soudan of 1881, attaining the rank of major, nis fust diplomatic work was done al Zanzibar, as British Agent and ConsulGeneral, in 1887. In 1888 he was ap pointed II.M. Commissioner on the WcHi Coas>t of Africa, and afterwards became Commissioner and Consul-General in Iho Oil Rivera Protectorate. In January, 1896, ho was appointed II.M. Envoy Exliaordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at Pckin, where he resided at the time of his tragic death. Nothing woise has happened than thifc Pekin massacre since the Indian Mutiny, and it goes without saying that China has by this act alienated the whole of the European Powers, and wil 1 havo to pay the penalty of so inhuman a crime. Fanaticism has often in tbr world's history been responsible ioi oold-blooded crimes of this character; but they have always been avenged with interest, and it is certain this one will carry with it a terrible punishment. The news /that the Chinese, like the Boers, are possessed of the latest and best guns, and have had the advantage of European instructors, cannot but be disquieting, as there are in round num-bei-H four hundred millions of Chinese, which means that China can put mil lions of men in the field, and suft'o losses unheard of in European warfare without feeling tho drain on her population. There are so many of them that tho loss of a few millions of hoi population is not felt. So long as the Cliineso did not possess or know how to use modern weapons, their number? did not signify, but now that they haie modern guns and 6mall arms of tho latest pattern, and their army hat had tho advantage of European instructors, tho case is very different to what it was when the Taku Forts were captured and Pekin sacked forty years ago. Fortunately, all the European, America, and the Japanese Powers are arrayed agam&t the Chinese at present, and the result cannot fail to be disastrous to the latter nation. But in the meantime such terrible disasters as that ai Pekin lately will be hard to avert. The whole thing is the outcome of an attempt on the part of the Chinese to m tho country of Christian missionaries, i\ho havo tried to impose on the followeis ol Confucius the lehgiou of Christ which docs not differ essentially from that of the former. This is not the fhst time that the attempt to enforce Christianity, as expounded by missionaries, has led to bloodshed and disaster, nor will it be the last.

Oil our iiisf page will be found a quantity of football news, also the Borough balance-sheet, for the year ending 31st March, 1900,

Tho Motuoka Boiough Council chargo £5 license fee to tradesmen outside the Borough running carts into Motueka. Tho Waimea County Council is preparing a bye-law making a similar charge on" the Motueka Borough tradesman. As attorney for tho trustees of the Industrial School falatc, Mr E. N. Liffiton iiiviicb tenders for the leasing for grazing 1 purposes of three paddocks, particulars concerning which are set forth in an advertisement. Speaking .at Melbourne the other day, Miss Dinwoodie, a missionary from India, stated that the Go\ raiment had now 6,000,000 people on relief woiks, as agpin=t 1,250,000 during the famine of 1897. The present famine was really ten times greater than tho previous one, nnd affected 6-1,000,000 people. Mr 11. Crawley notifies in our advertising columns that ho has commenced business in Wanganui as a practical Fiencli polisher. If desired, he will wait on persons at their private residences, and re-touch pianos, iuniiture, otc. Mr Crawlcy's address is Ridgway Street, opposite 'Russell and Bignell's. It will be seen by our advertisement columns that a general meeting of tho wharf labourers will be held next Wednesday e\enin<* at 7.30 for the purpose of foinnng .1 union. It appears to bo the general wish amongst the men that it is time &teps were taken to be on a level with other centres in relation to such. A large attendance is respectfully loqucstcd. According to the departmental return, 135 old ago pensions of the value of £2302 per annum were in force in the PalmcistoH Noith distiict on 31st Miinh last. Wnngamii's ligurcs were 168 pensions and £2894 in amount. Hokitika possesses the respectable number of 451 pensioners with £78;)t per annum, while. Wellington only possesses 441 with ,£772(3. At, the Police Court this morning, bcforo Mr 11. Eyie-Kenny, S.M., the charge against John Dawson, aliasDallon, alias Smith, for stealing a fox terrier dog, the property of S. V. Reynolds, was diamiHscd without prejudice. James Edwards, alias James Johnston, was remanded to tho 20th on a charge of stealing a bay marc, valued at £20, on the 101h July at Okinawa, the pioperty of Richaid Burgon. A supposid elopement ea>>c isieportcd fiom th'j 'Utilities, the paities concerned being a married man, who loaves a b ok wifo and si-x children, and a woman nhc leaves a husband and a number of gunvn-up children, several of the latter l.eing married. Tho man's ago is some-tl-mg over 40, and the woman's about 55. They are supposed to have left for Sydrey. Tho matter is in tho hands of the police, and steps are being taken to bmu' tho man back. In discussing in tho Wellington Synod on Wednesday tho collection of funeral fees, the Rev. T. 11. Sprott said he could not help feeling that tho time had arrived for the abolition of Mich fees. For his own pait, ho felt he. had his maintenance from a parish, and that ho could not e\pcct any specified fco for any specified service. (Applause.) Tho Von. ArchdoAcou Towgood looked forward to tho time when the whole gia\oyard, fees and all, would be tree to all. A settlor of Maxnclltonn, Mi John Roardon, was kolled near Okchu on Saturday evening. Deceased was driving homo in a spring cart, having lett Kai I«i about 180 .p.m. When near Okchu, ho drovo clo=e to the edge ot the bank to keep oft the metal which had recently boon put o ntho road. When at a narrow part of the road, the di.iy turned orer tho bank, Rcanlou bemy killed instantly. Tho deceased is 75 years of ago. On tho arrival in Sydney of tho steamer Pacifiquc, from Noumea, a Fiench escapee, named Armand Ruoltz, was handed over to the police authorities. Tho man was disco\ ered under peculiar circumstances a shoit time after j the \ossel had left Noumea, 110 had concealed himself in a largo box on Iho deck, and in this ho had a quantity of food. Air holes had boon made in the box, and everything was done to uinko tho trip as oomfortablo aa was possible. Senator Bucklin, of Colorado (U.S.), who recently visited Maoriland, declared himself astonished at tho cheapness of Stato as comparod with private enterprise. In Macrnland a telegram can be sent 1100 miles for (3d, though pait of the way it goes by a submarine cable which costs a lot in maintenance. Samo telegram in tho U.S. for same distance, but with no oablo intervening, costs over 3s. In tho U.S. tho telegraphs are not Government property — which makes al tho different*. Mr Henry Collier, who recently returned from a visit to the Old Country, and who foimerly had a huge clientele as a toacher of the pianoforte and singing, has a notice in our columns. Mr Collier has studied under the lato Sir Charles Halle; Mr Oscar Beungor, principal of the academy for tho higher de/elopment of pianoforte playing, Manchester fiquare, London ; the late Emil Behnke, author of voice, speeoh, and song; and Mr William Shakespeaie, formeily principal professor of smyoig at the Royal Academy of Music, London The cantata "Under tho Palms" was rendered on Friday n'ght last in the Primi tivo Methodist Chinch by the large choir which previously gave it in tho Opera House. Thfcie was a very largo attendance, the church being completely filled. Miss Gould, who took the soprano part, had an enthusiastic reception. All the soloists acquitted themselve.3 creditably. The children of the large choir did their part to perfection, especially the three little soloists— Musses Kicol, Higgins, and Wheeler. The debt on the church organ was nearly cleared off by the donations of the large audience assembled. Tho photographs of all those taking part in the cantata will appear in this week's YtoMAN. It is raioly that a man falls overboard in mid-ocean, and after 11 hnnis of torturing doubt is picked up by his ship alter all hopes had fled. Such happened in the case ot an apprentice on board the .ship Barhllan, a wellknown visitor to Australian ports. The youth, whoso name is Hairy Warner, was out on the bowsprit, when he slipped and fell into the sea. Writing of his rescue to his brother, ho says that it had not been for Captain Arthur, of the Baru'llan, who persisted in keeping up a search, after almost every man had given him up for dead, he would never again been heard fiom. Tho ship was on a voyage to Santa Rosalie, fiom Cardift, and was near her destination when the accidont happened. After the ciy ' Man o\ eiboard !" was raised a lite-buoy was thrown, yards were backed, and a boat left in search. In three hours she returned, only to report having been unsuccessful. Captain Arthur determined to work his ship back on the zigzag principle. After eight houis of persistent searching with men aloft scanning the ocean, the life-buoy with Warner hanging on it was sighted, picked up, and two days later the rescued apprentice was himselt again. A bottle, covered with barnacles over an inch long, has been picked up on the beach at Newcastle, and found to contain the following message. — "I, Georgo A. Kelson (or Wilson) am the only survivor of the ship Duntrune, of Dundee, Scotland, which foundered in latitudo 52 degrees south, longitude 177 degrees cast. I have been drifting about for the last (here the writing; is illegible) days in the hope of boinp saved. When the ship went down I managed to swam clear ot the vortex, and so prolonged my misery for a short time longer. Ifc was all over in ten minutes. After she took her lust plunge I saw one of the boats, which had conic to the surface, *o I managed to get clear of the ship. I am too weak to write more." Lower down in the bottle was another paper. This was written on half a slip of what was once white notepapcr, and read as follows — "Good-bye, dear mother. I will meet you in Heaven. I am your only and affectionate son, George." The first note was found in the neck of the bottle, and was written on a sheet of uotepaper. The positiou given is aoniewheie south-east of the southern portion of Now Zealand, but no date is stated. The Duntrune, which was well known at Newcastle, was reported at Lloyd'b ton aids the end of last .year as. having befn dismantled near Cape Pil j lai, and part of the crow landed at Punta Arenas, a seaport of Costa Rica Centrol Vmorica. The Chilian man-o'-wai went in seatch of the survMors. A hoax is Euspectcd, though the bottle had evidently been in the water for a long time.

Thero were &17 vioitois to the Museum last week. The matron of tho Jubilee Home desues us to acknowledge, with thanks, a gift of jam from Mrs McNeill. Scallywag has been scratched for all engagements at the Wellington R.C. meeting. The Auckland Education Boards decided to appoint a drill mstiuctor S6r the schools under the Board, at a salary of .£2OO per year. Captain Edwin telegraphs — North to west and south-enst heavy gale, heavy rain, heavy sea, high tides; glass fall and vevy strong ebb tides in the Straits. JVlessrß Hai:nah and Co., the gient hoot and Ehoe providers, announce, by preliminary advertisement in anotner column, a big sale of boots and shoes, commencing on Friday next, the 20th inst. Special baigians aie promised. Tho great tree sale, to be held at Mr Kcoaing'a mart on Wednesday, will be commenced at half-past eleven, sharp. Tho catalogue w a large and comprehensive one, nnd should attract many buyers. The usual company parade of the W.ingantti Highland Rifloe will bu held in tho Drill nail to-night at 7.30. A full attendance is renuested, as ntaltorn of importance Mill bo discus&cd after drill. Mr Alexander Grant has taken up his duties as Railway Traffic .Superintendent for tho North Island, with immediate control of tho Wellington-Napier district. Mr Carlisle, who has aetfd as Government auditor on the East Coast, has liecn appointed auditor for the district between Otaki and New Plymouth, which position was lately vacated by Mi Qrenville. The weather on Saturday afternoon was not fine enough to tempt hockey player? to muster in strong force. Nevertheless, an interesting cight-a-sidc game was played, Peake's sido defeating Atkinson's by nine goata to six. Tho employment of women is extending in Japan in most unlikely directions. Accoiding to the Yokohama correspondent of tho Daily Mail, they are to bo scon engaged with mnlo coolies in road-making, stovodoro work, and steamer-coaling. On some parts of the ccast women even earn their living as di\ers, aud aie said to bo particularly bold and skilful. Plague and famino have both fallen heavily upon the Indian Empire within the past year, and .is the one is decreasing tho other becomes more severe, until now tho people in receipt of lelief outnumber tho total population of Australia. Advices under dato June 2 state: — "Bubonio plaguo decreasing, only 2GB dcatliß for tho fortnight, total 952.). Famine more acute, 5,730,380 persons in receipt of either whole or partial relief. Mr T. Horwood, of Tauqo Quay, umbrella and parasol repairer, has just issued one of his characteristic leaflets, sett'ng forth his many qualifications, which mcliido the ability to repair not only umbrellas and parasols, but lamps, fishing rods, walking sticks, etc. He alpo undertakes to sharpen scissors and knives properly. Mr Horwood has a lai^e stock of fishing gear of every debciiptiou. on sale. The funeral of tho late Captain SutcliiTe, which took placo at Mai ton ye 1;teiday, was tho largest ever held there. Tho Alexandra Mounted Rifles and Wangnuiu Eiflcr and Guards were represented at the funeral, and the Wnnganui Gainson Band were also present. Tho pall-bearers were, Captain Hughch and Lieutenant Redmond (Wanganni Rifles) and C'.iptain Seager and Lieutenant Dustin (Wanganui Guards). Goodness knowa how it got hero (says the Shanghai Daily Press), but there wa* dug up a few days ago from the bottom <: f a mouldy old mass of half-forgotten pa pers, books, and miscellaneous article", hidden away in tho strong room of the British Consulate at Shanghai, a genuino and highly-interesting relic of Prince Charles Edward Stuart, the young Prettmdor. It was a handsome white metal "tea caddy," which an ancient-looking piece of parchment enclosed, within stated to have been the identical receptacle in which the unfortunate prince carried his tea, whenever ho was lucky enough to have any, through the dark year 1746, when he was being hunted through tho Highlands and Western Isles after tho fatal field of Uulloden. The parchment further relates that the caddy was origin ally tho property of Flora Macdonald, the hoi'oio i barer of the Prince's vicissitudes and adventuics. It standt. abjut Bin. high, is of a handsom fluted pattern, and is inscribed with Flore Macdonald's monogram on the cover. It no doubt formed part here of some " deceased estate," whicli the Consulate administered, and, moat likoly, got shoved aside, aud forgotten. It is now in the possession of Mr T. Macdonald, usher and clerk in tho Summary Court, who intends to send it homo to some Scottish antiquarian society.