The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-06-22
Mr.. CREWS AT H0NGKONG
Inis remarkable British City In the
far East-A Population of NATIONAL
ities-Thrlft and Progress Amidst
Eastern sloath-The Modern and the
Ancient Combined.

Hong Kong, May 18th, 1900.
Editor Messenger:
/ left Manila Saturday the 5th in
slant al about s O'Clock p. m. and
reached Hong Kong on Tuesday morn
ing following after a short voyage OF
62s miles across the China sea. General
Otis left Manila just ahead Of US for
San Francisco, b. Wy of Jam. on
the United States army transport
Meade. 1t was a difficult matter for
him to get away, it seemed, a. the
Meade was held almost a week after
she was due to leave, for him TO decide
On what ship he would sail or TO get
ready.
1 came over on the steamship Tsinan
and was sick a whole day, but am
feeling we'll now, and will sail Tor
Singapore tomorrow at noon on the
steamship Chusan, of the Peninsula
Oriental Company, a distance Of
1,440 mile. This trip will be across the
China sea also. From Singapore l ex-
pect to go TO Columbo another run or
], $50 miles, but a cross the Indian ocean
this time.
1 find Mr.. j. w. Bolles, formerly of
Wilmington, but now connected with
the Standard Oil Company here. He
kindly furnished me the Messenger
Of March the 9th and Goth and they
were read with great interest. They
cntained some pleasant and some sad
news for me. The Red Springs, VIII
son, Raleigh and Fayetteville letters
were some of the pleasant and Lter-
esting reading, but the notices of the
death of Captains John Cowan and
Bissett, of Judge Dossey Battle n of
Mr.. D. T. Jackson, of Wilson We're
some of the sad things. They We're
some of the thousands of friends and
acquaintance / hope l had n nave
in North Carolina. You do not known
how l felt while reading The MeSsen-
ger here in Hong Kong away on the
other side of the world from Whining
ton. 1t seemed SO strange, yet II
brought me so near home in my feel
ings. -.
l had the pleasure this morning OF
visiting Mr.. r. Wildman, our consul
general at this place. l found him
comfortably situated in one of the
most beautiful parts of the city. He
is a very pleasant gentleman and
treated me very courteouSly. While
in his office l also had the honor and
pleasure of meeting Mr.. Hubbard
Taylor Smith, of Indiana, our wee
consul at Canton. He came in While
1 was there. He seemed to be a very
nice SenlleIldH. IASy liz ~ ~
The Messenger that they were looking
after Uncle Sans interests in this far
away country as best they could, etc.
The New York Times has the follow
ing to say of Mr.. Wildman, who is a
man himself OF consldera-
BILE experience, and who seems to take
a great interest in the news OF the
world as furnished by the press:
'sRounsevelle Wildman was born at
Batavia, N. Y, March 10, 1864, and is
the son of a Methodist minister. He
was educated at the Genesee Wesleyan
Seminary, at Lima, and at syracuse
University. After leaving college he
went west, and, going into journalism,
soon became editor of The Idaho
Statesman, at Boise City. He was sent
as a delegate to congress, and it was
largely due to his efforts that the ter
ritory was admitted as a state. In 1890
he married Miss Letitia Aldrich, nelce
of Senator Stewart of Nevada, and
took his bride to Singapore. India,
where Mr.. Wildman had been appoint
ed consul general by President Harri-
son. He was subsequently appointed
consul at Bremen. Upon his return
to this country he devoted himself 10
magazine work. and was editor OF
The Overland Monthly when appointed
consul to Hong Kong by PresideI
Mckinley"
Both of the gentlemen kindly attach
ed their names to my PASSPORT.
My two letters to The Messenger
San Francisco I found in the two
papers which 1 mentioned above.
The three principal papers printed
here in English are The China Mail,
Hong Kong Daily Press and the Hons
Kong Telegraph. They are on the
order of the three Manila papers filled
with advertisements and very short on
news.
The arrival kAsA On Tuesday OF u .
British warship Terrible, from South
Africa, was the event of the month and
created quite a stir. She was given
a grand reception.
The United States is represented
here in the way of business by the
Standard Oil Company, the American
Tobacco Company, by American goods
of various kinds and by a rev Ameri-
What shall 1 say of Hong Kong? 1
describe it, nor what l nave
seen in it. 1 think / am not mistaken
when I say it is the prettiest
estimated population of some loo,-
900 situated along the water front and
the mountain sid and quite a
of residences on the peak,
some $500 felt high. The barracks
and the Peak hotel are also on THIS
INCEST point near the CITY. "ChI ~
On the peak railway and had a fine
view of the city and surrounding coun.
try day before yesterday. The island
Of Hong Kong is from W to TOUR
miles in width, and such a crowd as
are seen on its streets is wonderful.
Jews, Turks, Mohamedans, Europeans,
Hindoos, Javanese, japanese, Aalays,
and many other ~nationall-
ties are all mixed up and you can
scarcely get along during the day they
are so thick. When / landed at the
wharf I got into a little two wheel ar
called a jinrikisha pulled
by a Chinaman and he soon had me
to the hotel. When 1 went up TO see
our consul I was carried in a SEDAN
chair by two Cinnamon. Ihere are
thousands of these conveyances on the
streets day and night, and the only
ones that 1 have seen on shore except
Peak railroad.
I could go on to tell Of the various
places of interest il and about the city
the water life OF Hong Kong
with thousans Of boats upon which
MANY thousands are born, live, marry |
md die. a somewhat separate class
rom landsmen, but who are always in
and some of the narrow streets;
he city hall and its museum, ETC., but
7 m1st close for there Is no end TO the