f
212
propensities, some being less greedy than others, but the entire service rests on a basis of rottenness and corruption.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND implicated or responsible and to exact such an indemnity or concession as wou
Would have made the Peking Government resolve that this outrage should be the last
of the kind in China. The degradation of a few minor officials, to be reinstated and pro- moted a little later, and the execution of a few coolies, is such a simple and inexpensive method of getting out of a tight place that it produces no effect on the official hide. In dealing with a semi-barbarous Power Jike China a lesson to be effective must be severe, and must, above all, be pressed home-that is to say, be made to reach the persons really responsible. Unfortunately, after seventy years' experience of Chinese duplicity and evasiveness, the British Government have still to learn the correct way to reach the subtle and
pro- crastinating Celestial. When will they re- cognise the fact that the Chinese mandarins are unteachable and are as little to be trusted now as they were when Captain ELLIOT was driven out of Canton?
esteenied Chinese correspondent writes us in reference to the lender which appeared in yesterday's issue on the salaries paid to Chinese officials, and more particularly in reference to the opinion expressed that the Nanking Viceroy's salary of Tls. 18,000 a year is proportionately very much larger than that of the Prime Minister of England "I think it may interest you to know that out of the Viceroy's allowance of Tls. 18,000 the salaries and "Cost of maintenance of his secretaries, clerks, "&c., &c., in fact the whole staff of the "Yamen, has to be paid, besides all office expenses, such as those of printing and stationery, &c. To make a just compari- "son, we must assume that Lord Salisbury "had to do the same thing with his salary of “£5,000 a year. As a matter of fact the Nanking Viceroy has to spend about $100,000 a year on account of his "office and position, and whatever he "makes over this sum he may save."! To this we may add that the Viceroy would probably think it a bad year when he did not make Tls.100,000 clear profit. Our correspondent's communication points to the same conclusion as that at which we arrived, namely, that official squeezing is not confined within such limits as would suffice to bring salaries up to a reasonable figure, but that it is part of a recognised system by which the people are exploited for the benefit of the officials. LI HUNG-CHANG is reported to have amassed one of the largest fortunes in the world by squeezing, a fortune running into tens of millions of taels. And Sir CECIL CLEMENTI SMITH, the Chairman of the China Association and a British ex-
"
Governor, expresses the hope that Li may have still higher emoluments!
THE RESULT OF MISPLACED
LENIENCY..
|
THE CENSUS.
some
In connection with the compiling of the returns of the census to be shortly taken there is one point that we think might with some advantage be attended to, and that is to give the occupations of the European residents. In former census reports this has not been done; the occupations of the Chinese have been given, but not those of the Europeans. The time has gone by when all adult male Europeans could be roughly classed as merchants or mercantile assistants, with a small contingent of professional men inconsiderable in number. Industries are now springing up and European occu- pations are becoming yearly more diver sified. From many points of view it is desirable that a record of this move- ment should be kept. Between 1881 and 1891 the resident British population in- creased from 785 to 1,448, or 84.46 per The officials of Fukien would appear to
cent., while the total European and American resident civil population increased during have learned the wrong lesson from the ter- the same time from 3,040 to 4,195, or 38 rible incident of the massacre at Kucheng. per cent. The growth of the British Instead of regarding it as a warning for the population was so remarkable as to be almost future to protect the missionaries and their incredible, and it would be useful as well as converts they seem to consider it as a proof interesting to know in what direction this of immunity from punishment for conniving great increase took place, but unfortunately at crimes against the Christians. The people the returns are silent on this point, and the of the Kienning district, encouraged by the only suggestion made concerning it is in the attitude of the mandarine, are again display- Registrar-General's report on the census, in ing a very hostile spirit to foreigners, which which the Hon. J. H. STEWART LOCKHART if continued will assuredly end in fresh
says:-
"The Portuguese population in 1881 outrages. A placard was posted in Kienning- was 1,869. It now shows an increase of fu calling upon the people to rise on the 220, the total being 2,089, or an increase 16th August and tear down the foreigners" "11.77 per cent.
It is believed houses, and although the date has passed without the threat being carried into execu-
that a great check has been given to the tion, this might not have been the case
growth of the Portuguese population in Hongkong owing to the difficulty now ex- but for the prompt action of Dr. RIGG perienced by the Portuguese in finding in laying the matter before the British Consul, who presumably was able to bring
employment. Positions once open to and such pressure that the contemplated riot was
generally held by them are now oc cupied by Britishers or members of abandoned. The fact, however, remains that the native Christians in Fukien áre
"other nationalities, so that the number "of Portuguese employed in European objects of hatred both to the people and the officials, who secretly abet persecution of "likely to decrease still further."An in- "firms is fewer than it used to be and seems them and do their best to stimulate dislike formal census recently taken by the Por- and distrust of the missionaries. It is much tuguese Consul, we believe, tended to con- to be feared that the very inadequate satis-firm this forecast, but the figures collected faction exacted for the murders, at were probably far from complete. We hope, Kucheng has only deepened the resent- however, that in the returns of the census ment of the mandarins without exciting now about to be taken and those of future their dread. What was wanted, to make ones figures showing the occupations of the that foul massacre a lesson for all time to foreign population will be given, so that come, was to remove and degrade the Viceroy material for drawing comparisons between and all high provincial officials in any way one period and another may be available.
<<
*
September 16
THE NEW LOAD TO MOINT
has
the
A vote for Victoria Gap to stand, to be incl 1897; It is to b hoped I the commencement of the work deferred until the new the Government has niind to proceed with should be made as soon as th road it is desirable tha
can fairly be considered at the beginning of November at th if the work is deferred until so lit that it cannot be completed during season, when the next rains come have repetition of the fouling Pokfulam water supply that took place when the levelling of the Peak Hotel site was in progress. It is unnecessary to refer to the public advantage that the proj new road would prove this has been fully acknowledged by every one, t
the Govern ment included, and the project has onl stood over as long as it has owing the assumed shortness of funds in the Colonial treasury. That difficulty no longer exists apparently, as a vote is to be taken for the work in the next estimates, and is the payment of the money a month or two sooner or later can make no practical difference, whereas deferring the work makes a very great difference, we would suggest that a special vote be taken in advance of the esti mates, so that the work can be proceeded with as soon as the season permits. If it is allowed to staud over until 1897 there is reason to fear it will again be postponed H.E. the Governor, who is thoroughly ne- until the succeeding autumn., Moreover,
quainted with the project and the necessity of the new road, leaves us next June or July, and unless the work is completed be- fore that time there is a danger that it might: take some time to bring His Excellency's successor to look at it from a favourable point of view, for it is human nature, and especially official nature, to regard with a critical if not unfriendly eye designs over the initia- tion of which one has not himself presided. We hope, therefore, that His Excellency will see this small but very necessary work put through before he leaves.
•
THE REBELLION IN THE PHILIPPINES.
11th September. The Hongkong Telegraph has had forwarded following Havas message: to it from Saigon, by special telegram, the
"On the 9th instant, after a brilliant engage ment, the Spanish troops drove the rebels from Silang. The rebels' loss was 58 killed."
This message seems to confirm the worst fears that have been entertained. The brilliano the engagement and so on may be dismissed as mere persiflage. The important fact is that serious fighting is going on. The Gov ment control the telegraph and it is, the Government accounts that will reach world, and for all that we know to the contrary the rebels might also claim to scored a success. The brilliante en and glorious victories of the troops in Cuba have been innume the time the position of the Gov the same in the Philippines, for grown worse. We hope it is not
be the case with regard to Ci pines are certainly not ripe for self
14th Sep No further news with reference to the hand. We learn, however, gress of the i
› insurrection in Manila has come to covery of the conspiracy was of the Diario de Man party A number
have been thrown into.
t