438
CORRESPONDENCE.
[We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents.]
THE WATER SUPPLY.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PLESS
Hongkong, 31st May. SIB,-Allow me to protest most strongly against the proposal adopted by the Sanitary Board to lay on water to Chinese houses in Kowloon. The proposal was so worded that its meaning may have escaped general recognition The case is simply this:-La Hongkong, with water laid on to Chinese houses, the supply is about 16 gallons per head per day; in Kowloon, where water is not laid on to Chinese houses, the supply is about 9 gallous per head per day. Anyone acquainted with the matter knows that the extra.7 gallons supplied in Hongkong does not mean extra washing and extra clean- liness, but taps left running to waste. Mr. Chadwick apparently admits this waste and proposes that it shall be obviated by metering the supply and charging for excess above & certain allowance, but there is nothing to show that the Chinese will not prefer to waste and pay rather than go to the trouble of preventing the waste. And again, if meter- ing is successful in sopping the waste, it will be a far more costly means of doing so than by shutting off the houses and supplying in the streets only. By all means let Kowloon
be treated in the same way as Hongkong, ut
let Kowloon be taken as the model, and not wasteful Hongkong.
the "
We are not likely for some years to have 'so severe a drought as that just passed through, but then our water works are far behind the times, extensions will take years to complete, and in the meantime, if this laying water into Chinese houses is insisted on, we have nothing to expect but the intermittent system with possibility of the contamination of the supply through the entrance of foul air, foul liquids, and possibly disease germs into the water-mains and services," and I would add, the certainty of great inconvenience and serious loss by fires. And then when our extensions are completed we shall probably find that the population has increased to such an extent that
we are in no better condition than now.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
kilometres' zone was being trespassed upon by Siamese troops. Is "ekopos" also ignorant of that fact ? Furthermore, the assurance of evacuating Chantaboon was given to Siam under certain conditions only.
I am sorry to notice that" Skopos" also shows a remarkable ignorance of political geography, when be speaks of Siamese territory lying east of the Mekong. It would certainly be curious to see the maps he takes his notions from Considering that such Siamese territory only | existed in Skopos's imagination, how could France have actually seized it in 1893 from Siam? And since Skopos" brings forward the question of bona fides, it may not be devoid of interest to recall that famous promise of evacuating a whole county, a promise that was given to Europe twenty years ago and often repeated since. Could it be possible (incredibile dictu!) that we should at last be on the eve of seeing that stale and time-worn promise kept I certainly do not expect it!-Yeurs, etc.,
NUNQUAM.
50 THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS.
11
Hongkong, 2nd June.
"
SIB, Nunquam signally fails in his attempt to obscure the issue. Doubtless he thought it a masterpiece of diplomacy to drag in Egypt at the end of his letter. Apparently his argument is: Britain has acted with bad faith in the matter of Egypt, and therefore France may do so in the matter of Siam. I am not concerned here to defend British action
(June 7, 1902. THE CHINESE REPRESENTATIVE ON THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE “ TAILY PRESS.
* Hongkong, 3rd June, SIR-In reference to the question of the elec tion of a Chinese representative to occupy the seaton the Legislative Council rendered vacant by the rumoured resignation of the Hon. Wei A Yuk, kindly alow me space in your valuable columns for the following observations. Since the man who receives the appointment is sup- posed to represent the Chinese, the Government should be careful that the selection is a popular one and that the person appointed to represent the important and growing Chinese community should be a Chinaman. Your evening..con- temporaries, the China Mail and Hongkong Telegraph, advocate in their leaders of the 26th and 31st alt, that Mr. Ho Tung is the fittest man
to
repres ntthe Chinese, but they appear to for, et that the gentleman in question is an Eurasian. By particularising in this respect, it must not › be taken that I am ill-natured or that I mean a slur. It is a question of principle. Facts are facts and we cannot get away from them. Personally, I greatly admire the man and his work, and have always been struck by his wonderful enterprise, energy, and push; It is well known that Mr. Ho Tang is one of the foremost of our public-spirited citizens, bat, nevertheless, I don't think it is advisable that he should be nominated and appointed to represent the Chinese community of this Colony.
The Eurasian community is a growing one,
in Egypt, but I do not suppose many French- and very soon they must seek to be represented men will thank "Nunquam" for his cynical on the Legislative Council. Being British defence of their country's conduct toward Siam. subjects, they have every right to sak for the But to turn to "Nunquam's" earlier remarks privilege of electing their best man to represent my library unfortunately has no copy of them, and for this honour there is no better man than Mr. Ho Tung. The Eurasians are the document whereby Great Britain af er oc- cupying Higher Burma recognised the whole of pushing, yet law-abiding, and many hold respon Siam as France's particular sphere of influence. sible positions in the business firms of this On the other hand I have before me the Colony. The time is coming when they will be Declaration sign: d by Great Britain and France recognised as an important section of the Island on the 15th January, 1896, respecting spheres community, with their own social clubs and If Eurasians and of influence in Siam, which most certainly does kindred institutions. not recognize the whole of Bism as Fra ce's Chinese would consider and understand their par icular sphere, and only by indirect im-true position in this Colony there would be plication (without verbal reference) recognises little or no cause for animus and rivalry, as the east portion of Siam and Siamese Malaya evidenced by the recent (Chinese) newspaper as French and British spheres, inasmuch as fight regarding the establishing of a High these portions of Siam are not mentioned in School for Chinese. But to proceed with my the first clause of the Declaration. Does subject-
Nunquam " hold that any act of aggression is excusable in a "sphere of influence"? It is trao that Siam is too weak to resist..
As for the right of judging whether Siam has complied with the provisions of the treaty of 1893 in such a manner as: to call for the evacuation of Chantaboon, "Nunquam says that the French Government is sole judge. Has he ever read Alice Through the Looking
"1
Waterworks are not cheaply constructed in Hongkong; this is owing to the nature of the country. The Tytam dam, 120ft. high, holds 400 million gallons, on the new Birmingham Waterworks a similar dam holds 7,000 million gallons. We cannot expect, therefore, except at great cost, to give the supply given in more favourably situated places, and there is no need for it; the customs of the people are different; they do not use the water if given them.
What is wanted here is some means of check-glass? If so he may remember the case of the ing waste, and the experience of Kowloon has shown that a very workable and satisfactory means of doing this is by supplying the native quarters by means of street taps only. We have no experience of metering, and it will be a costly experiment.-Yours, etc.,
L. GIBBS.
FRANCE AND SIAM.
་
21
TO THE EDITOR OF TEE “DAILY PRESS."
Hongkong, 31st May. Sir, Your correspondent "Skopos" reaches rather far back for diplomatic statements. con- cerning Siam In that case we can go further still in the past, and ask of him whether he is cognisant of the fact that when Great Britain occupied, Higher Burmah (1885) the British Government recognised to France by special convention the whole of Siam as her particular sphere of influence. Skopos" must admit that under such circumstances Fiance has proved herself too modest in her subsequent claims Skopos" is of course quite at liberty to sit in judgment and decide that the Siamese have fully complied with the provisions of the treaty of 1893, and that the occupation of Chantaboon is now unjustifiable; however, his opinion is not shared, unfortunately, by the French Govern
the matter. Even quite that the 25 was made kno
ment sole recently
£
cat and the mouse--
I'll be judge, I'll be jury,”
Said cunning old Fury,
"And try the whole case
And condemn yon to death."
Up to now the Chinese in this Colony have been represented by Chinese nominated and appointed by the Government, but the day is not far distant when the Chinese community will ask for the privilege of electing their own representatives. It is a fact, and a glaring one, that the past and present representatives of the Chinese have been more or less Government automatons, though ever so willing they may have been themselves to champion the interests of the Chinese, whom, they were supposed to represent. How could it be otherwise, 'seeing that they were nominated and appointed by the Government? Owing to this. one cannot wonder that the Chinese community has nos I am told by "Nunquam" that I am remark. been properly represented. It is clear therefore ably ignorant of political geography in sreak. that if the Government desires that the Chinese ing of Siamese territory lying east of the in this Colony should be honestly and fairly Mekong. Let me ask “Nunquam” which side | represented, the Chinese must be asked to of the Mekong Luang Prabang lies in his elect their own men, but on the understand- maps or in his imagination. In 1889 M. ing that such men bear unblemished repuía- Waddington stated to Lord Salisbury that histions and are approved by His Majesty's Wealth and rank should be government did not wish to extend the Cochin-Government. China-Siam frontier to Luang Prabang, econdary considerations, as what the Chinese but proposed to draw a line from a peint want are capable, and worthy representatives, almost due east of Luang Prabang south I have often wondered how long the present wards to the Mekong, which river was to form farce would continue, but of course time has the boundary from the point where this line wrought wonderful changes, and by means of met it until it entered Cambodian territory the Government's literal educational schemes the ~ An earlier convention, dated May 7, 1886, Chiness have now reached that stage in their provided for the establishment of a French development as law-abiding citizens when it is Vice-Consulate at Luang Prabang. It is very reasonable and safe for the Government to
# convenient to ignore little facts like these, concede them popular representation. and your case is much strengthened thereby until you are found out.
I wonder if "Nunquam's" pen-name was meant to refer to the period when France would evacuate Chantaboon? May I suggest in that case that he should exobange it for that of the Persian grandes in a play of Plantus (I think), vis. Quodsemelacoepisses Nunquamposten- reddidisses.-Yours, etc.,
SKOPOS.
·
Some may call me an agitator, but let them consider what I have written in their sobër moments, and I am sure they will agree with me that it is wise to recognise and submit to the inevitable. We must not be conservative,” but should change with such changes are just, reasõnal ficial, to the Government His Majesty the King.
so long as se
Dene abjecte etc., THE TSAN TAL