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DEPARTURE OF SIR HENRY BLAKE FROM HONGKONG.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
(Daily Press, 21st November.) To-day Hongkong bids farewell to H.E. Sir HENRY A. BLAKE, G.C.M.G., who, after governing the Colony for the period of five years, all but four days, now goesto Colombo to alminister the government of the most important Crown Colony in the British Empire. It is a fact well recognised that Hongkong is a Colony which calls for the highest administrative ability on the part of those entrusted by the Crown with tem- porary rule over it. There are circumstances in the situation of Hongkong which make it unique among the colonial possessions of Great Britain, and that these render the position of its Governor particularly hard it is unnecessary to insist. Therefore it must be remembered that, however often it has been necessary in the past few years to criticise and condemn the attitude of the Government and its head, it is not because the difficulties of the case hive been over- looked. To use
a conventional phrase, but in the circumstances a true one, honest differences of opinion have been felt; and all comment arising therefrom has been conscientious. There has been only one really serious ground for dissension between the head of the Government and the mass of the European community, and that is with regard to the Chinese question. We have never been among those who have advocated a sternly repressive attitude to ward the lower-class Chinese (for it is regarding this class that the chief difficuties have arisen); but, in common alikewith the European residents of this Colony and, it must also in fairness be added, with the respectable Chinese community, we have held that the policy of undue leniency has tended to promote licence, and is there- fore its own condemnation. If the Govern ment is to show any prejudice, it should be in favour only of the law-abiding, irrespec- tive of nationality. It has often seemed during the late rule that this has not suf- ficiently been the case. We must agree with what His Excelleucy said on Thurs- day, that our sense of responsibility and of justice compels us go to deal with the Chi- nese with whom we come into contact as to satisfy them that in Hongkong they will find a Government fair and just; but no Government can properly be considered perfectly fair that does not afford adequate security for property as well as life. Still, in justice to Sir HENRY BLAKE, it must be said that he has not always got the credit due to him for such measures of discipline as have been properly carried out. With regard to the deportation of undesirable characters, he has been strongly in favour of the protection of the Colony by such mea- sures, and, we believe, the idea of transunit- ting to their native villages the names and offences of bad characters who get into trouble again after having once bean in the stocks originated with him. Unfortunately the policy has not been cousistent, and, with the usual ill-haps of fame, the mistakes are remembered rather than the successes, which indeed have been seldom attributed to their re l'author.
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[November 30, 1908.
and that peace has reigned in the New Ter- the disfavour attaching to him therefrom ritory ever since, are in themselves notable, | he has suffered not a little, too much indeed, There have been points, in the organising in public opinion. But in bidding good- adininistration of this territory which have bye to him to-day Hongkong can at least called for censure-in its early days at least; do so in a spirit of esteem for his personal but now, if the Colony can but get the character and for that sympathy with most hoped-for communication by rail with varied forms of sport which he has always Canton, there is every prospect of a noble shown, both in theory and in practice. For future for our possession on the mainland the man there is nothing but good-will on of Kwangtung. Hongkong itself, on the this occasion of his departure from Hong- Island, has grown during the five years kong; for the Governor there is at least almost beyond recognition, and, by a scheine respect for the courage he has had of his initiated during Sir HENRY BLAKE's rule, convictions, even if tempered by regret at and with his warm approval, promises to some of them. In his new home, all Hong- grow far more still when the new Praya kong will join in wishing success and reclamation plan, made public in 1901, prosperity to him and to Lady Blake, who becomes a fact. But, building-space on the has for five years presided over Government Island having increased only slightly, the House-and administered the hospitality growth in size has not kept pace with the thereof. growth in population, with the excess of
which has come a host of attendant evils, the chief of which are greater overcrowding, permanence of the plague scourge, and a marked inadequacy of the water-supply. Under the late government, vigorous at teinpts have been made to cope with these great blots on the Colony. In certain respects we may think that His Excellency has not been firm enough; but at least it cannot be said that he has not devoted anxious thought and numberless hours to the consideration of the problems involved. In the pague question, particularly, he has thrown him- self heart and soul into the struggle and has studied it, as a layman, as no man else in Hongkong. We have not subdued plaque here, but at least we have put an end to panic, and we treat it on more scientific lines than before. It is fully understool now that air and light are wanted in the homes of the poor, and there is a prospect of the Colony s ine day profiting by the measures which have b.eu brought forward during the past year or so. There is the new Trust, the formation of which it has been decided to recommend (and this is the most notable point in the Governor's speech on Thursday), at whos disposal funds will he placed for the purpose of remodelling this city of ours. Sir HENRY BLAKE estimated twenty years as the period within which, at a moderate cost to the Colony, the necessary improvement of Victoria should be carried ont, The time seems long, but we have many years of improvidence and sanitary carelessness to repair. The question of water-supply is almost equally important, and, though Sir HENRY BLAKE has acted against the wishes of a very strong section of the community in listening to the Chinese agitation for rider-mains, there is at least expert opinion to be quoted to the effect that water-famines are now remoter from us than before, If the Tytamtuk reservoir is successfully carried out, we shall at least be able to incet present requirements In the meantime Kowloon at least has
been provided with an ample supply of water.
It would be tiresome to enumerate all the public measures which have been passed since November, 1898, and it would not of course give a correct view of Sir HENRY BLAKE's persual share in the direction of this Colony. There have been times when he has opposed the Colony's wishes, as in the water question mentioned above; there have been others when he has backed them up with all his power, if unsuccessfully as in that of the removal of the Naval Yard from its present site; and there have been times when he has led the Colony, as in certain matters connectel with plague sanitation. As we have said, the most unfortunate aspect of his rule, in the general estimation
THE KOWLOON-CANTON
RAILWAY.
(Daily Press, 25th November.) We are unfeignedly glad that His Ex- cellency Sir HENRY BLAKE, when bidding farewell to the community in the City Hall on Saturday, made special reference to what should be generally regarded as the burning question of the hour in this Colony. Our late Governor was deeply impressed with the supreme importance to Hongkong of the railway question. He said--and we make no apology for repeating his words in full:- "But, great as is the importance of the "structural improvement of Hongkong "there is n matter of greater and more
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pressing moment that I wish to bring forcibly before you in these last moments "before I leave your shores. That is, the pressing necessity of utilising the British concession that has been granted for a railway from Canton to the borders of our territory. That concession has been granted to a British syndicate, and it is their duty to utilise it and supply the "natural seaport terminus to the great ar- "terial line to Hankow, lest possible develop- "ments be sought inimical to the interests of Hongkong. We have not built up our Empire by being laggards in the race for developments necessary for the expansion of the trade of the world, and 'letting I "dare not wait upon I would' has never conquered a position nor retained it for either men or nations." These words, uttered with unusual solemnity, as a farewell warning to the citizens of Hongkong, are pregnant with meaning, and should be con- stantly and actively borne in mind. They must not be dismissed as merely part of a valedictory speech; they are a fateful and timely reminder of the golden opportunity, now within our reach, but which, if neglected, may prove the most disastrous omission in the history of the Colony.
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The project of a railway to connect the Kowloon peninsula with the city of Canton is now quite an old one. It was first seri- ously talked about some sixteen years ago, and a Chinese syndicate was two or three years later, in 1889 (if we remember nright), formed to obtain the concession for its con- struction. After much trouble His Excel- lency the then Viceroy of the Two Kwang approved the scheme and strongly recom- mended it to the Imperial Government at Peking, but for some reason-probably sufficient palm-oil had not been dispensed--- it never received the Imperial sanction. A survey was made, however, and an official document, of which a translation was published in our columns, was issue 1, giving the route it would take. The Kowloon terminus was to be at Sam-shui-po, at that
to be carried to Sham chun, Po-kak, and
It is pleasanter to turn to the striking features which have marked the term of office of Sir HENEY BLAKE in Hongkong, The period has been stirring in its record of progress, if also in its misfortunes of typhoon, pestilence, and drought. The increase of our territory from thirty-two square miles to about four hundred forms alone a remark- able chapter; and that this great addition | of local residents, is his mistaken policy to- time on the Chinese frontier; thence it was
was made with so little trouble as there was,
ward certain sections of the Chinese. From