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October 29, 1904.] the sound premises that Shanghai has two seasons-the hot and the cold-he remarks, that during one of these seasons "recreation is more suitable in the evening," whereas during the other recreation is more suitable in the early morning. And yet, he wails, custom has decreed the same rigid office hours throughout the year, which may be called 9 a.m. to 5 p.in." Now for a bril- lant idea. In the summer personally,' says the writer-who by the way signs himself "Corpus Suum I would not object to make these times au hour earlier, but leaving that on one side, I believe there will be many to hold with me that from the 1st of October to the 20th of April, it would suit the majority better to make the official hours 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Even now, unless one it up before daylight, there is scant time for morning exercise, while, later in the year, it becomes necessary to rise well before; daylight in order to get one's exercise and yet be at the office by 9 o'clock." But why so modest? Why not reform the calendar from top to bottom? Let the office hours be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. or even better, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m..-which is War Office hours-time of course being allowed to read the morning papers and chat over the events of last night. It does indeed seem as if " Corpus Samin" had some such idea in his mind, although he is too 'cute to spring it upon a world of astonished employers all at once. He says, tentatively, with a tear in his voice as it were: "The end I have in view would, of course, be met by cutting out the cock- tail bour at midday, but I аш not proposing to fight windmills." No DoN QUIXOTE he, but a plain man of the world speaking to men of the world in the accents of plain common-sense. The reader can fancy the innumerable councils and conclaves which have been held before this pronouncement has been given forth to the world, and the auxiety felt regarding its re- ception. Even a Pope could hardly be less concerned on the subject of his newest encyclical than this modern JOHN HAMPDEN, or should one say JOHN LUBBOCK? In conclusion "Corpus Sanum suggests that a plebescite should be taken on the subject, to which should be added the proviso that all assistauts, clerks, and employees generally should be allowed two votes each. The correspondence on this subject should be of vital interest alike to employers and employees.
11
THE CHINESE IN SOUTH AFRICA.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
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THE MURDERED BRITISH
FISHERMEN.
315
ก
for many years out here and elsewhere turn- ing up afresh in the last country to which fate has called the Chinese immigrant. Fortunately there is one quality which the Chinaman has that will mitigate a great
(Daily Press, 26th October.) deal of the harm which might be supposed deut, which unfortunately arrived too late The telegram from our London correspon- to arise from certain of his habits. always keeps very much to himself, and
He for publication in yesterday's issue, contains a statement which will make every English- has no idea of forcing his ways upon man's blood boil. It is quite inconceivable other people, if indeed, of even advocat- that the Russian Baltic Fleet (as some ing them. This makes all the difference weak-minded and ignorant persons seem to in respect to a great deal that he does. have suggested) could have mistaken British If the gambling resorts that be up were likely to be a temptation to Euro- the commanding officers were so dazed by sets fishing boats, for Japanese destroyers unless peans, it would be unquestionably the duty dread and blinded by cowardice that they of the State to put them down in the same feared shadowe. To begin with, it is im- way as any other institution likely to lead possible to imagine Japanese destroyers or the community to temptation and harm. warships lurking in waters twelve thousand But no European ever thinks of going to a miles from their base, and the plea that these Chinese gambling house, and the matter innocent fishing craft could be mistaken for therefore stands upon a special footing. The the three-funnelled snaky-looking destroyers same consideratious apply to opium smoking. is altogether too thin to be accepted by the The Chinese get on very well notwithstand- ¦ing their indulgence in a habit which would to hear that intense excitement prevails in meanest intelligence. It is not surprising be pernicious to Europeans; and there is Great Britain, nor is it astonishing to hear very little chance of their example in this that Lord LANSDOWNE has addressed " respect affecting any persons not of their vigorous protest to Russia," or that the nationality-or at least any of European Russian Chargé d'Affaires in London has nationality. We may not particularly like expressed regret. That is all part of the either habit, but after all, in a public point play. The object of the demonstration was, of view the question is not a matter of taste, but if the amount of potential harm. Of British Goverument to reprisals, in the we think, in all probability to provoke the course such questions staud upon a some- hope that France would thus be dragged what different footing in this Colouy to into a war which the Muscovite fully has that on which they rest in countries to shown himself so hopelessly incompetent to which the Chinese have emigrated with no idea of becoming permanent residents; bu will not succeed, for we have neither a prosecute successfully alone. The attempt merely as sojourners for a specific purpose PALMERSTON Dor a BEACONSFIELD at the and for a limited time. Here we have a helm, and we are only great at vigorous certain moral responsibility with regard to protests! Time was when reprisals for such the established native residents and may be expected to do as much as is possible for sharp, and the powerparlers might have come au outrage would have followed swift and raising them in the moral and social scale. later, when the infamy had been suitably But with men who merely come for a few punished. Other times, however, other ycars to work and to return then to their own country with the products of their first be exhausted to extract satisfaction nanners, The resources of diplomacy will labour, it is as much as can be asked that, from the offender, and then, having cooled while they are treated with justice, they down somewhat, the British Government should not be interfered with in their ways will have to be satisfied with an expression of life more than is necessary to prevent | of regret for a mistake, which could only be their doing harm to those around them.supposed to exist in the mind of the Minis- This danger, however, as before observed, is. ter charged with its invention. reduced to a minimum through the tendency of the Chinese, wherever they are, to keep to themselves. As time goes on their ways will become understood; and there is no reason why they should not be as valuable in developing the South African mines as they were in former times in constructing the Pacific Railway-and this without doing any serious harm to the people around them. Chinese might exercise a pernicious influence It has been suggested that the upon the native population; but this is in the highest degree improbable--indeed it is outside serious consideration. The China- man looks upon black men as so entirely beneath him that it is certain he will have nothing to do with them--and the South African native on his part regards the Chinaman with quite as little respect. The great thing for our friends in South Africa dealing with the Chinese. It is wise policy to avoid is anything like over fussiness in not to raise too niany points or even to pay too much attention to points which they themselves raise, except of course where | they are of manifest practical importance.
(Daily Press, 25th October.) From the account given by a correspondent as to the immigration of the Chinese into the Transvaal, it would appear that the Chinese are settling down there very much upon the lines familiar in other places to which they have emigrated. They are use- ful labourers, but it is impossible to deny that they are often rather troublesome fellow residents. This of course is to be expected -and has to be made the best of in any given case. On the whole, however, it has not in any instance been found impossible to find a modus vivendi, and we have little doubt that this will prove to be the case in South Africa as elsewhere. The mistake that is generally made is that of being a little too fussy as to matters which have to be accepted and made the best of. The mere fact that a Chinaman lives among a European community cannot be expected to change his nature and habits at once- and it is a great mistake to attempt to effect a change in this direction too rapidly. It is somewhat curious to find old problems which have been dealt with more or less
It is reported that a syndicate has been Hongkong and Kowloon, in competition with formed in Hongkong to run ferry boats between
the
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1
lesson to be drawn from it is clear and un- Whatever the issue of the incident, the
deniable. Russia is engaged in a deadly struggle with an antagonist she originally despised, but now finds far too strong for her raw levies and unskilled officers to tackle, and feeling that the loss of prestige involved in confessing defeat and making peace would be too great for her pride to national honour in order by any means to endure, she is very willing to sacrifice her drag into the war her confiding ally. This is not the first effort of the kind made by Russia, and the fact cannot fail to have been observed by the French Government. Indeed it is not too much to believe that the rendition of the Malacca was only brought about by the refusal of the French evidently refused to be drawn into a con- to recognise. its legitimacy, as they had
issue the justice of which they could not flict in which they had no interest, and an accept. This later attempt to involve them in a disastrous war should give President LOUBET cause for consideration. France hus, it is true, concluded an alliance with Russia for political reasons, foremost of which is the desire to maintain the status quo in Europe. But that alliance, valuable to have proved-to Frauca, may be pur- have proved or may be thought chased at too dear a cost. A Power hike
as it
nray
Star Ferry Company, which has proved such a lucrative concern. The boats. if possible, will run from the Douglas Wharf to Blackhead's Pier. We understand that so far no ship-France would naturally be loth to repudi- building firm in the Colony has received orders ate an alliance when her ally was in rather sore straits; but nothing can justify Russia
to construct the boats.