October 30, 190%.j
THE CLOCK TOWER AGAIN.
A REJOINDER.
(Contributed).
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
the
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lights and ancient rights. But not even the youngest of us is always right, as Jowett said, and "we-ism" in this case is more than a wee bit wrong.
睿
From the same battery is now also to be heard the vicious snap of a more modern weapon thun the block gun. The logic of the new argument advanced assails every monument and historical relic in xistence. It is this: Because "there are very few residents here to-
of its youth" and because “ "day who saw the Tower in the halcyon days so rapidly does the European population change that men "with even experience of a des de would bulk very small alongside the rest of the European community"; therefore "to the majority of "those now living in the Colony the Tower as
it stands means nothing at 11."
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IC
Here you have the spirit of the vandal with a vengeance! The same argument would lead to the demolition of Wes minster Abbey To the majority of those now living in London the Abbey means nothing at all. It only means any. thing to anybody when thinking about it, and the majority of London residents are too busy to think about it. The same may be said of any architectural relic that cannot be turned to so-called practical use. May I suggest, without impropriety, that not only a majority of thos, who were present at the Great Fire of London, majority. bat all, are dead. They have joined the great used as an argument in favour of removing Yet the fact has so far not been the Monument! But the majority argument the whole world-wide view of these matters. pursue. It inverts
Just because the man of the past are dead do we cherish their works. It is their remembered so powerful. The Roman Empire very helplessness that makes their appeal to ba
is rather far away in time from our contentions, the men who built it up and maintained it through many centuries are 'a long time dead', preserved. For that very reason! And for the but for that very reason the walls of Chester are
sime reason, though of course ever so mildly applied, the Clock Tower should be preserved where it stands. That at least is my view, and the urgency of it is the reason of my patting pen to paper in the original instance, and now for the second time.
is too absurd
regarded by bim as a sort of "extra." to be, indulged in only by unprogressive people and places whose time hangs heavy on hand. It does not seem to have dawned upon him that sentiment is the sustaining force acting in opposition to elemental gravi ation and alone A fitful fire of criticism directed against the making upward progress possible. Unsustained line of my defence of the Clock Tower reveals by it, progress is a mere the enemy still active, though evidently some-
going on," and, where the lie of the I nd is downhill, a mere going what disheartened. A volley or two in response, down. Sentiment gives progres wings. Only just to show that the defenders are on the look with these can it ever soar out, seems justified by the provocation. But drops down to the earth and becomes earthy."
Without them it first it may be as well to endeavour to pick off Sentiment is the soul of man. Without it he the sharpshooters who have exposed themselves. is a mere animal. Without it he will know The first to appear head and shoulders over the hunger and thirst, the sensual pleasures and opposing ridge and to "ease cff," was "Outis." nothing more. Sentiment determines His shot was curiously deflected by a gust course of of inconsistency and
every meritorious human action went low and to from the rising to the sting of the sun. the left.
(Was ·Outis" not a for "Onter"?)
mispriut Instead of being a something that amounts Beginning with a question to nothing, it is the something without which which seemed to indicate contempt everything is nothing. It is the basis of for the whole controversy, he thereupon government; the breath of patriotism; the proceeded to plunge into it. Why all this vital essence of religion; the secret of nobility; pother about the Clock Tower?" he indignantly honesty dorives from it; all the virtues depend demanded to know, addressing the editor of upon it-truth, honour, courtesy, charity, all the Daily Press. What answer the latter have their roots in it; it is the source of chivalry; made has not been revealed, but the true the spirit of love and the soul of war. answer is obvious enough. It may be indicated
It is, in a word, the ruling force'in life. Even to contem. thus: A hits B. B hits back. A fight ensues.plate this gigantic truism as A then wants to know what the row is about.
a questionable matter is irritating, but when a writer in the B naturally says you know best, seeing that public press actually seeks to disparage an you began it.' Those who seek to remove the argument by discovering its roots in sentiment, Tower are solely responsible for the present the necessity for pointing out rather forcibly "pother." Had they kept silent nothing would the dimensions of his enormity unfortunately have been said by those whose only desire is arises. Of course my appeal was based on that it should be left alone in peace and quietness sentiment. There is no question about that: to tell the time and the town's story. " Uutis never could be. But to hold it vain for that proclaims in his opening paragraph that per- reason only is to deny the most obvious truths sonally he has "no use for" the Tower, and in of human existence. The sentiment must be his second that it is not a thing of beauty and shown to be bad, just as his argument may be, inconceivably, therefore, a joy to anyone. He before it stands condemned. The same writer moreover states that he fails to see how informa- failed to tion is to be gleaned from a
see what really sound object your "solid mass of
contributor had in writing." masonry." Readers of
As regards my articles may recollect my object I should have thought it was that its use as a record was only suggested as sufficiently clear. However, I will try to put it applying in the case of a reflective observer. even more plainly. It was to prevent if possible To an observer incapable of reflection it the removal of the Clock Tower. Whether would be of no nse-no more use than that object is sound is the question at issue. I falling apples were before Newton.
"Outis
wrote urging that it was sound. I gave my says he has no use for it. Its sermon could reasons. If "Anti-Sentimental" fails to see only be read by him if printed on a brass them, that is his fault, not mine. plate. That being so the reader who had so far followed his argument would naturally expect to find him advocating destruction, but instead of proceeding to its natural conclusion his argument suddenly recurves in the oddest manner and ends up with a proposal to re-erect. In the small space of half a columa “Oatis executes a complete change of character. In a twinkling, as in a cinematograph, you see him flick through two whole “parts. One minute he appears flourishing the pick and shovel of the destroyer and advancing in a menacing war dance upon the apparently doomed edifice; the next he is seen reformed and disarmed, no longer destroyer but saviour, picking up with gentle solicitude the astonished structure-picking it up bodily in his arms and conveying it with tender care to a new and a better place. In spite of his declaration to the contrary "Outis" --has, after all, a use for it. He would bare it set up on the Praya. Imagine the joy of the poor old thing its very stones crying out in gladness over the unexpected escape from sudden death and disintegration, and and cold of a watery grave!
the damp Friends of the Tower are grateful for this relief, but still hold to the opinion that it will be much more useful as a record where it is. In return for his magnanimity, however, they would, be prepared to accept his suggestion and concede a brass plate for the benefit of those who cannot otherwise read the story which the solid mass of masonry more subtly tells.
The next sharpshooter who exposed himself did so in a clumsy manner.
He quite evidently imagined that he disposed of my appeal for preservation by alleging that it was based upon sentiment. Apologising to the general run of readers for a digression into elementary truths, I am compelled by this oritic to point out that in ail human affairs sentiment is" a rather more important matter than he seems to realise. "Hongkong," according to this authority, "is a progressive colony and, as such, has no "time for sentiment,' It is clear from this astonishing statement that sentiment is
I am sure,
L
So much for the sharpshooters. Now for the batteries masked by the editorial we." nly two have opened fire. One of these was firing blank-blank nonsense. At first I read as aj ke the statement that the Tower was a block to ventilation. I fancied a friend in disguise. But I have been assured that this ground was selected in all seriousness. Ventilation? The whole Praya, west of the South China Morning Post" office, is built up with houses anything up to 200 feet deep and something like 20 feet wide, and the only ventilation is a narrow shaft descending half way through. If the editor is sincerely anxious to promote the there is a fire field here for his powers of persuasion. But to try to persuade anybody that a tower situated at the T made by two wide roads can be in any way unhealthy is, as was said, blank nonsense. If the public has been able to breathe freely in the Queen's Road since 1862 (and the public has never hitherto complained that the Tower actually stuck in its throat) it is hard to believe that it is now in sudden danger of suffocation.
cause of ventilation
to
In conclusion let me sum up the questions raised in this controversy with the correot answers (as they appear to me) appended. it is? None. Does it inconvenience a single What harm does the Tower do, standing where
soul? Not one. Does it seriously obstract the traffic? No. Is it really so very ugly? By And answering these questions thus, there arises naturally the further question,
-Why not let it alone?
no means.
in these matters will let it alone there will be If only those who have power of life and death no more pother" and "Outis " and his friends will have no occasion to complain. I, for one shall be glad to sign a treaty of peace with them on these terms; but only on these terms; only on condition that the sentiment, which "Outis' ays I have wasted, is not wasted, as he says. He is too quick in saying so. It remains to be seen whether the sentiment has or has not been thrown away. If the tower were to be des- troyed in spite of it all, then the waste would have to be admitted. But I hope for better things. I hope to find it-say in twenty years time, when the sands will of this merrily spinning old world of ours be running low, and I make my final tour
to bid it all goodbye-I hope to find the Tower still standing where it is to-day in the quiet corner of a bustling and a thriving and pro-
Ventilation? Wind! Mere sound and fury signifying nothing. No; it does signify some- thing. It signifies the desperate straits to which our friends the destroyers are put. To advance such a reason is to confess no reason. It iudicates argumentative bankruptcy,
The other editorial battery has been pound-gressive town. ing away with its now obsolete gun--the block Yes, in spite of Mr. Anti-Sentimental's fears, gun-obsolete since the transfer of traffic to Dex I have not got into any particular groove Voeux Road. Its shells fall short and don't from where I can only look back. Ï flnd burst. The weapon has been tacitly abandoned myself, I am thankful, quite able to by all others. In fact the case for obstruction look forward seems nów to rest solely on the ipse dixit of that I have no stiff neck, making but one view as well. I rejoice to Bay the young and promising literary lion-or is he possible either way. And looking forward to a griffin?-who roars in so threatening a Hongkong's promising future, I feel the santi- manner from his editorial cave; without, we hope, ment of local patriotism deepened and increased seriously dismaying the Government Youth by contemplation of its past. Not because is thea e of "we-ism," said the late Sir William I am at war with the present--1 am not-or Harcourt. The "China Mail" seems to have indifferent to the future-it belongs to us all- renewed its youth. Anyhow in this argument but because I am also a part of the past, as the it has been displaying some of the charac- past is a part of me, I have a sentiment-yes, teristics of that enviable state; impatience, Mr. Anti-Sentimental, a sentiment of affec cocksureness, dogmatic disregard of ancient tionate regard for all that helps us to reconstruct
!