in' modern days has been founded. The Chinaman, however, sticks to his old forms and is as formal now as he was in the time of the Mings. At the same time, though these exaggerated forms have been retained in their bald integrity, it would be unjust to ignore that the Chinaman has to a great extent seized their real meaning; and that he has learnt to build up upon a somewhat crude foundation habits of courtesy, which, if they may not mean very much, at least make intercourse with him easy and agree able.
COLONIAL INTEREST IN THE CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT.
(Daily Press, 12th January.) The pledge which has been given, upon more occasions than one, by lenders of the Liberal Party in England, to the effect that a change in Government would not affect the foreign policy of Great Britain ought to be reassuring, but at the same time there may be a feeling in some quarters that the promises which have been made may not be adhered to to their full extent. That a new, administration would depart very widely from the lines which have been adopted with so much success in reference to Japan-and indirectly to China-is of course not probable. No very sudden change would be likely to be contemplated, and to all outward appearances we might expect things to go on much as they have been going for, some years past. But there is unfortunately often a vast difference be- tween the declared foreign policy of any given country and the actual policy which it is carrying out. A line of action as enunciated may be quite unexceptionable, but it may be carried out in so half-hearted a manner that the effective result may be precisely the same as if the declared policy of the Government had been the opposite to what it has stated. People in China are very well acquainted with this particular bearing of a foreign policy. If declara tions were all, China would be the most progressive country in the world. She has always been auxious to progress, according to her declarations, but only wanted a little time to take breath; but unfortunately this little time has extended to a very consider able length and she is still in this attitude of getting ready for some great feat, which somewhow or other never comes off. No doubt, it would be going too far to imagine that any responsible officials at home, be they Conservatives or Liberals, would, or let us hope could, te so regardless of their pledges as the Chinese proverbially are. Even in the present day, when political principles are much more lax than they were in former times, a complete departure from a declared line of policy in a matter gravely affecting the prosperity of the Empire would hardly be tolerated by the nation at large. But there is so much in the way of putting things that it is quite possible for a Government to depart from
the
Y upon
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND the sphere of their ordinary thoughts. Thus | by degrees it has become the custom to leave matters of foreign policy largely to the discretion of the Government for the time being; who in consequence obtain in the main a free hand in respect of what in a country like Great Britain is probably the most important department of the public administration
When, therefore, it is a question whether a far-reaching line of foreign policy, such as that between Great Britain and Japan, will be continued by a given administration we desire to feel some confidence that it has their sympathy as well as for the time being their support. It must be gratifying to the Unionist Party that the Liberals found it desirable to declare in face of the prospect of a general election that they were prepared to adhere to the same foreign policy as that which had been followed by the administration they hoped to oust. In an electioneering point of view, tuis might perhaps not be the very best of tactics to adopt. Indeed, people inclined to be sar- donic might regard it as rather giving one- self away to declare: "You need not be afraid that we shall not be quite as good 'as the administration we wish to put out, as we intend to borrow from them the particu- lar thing for which they deserve most credit, namely, their foreign policy". Ill- natured persons might perhaps consider this to be something like giving themselves away, at least on this particular point. If there had not been some reason for the public suspecting the contrary, such a declaration was hardly likely to have been made. The truth, however, cannot be blinked that there was such reason, and the leaders of the Liberal Party were only too conscious of it. That reason is that the traditions of the party have always been against anything in the form of vigour or decision in regard not only to foreign but also in regard to Colonial affairs. They have become too much identified with the school that regards expansion abroad with dislike and unieasonable apprehension, so that it is not surprising that some of the Liberal leaders, should, on the eve of an election, have thought it necessary to declare that they intended to amend their ways in the future. The question, however, which must exercise thoughtful men is: will they be able to carry this out for any length of time, even if at the present moment they are honestly desirous of doing so? It is with this question that those interested in the Far East are most intimately concerned. With respect to the broad lines of the policy that has been adopted, too much has been settled to be undone in a hurry. The renewed convention with Japan must stand in the way of any serious deviation from the policy adopted in regard to that country; but still, as time goes on, there may be room to fear that it may not be pursued with all the persistency and vigour that are necessary to make it fully effective. It is to be hoped that the pressure of circum-
Governments in the past and the degree to which they have shown themselves willing at given moments to yield unduly abroad for the sake of maintaining popularity
[January 13, 1906,
HONGKONG JOTTINGS.
9th January.
A suggestion was made to me a little while ago which is worth ventilating. It seems strange to the newcomer that the domestics of our households are, with the exception of the amah, exclusively male, yet in a Chinese house- Europe, the domestics are all of the other sex. hold, as in the middle-class households
Why could not Chinese girls and women fill the places in European houses in the Colony Dow exclusively occupied by males P: I suppose the custom of having "boys" for domestic work grew out of the military practice which first obtained in the island. Boy taught boy the man cook taught his "lara-pidgin," and the girl has never had a chance to learn, duties in a European house. or at any rate to practice. the household
The boys would take care to keep it a close perserve. The Chinese women would probably make excellent house servants if they were trained. Why should there not be some sort of a training school for Chinese girls?
The suggestion I have been asked to ventilats is that as the Government annually contributes to the funds of the local orphanages and has assisted them substantially by granting them leases of Crown land at nominal rents, the Orphanages should be required as a quid pro tio service in European houses as cooks and quo to train a certain number of girls for domes- housemaids or general servants. I suppose the Orphanages would claim that they do this to a certain extent already, but the idea is one capable of much fuller development, and I hope the suggestion will be considered in the proper quarter. It might do much to solve the hear so much, and it would be an excellent servant problem" about which we periodically thing on the whole for the girls themselves. The principal training the girls receive in the Orphaunges is needlework, and excellent work they do, as the ladies of the community
well know. At the annual sales the work
专属
fetches faucy prices, but when these girls go out into the labour-market and do this needlework for a living their story far too often fits the tale related in Tom Hood's famous Song of the Shirt." Domestic service in European houses in Japan was formerly a
"boys'
preserve. but now in many houses girls only are employed, in the kitchen as well as for the duties discharged at home by the house and parlour maids. If the Chinese women were properly trained to similar work, without all that sub-division of labour which is so rexations and expensive in households run on moderate incomes, it would be a welcome innovation. I should much like to see this question discussed.
I notice that the P W. D. if still experi- menting with woodpaving. Considering the cost of maintenance-$100,000 a year, irrespec- tive of establishment charges-it cannot be said that the condition of the public thoroughfares of the Colony proclaims that we many of the roads is in a deplorable condition. get good value for the money. The surface of Seeing that there is no heavy vehicular traffio on them, the roads seem to wear very badly, and judging by what I have s en of wood-paving in Hongkong, I fancy that a large extension of this paving in the Colony would prove in the
During the last year or two there have been two additions to the list of holidays observed by the Banks in Hongkong, namely Empire Day and Regatta Day. Altogether we have now eleven public holidays on the list. At Shang- hai I see they have 21. It is interesting to
a given line of policy in reality without its stances will render such a contingency / long run both economical and far more satis. becoming known till too late that they impossible; but at the same time it is one factory than the present method.
done so; and this is more especially which cannot fail to be apprehended by have, do with regard to matters of foreign be Liberal policy. which the nation at large is, as rule, extraordinarily ill-informed. Things, it is true, are not quite so bad as in the days when MACAULAY said that a man being knock ed down in Whitechapel caused more excite- ment than a war in a province in India; but the truth underlying the witty illustra tion remains still the same. Foreign matters, unless pressed upon the public attention by a, war or some other very great occurrence, are looked upon by ya very great section of the home public as something quite outside
at home.
Manila was agitated on Jan. 4th by a rumour that available American troops were to be despatched hastily to China, because tremendous outbreak against foreigners" was expected. The number available was 12,000 fully equipped.
compare them.:
Easter
HONGKONG."- New Year........ 1 day China New Year... I
2 days Whit Monday...... 1 day Empire Day let Monday in
Angust King's Birthday.
SHANGHAI. New Year
2 days China Now Year. 5 Easter.
1 day Whit Monday.
Chinese Drago
Festival
Summer Holidays
(July 2nd & 3rd) 2
2 days