April 21, 1906.]
was wanted was a strong expression of public opinion to move the Government, and so the end in view could only be achieved by the voice of the people acting on the Government.' The same view was expressed by Mr. Michie, who said that if no impulse were given to the Government there would be no policy.'
Sir Richard Rennie went further and asked whether we did not exaggerate our influence with the Foreign Office, and he gave his opinion that the policy of lying low had been singularly unproductive that we nursed ourselves in our own concait of having relations and influenc with the Foreign Office, but we got no further.'"' If the members of the Association in Hongkong consider the point judicially, without prejudice, I think they will be forced to admit the truth of the remarks of these greybeards. I know there is a constant fear amongst some of the leading members of the Association in the Colony of anything "getting into the papers." I respect the scruples of these good people, but I could never agree with them. The strongest possible force in England to-day is "public opinion," and I do not know that Hongkong differs from England in this respect. If any reforms are to be accomplished in our policy in China, it must come, as sir Edward Ackroyd said, through the influence of public opinion operating upon the Government. A healthy public opinion can be best created by means of the public press, and unless advantage is taken of the excellent Press at Hongkong and Shang. hai, as well as in London, the efforts of public and semi-public bodies will never be effectual in influencing the Government when reforms are urgent.
MACAO.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
OFFICIAL VISIT.
April 19th.
H. E. Vice Admiral Moore paid us a visit last week, having come over in H.M.8. Alacrity, which, owing to the shallowness of our harbour, had to remain outside the bar, and saluted the port, the Monte Fort replying. Admiral Moore came into the harbour on board H.M.S. Moorhen and landed at 11 o'clock, and paid an official call on H. E. Senhor Montenegro. He was received by the usual salute on landing. H. E. the Governor returned the call on board the Moorhen.
A SEVERE GALE.
This city was visited by a severe gale at about 1 p.m. on Tuesday last, accom- panied by thunder and torrential rains. A big matshed which was erected in front of the joss-house at Barra for theatrical purposes was blown down and many people were injured and some killed. Fortunately the accident happened when the performance was stopped and the matsbed was not full.
THE HARBOUR POLICE,
This body of men is getting to be a nuisance. During the heavy rains of the last few days passengers landing from steamers are not allowed to open their umbrellas, and chairs and rioshas are not allowed to ba
on
as
the wharf, the people are practically forced by these men to get a drenching
THE ELECTRIC LIGHT.
We are still without this illuminant, although every preparation seems to have been made for its start. Complaints are, however, rife of the damage done by the company to the walls of private buildings when fixing the iron brackets.
A MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE.
your
More than a month ago a woman of Colony called Roza mysteriously disappeared from the Civil Hospital here where she was an inmate. She was placed in the hospital by a gentleman from your Colony, as she was men- tally unbalanced. One day she bid the nurse good-bye, and said that she was going to throw herself into the sea. The nurse did not attach any importance to this, but since then the women has never been seen or heard of. She has, I understand, a son who is believed to be in Manila,
The destroyer Beihumni was at Port Arthur on the 11th inst. This is the first Russian vessel to visit the port since the declaration of
pos.co.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
THE MAN IN THE STREET.
The Singapore Free Press "Topicist" has convictions, and expresses them picturesquely. We quote:--
$4
291
MR. R. W. MANSFIELD, CM.G.
FAREWELL DINNER AT AMOY. An interesting evening was passed at Amoy on April Oth, when a party of his friends invit- This is the kind of blithering and pestife-ed Mr. Mansfield, who is leaving Amoy after his rous nonsense which England is hearing with second term of office there on promotion to the rapture, at present, as heralding the dawn of a
post of Consul General at Canton, to meet them new golden age. It is from a speech of Mr. at a farewell dinner to be given to him in the Amoy Will Crooks, M.P., at East Ham. "The man trained in the university of the streets of London, dioner.
Club. Some thirty-five gentlemen sat down to Mr. Bowra, Commissioner of Customs, the man who knows where the shoe pinches and who was in the chair, in proposing the health where there are no shoes at all, bas more of Mr. Mansfield, mentioned the appreciation in practical knowledge of what is required by the which his services were held by the community. people than the man who has been to the other
A genial, tictful Consul, always ready to listen universities." That the man trained in the
to people and do what he could for them, on Street-University of London (including its pleasant tarms with his colleagues, a good many bars) knows the pinch of want (not sportsman and a strong supporter of the Race unconnected with the bars, and frequent Club, a kind and hospitable host-Mr. Mans- lack of the necessary two-pence) better than field's departure created a void which could not he has also more practical knowledge of what aoiversity men, we freely admit. That easily be filled. Mr. Mansfield, in reply, said be is desired by the people (requirements and
was quite overcome by the feeling displayed at desires differ slightly), we acknowledge,
his leaving the place. In all the ports in which he has picked up a miscellaneous assortment of than Amoy, where he had had exceptionally That he had served, he left none with a greater regret empirical knowledge, that his knowledge of pleasant relations with his consular colleagues London is "extensive and peculiar " like Mr. and the whole community. Mr. Kruse, on be- and dodges beyond the reach of the poor uni-pressed speech, said they, too, regretted the Weller's, and that he is a past master in shifts half of the German community, in a well ex- yersity man, we shall graciously allow. But he departure of Mr. Mansfield, who had been is in blank and total ignorance of the fact that courteous and friendly not only to his own the world has existed for uacounted centuries, nationals, but to all others. and that human society is not a growth of
He does not yesterday.
know the University of streets and taverns has means of telling him-that the problems of to-day are much older than his own he has no idea how men of different races and periods grappled honestly and sincerely with these problems, experimented in a thousand ways with them, and remained baffled still. Ho is unaware of the best that has been said aud done in the past. He enjoys, in the streets and pubs of London, a life that has been made rich by the thought and the pains, not of the working-classes, but of the thinkers and the inventors of the past: but he does not realise that. He has no idea of the reign of law, he is hopelessly astray in his conceptions of humanity. he has debarred himself from acquaintance with human thought and history, by neglecting the opportunities of the age, and feeding what he calls his mind on Reynolds's Newspaper Lloyd's News, the Clarion, et hoc genus omne. Last and
¡ most damning of all he has escaped - what no conscientious university student ever escaped the consciousness of his own abysmal ignorauce. Why does the University man seem to the Labour-talker so inept? Because be sees the many sidedness of a question which has only
no
age:
one side--that a s-lfish one—'o the ignoramus
Mr Uyeno, Consul for Japan, Dr. Merz, Consul for Germany. Dr. Lupton, U.S. Vice- Consul, and many other gentlemen of nationa- lity other than British, were among the hosts at the banquet, which all pronounced to have been a success, and a well-deserved compliment o Mr. Mausfield.
NATIONAL BANK OF CHINA.
The fifteenth ordinary annual meeting of the shareholders in the National Bank of China, limited, was held at the Bank's premises on presided, and there also present-Messrs G. C. April 14th, Mr. J. Scott Harston (director)
J. E. Joseph, Chau chinkee, Young Pak. Moxon (director), J. R. Michael, R. Harding, Lung, E. D. Haskell, E. D. Howard, Ellis Kadoorie, J. F. Wright, E. 9. Kadoorie, P. Loureire, and others.
The notice convening the meeting having been read,
The CHAIRMAN said--Gentlemen,-I have to submit the report and accounts for last year, which, with your permissiou, I will take as read. The net profits of the Bank for the and in pursuance of the policy set forth in the period under review amount to 8186,019.04,
Chairman's speech at the general meeting held on the 18th March last year, your directors recommend that no lividend be paid, but that reached w
rengthened until they have Wath this object in view, it is proposed to may be considered a safe figure place to capital reserve fund the sum of
our
reserves
who has graduated in the streets of London The University of Parliament, however will put them through a course of instruction, wholesome and beneficial, which will enlighten, und ceive, and possibly enrage them. They will discover-we are willing to bet our bottom doilar on it-that Humanity, East or West, is not to be hustled. It will take its own time,12,731.20, which, at 18 8d. to the dollar, brings and Nature's; and the attempts of ignorant
our capital and capital reserve together to the Labour to hasten it will only retard its convenient figure of £215.000 and to reserve progress."
fand $90,088.80, bringing that fund up to $150,000. The board consider it advisable to carry forward a substantial sum in view of the fact that certain securities held by the Bank have not yet been realised. Owing to the expressed wish of a large majority of share- holders, a call of £1 per share has been made, such call to be payable on 2nd July next, in order to provide us with additional paid up capital. I do not think there is anything I can usefully add, but before proposing the adoption of the report and accounts, I will be glad to answer any questions in my power.
THE IMPORT OF SACCHARINE.
GOVERNMENT'S NEW PROTECTIVE MEASURE,
The consumption of saccharine is steadily increasing in Japan and the Government has raised the cus oms duty on the article from Y2.50 to Y60.00 per kin or catty with a view to checking its importation, as it is considered injurious to health.
It is stated that, there being yet six months before the new tariff comes into force, two
prominent foreign arms in Kobe have under- taken to import saccharine to the amount of fifty or sixty thousand pounds each, which will be received before the tariff is increased. Sugar refiners maintain that if this is allowed, the object of the Government in checking importa- tion will not be gained and further that the sugar-refining industry will be seriously affected. Mr. Fajiki, of the Japan Sugar Refining Tokyo on Saturday with a view to urging the Company of Osaka, is reported to have left for Government to take action to prevent the importation of large quantities of the article in anticipation of the new tariff.
No questions were asked, and the report and accounts were adopted on the motion of the CHAIRMAN, seconded by Mr. J. F. WRIGHT.
The re-election of Messrs. Lowe and Bingham as auditors was carried on the motion of Mr.
HASKELL, seconded by Mr. JOSEPH.
On the motion of Mr. HARDING, soconded by Mr. HASKELL, the R. Hou. C. B. Start Wortley, K.C., M. P., was elected to the London committee.
Mr. C. Ewens was elected to the Hongkong board on the motion of Mr. ELLIS KADOORIK, seconded by Mr. J. F. WRIGHT,
This was all the business.