July 14, 1906. |
CORRESPONDENCE.
SOME HONGKONG NUISANCES.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
The two policemen who take shelter in the door way and chatter in the miscalled silent watches of the night"; and the house-boy next door who will “jodel while we are trying to prepare a thesis-these and others will be remembered; but in the meantime let the authorities devote special attention to those mentioned by "N.O.", and to the coolies who push the morning mail-cart.—En]
THE HARBOUR ABLAZE.
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29
The
spouting, hustling get-rich-quick men. Filipino, still largely influenced by hereditary fondness for the "sweet-do-nothing", may well feel that he has stepped from the fire into the frying-pan. Mt. Foraman very fairly appreci ates what both nations have done for the Filipino. All is not plain sailing for the democratic ideal, however. The "doctrine of equality of races misunderstood; and ex. aggerated, is a theory which (the [[Filipino] proletariat has interpreted by a self-assertion hitherto unknown, and a gradual relinquishment of that courteous deference towards the white Residents of East Point witnessed quite an
man formerly observable by every European. unusual sight on July 12th, when a
This democratic. doctrine, suddenly launched siderable expanse of water in the harbour
This phenomenon upon the masses, is changing their character. was covered by flame.
The polite and submissive nativo of yore is occurred through waste oil which is supposed to
developing into an ill-bred, up-to-date, wrang- have been drained from the oil tanks of the Dutch Petroleum Works into the harbour.ling politician", with the only-to-be-expected feasing task while the others enjoy their laugh. The crews of a number of junks and gampang result that democratic America has to use in the vicinity were burning grass off the Spanish coercion to inculcate its ideals. Even
SIR,—“ Heigh! 'Sha! HEIGH! 'SHA!" No one has ever perambulated the Hongkong level, even for a few yards only, without being annoyed by this raucous crescendo. It is not only irritable or nervous people who suffer: Job himself would be tempted to throw his potsherds at the rascals who, with malicious satisfaction, continne the chorns until the victim makes some demonstration. It usually happens that one has to "run the gauntlet," the coolies at one end of the line taking up the
Those just outside this Club are as bad as any, hat although many members complain, none seem to think there can be a remedy.
Could not the authorities here treat the ricsba coolies as cabby is treated in London
Let the first on the Forbid him to tout. stard be the first to be taken. Forbid this hailing of pedestrians, and provide a summary punishment for offenders.
Another nuisance is encountered anywhere
between the Club and the Post Office in the
evenings, when every few steps one is annoyed by a dirty gamin thrusting an evening news- paper under one's nose. There is no getting away from these human mosquitos; and they and the ricsha coolies together make one feel like the housemaid in Pickwick", remarked, Arter all, there's nothing like sleep", and took an eggcup-full of laudanum.
who
In this case the good sense of the newspaper proprietors should abolish the nuisance, for I cannot believe that such methods increase their sales.
Then there are the steam launch whistles, of which there appear to be hundreds on the harbour, the mildest note of which is modelled on the cry of a maniac mother robbed of her imaginary baby; while others make one think of Gargantua as a schoolboy, experi- menting with a mammoth slate-pencil on a Brobdingnagian alate. Now permit me to say, sir, after a long sea experience, that there is no need whatever (no purposes of navigation) for most of this hullabaloo. I am not speaking of foggy weather, of course. In the finest of weather the Chinese coxswain is like the barnyard fowl. One hen cackles the rest join in one launch whistles, all the others within hearing hasten to provide a sort of Greek chorus
It is worth noting that men-o-war launches moving in the harbour very, very seldom blow their whistles, and if they can run without accident, why cannot privately-owned launches do the same? Severe treatment of Chinese Coxswains caught needlessly adding to the pandemoniac chorus is the only suggestion I have to offer here; but let it be severe !
Faithfully yours,
N. O.
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bottoms of their vessels, and some hot asbes falling into the water, the oil instantly ignited. To escape the vessels in the vicinity bad to “ anchor and get under weigh with all possible speed. One sam pan was burnt, and another con. siderably damaged, while Gordon's Wharf was saved from destruction by the prompt appearance of the Fire Brigade from No 2 Police Station. The blaze was of short duration, but the damage might have been considerable had it not been for the concerted action of the Chinese on the spot who rendered excellent service in fighting the flames. The fire was first witnessed at the Bay View Police Station, from which a telephone message was despatched to No. 2 Station. The brigade were soon in attendance, but with the exception of the wharf the fire had burnt itself out on their arrival.
H. & S. BANK DIVIDEND.
We are officially authorised to state that sub- ject to audit the directors of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation will recom mend at the fortbooming meeting a dividend of £1 15s. per share, add to the reserve fund $750,000, and carry forward about $1,700,000.
REVIEW.
"Foreman's
The Philippine Islands, by JOHN FOREMAN, F.R.G S. Shanghai, Hongkong, Singapore and Yokohama: Kelly and Walsh, Ltd. 3rd ed. To attempt now to praise Philippines", as this book is now popularly called, would indeed be to paint the lily. The appearance of a third edition is in itself an indication of the general verdict, and it will be sufficient to say, from a reviewer's point of view, that this edition shows signs of having been most carefully brought up to date. In addition to careful revision throughout, all the facts of public interest and importance that remained to add have been included.
For the benefit of those unfamiliar with the work, however, we may repeat that there is Hongkong Club, July 7th.
scarcely any branch of knowledge relating to Our esteemed correspondent has by no means the Philippines to which they will fail to find exhausted the catalogue of nuisances. Perhaps adequate reference somewhere within these six the anthorities will be properly impressed and hundred pages. Politics, geography, ethno. spurred to action if somebody reminds them of graphy, sociology, commerce, botany, history, the savant's postulate that "a man's intellectual exploring reminiscences, these and other matters
an reviewed, by author status is in an inverse ratio to his toleration of are faithfully
as informing as noise"
We do not altogether accept it our.singularly capable. It is
and 89 interesting 88 an encyclopædia selves, having noted that even congregations of
the Pickwick Papers. There is something intellectuals find in the making of noise a natural expression of their noblest feelings, very fascinating in the way he tells of the old Kings and princes enjoy salvoes of artillery. Spanish, Chinese, and British invaders, who salvationists are uplifted by the cornet and the went among bloodthirsty and valiant people, drum, and that anmusical concerto, "For be's not with scientific weapons of precision, but a jolly good fellow", is often sung by le isla. sword in hand, man to man, blade against blade. tors and judges. But the intellectual status and performed so prodigiously. Those were the of the Chinese coxswain is not in question, days when he might keep who had the power, can sympathise with N.O.'s plea and he might take who could. The Spaniards for a boiling oil treatment, Really, all had not been established five years in Manila unnecessary noises should be combatted with before they begged permission of their King to the earnestness of the Sanitary Board as applied conquer China. And yet it was not so very tą plague germs. In this connection, we would long ago; and the hints that Mr. Foreman ask if the post-office coolies could not be per- gives of monastic dominance and priestly doings sunded to whfeel in the early morning mails vividly recall the earlier days and ways of without their customary “capstan-shanty". It which Rabelais, Boccaccio, and others have left is pleasant to see labour tackled with cheerful records. What a change now for the Filipinos, ness, but for the weary night-worker to hear it their masters no longer pions, superstitious, at six a.m; is another thing. There are others. throat-cutting cavaliers, but
and we
taxes
to do good to others, it seems still nebessary to use force. The embryo angels have to pay for their sprouting wings. Others than the Americans have to learn that born "it is quite impossible for a race and living in the Tropics to adopt the characteristics and thought of a Temperate Zone people". The principles of liberty are not appreciated by all Europeans; they certainly do not appeal to Asiatics, "according to whose instinct every man dominates
is
dominated by, another”.
over, or
Few things could bring us into closer touch with our Chinese friends than chapter IV., which
folds the history of Li-ma-hong, the Chinese Drake or Frobisher. Quite fascinating is the story of his attempt to capture Manila, but we have qualms with regard to his policy of staying aboard while he sent men to fight ashore. Still the fighting Spaniards counted him a notable foe.
Mr. Foreman is excellent on the psychology of the native, and lack of space alone is in the way of free quotations. The same con- sideration enables us to resist the temp- tation to argue with him on his suggestion that Asiatics are insensible to what we call the
beauties of nature (p 173). His book is one that should be acquired and kept for frequent reference; it is unlikely that any purchaser will regret the outlay. It may be mentioned that, although the introduction is dated September, 1905, the author has included matters relating to the islands that bring the history well into 1906, even the transfer of Mr. Luke E. Wright to Tokyo as the first ambassador being noted.
BRITISH SHIPPING TO JAPAN.
AN EASY FIRST
One of those coloured diagrams with which the Japanese 80 skilfully illustrate their statistics appears in the Monthly Report of the Yokohama (Japanese) Chamber of Commerce. It shows in a startling manner the fluctuation of foreign and native tonnage employed in the last five years. In 191 British ships were delivering about 105 million yen worth of Japanese bottoms delivered goods, while
German ships The value of
about fifteen millions less. carried thirty-five millions. goods taken away was respectively eighty, ninety-two, and forty-seven millions. In 1903 British imported nearly 135 millions, while 110 millions. Japanese bottoms delivered Exports were, British ninety millions and Japanese 117 millions German figures were about the same as in 1901. In 1904, naturally, the Japanese tonnage dropped to insignificance. British bottoms brought goods value nearly 220 millions, and took away in exchange 155 millions. German imports and exports stood nearly level at fifty-five millions. In 1905 the figures, expressed in millions of yen, are remarkable.
They are: Imports—Japanese twenty. British 310, American forty. French thirteen, German 67, and Norwegian 22 millions. Exports respectively are put down at 45, 130, 45, 15, 40, and 3) milliots.
According to a Peking despatch, dated June 23rd, influential French financiers intend visiting China shortly for the purpose of moral-maxim-establishing banks at Peking and Tiantain.