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general belief among the Chinese that interpreters have
great power to influence the course of justice. We think this
power has been exaggerated, but interpreters have certainly
known how to take advantage of popular opinion. In the Supreme
Court, where lawyer's clerks with a knowledge of Chinese
are almost always in attendance, the possibility of a mis-
carriage of justice by such means is reduced to a minimum:
but even there, it is a constant practice to offer presents
to the interpreters. The only advantage European interpre-
ters have over Chinese is in their probity. But this
claimed
advantage cannot be stated by all Europeans. It is a
matter of notoriety that Inspectors of Police, Inspectors
in the Sanitary Department and Overseers
sers Public Works
have been in the habit of taking bribes. No benefit
therefore to the Public Service is obtained by engaging
as interpreters Europeans belonging to this class:
and this is a serious objection to the present system of
obtaining student-interpreters. Each interpreter costs the
Bovernment two thousand dollars, whilst a more efficient
Chinese interpreter could be obtained at less expense. We
are