disposition of His Excellency and of the interest that he
takes in the welfare of the people.
432
Now HongKong has been a British Colony for nearly
sixty years, and has been governed in succession by no less
than ten Governors. His Excellency Sir Henry Blake, however,
stands out alone in copularity among the Chinese. Why? The
Chinese customs and their ideas are different from those of
foreign nations, and it is impossible to fuse the one in the
other. Not all of the preceding Governors lacked the virtue of
being king rulers, out not troubling to acquaint themselves
with the ways of the Chinese, they brought European methods to
bear upon them. It is for this reason that the Chinese did not
mach appreciate their government. With the present Governor it
is quite different. His Excellency looks personally into each
affair and does not consider it undignified to ask questions of
inferiors with a view to finding out the private grievances of
the people which are therefore as plain to him as an object
before the light. His decisions may have drawn criticisms from
Europeans; but they have been greeted. with joy among the
Chinese, who, gladly communicating one with the other, will
not fail to to peland him for his loving kindness. Europeans
who are acquainted with the general state of affairs and whc
regard things in the same light as His Excellency have been
delighted with his government. To his kindness, nobleness and
clear-sightedness are due the expressions of gratitude every-
where.
And now when His Excellency is about to leave, the
Chinese Community has presented him with an address. It is
specially at the point of saying farewell when men feel more
than