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concerned, that some one should be present who could corroborate
me if any statement were later imputed to me which I had not
made.
6. Taotai Wei Han acted as interpreter, and it at once
became apparent why His Excellency had desired that the inter-
view should be between himself and myself alone (except for the
interpreter), for after a very brief allusion to the subjach he
had spoken of at lunch, he said he would like to speak with me
as man to man--forgetting for the moment our official positions-
and to wok my advice in certain matters in which he was in dif-
ficulty.
This request arose as a natural sequence to a con-
versation he had held with me when my guest at Government House,
He had then said with great frankness that though China was
attempting to inaugurate Constitutional Government, she had only
theory and book to guide her, and no practical experience.
He had asked me whether I could recommend him any Chinese
Gentlemen in whom I had confidence, and who had lived under
British Administration and could on occasion assist him with
advice. In reply I had said that while I had great confidence
in both the Chinese Members of Council it as probable that I
myself would be better informed than they as to Administrative
problems, and if I could assist him I should at any time be glad to place what experience I might have at his disposal. His present request was for a fulfilment of that promise, and to have insisted on the presence of the Consul would have been to have robbed it of its private nature, and would have been
tantamount to a rebuff.
7.
He then apoke extremely frankly of China's financia difficulties and other Administrative questions wholly uncon- nected with Hongkong and in reply I apoke (inter alia) of possible reforms in Land Taxes and illustrated my meaning by
reference