5
they would also, of course, have had to pay the expenses
of bringing the men, about fifty in number, out from
England.
These guards are being employed solely to protect
ships, crews, passengers and cargoes against pirates, and for
no other purpose. There is no justification for
describing them as "tools of British Imperialism
against the rising Chinese aspirations" or as
"new armies for oppressing the Chinese", for, in fact,
these guards are actually protecting the lives and
property of Chinese nationals who form the bulk of the
passengers carried in the ships concerned.
I might add that the China Weekly Review" ' ន
description of the "North China Daily News" as the
"official British newspaper" is incorrect except in
so far as it is used for the occasional publication
of official notices.