5
which you advocate. He would do so if he saw his way to such a result, without "adding a cent to the Public Treasury.
12. He cannot however make the Chinese aid in putting down illegal Gambling otherwise than by rendering it essentially their interest to do so, nor can this be effected unless they have a large interest at stake with which illegal operations would interfere. The larger that interest, the greater and more effective must be their co-operation with the Government, and the more stringent the power of the latter to enforce obedience to its Regulations, because that co-operation and obedience must be proportioned to the sums invested, and risked by want of co-operation and by disobedience.
13. Nevertheless, when the amount paid is sufficient for the above purpose, a point that can only be settled by experience, it is not desirable to increase it for mere purposes of Revenue, and for that reason His Excellency has refused offers exceeding the amount accepted by more than $100,000. He will even be glad to find hereafter that a less sum than that now tendered will enable the Government to attain the principal legitimate objects sought, as above stated.
14. In this small Colony, situated within a mile of the mainland, there has been between the latter and this Island an interchange to and fro of 200,000 persons in the last Six Months, and His Excellency despairs of producing a moral impression against Gaming on a community formed of such changing elements, and the individuals composing which are in the aggregate notoriously addicted to Gaming.
15. He prefers addressing himself to the practical question of protecting property by suppressing meetings of illegal Gamblers and retrieving the efficiency of the now corrupted Police. He does not believe that vice ceases to exist when he shuts his eyes and refuses to see it—and if that, which is a sin of deeper dye, is, from the necessity of the case, submitted to regulated sanction with the approval of the wise and good in England, for the prevention of disease, His Excellency cannot admit the distinction without a difference, which would forbid his endeavouring, with a view to the suppression of crime, to control that which was not illegal by English Common Law, and is not denounced as a sin by the Sacred Law.
16. He believes that under the new policy there will be more Gaming, but by removal of its illegality, the consequences will be far less pernicious to individuals or the Public than its present more limited practice. His opinion on the probabilities of the case is at least founded on information as accurate and extensive as yours—though it may not be so effusively or discourteously expressed as in some of your recent publications.
17. One system has been tried and failed. Therefore another is now about to be tried. Should it also fail the Governor has reserved complete powers to terminate the experiment at a moment's notice.
18. Finally, His Excellency desires me to add that he does not believe there is any individual amongst you so reluctant personally, as he is himself, to introduce a system, the object of which it is so easy for irresponsible declaimers to misrepresent in general appeals to morality, for which there will ever be a ready audience, too indulgent, to suspect that the morality advocated is but a lazy acquiescence in the same vice under more revolting and dangerous conditions.
19. Argument would be useless with those who can see no difference between the special and exceptional circumstances of Hongkong and Heligoland. What might be an unjustifiable Policy in England, or in a Colony inhabited by a European race with an efficient Police, may be, in the case of order and general security, an absolute necessity in a small Community of 2,000 Foreigners amongst 130,000 Chinese, whose co-operation in the suppression of illegal Gambling, the source of so much crime, can only be expected, by giving them an interest in limiting its practice to a few fixed places under Government surveillance.
I have the honor to be,
Gentlemen,
Your most obedient Servant,
(Signed) CECIL C. SMITH,
Acting Colonial Secretary.
790
5
which you advocate. He would do so if he saw his way to such a result, without "adding a cent to the Public Treasury.
12. He cannot however make, the Chinese aid in putting down illegal Gambling other- wise than by rendering it essentially their interest to do so, nor can this be effected unless they have a large interest at stake with which illegal operations would inter- fere. The larger that interest, the greater and more effective must be their co-opera- tion with the Government, and the more stringent the power of the latter to enforce obedience to its Regulations, because that co-operation and obedience must be pro- portioned to the sums invested, and risked by want of co-operation and by disobedi
ence.
13. Nevertheless, when the amount paid is sufficient for the above purpose, a point that can only be settled by experience, it is not desirable to increase it for mere pur- poses of Revenue, and for that reason His Excellency has refused offers exceeding the | amount accepted by more than $100,000. |; He will even be glad to find hereafter that a less sum than that now tendered will eu- able the Government to attain the principal legitimate objects sought, as above stated.
14. In this small Colony, situated with- in a mile of the mainland, there has been between the latter and this Island au inter- change to and fro of 200,000 persous in the last Six Mouths, and His Excellency des- pairs of producing a moral impression against Gaming on a community formed of such changing elements, and the individu- als composing which are in the aggregate notoriously addicted to Gaming.
(
15. He prefers addressing himself to the practical question of protecting property by suppressing meetings of illegal Gamblers and retrieving the efficiency of the now cor. rupted Police. He does not believe that vice ceases to exist when he shuts his eyes and refuses to see it--and if that, which is a sin of deeper dye, is, from the necessity of the case, submitted to regulated sanction with the approval of the wise and good in England, for the prevention of disease, His Excellency cannot admit the distinction without a difference, which would forbid his | I endeavouring, with a view to the suppres-t sion of crime, to control that which was not illegal by English Common Law, and is not denonuced as a sin by the Sacred Law..
16. He believes that under the new po- licy there will be more Gaming, but by re- moval of its illegality, the consequences will be far less pernicious to individuals or the Public than its present more limited] practice. His opinion on the probabilities of the case is at least founded on informa- tion as accurate and extensive as yours- though it may not be so effensively or dis- courteously expressed as in some of your recent publications.
17. One system has been tried and failed. Therefore another is now about to be tried. Should it also fail the Governor has reserv- ed complete powers to terminate the expe- riment at a moment's notice.
18. Finally, His Excelloney desires me to add that he does not believe there is any individual amongst you so reluctant perso- nally, as he is himself, to introduce a sys- tem, the object of which it is so easy for ir- responsible declaimers to misrepresent in general appeals to morality, for which there will ever be a ready audience, too indulgent, to suspect that the morality advocated is but a lazy acquiescence in the same vice unf der more revolting and dangerous condi tions,
g
t
S
19. Argument would be useless withi those who can see no difference between 1 the special and exceptional circumstances of Hongkong and Heligoland. What might be an unjustifiable Policy in England, or 1 in a Colony inhabited by a European race with an efficient Police, may be, in thos euse of order and general security, an ab- t Bolute necessity in a small Community of 2,000 Foreigners amongst 130,000 Chinese, whose co-operation in the suppression of illegal Gambling, the source of so much crime, can only be expected, by giving thera an interest in limiting its practice to a few fixed places under Government sur- veillance,
I have the honor to be,
Gentlemen,
Your most obedient Servant,
(Signed) CECIL C. SMITH,
Acting Colonial Secretary.
790
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.