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 offensively 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 Hong-kong 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 cause 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.
COMMENTS UPON HIS EXCELLENCY'S REPLY.
(1) The careful reader will observe that Sir Richard finds the major part of the objections of the six protesters quite unanswerable. This inability to reply
15
is partially veiled by the use of sarcasm, by accusations that the Missionaries "lazily acquiesce" in this vice of the Chinese, by a charge of "offensiveness and discourtesy."
(2) This latter charge is brought against letters published in the local newspapers by Messrs. Morris and Turner; which letters the other four gentlemen did not see until after their publication. The two gentlemen certainly complained in strong, even vehement language, little likely to be pleasing to Sir Richard, of the immorality of this scheme; of the reproach brought thereby on our country, and our religion; and of the government's making a secret of its intention. These charges are all substantially embodied in the above joint protest.
(3) It will be noticed that Sir Richard does not attempt to reply to objections 3, 4 and 5; and that objection 2 he in effect admits.
(4) No imputation of sordid motives has been made. Not the motives, but the acts of the government have been criticized. The facts are these: There is an acknowledged deficit of $120,000 in the revenue. To supply this the Stamp Ordinance was passed, which ordinance the Governor could put in force at any moment if he pleased. He prefers to hold this in abeyance, and to supply the necessities of the colonial treasury by a sum (say $250,000) derived from gambling house licenses.
(5) A great part of the Governor's letter is devoted to an attempted refutation of the charge of introducing this measure in an underhand and un-English way.
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NDE
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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 othe case is at least founded on information as accurate and extensive as yours-though it may not be so offensively 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 bas 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 Inzy acquiescence in the same více under more revolting and dangerous conditions.
19. Argument would be useless with those who can see no differ- ence between the special and exceptional circumstances of Hong- kong 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 cause 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 ex- pected, by giving them un 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.
COMMENTS UPON HIS EXCELLENCY'S REPLY. (1) The careful reader will observe that Sir Richard finds the major part of the objections of the six pro- testants quite unanswerable. This inability to reply
15
is partially veiled by the use of sarcasin, by accusa- tions that the Missionaries "lazily acquiesce" in this vice of the Chinose, by a charge of "offensiveness and discourtesy."
(2) This latter charge is brought against letters published in the local newspapers by Messrs. Morris and Turner; which letters the other four gentlemen did not see untill after their publication. The two gentlemen certainly complained in strong even reho. ment language, little likely to be pleasing to Sir Ri- chard, of the immorality of this scheme; of the re- proach brought thereby on our country, and our re- ligion; and of the government's making a secret of its intention. These charges are all substantially embodied in the above joint protest.
(3) It will be noticed that Sir Richard does not attempt to reply to objections S, 4 and 5; and that objection 2 he in effect admits.
(4) No imputation of sordid motives has been made. Not the motives, bat the acts of the government have been criticized. The facts are these: There is an acknowledged deficit of $120,000 in the revenue. To supply this the Stamp Ordinance was passed, which ordinanco the Governor could put in force at any moment if he pleased. He prefers to hold this in abeyance, and to supply the necessities of the colonial treasury by a sum (say $250,000) derived from gam- bling house licenses.
(5) A great part of the Governor's letter is devo- ted to an attempted refutation of the charge of intro- ducing this measure in an underhand and un-English The failure of this attempt is evident enough. Sir Richard contends that the order and cleanliness Ordinance was publicly introduced last year. But the complaint is that this Ordinance contains nothing
way.
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