10 BRITONS V. GERMANS IN CHINA
persons as one of the blunders of the war, it is absurd to imagine that our enemies. could have been permitted to continue trading in the heart of our naval, military and commercial strongholds in the Far East. Events have proved that Germans are not to be trusted to the slightest extent. One of the first glaring instances of this nature was
discovered as soon as the liquidations commenced. From the date of the declaration of war, the Government of Hongkong naturally and rightly imposed on enemy subjects certain restrictions in regard to financial obligations and pay- ments. To these the various German firms agreed, but it was found that the restric- tions had been treated as so many "scraps of paper," and the most flagrant abuse had been made of our leniency and toleration. Until the commencement of the liquidations the Government had scrupulously treated all enemy subjects as "enemy friends,"
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BRITONS V. GERMANS IN CHINA ii
and a most lenient policy had been framed in order to permit our continue their trade.
enemy friends" to However, as in other
places, our friendship has only been mis- construed into a sign of weakness, and, needless to say, mean advantage taken of our leniency. Can anyone imagine that Germany would for one instant have suffer-
ed
enemy subjects to trade, and make mischief amongst natives in one of her most important naval and military strong- holds? It is as clear as daylight that had our "enemy friends" been allowed to re- main in Hongkong at large, there would have been a mutiny which would, by its seriousness and far-reaching consequences, have completely put the mutiny at Singa-
pore
in the shade.
The firms representing German industry which have "raised Hongkong to its position of eminence" have never been more than
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