54
conversation, and on my return I reported it and all that had transpired to the Consul-General, who agreed that he would get into immediate touch with Mr. Wu.
During my long tour through the City
and on the voyage up and down I took careful note of
the conditions prevailing. The city seemed to me to be
in a very prosperous state. There was a large number
of ships in the harbour, the shops were bright and
prosperous looking and they and the streets generally
were far cleaner than they had been on the occasion of
my last visit some three years ago. I have little doubt that the Canton Authorities are right in their
frank statement that, although the inconvenience was
at first very great and is still not inconsiderable,
Canton is learning to do without Hongkong. Hongkong is
undoubtedly losing trades which it will find it very
hard to regain, although, when normal conditions are
restored, Hongkong is bound to have its full share
in Canton's prosperity and given peace in the Province, t
the trade of both places should expand enormously.
Mr. Sung informs me that in the last few months the
revenue has automatically increased from $1,200,000
to over $4,000,000 merely because the people have
been at peace, nd it continues to grow. I saw a number
of soldiers drilling in very good formation at the parade ground at the foot of the White Cloud Mountains, and I was informed that all troops were now outside the City. The strikers' pickets wear neat dark blue uniforms with leather belts. As regards the members of th
the Council, I feel that they are quite sincere in their
desire for a settlement, with the exception perhaps
of Mr. Wong Ching-wai, who, I imagine, is at heart irreconcilably anti-foreign. Mr. Wu wishes to
settle, but he is doing his utmost to get the
settlement in the form of a defeat and surrender of
Hongkong
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.