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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
FRENCH COLONIAL ADMINI
TRATION
often unfounded, some-
blesome Tonkinese able both. a suicidal The imposition perennum was perhap
reare
know that this tax, like the tax is not to be regarde easily collected, which meet any deficit, in an branch in which a reduction
25 18975
ince
taken place—namely, the pretty plainly to another good securing the market fo if they do not suit local result is only a loss of revenue corresponding advantage.* It pity the Indo-Chinese officials will recognise these facts and, by a more liberal fiscal policy, endeavour to attract the trade that they are now forcing into channels. Of what use will be the I Railway and the attempts now bein to build up a frontier trade with K and Yunnan, if both are to bear abortive by excessive. in transit ?. Our French Parently always hankering territory and new markets more to the purpose if they steadily to work to develop those already
handed over to Mr. LowDER to inspect out of Court It is difficult to account for that proceeding, but the least
If the English people were really intelligent need no light from a brilliant in- tellect to understand that it was not justifi- unfriendly to and as jealous of the expan-able bo able. Mr. TROUP spoke of its being a mission of French colonies as some rabid understanding, which it probably was, but Anglophobe French journals insist is the as a misunderstanding which the Con- case, they would hail with delight the sular officials ought to have been especially mistakes made in Indo-China instead of is already a considerables
that must be employed Bu careful to avoid. The manner of the with regretting the blindness that dictates them, “drawal of the charge also showed little The British Press would moreover cease to to make up the deficit in
Indo-Chinese Colonial Co We must assume that criticise these mistakes, and calmly leave magnanimity when Mr. TROUP issued the warrant on their Gallic neighbours to flounder as they tax to 813, they certainly Sunday he was convinced that the urgency might in the difficulties of their own error in judgment." The Chin "of the case required it, and it is equally creation. Probably the French Press will arms against the increase, fair to assume that Mr. LOWDER felt retort, "Save, oh save us from the candid much on account of its
because they have no security no “ certain of the truth of the accusation he friend,” and intimate that they have
not be augmented next made. But when the case had collapsed faith in the sincerity of Anglo-Saxon
Whether that is their missently to 820, and, possibly ' and after Miss JACOB had been subjected criticism.
It would reassur "to intense mental strain and had suffered fortune and our fault niay be questioned: $50 tax
the physical indignity of imprisonment, Perhaps we are also only too ready in it is matter for surprise that neither our turn to question the bona fides of "Mr. LowDER, who laid the charge, advice offered to us by foreign critics. “nor Mr. TROUP who issued the warrant, Doubtless our conceit is equal to their But however that may be, we "had a single merciful word to say, not a vanity.
kindly expression of feeling to utter to confidently assert there is not on the British "the girl who had been charged with side the rancour or the persistent deter- "murder and accused of being unchaste, mination to attribute bad motives that so "and yet against whom no evidence was commonly distinguishes and pervades "forthcoming." After alluding to the nearly all French criticism or comment other action. reasons that may have weighed with on British political or
our insular prejudices, Mr. LOWDER our contemporary pro- We have ceeds:-"In any case Mr. TROUP was in no such predicament and he might well "have spoken a word or two of sympathy with one who had undergone so terrible an ordeal, though it is only right to add that as Consul he has performed a very thoughtful act in granting the certificate "a copy of which we have published." It must have occurred to Mr. TROUP on re- flection that Miss JACOB had not been fairly treated in court either by himself or Mr. LOWDER. His own sympathy seemed to be entirely with the latter, who if he was placed in an unpleasant position had only himself to thank for it, while to Miss JACOB, a victim of injustice, he had not a word of sympathy to express. On the other hand, although Mr. LowDER had mentioned that Miss JACOB might bring an action for mali- cious prosecution, and although there had been rumours that she intended to do so, Mr. TROUP went out of his way to prejudge any possible action of that kind by making a quite uncalled for declaration that he was satisfied that Mr. LOWDER at the time he made the charge was convinced of its truth. He thought it right and proper to give a certificate of character to Mr. LOWDER, who was very well able to protect himself, and who was in the wrong, while Miss JACOB, the sufferer by that wrong, was allowed
the court without any declaration being made in her favour. Mr. TROUP'safter thought of issuing a certificate, whether it originated with himself or was suggested to him, was certainly a fortunate one and to some extent made amends for ness of the proceedings in regard to the character case, however, and to the irregularities mentioned in the from the Japan » Gazette quoted the parties more immediately respon
congratulated on the fact that place in Yokohama instead for if England had been the proceedings in the of popular indir
court
to
leave
Ziled
2
I a formal apo
in their hands.
SUPREME COURT
22nd February
IN CRIMINAL Sessions. (BEFORE HIS HONOUR T. SERCOMBE SMITH, PUISNE JUDGE.)
a
NOT GUILTY.
Wong Kung was charged sum of $100 by means of menaces on January.
and they are times unreasonable, and not seldom ludi- crous. Occasionally we distrust and appre- hend sinister motives where none exist, but, humanum est errare, and while the world lasts this will be the case. What we do not and do is to be ever on the watch to carp
perfidious France! cavil, and exclaim « Nor have we the desire attributed to us to greedily devour the universe. On the contrary, the British Government have fre- quently declined to increase their responsi- bilities, and have on many occasions been driven to annexations by sheer force of circumstances. This truth will be admitted and shown by any veracious historian of the British Empire. Live and let live is a motto Great Britain has always acted upon. She has not acquired markets for her own sole ad- vantage; she has ever been willing to afford to the traders of other countries the facilities given to British subjects, and made them wel- come to her colonies. This liberal policy has not so far given cause for regret. The bene- fits conferred have in many cases brought a return, indirect in some cases, but still often substantial, and this policy will not lightly be reversed or abandoned. Our French neighbours have seen British Colonies thrive, | and, not being deficient in acuteness, ought to have profited by our experience. But though French merchants and traders have recognised the wisdom of our liberal tariffa and the encouragement given to traders of other nationalities, French officials appear incapable of grasping the broad fact that heavy tariffs must restrict trade and arrest the growth of a country or port. After witnessing what British free trade has done for the Straits Settlements and Hongkong, the French Government has nevertheless done its best to destroy trade in Indo-China by tariffs selfishly designed to preserve the market for French goods, but which haye- only had the effect of checking the growth | rent of the colony and restricting the revenue to bag such an extent as to necessitate large votes from the French exchequer. As if this would fiscal error were not sufficient to hand ossessed of resource cap country since that ought to easily render it
not
Mr. J. J. Francis, Q.C. (instructed Wilkinson), appeared on behalf of tion; Mr. E. Robinson (instructed Johnson, Stokes and Master) defence.
pear
The following jurors were Messrs. C F Grossman, H Joseph, and J. A. de Carvalho, Rees, J. G. dos Tomedios, C. Geo
The Court overruled, an prisoner, who wished to Englishmen and not by sidents.
The
was
risoner
some self-supporting but even remunerative, ob Mr. Government are now bent on, harassing the
mese residents to an extent that threatens oerridge
like
lander
Anding
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