128
by the crowd, who also drank up their vic- tim's blood. One of the eyes was gouged out. And these people are supposed to be semi-civiliser!! The worst savages in Africa could not furnish proof of more appalling depravity and barbarity.
an
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
tion
on his work.
[February 18, 1879.
always be found ready to give due atten- construction
on the resolution the tion to complaints and wherever possible public may possibly have some diffic to remove the cause. In this conneculty in understanding why the children we would bespeak for the new of irregular unions should be selected by Postmaster-General the assistance of public charity for educational advantages the public by making complaints to him that can be enjoyed by only a limited pro- direct, either verbally or by letter, when portion of the children of lawful wedlock. there is anything to complain about, for it There are, for instance, the children of the is by this means that the cause of the com- police, of the Naval Yard employés, and of plaints is most likely to be ascertained and many other small-salaried Europeans, for rectified; and Commander Hastings, being a whom no one thinks of providing any educn- man of sense, will naturally welcome reason- tion superior to that obtainable at the able complaints, as they will afford him in- Belilios Public School for Girls, which, it formation enabling him the better to carry may be remarked, is a sound and serviceable education. Why should a higher education- be provided for girls whose only claim to it is that their fathers and mothers were not married? We do not overlook the fact that the children of married parents will not be excluded and that others than Eurasians will be admitted, but the raison d'être of the school is to provide for the children of irregular unions and it is on behalf of that class that an appeal is to be made to the public. We admit the duty of making provision for the education of such children, but it seems to us that it would be more in accordance with the circumstances of the case to give them simply a sound elementary education and a training that would fit them for domestic service or other useful occupations rather than to aim at giving them an education comprising all the accomplishments usually included in the curriculum of high grade schools for girls in England.
The remains after much trouble were at length delivered up by the officials, but in a manner which showed their utter indiffer ence. The body was placed in a beggar coffin without a lid, unattended, and deposi- ted on the beach in view of the rabble, who jeered at it without any attempt by the au- thorities to repress such exhibition of ill feeling. But the poor remains were eloquent witness against them, and their Assuming that the vacancy in the Post condition will not fail to excite the indigna- Office had to be filled from amongst the tion of all Christendom against the horrible members of the local service the colony is to brutality of the Chinese people, and the be congratulated on Captain HASTINGS's ap- shameless indifference of their officials. Ispointment, but it would have been more in this a Government that we as a civilised the public interest, we think, had a trained Power can feel justified in bolstering up? man from St. Martins-le-Grand been ap This is a question that Lord SALISBURY and pointed. Commander Hastings has to learn his colleagues may usefully ask themselves. the work without the advantage of learning It may be doubted whether the missionaries it in an office already well organised. And, are wise or even justified in attempting we hear, he is not even to have the advan to carry on their work in places far tage of a trained assistant. It will be re- removed from the coast, where foreign membered that a few months ago General flags fly, and the utility of courting so BLACK, then administering the Govern- painful a martyrdom for the doubtful ment, suggested to the Colonial Office that the chance of making a very few converts may appointment of Assistant Postmaster Gen- also be questioned But if the Chinese Go-eral, now vacant, should be filled from the verninent permit of the residence of foreign London Post Office. It is reported that missionaries in the interior of China, they instead of complying with this request the are bound to protect both their lives and Colonial Office has taken the opportunity of their property. It is notorious that, if the exercising its right of patronage by promot- moh become stirred by the geutry to anti-ing a gentleman from another colony who foreign action, the officials often look on has had no special training beyond serving passively or silently acquiesce in the crusade for a time in a small coloni il Post Office. There against the unlucky foreigners. What was no need to send outside the colony for a sympathy can any civilised nation feel for man of th t description, as the appointment so inhuman a people, what desire can they could equally well have been filled locally. have to support them against the encroach- The gentleman selected may possibly prove ment of any civilised State. Russia may be admirably adapted for the post, but lacking guilty of niany shortcomings in administra- special training for it he cannot primâ facie tion, but under the rule of the Czar such be considered duly qualified. What was atrocities as the one above related would wanted Was a thoroughly trained man. never be tolerated. Under such conditions, The unofficial members of Council and the indeed," Better fifty years of (any art of) Chamber of Commerce might with good reason 'Europe than a cycle of Cathay." Let make strong representations, through the us hope that there will be no more talk of Government, to the Colonial Office on the bulstering up China. Let the Empire as advisability of giving effect to General at present administered crumble to pieces. BLACK's recommendation. There is no health in it, and the sooner the fact is recognised the better. China's salva- tion must come from without, and it will be the result of diplomacy, or of persuasion, or of missions, or of political or commercial intercourse. It will only come out of a drastic reform of the administration, the
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THE PROPOSED SCHOOL AND ORPHANAge for gIRLS,
(Daily Press, 14th February). The proposal to establish a Church of England day and boarding school for girls, abolition of the mandarin as he is.
chiefly Eurasians, will no doubt command public support on general principles, but THE POST OFFICE AND THE NEW the scheme as put forward at the meeting
POSTMASTER GENERAL.
held at St. Paul's Calle ge on Thursday last seems to call for some modification. The (Daily Press, 16th February.) school is principally designed, as we under The Post Office yesterday passed under the stand, to provide for the children of irre- charge of Commander HASTINGS, who has gular unions between European men and been appointed to the office of Postmaster-Chinese females. Such children, not enjoy. General. If any of our local officials is ing the advantages of wholesome home in- capable of bringing the department into fluences, are fit objects for the solicitude of order Commander HASTINGS is the man. the charitably disposed. No one would wish He has had experience in many appoint- to visit the indiscretions of the father on ments, has proved himself capable in all, the children, and it is, moveover, the duty and being a man of phenomenal energy he of every community, either through the will no doubt be able to cope with the machinery of the state or by private effort, duties of the Post Office with that attention to see that every child, no matter what its to detail that is essential to the successful origin, is provided with a sound elementary working of the department. It is not to be education. But the education proposed to expected that complaints will entirely cease, be given in the Church of England School for under the best regulated administration for Girls is to be a "liberal" education, and Occasion for complaints will arise, as it from the speeches made at the meeting it does occasionally in connection with the would appear that the word "liberal" as elaborately organised postal administration used in the resolution is intended to carry of the United Kingdom, but Commander its usual meaning, namely, that of a HASTINGS, we venture to predict, will 'high class education. Placing that
THE FIGHTING AT MANILA.
FULL DETAILS.
.
HOW THE.COLLISION WAS
BROUGHT ABOUT.
AGUINALDO'S FLAG OF TRUCE REJECTED.
NARRATIVES OF EYE-WITNESSES:
Hongkong, 13th February. After waiting for almost a week, the tele- grams received in the city being of the most meagre description, we are now in possession of full details of the circumstances attending the breaking out of hostilities between the Ameri. cans and Filipinos at Manila. There is now no reason to doubt that the Filipinos, with or without the knowledge of Aguinaldo, were primarily responsible for the collision, and whatever may be said to the contrary there is every reason to believe that it was premeditated. this time assured, but that their position on The safety of the Europeans in Manila is by Saturday, 4th inst., was a precarious one is now only too apparent. The Filipinos rigorously excluded the Americans, whether civilians or otherwise, from crossing their lines. No such restrictions were, however, placed upon them, with the result that Filipino officers wanderett freely about the streets of Manila and were thus able to make any arrangements they rising. pleased with the natives in preparation for been found to have been distributed in every Arms, ammunition, and bolos · have
direction.
The story of the outbreak is told by the Manila Times of Monday, Feb. fith, as follows o'clock, 40 or 50 rebel soldiers tried to occupy
· On Saturday evening, shortly before eight
regiment outposts at Santa Mesa, as they have a position within the lines of the South Dakota tried on several previous evenings. They prob ably believed that, at the worst, their attempt would only lead to explanations and palaverings, as before, and perhaps they might trespass on the Americans' forbearance so as to gain some advantage in position.
privates of the South Dakotas, who ordered "They encountered a corporal and five them back. Instead of retiring the rebels ras
forward as if to cut off the Americans from their camp and expture them, as occurred in
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