March 16, 1901.1
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
THE POLICE FORCE IN 1900.
(Daily Press, 12th March.)
215
the pupils before they quit school. The num-
class of men can be attracted and induced ber of private schools giving an English
to stay, is distinctly encouraging. education, without Government inspection
were vague and not altogether unfoun or a grant, fluctuates, but there were in 1899
The Annual Report of the Captain Super-rumours, during the year that has just seven properly called schools. The great intendent of Police, the Hon. F. H. elapsed, of dissatisfaction among the men object of those attending these schools, says MAY, C.M.G., containing, as it invariably of all three nationalities in respect of pay the report, seems to be to get a smattering does, valuable tabulated criminal statistics and allowances. The root-causes of th of English to enable them to find employ for the year, is one of those public docu- | discontent have, however, beet mainly," ment as shroffs, clerks, compositors, etc. ments that will richly repay intelligent not wholly, remov. d. This statement As educational establishments proper they perusal. That for the year 1900 was pub- supported by inférences deducible from por- lished in Saturday's Government Gazette. tions of paragraphs twenty and twenty-one are hardly to be classed.
The total of cases reported to the Police of Mr. MAY's exhaustive Report. The Authorities shows an increase of 850, or conduct of the Indian and Chinese con- 9:42 per cent. over those of the previous tingents was not as
as satisfactory as it might year. This may, in part, be accounted for have been. Reports against men i
the more complete control which had first-named class having practically doubled, been established over the New Territory with an average of nearly two per indi during the year under notice; but it is vidual. Drunkenness, disorderly conduct, undoubtedly more largely attributable to neglect of duty, gossipping and idling, all of the continued rampant lawlessness prevail which are serious breaches of discipline, As the Captain Superintendent – himself remarks, this is "far from satisfactory." The behaviour of the lukongs is "
the whole satisfactory;
though the reports against them have increased nearly 50 per cent., while nine hundred and fifty reports against four hundred and ten men works out well over two per man.
in the
The line between primary and educa- tion, as Sir HENRY BLAKE remarks, is still more difficult to draw in Hongkong than in England, where the distinction is by no means clearly marked. Here no one institution pretends to give secondary educa- tion only. Queen's College, the Diocesan School, St. Joseph's College, and Victori English School, all preparing candidates for the Senior Oxford Local Examinations, ing in the different prefectures of Kwang- | were the gravest of their indiscretions.
give a secondary education to a limited ex- tent; but in all the great majority of the boys receive only a prima y education. Queen's College has a staff qualified to give the higher education, but (says the report) the time is not yet ripe for it to be turned into a secondary education institution only, Education commences with the ABC" and goes up to the Senior Oxford Local standard. The Belilios Public School also sends up pupils for the Oxford Locals, in- cluding the senior division. As we have seen, the Kowloon day-school also may ulti- mately send up pupils for the Senior Oxford Local and similar examinations. But this list exhausts the facilities for an English education beyond the primary stage. It will readily be seen, therefore, how well founded is the agitation which aims at securing for the Colony & school which will offer to the children of European parents resident here the opportunity of a sound education fitting them for the duties of life. It is in the fact that such an education cannot be obtained in the mixed schools with which Hongkong is well provided rather than in the actual objection to the mixing of different races that the strength of the appeal for a school for European children lies. That objection is in itself not to be lightly regarded, as there can be no doubt that it is felt by a large number of parents. The two reasons combined make up a case, the justice of which cannot be disputed. It is satisfactory to think that steps are now being taken for the adequate presentation of this case to the Government. Government support must ultimately in some form be given to such a school as is asked for. It is impossible to imagine that Hongkong will continue inde- finitely to lag behind the rest of the Euro- pean settlements in the East. We hope to see the existing state of affairs changed as soon as possible. To secure this result it is necessary in the first place that European parents should be firmly resolved to back up with all their strength the appeal when once it is put in a concrete form.
Singapore was officially declared infected with plague on the 27th ult, two fatal cases having cocurr d on the 25th. The Straits Times says:It is rather an unpleasant fact that the first official Proclaination issued by Sir Frank Swettenham, as Acting Governor, should be one announcing that the Settlement of Singapore is an infected ares”-in other words, that this is a plague-striken town. However, the cases seem few and scattered at present; and, provided proper measures be taken for the suppression of the pest, there need be litile fear of an epidemic.
But the
suggestion to secure the services of Captain Winter from the military authorities, to help gency, is thoroughly sound, as are the corollary proposals suggesting the immediate increase of the disinfecting and other subordinate staffs. -
the very able civil medical staff in case of emer.
44
THE NICARAGUA CANAL.
.
on
on
tung Province that touch our own posses- sious--a condition that will last as long as the present chaotic state of affairs exists in the North particularly, and throughout the whole eighteen Provinces of the Middle Kingdon generally. It is disquieting to learn that in nine only of the thirty-one reported gang robberies were arrests effected. But us twenty of the total number of this extremely grave form of crime occurred in the New Territory, it is highly probable that easy escape over the frontier rather
(Daily Press, 14th March.) than an inefficient detective staff is at the
The rejection by Great Britain of the bottom of the matter. Gambling is regret- tably on the increase, and that in spite of United States Senate's amendment to the unwonted vigilance on the part of the Euro- HAY-PAUNCEFOTE treaty, by which that pean section of the Detective Staff. Lot- treaty was to be "abrogated" or "super" teries and other forms of gambling are seded" (the latter word was supposed to be known to be run on strict business lines by less offensive to British susceptibilities), can wealthy syndicates. It is these carefully hardly be regarded in the light of a surprise. organised bodies which give greatest trouble, There was a certain fear that our Govern- and offer the most stubborn resistance ment might invite a continuation of that to the efforts of the Police to break them policy on the part of the States to which up. From the revelations made some Mr. SHEWAN feelingly alluded at the annual years ago in the Bribery Scandals in meeting of the Chamber of Commerce o connection with the local Constabulary, Monday last, but indications have been freely it is easy to understand how powerful, given in the home papers that to yield to widespread, and insidious is the baneful the Jingoism of the United States upper influence that such pernicious combina-house in this matter would rouse a storm of tions wield, and how distressingly d fficult indignation. The policy of compliance it is to successfully cope with them. with all the demands which the Washing- Quinquennial returns for 1891-5 an 1896. ton Government may be persuaded by 1900 clearly show, due allowance having the momentary exigencies of party rule been made for increased population, tat to adopt appears at length to have wearied although the total number of arrests for the home public. No change in our ami. serious offences as detailed under nine beads cable feelings toward the United States is has slightly diminished, yet the number of po.tended by this, but it has at last been arrests made for murder, for robbery with realised that American regard for us has violence from the person, for burglaries and been by no means heightened by the anxiety our Government has shown to do everything larcenies from dwellings, all catalogued as serious offences, has latterly more than it has been asked to do. It is true that in doubled in each instance. It is a notorions the Venezuela affair the reward of our com- fuct that for quite a number of years prior plaisance was greater than it is wont to be, to 1899 the strength of the force under Mr. for by the arbitrators' award we got in MAY's command had been much lower than some instances more than we claimed. This It will give consider however, has not been the rule, and the it should have been.
our yielding disposition able satisfaction to note that itwas materially usual result of o added to during the past year; although, has been to stir up the anti-British in It is looking at the wide areas of land and water the United States to flout us, that have to be patrolled and protected, and likely that the news of the rejection the immense value of the interests involved, the Senate's amendment will create re it has not yet reached what may be fittingly small outcry among these people, and no termed the standard of safety if it is to meet doubt they will urge on President the multitudinous duties that daily and MCKINLEY to adopt a threatening a'titude. hourly devolve upon it. The total number With a mixture of false logic and und of enlistments for the year, European, guised animus they have already been Indian, and Chinese, was two hundred and porting the action of the Senate for the twelve; from this must be deducted wastage few months. We should prefer to to the number of one hundred and forty that President McKINLEY will mal seven caused by death, sickness, resignation, against the extreme Jingoes, but dismissal or desertion. There was thus a tunately no confidence is inspired nett addition for the year of sixty-five men; wavering policy in the past, and the inost gratifying feature about this him on occasions to employ toward Great is that thirty-three, or the bigger half, were Britain language not in accordance with Europeans. This is progress in the right diplomatic usages, while he has been assailed direction; and, provided that the proper · by the anti-British section as an Anglophil.
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