156
CORBESPONDENCE.
[We do not hold ourselves responsible for the
opinions expressed by our correspondents.]
THE CURRENCY MEETING.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS,'
11
Hongkong, 21st February, 1953. SIB,-In your leading article on the currency meeting in to-day's issue, in attempting to account for the discrepancy between the show of hands and the numbers of the cards voted against the resolution, you fall into an error in apparently supposing that one person hd three
THE HỎNGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
·
hampion Stakes until the Cosmopolitan Stakes, had been run. On the Friday I saw his stable man at my business chambers and hearing that Mr. Master was going to ride one of his own, told him as I thought the field wou'd be a large one and that there would be a diffenlty in getting a jockey, I did not intend to run Legacy in the Cosmopolitan Etakes. I was unable to go to the curse in the early morning of Saturday and was engaged on important busi.
ness during the whole of the forenoon, so could not make any enquiries as to like'y_runners, Had I been able to attend to racing affairs and known that the field was likely to be a small one. I should probably have run the mare, for as I learned, when too late, I should have been
11
man whom I would gladly have put up. As "Old Oar seems to imagine that I am in leading strings, it is perhaps advisable to state that this letter is not written at Mr. Master's
quest or suggestion.—Yours, etc..
¿February 28, 1803.
in England would be equally inclined to shout up voluntee. ing in any shape or from—even Boxer volunteering. This was his great misjudgment (due, I think, to his having long ago lost touch with the West); and, had very, serious consequetices, because instead of is turning out that the British public were influenced in favour of the Chinese "volunteers." it turned out that they regarled Sir Robeit Hart as a pro-Boxer, and he has not only been so regarded ever since, but has become, hope. lessly identified with the anti-foreign party in Chita
3. Having taken this unfortunate step and being landed in this unfortunate situation, Bir Robert Hart's only way out of the mire was
threw himself heart and soul into the Chinese cause, even going so far as to make such absurd. suggestions as the abolition of extraterritoriality in a country whose officials do not even-treat their own nationals with justice (I could give innumerable instances), and talking about the "privilege" of trade, and using other phrases which are not thus used by civilised powers.
or four votes. The companies managed by able to avail myself of the services of a gentle to plunge right through it, and he accordingly firms were represented by the chief executive officer, unless I am mistakes. This is the con- dition under which they joined the Chamber, as I ought to know, having been instrumental in inducing most of them to become members. Moreover, those local companies having a large stike in the Colony should be represented in the Chamber, and if their representa- tive for the time being does not roics the opinions of the majority of the shareholders it is a matter to be regretted, but I do not see 'how it is to be avoided. Yours, sto.,'
R. CHATTERTON WILCOX.
RACING IN HONGKONG.
TO THE EDITOR of the "DAILY PRE88."
T. MORGAN PHILLIPS.
"THE CLOUD ON THE HORIZON."
TO THE EDITOR OF THR
"DAILY PRESS.
Hongkong, 25th February. SIR,-One or two points in your leader on my letter under the above heading seem to require comment in order to avoid misunder standing. Passing over the facts that Sir Robert Hart's statement that in fifty years Boxers would "threaten the world's iutare (sic) might legitimately be taken as suggesting "Chauvinistic ideas of univer al conquest," and that anyone who has been shut up within the walls of Pek.ng for a third of a century need not necessarily "know so much of China," it seems necessary to explain that when I wrote that Sir Robert Hart applauded the "Boxer volunteers" to "save his daily bread," I did not intend to imply that the Inspector-General would have starved had matters turned out as he feared they would do, but that bis craft would be in danger, since it can scarcely be doubled that either the partition of China or the establishment of free trade one or other of which might as likely as not have been the result of the Chinese anti-foreign uprising of 19-would involve the abolition of the Customs service over which he presides. Your contention that Sir Robert Hart "wrote in a tone of warning to the Western powers, not of encouragement to China," seems to me to be disproved by contemplation of the whole mater from the beginning. Having paid careful attention to this amongst other cases of assist- ance being rendered to the Chinese by foreign. ers, either perennially or as occasion required, and the dire results both to China and foreign ers often accruing therefrom, and having had exceptional opportunities of forming what I feel sure is a correct view of the matter, I think that the following will be found to be the true history of the particular instance which was given, as an example, in my first Ompax letter:-
*1
Hongkong, 24th February. SIE,-Your sporting contributor Ompax" hit the right nail on the head when he stated that in his opinion the accumulation of horses in the leading stable acted prejudicially to the interest in several events. Ompax asks why the Stewards of the Jockey Club give no indication of the nature of the April Meeting. The fact of the matter is that water-racing received such a severe blow at the recent meeting that owners have nearly all disposed of their animals for Manila, or polo, and the general opinion, freely expressed, is that Mr Master, the man who at Jockey Club meetings talks so glibly about “sport” and “inducements being offered to owners to keep ponjes over,' has, by his action on several occasions at the past Meeting in sending out two ponies both good enough to win, thus securing first and second money, done more to kill sport in Hongkong than he is probably aware of. His action in bringing out two of his own ponies on the Off-Day for the Cosmopolitan Stakes, while keeping Legacy in the stable, bears only one construction in the minds of real sportsmen, and instead of any interest in the April Mesting there appears to be a desire on the part of owners to have no share in what would probably result in walks-over. Owners of one or two animals who race for mere sport or amusement, and who cannot give it very serious attention, know that they cannot hold their own against a private training establishment, and the recent uninteresting events refers to will have done mo e to persuade 1. The exultant tone of Si Robert Hart's racing men to revert to the China pony than first telegram stating that the Lgations all Mr. Master's eloquence in favour of the have been ordered to leave Peking within 24 waler can convince them to the contrary.bours" (in contrast to the despairing tone of Yours, etc.,
his "situation desperate" of a few days later), indicated that he thought he would be allowed to remain in Peking, and it seems only natural that he contemplated without aversion the prospect of occupying the proud position of mediator in the restoration of the status quo ante bellum. Instead of that, however, he had to flee for his life to the protection of the British Legation.
OLD OAR.
TO THE EDITOR_OF THE "DAILY PRESS."
Hongkong, 25th February. SIB, In the interests of sport and good fellowship I much regret to see in your issue of to-day a very spiteful anonymous letter signed "Old Oar," which reads to me as the outpouring of a deeply disappointed mind. I also regret that I have to write publicly upon private matters, and am only constrained to do so by a sense of plain duty. It is stated that Mr. Master kept Legacy in the stable instead of running her in the Cosmopolitan Stakes, the apparent imputation being that he sacrificed her chances to those of his own animals. I must presume that “Old Our” knows that I and not Mr. Master am her owner. Mr. Master has never exere sed the slightest control over the running of the animal, which was left entirely to me.” The facts as to her not runming in the Cosmopolitan Stakes are as follows: I did not discuss the matter with Mr. Master, in fact I did not see him to speak to from the time of the race for the Waler
|
|
|
The whole matter is after all but another in- stance added to many of Sir Robert Hart's inability to prophecy correctly. The important part of it, however, is not what one man thought or did, but the general question of the assistance of various kinds, sometimes lifelong, sometimes merely temporary, but no less potent, given to a nation like the Chinese without any guarantee that the strength thus obtained will not be em- ployed in violating the sanctum sanct rum of internationallaw to the danger of foreigners liv- ing in China, the burdening of China with heary iudềmnilies, the dislocation of trade, and the general retarding of civilisation. Chinese apologists of the type of Sir Robert Hart have to get over the awkward fact that a nation which, unlike the Japanese, has remained in a state of slumbering inactivity for many centuries, cannot be suddenly placed on the same level with those who have been occupying those centuries in doing the useful work of the world-either by writing to the magazines or in any other way.
All pro
2
It was to call attention to this aspect of the matter that I wrote my first letter, and I am glad to see that you consider it a point " which means be passed over in must by no consideration of the very difficult problems which remain to be solved before Chinese relations with the rest of the world can assume a ratisfactory form.
Pres are of work has provented me from sending this letter sooner.-Yours, &o,
ANTI-HUMBUG.
HONGKONG AND WHAMPOA
DOCK CO., LD.
THE PROVIDENT FUND SCHEME I-XFEATED. The ordinary yearly meeting of the Hong. kong and Whampoa Dock Co., Ld., was held on the 23rd inst. in the offices of the Company, Queen's Buildings. Mr. D. E. Brown (chairman) presided and there were also present Mr. N. A. Biebs, Hon. C W. Dickson, Messrs. C. Michelau and E. Goels, Sir C. P. Chater, C.M.G., Messrs. G. H. Lewis, G. A. Medburst (direc- fors). W. B. Dizon (chief manager), G. A. V. Apcer, A. Caldwell (seerɑtary), _A. K E. Arculli, H. F. Carmichael, Chan Shek Ku, J. 4. Chinoy, Chow Hing Ki, Chau Sin Ki, W. E. Clarks, C. 8. Coy, W. A. O. Cruick- shank, W. Danby, W. H. Davis, Albert Denison, H. M. S. H. Esmail, R:M. Ezekiel, E. Esra, Fok Yiu Shek, Fong Tax Chit, J. A. 2. Three months later, when civilisation_bad Fredericks. C. W. Georg, H Georg, A. R. pr. ved victorious over savag.ry, Sir Robert Gubbay, David Haskell, Hau Chuck Tin, E. A. Hart, fearing that so heinous and unprece- Hewett, E. H. Hinds, Ho Fook, Ho Kom Tong, dented a crime as that just committed by the Ho Sha Wing, Henry Humphreys, W. M: Chinese Government could not but meet with Humphreys, E. 8 Joseph, Kwok Fui Choe, the punishment it deserv.d, involving perhaps Lam Kin Fan, J. J. Leiria, Leung Kam Hung, the partition of China as a result either Leung Tit Shan, Li Cheong Pang, Li Of Ting, of the agreement or disagreement of the Li Bai Sang, Lễ Yik Bun, Ling Ki, Lo Cheung Powers, set about doing what he could Ip. Lo Cheung Shin, I. P. Madar, Ji Bel to persuade the world in general that China's|| M`H. Michael, 8. H, Michael, B., Jải
should be " condoned." Volunt. Mitchell, A. G. Morris, E.-J-1 offence teering being at the time very popular in Parians, Pon A. Ching - Pun England, he called the Boxers "volunteers," | C. W. Richards, A. Riteatie, Chy thinking that this description of them would-| B. W. Enitor, E. A. Bagwin, agreeing as it did with whit just then happened B. Unsworth," W to be “the thing "—meet with approbation, and Wong Tso, Wong "U Tem, that people who were shouting up volunteering "Yiu Ka.
|
**
++
$300
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.