Page
h0 1903,
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
Humbug *. insinuate į pell-mell havoc
emesis who Hart simply
of spontaneity
"A friend exaggerates a man's virtues; an enemy, his crimes. To eliminate the possibility of any misconception on this score let it be averred that as we do not charge him with any crimes so we do not propose to array him in immaculate robes woven on the golden loom of all the virtues. It may be there is no reason to consider him any better or any worse than the average man of iutelligence of bis day --s:metimes right, somet`mes wrong. Perhaps it would be better to give critics of the type of "Anti-Humbug" the short answer once given by the Dey of Algiers,My friend, do not you know that my subjects are a band of robbers, and that I am their captain."—Yours, etc..
HUMBUG.
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peana, and all Chinees” amahs actually in charge o this does not commend then the place
should be properk Yours, &c.,
1.
176
DECENCY AND ORDER
HONGKONG FIRE INSURANCE
CO" LD;" ***r v
The 34th ordinary annual meeting of this Company was held at the offices of the general managers, Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co., Pedder's Street, on the 2nd inst. The Hon. C. W. Dickson (chairman) presided, the others present being Sir C: P. Chater, C.M.G., and Mesars. J. H. Lewis, A. J. Raymond, F. Maitland (directors); B.C. Wilcox, J.R. Michael, W. E. Clarke, W. Parlane, G. O. Anderson, T. Arnold, G. L. Tomlin, K. MoK. Ross, B. J. Michael, A. G. Morris, J. J. Leiria, J. GoOS- mann, J. A. Chinoy, P. Texter, Ho Fook, and E. C. Emmett (secretary).
The notice calling the the meeting haying been read by the SKOBETALY,
the British Legation ? ive manliness and inherent grit | a dominant characteristic of the mov
arm tribute of appreciation from Why be driven by a restless and oroo countrymen. An impartial mind toʻrake in the dirt of every kind of er, in the absence of irrefragable It it not quite clear how Sir Robert Hurt could | bes
to the contrary, to be guided by plunge right through the mire by throwing fined better spirit that pervades unbiassed himself heart and soul into the cause for the seats. cism and accept provisionally the sup- abolition of extra-territoriality. In keeping and indalga Fosition that, tinctured by humanity and with “Anti-Humbug's" train of assumptions, children whe numoved by terror, he felt it his boundon would he not be more likely to find himself help-quently, subje duty to take the most effective course lessly soused in the mire up to his eyes? Or does | of the amaha Chinen available for the security of those for whom behe mean to imply that the man whom he would The Gardens should was to a large extent responsible. Further on clothe in the raiment of an arch-criminal was | we read “Sir Robert Hart, fearing so heinous bereft of reason? Nearly a quarter of a con- and unprecedented a crime could not but meet fury ago the writer had occasion to refer to with the punishment it deserved... set about Wharton's Conflict of Laws in which he doing what he could to persuade the world in came across and glanced at a long extract general that China's offence should be condoned." from a paper contributed years previously Apart from the consideration that this senti- by Sir Robert Hart in his role of strenuous ment of fear in the mind of Sir Robert, Hart advocate for the abolition of extra-territoriality. is a naked assumption: if he feared the punish-Seeing the man had entered the quagmire and mont of China was morally certain, could be argued for extra-territoriality the best part of half be so fatuous as to make a necessarily abortive a century ago, does “Anti-Humbug”; mean to' effort to shield the delinquent from just imply that if there is any sequence in pheno- retribution? In what way was his action in- mens and any law of causation, the order in consistent with the supposition that his motive his imagination is not that of cause and effect? was to fend off revenge? Besides others Is he proceeding on a tacit assumption that the competent to speak to the point, a British Field same order must obtain among objects which Marshal, possessed of a long and varied experi- obtain among his ideas of them, that if one ence of Orientals with whom he too had made thing makes us think of another as preceding a wark not likely to be effaced from the pages of or following it that other must precede in actual English history while the spirit of empire en- fact ? dures in the Anglo-Saxon heart, expressed to the writer on several occasions his deep appreciation of the position which Sir Robert Hart strove to maintain in respect of the treatment of China after the Boxer explosion. Again: "Volunteering being at the time very popular in England he called the Boxers volunteers, thinking that this description of them would meet with approbation." It is, to be sure, a fact that volunteering for the war in South Africa was at the time very popular in England; "Anti-Humbug" has hit a fact; and thereby gives an illustration of the maxim hb that shooteth oft, at the last shall hit the mark." This fact, however, does not demons- trate in any wise that Sir Robert Hart called the Boxers volunteers because, forsooth, having lost touch with the West, he thought in his crass ignorance this representation of them would elicit approbation in England. As to winning the support of the non-English world, England was but one and not the most prominent power in China, and the term rolunteer with its English associations was accursed on the continent of Europe and consequently its employment should hate militated against reaching the end
in view. It is surely evident that because the volunteer movement was popular in England 'Anti-Hambag " imagiues Sir Robert Hart must have thought a similar movement in China would meet with approbation in England. What “Auti- Humbug imagines may or may not be warranted by fact. Where two motives, neither of them perfectly justifiable, may be assigned, the worse has the chance of being preferred; but, pending the production of something more evidentiary of the truth of the allegation than is afforded by leonine grimness, we shall con- strue the point after a more charitable and excellent way and take it that Sir Robert Hart fastened on a word most apt to convey to the public mind a notion of the senti- ment that in his estimation was stirring the mind and heart of the Chinese people. It is a fact Chinese territory had been invaded and was held-whether rightly or wrongly is not germane to the point in question. It is a fact too that hordes of Chinese entered on military service of their own free will to drive out the invader as well as all those who were identified. Lowever remotely with the common enemy; whether the means adopted and the course - pursued 'to attain that and were in harmony or at variance, with established rules of civilised warfare is likewise not material to
The distinctive mark of a volunteer TO THE EDITOR OF THE " ́DAILY PRESS,' bate of free-will in respect of service.
Hongkong, 5th March had this element of free-will to a SIE,-This colony has now a considerable and were accordingly termed not population of European children, but there is
ther
was no chance of absolutely no place where they can obtain fresh the little children in the air and exercise and be certain of not meeting. understood that the Boxers wrought - with the ubiquitous coolie.
"K
THE POST OFFICE.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS.
Hongkong, 5th March,
"
SIE-I was greatly pleased to see in a paragraph in your issue of Monday so high, but so eminently deserved, a tribute to the efficiency and unfailing courtesy of Mr. Lewis, our late acting postmaster, who left our shores yesterday.
While most cordially welcoming his successor, on whose shoulders we donb: not the mantle of his predecessor's urbanity will be found to have fallen, and wishing him a prosperous career in the Far East, it is simple justice to Mr. Lewis that the public ssuse of his personal worth and official efficiency should find such clear ex. pression as you have given it.- Yours, etc.,
A FREQUENT CALLER
AT THE P. O.
A DANGER AND A NUISANCE.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS;"
Hongkong, 5th March. SIE,It would be interesting to know who allows contractors to convert the main streets of this Colony into a stone quarry, which apart from the great danger caused to passing pedes trians is an intolerable nuisance by reason of the noise which goes on all day long, making work in the office burdensome and thought almost an impossibility.
Government Departments are in splendid isolation and tranquidity.—Yours, etc.,
NERVOUS.
COOLIE COOLIES AND THE PUBLIC GARDENS.
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127
The CHAIRMAN said - · Gentlemen, -The report and statement of accounts › now sub- mitted I propose, if you will permit me, to take as read. It is matter of regret to the general managers and the consulting committee that the promise of a year ago in respect to the 1901 accounts has not been realised, but unfor- tunately heavy losses were subsequently sustained notably in this Colony, Amoy and Colombo ; the total claims paid amounting - since the com- mencement of 1902 to no less than $185,000. We have not been alone in this unfortunate experience, but this does not lessen our disap- pointment. The net result is a balance available for division of $199,315.46, and I trust that the appropriation of this sum in the manner suggested in the report will commend itself to you. The addition of approximately 10, per cent, of the year's profits to reservo i will increase that fund to $1,154,891,96, a substantial amount it is true but one which you will Lam sure agree with me it is desirable to fake every opportunity of adding to. Turn- ing to the 1902 account you will observe that the balance at credit on 31st December last was $299,299.15 or about $3-40 0 less than the 1901 account at a corresponding period, but I should explain that the former has been · already charged with its proportion, of the serious losses which I have already referred to as having fallen partly upon 1901, and although further losses have been sustained during the current year I may be allowed to express the hope that we may be fortunate enough not to have a repetition of our last year's experience and that the final result of the account may allow of a larger dividend than it is now proposed to pay. I should add that the customary valuation of properties mortgaged to the Company have been made, and that in every case there is ample margin on the sums advanced. You are aware that fire insurance rates in Hongkong have recently been in ed by 25 per cent. This has been done instructions issued by the Fire Offices Co tee, London (to which our Company upon the grounds that Colony is inadequate guishing appliances self consider that Foriminately
it
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