November 30, 1903.]
parishes, as that would mean insurrection, so invincible is the hatred of the people to the priests.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
to do anything, as the history of the next five years, under Sir John Pope Hennessy, as Governor, records.
You will find the report of Sir Arthur CORRESPONDENCE. March 3, 1877, but this does not record fully Kennedy speech in the Daily Press of
E
all he said regarding the condition we were drifting into, and the risks the Colony took in allowing things sanitary to go on from bad to worse, - yours, &c,
I. G. S.
THE JOCKEY CLUB AND
FAIR PLAY.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS.
..
THE BANGKOK JEWELRY CASE.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS.
Bangkok, 6th November. SIR, I have just read an account of Mr. Tilleke's case appearing in the Daily Press for the 30th October, to hand to-day It is a most imperfect account, and is calculated to do serious injustice to Mr. Tilleke, whose case is DOW uuder appeal In one sentence it is
Hongkong, 27th November. stated that "at that interview the first defen- SIR,-In every British community there is dant declared the stones to be imitation, and no doubt that sport generally holds a place after much circumlocution and cross-questioning, second only to business, and ou finds that admitted he, with two accomplices, had stolen sportsmen--not sporting men
usually the things, and they had divided them into three gentlemen, and that they play e game. parts." The phrase "first defendant" iB Until quite recently Hongkong might reason. obriously intended to mean Mr. Tilleke; btably feel proud of the part she has taken in he never made any such admission, and the connection with the Sport of Kings: now, alas context indicates that the report at this point she too has fallen from her high estate. It is an has been muddled. A casual reader would infer opeu secret that a dead set has been made that Mr. Tilleke admitted that be had "stolen against oneof the stewards of the Jockey Club the things," which is the exact opposite both by some of his fellow members who do not of the fact and of the evidence.
scruple to use some of the meanest methods of venting their spleen upon him. This is a nau who has been riding and crossing ponies in the East for some twenty-two years, served on the English Association Football Committee - a colleague of such men as Major Marindin and Lord Kinnaird, and has acted as Clerk of the Course here in Hongkong. Yet, forsooth! a cubal must attempt to remove him from his stewardship and, crowning disgrace of all, cause the rejection of every candidate nominated by him for membership of the Jockey Club!
mast
Another most misleading and unjust passage is the following:-"From the further evidence it developed that while Tilleke (sic) was negotia. ting with Mr. Grashlert for the return of a portion of th stolen jewels to the latter, in consideration of a heavy douceur for himself, he was also playing a double game ia o.der to retain some of the jewels himself." The facts are that Mr. Tilleke and avoured to recover the whole of the stolen property for Mr. Graehlert; that he expressly refused a heavy douceur for himself" (marely remarking that he might perhaps accept a small memento, or something of that kind, but nothing further), and that the idea of a "double game have been evolved out of the writer's imagination
There are other points on which I might comment, but the above will show that the report is eriously inaccurate, and in justice to Mr. Tilleke I hope you will publish this letter. As to my own case, to which a brief reference is made, I could only wish that the Hongkong Daily Press would consider the incident of sufficient importance to read the A strong feeling of indignation is abroad; report in the papers which have been sent (in and if at the next election of stewards the ordinary exchange), and would express its full members of the club dp not show their apprecia- opinion on the matter from the journalistiction of such wors as being inimical to the best point of view.-Yours faithfully,
interests of racing, sport will suffer, and it will be said with truth, that this is no such a very British Colony after all. I am, Sir, yours, &c,
H. G. GOUGH.
[With regard to what Mr. Gough, the Editor of the Siam Observer, writes, we may state that our account of the Bangkok jewelry case was condensed from the very fall report in his own paper. The use of the words first defendant
was a mistake; as Mr. Gough says, the context indicates that the report at this point was muddled," which we naturally regret. In other respects we relied on the ample report of the Observer, but in a long and difficult case it is not of course easy to condense evidence. We have expressed no per- sonal opinion on the ease.-Ed, D.I'.]
GUBERNATORIAL VALEDICTORY
ORATORY.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS
SIR-The reference in H.E. Governor Blake's speech, delivered just before his departure, at the City nall, to a scheme for connecting Hongkong to Canton by rail reminds me that it, is not the first time a departing Governor has, so to speak, taken the public into his confidence, giving a little private advice which it will be impossible for them in any way to use.
The last and only occasion in which I heard a departing Governor "let himself go" wasat a dinner given to Sir Arthur Kennedy, when he made revelations regarding the sanitary, or rather insanitary state, of the Colony, with solemn warnings of what was likely to occur if matters were not promptly remedied. These caused at the time much surprise and misgivings among the community, who, however, were helpless
Now, Sir, we are taught from our earliest youth that " Fair play is a jewel," and I submit to you that there has been a notable absence of justice in this case. I here is paid to the Govern ment a merely nominal sum as rent for the race course-a dollar a year or thereabouts, and surely direct or indirect payers of taxes have a moral if not an absolute right to be members of the Jockey Club, always providing that they are gentlemen and duly vouched for by tho members of the club.
REVIEWS.
ICHIBAN.
|
Life and Sport in China. By OLIVER G. READY. London: Chapman and Hall. MR. Keady will be remembered in Hongkong s having lived in our neighbourhood hen on the I.M C. staff at Lappa, and deed he has only a week ago passed through Hongkong again on his way to Shanghai. Altogether Mr. Ready has lived twelve years in various parts of China, and so cannot be accused of writing on a subject with which he is unacquainted, Life and Sport" is what he has set himself to describe, and we find him dealing in bis varius chapters with Anglo-Chinese life, servants and tradesmen, shooting, riding, and sailing, "jam. borees," the neighbourhood of Peking, etc; and finally with discussed points-people, laa- guage, missionaries; and chances, i.e., prospects. Mr. Ready says that he wishes to place before his readers a sketch of things as he saw them and to convey to their minds an idea of how Europeans live here, so that the book may serve as a kind of preface to that enthralling volume, the current history of China, as it is daily revealed in the Press, in magazines, and in learned works." It will be seen, therefore, that Mr. Ready's volume is primarily in- But being written tended for home readers. in a light and amusing manner, and dealing with many parts of China, it will also prove of interest out here. Some of the stories
*
399
least. The chapters on spor will attract these who care for the forms of it which can be ob tained out here. Mr. Ready does justice to the China pony, in both its gi nud its bad aspect; can speak from experience. The title of one be has met it in a great number of places and
of the chapters, viz. "Jamborees," might puzzle some with the judicial and judicious ignorance of Lord Hawkins. On the other hand, there may be some who can sympathise with Mr. Ready's description of a banquet at the Hankow Club on the occasion of the visit of an European prince some years ago; and with that of a cosuno- polita dinner at Kiukiang which nearly ended in legal proceedings.
With regard to Mr. Ready's general impre sion of China, it is summed up in bis preface, wherein he records his conviction that not only is China unconquerable, but she is eminently a conquering race, though not by clash of arms. Insidiously, remorselessly, and viciously she will subdue apostles of the West who are sent to her, and unless persistently restrained will overflow into adjacent lands and conquer them by cheap labour and unremitting toil." missionaries in China he thinks that, while they are greatly over-condemned by European resi- deuts, the good they do is also greatly over- estimated by those at home.
Of
Mr. Ready's book may be recommended for amusement and for interest. It is illus- trated from photographs of various scenes, in- cluding one of fishing-junks in Macao barbour at China New Year, and is tastefully got up by the publishers.
East of Asia, Vol. II., No 3.
Shanghai
North China Herald Office. THE latest number of the East of Asia magazine appears this time in a deep red cover, with the usual odd design upon it. It is well up to the average in interest. The p.incipal contributors are: --- Messrs. C. Bone (on Anton). C. 8. Leavenworth (Hanoi Orientalist Congress), S. Pollard (North Yunnan), G. A. Clayton ("where the peach competes with the plum"), C. A. Stanley (the Imperial Pleasure Grounds), Dr. A. H. Smith (the Peking and Lucknow sieges compared), Mrs. Archibald Little Washan, a very striking article), the late Dr. Raukin (a pilgrimage in a Peking cart), Messrs. C. W. Allan (ou Hankow), James Ware (Chinese provident clubs), W. A. Cornaby (an- other article on Hanyang), and Dr. J. Edkius (the Eight Genii). It may be seen that there is plenty of variety The photographs and other illustrations are as numerous as ever and for the most part better reproduced than usual, Those to Mr. Bone's article, in particular, are excellently clear; and those illustrative of Han- kow are also first-rate.
THE YONG-AMPHO INCIDENT.
Mr. Hagiwara, secretary of the Japan.se Legation at Seoul, who was prohibited landing making the Russian authority there, Captain at Yong-ampho recently, finally succeeded in
Stromiloff, sign an agreement, the chief provisions of which are as follows:-
That the armed Russians on the Yalu shall be prohibited from seizing timber purchased by the Japanese.
That, with respect to the timber seized by the Russians within the territory alleged to have been leased by them, an examination of the same shall be made in the presence of the complainants, the Japanese police, and the Russian officers concerned; and that in case it be found to b. Japanese property, it shall b restored to the original owner.
That Russia tendra profound apology for her refusal of a landing to Mr. Hagiwara at Yong-a pho.
That, with regard to the stopping of the Wakanoura Maru at Yong-ampho and the landing of Japanese at that port, definito information shall be sent to us after consulation with "the Viceroy of the Far East."
That until Captain Stromiloff shall have. received instructions from Viceroy Alexieff the landing of Japanese at Yong-ampho shall not be prohibited.
A Russian copy of the above agreement was The latter left Yong-ampho for Seoul on the handed over by the Captain to Mr. Hagiwaru.
told may be familiar to China hands," but there are others which are new to us at 30th (ctober.
1
A
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.