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May 1, 1905.]
to Japan. It was just as likely to catch them when it was at Madagascar; but no matter, it is being talked of here, and there fore the men have now reasonable ground for their fears. If they have, their prede- cessors had; and if the recent offenders go free, something seems owing to those who preceded them to gaql.
A REAL YELLOW PERIL.
(Daily Press, 25th April.) Realising how difficult it is to suggest, and still more hopeless to secure, a remedy, it is with a feeling of melancholy that we refer to the case of the European women who arrived in this Colony on Saturday, after escaping from a life of concubinage, and virtual slavery, in a Chinese com- munity. However much such people may have alienated our respect, whatever they may have done to repel our sympathy, it is impossible that we should forget their race; and quite out of the question that we should fail to feel keenly the degradation which they have brought to it. The injury to the prestige of the White race, the demoralisation in tone of the Yellow which such relationships encourage, the cruelty to "the innocents who represent the natural consequences of such mésalliances, these are things to which we cannot shut our eyes, unpleasant and distasteful though the subject may be. The temptation to regard be notorious Australian colour prejudice as unreasonable is strong; but, perhaps, if we knew all that is to be known, we might see method or, at any rate, meaning in the madness which we are often led to ascribe
to a sort of extreme Trades Unionism. Two of the cases just forced upon our attention originated in Australia. In the island con- tinent, the Chinaman to all appearances makes a peaceable, law-abiding, industrious * and thrifty citizen. Unfortunately, whether it is that the immigration restrictions prevent him while there from marrying his own countrywomen, or that he sees superior attractions in the women of an alien race, he has begun to show an increasing ten- dency to espouse the latter. We should naturally assume, even if the fact were not admitted, that the poor creature he selects, and who is foolish enough to respond to his overtures, is not the best representative of either her race or sex. If marriage be a lottery under normal conditions, it must be ten-fold chancey in the case of the mysterious, inscrutable stranger, of whose antecedents and connections nothing is known. Yet, to our despair, and to the despair of all who have any conception of the evils involved, these ill-advised contracts take place. Their consequences, as we have suggested, are so wide reaching that we cannot afford to comfort ourselves by thinking that as certain persons make their own beds, they must lie upon them. It is no satisfaction to reflect that fools deserve
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the consequences of folly, for those conse- quences are, unhappily, not confined to those who set the causes to work. We feel that some very rigorous action, something quite unconstitutional if necessary, should be taken to prevent any recurrence of incidents like these. Academically, it may be that the returning Chinese emigrant, who brings with him a foreign wife, may be no scoun- drel after all, by design at all events. He may mean well enough; and may even consider that what is good enough for his kinswomen is good enough for any. We fear that he may even have been encouraged in such sophistry by the cackle of the well-meaning idiots who persist, under one banner or another, in prating of the brother- hood and equality of man. The status of
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
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the Caucasian and the Coloured person may | turnover, were they available, would be all one in a future state. We know appear contemptible in comparison with nothing about that. We do know, however, the figures just quoted. Yet to Hong- that in this life the difference is sufficiently kong, consideration of its system and serious to make these mixed marriages administration is of greater interest and politically and morally impossible. Their importance than those figures from the ways are not, our ways, as the unfortunate Home country. Its revenue last year waI refugees now in the Italian Convent have $66,541.08 less than the estimated receipts, discovered by sad and painful experience. $475,000. The sum of $316,756.56 The question is being asked locally what | ($31,484.44 less than the estimate), was ought to be done with them. The most expended. The profit on last year's work- practical suggestion that occurs to us is ing of the local post office is thus shown to that they should be taken back to Australia, be $91,702.36. We have just elaborated and there employed as awful examples," and emphasised the British confidence in as missionaries to warn any of their the British post office. In view of the sisters who might be tempted to a amount paid locally for its services, and in similarly misguided adventure. The view of the profits it is making, we have a unsavouryness of the topic is no doubt right to ask if there is a corresponding responsible for the fact that such things confidence in the local system and admini- are hushed up, instead of being, as stration. If there is not, we may anticipate they obviously should be, blazoned through a decrease. Locally, the chit-coolie will out the places that permit them to occur. then threaten purely local postal business, As the Rev. Mother Superior has told us, it as the telephones have done in the large is largely ignorance that sends these women cities of Great Britain. We do not profess to a fate that, properly advertised, would to speak at present for the whole public of make the most reckless of them shudder Hongkong; but we are in a position to and hesitate. We have heard of exceptions announce that in certain quarters there is to the rule, of foreign wives happily mated not the feeling of confidence there ought to with educated Chinese husbands. We can be, but a growing feeling of distrust. Com- admit that such cases exist, and we plaints in the Press have been so numerous can refrain even from expressing our dis- as to provoke a remonstrance from the approval on the strength of some few such; Postal officials, who said on one occasion but the general weight of evidence is that if the public would make its complaints against it, in principle and in practice; and direct, they would be more sure to obtain we hope that the final lessons of experience results. We would very much like to be may never be obscured by ranting idealists informed how many private complaints who are only forgivable because they know have been received and dealt with last year, not what they do.
or in the first quarter of the present year. We make these observations now in the
AN UNTRUSTWORTHY SERVICE.
(Daily Press, 26th April.) Two billions, five hundred and ninety-seven millions, six hundred thousand-that was the estimated number of letters delivered in the United Kingdom during the year 1903-4. Add postcards, newspapers, and other kinds of postal packets, and the grand total attained is put at 4,300,900,000. The average number of letters delivered to each person was 61.2; or of postal packets generally, 101.3 to each individual. Of all these only 26,707,983 were undelivered, "for want of proper addresses." Any one of those undelivered missives could be traced on enquiry, so perfect.is the system and the administration of this colossal concern. The number of letters going astray, or of enquiries for letters alleged to have gone astray in the post, is so small in proportion to the quantity handled, that it would re- quire several decimals to give the correct ratio. So profound is the confidence of the general public in the Post Office, that if a person is satisfied that his letter has actually been deposited in any one of the 22,850 post offices of the United Kingdom, he or she has no further concern as to its fate. It is, granted that it is sufficiently addressed, a practical certainty that it will be delivered in due course to the right place and party. Only nineteen millions of letters were registered last year, a further indication of public confidence; and the number is said to be decreasing. All classes of unregistered packets, except newspapers, show an in- crease. The increase per cent. in the volume of postcards was as high as 25-5 per cent., chiefly due, of course, to the picture postcard craze. Slackness of trade, and the great extension of the telephone system, affect the volume of post office business in England; but there is no recent record of its ever having suffered by reason of lack of public confidence.
The Hongkong Post Office is a fleabite to the G.P.O., and the statistics of its
hope that an official enquiry will be made. In the meantime, we would be glad to receive communications from correspon- dents, either confidential or for publication, of reasonably authenticate cases of letters etc., going astray. We will not refer to the complaints from North China and Japan about the local method of despatching mails. That can wait. We will not dwell upon the notorious fact that the local post- men, when accosted by an enquiry if there be any letter for the speaker, are in the habit of cheerfully handing over to Toм, DICK, or HARRY the whole bundle, and bidding him "look-see." We may, however, mention two typical instances to illustrate the indictment that will be forthcoming if there be any proper enquiry, and if the public offers evidence. In the first case, an old and trustworthy ser- vant was sent to a pillar box not fifty yards from the house to post a letter for town delivery. It is certain that it was correctly addressed and sufficiently stamped, both from the evidence of the sender and the admission that no such letter is detained at the post office. It is almost humanly certain that the letter was posted as alleged. Complaint was addressed to the Postmaster on 10th April, two or three days after the posting, and elicited an enquiry as to who posted the letter. No further report has been received, and the missing letter has not yet reached its destination a few min- utes distant. In the second instance there is another local letter missing, certified to have been posted in person by the same European to whom the first was addressed. It was posted at six p.m. on the 21st inst., in the head-office-box that is labelled "town delivery"; it was correctly addressed to s well-known house in Caine Road; and it was' properly stamped. It has not yet been delivered. It should perhaps be stated that another letter posted at the same time and place, also for town delivery, was received by the addressee about eleven o'clock the next morning. This case has not been
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