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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
unaware, when military system
of the one
comparing the German with the British, that stock arguments of the
scription and patrioti-in do not, like little He dwells birds in their nests, agree.
we
[July 15, 1905.
HONGKONG SANITARY
BOARD.
A meeting of the Sanitary Board was held on the 11th inst. in the Board Room. Dr.
F. Clark (President) presided, and there were also present Hon. Mr. W. Chatham__ (Vice
Dr. Major Josling,
Pearse, President). Mr. F. Irving, Mr. F. J. Badeley. Mr. H. E. Pollock, KC, Mr. Lau Chu Pak, Mr H. W. Slade, Mr. A. Rumjahn, and Mr. W. Bowen-Rowlands (Secrətary).
ht
The PRESIDENT, pursuint to notice, moved:- That the Board hereby authorise Dr. W. W. Pearse. Dr. H. Macfarlane, Dr. W. Moore and Mr. A. Gibson to enter any shop or premises used for the sale or preparation for šale, or for the storage of fod, to inspect and examin any fo d found therein which he shall have reason to believe is intended to be used as human food. and in case any such food appear to be unfit for such us, to seize the same in accordance with Section 83 of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance N, 1 of 1903." He sid that no such authority was given under the Section, and it was not often required, but he thought that there should be such authority.
Mr. POLLOCK seconded and it was carried
ADULTERATED MILK.
Six
cards. A single hard push from a great Power would bring it down, because of the want of patriotism in your people. Would they sacrifice themselves in tens of thou-opponents of conscription is that con- sands to defend India? Would they suffer privation and want of food at home? Knowing, from history, that where a people upon the fact that his nationals are taught. enjoys freedom and peace aud prosperity to serve their country, taught the import for any length of time there is a tendencyance of it as a duty, and in the same breath toward the weakening of animated patriot mentions that the reward of diligent students isu, we should have been willing, prior to is an exemption from more than one year's 1899, if not to admit the justice of that service, and that the penalty for idleness 18
Of course, comment, at least to discuss it academically. an extra year of service. But we had the privilege of living in that know what he wished to say, but that does fateful year, and of learning some of its not alter the fact that he has said it badly. lessons. No science is complete in itself: We are very much inclined to agree with one philosophy hangs upon another: and him when he remarks, "We may not be so there are psychological data to be taken good at games as you are, but games are into account that would turn all such after all, a very unimportant thing in life. generalisations into subjects for mirth. You are mistaking the means for the end." An instinct may be dormant without being That is an echo of KIPLING, and to it more moribund; and the years 99 el seq. showed than KIPLING will assent. Then, granting conclusively that in the makeup of the that preparations for military service are English people the here litary passions of better done on Aldershot Common than on patriotism, of
martial enthusiasm, of the proverbial "playing field of Eton," national esprit de corps still retained whit of the famous goose-step'? It may their own snug quarters. No need to tell be British prejudice, and "self-deceit," but "A Geraian Resident" of the wonderful we are unable to see how that painfully
Mr. Frauk Browne's return of samples evincement of those qualities that marked acquired marching gait can help any man examined under the Sal of Food and Drugs the period named: suffice it to say there to serve his country better, as soldier or
Ordinance. 1896." for the quarter ended 30th was ample to justify an emphatic affirmative otherwise. There are other things, but we June, showed that out of eight samples of milk to his query concerning India. He con- have said enough to show that there is, per-examined one was found adulterated. tinues: "You know that they would want haps, a case for "crock and kettle" recrimin- samples of beer were all right. peace at any price, and your statesmen, ations. After all, it depends a good deal on "Look judging from their recent record, would find phraseology. The German says humanitarian excuses for the most shameful before you leap," and spends a great deal of of surrenders, and pretend that they had thought and energy on bis army. hoisted the white flag out of sheer magnan Briton says "Take no thought for the mor- imity." The words we have italicis d have row," or colloquially, " Don't worry." He no meaning for us, unless they refer to the has made many blunders, and paid often outrages the British people have recently for his carelessness, no doubt, but the endured at the hands of Russia. If those methodical German cannot be said to be be meant, the German critic answers some
far ahead of him, in point of actual results. of his own questions, for the "
unpatriotic MAX SCHMIDT said, addressing JOHN BULL and
at any price peace
people did four years ago, Hardly once, since I have There were, lustily sound the call to arms.
known you, have you entered upon any big the nutset, however, reasons for patience that should undertaking without, at have been patent enough. To drag in committing blunders which would have France, as impatience inevitably would have brought shame, if not ruin, upon any other done, might have seemed good to this critic, people; yet you scarcely know how to blush, as it would also to the offending Power. It save at the behaviour of your neighbours ; is not lack of patriotism, or shameful" and certainly you are not ruined." The italics indifference to what happened, that helps are ours, and they indicate the important the British public to recognise now that the point. Lord ROBERTs has “croaked" with a policy of Mr. BALFOUR and Lord LANS-purpose, a justifiable exaggeration. "C.B.,' DOWNE was good. No doubt the JOHN BULL family does in some things deceive itself. If Lord ROBERTS be right, when he describes the British army as uufit and unready, and it "C.B." of the Daily Graphic be right, when he condemns the guns of the navy, then it may be true, as "A German Resident'
says, that "your
"
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JJ
1
11
power of self-deception at times approaches the marvellous; but, unfortunately for yourselves, you are not the only power in the world, and there are nations on the Continent which are not deceived by your audacious make-believes but which see you as you really are."
In one particular, the critic lays himself open to some rejoinders that we wish to put as gently and as inoffensively as we possibly can, for though we cannot agree with all his criticisms, we have derived profit from older comments by his nationals, and we would not scare away candid critics by any display of temper such we regret to have observed in some quarters. Herr MAX SCHMIDT, for instance,
Happy-go-lucky Land the author of was a critic we could not well have spared. Indeed, the unkindest thing we have to say
"" is that be to "A German Resident to have drawn rather freely upon his pre- decessor, aud to have added
28
quality of scathingness all his own,
appears
certain
Nous
revenons. This latest critic appears to be
The
whose naval criticism, by the way, is jeered atjby The Fleet, "croaked," like many other critics, because "it is his nature to." Although it is not in mortals to command success, and all these critics unite in saving that the British have not deserved it. yer they have to admit that a colourable imita- tioù of success has fallen Great Britain's
way. To quote Herr SCHMIDT again, he says: "I have never ceased to be staggered by your long immunity from the natural consequences of your persistent carelessness and stupidity." That long immunity sug. gests the possibility, the are possibility, that perhaps the state of things is not so perilous as the critics make out, and that JOHN BULL'S stupidity is on the It cannot all be surface than deep down. luck.
more
It is stated by a Chinese officer who recently arrived in Shanghai from the North that, with the assumption of their new uniforms, hat and
leather boots-which are almost entirely on Western models-by the officers and men of the Chihli Army Corps, under Viceroy Yuan, Shihk'ai over one-third of them have already while others more conservative have merely cat cat off their queues, "for convenience sake," off half their queues, and wound the remainder
Mr. H. E. Pollock minuted:-Was there a prosecution in the case of the adulterated milk! What was the result?
The President minuted: Yes, and a fiue of $200 inflicted.
MORTALITY STATISTICS.
The mortality statistics for the week ending 17th June, death rate per thousani per annum, snowed the following figures:-British aud foreign civil population, 41.9; previous wek 449; corresponding week 1st
year, 41.1. Chinese conmunity (land and boat), 26.1., previous we k, 23.8: corresponding week last year, 25.0.
LIMEWASHING RETURN.
The limewashing return for the fortnight
ending 4th July showed that 3,53 houses were treated in the Central District and 3,773 in the
Western District.
KAT RETURN.
During the week ending the 8th July, 45 rats (including 22 infected) were caught in the City of Victoria, and 189 (12 infected) in Kow- loon. The President minuted that the sug gestion that the number of rits caught lately
had fallen off was incorrect. They were catch- ing fifty per cent. more than during the cor- responding period of last year.
COMPOSITION BY CHING HOP FIRM.
THE ARREST OF DEBTORS. In connection with the case
of the Ching
Hop firm, iron merchants (the case in which the new Chief Justice bas laid it down that a debtor must not be arrested unless there be evidence that he is about to abscond), we understand that a composition has been arranged by which the creditore receive thirty three
per cent.
Compradores as well a European business men are uttering expressions of regret that Sir Francis Piggott should take so strict a view of the law relating to the arrest of debtors.
THE CANTON BANKS.
It appears to be true that from forty to forty- five native Banks at Canton are closing their doors, on account of unusually heavy losses.
The proposal that they should be registered, with all their partners, directors, shareholders, &c., is not favoured even under the present depressing circumstances.
Chinese recognise that while such a measure would afford protection to investors, it would st of their hair into a top knot, to enable them to the sam; time make the Government officials too
KQ UOG ZOG.” look properly" with their new military hats.' wise, and lead to all sorts of “
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