December 10, 1906.]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. accepts abbreviations like H.R.H., K.C.M.G., | concerned, the Chinese authorities P. & O., and Y.M.C.A., even while in the easily, as act of objecting to O.K. and similar manufacture piles of that appropriate kind a contemporary has put it, flippancies, and we sympathise with their of evidence. So far as the tales of evil done illogicality. Business men would probably are concerned, Sir HENRY BLAKE recently strenuously defend “ and/or ", though it is pinned down one exaggerator neatly. He hideously unliterary, and for similar | said: reasons we uphold for local consumption such useful and well-understood abbrevia- tions as P.W.D., P.C.M.O., A.D.C., and the
righteous. A very learned bishop, for instauce, objects strongly to receiving a letter dated 27 Nov. 06 on the ground that it is discourteous. 'I am' he said 'thoroughly against abbreviations on principle and thoroughly dislike them. I cannot understand even the busy man writing '06, any more than I can tolerate his talking of nineteen one. I am persuaded abbreviations have an unwholesome effect on men's minds. It would not inconvenience like. auyone if the full and proper outlines were made.'"
Men who consider themselves busier than the busiest of bishops will call this distinctly unreasonable, and we 80 regard it; but the first question oper for serious argument is the one suggested by the bishop's wholesale denunciation. Are abbreviations legitimate, or are they not? When we come to necessary compromises, we arrive at mere questions of taste, which cannot be argued reasonably; and we quite recognise that most people are in the incon- sistent position, if they object to some, of countenancing others. The Bishop would be shocked, doubtless, to have it pointed out that there are abbreviations in his own criticism. In the passage quoted, the element of abbreviation has even given roou for ambiguity, though we know what he means when he writes "I cannot understand even the busy man writing '06". That is a condensed or abbreviated way of stating that it is impossible for him to appreciate the object of or advantage to the busy man who writes '06 for 1906; and the bishop is quite in error in supposing that he objects to the principle of abbreviation. Even for a bishop with much leisure it is a necessary principle, and all be really objects to is the form in which the principle occasionally manifests itself. A bishop, notwithstanding his obligation to be meek and lowly, occupies a certain pedestal of dignity; and it is not difficult to see that the root grievance of this particular bishop was that some of his correspondents were not taking the trouble to address him with the painstaking respect to which he considered himself entitled. "Nov. 27 '06, Dear Bishop, &c." certainly does not look so respectful as In the year of our Lord one thousand, &c. May it please your Lordship, &c." We wonder if His Lordship writes et cæteræ, etc., or &c; and if he never wrote A.D. for Anno Domini, or Oxou for Oxoniensis. Who could believe him if he averred his own absolute consistency? It is for us quite certain that no speaker or writer of any known language has the right to object on principle", noy more than he has the right to object to rain falling or children crying. After which we are ready to admit that we have our prejudices and predilections. Under temp- tation greater than may be understood, we conscientiously strive to avoid contractions like advt., or govt., but illogically or not, we cling to P.W.D. instead of Department of Public Works. By the way, in India it is always written D.P.W. Our contemporary makes a fine retort to the Bishop, which is so obvious that it might easily have been overlooked. Why does not the Bishop, if he is logical in spite of theology, object to Mr. for Master or Mister?" Or, we may add, for Monsieur or Monseigneur, to go back to its probable origin? His spiritual chiefs sign themselves "Randall Cantuar." and "Willelm: Ebor.", the latter a dual abbreviation; and in sporting parlance it is a million to a hayseed that our bishop who is "thoroughly against abbreviations on principle" likes to see the D.D. after his
name.
ANTI-OPIUM UNREASON.
(Daily Press, December 8th.)
There is one observation I wish to make with reference to this matter. I may tell you I have been making enquiries about it, and as to the anxiety to prevent the use of opium merely because it is opiam, I must say I am entirely averse to proposing any measure that would interfere with the freedom of any man unless there is a necessity shown for it. The hon. member has stated that the opium traffic is ruining hundreds or probably thousands of families-at least I understood him to say that. There is nobody who feels more than I do or is more alive to the disastrous effects of opium smoking, but, as I said two or three months ago, Medical Officer or someone else in his depart I go upon the principle of asking the Principal ment how many people have been treated for the consequences produced by opium, and the result is that within the last three years the Medical Department of this island, having obtained returns from all the hospitals, only treated two or three people for effects that could be attributed to opiam. I think that is that will be satisfactory to the hon. member, very satisfactory, and I am sure it is a return and while I would be in entire sympathy with anything that would prevent the excessive use of opium, I am not prepared to accept the view that because certain people in certain countries from it, therefore we should prevent the use of uso opium in a certain way and suffer severely opium by the Singhalese who may have increased
am concerned, I will never interfere with the liberty of the people except to the extent that it is shown to be necessary for their welfare."
ST. ANDREW'S BALL.
The organ of the Auti-opium Society, the Friend of China, from which we extracted the remarkable paragraph published yesterday, is entitled not inappropriately, but the contents generally of the last number suggest the need of a sub-title like the Enemy of India or the Scorner of all Things British. China's proposal to give pre- ferential treatment to the native-grown drug has its entire and unqualified approval, because it is incontrovertible, it says, that Chinese opium is less injurious than Indian opium. The same number insists that it is the duty of the British people to repay China the indemuities received after the opium wars", to return to China an amount equal to what the Chinese have spent on foreign opium, and to recoup China the expenses she was put to in fight ing the foreign devil. This strikes us as a notable example of an inch given and an
the use of it of late, but about whom the report cll taken. The anti-opium people seem to of the Princ pl Medical Officer is that the use be in the frame of mind of the beggar of opium by them is beneficial when it is used who was placed on horseback. No argument 88 A remedy for rheumatism and is even listened to by such people, whose prophylactic for malaria, while he was unable extravagance is no more to be marvelled at
to say that the use of opium, as far as he could than the tolerance with which the public That is the position at present. As far as
find had proved injurious to the community. listen to them. Take this marvellous paragraph which we reproduced in yester day's issue without comment. The same people who have painted the horrors of thousands and thousands of Chinese degraded and dying because using opium now assert emphatically that Chinese opium is not half as injurious as Indian. We' have previously pointed out the small proportious to which Indian imports have dwindled, and everyone knows how much dearer it is than the native product. It looks then as if either the pictures of the evil results in China were overdrawn, or that the masses are actually able to afford the high, priced drug from India. Those who use the Indian drug must obviously le using it in moderation, if only ou account of its scarcity and dearness. The Friend of China might just as well coustitute itself a champion of penny-cabbage" cigars, because they are less strong than high-priced Havanas. Its present position with regard to opium is much the same as if it had elaborated and exaggerated the evil results of excessive smoking of cheap tobacco on the masses at Home, and then, pointing out that the weeds smoked by the KING and other moderate and sensible smokers are far stronger, had clamoured for the stoppage of their importation. W. F" in the Pall Mall Gazette has pointed out that only nine-and-a-half piculs out of every hundred piculs of opium used in China are from India. There is a manifest discrepancy between the frightful stories of our moral responsibility in China and the statement of our financial share in the traffic. We do not doubt that China is sincere in wishing to exclude Indian opium, but it is absurd to suggest that any check will be attempted on the native source of revenue. The Friend.of India writers have themselves let the cat out of the bag. So far as all these wonderful official edicts and interdicts are
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Of him, quant. suff.; to belabour¦¦ him further would be, as we hope these abbreviations are not, infra dig. Everybody
No one will deny that St. Andrew's Ball in Hongkong counotes success. It invariably means a large and brilliant gathering, unrivalled ia the Far East, and it invariably means genuins pleasure to the many who attend it. list of successes which the records of St. Andrew's Last night's event was no exception to the long Society of Hongkong can show, and, while recognising degrees of success in the balls which have been held in commemoration of Scotland's patron saint, the superlative degree must be employed in describing the gathering ball this year inasmuch as it was the first of the of yesterday. Special interest was taken in the 86-500, and it must have afforded gratification
o the hard working committee to realise that there was no falling off in its popularity. All lasses of the community were united in the desire to share in the pleasures of the evening, ani, while the sons and daughters of Scotia outnumbered any other section, the gathering distinguishes all large assemblies in Hongkong. partook of that cosmopolitan character which
is observed to a greater extent out of Scotland As has been remarked before, St Andrew's Day than in it. Soots at home never "fash" them. selves about commemorating the 30th November, but immediately they love their native land they
80.m to take advantage of all the opportunities for "celebrating" that the calendar affris them and foregather as fre- not so apparent in Hongkong as in smaller quently as they can. This patriotism is perhaps communities, but though less expressive here it
exists none the less, and on an occasion like last night the men and women from" north o’the
weed" are wont to greet each other in the Doric and to recall olden times as they gase on familiar place names in the homeland.
The decorations were on an extensive scale. Conceived with artistic taste, they were carried out with no little skill Plants added to the
beauty of the entrance, the pillars being festooned with greenery, while the stairway
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