130
A MALIGNED GOVERNOR.
THE HONGKON WEEKLY PRESS AND
come under the observation of your medicil officers."
Our
now
(Daily Press, February 23rd. Having prudently persisted in referring to the Jamaica incident as a misunderstanding, and postponed comment-knowing the capacity of a degenerate press for mischief. making--we now find, in the fullest information apparently obtainable,
Our sympathy
is justification. entirely with the Governor, Sr ALEXANDER SWETTENHAM, who has been most unfairly bullied by a sequacious mob of modern journalists, for doing something that he did not do. The Times, perhaps not aware of the contents of the American Admiral's note, to which Sir ALEXANDER SWETTENHAM'S was a reply, charitably assumes that the latter was "overwrought and unstrung So far as we can see, he was the only man who kept his head. The Daily Telegraph says his language was "inexcusable ", the deplorable Daily Mail chimes in with the opinion that it was "a deplorable blunder", and the American papers, naturally, went to greater lengths. The New York Post called the English Governor "a glorified beadle" who was "off his heal": the New York Sun frankly dubbed him fool, Even with the full text of both letters before them, there are British organs of public opinion still attacking him, on the principle, doubtless, that a
man who is "down" is unlikely to hit back.
Let us sift the newly arrived inform dtion, and let us reason together. Briefly, what happened was this. Rear-Admiral DAVIS was ordered from Cuba to Jamaica as soon as news of the terrible disaster was confirmed. On his arrival with two battleships at Kingston, some time after the worst was over, he it remembered, there Was 110 salute. The Governor had decided that the thundering of guns might further discompose his nerve-shattered people. That is point number one in favour of the Englishman. There are times when official e-remonies, even apart from possible practical objectious, Lany appear a mere impertinence. This was one of them. The absence of the salute was explained to the American admiral, who was thanked for coming, but advised that there was now no pred for his intervention. In face of that he intervened! The following extract from a letter shows his attitude. We regret that we have so far unt seen the whole of it; we gather that its earlier portion explained that he had disregarded the Governor's request through a mis understanding". Lt it be so; so far, Sir ALEXANDER SWETTENHAM'S Conduct is unassailable. Rear-Admiral DAVIS's le ter oncludes:-
great
"I landed working parties from both ships to-day to aid in clearing the various streets and buildings, and propose landing parties to-morrow for the same purpose, unless you
I think a expressly do not desire it. deal might be done in the way of assistance to private individuals without interfering with the forces of yourself or with the Govern. ment officials, as our only object in being here is to render such assistance as we can. I trust you will justify me in this matter for the cause of our commou humanity. I had a patrol of six men ashore to-day to guard and secure the archives of the United States Consulate, with a party of ten for clearing away the wreckage. This party, after finish. ing its work at the Consulate, assisted a working party to catch some thieves, recovering from them a safe taken from a jewellery store Falued at $5,0:10. From this I judge that the police surveillance of the city is inadequate for the protection of private property. Actuated
motive-namely by the humanity-I shall direct the medical officers of my squadron to make all efforts to aid cases of distress which might, perhaps, not
same
oommon
|
The whole head and front of Sr ALEXANDER'S offending is contained in the following reply, in which we have searched in vain for the red rag that set so many John Bulls a-bellowing:
very
attentions to
of
for
"Thanks very much for your letter, for your kind call and for all the assistance you have given and offered us. While I most heartily app eciate your
offers generous assistance. I feel it my duty to ask you to re embark the working pirty and all parties | which your kindness prompted you to land. If in consideration of the American Vice-Consul's assiduous
his family at his country house, the American Congnlate should need guarding in your opinion, although he is Present and it was unguarded an hour ago. I have no objection to your detailing a for ....... the sole purpose of guarding it. But the pirty | must not have firearms or anything mor- offen- sive than clubs or staves for this function. I | find that you working party this morning w helping Mr. Crosswell to clean his store. Crosswell is delighted that this work should be done free of cost, and if your Excellency will re in long enough I am sure all private owners will be glad of the services of the Nary to sa. them expense. It is no longer a question of humanity. All those who are dead died days ago, and the work of giving them burial is merely one of convenience. I shall be glad to accept delivery of the safe which the alleged thieres tink possession of. The American Vice-Consul has no knowledge of it.
Mr.
[March 4, 1907.
**
the relief of Kingston Cominon
And go on to the end, courteous, tolerant, grateful, and apologeric that duty does not permit him to let the busy-body have a freer hand. Now it may appear that in making this plea for a maligned official, for fairplay as we see it, we have been un- necessarily severe in our references to the American Admiral. We confess that we have no liking for blackening one to white- wash another, and if the Adiniral's le ter had been left to speak for itself, we misht have left him out of it. But the chivalrous critics of the American press, echoed br their cackling. twittering imitators in London, have written of the * most enurteous manner of the American letter (!) while condemning the English one. We have therefore indicated our own view of it Mor over, we have considered the Admiral's deeds as well as his words. Twice is his letter he harps on cominon humanity." and then it a buff over ณ point of etiquett· -he counter mands the or fer despatching the Celtic laden with heef for humanity hurried him thither, but it was not more than skin-deep, apparently, for he plainly let it be seen that as Kingston's Gvernor had not been civil to hun, the Kingston peopie comki sturva so fur as he cared. If Sir ALEXANDER SWETTENHAM'S.
"be condemned by the tone and manuer good taste of the majority, we will not dream of sponsing our perhaps mistaken judgment in such mitters, but we may respectfully submit that the tone anl ma ner of Rear Admiral Davis is worth lysis. Then, coming to deeds, we may point out that while the English Governor was in duty bound to prevent the un nuthorised landing of a foreign fore, the American Admiral was not obliged, eyen Now let us compare the behaviour of the for " coin mon humanity" to disregard the two men, on this evidence. The American Low and the Governor, any more than be undoubtedly meant well, but t'ere
diged, to vin licate. American dignity, ways and ways of bei g helpful. With the to deprive e immon humanity of its expected characteristic brusquerie of a man of affairs, beef." The very hist war we wait to see is a or more Americano, as a contemporary war with America, but not even to relieve the admiringly phrases it, the enthusiastic nervus shri kings and sentimental horrors busy-hody rid, sroughshod over the English of those at Home who will submit to any. man's dignity. You can potter about in thing or do anything to a'test their blood your own wAN, he said, in effect; “don't | thicker than water” gospel, can we agree th mind us. We bustlers can find a great de with them when they, us we think, deal' left undone for us to do. Your meanly allow an unoffending and worthy police are evidently quite inadequate.officer to be made a scapegout for yellow pro- Allow us to play policemen, won't you? judices. The way in which Sir EDWARD GREY In fact, we've already tackled the job | and the SECRETARY FOR WAR tumbled over Then there's your medical officers, Governor, | each ther to atone for their servan's Too slow for a funeral. I'll send mine to unproven fault was un British and un. help." That is quite a fair paraphras of gentlemanly, and we blush for them. our first quotation. Rightly understood, President RooSEVELT and his Ministers it is more amusing than off nsive, thought ok a more correct v ew of the incident than we have shown how it might impinge upon they did; and it will be their duty now to sensitive official's Benge of dignity. so that Sir ALEXANDER SWETTENHAM does Whether it so affcted Sir ALEXANDER | not suffer further simply because they mis- SWETTENHAM does not concern us so much took the sqwawks of spine of its fldglings
whether he did or said anything to for the screaming of the American Eagle. betray his unliking for it. This brings us to his own “unpardonable," egregious
Thanks very much," it &c., &c., letter. begins, and mentions the kindness of the American, I most heartily appreciate," very
The store is close to a seutry-post, and the officer in charge of the post professes ignorance of be incident. I beliera the police surveillance of the city is adequate for the pro tection of private property. I may rmiad your Excellency that not long ago i!
iscovered that thieves lodged and pilliged the house of a New York millionaire during his justified a British Admiral in landing an armed part to assist the New York police.'
WAS
absence in the summer but this would not hara
as
隐瞒
14
1
are
he write, and cites the American's generous offers." But "I feel it my duty," and he goes on to ou line what be thinks was his duty, softening, like the gentleman be is, the request by dragging in repeated references to the kindness of the American volunteer. He even makes a concession, necessary and illegal, and allows an American guard for the American Con- sulate, thus exposing himself to the later risk of having it said that his grasp of the situation was inadequate. We need not question if this would have been said
remember it had already been said, and plaiuly said, by the American Admiral.
Was o
THE CHINESE
REVOLUTION."
(Daily Press, 25th F-bruary.) THE appearance in Japan of "The Review of Revolutions," or * Revoluti mary_R·view," concerned chiefly with the state of affairs in Chia, would make it app ar that we were too hasty in suggesting the insignificance of any anti-dynastic movement in China. This journal has no dubt whitever that a genuine revolution is toward, the tardy appearance of any convincing demonstration being attributed to the fact that "the Chinese Revolutionists are very careful to make good preparation for the final recon-
struction."
Assuming for the moment that there is a poss bility of their one day striking a shrewd blow at Manchaism and Mandriudom, we can do no more than
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