September 19, 1908.)
Of all men, sarely, Colonel John B. Seely, Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, ought to welcome the inauguration of a Univer- sity in Hongkong. The right hon. gentleman has a poor opinion, at present, of our culture- level, for quite recently he publicly declared from his place in the House of Commons (vide the Times report) that "it was quits impossible to get anything like a reasoned opinion from the inhabitants of Hongkong." Evidently a University is badly needed in the Colony, and I hope the Faculty will see to it that instruction in Logie and Philosophy is not neglected. Perhaps Colonel John B. Seely may feel disposed to endow a chair-or, better still, offer his services as a Lecturer on these subjects?
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Time clauses in building contracts matter to which Dr. Noble referred in his speech to the shareholders on the Hongkong Hotel Company. These clauses are inserted in con. tracts with almost unfailing regularity but they do not seem to mean anything. At any rate they are seldom, if ever adhered to, and were the penalties enforced the victims would feel they were being harshly treated. It is not well that such a clause be allowed to become a dead letter. Occasions will arise wben contracts must be
fulfilled as drafted, and then trouble will follow when that is not done. The matter certainly
worth attention,
"Mr. Li Sum Ling of Hongkong" must be feeling that he is a man of importance in the world. A copy of the New York Herald's Paris edition for August 11th to hand by the mail last week bears on its front page a photograph of Mr. Li, and there is an interview with him which runs to two columns. A bove it all, in big type extending the width of five columns, are the words Chinese Editor urges Alliance with America." "Mr. Li," says the interviewer, "is only twenty-six years old, but his education and comprehension are those
of an old statesman," and this interview apparently started the propaganda in favour of a Chinese-American Alliance. How many of my readers had heard of Mr. Li Sam Ling previous to this?
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Thomas Gray has told us that perhaps in Stoke Pogis Churchyard there lie some bearts ozce pregnant with celestial fire" also "bands that the rod of Empire might have swayed." But that is an unprofitable reflection.-the mere figment of a poets imagination. Those very hands that the poet was thinking of might only have been capable of swaying a hoe in a turnip field. Mr. Gordon Bennett, the wealthy proprietor of the New York Herald, is a business man, not a post, and during a brief visit to Hongkong he was able to go one better than the old nglish post by finding alive and in the vigour of youth one whose hands are at this present hour quite capable of swaying the rcd of Empire. There are no might-have-beeps about it. Hongkong should feel proud of the discovery. When it was made this young man with "the education and compre- bension of an old statesman" was filling the position of a publisher and writer on a Chinese local newspaper. Previous to that he was a clerk in a local bank. At one bourd, thanks to Mr. Gordon Bennett, who took him to Europe, Mr. Li has reached the pinnacle of fame. the author of such a world shaking proposal as the Chinese-American Alliance bis name has become known to all the nations of earth. Who can say that Mr. Li will not one day be the Chinese Minister to Washington? The whirligig of Time brings many changes--but methinks there can be only one end to the fame which has been thrust upon Mr. Li. It is the end of which Byron wrote:-
Tis but to fill
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A certain portion of uncert Mr. Li Eum Ling, I fanoy, has filled his portion.
Chinese ladies are progressing. A few weeks ago we saw them participating in the mild excitements of a bazaar for the first time, but the newest phase of their imitation of Western life is to take the leading ceremonial part in the launching of a vessel. Within a few days Miss Li, the eldest daughter of Admiral Li Chan, will obristen the new cruiser which the Kowloon Dock Company is building for the Chinese
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. Navy. She will be the first Chinese lady to christen a vessel in the Hongkong ship- yards, and the occasion will have an added interest and importance on that, account.
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"A basket of babes." Three for sixty cents." How home newspapers would revel in the use of such effective headlines? How the public would thrill if they read them? Yet we don't thrill here. The incidents which they describe were only too frequent years ago in the Colony, but now the traffic in human life, though still existing, is not so great. The authorities bave endeavoured to stop it so far as they cin, but we all know the strength of "olo custom among Chinese and know how difficult it is to remove what has been to long engrained. Would this buying and selling in Hongkong were stopped altogether. It is no credit to our British administration under which all are supposed to be free.
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decrease of time for outdoor exercise has induced The shortening days with the consequent
a correspondent in the Daily Press to suggest &n application Hongkong, of
to
the
&
daylight saving principle embodied in
ill at home. It certainly founds attract- ive. I would rather, speaking for myself, leave the <ffice about four o'clock when that craving comes
over one which is only Batisfied with a draught from the cup that cheers. Then having tes in comfort I would anticipate with greater peasure the joy which comes from whacking balls. Juveniles and knock ba'ls about. adults are alike in that respect. They love to Of course this extra hour at sport would mean starting out an hour earlier in the morning. That, Lowever, would be no hard. ship. But how do the taipans and the bongs regard the suggestion? It would mean a re- arrangement of office routine and would mean some little trouble to get those with whom they do business to fall into line, so that the question to be decided is-Is it worth while? Undoubted the extra hour for outdoor pleasure during the ly the young men and women would appreciate
season when it is most enjoyable, bat, if it involves injury to business, the suggestion need not be entertained. It would be interest. ing to have some expressions of opinion on the subject.
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allowed to hold the laurels very long for the The young Dock swimmers bave not been Hunghom-Victoria swim. Mr. C. J. Cooke has reinced their time by no less than eighteen minutes, a very fine performance indeed. Probably Cooke is a stronger swimmer than either of the two young men indicated, but it has to be remembered that Cooke set out to lower the record which they established, whereas MoBride and Wilson were not swimming against time. They merely contemplated cover. ing the distance between Kowloon Dock and Blake Pier, and they swam so easily that they finished quite fresh. That being so, it is fair to assume that they could best their first performance on another trial. However, the harbour swim will, doubtless, bring out all our best swimmers and another record will likely be set up, if the conditions are favourable.
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The Stockbrokers tell us that the market is
going strong. The demand for stooks is stronger than it has been for months past. What is the meaning of it? Does it mean revived prosperity in the local trade markets, or does it mean that as bad times are threatening at Home money is being brought East for investment while the dollar is low?
RODERICK RANDOM.
LIEUTENANT'S COURAGEOUS ACT.
On Sept 16th while the torpedo boat (37 was leaving the Kowloon Docks with several guests on board, a boy in the service of one of the party fell overboard and disappeared from sight. Lieutenant E W. Isaacson promptly dived into the water but failed to rescue the boy. Divers from the dredger "St. Enoch" were hailed and they attempted to recover the body but without success.
HONGKONG.
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It is satisfactory to be able to record that there were до OLSOS of plague during the week ended 12th instant, and that none have sincs been recorded. Out of a total of 1069 cases for the year, however, 914 proved fatal. This last includes three Euro- pean cases, one fatal. Last week five Chinese cases of cholera were reported in the city.
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Hubert 8. Holmes appeared before Mr. Kemp pretences, from Chung Team Leung the sum on a charge of having obtained, by certain fake
of $3,000 with intent to defraud. Mr. C. F. Dixon (of Messre, Hastings and Hastings) prosecuted, and Mr. H. K, Holmes, defendant's brother, appeared for the defence. Defendant, who pleaded not guilty, was remanded natil Tuesday at 2:15 p.m., bail being allowed in the sum of $4,000.
An officer of the Chinese Customs has been victimised by a Hongkong thief. On Sept. 16th be took a ricsha at the German Tavern to proceed to the Canton steamers wharf, whence he was going to ship to Hoihow. On the way he fell asleep, and while he slept he was relieved of a gold watch valued at $120, two promissory notes for 890 and deposits to the value of $1,000. It is doubtful whether these articles will be recovered, as the Customs official failed to take the number of his ricsha, admitting that he was under the influence of liquor at the time.
Private ricshas have been giving the police some trouble of late by reason of the obstruction they caused in the main thoroughfares of the oity, and owners of these vehicles would be well advised to find other quarters for them than the' streels when they are not in use. Not only do they cause an obstruction when left out over night, but they afford unskilled pallers an opportunity of making a little money from fares, thus depriving the licensed riosha ooolie of his means of livelihood. Again, they may be the means of serious accidents by reason of the pullers' ignorance of the rules of the road. For sometime the police have endeavoured to get them removed from the main streets, but were always unsuccessful in finding efther owners or pullers. This difficulty, however, has now been overcome by Inspector Fenton of Wanobai, who conceived the idea of having these ricshas taken to the police station, and on Saturday morning sixteen private vehicles were removed to No. 2 Police Station. Out of this number nine owners and pullers made applica- and in this way proceedings were taken against tion on the same day for return of their vehicles,
the nine pullers before Mr. J. R. Wood yesterday, His Worship fined five of the defendants $1 apiece, discharged two with a caution, and estreated the bail of $5 on which the other defendant was liberated, as he failed to appear. It is expected that claimants will in due course make application for the return of the remaining vehicles, when further prosecu- tions will probably be taken.
DEATH OF MR. G. L. TOMLIN.
We regret to learn that on Tuesday Mr. C. Pemberton, acting Secretary of the China Fire Insurance Co., received a cable from London annonnoing the death of Mr. George L. Tomlin, the well-known secretary of the Company,
Mr. Tomlin had been ailing for some time, and after consulting three local doctors and learning from each that he was suffering from cancer in the throat, he decided to take a trip home to consult a specialist. He left Hongkong on on leave, June 2ad. He went under an
operation at home, had the growth removed and thought that his troubles were over, Unfor- tunately, however, he rapidly declined, and bas now succumbed to the dread disease,
Mr. Tomlin, who was a member of the Perseverance Lodge and a prominent Mason, arrived in the Colony some twenty years ago. For about two years be served in an architect's office and then joined the China Fire Insurance Co. as a clerk. This was on the 15th September, 1882. From a junior Mr. Tomlin worked his way up until be became Secretary of the Company, a position in which he had been for ten years, and held until the time of his death. Deceased, who was 48 years of age, leaves a large circle of friends in the Colony, who will regret to hear that he has passed away.
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