THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PŘESS AND
The President of the Board of War, Tieh Liang, has wired to the Tartar Generals, Viceroys and Governors of the provinces asking them whether they have carried out his in- structions to build gunboats for coast defence and for patrol purposes.
In view of the approaching establishment of a Parliament, the Prince Regent has consulted his Ministers as to the desirability of forming a responsible Cabinet. Their Excellency Chang Chih-tung and Yuan Shih-kai are heartily in favour of the idea, but Prince Ching thinks that this is not the time for it and suggests that the question be shelved for three years.
Mr. T. Jernigan, concludes a long letter on the subject of the U. S. Court for China with the following observations-"The report that the average status of Americans in China is not good is false. If the American name has been shamed in China it is due more to the corruption and want of social culture of some American officials than to the average American citizen.”
The Chinese Commissioner to the Inter- national Fish Congress, Koo Hing Ming, says that the United States has promised to send different species of fish to China to assist the industry. Thereupon a San Francisco journal concludes that with the Americanization of the Chinese fish the re-awakening of China ought to be pretty well on toward accomplishment.
The marriage has been celebrated at Tientsin of Miss Edna Hillier, daughter of Mr. H. M. Hillier, Commissioner, I.M.C., and Dr. David Brown, of Tientsin. About three hundred people attended the reception, including Sir Robert and Lady Bredon, and Miss Bredon, M. Casenave, Mr. E. G. Hillier, Sir Walter and Lady Hillier, Sir John Jordan, Lady Jordan and Miss Jordan, Mr. and Mrs. R. H. R. Wade, Miss Daly, Mr. C. D. Jameson, Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Rockhill,
and-Dr. Morrison.
The Straits Settlements is, like Hongkong taking steps to stop spitting. In connection with an amendment to the Minor Offences Ordinance which forbids spitting in public places, etc., instructions have been issued to the Police forbidding wholesale arrests for breaches of this offence Except under exceptional cir- cumstances, the procedure is to be by summons, but the Assistant Superintendents of Police are not to grant permission for such summons to be issued until they have made enquiry and ascertained that the case is of a sufficiently aggravated nature to warrant punishment. Only European members of the Police force will, as a rule, be allowed to make arrests for this
wars.
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PEACE.
(Daily Press, December 25th.) The belfries of Christendom to-day, in the words of the poet," roll along an unbroken song of Peace on earth, goodwill to men." And the sentinel who looks out upon the political horizon this morning is happily able to report" All's well with the world.” We need not to be reminded that it was not ever thus, for the belfries of Christendom have too often rolled along their song of peace when there was no peace. Even in the present century great wars have been in progress at this time of the year, mak- ing mockery of the carol. But to day the horizon is clear. The threatening clouds which but a short time ago hung over Eastern Europe have disappeared, and yesterday we were able to announce a change of policy at Venezuela which practically amounts to a settlement of the dispute with Holland, so that peace reigns at the present moment over the whole surface of the globe-an eminently satisfactory reflec- tion for a Christmas morning. Looking back over the year which has passed, we cannot unfortunately say that it has been free from wars and rumours of New Year's Day, in fact, marked the commencement of the French campaign in Morocco; Great Britain a month later was dispatching a punitive force against Zakka Khels, perhaps the most turbulent and dan gerous tribes on the Indian frontier; then there was the much-discussed trouble in Macedonia, which threatened the "coming of Armageddon." The most serious fighting, however, has been in Persia, and we are not quite sure that peace has been yet restored. In the Far East we have not been entirely free from war talk. There were apprehen sions of some action by Japan against China over the seizure of the Tatsumaru, and, then, again, the idea was conceived by a section of the public in America that Japan meditated war with the United States. In the East everybody knew this to be mere wanton mischief-making, and there can be few men in the United States who are not now of that opinion, for the magnificent reception accorded to the American Fleet, While schemes are being considered in both officially and popularly, was convin. France to expand population, a writer in a cing proof of Japan's eminently pacific recent number of the Tokyo Keizu Zasshi aspirations as well as of her warm friend- suggests the adoption of a marriage tax in ship for America. This has recently been Japan for the purpose of preventing over followed by a formal exchange of Notes population and at the same time of obtaining a new source of revenue for the country. Accord which not only disavow aggressive tend- ing to the latest census, says the writer, encies on the part of either power, but the population of Japan is returned at 481 express the firm resolve to respect the millions, and it is increasing annually at the territorial possessions of each other in the rate of something like half a million. Even Pacific Ocean region, as well as to support now, the writer adds, Japan is suffering to a
the maintenance of the status quo and certain extent from the effects of over-
the " population, and if her population is allowed to
open door" in China. The ag eement, grow unchecked at the present rate, it is evident in short, covers all that is necessary to that the country will at no distant future be coufound the war-mongers, and their tongues confronted with a serious problem.
have been effectually silenced by it. who predicted an anti-dynastic outbreak in Confounded too are the prophets of evil
China at the end of the reign of KWANG SU for the new régime has had a most peaceful and therefore a most promising start, and there is no indication in any direction what- ever in the Far East that the peace is likely to be seriously disturbed for some time to n the whole there is much in the 'history the past year to gratify the preacher of peace. The sum of strife has been comparatively trivial while diplomacy has strengthened the securities of peace throughout the world. The disturbing element in the prospect is, of course, the constant growth in the armaments of every progressive Power-an expansion professedly in the interests of peace. The day when we can count upon peace on earth for any long period of time, even among Christian races,
offence.
A motor-car accident brought an interesting
case before the Police Court, at Saigon, on December 14. The owner of the car is an usher in the Court. The car had knocked over the child of an Indian Government Subordinate Civil Servant, and the child was somewhat in- jured. The Magistrate sentenced the owner to two years' imprisonment and a fine of 50 francs. The father of the child was awarded $2,500 damages. The evidence showed that the child's life was saved by the motor-driver's presence of mind. The owner was driving in the car at the time of the accident. The Saigon Opinion holds that the damges fixed are too heavy, con- sidering that the child was not injured seriously, and has now recovered. That journal fears that the decision will increase the number readily run the risk of being knocked down or run over by an automobile just to get heavy damages. The usher intends to appeal against the Magistrate's judgment.
of motor-car accidents there. Natives will
come.
January 4, 1909.1
is not yet, but there is abundant cause for congratulation in the progress that has been made during recent years towards that ideal of a permanent peace-
£
When the common-sense of most
Shall hold a fretful realm in awe And the kindly world shall slumber
Lapt in universal law.
THE
DEPORTATION QUESTION.
"
(Daily Press, December 29th.) The gratifying announcement was madeby a Gazette Extraordinary yesterday that His Excellency the Governor, being satisfied that it is no longer necessary for the preservation of the public peace to continue in force the Proclamation issued under the authority of the Peace Preservation Ordin- ance 1886, has been pleased to direct that the Proclamation should be cancelled, and a notification is accordingly issued cancell- ing the same. All's well that ends well.” The action taken under the sanction of this Proclamation has evoke much public criticism, occasioned, however, more by the exaggerated rumours of contemplated action which obtained currency among the Chinese than by authoritative information of the steps the Government actually took or intended to take. When the riotous disturbances occurred in the early days of last month, it was patent to everybody, as we pointed out at the time, that something more was necessary than the punishment of the coolies who were caught by the police perpetrating these outrages on the peace and order of the Colony. It was both desirable and neces- sary that the Government should endeavour to lay their hands upon the actual instië gators of the disturbances the men who were secretly influencing the public mind and indirectly, if not explicitly, inciting the mob to such acts of violence as were committed, not spontaneously but in accordance with a pre-arranged plan of operations. It was clear that there had been organisation, and the plain duty of the Government was to discover the organisers and effectually teach the Chinese community that these outrages cannot be perpetrated with impunity in a British Colony. The machinery for dealing with the position was ready to hand in the Peace Preservation Ordiuance of 1886 and under ita provisions certain banishment orders were issued against a few Chineso, eight in all, we believe, who were ascer tained beyond question to have been prominently identified with the boycott movement. The great disadvantage of action taken under the Peace Preservation Ordinance is its comparative secrecy, and the great cause of complaint has been that banishment orders were issued without a public trial against men who denied the offence with which they were charged by the Government. Part III of the Ordin- regard to deportation. It provides that ance clearly lays down the procedure in
whenever, during the existence of the Proclamation, it shall be represented by the Captain Superintendent of Police to the Governor-in-Council, on written inform ation, that the removal from the Colony of any person not a natural born subject of the King, whether such person shall have been naturalised under the provisions cof any. Colonial Ordinance or not, is necessary for the public safety, it shall be lawful for the Governor-in-Council, if it shall appear to him, after making such inquiry as to him may for the
seem sufficient, to be necessary public safety that such person should be banished from the Colony, to issue a banishment order, &c. Every order of banishment made under this Ordinance has to be forthwith reported by
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