356
THE HONGKONG 'WEEKLY PRESS AND
(Daily Press, April 30th.) Affer all that has been written and uttered both in South Africa and in England with respect to the proposed union of the diffe- rent Colonies in the former country, it is extremely difficult to form an idea of the merits of the proposed measure. change
[May-11909
the old Grand Vizier as an obstinate | SOUTH AFRICAN FEDERATION. | influence of the Transvaal as compared with obstructive, steeped in many of the traditions of the despotic régime, and too considerate of the interests and feelings of the Sultan. But
him was any open attack upon regarded at first as fraught with injury to the prestige of the whole constitutional movement, for KAIMIL was a Constitution alist, though not in sympathy with the methods advocated by the Committee of Union and Progress. He showed himself in sympathy with the rival organisation, the Liberal Union, of
which Prince SABAH EDDIN is the head.
The
seems to have been hailed by persons of the most various views as the one thing that is wanted to settle all the difficul- ties with regard to South Africa and to ensure prosperity to the Dominion or Com- monwealth that it is proposed to create. Under such circumstance it may seem almost presumptuous to hesitate to accept the opinion which has been so generally formed; but there are certain facts connected with the conclusion arrived at which are worth considering in order to estimate how far it may be correct. In the first place i is noticeable that the feeling in favour of union is largely of a very general character and the political "union which is now contemplated is mixed up in the minds of a very large number of people-among them many of high authority and intelligence- with a
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the other three colonies, that is the Orange River Colony, the Cape and Natal, and it must also have the effect of rather increas sing than diminishing Dutch influence, which predominates in the Orange River Colony. At the same time it is to be borne in mind that the Transvaal, as it at present exists, is not likely to be much more Dutch than the Cape Colony is at the present time, where the Dutch element is in the ascendancy politically and, so far as can be judged, is likely so to continue. In Natal, where the government has been much more in the hands of the English, the change might be of more importance, so that it is not sur prising that there are signs of opposition rom that quarter-and this will have to be carefully dealt with. It is hoped that the -- difficulty may be met by the number of votes which it is proposed to give to Natal n the Central Parliament, and if this is secured the objections may be overcome, as there is no doubt that in a commercial and financial point of view, the Union proposed would greatly benefit that Colony!
RANDOM REFLECTIONS.
Its distinctive policy was the decentralisation of government-a sort of "Home Rule-all- round policy, and the Liberal Union became the nucleus of a loose coalition of non-Turkish elements. From the time that KAMAL identified himself with this move- ment the Young Turks resolved upon his downfall. The vote against him in the Turkish Parliament was carried by 198 votes to 8. How has KAIMAL occupied has en- forced leisure ? We may suppose that his whole time has been d voted to efforts aiming at the destruction of the power acquired in the land by the Committee of Union and Progress, and it is not unrea-on-
union of sympathy between the able to suppose that he was favoured in English and Dutch inhabitants, which is a No lack of entertainment in the colony. The this with the active support and assistance different matter and one which may or may Ward Comedy Company have been with us a of BDUL HAMID, the Sultan, whom the
not be secured by the unification which is fortnight and the interval which elapses be. revolution which has ken place in hs proposed. To a certain extent the co-oper-tween their departure and the arrival of the territory has left unreformed. A writer ination of the two races in the important Bandmann ompany is filled with the Circus to say nothing of the Philharmonic Concert on one of the recent magazines describes the preliminary conferences that have tak
Tuesday. incredible depth of it trigue which has bee
place s an evidence that some rapprochement prevailing at the Yildiz Kio-k. It is mer..
is being made in this direction, and natur- tion d that the Imperial body-guard was ally a great deal has been said in the Pres composed of the three Mo ammedọn rác s—
and upon the platform on this aspect of the Albanians, Kurds, and Araba-who abhr
su ject. But it will be a grave mistake to each other with a ferecious batred, and over-estimate this. Good parued John therefore might be trusted never to conspire Bull, as WASHINGTON IRVING observed long against their
Whe
ago, is always ready to shake and's with
ormer opponents, who show the least desire to let begones be byegones; and something of this spirit has entered intɔ he estimate formed in many directions of the eff: rt at unification that ha- been made with, as it is generally explained, the object of making South Africa one united and prosperus nation, But too much my he expected from mere plitical union of different colonies in this respect, and it would be going somewhat far to believe that the racial diff rences which have caused
con won master.
officials quarrel'ed, it was the Sultan'> practice to reward them, and secure each as a watch against the other. So well was this known that occasionally courtiers pretended to quarrel furiously, so as to get a larger share of the Imperial bounty. His pro- testations of sympathy with the new move. ment were belied hy his actions. On his estates he had forbidden the words “country,' "nation," "people," "berty," "revo ution." When disaffected subjects fled to foreign paits, there to say all manner of evil against him, the astute old fox lured them back with offers of office and high salary-no to destroy them, but to keep his word and keep them-dumb, muzzled, watched! Knowing all this the Young Turks must bave recognised in an arch intriguer of ABBUL HAMID'S type a formidable obstacle to the success of the Reformation to which they have set their hands. RESCHAP, the new Sultan, bas not figured at all in the stirring movements of the past twelve monthe, and his selection by the Parliament to succeed the discredited ABDUL is therefore a surprise. RESCHAD is sixty-five years of age, two years younger than the deposed Sultan, and if he is not an active supporter of the Young Turks' political ambitions, we may be quite sure that those who have set him upon the Throne are thoroughly assured of freedom from interference in their con- stitutional efforts to accomplish the high ideals they have set before them.
one,
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The Hongkong "kid" is nothing if not candid. I am told that one of them, a boy of eight, was taken to see "The New Clown last Saturday and on returning home confided to his mother the information iss Palotta is prettier than you, mother, I should say."ollapse of mother.
F
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The fact that St. George's day passed un- noticed in Hongkong as well as other places within the Empire would indicate that English- men have not the same love of country as the men of the other nations in the Kingdom. St. Patrick's Day is dear to every Irishman, and its A similar anniversary is never overlooked.
regard is shown by Welshmen for the memory
of Dewi Sant, and of course we all know the love of the Scot for St. Andrew. By the way has it ever occurred to you how popular St. Andrew is? He is claimed as a patron saint by both Scotland and Russia.
**
•
so much trouble in South Arica will be at
We who have fumed and fretted because our once and for ever at an end, because the coolie with a chit to deliver took over an hour different Colonies are placed under
to get from Des Voeux Road to the vicinity of the Clock Tower may be pardoned for having instead of separate Governments. The overlooked the fact that the hinese are great decline of the feeling of separate nationality pedestrians, but the statement is true never- must be a matter of time; and if the pro-theless. We have only to think how difficult it posed union is effected, this will have to be is to keep pace with chair coolies carrying a fare, worked out by the same influences that have and if we should be in conversation with the fare been found effective in Canada and other
we know the necessity for telling the bearer, to places. The question, therefore, is really one spelling). Again if you notice the
"Mo kum fai" (that is somewhere near the hinese of practical utility in a commercial and ad- travelling on the country roads they seem to be ministrative direction. The commercial moving at a slow pace, but test it and you will advantages are of course manifest, as there realise that the man who is walking without has no doubt been too much opposition in any apparent effort is covering the ground at regard to railways and like matters, and a greater rate than you can do with your four the feeling is general that a me sure which or five-mile-an-hour stride. There is no doubt would put an end to undue competition is to and his pedestrian ability are greater than is about it, the Chinaman's power of endurance be hailed as an undoubted advantage. This
generally suspected. consideration has largely influenced the supporters of the proposed change. Both Natal and the Cape have had to struggle against financial difficulties which there is a prospect of the Union putting an end to, and they have naturally had a strong influence
upon
the views in those Colonies and pro- The report of the Union Church, Hongkong, hably on the whole they are justified in just issued to seat-holders, is not parlarly looking upon the subject in that light, satisfactory, as it shows that for seve years the expenditure has exceeded the income and though it is obvious it has other important here is a debit on the working account of bearings which ought also to be carefully $765.60. The income last year from seat rents, I considered.
of
be no course, weekly offerings and hall rent was $1,589.72 less question that the effect of a Uniou as pro- than it was four years ago.
posed would be very largely to increase the
There can,
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The solitary drinker, the Jimmy Woods of Australia, is not very common in Hongkong, though an occasional man is seen going to the bar of the club or the hotel for his "single breaster." So great is the aversion to drinking alone in Hongkong that men are known to suffer thirst because they cannot find a com- panion rather than risk the opprobrium of being thought mean. It mig be that the gregarious instinct which makes Britishers desire to imbibe together is perhaps responsible for the many indiscretions which follow lifting the glass.” than is altogether desirable or expedient. Certainly it means chita for a larger amount
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