28
in British public life; and not only so, but he can thus trap and trick the House of Commons and the nation over the most vital issue that bas ever faced the Empire. If the Prime Minister of England, throwing to the winds his private honour, can thus devote his great abilities to deceive by a promise which he knows will be interpreted literally, and then deny having¶ntended to convey the only meaning that the words bear, can it really be wondered at that further doubt should arise here in Hong- kong as to the interpretation which may eventually be placed upon the words "substantial contribution"? The ingenuity even of some "larn-pidgin" politician in the Cabinet would probably be sufficient to read a very diminutive meaning into that fair-seeming phrase. More and more does it appear that it was an evil day indeed for | Hongkong when the rash promise of a raw political fledgling, trying his 'prentice hand at Under Secretarial work, dragged this Colony into the slippery game of chicane and chance at present dishonouring all the best traditions of British politics.
+6
We are indeed in a very unsatisfactory predicament at the present time. Not only do we not know what interpretation the Imperial Government will give to the pro- mise to ask Parlament for a "substantial contribution," but we have no guarantee that Parliament when "asked" will consent to grant any compensation whatever; and on this point we cannot improve on the following comment which we find in the Singapore Free Press "
The opium question, outside the fad dists, is merely a sentimental one at home, that is to say millions would possibly be found ready to vote a resolution condemning opium, but we doubt whether hundreds would support a resolution to grant com- pensation on account of such condemnatiou. It would naturally seem absurd to members of Parliament that they should vote away home public money to compensate for any loss of revenue derived by a far off Colony from the opiam trade. They would pro- bably say Well the Colony has done well out of the business in the past, let it stand the racket now, and whilst we make no pro- nouncement on the justice of that attitude, it seems one which most men would adopt who knew as little about the practical side of the opium question, as the ordinary member of Parliameut does. In fact the position of the Crown Colonies is much that of the unfortunate people who cry God is in Heaven, and the Taar is far away.' It is only by making outcry before an evil is perpetrated, that Crown Colonies as a rule can hope to avert the threatened evil.”
C
THE FOREIGN MIDDLEMAN,
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND days when the Chinese were dependent upon the assistance of Europeans in every transaction in the nature of foreign trade. This was the result partly of the want of knowledge of the ways of conducting foreign trade, which was natural on the part of the Chinese, when foreign commerce was a new thing to them; but partly also from the fact that the officials found themselves constrained to reluctantly give certain facilities to foreign traders which could not be obtained by the Chinese themselves. The latter were subjected to a number of squeezes in one forni and another, which it was impossible to place upon the foreign merchant in face of treaty obligations. Such being the case the Chinese naturally called in the aid of the foreign merchant whenever it was possible; and thus a considerable amount of business which, but for these considerations, the Chinese would have conducted themselves, drifted into foreign hands. This has been very much changed of late years, and the Chinaman is now able to transact almost any kind of business without being subject to special exactions, if indeed there is not good reason to believe
he that
may, in ways not easily comprehensible to the foreign mind, obtain facilities which the foreigner would not
(Daily Press, 9th July.) The ory that trade i China was gradually alipping out of the hands of Europeans into those of the Chinese, which has been her for so many years past, may now be fairly altered into the statement that this end has been pretty well arrived at; and yet we fi d that a vast business is still carried on, to the advantage both of Europeans and Chinese. It is but consolation to those poor who have found profitable business steadify going away from their control to be told that, in a broad point of view, the circum- stance is not of so great importance to the trade itself as at first would appear. To the foreign merchant it is, of course, of vitul importance whether the bulk of the profit goes to him or to the Chinese with whom he deals, and the change which has taken place in this respect is naturally a source of dis- appointment to those who remember the
have.
[July 10, 1909,
more prospect of the lasting expansion under the present conditions than under those of the part. At the same time the change cnot but be looked upon with some natural regret by those who remember the days when, if the China trade was much less the it is at present, it brought so much better returas to those immediately engaged in it,
RANDOM REFLECTIONS.
A little time ago I had some reference to Chinese dentistry and its painful method of painless teeth extraction. I have since learned that there can be no doubt about the painless teeth extractions, but the operation is sometimes uncertain, and so it has been discarded in favour of a more exact science,
*
There were some remarkable streaks of luck at the Gymkhana on Saturday afternoon. Per- haps it is hardly fair to place Mr Johnstone's record of five successive wins in that category, as he worked hard for his positions, but I know in a certain private sweepstake one man drew the winning number five times in succession while another was lucky enough to win in two cash sweepstakes. Of course there was another side to the picture, but maskee.
The Treasury should do well out of the legis lative enactment that from the first of January next receipts for ten dollars and over should carry a five cent stamp. This will affect the men who supply us with our daily requirements, the butchers, the bakers, the provision mer. chants and the fruiterers, for unless they had an extravagant customer or a griffin their bills could scarcely be affected under the existing provision that receipts for $25 and over should bear a five cent stamp. In any case the consumer
pays!
Apart, however, from this latter con- sideration, the natural working of events has tended inevitably to bring about the results which have caused so much dis- appointment. Those who will command a given trade in the long run are necessarily the persons who are most conversaut with its details, and in this respect the China- man stands in a far better position than any European competitor. He is able The magisterial desire for enlightenment on to obtain information as to the wants of the subject of nomenclature was responsible for an amusing little discussion at the Magistracy, any special branch of trade, which are
Mr. azeland thought the name Brazil should absolutely unattainable by Europeans, or
be pronounced Bra-zil, but the owner of the which at best can only be learnt through name was of a different opinion. From inquiries Chinese sources. On the other hand, what which I happened to make on the subject I the foreign merchant knows as to home believe that his Worship's theory was the correct markets, modes of shipping, banking one, as the name is undoubtedly Irish; ita origin facilities and the like are matters which being traced to an Erse word which sounds some- the Chinese, becoming gradually well thing like broshael. 1 cannot guarantee the acquainted with Europeans and their way ing at it myself: My personal knowledge on spelling. As a matter of fact I am only guess- of business, could not fail to become acthe subject of the name is limited to what quainted with, and which, as a matter of Charley's Aunt told us--it's the place where fact, many understand as well as if they the nuts come from. had been brought up themselves in a
counting-house. European
Indeed the xperience of a 1rge number now for years past has been precis-ly of this kind. The willing and us-ful compradores, who have so long assisted Europ-ans in their hu-iness, have not gone about with their eres shut, and Chinamen's eyes they are open are, as we all know, pretty -harp. There is thus little connecte with the ordinare ruú of commercial tran- ction of which a Chin man does not n know the foreign heurig a well Eur pean, while he knows its native hearing finitely better. Given this state of things, it must follow naturally that, ther th age being qual, the China nan
A
# 8
when
ound to obtain the leading position. The chief point at which, even in the resent day, the foreigner, is still able to hold his own is no doubt that of capital,
credit; its equivalent, ound
or
and
|
Talk of heaping coals of fire on a man's head! It's nothing to having boiling water poured over his head, as an unfortunate member of a bathing party discovered the cther night. When he
boarded the launch he went to the stern to have
the usual douche of fresh water. An obliging Chinaman picked up a jug and emptied the contenta over the bather's head as he stood in position, but the yell he gave and the threatening attitude he immediately assumed towards the obliging Celestial made his companions wonder what had happened. Then it was discovered that the jug which the Chinaman had picked contained boiling water. It's not experience to be relished, and I dare say it won't he likely to occur again.
up
an
Following the lady with the lovely laces, about whom I had a few words to say last week, I am told that many ladies in the Colony during the past week have been favoured with a visit by a wrinkles on the face of any lady who does not Beauty Specialist, who has a perfect horror of coufess to being over sixty. Many a lady, I o long as this is the case foreign com- hear, has had to listen to a gratuitous lecture merc will continue to flourish, though ou her duty to herself and her duty to her hus- the amount of profit to the Euro- band in respect of that obtrusive wrinkle indicat- pean is much reduced. In a broad ing that "the bloom is off the rye.”
olitical or politico-economic sense this is a state of matters which may not be considered unsatisfactory. The employment of foreign manufacturers and the export of their goods
es on as before, and we still obtain the comm dities that we aut from China- indeed, it is possible that there may be
But very
little business has been doing in face massage and pomade at six dollars a bottle.
*
A man plays many parts in life. Shakespeare tells us that his acts are seven ages, but Shakes- peare lived a long time ago and times have changed since then. If you ask a Colonial civil servant how many parts a man plays in life
k
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.