port in the world,[1] or that in Peking there are eight postal deliveries daily? Nor is a lack of exact knowledge concerning the men and manners of the Far East peculiar to the general public. A pathetic display of ignorance on the part of his Majesty's Government in London is generally to be expected whenever Parliament is so ill advised as to meddle with Far Eastern affairs. Take, for example, the following question and answer between a private member of the House of Commons and a member of the Government, on June 25, 1906:—
"Sir H. Cotton asked whether the words 'Tremblingly obey' were only used in China in prohibitive proclamations, and not in proclamations purporting to make concessions?"
Mr Churchill—"The honourable member speaks with immense and exceptional authority on these questions, and I think that it is quite possible that what he says is correct. Speaking for myself, I should say that no commands
- ↑ The order of the chief shipping ports of the world varies from year to year. Hong Kong headed the list in 1905 with entrances and clearances aggregating 21,843,131 tons, and was fourth in 1896 with 19,833,666 tons, Antwerp heading the list on this occasion with an aggregate of 21,676,118 tons.
