readily seen in many cases. If a Chinaman should have had a certificate of residence issued to him in the name Tsam Gow, and should apply for a duplicate in the name Jaam Gow, which has nearly the same sound in English, the chances are that, because of the variance in spelling, his certificate would be overlooked in the Department, and a duplicate refused. Again, many Chinese merchants have their names misspelled in the partnership lists, and have considerable difficulty in returning to this country as merchants when the names given on their steamer tickets differ from the ones appearing on the partnership lists. In the probate of estates of Chinese, also, it is important that the name of the Chinese should appear in connection with all of his property, and in all contracts and leases spelled in only one way.
In the preparation of this system the author here acknowledges the valuable assistance of Professor John E. Gardner and Mr. Carlton Rickards of the Chinese Bureau at San Francisco (who are experts on the Saam Yup dialect of Cantonese); also of Professor Marshall B. Woodworth of Hastings College of the Law, United States Attorney; also of Mr. Charles Mehan, Inspector-in-Chief of the Chinese Bureau, and of several other Federal officers.
The author lived five years in the Sz Yip districts of China, as missionary, was interpreter for the Registration Bureau of the Internal Revenue Department at San Francisco during the Chinese registration period, and for the past eight years has been and is now official Chinese Interpreter of the United States Courts at San Francisco.
