One of the few cases of decided action undertaken by the late Government of Great Britain, is likely to have permanent effect. We allude to the stops taken to do away with the Coolie Traffic from Macao. Had a little of the energy and determination therein displayed, been made use of in other quarters, we should have bad fewer causes of complaint in China. As the case stands, the amount of energy shown was really praiseworthy and met with its natural result—success. We have always held that a determination on the part of the Chinese authorities in Kwangtung— when backed by the known support of Great Britain and certainly not checked by the other great powers—to put down the scandals of the so-called emigration from Macao, was sure to be successful. We had to wait, however, for many years before such a course could be rendered acceptable to the Provincial Mandarins. Partly through the venality of the officials, partly the Taisser faire policy which distinguishes all Orientals, and partly the conviction that after all the country was perhaps well rid of the "pigs" who formed the bulk of the emigrants—it so happened that, though ready enough to grumble at the hardships of the coolie, and quite prepared to turn against foreign nations the hatred which the growth of the traffic was exciting, Mandarins moved neither hand nor foot to puta stop to practices which were demoralising the inhabitants, and probably laying the foundation for future troubles. In fact it was not till the action of the Japanese in the Maria Luz affaly really forced the Chinese Government to take official and formal notice of the traffic, that any desire to take active measures displayed itself, And even after circumstances had thus forced it to direct its attention to a matter so seriously affecting the well-being of its own subjects, we still find that it was necessary to keep it up to the mark.
In a recent bluebook, we have correspondence between the English Government and the Colonial Authorites at Hongkong and the British Consul at Canton. On the approval of the local ordinances for the prevention of the fitting out of ships for the coolie traffic in the harbour of Hongkong, the local officials at once gave notice to all such craft to leave the harbour without delay. The international difficulties which had been anticipated by a section of the local press were found not to apply; and no objection beyond a somewhat feeble protest on behalf of the owners and underwriters of some of the vessels, seems to have been made. A few days, considered sufficient to' enable the ships to be, made decently seaworthy, was allowed in each case, and less than a week saw Hongkong harbour free from any imputation of assisting in the conduct of the forbidden traffic. Curiously enough, the vessels leaving Hongkong did not proceed to Macao and clear for foreign ports, as anyone would imagine who did not know China, On the contrary, they seem to have gone in a body into the Canton river; and here probably they would have been allowed to remain and refit at their leisure, within Chinese waters, for the purpose of kidnapping or otherwise enticing away Chinese subjects, but for the action of the British representative. A dispatch from Sir B. Robertson to Mr. Wade, dated the 16th Sept. last, explains the position of affairs. Speaking of the Colonial Ordinance referred to, he states: "So far back as July last I had ia-
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