Interesting notes on Hongkong's new telephone directory are given' in the "China Mail." It says that although most Europeans pay little enough attention to the Chinese section when they turn the. pages of the telephone book, they might learn many interesting things could they read the characters. Having reached a size too big for binding with the English, the Chinese section has now been made into a separate book. In appearance it is half of the old book, being of practically: the same as the back the same type and indexed under the same system throughout. One feature which will be undoubtedly welcomed by all users is the addition of the subscriber's address to his name and number.
Probably not many Europeans are acquainted with the Chinese system of indexing. There is no alphabet to go by and if arranged according to number of the book would be of little use. One should start from the back of the book (according to the English way of handling a book) and turn te the main index on page 1 (after the translation of the introduction, instructions, etc.). There up to page 4, one will find that banks are listed from page 1 to page 4, foreign firms from page 13 to 30. Other trades and professions are similarly classified, and we pick out at random, architects, compradore offices, photographers, wharves, factories. Of Chinese trades, pork+ fish, "chicken, duck, fruit and vegetable stalls-go under one heading. Firecrackers are put together with sandal-wood, To wards the end of the index one finds "Homes for Old People. Convents, Churches and Clergymen" under one heading. Anybody who wishes to order a dinner of snake-meat can do 50 through this directory which has a heading for '"Purveyors of snakes," page 124. On page 12%, we find under No. Central 941, "Snake King Lam," No. 30.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.