The relations between _Hongkon and Canton have for some years past been distinctly friendly but confess to a feeling of disappolntment that those friendly relations have not shown more concrete re~ sults. "Here again, 1 apologize for His Excellency for any remarks that 1_may make affecting part of his great country. Tam sfrald that our Canton friends, while stressing the friendship which tas undoubtedly existed, have given very few con-tele proofs of their desire to help the Colony.
TI cannot be gainsald that the spirit of rivalry still persists, and though there is no doubt some foundation for this 1 cannot but deplore it, for T'feel so convinced that each place can give to the other something which, would be to tke other's advantage.
When the Chairman of the Prov cial Government of Kuangtung visited Hongkong at his request and was met by mo shortly before my depar~ ture he suggested it would be a ocd thing if the Colony would send something in the nature of a good will mission of British merchants to visit Canton and sec the place and ket into personal" contact. I immediately wot hold of Mr. Bell, the Chairman of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce and asked him to arrange it. He did so, and suck visit was paid, though afler had left. 1 believe it was a very pleasant visit but T have not heard whether it had any conerete resulta, A Railway for One of the brighter spots of our negotiations has been the revision of the working agreement of the Kow-Toon Canton Railway, That was very gratifying, The delegates on bot sides approached the Conference witn, tke determination to. maintain a broadminded view and to allow a principle of give and take, In the full belief that such a policy would result in advantages to both, and fam happy to say that the agreement hing undoubtedly resulted in improved conditions on both scolions of that railway.
One of the problems of the future is the question of a loop line between the Canton-Hankow Railway and the Canton-Hongkong Railwa; Tam aware that there are interes in Canton who oppose such an iden but T cannot believe that any sane Government would accept that view, The railways are buill for the benet of the whole Province and not for the benefit of one town, and T fect convinced that we shall get full con nection throu Our Protectors In Whitehall Teannot be charged with sycophantic Ideas to-night, because I am on the eve of my retirement. T should like to express my gratitude to the Colonint OMe for Its support and sympathy during my term of office. Not long ago T got from Honskon a letter written {n terms of deprecia-ion suggesting that certain sections. of the community felt that the Colony was Hable ta be forgotten, that was aimed at neglect on the part of the Colonial Omice then 1 definitely say the suggestion was on-tirely wrong. The Colonial Office has had to fight many gets in support of Hongkong. As probably most of you know, we have been attacked by iM-informed persons and have been placed on the mat as one of the cesspools of the Empire, morally speaking. We have heard of cruelty to children child. slavery, masons tolerees anid the like. I am prepared at any time to defend the Colony against any such charges, but I de! mitely say this is not the time or the place.
But beyond this, the Colonial Omics have shown a thorough appreciation of the dimeulties of Hongkong, and peculiar position og an entrepot port, and have done their best save the young industries of that Colony from any imposition of quotas and tariff restrictions, and so far we have been very well' treated.
The matter fair services has probably rendered the community a little impatient, as, I admit, it did myself. T never ceased to stress to the Home authorities the absolute necessity of gelling Hongkong on the alr_map. There were difeulties which could not be put out in the open. They were definite dimeuities, and they have been circumvented rather than overcome, but there would appear be every prospect of getting Hongkong, and thereby the rest of China, connected with this country by alr,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.