March 12.
To most people there come those delightfully insidious epistles which, decorated to look intimately personal, ask a point-jed question and proceed obligingly to give the answer. The type is familiar: "why do {yourself a chance?" the question perhaps After a few rhapsodies and sentiment of the most irrepronchable gort the answer modestly follow: your dealer to supply you with Suchandsuch (tubes or plain bottles) and you will be an instant success for ever." Presumably these invitations are widely accepted for, all around are to be seen men and women who are gorgeous successes and obviously likely to remain xo to the end of the chapter. The Jothers either have not received these epistles or, having received them, refused to take an unfair advantage over their fellow-creatures by making success their body slave as it were. So if, were put to the reader of this journal whether he or she want~ Jed to make quite sure what school for girls there was in whether there was an antique shop in Tsinanfu, if embroidery could be bought in Wenchow the aroused might not to impel willingness in the China Hong List for 1982. Yet, obviously, possession of information on those random topics would place a man or a woman in a highly desirable ition of encyclopaedia super-daily requirements. His wife lean use it for her social investigations to much benefit, [Social secretaries and other harassed conjurers with names Jand addresses find in it a philosopher of proved guidance land friendships. It embraces Shanghai and, appropriately remembering that Shanghai in the focus of China, all China Taipans, diplomats, consuls, soldiers, sailors, merchants, missionaries, schoolmasters, schoolmistresses, craftsmen, engineers, traders, typists, clerks—ay, even Journalists—jostle cheek by {iow in its pages in a beautiful equality duly regulated by the printer's distribution of caps and lower case, only defeated by those Scotsmen who manage to Jsecure two capitals to one surname.
In commending the. latest! edition of this household friend to its old and new admirers, this journal could, by virtue of its Privileged position, throw some light on the secrets of a remark-fable compilation. It refrains, chiefly because one of the mark: fed characteristics of that feat is the modesty of its performer. His identity can be unearthed by the diligent student of the red volume. His habits and method lof systematic approach to the wealth of knowledge which his serial displays must remain iden from the vulgar gaze. It perhaps be permissible to dissipate one or two popular 'The Hong pared inno spirit of inquisiti Its watchword is helpful combined with accuracy. 'The' thousands of names are living personalities only so far fas they are assigned to certain addresses and certain hongs. Whether they are good or bad, whether they are to be pitied of envied, is outside the scope of the busy weeks' work of which the Hong List is the monument. Let others weave fairy stone from the serried rows of names.
Let others wonder why... usk what.... and ponder. 'The Hong List sets' out what. are the facts. There will be flittings; removals and changes which, at once, will proceed to undermine some of those facts. But the essence of this magic human index remains, The author is happy: is ko not contemplating his next edition? Meanwhile buy this one and enjoy it, Or the persons charged by the Shanghai Municipal Police in the Special District Court last month, 92.8 per cent. were convicted.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.