Page:Europe in China.djvu/417

Rh (March 21, 1863), and the public rejoicing (February 29, 1864) which the news of the birth of the Prince of Wales' first son occasioned.

Chinese social life was, at the beginning of the year 1861, much agitated by a general mania for gambling, which occasioned grave dissensions. Clan fights even were indulged in, owing to gambling house quarrels. The evil was so widespread that the mass of local shopkeepers petitioned the Governor (June, 1861) to suppress the extensive gambling which, they said, was going on in every part of the town with the connivance of the Police. Chinese servants in European employ were likewise giving an unusual amount of trouble in connection with this gambling mania. Sir H. Robinson, shrinking from the idea of grappling with the source of the evil in the line proposed by Sir J. Bowring, and knowing no solution of this knotty social problem, publicly suggested (in 1862) that a remedy for the systematic dishonesty of native domestics be sought in the establishment of a registry of servants. An attempt was actually made in this direction, but, as on all subsequent occasions, registration was resisted by the natives and failed to gain the confidence of the public. An attempt made (March 31, 1864) to remove the general complaints against Chinese washermen by the establishment of a French laundry met unfortunately with persistent opposition on the part of Chinese and with insufficient encouragement on the part of the public.

One of the healthiest and most useful exhibitions of public spirit that Hongkong ever witnessed was the Volunteer movement of the year 1862. Two years before, the idea of starting a rifle corps had been suggested by a letter published in the China Mail (January 31, 1860). But it was not till January, 1862, that active steps were taken, resulting in a public meeting held at the Court House (March 1, 1862). This meeting resolved to establish a Volunteer Corps and moved the Government to sanction by Ordinance (2 of 1862) the enrolment of any resident of Hongkong, irrespective of nationality. Captain (subsequently Lieutenant-Colonel) F. Brine, R.E., was appointed