Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-18

There tnT6G HUfIIIfHfS HETG,
miral and two rear admirals, and the Off
GERS of the fleet and their families make
quite naval colony. The wife of the COM
mandant, General Hatton, is an American.
There Is another fleet at Shanghai and up
the Yang-tse river, and vessels at Yoko-
hama and other of the northern ports. The
British have another naval station at Wei
hai-wei, but 1t Is practically useless for
them just now, because 1t Is Immediately
opposite Port Arthur, and they could not
send a fleet up there without creating ex-
element and provoking inquiries from the
Russian government, so the ships will have
to stay here all summer.
The most important duty of the fleet is
to protect the big DOCKS shipyards, arse
nails, warehouses and other places where
the British have stored supplies for the
army and the fleet. In case England be-
came involved in war the enemies fleets
would start straight for Hongkong, for it
is the base of British supplies.
There are several dry docks here. and the
largest is big enough to take in any ship
that floats. All the navies and merchant
fleets take advantage of them. The United
States flagship Kentucky has been in the
big dry dock for week or more, having
before starting upon her homeward cruise
She is a ship that the Yankee nation need
not be ashamed Of Nothing In the British
feet outranks her In tonnage, guns or
speed. and the appearance and behavior of
her sailors while here made every American
proud. There are several German cruisers
lying at ancnor near the Amsric ans ana q
a midshipman aboard the flagship.
Attached to the dry docks are the larg-
est foundries and machine shops IN the east.
and they are kept busy with the patronage
of all nations. ,y,
A Cosmopolitan Population.
As I told you yesterday. Hongkong is a
free mort. The gates are always open and
the latch string is always hanging out.
Everybody comes and goes at pleasure;
subjects of every nation are allowed to ac-
mire property and do business and have
the benefit of all the resources and adj
yantages of the colony. Hence the popu-
lation is very cosmopolitan. According to
the census of 1901. there are 1884, popula-
ton. an increase OF sS;eoo du as, me lass
274543 are Chinese, 3.007 English, 1855
Portuguese, 1453 Hfndus, 445 Germans, 351
An orleans, 165 Jews, 1926 Spanish, 1OS
Frenchmen, and nearly every other nation
ality on earth is represented. This is a
hospitable asylum for fugitives, for the pol
icy of the British government is to protect
all corners as long as they behave them
selYes 1t does not inquire into their past
or future and is concerned with their pres
| emit only
The Chinese population are wealthy, In
dustrious and contented and here they dem
onstrate what valuable citizens they make
when they are allowed to exercise their
| peculiar characteristics. They are peaceful
| and law-abiding They furnish the entire
| labor element and servant class. There are
| no strikes and the only drunkenness and
disorder is found IN the European saloons
and resorts. No city of 800. 900 In the world
that Hongkong Is the asylum Of outthroats.
pirates and de~,c--te ct.r4c.ers from all
parts of China The government is ad-
ministered by governor. who has an ex-