A CHARACTER SKETCH.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 17, 10 July 1900, Page 3

A CHARACTER SKETCH.

The following ia taken from, an article that Appeared in an Amerioan paper some weeks ago :— The British Empire has entrusted its interests in the Far East to a tall, thin," red-headed Ssotchman. He -is described as a man bo dignified that it is painful to be near him. He is . not a pleasant person either to know or talk with, but he is described as a man who can take a heathen colony and civilise it quicker than any one in the Queen's service. He is Sir Claude Macdonald, now British Ambassador to China. He was promoted to that place because in Africa he about fulfilled the idoal of a colonial Governor. Ha was h«ard from last when the ' Germans ware in Kiao-Chou Bay and the Empress of China was accused of trying to kill the young^Ernperor. i The report went out that the lad was dying. The Dowager Empress iB hostile to the English, who have championed the Emperor's cause. The reports continued to grow alarming until one day a note came to the Dowager Empress from the British 'Ambassador. It said simply, " Time Emperor to get better," and the capiSl soon announced his recovery. ~SsJir Claude's methods is to bring about re'sulta and let the native *^eveldp^himsal|. " You cannot transa civilisation of 20 centuries on a tribe of savages and expect them to breaths u in," is his contention. At>the same time Sir Claude believes in being obeyed, and in stringent measures when they are required. Macdonald has the native Africans so completely under his oontrol. that they would obey him to the death. "With the natives of the Housaa district he was Iv^ld in rul -.ration. He was the first Governor who Aid not make an attempt to abolish Mohammedanism, the followers of which are numerous on the West Coast. The Houssa natives were allowed to build mosques and not required to drill in the early morning and evening, the best, time of day for work in that country. This gave opportunity for tho prayers, and Sir Claude's thoughtfulnesa was se much appreciated that the Houssa troops became the best < and _ most loyal on the v coast. In * all" his' administr ition his aim - was to give the negro civilisation only so fast as he could digest it. He did not abolish slavery at" a- swoop, but, made laws whereby those, in t bondage could gradually.' buy \|lieir freedom. He imposed no Cusfcum duties on the "to hamper trade until they them. He -' made them observB^^|||nit»ry laws until the negroes toqk eS!!fpte»fjjon3 the cleanline«s of the whites aaH i>egkn*ta-ipUow it. He did "not believe in missionaries speuding thousands of to, establish schools, but waited for the native gradually to develop them' himself as he saw their advantage in the whites. v< ~ * i r - ' -