REVIEWS OF RECENT BOOKS 217 



the two necessary. The history is full of interest. It was not long 

 however before the Council came into conflict with the Consular 

 Authorities over many matters in administration. 



We hear much in these days of underpaid staffs on the Council. 

 The chapter on early finances will not create a desire in the employees 

 of the Council for the return of those days. The first Municipal 

 Secretary had a salary of $50 per mensem. The first Municipal 

 Accountant was appointed at the annual salary of $500 because the 

 auditors were unable to pass the first amateur accounts submitted to 

 them. So we have an expert accountant at $500 a year. The doors 

 were not crowded with applicants it may be opined. Mr. Brine the 

 first Secretary soon gave place to Mr. MacAndrew. 



The first Budget had a total of $25,000. It was severely criticized 

 and in October 1854 a Land Renters Meeting was held and powers, 

 given to the Council to borrow $12,500 "on the best terms they 

 can !" This was passed by 18 to 15. Evidently there was more public 

 spirit in those days than now. Over Police Matters arose most 

 serious difficulties ending with the swearing in of Constables who 

 were to carry out their duty with temper and discretion. The 

 difficulties arose over the controlling authority, the Council or Consuls , 

 and as to the power of arming. 



Shanghai seems to be notorious for smuggling now; it was 

 in the early days the paradise of smugglers. It was a duty laid 

 on British Consuls in those days of protecting the Chinese revenue- 

 to the best of their ability. They certainly tried to do so honestly, 

 but their powers were not enough to cope with the many ways of 

 illicit contraband. But they did impose heavy fines on their own 

 nationals. That is one thing about British rule that is admirable. 

 There is no favoritism. The Pecksniffian pharisaism of Woo Tao- 

 tai is amusing. Of a British merchant who proposed to trade, the 

 Taotai writes "The dishonesty of this merchant makes one's very 

 hair stand on end." 



In this work we find Mr. Lanning very tolerant to the peccadilloes 

 of the Chinese. He is rather too much given that way. If it is 

 possible he always finds extenuating circumstances or he finds that 

 the Chinese are not so bad as other people. So with regard to 

 officials receiving bribes he brings forth in excuse that they were 

 not as bad as the British, and so he writes "it will be well for us 

 to remember such facts as these, that in the England of George II, 

 out of some £750,000 collected on wine and tobacco, only £160,000 

 found its way into the treasury." Consul Balfour was governed 

 truly by a public spirit for he acted with vigour and impartially. 

 Would that China had some such men. In this one cannot but 



