these
    Acts, but mainly in our ignorance of the extent of the evil. What
    is our duty, now that we know that slavery in its worst as in its
    best form exists in this dot in the ocean to the extent of say
    10,000 slaves,--a number probably unexceeded within the same space
    at any time under the British Crown, and, so far as I believe, the
    only spot where British law prevails in which slavery in any form
    exists at the present time?"

Then he deals with the pretext that this slavery is Chinese custom,
in words we have already quoted in the first chapter of this book. He
passes on to consider and affirm the propriety of the Chief Justice
directing the Attorney General to prosecute these cases, and answers
some of the objections raised by the latter officer, concluding this
portion of his remarks with the words: "What I have said has been
said to meet arguments, doubts, and difficulties which have paralyzed
public opinion and public action here; which arguments, doubts and
difficulties are the less easy to combat because they have

inmates--four of whom
    were present at the interview. The keeper went out of the room as
    we entered, and did not return. The girls were very friendly, and
    one of them talked a little English. This one told us that she
    came from Canton, and, in broken English, said that she had 'no
    father, no mother, no brother; a poor man took her when a _very_
    little child and raised her to sell. By and by a woman came and
    offered to buy poor man's little girl, and as he had but little
    food, he asks, 'How much?' then she buys the little girl and
    brings her to Hong Kong. Then woman take her to Englishman and
    say, 'She first-class girl,' and he say, 'I make her my wife,' but
    he not good; he no husband; he go away to his house--England.'
    Thus she described in a few simple words the tragedy of her life
    with tears in her eyes; her training for vice; her sale; her hopes
    of marriage; her desertion; the outcome, her consignment to a
    Government-licensed {*filter*}. She was but one of the tens of
    thousands at Hong Kong. We asked, 'How would a girl have to do in
    order to live in this house?' They said,