CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Continuation.
As previously noted, the Chamber did not come into existence until 1861, just twenty years after the foundation of Hongkong as a British Colony. Prior to that we had combined Administrators and Superintendents of Trade, the first of whom was Captain Charles Elliot R. N., and the second Mr. A. R. Johnson but in 1843 the post was abolished at the time the first actual Governor of Hongkong, Sir Henry Pottinger was appointed. Needless to state, there was an extensive commerce carried on here immediately after the founding of the Colony, and the many big merchant firms had naturally to consult one another on occasion, or combine when their interests were concerned, such as in the case of the foreshore rights controversy connected with the first Praya reclamation scheme (see the note about Mr. Cleverly, 13-11-33). Up to the time of the Chamber being formed, as is shown in old records the leading merchants used to combine and send joint letters to the head of the government on matters of public interest which affected them or which they thought called for their comment or intervention. Naturally enough, this was not a satisfactory system in a place which was rapidly growing into one of the great trade entrepôts of the East, and it has always been a matter for some surprise that a Chamber of Commerce was so long in coming into existence. When the body was formed, however, it immediately set about introducing reforms and "sticking up for the rights" of the mercantile community as the carefully kept records show.
The original subscribers to the Chamber consisted of sixty-two mercantile firms and banks, and included the names of the following, which are still doing business in Hongkong.— Messrs. Jardine Matheson & Co., Gibb Livingston & Co. Gilman Co. Chartered Mercantile Bank of India, London & China, Siemssen Co., Douglas Lapraik & Co. and Chartered Bank of India, Australia & China.
The first meeting of subscribers was held at the Hongkong Club on May 28, 1861, when Mr. Murray was voted into the chair and Mr. Johnson appointed Hon. Secretary The proposed rules and regulations for the Chamber were submitted to the meeting and subsequently circulated to the subscribers. These were confirmed at a meeting held on June 14, 1861, and thus the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce came into existence.
The first Committee elected on May 29, were as follows. Mr. Alexander Percival (Jardine, Matheson & Co.) Chairman Mr. W. Walkinshaw (Turner & Co.) Vice-Chairman and Messrs. C. W. Murray (Birley & Co.) P. Campbell (Fletcher Co.) J. D. Gibb (Gibb, Livingston & Co.) W. Delano (Russell & Co.) and C. M Reddie (Holliday Wise & Co.)
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