Page
January 17, 1895.]
THE EXEMPTION OF MAIL STEAM-commerce.
ERS FROM THE SUNDAY CARGO
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. the Japanese Commander-in-chief and the that in regulating more important Imperial the British working man, it is true, is to-day Emperor KwANG Su a prisoner of war. considerations which may affect foreign superior to what it was half a century ago Very slow progress has, to all appearance, countries, for instance the imposition of because he has participated, naturally and been made by the Japanese since the capture Customs duties, it is not usual to take rightly, in the general prosperity of the of Port Arthur, but it is only fair to assume into consideration how the impost will country. That participation must be repre- that offensive operatious will be vigorously affect the position of the subjects of sented either by increased wages or by resumed, so far at least as the rigours of the these countries; and that if in such an increase in the purchasing power of winter will permit. In any case, we would major matters no difference is permitted | wages, or partly by one and partly by the like to impress upon lookers-on the import-none should be shown in lesser regulations other. But if the working man is better
ff now than he was formerly his labour is ance of not too bastily rushing to the con- such as this local Ordinance provides, es- clusion that the war is practically over. pecially when it is demonstrated that the Iso more efficient. In the December Con- concession works unfairly against British temporary there is an interesting article by
The arguments are.
sound. Ir. MULHALL on the carrying trade of the The Chamber might have gone further and world, in which there is given a table show- urged that if the subsidised steamers standing the increase in the efficiency of our sea. in need of relief they should look for it to men, from which it would appear that while The correspondence between the Chamber their own Governments, and not have it in 1860 the tons per man carrie i by sea was of Commerce and the Government with granted at the expense of the private ship- 110, iu 1892 the number had increased to 461. reference to the exemption of mail steamers owner who has to work without the advant- That of course is mainly due to the advance from the operation of the Sunday Cargo age of a subsidy. If a mail steamer by inade in shipbuilding and in machinery, Working Ordinance brings into prominence being delayed in Hongkong over Sunday and the sam is the case with the increased the perversity of the home authorities in was a day late in completing her voyage ap- productive power of the factory operative. encouraging foreign trade at the expense of plication might be made by her owners to But Mr.WETMORE says the silver countries are British. The matter recalls a somewhat simi- their own Government for remission of free to adopt, " to any extent they may wish, lar controversy, which took place some years the usual penalty for delay. If there is all the labour saving methods which, for ago. At that time the German regulations any equity to be done in the matter it a period, gave the West such pre-eminence in industrial enterprise." When those governing the carrying of emigrants from is not the Hongkong Government that should Chinese ports allowed a larger number of pas- be called upon to do it, but the Govern- | methods have been adopted it will be found sengers to be carried than the British, and as ment to which the steamer is under contract. that in silver using countries as well the Straits Government, under instructions Let us suppose the case of a line of British bas in gold using countries the working man from home, we believe, recognised the Ger-subsidised
WORKING ORDINANCE.
man regulations, the result was that the con- and that Teamers calling at foreigh ports, will secure a share in the profits and that
It
con.
to a change in the law at veyance of emigrants from Swatow to Singa- one or more of those ports
was found pore was being monopolised by German difficult to carry out the terins of the steamers. British shipowners naturally felt tract; the British Government might or might aggrieved and made representations on the not be willing under such circumstances subject to their Government, but it was only to vary the contract, but we are quite sure after a long and severe fight that they secured they would never go to the foreign Govern, recognition of the principle that all vessels ments cap in hand and ask them to vary should be treated alike and no preference their laws so as to give British ships an given to the foreigner. The principle having advantage over native ships. Such a request been recognised, however, legislation was would be deemed too utterly idiotie for the at length passed by the Straits Govern- British Government to prefer to a foreign ment subjecting all vessels entering the ports Government, yet when it is preferred by a of that colony to the same regulations. The foreign Government to the British Govern- question now raised is similar in principle,ment it is at once conceded. though the interests involved, are of less
AND THE WAGES QUESTION.
on
in the
as
ratio as his efficiency increases
Co with the European working
man his remuneration will also increase.
Mr. WETMORE says that "the unwise: legislators of the West deprived the ac "cumulations of the products of the past in "silver countries of half their purchasing
power in those of the gold standard" Mr. WETMORE himself published interesting tables a short time ago showing that the pur- chasing lower of silver had not declined, ind it is by silver that the accumulations of
But
the products of the past in silver countries are represented. Mr. WETMORE's position. as we then understood it, was that gold bad appreciated, not that silver had declined. However that may be, the severance of the bimetallic tie has caused commercial distress with which we are all unfortunately only too
familiar. But it does not follow that the re- establishment of the old ratio is now a de- sideratum. The general body of bimetallists, while maintaining the necessity of the use of silver as money and the importance of a fixed ratio between it and gold, shrink from de- claring what that ratio should be. MORE has no such hesitation. He says
The period is within the memory of many now living when India and China sent various kinds of cotton, silk, and other
*
16
Mr. WET-
magnitude. A British non-subsidised steamer MR. WETMORE ON CHEAP SILVER and a foreign steamer enjoying the advantage of a subsidy from its own Government arrive of Hongkong on Saturday or Sunday and in- The Eastern Bimetallic League is ener- tend to continue their voyage to Shanghai; getically carrying on its propaganda in it has been decided that the foreigner, favour of the double standard. The latest already enjoying an advantage over his of its publications is a paper by the President British competitor in the shape of a subsidy, of the League, Mr. W. S. WETMORE, is to be further advantaged by being allowed Gold monometallism and its effects upon to work cargo on the Sunday without pay wages, Mr. WETMORE has given » close ment of a fee, while the Britisher has either study to the silver question and anything to pay a fée or submit to a day's delay. upon the subject from his pen is invariably The Chamber does not ask that any further interesting, but in the present case we call- exemptions should be made from the pro- not endorse his conclusions, nor is his paper visions of the Sunday Cargo Working likely to commend bimetallism to the demo- Ordinance, but that the provisions of the cracy, with whom the settlement of import- Ordinance should be enforced without ant political questions now rests. His principal favour against all vessels. The reasonable-contention is that the fall in the gold value ness of the request is patent. The Com- of silver has rendered labour in the East fifty mittee of the Chamber in their letter of the per cent, cheaper than labour in the West, 20th August last point out that the sub-that is to say, that while a sovereign will sidised lines compete keenly for cargo now purchase twice as much labour in China and passengers with the non-subsidised or as formerly a dollar in England will only steamers, of which there are some purchase half the labour that it did formerly. seven regular lines using this port en route This, in Mr. WETMORE'S Opinion, gives the to and from Great Britain and Europe, and East such an advantage that it will supplant that the non-subsidised steamers are further the West in the matter of industrial enter- disadvantaged as against the mail lines by prise. Nothing, he says, can prevent this being obliged to incur the fees imposed except a re-establishment of an international under the various enactments which prevent ratio of 154 to 1 of gold. The effect of that their working on Sundays, or they are com- would be to diminish the purchasing power pelled to prolong their voyage by lying idle of the British working man's wages by one in port while their competitors work on Sun- half, an object which the working man is not days, thus causing a natural preference to be likely to support with any enthusiasm, oven shown by shippers and passengers for the in spite of the prediction that if he does not speedier services. In their second letter submit to it he will lose the chance of dated the 5th inst. they urge that earning any wages whatever. the fact that foreign mail steamers were cannot agree with Mr. WETMORE that under time contracts when the Sunday such a distu bance in the relative value of Labour Ordinance
was passed presents labour in the East and the West as he re-not only will the industries of the West no sufficient reason for their exemption presents has taken place. The position of
cargo
.
But
46
$4
"fabrics to the Western markets, because the unaided band labour of the East was fully as cheap as that of the West aided by the best contrivances that had been devised up to that time, Then "came the brilliant inventions for increasing the productiva power of labour which characterised the second and third quarter "of this century, followed by a wonderful tide of prosperity which flowed. over the "Western world and for a time enabled the "West to outstrip the East, but now the "tables are being turned again. The geld "standard countries by their suicidal action "with regard to currencies have cut off the silver countries from all fixed financial relationship, and at a single blow have given them an advantage of 50 per cent.. in the hand labour markets of the world, while the latter are free to adopt, to any extent they may wish, all the labour- "saving methods which, for a period, gave "the West such pre-eminence in industrial enterprise; and now the tide has turned,
14
41
suffer from the loss of their markets in the