Page
February 6, 1895.]
the dishonest squeeze stations which are dis tributed along the rivers and which hamper and strangle trade to such an extent that goods are frequently conveye by longer and more difficult routes in order to escape thom. A writer in a recent issue of the London and China Express said-"There is "no reason why the Foreign Protectorate "of Customs should not be extended to the "interior, and it seems quite certain that "in this direction of extended trade the "future of China-socially, politically, and
"commercially-must lie. With a thoroughly THE MEMORIAL OF THE OWNERS
"organised system of internal inspection the
46
**
Imperial revenue would increase by leaps
wavis
4
LI
落落
OF CLOSED HOUSES.
95
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. much by them, but they have always left agreed to give undertakings in writing as to soire effect, and it will be the same with the the future occupation of the premises, which present, though to what extent it would undertakings the Permanent Committee had be rash to predict. It seems not unreason- no right to demand. They only ask, they able to expect, however, that in her present say, "that they should be compensated for state of weakness China will not much the losses they have sustained through the longer resist the very reasonable demand
absolutely illegal action of the Sanitary urged by the British Minister that the West
"Board in refusing to return their property River should be thrown open to foreign
"after it had been disinfected and cleaned." trade and navigation.
What was done was that the Permanent Comi- mittee refused to return the houses until cer- tain requirements had been complied with which have since received the sanction of law, but which went beyond the law at that time. It would seem, therefore, that the owners of and bounds, and though the shock to the pre-closed during the plague, outside the re-bouses in a superior condition to the gen- The memorial of the owners of property closed houses were called upon to place their "sent fiscal system would be great, the num "ber of posts to be placed at the disposal of sumed area in Taipingshan, has not yet been erality of houses in the colony, which may be "intelligent Chinamen (not necessarily Man-forwarded to the Secretary of State, we regarded as a hardship. But the Insanitary darins) would gradually increase, and would, understand, and its publication was some- Divellings Ordinance now euforces those re- "in course of time, lay the foundation of a
what premature, resulting from an inadver-quirements in respect of all houses in the "Civil Service system on a Western model." tence. Now that the document has been colony and if the signatories to the memorial These remarks will be endorsed by all published, however, it would be useless to had complied with the requirements at the residents in China; but the squeeze system affect ignorance of it, and on the whole it is time they were made by the Permanent will not be easily overcome, for its roots are perhaps not to be regretted that it has seen Committee they would only have been deeply fixed, and we are afraid it will be long the light somewhat earlier than would be anticipating the law by a few months; and before the collection of the whole internal sauctioned by conventional and official
it was # moral certainty that revenue is entrusted to the Foreign Customs, courtesy, which, it may be stated, there was law would be passed in accordance with the Even that, however, may happen sooner no wish to disregard: As the memorial has recommendations of the Permanent Com- than expected, but in any case it is certain
not been sent in to the Governor there will mittee. The cost of the work would have that as the ramifications of foreign trade be time to correct a misstatement which been practically the same whether done extend the reform of the fiscal system must occurs in the second paragraph and which before the actual law was passed or after- proceed pari pases. If the West, North, and strikes a false note at the outset. The first wards, and if the owners of the closed East Rivers are opened to foreign trade the paragraph is merely descriptive of the memo-houses chose to remain obstinate until the collection of the duties along those water-
rialists as affected by the Insanitary Dwell- Legislative Council had formally dealt with the will have to be entrusted to the mugs Ordinance. The second paragraph reads matter it is hard that the ratepayers should Foreign Customs. And the Hongkong, as follows:- This Ordinance was passed have to recoup them for their loss of rents. Canton and Macao Steamboat Company
by the Legislative Council of Hongkong It would perhaps have been better had the thinks the probability of such opening
upon the 29th day of December, 1894, by Permanent Committee returned the houses to sufficiently great to justify it in keeping in
the votes of the six official members of the
their owners as soon as they had been cleaned hand a large amount of capital not usel in
Legislative Council against the protests and disinfected and left the question of "and the votes of the four unethical mem its present business and which might other
general improvements to be dealt with wise be returned to the shareholders.
bers of that Council, and the- interests of when the Ordinance was passed, but the To what extent Japan may make | the
your Memorialists are peculiarly affected mistake of not doing so having been made opening up of China one of the terms of peace by the said Ordinance." As a matter it is possible the Secretary of State may
no division was remains uncertain, but the opening of the of fact
called for consider the landlords have some claim for second. or: third read- waterways of the Southern provinces has on either the
compensation. If that be so and an Ordin- for some years past been urged on the ing of the Bill, both of which were
ane has to be passed to give effect to a Peking Government by the British Muikter, passed nem. con.
The unofficial members decision in that sense stringent safe. at the request of the Hongkong Chamber opposed certain sections, but did not oppose guards ought to be provided against exorbi- of Commerce, and it may
reasonably the Bill as a whole, and it is therefore fant claims. Any landlord might at once be anticipated that in the changes that incorrect to say it was passed against their have obtained the return of his property by will take place directly or indirectly protests and votes.
The memorial, how doing voluntarily what he is now required consequent on the present war compliance ever, refers specially to one section of the to do by law, and under those circumstances with this reasonable demand will be in- Ordinance, No. 16, which is one of those the compensation to be granted, if any, cluded. The opportunity the opening of that were contested, but even as applied to should be on a strictly moderate scale. the waterways to foreign trade would afford this section the above quoted statement is as it conveys the forextending the area of the Foreign Customs' not strictly accurate,
THE INSANITARY DWELLINGS jurisdiction might even be in itself an induce impression that the opposition of the un-
ORDINANCE AND IMPER- ment in the eyes of the Peking Government, official members was unanimous, whereas
MEABLE FLOORS. for the advantages of that Service must have there are five, not four unofficials, and while been forcibly brought home to the Em-four voted against the clause one refrained The question of providing impermeable peror's advisers during the course of the from voting. It would be well, therefore, floors to all domestic buildings in the colony
The limited success which has at. if this clause of the memorial were redrafted. does not seem to have been sufficiently con tended the efforts to raise provincial loans. Apart from the initial error above pointed sidered in detail before the passing of the has been achieved solely by virtue of the out, the memorial presents the case of the recent Insanitary Dwellings Ordinance. signature of the Foreign Commissioner of landlords very cogently and argues it out lost Chinese houses have only earthen Customs to the bonds, and had the matter more forcibly than Was done in the floors in the basement, and it was to intro been left entirely in the hands of Sir Legislative Council. Hitherto this question duce better conditions in respect of houses ROBERT HART's staff without the native has been presented to the public practically of this class that section 4 was included in provincial officials having any hand in only on one side, and the old saying applies, the Ordinance. This section prohibits the it the success would probably have been that one side of a case is good until the inhabitation of domestic buildings, after complete. It was also stated a short time other has be heard. We cannot profess the 1st July, 1895,
until imperme- ago that Mr. Von HANNEKEN's Coast De- to feel much sympathy with the landlords, able floors are provided. No exception fence Service was to be joined to the Foreign whose rights are as a rule put forward is made in favour of boarded floors, aud Customs Service for administrative purposes, much more prominently than their obliga-the question arises whether all European which meant, we take it, that it was tious, but in any particular case that is houses, as well as Chinese, are to be provided considered that was the only means by which presented the principles of equity must be with impermeable floors.
In European the purloining of the funds could be adhered to. And it must be admitted the buildings erected during the last few years prevented. The humiliating defeat China memorialists make out a strong though it has been customary to cover the ground has suffered at the lands of her small not an unassailable, case. They do not surface with a layer of concrete or to smooth neighbour 18 dhe mainly to the corruption complain of their premises having been it over and beat in a sprinkling of lime. In which prevails in every branch of the adminis- taken possession of while the plague was rag- the older houses, however, on removing the tration, a fact which the Chinese themselves ing, but that afterwards, when the premises boards of the ground floor the virgin earth cannot have failed to recognise, and the severe had been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected will be seen beneath. Are these houses to lesson they have undergone may incline them and when the colony was free from plague, the be provided with impermeable floors? If to reform. The country has had severe lessons Permanent Committee refused to return so, many of the terraces will be affected as before, and has not willingly profited very them to the owners until the latter had well as the stores and offices along Queen's
wad.