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March 26, 1896.]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
steamer he arrives by his stay in the colony will not extend over twenty-four hours and he will hardly have time to receive different deputations travelling over the same ground. It is important, therefore, that some definite and well arranged pro- gramme should be arranged both as regards how the new Minister is to be approached and the subjects to which his intention is to be invited. For this purpose it would be well if general meetings both of the Cham- ber of Commerce and the China Association were held, not necessarily public meetings, to enable the respective committees to take counsel with the members at large as to the points to be urged, and the Committee of the China Association could then be officially informed of the views of the Chamber of im-Commerce and would be in a position to cover the whole ground in their interview with the Minister should His Excellency be able to accord one.
point where the Fu Ho debouches into the "West River, is the natural port for the supply of Kweilin, the capital of Kwang- si, which is situated about 150 miles up "the Fu Ho. Hitherto Kweilin has been sparsely supplied with piece goods, etc., "under transit pass from Hankow, although "its distance is more than three times greater "than from Canton." From the fact of goods finding their way from Hankow to Kweilin under transit pass it may be in- ferred what a considerable expansion of the trade would take place were that city ale lowed to draw its supplies by the more direct route of the West River and the Fu Ho,
but at present the squeezes on this route are so heavy as to make the trade impracticable. The other places we have mentioned above are all portant centres of trade. In the letter of the Chamber of Commerce what was asked for was the opening of the West River to steamers of all nations, and the cities of Wuchow, Tsunchow, and Nanningfu to foreign trade. It is perhaps unfortunate that more open ports were not asked for, but one step leads to another, and if at pre- sent we are not to get even all the Chamber at that time thought desirable, but have to be content with the opening of Wuchow, that step once gained it will not be long before the necessity of opening other ports and trading stations makes itself felt.
As to the tradal prospects we may quote the following from the Chamber's letter:--- 'The development of the trade at the Yangtsze ports and the stimulus given 'to industry and commerce since the "Great River was opened to the Treaty "Powers affords same criterion of what may "be expected if the riverine ports in Kwang
tung and Kwangsi are brought within "reach of the outside world. At Chung
king, the last port on the Yangtsze at "which Foreigners have been permitted to "reside for purposes of trade, and in spite of "the relinquishment of the rights acquired. by treaty in regard to reaching it by "steamers, the development has been remarkable, and the value of its commerce "has attained by last Customs returns to the figures of Haikwan Faels 5,780,000 imports "and Taels 3,470,000 exports."
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THE NEW MINISTER AND
PENDING QUESTIONS
By the next English mail steamer Sir CLAUDE MACDONALD, the new British Minister to China, will arrive. The op- portunity should be taken to press upon His Excellency the views and wishes of the Hongkong community. It is usual when a British Minister passes through the colony for the Chamber of Commerce to seek an interview with him, either as a body or by deputation, and it isespecially important that there should be an inter- view at the present juncture, when grave questions of the utmost importance to local interests are pending. But some of those questions come more appropriately within the domain of the China Association, which is an exclusively British body, whereas the Chamber of Commerce is a cosmopolitan body which has on more than one occasion passed over the British Minister to address its communications to the Doyen of the Diplomatic Corps. As all the British mem- bers of the Chamber of Commerce are or ought to be members of the China Associa- tion it might perhaps be well if the duty of communicating with Sir CLAUDE MAC DONALD as he passes through were left altogether to the latter body. A His Ex- cellency will presumably go on by the same
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warmer sympathy between this colony and the Legation than has hitherto existed. It is said that the Legation staff; while not actively unfriendly to Hongkong, regard us somewhat in the light of uitlanders, to whom a benevolent toleration may be ex tended, but for whom no genuine sympathy is entertained. With the Treaty Ports the Legation is in constant communication and touch through the Consuls, but with Hong- kong communication is only held at long intervals when special questions arise, and the colony's interests are regarded as lying somewhat outside the Minister's sphere, not officially, of course, but as a matter of com- mou everyday sentiment. When questions are officially brought forward they have to be officially dealt with, but there is, so it is alleged, not the same heart put into them as is put into matters referred from the Treaty Ports by the Consuls. If Sir CLAUDE MACDONALD'S active sympathy with the fortunes of Hongkong could be enlisted it might possibly make matters run smoothly and easily when it is necessary to address His Excellency officially on parti- cular points.
more
THE RECONSTITUTION OF THE SANITARY BOARD.
The principal matters inviting atten- tion are the extension of the colony's rontiers, the opening of the West River, the enforcement of the transit pass clauses of the treaties, and the measures to be taken to foster British trade and prevent the preferential treatment of other nations. Minor matters, such as the levying of lower export duties on junk carried goods than those levied on goods carried by The papers on the proposed reconstruction steamers, might also be touched upon. As of the Sanitary Board will be found in to the necessity of securing au extension of another column. They include the letter our frontiers there is but one opinion in the from the Chamber of Commerce (published colony, alike amongst the merchants and some time ago but which we reproduce to the naval and military departments, but it make the series complete), the recommenda- is to be feared that the home authorities tion of the Retrenchment Committee, and have not fully appreciated the importance the written opinions of the unofficial mem- of the question. It would assist Our hers of the Legislative Council who were case if Sir CLAUDE MACDONALD could then in the colony. The Hou. J. J. KES be convinced that immediate action is WICK, Hon. C. P. CHATER, and Hon, A. necessary in the matter, as he would then MCCONACHIE recommended the reconstruc- be able to add his representations to those tion of the Board with three official and two already made. The West River question, unofficial members; the Hon. E. R. BELI- so far as the opening of that stream to navi- LIOS objected to having any unofficial mem- gation is concerned, has been practically bers on the Board at all if there was to be decided, but we do not yet know up to what an official majority; and the Hon. Ho Kai point the river is to be opened, what plices are urged that reconstitution of the Board was to be declared treaty ports, nor whether there unnecessary and that what it urgently are to be any special regulations governing required was enlarged power and increased the trade. These are points on which an staff. The position taken up by Messrs. interchange of views with the Minister might CHATER, KESWICK, and MCCONACHIE rests be useful. With regard to the transit pass on a fallacy. They were of opinion that the question, the importance of enforcing com- defect in the existing arrangements was an pliance with the provisions of the treaty absence of responsibility and that this could cannot be too strongly represented, and inci- be cured by making the Government respon- dentally Mr. Jons, ANDREW's case and the sible. But Hongkong does not possess just claim he has to an ample indemnity responsible government, and to make the should be brought to the Ministers notice. change proposed by the three hon. mem- It might also be suggested that as the open-bers who formed the majority would ing of the River has been agreed to it would ipso facto destroy what little be a good thing to send a gunboat up to of responsibility before existed. To make Wuchow at once, to ascertain how far the the Government responsible is to make. survey made by Lieut. BALLOCK still holds no one responsible, because the Govern good or what alterations in the bell of the meat is irresponsible. This is not a mere stream have occurred, to familiarise the play upon words. The hou. members did people with the sight of the British flag, not use the word responsible and to support Mr. ANDREW's claim to be sense we have used it, but they used it in a allowed freely to dispose of his goods. As wrong sense and their conclusions are there- to the measures to be adopted for the by vitiated. An irresponsible body cannot furtherance of British trade in general, the be made at the same time responsible, We British merchants of Hongkong ought to be agree that responsibility is what is wanted, able to offer valuable suggestions. The but that can only be secured by making the home Government is now fully alive to the officials responsible to a Board which shall in importance of fostering trade by every legi- turn be responsible to the ratepayers. The timate means and Mr. BRENAN has been colony has had fifty years' experience of the appointed on a special mission to enquire ill-effects of irresponsibility in public sani- into the matter, but there is no reason why Sir tation and it is high time that a system of CLAUDE MACDONALD's attention should responsibility were tried. But there is no not also be invited to it, for a general en- responsibility to be got out of a Government lightenment of all the officials in any way that is irresponsible. concerned is desirable.
An attempt should also be made to make the interview serve the
purpose of establishing a closer relationship and
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measure
in the
Attention may be usefully directed to the third paragraph of Mr. KESWICK's letter. As Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce he had previously signed a letter on behalf