THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
port duty rectified China-may yet by its cheapness of production regain to some her lost position. I say to some extent, not only has China by taxation ruined her trade, but the people in ignorance fail to alise that the care bestowed by competitors in other countries, both in plantation and the factory, cannot be combated without the adoption of similar means. In the interests of the masses in China this subject calls for reform.
Your Excellency will, I fear, be wearied with the length of this communication-the import ance of the subjects touch-d on must be the excuse of the Chamber. It is indeed impossible in letter form to attempt to deal exhaustively with matters of such magnitude, and recognis ing this, the Chamber rejoice in having obtained the assent of its Vice-Chairman, Mr. Dudgeon, to visit Peking and offer such further explanations as may be required by the various members of the Corps Diplomatique. Mr. Dudgeon will leave this for Tientsin and Pek- ing in the course of a few days, and I am requested to commend him to the consideration of your Excellency and your colleagues.
It may be asked how can these expressions of opinion verbal and otherwise be brought into practical effect; this Chamber have after anxious consideration decided to suggest that sa a modus operandi it is advisable that a. Joint Commission of Consular and Custom officials together with a fair representation of mer. chants be formed, to sit at this port and at least endeavour to make a report showing in what way the revenue can be raised with beneficial results to the trade of the country. It is not presumed that such a report would in itself be the final settlement of a question which can only be decided by Treaty and Governmental agreements; but it is deemed possible that the recommendations which the Commission would mike might relieve the Legations and the Tamen from much controversy and lengthy discussion, and form the basis upon which an equitable and-lasting agreement might be con- veniently arrived at.
1
I reply I beg to state that I will take the earliest opportunity of submitting the repre- sentations of your Chamber on this point to Her Majesty's Secretary of State.
I would, however, point out that the distine tion is hardly "racial;" it is not one which ap plies to messages sent by foreigners or by Chinese, but to messages sent in a foreign language or the Chinese language,
I am given to understand that the principal reason for charging half rates for messages sont in the code of ten thousand words published by the Chinese Telegraphs was introduced because the above number provides a very small code as against the four hundred thousand available for Europeans,
!
As you are doubtless aware, the same rule is in force in Japan-I am, sir, your obedient servant,
CLAUDE M. MACDONALD The Chairman, Shangbai General Chamber
of Commerce.
THE CHAMBER TO THE MINISTER,
ཚོ།
Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce,
Shanghai, 29th September. Sir, I have the honour to own receipt of your letters of 27th August and 12th inst., the arst in acknowledgment of that of 17th August from this Chamber protesting against the abrupt and arbitrary increase in Telegraphic Rates, and the latter in acknowledgment of my letter of the 3rd inst. calling attention to the differ antial treatment of foreign and native local
messages.
With reference tion of the stitute “lin immaterial, f foreign mesang
The Committe same rule is in f of wrong does not and the Yokohan as it deems expedient. Your Excellency. somewhat plain condemnation of
hich
ttee
14 1896
other matters will be destructive that the respect of the Excellency's office and diminished thereby. I have the honour sir, your Excellency's most obedient serv
E. FAT
To H.E. Sir Claude M. MacDonald, I OMG
H.B.M.'s Minister Plenipotentiary Peking
om
STEAMERS IN THE TYPHOON
The Strathallan, which arrived here Hongay on the 8th October, had a very unfor tunate experience with the typhoon. She left Hongay on the 4th inst. with coals and on the evening of the 5th, when about forty milea N.E. of the Hainan middle channel, typhoon was encountered, the wind varying from N.N.E. round by N. to 8.W
The lowest point touched by the barometer was 28.60 at 2 p.m. on the 6th On the general subject of the increase in was a very confused sea and the salo European and local rates your Excellency's completely flooded. Every articles. inability to review your action is much to be smashed and utterly destroyed, while regretted, but the brevity of your reply must skylights, companions, steering - ges not, I am sure, be construed as unsympathetic and other deck works suffered much to our complaint, nor as indicative of unwill- Captain Macoubrey was a very heavy ingness to lay before the Powers interested personal effects. He lost all his views condemnatory of their hasty and in when he came ashore he had to explicable action; only one construction can be of clothes from the mate. In addit put upon such action, viz., that commercial $200 from a cash box which v interests in the East have been sacrificed by the flood and also his private na for the benefit of more potent influence else-struments. Fortunately no one sustained
bodily injury.
As a preliminary to this procedure the Com- mittee of this Chamber have asked their Vice-where. Chairman Mr. Dudgeon to lay before your Excellency and your colleagues any further explanations and argument which may appear called for. I have the honour to be, your Ex- cellency's most obedient servant,
E. F. ALFORD, Chairman. To His Excellency Colonel Denby, Minister for the US. of America and Doyen of the Corps Diplomatique, Peking.
[A copy of this letter, with the necessary alterations, was sent to the Marquis of Salis bary, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs per mail of 18th September.]
THE INCREASE IN CABLE RATES.
THE SHANGHAI CHAMBER'S CORRESPONDENCE
WITH THE BRITISH MINISTER.
The following correspondence is published by the Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce:- THE MINISTER TO THE chamber.
Peking, 27th August. Sir,I am in receipt of your letter of the 17th of August, calling my attention to the increase in telegraphic charges adopted by the Eastern Extension and Great Northern Tele- graph Companies, and forwarding to me cer tain correspondence which has passed between your Chamber and the Telegraph Companies. I have read the correspondence in question and given it my careful consideration.
I regret that I am not in a position to review or reconsider the official ratification which was riven by me on the 30th of July to the Con- vention, which was, I believe, signed on the 11th of July.-I am, sir, your obedient servant,
CLAUDE. M. MACDONALD. The Chairman, Shanghai General Chamber of
Commerce.
THE MINISTER TO THE CHAMBER,
Peking, 12th September. have the honour to acknowledge the of your letter of the 3rd September in you desire to draw my attention to the
inequitable and racial distinction messages cent by foreigners are wice as much as messages sent by
That such a sacrifice was inequitable is shown in the remarks of a leading speaker at the re- cent meeting held in Hongkong on this subject, viz.:-"I have read their (i.e. Telegraph Co.) side of the case very carefully. Their couten homewards on the same basis as the rates out- tion is that they are only putting the rates wards. That would be all very well if the rates outwards were at a reasonable figure; but surely at this period, at the end of the nineteenth century, 7s. a word from London to Hongkong is an excessive rate. Every person must admit that. I thoroughly believe that in the course of a very few years people will say, I remember when in Hongkong the tele graph rate from London
to Hongkong was 78. per word." It is a monstrous oharge. Therefore I say that instead of raising the homeward rates, the Telegraph Companies might have met their constituents with a reasonable reduction of the outward rates, cor- responding with the sterling value of the amount homeward. The next question that arises is oan they afford to do it I say, yes, emphatically. The Chinese Administration, I believe, returned something like twenty-four per cent. to their shareholders. At a recent meeting of the Great Northern Company held in Copenhagen they reported a reserve fund of nearly a million sterling, and as for Eastern Extension I should say happy are the share holders in that concern. They have gone on increasing their lines, and, as their position is, a splendid one, they can afford to be just to their shareholders and generous to the public.
The prosperity of these two European Lines was confirmed by another speaker, who pointed out that the Danish and English Companies paid 10 per cent. and 7 per cent, respectively.
It is not surprising therefore that those who have contributed largely to the prosperity. these Companies feel aggrieved, at the treat- ment received.
For your Excellency's courteous and pro reply regarding differential chargos opean and Chinese telegrams, the Committed are much obliged, and they note that their r presentation (will be submitted to .H.BM,'« Secretary of State for Foreign
|
The Danish steamer dek, from Oct., and Hoihow 7th, had stro mencing from N.W: with rain squa during the afternoon to WN.W to W.; lowest reading 29.32 at 8 went down; at 1 am. the followin glass commenced to rise,
the wind turned 8.W. and glass rising at the same time- moderate to fresh E. and 8.E. squalls and heavy sem over the Chins
or-to
the hear
labou whi
The British steamer: Namyong, from Sings.. pore 29th Sept., had fine weather up to 5th Oct! At 4 a.m. that day foll in with heavy typhoon, blowing from the west, with much blinding rai Headed, reached the ship up on the starboard heavily taking every part of the bulwarks lifts and braces. Bar. board. Battened till 6th at daylight, moderating; ancho
We
off Green Tiland at
LNION INSURANCE SOCIETY OF CANTON, LIMITED
The twenty-third ordinage annual meeting of the shareholders in the Union held Society of Canton, Limited, was office on the 8th October, at noon. Dalrymple presided and ther Messrs. NA. Sioba R. Ri H. Stolterfoht (Directors) tary), Hon. A: McConachie, R. O. Wilcor, W.H. Patte. Alvares, G. W F Phyfair, J Buck, R. K Leigh, CH Rogge, valho, W. J. Saunders, Morton Jones Lewis, J. M. McKie, A. Coxon, Hawkins.
The SECRETLEY read the notice convening the meeting
The OHAT
these
of re
ing