THE HONGKONG, WEEKLY PRESS AND
HONGKONG BRANCH OF THE NAVY LEAGUE.
again be taken up by your Chamber | view to more combined action on the of India, China, and these Settlements for general lowering of rates.
At the same time they feel bound to point out that the expedient you suggested of Govern- ment being asked to guarantee-in whole or part the Telegraph Companies against any loss s of revenue consequent on such reduction is a regards this colony quite impracticable-I am, &c.
A. J. GUNN,
Secretary. Kenric B. Murray, Esq., Secretary, London Chamber of Commerce, Botolph House, Eastcheap, London, E.C.
CHINESE TARIFF REVISION,
Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce,
1st October, 1896. Goo: D. Scott, Esq., Acting Secretary, Shang
hai Chamber of Commerce. Dear Sir, The Hon. Secretary of the local branch of the China Association having courte- ously handed to this Chamber a copy of the let-s ler received from the Shanghai Branch to the effect that the Committee of that Association and your Committee met on the 2nd ult. and agreed upon joint action in connection with the question of proposed revision of the Chinese Customs tariff, and it being therein stated that it was understood copies of the minutes of such meeting would be forwarded to this Cham- bor by you, my Committee has, in order to save time, directed me to address you on the subject. My Committee desires me to assure you that they are quite ready to act in harmony with your Chamber and the China Association with regard to the suggested increase in the im- port duties, From the first this Chamber has taken up the position that no concession should be made to China unless the Govern. ment of that country is prepared to abolish Iskin and to make the one duty imposed on landing frank the goods throughout the Em- pire. This is the view, I understand, taken both by your Chamber and the China Associa tion, and though apparently not likely to be favourably regarded by the Chinese Govern. ment, it is the only basis on which negotiations for a revision of the tariff should be entertained. -I am, dear sir, yours faithfully,
|
ANNUAL MEETING.
The annual meeting of the Hongkong Branch of the Navy League was held on the 23rd Octo- ber at the City Hall. Mr. A. Coxon presided and there were also present-Hon. Commander W. C. H. Hastings, Mr. A. McConachie, Captain Anderson, Messrs. G. Sharp, H. A. Ritchie, A. M. Marshall, G. Stewart, N. J. Ede, J. McGregor Forbes, and H. N. Mody.
The CHAIRMAN-Before I ask you to pass our report, which I hope you will take as read, I will tell you in as few words as possible what we have done during this our first year of existence. A somewhat voluminous correspon- dence has passed between the head office of the Navy League and this branch, which members are welcome to peruse at any time they think fit. We have forwarded copies of the two letters from Hon. Mr. Chater to H.E. the Governor of the 13th November, 1894, and 16th September, 1895, advocating the extension of our frontier on naval lines. Your Committee has most strongly brought to the notice of the Navy League the great and growing ne- cessity for the re-enactment of the Contagious Diseases Act, and we have every reason to hope and expect that that Act will be law again before long. We have drawn the attention of the League to the present unsatisfactory working of the Royal Naval Reserve under the Board of Trade, in so far as our colonies are con- cerned. Up to a short time ago no time expired Royal Naval Reserve man could resume his engagement in this or any other colony, but I am glad to say that this has been rectified quite lately. The fact still remains that no A. B. seaman or officer can join the Royal Naval Reserve except in England. I think that the members will agree with colonies the their Committee that in our working of the Royal Naval Reserve should be placed under the control of the Admi- ralty, giving the Commander-in-Chief of the Station, or the Senior Naval officer, the power Some interest- to enroll both officers and men. ing tables have been compiled and forwarded to the head office of the League-for which we have to thank Captain Hastings and other members of your Committee-showing the esti- mated value of shipping and cargoes aflost on any given day between Singapore and the ports of China and Japan touching at Hongkong, and of vessels touching at Singapore that did not call at Hongkong. To this must be added 234 river steamers, aggregating 261,263 tons, plying to Canton and Macao to and from Hongkong, making a total of 2,471 British ships, of 3,328,788 registered tonnage, Dear Sir,I am requested to acknowledge or a daily average of 82 ships, measuring your letter of the 1st inst., from which my Com- 110,959 tons, afloat. Taking £10 a ton as a mittee learn with satisfaction that your Cham-fair valuation for ship and cargo, £1,109,590 ber is in accord with them on the above question. (3. I enclose two copies of the minutes of the special meeting held here on the 2nd ult. between my Committee and that of the China Association and of representatives of local cotton mills-I am, dear sir, yours faithfully,
R. CHATERTTON WILCOX,
Secretary.
Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce, Shanghai, 15th October, 1896. B. Chatterton Wilcox, Esq., Secretary, Hong- kong General Chamber of Commerce.
Increase of Duties.
Gro. D. SCOTT,
Acting Secretary.
THE WEST RIVER.
Foreign Office, September 8th, 1896. Sir, I am directed by the Marquis of Salis- bury to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 4th ultimo on the question of opening the West River and other inland waterways of Kwangtung to foreign trade and steam navi
gation.
the Secretary
October 28 1896.
of
Wilson visited Chamber of Commer meeting for the purpose from Lord Charles Beresfor
a report of whic of the fleet," seen in the August number of Journal. The result of that meetin the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce the leading Chambers of the country, ber, and to 20 shipowners societies, a specia letter containing a copy of the resolution passed at the meeting, and has further asked them give it their support. The same course has been taken with political leaders, and the London and Provincial press have taken the matter up. The question was again considered at the meeting of the Associated Commerce at Southampton on the 15th of last month. I will, with your permission, read the That this resolution passed at the meeting meeting having heard Lord Charles Beresford! serious statements with regard to thộ, manning of the Navy and the condition of the Naral Reserves, hereby desires to express its sense of the grave dangers of our present position, and urges Her Majesty's Government to once institute a full enquiry into the at whole question of the manning of the Fleet, the Royal Naval Reserve, and the Mer- cantile Marine, with a view, if necessary, to definite legislative proposals next year, includ ing a suitable provision in the estimates. This meeting further resolves that copies of this resolution shall be forwarded to the Prime Minister, the First Lord of the Admiralty, the Earl of Rosebery, and the leaders of both sides in the House of Commons, and that secretary be instructed to write to the Chamber of Shipping of the United Kingdom, ship- owners' societies, and the chambers of com- merce, calling their attention to the resolution, and asking them to take the matter up and Now the upshot of this give it their support.' was that a branch of the League was esta blished in Liverpool and a committee very leading and influential men elected, viz. Colonel T. M. Sandys, M.P., F. C.Danson, Esq., President Chamber of Commerce, W. A. Wil liams, Esq., President Underwriters' Association, J. E. Gray Hill, Esq., A. W. Bibby, Esq. (the Bibby Line), Francis Henderson, Esq. (the Anchor Line), Nelson Cameron, Esq., Joseph Hoult, Esq., Alfred Jones, Esq. (the AfricanLine), and Samuel Cross, Esq. Hon. Secs. Vernon B. Hammond, Esq., and Donald A. Stewart, Esq. On the 22nd of May last. Mr. Francis gave us. a very interesting and highly instructive lecture on the Navy and the Navy League, and the objects it has in view. We hope that he may be induced to repeat it before long, (Applause) On Wednesday, the 21st inst., the several branches of the League at home celebrated the 91st anniversary of the battle of Trafalgar and your Committee sent the following telegram to the head office of the League: Hongkong Branch unites in honouring this day" (4p- plause.) I ask you now, gentlemen, to pass our first report, the adoption of which I beg to propose.
Mr. H. N. MODY.-I beg to second.
are exposed to daily capture in our waters by an enemy. (Applause.) I presume that you have all read your Navy League Journal, and many of you have studied Brassey's Naval Annual, or that part of it which deals with the progress of the British Navy. It says, "The clouds which from time to time of late have- passed over our relations with foreign Powers Captain ANDERSON-Mr. President and have done good service to the British Empire in gentlemen, I think it will be a matter of one respect at any rate; they have compelled congratulation to the other members of the citizens, not only in the mother conn. League when they come to read the speech that try, but in the colonies, to recoguise the has just been made by our worthy President. vital importance of the Navy to their security." (Applause.) I must confess that when I looked Perhaps the most salient feature of the naval at the report I thought nothing had been done. work of late has been the unexampled speed I think we are all agreed that the Navy League with which vessels have been constructed in our is an institution to which we should give our dockyards, and there seems every reason to sup- hearty support. (Applause) Onr very exist pose that the records established will not only ence in this colony depends upon the Navy. I be maintained in the future, but even in some think it is generally conceded that our ships are cases broken. At the same time it is somewhat the finest that could be built for the money and disquieting to reflect that although we may have the naval officers are a body of men the ships and the money we still lack the men to not be surpassed anywhere in man our fleet in its entirety. The personnel of the think it will be found that in other The Chairman, Hongkong General Chamber Navy has been increased during the past nine branches of the Navy League = 1 years by 31,000 men, but it has by no means kept prominence to the weak points of Commerce, Hongkong.
pace with its requirements. To increase its own localities. Of course we do
the authorities.A number and efficiency requires money, and to to dictate this end the League is endeavouring to loosen Fremantle the parsestrings of the British Public and self-constitute prove to them what an excellent investment it is could not even should it tend toward extravagance. Why should the School Board have that monopoly? necessary With this object in view the Navy League is constitutional working tooth and nail. In July last the such time as pul
I am to inform you that Lord Salisbury is fully aware of the importance of the matter, and that in negotiations now going on it will be duly kept in view.—I am, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,
FRANCIS BERTIE.
Founded on fact and fiction.-A veterinary rgeon on his way to the Far East was discuss ith a passenger the prospects of Shanghai. sort of a place is it for ponies?", queried Don't know much about the ponies, was reply, but it has capital roads for bioyol-
"-N C. Daily News.
but we
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