July 15, 1897.| district the
ON CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
*51
mber it requires.. I believe this! THE PROPOSED EXTENSION SEAWARDS OF | status as a free port appears to the Governor to,
I be quite illogical.-I have, &c.,
has often been pointed out to the main govern- ment, perhaps even by the two officers above mentioned. The members of the Diet cannot
understand the situation at all by viewing affairs from Tokyo.
The fact, unpleasant as it is, must be faced: the Chinese throughout the island generally dislike the Japanese. This will no doubt in the future be changed for the better. The Chinese must, in time, see that the intentions of the Japanese are the best and that the advantages of civilization and education, etc., are given them for their benefit. However, the present is to be considered. The situation must be reckoned with as it is, not as it ought to be. More troops, more gendarmes, and more police are needed, and the police should be selected not from raw recruits but be picked up from the police now on duty in Japan and be old and trusted men.
The attack on Twatutia was beneficial in one way, and that was, that it taught a lesson to the Japanese and exposed to them their own weakness. Governor-General Nogi and every other officer in North Formosa has profited by it. It has been instruction to them. They are better able to cope with similiar disturbances in the future. But one Chinese street in the market place suffered on that occasion. Had the mob's numbers been greatly increased, and "it must be admitted that there was plenty of material to draw from, the mob might have gone the five blocks further and entered the walls of the capital. As it was they confined themselves to the rich merchants and then escaped, but not, however, without serious loss. Now that the lesson has been learnt and taken to heart, it is suggested by some of the the Governor-General shall be press that recalled.
and
I should say that it was now all the more necessary that he should stay. He is known to be a man of courage, common sense, energy. Experience is of prime necessity but can only be obtained with time.
Let the central Government keep "hands off" the Governor-General and his reforms. -The Chinese will with time absorb the new regulations and when they find that they are lasting and that not what is per regulations to-day is
against regulations to-morrow, all will be well and good in the island and reflect to the credit of the Empire.
THE HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
At the monthly meeting of the General Committee of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce, held at 3.30 p.m. on the 8th inst. Present-Messrs. R. M. Gray (Chairman), H. Smith (Vice-Chairman), J. J. Bell-Irving, F. Jackson, St. C. Michaelson, N. A. Siebs, T. H. Whitehead, and R. C. Wilcox (Secretary).
The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed.
HÒNGKONG'S CONTRIBUTION TO EASTERN
MAIL SUBSIDY,
Read letter from Colonial Secretary, dated 2nd July, in reply to the Chamber's letter on above subject of the 5th June, stating that the views of the Chamber have been communicated to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
· PROPOSED MEDICAL INSPECTION OF ALL VESSELS ENTERING HONGKONG.
The report of the Special Committee of gentlemen intimately connected with shipping, who had accepted the invitation to act, having been received on the 5th July, was laid on the table and considered. It was decided to adopt this report, but, pending reference as to the one recommendation in the Committee's letter, it was decided to defer reply to the Govern- ment's letter until receipt of the desired in- formation.
PROPOSED CAPITATION TAX ON CHINESE
IMMIGRANTS IN THE STRAITS.
Real letter from Colonial Secretary, dated 19th June, transmitting copy of a letter from the Government of the Straits Settements, in which it was announced that the proposed Bill to provide funds for the erection of Immigrants' Examination Depots had been withdrawn, but H.E. the Governor of the Straits Settle ments traversed the contention of the Chamber that such a tax as that proposed would deprive Singapore of its status as a free port.
|
THE NAVAL YARD.
A letter from the Government forwarding
+
(8d.) C. W. KYNNERSLEY, Acting Colonial Secretary,
copy of a despatch from Commodore Holland To Honourable The Colonial Secretary, Hong-
on the above subject was read, The Commo. antistied that the reclamation will not affect the dore, having taken the opinion of experts, is fairway or cause silting up of the foreshore to any extent, but in the event of any silting he stated, under reserve, his belief that the Admir- alty would take any remedial measures that might be necessary.
kong.
PROPOSED EXTENSION OF THE NAVAL YARD. Colonial Secretary's Office,
Hongkong, 5th July, 1897. Sir, With reference to your letter of the 14th May last I am directed to transmit for the information of the Chamber of Commerce the enclosed copy of a letter from the Commodore relative to the proposed extension of the Naval Yard. I have the honour to be, sir, your
Resolved to reply to effect that the Chamber were glad to receive the Commodore's assur. ances, and trusted that the Admiralty would, if need arose, give full effect to same. THE CONSULAR ARRANGEMENTS FOR WEST | most obedient servant,
RIVER PORTS,
J. G. T. BUCKLE, p. Colonial Secretary.
A letter received on the 14th June from Mr. Consul Brenan, of Canton, announcing that | The Secretary, Chamber of Commerce. Mr. J. W. Jamieson bad proceeded to Wachow for the purpose of establishing a British Con. sular office at that port; acknowledgment had been made and copies of letter supplied to local Press.
THE LIGHT DUES.
A letter from the Greenock Chamber of Commerce, dated 11th May, in acknowledgment of the Chamber's circular letter of 28th Jan., had been received, and copies of same sup- plied tô local Press for publication THE IMPORT OF INDIAN YARN INTO TONKIN.
Read letter from Colonial Secretary, dated 5th July, handing copy of a despatch from the French Consul announcing that he had received a telegram from the Governor-General of Indo. China to the effect that the prohibition of the import of Indian cotton yarn had been removed, and that it would, after being disinfected, be again allowed to enter Tonkin ports.
(Correspondence.)
THE MAIL SUBSIDY.
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 2nd May, 1897. Sir, I am directed to acknowledge the re- ceipt of your letter of the 5th ultimo on the subject of the Eastern Mail Service, and to state that the views of the Chamber of Com- merce in regard thereto have been communicated to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.-I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant,
(Signed) J. H. STEWART Lockhart,
Colonial Secretary. The Secretary, Chamber of Commerce."
CAPITATION TAX ON IMMIGRANTS IN
THE STRAITS,
I
Victor Emanuel" at Hongkong,
30th June, 1897. Sir,-In reply to your letter of the 18th May last regarding the extension of the Royal Naval Yard and the possible consequences, I have the honour to inform your Excellency that very careful consideration has been given to the subject by the Naval experts, and the conclusion they have come to, in which I concur, is that---
To
(1)-The extension of the Naval Yard will not affect the fairway through the man-of-war anchorage.
(2) That it is improbable any serious silting will take place in consequence of the reclamation extending beyond the Praya.
(3)-That if any silting should take place it will be within a very limited area to Westward of the Naval Yard.
(4)-Should such occur and be clearly attributable to the extension, the Ad- miralty would probably be ready to take such steps to remedy it as will prove necessary, but I can only mention this as a probability, because I have no official au- thority to make a direct statement.-I have the honour to be, &c.,
(Signed) SWINTON C. HOLLAND,
Commodore.
His Excellency Sir William Robinson, G.C.M.G. Hongkong.
IMPORTATION OF INDIAN YARN IN
TONKIN.
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 5th July, 1897. Sir, I am directed to transmit for the in- formation of the Chamber of Commerce the enclosed copy of a letter from the Consul for France relative to the importation into Tonkin of Indian Cotton yarns. I have the honour to, be, sir, your most obedient servant,
J. G.T. BUCKLE, p. Colonial Secretary.
Colonial Secretary's Office Hongkong 18th June 1897. Sir,-With reference to your letter of the 21st ultimo relative to the proposal of the The Secretary, Chamber of Commerce. Government of the Straits Settlements to levy a capitation tax on Chinese Immigrants, I am directed to transmit for the information of the Chamber of Commerce the enclosed copy of a letter from the Acting Colonial Secretary of the Straits Settlements on the subject.—I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient ser- vant,
(Signed) J. H. STEWART LOCKHART,
Colonial Secretary.
Colonial Secretary's Office,
Singapore, 10th June, 1897. Sir,-With reference to your letter No. 821 of the 25th ultimo, forwarding a letter addressed to me by the Secretary of the Hongkong Chamber of Commerce, I am directed by the Governor to request that you will be good enough to inform the Hongkong Chamber that the Bill referred to in their letter has been withdrawn and that the funds required for the erection of examination depôts will be other wise provided for.
Hongkong, le 5 Juillet, 1897. Monsieur le Secrétaire de la Colonie,- J'ail' honneur de vous informer que j'ai reou ce jour de M. le Gouverneur-Général de l'Indo- Chine le télégramme suivant :-
"Coton brut et filés coton provenance Inde peuvent entrer Tonkin, seront désinfectés arrivée.” J'apprends avec plaisir l'adoption de cette mesure que j'avais proposée dans le but de faciliter les relations entre ce port et le Tonkin. Veuillez agréer, le Secrétaire, de la Colonie, les assurances de ma haute consideration.
(signed.) LEON GME. LE ROUX. To the Hon. J. H. Stewart Lockhart, Colonial
Secretary, Hongkong.
Hong kong General Chamber of Commerce,
Hongkong, 7th July, 1897. Sir, I have to acknowledge, with thanke, receipt of your letter No. 1056, dated 5th inst., transmitting for the information of this Chamber copy of a letter from the French Consul relative to the importation into Tonkin of Indian Cotton Yarn.-L have the honour to be, air, your most obedient servant,
R. CHATTERTON WILCOX.
Secretary
2. The Governor, however, desires me to point out that the complaint brought forward is based on a false premise, i.e., that a tax on individual Chinese immigrants into the Straits Settlements is necessarily a tax on shipping. Competition might possibly bring this to pass, but that is an intertrade matter; the assertion To Hon. J. H. Stewart Lockhart, Colonial that such a tax would deprive Singapore of its Secretary.
1