190
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
altimo suggesting that the emoluments of Mr. interested community if I attained my object. R. C. Dixon, Government Marine Surveyor, I told Mr. Brenan so, but as he was leaving and of Mr. J. Macdonald. Assistant Marine for the north on his new appointment the Surveyor, should be increased by granting them matter was left in the care of Mr. E. H. as gratuities and without exchange compensa-Fraser, who took over charge of the consulate, tion the fees earned by them in respect of and needless to say it could not have been overtime work.
kong and purchased what given into better hands. I returned to Hong- cargo I con. sidered suitable for the Wuchow market as far as my limited allow.
means would I about $3,500 worth of British piece goods left Hongkong again with and cotton yarn on the 26th December, 1895, and arrived in Wuchow on 1st January, 1896, by a steam launch. Before leaving I was quite my cargo boat having been towed up the river
aware that the Chamber of Commerce had a guarantee fund for the purpose of making a test case over the transit pass question, and my the time may be understood when I considered reason for not applying for their support at myself, and do so still, that I was the best man that could be chosen for the work, I know all the ins and outs of the Treaty in regard to transit passes as well as being at home in every detail of the Foreign Custom-house business. After giving my views to the Committee I should have had to accept their terms of remuneration or, after getting the information, they might haveap- pointed someone else and thus destroyed my ob- TRANSIT PASS TRADE IN KWANG-|ject. Again, I did not wish to be under the dir-
TUNG AND KWANGSI AND THE OPENING OF THE WEST RIVER.
2-With regard to the question of allowing fees for overtime work, I would refer you to the letter from the Board of Trade of the 7th June, 1882, a copy of which was forwarded | to the Governor of Hongkong by Lord Kimberley in his despatch No. 137 of the 27th June, 1882, and I would add that the general policy of the Government Service is opposed to payment being made partly by fees and partly by salary.
3. But, though I am unable to assent to your present proposal, I shall not refuse to entertain the question of an increase of salary being granted to the two officers in question when they have had somewhat longer service, should their work continue to increase and .should their services continue to givo satisfac- tion. I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,
J. CHAMBERLAIN. Governor Sir W. Robinson. K.C.M.G.,
&c.. &c.. &c.
BY THE PIONEER TRADER.
As some misunderstanding seems to exist in the minds of the public in regard to the cir- cumstances of the transit pass system in the two Kwang and the consequent opening to trade of the West River I think it right, in justice to myself, to place on record the actual facts of my experience in connection with the matter and the discourtesy extended to me by the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce over it; and while I have great hesitation in com- ing forward to blow my own trumpet I feel that the time has arrived for something to be done and the truth to be published to the world.
It is as far back as 1892 that I, among others experienced losses over goods seized while under transit pass at Wuchow. In that year I called on the Prefect there, and although most friendly he explained that he was under the immediate orders of the Viceroy of the two Kwang and any complaint had to be presented to him. I returned to Canton and placed my case before Mr. Watters, then Acting Consul General, but after endless interviews and correspondence I got no redress. I theu ad- dressed the Chamber of Commerce and acquainted them with all details of the case, but got no acknowledgment until after three months, and then it merely said will look into the matter." I have heard nothing since. I also wrote H.M.'s Minister, Sir N. O'Connor, but although he acknowledged receipt of my letter that was the last I heard of it, so had to pocket my loss and look pleasant, but with the firm determination of biding my time. In the autumn of 1895 the present Secretary of State for the Colonies, Mr. Chamberlain, asked for an enquiry to be made into the falling off of British trade in the East, and appointed Mr. Byron Brenan, H.M.'s Consul in Canton, as Special Commissioner to visit the different ports of China and Japan and report. I felt that my time for revenge against the officials had arrived if H.M.'s Government gave me an opportunity of pressing the transit pass trade. For this purpose I interviewed Mr. Brenan in Canton and explained my desire to take cargo under transit pass to Wuchow if in the event of any, interference with the sale or ob- struction in any way I should have his support. He frankly pointed out the probability of petention up country, but promised that in the nd the cargo would go to a grod market. He also remirded me that in the event of my being successful in establishing the transit pass trade everyone would have the same privilege and I should have no advantage over others in the future. Of this I was naturally aware, but I had made up my mind that if I escaped loss, which I could not afford, I was willing to bear the risk of being laughed at for my pains on my return if I was unsuccessful, or receiving the thanks of the
ection of men, and subject to their control, who were all more or less ignorant of the matter, which I had to carefully and delicately handle. I felt that my hands could not be tied under the cir- cumstances and that I must sink or swim at my own risk and expense. It may, however, here be stated that this guarantee fund of the Chamber existed since 1894, and although about two years had elapsed, either through apathy or indifference to the important question which the members entrusted to the care of the Committee nothing had been done or attempted, and I he- lieve and maintain that had it not been for my own exertion to uphold treaty rights the matter would have been at the moment in statu quo. From the last published report of the Committee the guarantee fund has been cancelled. The cause is apparent. For shame be it said that the work has been done by an individual who has scarcely been recognised in the commercial world, nor so far thanked, to put payment aside, for his services or the loss he has ustained in the interests of the commercial worldof Hongkong.
[September 1, 1897.
which I, with the great help of H.M.'s Acting Consul, had proved to be a clear and distinct breach of treaty stipulations. Towards the end of March, I was allowed to sell my cargo and the transit pass system in Kwangtung and Kwangsi, which had always been opposed by the officials, was admitted and practically settled. I returned to Canton and was asked by Mr. Fraser to send in my claim for detention and expenses with- out delay. The day after I returned to Hong- to Chiua, passed throngh on his way to take kong Sir Claude MacDonald, H.M.'s Minister
up his appointment at Peking and it was during his stay here and on all subsequent Commerce that the unbounded selfishness of the reference to my case by the Chamber of
Committee is apparent, and the subject of this letter, the unheard of injustice to myself. There were meetings, dinners, speeches galore to wel- and the Chamber, and the principal topic on come the new Minister by the China Association each occasion was the test transit pass case and the opening of the West River, but never a plate of soup or one word of thanks was offered to the man who had spent three months up- country in bad weather, and encountering hard- ships which few can understand, to secure, and
did
secure, what the Chamber of Commerce, al- though backed up by money and guarantees, had failed to do.
In a word, the Committee of the Chamber of Commerce took all the credit to themselves for what had been done and I fully believe that Sir Claude believes to this day that the so. called test case was conceived and carried out under the auspices, direction, control, and ex- pense of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce. I hope and trust that this state- ment of the truth will come before him. I had fully expected to be asked to meet His Excel- lency in Hongkong, but it would appear that my presence might in some way or other have cast a damper over the long winded speeches and self- praise which were indulged in about the grand work both Associations had achieved during the year. All rubbish! Its a grand thing to scratch ones own back, some people like it when they are not interfered with, but in order to avoid this unpleasantness the motto of the day was Scratch my back and I'll scratch
yours."
+
After I considered that the effects of the festivities had died away I addressed the Committee of the Chamber asking them to suggest the amount of indemnity that I should claim from the Chinese Government for personal detention at Wuchow, incon- venience, and loss of business, and if they would give such claim their support. I received their answer throngh the Secretary about a fortnight later-they are business people and apparently an improvement on the Committee of three years before-informing me that the question of the amount of indemnity to be claimed was out of their province to decide, &c., &c. They had got all they wanted
out of me and I was of no further use. I had again to continue to follow up my case single handed and alone. The correspondence over the amount of my claim between Mr. Fraser and myself is of no importance to the subject, but to ent the matter short I received about 32,180 for what I asked considerably more for. This includes one item of $600 for loss of market, and when $1,500 has to pay for hire of houseboat, pay and keep of Chinese staff, postages, and telegrams, for three months in the winter at Wuchow, it can be understood that there was little left for my own pocket to compensate for the loss of business in Hong- kong. I have it on the best authority that had the Chamber of Commerce supported my claim at Peking I should not have received less than $5,000.
But to continue. The obstructon to the sale of my cargo by the chief officials at Wuchow, acting under instructions of the Viceroy of Canton, is well known, and I need not enter into detail here. Sufficient it is to say that numerous letters and telegrams passed between H.M.'s Acting Consul in Canton and myself on the subject and by him to H.M.'s Chargé d'Affaires (Mr. Beauclerk) in Peking, who in turn referred it to the Foreign Office in London, and nego- tiations were steadily going on towards a settle- ment of the question when about the middle of February I received a letter from Mr. Fraser informing me that the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce had been interesting themselves on my behalf and makng enquiries into the nature and subject of my case. I took the first opportunity of writing to the Secre- tary and thanking the Committee for their kind enquiries and at the same time placing my position before them. As negotiations pro- ceeded a serious hitch took place, when I again addressed the Chamber and sent them copy of a proclamation which had been issued by the Wn- chow Prefect against the principles of the tran- sit pass trade as provided for in the Treaty of Tientsin. I had, however, for- warded this proclamation in the meantime to Mr. Fraser, as WAS my duty, and by the time the copy had reached Hong- kong the contents had been received at the.
Although I had proved that English piece Foreign Office in London through Peking and goods could be sent up country under transit instructions returned for my case to be settled pass I felt there might still be some difficulty and the Tientsin treaty upheld without fur-with other cargo, such as kerosine oil, from ther delay. Later on a meeting of the Chamber which a large proportion of the internal was called at which it was decided to despatch revenue is derived. a telegram to H.M.'s Minister for Foreign to complete my task of carrying the transit pass In order, therefore, Affairs about my case, and a prompt answer was system throngh in all its branches in the two received that "instructions had been sent to provinces, I embarked on another venture of Peking." The good intention of the Chamber 3,000 cases kerosine (Comet) for the old spot on was therefore money wasted, but under the the West River (Wuchow), but before leaving circumstances it was their duty to take advant- Hongkong I had a large obstacle to contend age of the opportunity afforded to push a case
with, viz.. the transport of kerosine from Hong-
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