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April 9, 1898.]
by the President of the General Produce Bro- kers' Association of London, and in conformity with his request, the correspondence on the subject was circulated among the members of the Chamber. The practice had not, however, so far as could be ascertained, caused any serious inconvenience locally, and the Committee saw no reason to proceed further in the matter.
THE DANGEROUS COAST OF SOCOTRA,
The wreck of the P. & O. 8. N. Co.'s steam- ship Aden on the coast of Socotra last summer, attended as it was by a sad loss of life, induced your Committee to make representations to the Board of Trade as to the necessity for a com- prehensive investigation to ascertain by what means the shores of Socotra can be rendered less dangerous to navigation. Various other Chambers addressed communications to the Home Government on the subject, and there is reason to believe that they will not prove barren of results, replies received being to the effect that the matter is engaging the careful atten-
tion of the Board of Trade.
THE RECOGNITION OF BRITISH BUSINESSES ESTABLISHED PRIOR TO OPENING-
OF PORT.
A question of some interest has been opened up by the refusal of the British Consular Representative at Shasi to recognise a branch agency opened at that port some fifteen years ago by Messrs. A. S. Watson & Co., Limited, as a British firm, on the ground that it will
raise two other questious, namely, the nationality of the branch before the port was opened, and that of similar establishments in places which are not Treaty ports. Some correspondence has passed on the subject, and in September a letter was addressed to the British Minister praying him to extend his protection to the firm's branch at Shasi; but no answer has been received up to the present.
THE GOVERNMENT PIERS,·
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
THE CURRENCY QUESTION. An invitation was received early in September from the Singapore Chamber of Commerce to join that body in taking action to induce the Governments of both colonies to secure fixity of exchange and place the currency on a sounder basis. Your Committee, recognising the great importance of the question, lost no time in con- sidering the suggestion, but having regard to the very different position of Hongkong, which is situated on the edge of the greatest silver using Empire in the world, with which its trade is mainly conducted, and from whose currency it would be impracticable to attempt a separa- tion, they were compelled to decline the proposal to co-operate in the matter, or to recommend to the local Government any change in the exist ing currency.
OPENING OF NEW TREATY PORTS IN KOREA.
this Chamber of the intention of the Korean In July last an official notification reached Government to open the ports of Chennampo and Mokpo to foreign trade on the 1st October, on which date the ports in question were duly opened.
BOUNTY 10 JAPANESE DIRECT EXPORTERS OF RAW SILK.
277
Kwei-lam, the New Commercial Agreement with Bulgaria, the Importation of Indian Yarn into Tonkin, the Supply of Rice to Ceylon, the Abolition of the Import Duty on Tea in Bel- gium, and Philadelphia Commercial Museums will be found in Appendices G, P, X, Z 1, Z 2, and 7 4.
THE COMMITTEE.
Committee during the past year was occasioned The only change in the composition of the by the resignation of Mr. St. C. Michaelsen on the 31st December owing to his departure from the colony. A letter expressing the regret of assistance, and thanking him for the valuable the Committee at losing Mr. Michaelsen's
services he had rendered during the past ten years was addressed to him. Mr. A. Haupt was invited to accept the seat rendered. vacant.
MEMBERS
has lost two members, Mr. Atwell Coxon, who During the past twelve months the Chamber has left the colony, and Messrs. Stolterfoht & Hagan, who have discontinued business. The following have been admitted to membership subject to confirmation at the annual meeting: -Mr. J. R. Michael, Messrs. Lutgens, Einstmann & Co., H. H. Kirch & Co., The China Sugar Refining Company, Limited, and Mr. W. F. Wenyon.
FINANCE,
An attempt to divert the export trade in raw silk from Japan into native hands was made early last year by the Japanese Diet, who passed a Bill to provide for the payment to direct Japan-cember, 1897, have been audited by Messrs. J. The accounts for the year ending 31st De- their shipments from Japan to foreign countries. ese exporters of raw silk of a bounty upon Thurburn and J. Y. V. Vernon. The balance This bounty being not only opposed to the spirit $880 to Deposit Account, raising that fund to at credit of the Chamber, after transferring. of the existing Treaties but also to the actual $4,000, was $1,473.62. The Pinnacle Rock Fund, provisions of those lately negotiated but not yet by the addition of interest, has increased to took prompt and vigorous action, addressed the in force, the Yokohama Chamber of Commerce
$3,316.71, both accounts being in the hands of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corpora- Doyen of the Diplomatic Body at Tokyo on the
tion. subject and asked the co-operation of the various Chambers in the Far East in the matter. This Chamber responded to the appeal, expressing readiness to co-operate in any steps to procure a reversal of the Japanese policy, but happily fur-
In November last a Committee having been appointed by His Excellency the Governor to consider and report on the position and arrange- ment of the new Government piers, this Cham-ther action was rendered unnecessary by the ber was requested to nominate e representative to serve thereon, and Mr. N. J. Ede, having
consented to undertake the duty, was nominated accordingly by your Committee.
ALLEGED OFFICIAL INTERFERENCE WITH TRADE IN KWANGSI.
Japanese Government agreeing to introduce a Bill into the Diet in December last to abolish the bounty.
STORM WARNINGS.
The system of storm warnings adopted by the Hongkong Government at the commence- their results, your Committee in December ment of 1897 having proved unsatisfactory in
suggested a return to the Meteorological Signals which had been in use from January, adopted by the Government in January, 1898, 1884, to December, 1896. This suggestion was and your Committee hope that the shipping community will thereby benefit in the future.
Complaint having been lodged by Mr. F. W. Watts with H. B. M.'s Consul at Canton of the action of the native officials at Fu Chuen, in Kwangsi, to prevent the alleged owner of a coal mine from fulfilling a contract to deliver certain consignments, the support of this Chamber was then invoked for a claim intended to be made. Representations were thereupon made to the Consul, who brought the case to the notice of the Viceroy and requested him to call on the The Pinnacle Rock Fund, subscribed in 1888, local officials for an explanation. Further ac- for the purpose of giving rewards to Chinese tion is suspended pending receipt of this
fishermen and others for information of the explanation, which the native officials are ap-existence of hidden and uncharted rocks in the parently in no hurry to give.
PROPOSED POLL TAX ON IMMIGRANTS IN
STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.
A Bill having been introduced into the
Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements to provide funds for the erection of immigrants' examination sheds, whereby it was proposed to levy a capitation tax on each male adult Chinese immigrant, your Committee addressed a remonstrance to the Government of the sister colony, praying for reconsideration of the proposal and expressing a hope that some other means might be resorted to for raising the funds required. To this a reply was received stating that the Bill had already been withdrawn and that the necessary funds would be otherwise provided.
REGISTRATION OF CHINESE TRADE
MARKS.
The Singapore Chamber of Commerce, having been asked by the Straits Government to con- sider the policy of passing an Ordinance in that colony for the registration of Chinese trade marks, applied to this Chamber for information as to the operation of such Ordinance in Hong- kong. The Singapore Chamber feared that the working of such a system of registration would be attended with various disadvantages, but your Committee were able to give an assurance that the law in its working here has on the whole so far proved beneficial to trade and neither costly nor inconvenient.
THE PINNACLE ROCK FUND.
track of steamer navigation on the coast of China, having accumulated to a sum of over $3,000, your Committee have thought it ad- visable to make a fresh effort to utilise it for
HONGKONG SANITARY BOARD.
A meeting of the Hongkong Sanitary Board was held on Thursday afternoon. In the ab- sence of the President (Dr. J. M. Atkinson) the chair was occupied by the Vice-President (Hon. F. H. May, Captain-Superintendent of Police), there being also present-Hon. R. D. Ormsby (Director of Public Works), Mr. A. W. Brewin (Acting Registrar General), Mr. N. J. Ede, Dr. C. Vivian Ladds (Assistant Secretary and Co- F. Clark (Medical Officer of Health), and Mr. lonial Veterinary Surgeon).
MINUTES.
week and of the ordinary meeting and confiden- The minutes of the special meeting held last tial meeting held on March 24th were read by the Assistant Scretary and confirmed.
THE SALE OF POISONS, &c. The draft bye-laws for regulating the manu- facture and sale of poisons and the sale of un- sound and adulterated drugs were submitted, but on the suggestion of the VICE-PRESIDENT it was decided to postpone the consideration of them.
THE BUBONIO PLAGUE IN BOMBAY, A return in reference to the babonic plaguë
FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE.
the purpose intended. The Naval Authorities, in Bombay showed that from the 16th of Feb- Customs at all southern Treaty Ports have 166, cases were reported and that the deaths the British Consuls, and the Commissioners ofruary to March 1st 2,332, or a daily average of therefore been communicated with on the sub- during the same period numbered 2,179, or a ject, asking them to make special efforts to daily average of 155. bring the rewards to the attention of the native maritime population. Considerable correspond. ence has passed, and the Hongkong and Shang- hai Bank have been authorised to honour the drafts of each of the Consuls at the various southern ports to the amount of $300 for the purpose of paying awards for the revelation of hidden dangers. It is hoped that this effort will lead to some useful discoveries.
DELAYED DELIVERIES BY POST OFFICE,
Attention having been called from several quarters to the unsatisfactory working of the Post Office Department, a letter was in January addressed to the Government on the subject, instancing certain delays in deliveries of the mails. To this a reply was received enclosing a report from the Postmaster General giving reasons for the delays specified. The explana- tion was not considered satisfactory by your
Committee.
SUNDRY CORRESPONDENCE, Correspondence on the subjects of the Queen's Commemoration, Transit Passes for
Mr. C. Vivian Ladds and Dr. Francis Clark, the committee re the enforcement of bye-laws 6 and 7, schedule A. to Ordinance 17 of 1887, reported on 30th ult.:-"We have the honour to report for the information of the Sanitary Board that a good many cases of foot and mouth disease are still found amongst the cattle imported into the colony for slaughtering purposes-these being housed in an isolation shed until recovery. Nothing else can be done until the importation of infected cattle ceases."
The following minutes were appended: Mr. N. J. EDE-I am in favour of dissolving the special committee. I presume the isolation of the sick cattle will go on on the same system under the supervision of the Colonial Veterinary Surgeon.
The MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH-If the committee is dissolved the inspector of live stock must, it appears from the bye-laws, contione to report to the Beard concerning the animals placed in segregation.
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