June 25, 1898.]
prise is not exposed to needless and avoidable danger.
My Committee, moreover, desire to point out that the rapid growth of the population in the past, and the tendency to still further increase in the future, render some addition to the area under British occupation most desira- ble if not absolutely necessary, both for the establishment of industries and for the erection of dwelling houses with due regard to sanitation. The water supply, excellent as it is for existing requirements, cannot be greatly increased on the island, as most of the principal streams and collecting areas have already been laid under contribution, and the bulk of the fresh water obtainable has been impounded. Nor is it advisable that so large a city as Victoria should be entirely dependent on ont- side sources for every article of food, when by the acquisition of the proposed strip of territory at the back of the Kowloon peninsula land for the production of vegetables and the rearing of cattle would be provided.
The city of Kowloon, which is under mandarin rule, situated less than half a mile from the frontier, and actually within the waters of the harbour, has always proved a refuge for Chi. nese criminals, and the gambling hells re- peatedly established there in defiance of protests from the Colonial Government, have been a prolific source of trouble. It is not too much to say that this place, with its encouragements to vice and dishonesty, adds enormously to the task of preserving order and good government among the large Chinese population of the colony. The inclusion of this small city within British boundaries would greatly assist in the detection and repression of crime, and would alone, therefore, prove an important benefit.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
THE CHAMBER TO THE MARQUIS OF SALISBURY,
Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce,
Hongkong, 11th May, 1898.
My Lord Marquis,-I bad the honour of addressing your Lordship on the 5th inst., and now beg to advise the following message sent by wire on the 10th inst:
Marquis Salisbury, London.-Hongkong Chamber Commerce strongly arges vital. necessity rectification boundaries colony. Letter follows.-GRAY, Chairman." Within the last few days details have reached this port of the virtual capture of Manila by the United States squadron under Admiral Dewey, and if an object lesson were required to emphasize the vital necessity to this colony of an adequate system of defence, a more strik- ing example could hardly have been found. Through waht of proper defences, the invading force was allowed to come within shelling range of the city, and then any resistance from the forts was promptly checked by threat of a bom- bardment. Similar tactics could be adopted here' by an enemy, who could bombard the city of Victoria simultaneously from the Capsuimun and from Mirs Bay with absolute impunity from retaliation by our forts, although the de- fence works of the harbour are excellent for repelling warships attempting to enter it.
My Committee would further invite your Lordship's special attention to the fact that the harbour of Mirs Bay was actually used by the United States squadron as a naval base be- fore proceeding to Manila after leaving Hong- kong upon the rupture of diplomatic relations with Spain. This incident forcibly illustrates the use that may be made of Mirs Bay and Capsuimun as places of rendezvous by a foreign fleet.
It was proposed quite recently, in a memorial to the Throne, by Li Hung-chang, the ex-
If any excuse were needed for the interven- Viceroy of Chibli, to establish a Chinese navaltion of the Chamber of Commerce in a question station at Mirs Bay. and though this project of this character, ample justification is found has for the present fallen out of sight, it may therefor in the enormous and ever increasing at any time be revived. My Committee think commercial interests of the colony, which call it is only necessary to refer to such a conting for the fullest security that can be provided, ency to show the desirability of removing Mirs whether obtainable by diplomatic action or by Bay, immediately behind the Kowloon Hills, the effective maintenance of material defences. from the region of debate by getting it in- cluded in the area of this colony.
This Chamber is, after all, in part at least, only pressing for what, by Treaty, should already belong to the colony. The boundaries of the Colony and its dependencies are stated officially to lie between 22 deg. 9 min. and 22 deg. 21 min. north latitude and 114 deg. 5 min, and 114 deg. 18 min. east longitude. These boundaries would, the Chamber understands, if adhered to when the colony was first ceded, have included Lamma Island on the south and the range of hills behind Kowloon on the north, thus giving the colony possession of both shores of the Lyee. mun instead of the present anomalous position which leaves one side of this important entrance
in Chinese waters.
|
My Committee have only now to add, in explanation of the above telegram not having been sent earlier that it was forwarded to His Excellency the Officer Administering the Go- vernment for transmission, but His Excellency deprecated its despatch at the present time though he raised no objection to forwarding the covering letter. Being much impressed with the importance of losing no time at this juncture of affairs, the Committee decided to telegraph direct to your Lordship.-I have the honour to be, my lord, your Lordship's most obedient servant,
R. M. GRAY, Chairman,
The Most Noble the Marquis of Salisbury, K.G., Her Majesty's Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs.
THE CHAMBER TO THE ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY.
Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce;
Hongkong, 11th May, 1898.
For the foregoing reasons, among others, therefore, my Committee beg respectfully to join with the other bodies before mentioned, in urging Her Majesty's Government to negotiate with the Chinese Government the cession or a lease of the strip of territory on the mainland together with the adjacent islands necessary to ensure the effective protection of this import-ceipt of your despatches of the 5th and 9th inst. ant port and coaling station.-I have the hon- our to be, my lord Marquis, your lordship's most obedient servant,
Chairman.
R. M. GRAY,
To the Most Noble the Marquis of Salisbury, K.G., Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
Sir, I have the honour to acknowledge re-
509
Imperial Government. They have accordingly despatched the following message by telegram to the noble lord the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs :—
Marquis Salisbury, London.-Hongkong Chamber Commerce strongly urges vital necessity rectification boundaries colony. Letter follows.-GRAY, Chairman." My Committee note the opinion expressed by His Excellency that it is inadvisable to raise public discussion on this question at present, and will bear it in mind for their guidance.
I now beg leave to hand herewith the Cham- her's second and supplemental despatch to the Marquis of Salisbury, begging that His Excell- ency will kindly transmit the same to the For- eign Office by the out-going mail.-I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant, R. CHATTERTON WILCOX, Secretary. To Hon. T. Sercombe Smith, Acting Colonial
Secretary.
THE ACHING COLONIAL SECRETARY TO
THE CHAMBER.
Colonial Secretary's Office,
Hongkong, 12th May, 1898. Sir, I am directed by the Officer Adminis- tering the Government to inform you that your supplemental despatch of the 11th instant will be duly forwarded to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs by Saturday's mail.
obedient servant, -I have the honour to be, air, your most
T. SERCOMBE SMITH, Acting Colonial Secretary.
THE ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY TO
THE
CHAMBER.
Colonial Secretary's Office,.
Hongkong, 17th May, 1898, Sir,-With reference to my letter No. 762 of the 12th instant, I am directed to inform you that your supplemental despatch of the 11th idem has been forwarded to the Secretary of State for the Colonies for transmission to the Marquis of Salisbury-I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant,
T. SERCOMBE SMITH, Acting Colonial Secretary.
SIR ALFRED DENT'S APPOINT- MENT ON THE CURRENCY COMMITTEE.
་་
The following correspondence is attached to the minutes of the last meeting of the Com- mittee of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce:
THE ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY TO
THE
CHAMBER.
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 13th June, 1898. Sir, I am directed to transmit for the in. formation of the Chamber of Commerce the enclosed copy of a despatch from the Secretary of State for the Colonies notifying the appoint- ment of Sir A. Deut, K.C.M.G., to be a mem- ber of a Committee to consider the question of the Indian Currency. I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant,
T. SERCOMBE SMITH, Acting Colonial Secretary.
from which my Committee learn that His Ex- cellency the Officer Administering the Govern ment has been good enough to send on the letter addressed by this Chamber to the most noble the Marquis of Salisbury, but they regret that His The Secretary, Chamber of Commerce. Excellency did not deem it expedient to for- ward their telegram on the same subject.
I am instructed to point out that His Excel- lency is mistaken in supposing that the Cham- ber has officially made any written representa.
THE ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY TO THE tion on this subject already; indeed it was on
CHAMBER.
this account mainly the Committee decided to address the Foreign Office by wire and by letter. After further consideration, in the light of re- cent events at Manila, whereby the fate of a port inadequately protected has been so telling ly demonstrated, and having regard to the changes occurring with startling rapidity in China, my Čommittee are of opinion that it is their imperative duty as re- presenting the great commercial interests of this colony, to lose no time in expressing T. SERCOMBE Smith, their views on this vital question of the rec- Acting Colonial Secretary, I tification of the colony's boundaries to the
Colonial Secretary's Office.
Hongkong, 9th May, 1898. Sir, I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 5th instant and to state that its enclosure has been forwarded to the Secretary of State for the Colonies for, transmission to the Marquis of Salisbury.-I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedieut servant,
&o.,
&c.,
&c.
OFFICER
SECRETARY OF STATE ΤΟ THE
ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT, HONGKONG.
Downing Street,
7th May, 1898. Sir, I have the honour to inform you that the Secretary of State for India has appointed a Committee to consider the question of the Indian currency and that Sir A. Dent, K.C.M.G.. who is well acquainted with the interests of all the Eastern Colonies, has been appointed a member of the Committee.-I have, &o.,
J. CHAMBERLAIN. The Officer Administering the Government of
Hongkong.