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April 8, 1899.1
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
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278
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within n measurable distance. The balance of trade is a very real thing in the actual foreign trade with China. When the products of the country, particularly minerals, are tapped by a railway system which will increase the volume of exports, and the money coming in for them
then, and not till then, can we expect the demand for imports increase in proportion the reasonable wants of this immense populati As soon as peace is restored in the Philippines and the orderly administration of the flande undertaken, there can be little doubt that their trade will receive a great stimulus from being under the control of a progressive Power. Under the Spanish rule trade was hampered by heavy duties and the most vexations system of customs regulations. It is sincerely to be hoped that the United States will adopt a liberal fiscal policy both in the interests of the islands and in those of trade generally. In the matter of legislation during the year we have not had much occasion for the services of our energetic member, Mr. Whitehead. The Trades Marks Amendment Ordinance has been passed with the approval of your Committee; and the Merchant Shipping Consolidation Ordinance 1899 is now on the stocks and its various clauses are undergoing the consideration of a sub-committee. worthy Secretary, Mr. Wilcox, usual given his best efforts to the business the Chamber and a glance at our correspond. ence will explain that this is no light matter. (Applause.) Concerning the Committee and the members there is little for me to add to the Report. We have lost three members only during the year, and all of these only on their discontinuance of business here. As a set-off we have to welcome six new members whose election you will be asked to confirm presently. Mr. Dodwell and Mr. Herbert Smith resigned the Committee upon leaving the Colony and Mr. McConachie and Mr. Poate were invited to fill their places. It will be necessary for you to. day to elect a new Committee. All the outgoing Committee have consented to serve if elected. The Chamber's finances continue to flourish and improve. Our little reserve fund has grown from $4,000 to $7,000, with the prospect of further substantial increase next year. The Pinnacle Rook Fund, spite of all effortă to utilize it, continues to increase, although one vote of 850, for discovery of a submerged danger, has been made from it. I do not think, gentle. men, that there is any other subject requiring special remark from me now. Before proposing the adoption of the report and accounts, the Committee will be glad to listen to any disons- sion on the various matters that have been dealt with, or to hear any views on other subjects which members may wish to present. (Ap- plause.)
of existing properties, with a tendency to way altered their opinion, althongh H.E. the orowd the old lots, addressed a strong protest Governor does not see his way for the present to the Secretary of State, through this Govern. to take up the question in consequence of the ment, on the subject. Mr. Chamberlain was, heavy expenditure which would be involved. however, not to be moved, and adheres to his The existing harbour of refuge to the eastward decision, though expressing a readiness to em- is not only silting up, but it possesses the great body terms in the leases providing for their disadvantage of being to windward whenever renewal for a similar period at such an advance bad weather is approaching, and is therefore in Crown rents as seems justified by the then very difficult of access to small craft, which con- value of the land. No provision is made for sequently have to seek shelter much earlier than a reduction in the Crown rent in the event if they had a refuge in the opposite direction. of depreciation. (Mr. Granville Sharp- Consequent upon the recurrence of plague last Hear, hear."} The working of the Post year, this colony was again put to great loss and Office durng the past year caused great dia. inconvenience by the quarantine imposed satisfaction and inconvenience and gave at the various porta in Eastern seas on rise to much correspondence. The Cham-arrivals from Hongkong waters. Happily ber, addressed strong representations to the the prospect this year is brighter, and the Government on the subject, in response to cases of plague, both here and on the mainland, which General Black requested the Secretary have been few in number, and we have every of State to appoint a trained officer from the hope that the disease will continue to be of a English Post Office to succeed Mr. Northcote sporadio character. All the same, the southern PA Assistant Postmaster General. Unfor- ports have already imposed quarantine upon us. tunately, no attention has been paid to this To-day, we have received a notice from the most reasonable request, and the position is to Government that nine days' quarantine has be filled by an official with only a colonial ex- been imposed at Bangkok, and the Venice perience at St. Vincent. We have in Captain Sanitary Couvention Regulations will be im- Hastings, who now directs the Post Office, a posed at Calcutta against vessels arriving from zealous officer, who may be relied upon to do all Hongkong. I regret to say that in the matter he can to ensure care and despatch, but it is of taxation on foreign imports, although much very much to be regretted that when a Go. has been said and more has been written, we vernment Department has been allowed to lapse can hardly claim to have advanded one iota into a state of inefficiency, traïned assistance has The two li, or destination tax, continues to bear not been provided to thoroughly re-organise the same indefinite shape that it has always the staff. There is also a strong opinion abroad done, and which it will do so long as that the accommodation in the present building Chinese officials, from the highest to the lowest, is insufficient for this important and still grow. are really unfriendly to foreign trade and look ing department. Without consulting the upon it as a miloh cow to be squeezed in every colony, or at any rate not until it was too available manner, while foreign Powers seem late to object, the Colonial Office has extended to be quite impotent in the matter of insisting to us the system of penny postage with the upon the carrying out of their Treaties. It United Kingdom and certain of the other cannot be too often brought before the public, ool nies. Excellent as is the universal system and this must be my excuse for repeating it of penny postage. I fear that its partial applica here, that in Article 28 of the British Tientsin tion will prove an expensive matter to this Treaty of 1858, after defining the method of colony, judging from the Memorandum of the payment of transit dues, the following words late Postmaster-General, Mr. Thomson, who occur And on payment thereof a certificate estimated a probable loss to the revenue of shall be issued which shall exempt the goods from $30,000 sunually. Owing to the interruption all further inland charges whatsoever." This of cable communication with Luzon during the contention is fully endorsed by Lord Elgin's hostilities in the Philippines last year, we were private despatch to the Foreign Office advising for some time deprived of the valuable and the Treaty and yet the indefinite tao li tax timely storm warnings we have for many years still flourishes, The efforts made by Mr. Brenan, been accustomed to receive from the Observatory L.B.M. Consul at Canton, to obtain reliable at Manila. Fortunately for the colony and its information about taxation at destination had a shipping, last year was one of comparative im- somewhat disappointing result, as it transpired munity from typhoons. It was, however, a cou- that although most articles of foreign import siderable relief when telegraphic communication were professedly liable to a tso li tax of about with Manila was restored, and these messages
2 per gout, the system of collection is so un- were recommenced. In reference to this sub. reliable that there is really no certainty as to its ject, since the report was written, an unpleasant amount. With regard to the mission of Lord incident has occurred. The Director of the Charles Beresford and his meetings with us Manila Observatory has addressed to the Cham- here, that is all too fresh in your recollection ber a letter in which he states that in conse- to need much comment from me now. We quence of certain representations made by the listened with much pleasure to his address Director of the Observatory at Kowloon to the here, and shall_watoli_with_interest the pro- Weather Bureau at Washington, instructions grees of his advocacy of the policy of the have been given to the Manila Observatory to Open Door." His Lordship has reached discontinas sending these storm warnings to England, and the press of that country are Hongkong. It would appear from the latter beginning to discuss his suggestions. What from Father Algué, that Dr. Doborok took ever may be the outcome of those suggestions, exception to the messages and accused the good one thing at least is certain,-nothing but Directors of the Observatory at Manila of being good cau result from the discussion of the possessed of very little soieatific education, and Chinese problem and from the wide publication of sending sensational typhoon warnings to the of the array of facts and opinions that Lord Hongkong newspapers. This communication Charles Beresford has collected with the object with the Weather Bureau at Washington was of influencing and instructing public opinion in without the sanotion of the Hongkong Gov | Great Britain and America. (Applause.) One ernment, who, in consequence of a despatch of the recommendations in the Resolutions from this Chamber enquiring into the matter, passed by your Committee for transmission to have now addressed the Military Governor of his Lordship has already seen partial fulfillment the Philippines to that effect, and have ex- in the promised opening to Foreign Trade of the pressed a hope that the order for the discon- port of Nanningfoo on the West River, for which, tinuance of the meteorological information will I believe, we are greatly indebted to the exertions ba rescinded. I fail to see how the most of Mr. Hosie, H.B.M. Consul at Wuchow. We prejudiced person could possibly characterize have great rosson to hope that this will be of as "sensational" the very brief and businesslike, mnoh ultimate benefit to our trade. The at- but at the same time extremely valuable des- tention of capitalists in Europe and America is patches we have been in the habit of receiving being drawn to China as a field for the in vest from Manila, and for which the thanks of the ment of capital and the various railway projects Chamber, as representing the mercantile and are making steady progress. It is most grati. shipping community, are undoubtedly due.fying, coming down to our own borders, to A scheme for making a western harbour of know that the survey of the line from Hankow rafage for small craft in stormy weather, to Canton has been completed, and the one for by the construction of a breakwater from the railway from Kowloon to Canton has just Slaughterhouse Point, was advanced by Mr. been commenced. It will, of course, be some R. K. Leigh, and recommended to the time before we are in direct railway communion. favourable consideration of the Govern- tion with Haukow, but that event (which but ment by your committee, who have in no' lately looked very far off) seems now to be almost
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SPEECH BY MR. GRANVILLE SHARP. Mr. GRANVILLE SHARP said—Mr. Chairman and gentlemen,-We have been vociferous in our praises of Lord Salisbury, Sir Claude Mao- Donald, the China Association and the Navy League in London, Hongkong, and Shanghai, for the successful carrying out of the wish. which had its first expression here in the Hon, Mr. Chater's letters for the extension of the colony. We now find, upon the publication of this voluminous and invaluable report, how im- portant a part the Hongkong General Cham- ber of Commerce has taken in this ɛmåtter. Through the heat of last summer, from May to September, they have been busy, with the pen and the wire, north, south, everywhere, and they are entitled to share richly in the meed of praise which is eagerly offered by all who are concerned for the welfare of this im- portant colony. I think, Mr. Chairman, that we are all of one mind that we should have this concession "all in all or not at all." This is altogether reasonable, and being so, the Home Government will not fail to obtain it for us. The Committee have plainly stated that this in absolately indispensable, and Hongkong will be satisfied with nothing less. The more Chinese who come and settle here the better. If their rulers choose to visit us, well and good, but we can give them nothing approaching to a status in the colony of Hongkong or any of its dependencies. We have lion already, and the place is not enough for two. Unfortunately the other and equally important defect in loon extension treaty, vis, the term o If it is deemed necessary to put the