July 22, 1899]
To this a reply was received on the 30th June, stating that the matter had been engaging the attention of the Governor, and that His Excellency would be glad if the Chairman of the Chamber would accept a place on the Com- mission he proposed to appoint to inquire into the subject.
A reply was despatched to the Colonial Secretary on the 3rd July, accepting this invitation.
RILL TO AMEND THE RAW OPIUM
ORDINANCE, 1887.
The Secretary reported that pursuant to instructions given at the last monthly meeting, he visited the various opium merchants, and, having obtained their views on the provisions of the draft Bill, on the 22nd Juue drafted a letter to the Government, but this had not yet been passed by the Committee.
A further despatch was received on the 3rd July from the Government requesting that early attention might be given to the draft Or- dinance and a reply returned as soon as possible. Some suggestions for amendment of the Chamber's letter by Mr. Whitehead were brought forward, but as time did not admit of full consideration, it was decided to circulate them for separate consideration by the members of the Committeo.
THE PIERS ORDINANCE, 1899. The Secretary reported that, as was decided at last meeting, a letter criticising this Bill was Bent to the Government on the 23rd June, but so far no reply had been received.
THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF THE LEKIN
FARM ON KEROSINE IN KWANGTUNG
The Secretary stated that nothing further had been heard on this subject from the British Consal at Canton.
A letter dated 20th June had, however, been received from Messrs. Arnhold, Karberg & Co., enclosing cutting from the Daily Press relating to the establishment of a Farm for collection of lekin on kerosine and cotton yarn in Hainan, and mentioning as a fact of importa ace that a firm of Chinese who were British subjects had a share in the Farm.
Attention was drawn to an announcement in the Daily Press that the Consuls at Hoihow had taken steps to secure the early abolition of this monopoly, and the Chairman expressed a hope that similar fate would soon overtake the Kwaugtung Farm.
.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
Custom House under the Foreign Customs Service instead of the present dual system.
Mr. Poate said that it had been found quite impossible to obtain the actual proof required as naturally no native would come forward with evidence. He understood that efforts were being made in London to bring up this question, and he thought it well that action should be taken on this side at the same time.
Hon, T. H. Whitehead suggested that figures should be given showing by comparison the steady diversion of the carrying trade to junks cansed by these differential duties.
it was decided to address the British Minis-
ter at Peking on the subject, and furnish some statistics which would serve to illustrate the case, though no documentary proof of the Hoppo's reduction of daty to junk-borne cargo conld be given.
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL CONGRESS AT PHILADELPHIA.
In accordance with the resolution passed at the preceding meeting, an invitation has been sent to Mr. A. M. Townsend, the agent in New York of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank, to represent the Chamber at the above Congress in October next.
The Secretary stated that letters announcing this fact were also, on the 26th June, sent to the local Government and to the Director of the Commercial Museums, Philadelphia. INDEX OF AMERIÇAN MANUPAŬTURERS AND
MERCHANTS.
3.
few moments there was considerable danger. until the launch was forced through and out into the lower river.
In twelve hours 7.39 inches of rain fell o the district of Manila. This is something un precedented even for the tropics, and I doubt if the local records show a much heavier storm. The soldiers in the trenches suffered the most, as in many places the camps were inches under water, and it was absolutely impossible for the ration carts and ball teams to reach them, al. though many attempts were made to plough through the mud.
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5
VOLUNTEER SOLDIERS GOING HOME. The best of the army in the Philippines, the Volunteer soldiers, are rapidly moving home, ward. They have been kept long beyond their time of enlistment just on account of the r perience they had gained and the excellent health records they made, but at last the wheels of the government have begun to move and many regulars are coming to replace them. No one realizes the value of the Volunteers more than General Otis, and he has kept them on his own responsibility, in spite of repeated demands for their return. This week the Calorado regiment sails for America by the transport Warren.
BERI-BERI ATTACKS THE PRISONÉES, The dreaded bari-beri, that has in former years created such havoo among the Filipinos, has made its appearance in Bilibid Prison, where several hundred natives are confined. The surgeons are making every effort to stop the
The Secretary stated that the cabinet con taining the card index of American manufac-spread the disease. Į turers and merchants sent by the Philadelphia Commercial Museums had arrived and was now available for reference by members of the Cham- ber and others.
THE IMPORT OF AMERICAN FLOUR INTO
COCHIN-CAINA.
The following notice, in the Journal Officiel de L'Indo-Chine Francaise of the 26th June, had been brought to the notice of the Chamber by the Governmeut:-
Avis.
Le Conseil d'hygiène, dans sa réunion de 12 juin, 1893, a décidé que les farines importées d'Amerique par le port de Hongkong ne pour raient étre admises en Cochinchine qu'autant qu'elles seraient accompagnées d'un certificat du Consul de France à Hongkong, établissant: "10 Qu'elles n'ont pas été entreposées à terre; 20 Que les navires qui les recoivent ont été en quarantaine pendant leur séjour sur la rade de Hongkong."
THE CHAMBER'S FUNDS.
REUTER'S POLITICAL TELÉGRA MS. Read letter from Reuter's Agent, dated Ist July, preferring a courteously worded request that the Committee would consider the justice. under the circumstances of an angmented ser The Secretary reported that, with the con- vice and a reduced exchange, of increasing the currence of the Committee, he had invested subscription paid by the Chamber by one huu-3,000 of the Chamber's credit balance in the dred dollars per month.
purchase of four of the Hongkong Hotel Co.'s Mortgage Debentures.
-
After some discussion,
It was resolved, by a majority, to accede to the request, but to ask for a further improve- ment of the service, and to draw attention to the unsatisfactory nature and extent of the in- formation supplied in the commercial telegrams.
CABLE RATES FROM INDIA TU
EUROPE.
Read letter from Ceylon Chamber of Com- merce, dated 21st June. forwarding copy of a resolution passed by that Chamber in connec- tion with the cost of cable messages between Great Britain and the East, and calling atten- tion to the necessity for combined notion on the part of the Chambers of Commerce in the East on this matter.
Decided to take action after looking into the subject.
DIFFERENTIAL DUTIES ON JUNK-BORNE
GOODS.
Read letter from the River Steamboat Companies, dated 7th July, asking whether in view of the continued extensions of this system by the Hoppo, which had gradually diverted nearly all the carriage of exports from the steamers to native junks, the Chamber is inclined to reopen this important question.
The Chairman pointed out that on previous Occasions the Chamber had made every effort to obtain justice for the Shipping Companies, but that it was always checkmated on the point of actual proof, although the circumstantial evidence was perfectly plain. He thought that the new points in the letter before them might be brought forward, especially as the Chamber had always pronounced itself in favour of one
It was agreed to ask the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank to hold the Debentures in safe custody.
This concluded the business.
AFFAIRS IN THE PHILIPPINES.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
Manila, 14th July.
THE TYPHOON AND FLOODS.
The typhoon and rains of the last week have turned Manila, wet enough at best, into an immense pond with gutters over a foot deep in muddy water. Sampaloc district, five minutes drive from the Escolta, was completely flooded so that people were forced into the upper storeys of the houses. The local police barracks was completely surrounded and soldiers stood guard and carried on patrol duty in two feet of run- ning water. All the hundreds of creeks that intersect the city overflowed their banks and boats were seen on dozens of streets. The grass vendors who supply the food for the horses passed up Calle San Luis and on to the Luneta in their native bancas. After a few days of this kind one does not wonder at the Filipino cus- tom of carrying baskets, bundles, and all sorts of articles on the top of the head.
Admiral Watson, who succeeded Dewey, had a narrow escape on the Pasig. His launch was about to pass under the Puenta Espana when the roaring current caught it up and jambed it broadside into, the stone piers, breaking the funnel and tearing off the gunwale. For a
PROGRESS OF THE CIVIL GOVERNMENT. Local civil government has been established in the towns of Paranaque, Las Pinas, Bacoor, and Imus, and is apparently working success- fully. General Lawton and Commissioner, Desa Worcester visted these places and called on the natives to organize, at the same time explaining the attitude of the United States Government and the privileges it granted. In less than one hour each town had chosen its mayor and the other offices have been gradually filled. San Pedro Macati and Santa Ana are following in the lead of these southern cities.
THE BAR ASSOCIATION,
The work of the Supreme Court so happily put in operation a short time ago is not run- ning as smoothly as might be desired.DA serious difficulty has risen taking its life from the Bar Association of Manila. A petition has been formed headed by Sr. D. ArelyanQ, the President of the Supreme Court, asking that no lawyer be admitted to the bar who not native born,. This of course precludes all Americans and foreigners from practising in the Islands and creates an open and shut game. for the Filipinos. The petition is receiving serious consideration and while most people call the proposition ridiculous on the very face of it, the outcome is not yet clear.
THE NEW Engineers' INSTITUTE
OPENING CONVERSAZIONE,
The members of the Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders of Hongkong celebrated the opening of their new rooms at No. 2, Praya Central, by holding a Conversazione on Saturday evening, a function which H.E. Sir Henry Blake, G.C.M G., honoured with his presence. Lieut. R. P. Hobson, of the U. S. Navy, & núm. ber of ladies, and representative gentlemen, were also present.
The Institution is now in possession of rooms of which the members may well be prond. They are eight in number and include a hand. some social hall, a couple of billiard rooms, a reading room, a smoking room, a bar room, a ladies room, and an office and manager room. The old rooms were also on the Praya, further west, but were by no means so conven- iently situated. The entrance was anything but cheering, and before the rooms could be reached several long flights of stairs had to be climbed. The result was that the rooms were not patronised so much by the members as it is hoped the new ones will be zorian zon
The first meeting at which the proposal to take fresh rooms was considered was held-on the 4th of March last, Mr. D. Gillies, the President of the Institution presiding, and at that meeting the following resolution. 'passed unanimously :-" That the