Page
July 29, 1899.|
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
here, one
of
as carry boys, who are enrolled in the Naval Reserve. Yet Mr. Goschen stands up and says he can get all the boys he wants. No doubt he cau, but he must pay for them. That process is known to all of us. Now the bulk of our patriotic ship-owners are only too anxious to help the Government and the country to get young seaman at a moderate rate-witness the offer of Messrs. Elder, Dempster and Company. but for over a century ship owners have felt that they had ground for complaint, and were being unjustly treated by Government. Had they put their foot down there is no doubt the light dues would have been swept away. Doubtless there were good reasons for holding their bands but all the same, the light dues are doomed And the pill will not be gilded. What are we The CHAIRMAN, at the conclusion of the to think of Mr. Goschen's statement, The lecture, said-In moving a hearty vote thanks, House was paying away public money and to Captain Anderson for his able and instruc had to be made to think it was getting full tivo address the greatest coupliment we can value for it. That is to say, the Apprentice pay him I think is to tell him he has made us clause with its Light Dues rebate, which no thoroughly uncomfortable. I know he has me intelligent shipowner wanted or wants, was Long ago, there was an old cry for "Free carried through the House by deception-an Trade and Sailors' Rights." We have got immoral thing to do, and an audacious thing to "Free Trade" but what has become of the boast of." I have quoted the words of the 'Sailors' Rights ?" or has their acquisition re- Shipping World in this matter. The fact is sulted in the extinction of the British merchant that the light dues and the apprentice question seaman? When we fought the world our mer- have nothing to do with each other, and Gov-cantile fleets were manned and officiered by ernment made a mistake in mixing them up. for which penance will have to be done later on, for nearly the whole country are against ministers on the point, aud little wonder, seeing that almost every other industry in the King- dom is dependent on shipping directly or indirectly.
tection; if we had the question would be simpli fled considerably, but this shows us that if war was declared with any of the great powers, the question of seamen would affect way or the other. The Indian ports could not supply all the Lascars that would be wanted, At the present time we have one of the strong. est Ministries that ever wielded power. They could settle the matter out of hand in one session, and gain much credit by doing so, but they are trying all they know to stave off dis cussion, and soon the matter will be taken out of their hands, for it will be forced on the con. stituencies and the ory will be Injustice to our own kith and kin, and be justice to our ship-assault will be sufficient? owners, the backbone of our country.
The Captain Superintendent With.riot, His Worship And there is a second charge assentep
The Captain, Superintendent --I Havið not put in any second charge. They might be charged with a common assault.
His Worship Assault ocessioning bodily harm?
British seamen--the man-of-war's man and mer- chant seaman were practically interchangeable -even landsmen were good enough at a pinch. Things are changed now; trained men-and trained men only, can be utilised. Continental nations have grasped this fact, all their merchiaut seamen are trained men, bave served in their war fleets, and are liable to serve again, mean- while earning a livelihood in the British mer cantile marine. Thus the Continental naval reserves are capable of manning their entire war fleets twice and three times over. W cannot man the whole of our war fleet even
after calling out the Coast Guards and Naval Reserve (were all the latter to be available in stantly-which is impossible) stripping our coast in the hour of peril, and depriving our merchant fleets of the small numbers of British seamen they now possess. What is to become of our trade? How is the food supply of Bri- tain to be maintained? Such, ladies and gentle men is the position -the position the Navy League endeavouring to get the nation to face while there is yet time. We have got th
Now we come to the point that will do more than anything else to restore our mercantile marine aud that is “ old age or disablement pensions." If training ships are established round our coasts which will attract boys of respectable parentage and adequate physique, to give these boys a preliminary technical education, such as is already supplied by the state for many shore-going occupations, mak- ing proper arrangement for the entry of those boys in the mercantile marine, and if desired in the Royal Naval Reserve, we would in a few years have laid the foundation for a con. stant supply of respectable men who would remain in the profession and, having something to lose, wonk not transfer their services to other nations. It of course must be made worth the while of the British shipowner to money but we have not got the men. "A employ these boys without compulsion or other strong man armed keepeth his honse" is as trne undue Government interference with the ship-to-day, after the Peace Conference at the Hague, owner's business, and it must be admitted that as when it was written a long time ago. British shipowners have shown some capacity Captain ANDERSON said a few words in reply for their business in face of grave discourage and the proceedings terminated. ment. The Navy League in their explanatory mémorandum on their scheme remark "that the keynote of the scheme from a financial and an educational point of view is the pro- vision of scholarships, ténable upon training ships, by the various country and county Borough Councils administering funds under the Technical Instruction Act." Those who are interested will find the Navy League scheme and full information set forth in a little book published by the New League, called British Seamen, Boy Seamen, and Light Dues" of which I have largely availed myself in these remarks.
THE DISTURBANCE NEAR UN LOONG
PROCEEDINGS AT THE MAGISTRACY.
At the Magistracy on 21st July the three Chinamen who were arrested for being concerned in the disturbance at Un Loong on
Wednesday were brought forward, two China men being complainants.
go so far as that, because really, the Bodify The Captain Superintendent I would not harm was not of such a nature as to justify the police in bringing a charge of so serious a nature as that, -
His Worship-Then a charge of common
The Captain Superintendent Yes.
adjournments the case was finally disposed of Evidence was then called and after · several
sentencing the prisoners: said that under the on the 27th July, when the Magistrate, în English Government they were not allowed they did go they would get themselves into serious to take the law into their own hands, and if trouble If they had any disputes they must take them either to the police or to the Regis only ignorant-villagers he would deal leniently trar General. In consideration of their being with them and impose a fine of $5 each and bind them over to be of good behaviour on their own recognisance of $50.
PROHíbition of THE IMPORT OF FLOUR INTO COCHINUHINA::
Mr. R. Chatterton Wilcox, Secretary of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce, writes:-
This Chamber is informed by the Govern ment that they have e received further informa- tion in regard to the prohibi
prohibition
tion of the import of four into Cochin-China. I enclose copy of the letter of the British Consul on the subject, (Enclosure.)
Bri ish Consulate, Saigon,
21st July, 1899.
Sir, I have the honour to draw your atten- tion to the notice in the Journal Official of this colony regarding flour the original date of the 12th June is retained, but there is an altogether new paragraph, that the receiving stonfrers shall have been in quarantine during their stay in Hongkong! Further, I am told at the Cus- toms that no Flour can be shipped with other cargo. Kindly make this public. I have the honour to be, &c.,
(Signed) C. F. TREMLETT,
H.BM's Consul The Colonial Secretary, Hongkong,
UNITED ASBESTOS ORIENTAL
AGENCY · LIMITED; ·
The third annual general meeting of share offices of Messrs. Dodwell and Company, Limited, holders in the above company was held at the
in Queen's Buildings, on Thursday afternoon. Mr. E. S. Whealler (General Manager) occupied the chair, and there were also present Mosers. D. R. Crawford, R. Cooke, G. Stewart, A. Ritchie, T. Skinner, and AH! Stewart (Secretary)
i
The following is the report presentated the meeting
Gentlenions The General Manager has now to submit to the shareholders the socompanying Statement of secounts for the year ended Sist May, 1899.
BÀCCOUNTS.C
Tard
Captain Superintendent May said-The facts of the case are as follows: The two complain ants went with Mr. Danby and certain other And now, Ladies and Gentlemen, with the gentlemen to view some land in the Un view of enlisting your sympathies with the Loong district. When they got there they efforts that are being made for the regeneration
were abused by the inhabitants of the' of the British seaman, let me ask you who it is neighbouring village, who used some violence, that has made our Empire what it is to day? especially towards the two complainants. It has been made by our ships and our sailors, In justice to these villagers I must say who alone can hold it for us. Is it not then worth that it appears there is some dispute about the our straining every nerve to make these men ownership of this land, and defendants' excuse what they were in the olden time, the respected for their conduct is that these complainants and feared of the rest of the world? Let us have have either sold or were trying to sell land laws to ensure their proper treatment, to en-
which did not belong to them. The truthful courge their habits of thrift, and let us endeav- ness of that contention was borne out by the fact our to make their lot, in any case a hard one, as
that when they were asked to proceed to the easy as circumstances will allow; and provide Police Station, which is not far off, and prefer for these gallant men a pittance for their old
any charge they had against complainants, they}} age. On the coast of China the need for white did so quite willingly, and were thereupon men as seamen has never been felt as the arrested. I propose, your worship, to give the Chinese make excellent deck hands and very evidence of the two complainants, because they good firemen, but if we were at war we could bear certain marks upon them which if I delay- not trust our ships to a crew, say, of forty Chi-ed the case would disappear, and when I have The increase in the bakiness of the nese with say six European officers and engi- done that, I propose to ask for a remand antilhas rendered it necessary to curry #1 neers. More white men would be required, and further enquires have been made into the of material. So far it has been possible to av they would add largely to the expense. We
matter.
calling up further
capital” by employi have no Chinese sailors who claim British pro-
His Worship-May 1 ask what you are profitag in die – bubinézy, so they are not now. charging these men with P
dividend.
.
The balance at the credit of proît account, including $936.46 brought from last year, $8,186.16, which it to appropriate as follows: Write of launch Gladiator
do Furniture and Plant. Carry forward to new accou
760 do 445.16 6.991.00
$