214
case, as it seemed impossible to me for the water to be polluted.
•
3.-Re washermen using nullah at Kennedy town. There are two washermen using a stream starting from Mount Davis and emptying itself near the old Chinese Mortuary. The places through which this water passes are not affected by graves at the Cemetery."
The following minutes were appended. Mr. McKie -- I very strongly support the views of Dr. Clark."
Major Brown, R.A M.C.:- I agree with the M. O. H."
Dr. Bell: I agree with the M. O. H." On the motion of Dr. CLARK, seconded by Dr. BELL. it was decided to recommend the Government to provide a crematorium for dead cattle at Kennedytown.
This was all the business.
HONGKONG BRANCH OF THE
CHINA ASSOCIATION.
On Monday, the 24th inst.. at noon, a meeting in connection with the Hongkong branch of the China Association was held. Mr. J. J. Francis, Q.C.. occupied the chair, and there were also present the Hon. C. P. Chter, C.M.G.. E. W. Mitchell, C. S. Sharp (committee). F. Henderson (hou, secretary), G. C. Anderson. R. C. Wilcox, J. H. Lewis, F. Smyth, J. MacKie, and
H. P. White.
The CHAIRMAN said that the report had not been circulated in time for those present to have had the opportunity of reading it, so with their permission he would read it. The report was as follows:-
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
|
the West River has, in spite of all hindrances, considerably increased, and we can thus form some opinion of the considerable developments possible if only some orderly system of govern- ment prevailed and if a regular system of taxa- tion could be substituted for irregular squeezes
and uncertain tariffs.
44
Your Committee in its last published re- port laid before you a copy of a letter it had addressed to the Association in London, un- dor date the 23rd May, 1899, strongly urg- Dr. Hartigan: I agree with the M. O. H." ing on the Executive Committee the im Mr. Fung Wa Chun:-" I don't think washer-portance of having at all times in Hong- men should be allowed to use either place at kong, in addition to the garrison, a moveable Kennedytown or at Sandy Bay, and as to the column of arms, under the order of the General burial of dead animals at Kennedytown, that Officer Commanding but at the disposal of should be stopped too."
H. M. Minister in Peking, available for service at any moment in any part of China where their services might be required for the repres- sion of disturbances and for the protection of life and property. Your Committee emphasised the fact that China was breaking up rapidly, that the central power was growing weaker daily; that rebellions were theatening in every pro- vince, that the anti-foreign feeling was growing repidly more violent and that at any moment troops might be required for the protection of vital interests, especially in our sphere of in- fluence, the Yangtze. Every statement in that letter has since been amply justified. It was laid before the Foreign Office immediately acl.nowledgement of its receipt, no notice was on its receipt in England, but beyond a formal ever taken of it, or of the innumeral le similar representations that were reaching the Home Government from all sides as to our position and prospects in China, with the result that when the long looked for uprising took place in the northern provinces in May last with suck disastrous effects, there was not a soldier avail- able nearer than India, and the garrison of Hongkong, painfully small at the best of times. had to be indented upon to the extent of one half of its available strength. In June of a letter, which will be found in the appendix, was addressed to the Association in England calling attention to the communication of twelve months before and again urging the importance of always retaining in Hongkong, over and above the garrison, a force of all arms available for the defence of our threatened in. terests in the southern provinces, Kwangtung. Kwangsi, and Yuunan, where another power is Since the date of that report the Commit-making every effort to gain a footing. The te has continued to furnish the Home Associa official reply to this letter was a simple stato- tion with periodica! returns and reports in con-
ment by the Foreign Office that the garrison of nection with the important question of the Hongkong was maintained at such a strength Contagions Diseases Acts, and they are able to
as the military authorities there theaght suffi- congratulate the members upon the fact that cient. The point was wholly ignored that the the persistency of the Association in bringing Committee's suggestion was for the maintenance pressure to bear on the Colonial Office has re-
of a force, hors the garrison, for an entirely dif sulted in a certain measure of regulation being ferent service. sanctioned and in the very reat consequent improvement in the health of our soldiers and seilors stationed in Hongkong. The Commit- tee hope that further efforts in the same direc. tion may result in still greater supervision and in still better results as regards the protection of our forces from contagious disease. While it was undoubtedly highly desirable, for many reasons, that a certain class of hon, es should be removed from the centre of the city, it is not so clear that their migration to the Wanchai diz trict was equally desiralde, as in that district all our barrack accommodation and all the Clubs and Institutions for soldiers and sailors are to be found.
The last report was dated 11th May, 1899, The Committee as constituted at that date is still in office and consists of Mr. J. J. Francis. Q.C. (chairman), the Hon. C. P. Chater, C.M.G.. Hon. T. H. Whitehead, Sir Thomas Jackson, Messrs. C. S. Sharp, E. W. Mitchell and F. Henderson (hon, secretary). A new Committee is to be elected at this meet- ing.
In the position of affairs in Southern China since the date of the last report very little alteration indeed has taken place. No substantial improvement in the regulations affecting the trade on the West River has been effected. and the river and its approaches are no botter lighted or policed than they wer, The arrival of Li Hung-chang in Canton as Viceroy had undoubtedly an effect on the pre- valence of piracy and under his strong govern- ment it largely diminished, but the clements of
čisorder are still there and the means of defence
this year,
[September 29, 1900.
shows that the Government have neglected nearly every suggestion of a political character which the Association has made.”
The reason is clear, although Mr. Gundry does not mention it-the suggestions were made confidentially and the Government could safely ignore them, having no fear either of questions in Parliament or at discussions in the press and having no motive whatever to induce them to put themselves out. of the way.
44
Your Committee sincerely hope that the re- cent serious events in and about Poking will open the eyes of the Government and the public to the true position of affairs in China and to the probability of the loss of our position and prestige (which will be followed by the loss of our trade) in the Far East, and that greater foresight and intelligence in the conduct of af- fairs will lead to a speedy resuscitation of our power and influence in Peking and to the more rapid expansion of our trade.
The CHAIRMAN continuing, said-Of the list of members in your hands I am sorry to say that over 19 are absent from the colony at the present moment. The accounts are also placed at your disposal. They show a credit balance of $306.49, after paying the cost of telegrams. Now, gentlemen, in moving the adoption of the report and accounts there are one or two points to which I would like to call your attention. We are undoubtedly at a very critical period in the history of British influence in China, a very critical point in the history of this Association itself; hence to-day I regret for many reasons that the attendance is not more numerous. One of the principal objects, the principal object I should say for which this Association is formed, is expressed in the first paragraph of what I may call the memorandum of Association. "To represent, to express and to give effect to the opinion of the British mercantile community in their political and commercial relations with the Chinese and Japanese." Now, gentlemen, the China Association undoubtedly represents, both in London and out here in the Far-East- in Hongkong and Shanghai-everything that is most representative of the ability and the skill and the intelligence of the British mercan- tile community, past and present. It is equally certain, so far as I am able to judge from the little portion of the corresponding work of the Home Committee that I have seen, that the Committes have seen, that they have given the fullest expression in their communica- tions to the Forei. n Office of the opinions entertained on the whole by the members of the British communities out here in the East. But the China Association has entirely failed to carry out the third portion of this programme, i.c., to give effect to these representations. As Mr. Gundry-the gentleman who has been hon. secretary of the Association since its commence- * Fortunately during the Crisis in the Northmont, who has worked very hard for the Associa- a greater degree of peace and good order has, on the whole, been maintained in the Southern provinces than could have been expected and no special measures of defence have been required. How long that condition of affairs may last is another question.
|
tion, and who has interested himself deeply in all questions concerning China, and has written in his personal capacity in the Times and other journals and magazines at home, has written powerfully-admits, during the last five years (and they are five critical years in the history "During the last eighteen months there has of China) the Foreign Office has paid absolutely not been much correspondence. What there no attention to one single political suggestion has been appears in the appendix. Most of the that has been laid before it by the China As- questions arising during the period have been sociation. And why is this? Because unfor- such as more directly concerned the Shanghai tunately at its commencement the China As- Branch.
or have
been mainly commercial sociation constituted itself a sort of intelligence questions which belonged to our Cosmo- department for the Foreign Office. It enter. politan Chamber of Commerce. Your Com-tained the idea, the mistaken idea, with refer- mittee whenever called has supported and ence to any public Government department in co-operated with both bedies. Most of our com-
Great Britain, that if facta were clearly. put munications from Home are either private or before it and sound arguments it would be semi-official letters from the Hon. Secretary in influenced by them. Nothing will influence London to our Hon. Secretary, Mr. Houderson, sny British public department except a vote in and copies of documents not for publication, but Parliament and disturbance in the newspapers. the file is open to the inspection of individual The whole work of the China Association has members.
been confined to making representations through one channel-the Foreign Office. It has been far too courtly in its methods of oxpressing these opinions, and not sufficiently plain-spoken, and it has not taken the only moans by which these expressions of opinion and communications to the Foreign Office could be made effective. It has not appealed either to Parliament or to public opinion. It has refused to give infor. mation even to members of the Colonial party in the House when they have wanted it for the purposes of discussion in the Horse. It has not appealed as an Association to the public press or public opinion in any way. It has assumed the
The Association at Home is begin ning at length to recognise that its plan of operations in the past has not been successful, that too great deference for the feelings of those in authority, and too great reliance on the cour- and repression have by no means improved. A teens promises of the Foreign Office is not the few months of feeble government or no governmost effective method of getting done what the ment on the part of Li Hang-chang's successor will again fill the river and its backwaters with pirates and robbers as numerous and as auda. cious as ever. The policing of the West and North River will have ultimately to be under taken by Great Britain. It is some consolation, however, to be able to note that the trade on
Association wants done. The methods of the Navy League will have to be more closely copied. The force Lehind the Foreign Office-Parliament and the Public-must be appealed to in emer- gencies. Mr. Gundry in a letter addressed to the Honourable William Keswick, M.P., admits that "the experience of the past five years