January 12, 1901.]
HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
At the monthly meeting of the General Com mittee of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce, held at the Chamber Rooms on Monday, the 7th January, 1901, at 3 pm.,- Present Hon. 1 M. Gray (Chairman), Messrs. A. Haupt, Sir Thomas Jackson, Knt., D. R. Law, A. M. Marshall, R. L. Richardson, C. S. Sharp, N. A. Siebs, Hon. J. Thurburn (ex. officio), and B. C. Wilcox (Secretary).
MINUTES.
The minutes of the previous monthly meet ing (held 10th December, 19007 were read and confirmed.
NEW MEMBERS. The Hongkong Rope Manufacturing Com pany, Ld.. and
The Green Island Cement Company, Ed., were elected to membership of the Chamber on the 22nd December.
On the proposition of the CHAIRMAN, second- ed by Mr. HAUPT.
Messrs. Watkins & Co Ld., were elected to membership.
THE REVISION OF THE CHINESE TARIFF.
In accordance with the decision come to at the last meeting, a letter was, on the 18th De- cember, addressed to Sir Ernest M. Satow, H.B.M. Minister at Pekinr, drawing his attention to the promise made by his predecessor that before any settlement with regard to the revision of the Chinese Tariff was agreed upon, this Chamber (and that of Shanghai) would be afforded an opportunity of expressing its opinion on the Tariff proposals, when its views would receive full and careful attention, and adding that the probable contingency of the question being dealt with in the settlement now pending with China had induced the Chamber to make the communication.
The letter was read.
The CHAIRMAN said that no reply had been received yet, sufficient time had hardly elapsed for that; and there was nothing further to be
done meantime.
THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS. The Government having on the 15th De- cember last, addressed a letter to the Chamber, inquiring whether in the opinion of the Committee there was any objection to Monday, the 24th idem, being made a public holiday, a reply was returned the same day to the effect that they saw no objection to the proposal. BRITISH-GROWN PRODUCTS AND THE BEVISED
:
FRENCH TARIFF.
Read letter enclosing copy of a resolution passed by the United Planters' Association of Southern India in favour of a commercial com- bination of Great Britain and her Colonies and India against the world by a system of differen- tial duties. The movement, it was stated, is specially directed against the French Tariff, recently revised, which has practically doubled the duties on coffee, tea, and spices.
The letter was considered, and it was decided to acknowledge its receipt.
BIR J. LISTER KAYE'S SCHEME FOR IMPROVE- MENT OF THE NAVIGATION OF
THE YANGTSZE.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
been compelled to discontinue the table of ex- ports to the United States, hitherto given in the Market Report." Unless all the returns useless; it would be misleading, et could be given, the table would be worse than
this step, which was under the circumstances Regret was expressed at the necessity for
seen to be unavoidable.
}
The following letters are those read at the meeting:
THE REVISION OF THE CHIN. SE TARIFF.
Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce,
Hongkong, 18th December, 1900...
SIB,
The statements recently made in the China for the conclusion of peace will shortly public press, to the effect that negotiations with be commenced, and the probable contingency that the revision of the Chinese tariff may be included in the settlement, have induced the Committee of this Chamber to approach you on the subject,
BRITISH-GROWN PRODUCTS AND THE REVISED FRENCH TARIFF:
United Planters' Association of Southern India,
Madras, 11th November, 1900.- The PRESIDENT. _____ \\
General Chamber of Commerce, Hongkong. DEAR SIR,
At the Annual Meeting of this A88001a- tion on 8th August, 1900. the following Re solution was unanimously adopted :--- "That considering the critical condition of the tea and coffee industries, this Association do communicate with the Indian Tea Associa tion, the Ceylon Planters' Association, the Indian Chambers of Commerce and the leading firms of merchants and brokers interested in tea and coffee, &c., in this country and in England, and her Colonies, with a view to ascertaining whether movement in favour of a commercial com. .bination of Great Britain and her Colonies and India against the world (which would by a system of differential duties afford some protection to British-grown products and In February last, a rumour having been persis-
manufactures) would receive support.” tently circulated that the revision of the Chinese
This resolution may be said to have resulted Tariff was being rapidly pushed on, this Cham-chiefly from the recent revision of the French predecessor, Sir Claude M. MacDonald, expres- ber, addressed a communication to your esteemed Tariff in regard to imports of produce from (inter alia) India, and the British Colonies and sing the hope that, before any settlement was Dependencies. You are doubtless aware that arrived at, the Chambers of Commerce in the the French Parliament, as an act of reprisal. Far East would be afforded an opportunity
against Brazil, voted recently a law doubling the of expressing their opinion on the Tariff pro- duties on coffee, tea, and spices imported from posals, and stating that they would like to be countries not having Treaties of Commerce informed whether it was true that the négo-
with France, or not enjoying Most Favoured tiations on the subject had been commenced. Nation Treatment, among which are India, His Excellency was good enough, in his prompt the British Colonies and Dependencies (with reply, to say that there was no truth in the the exception of Canada). The French and rumour that negotiations were being pushed Brazilians have made up their quarrel, but the Chinese Government had approached Her Ma- against Brazil, still subsists. There appears on rapidly, though it was true that the French Tariff law, which was really directed gjesty's Government on the subject, and that the to be reasonable ground for hope that it will latter had replied that they had no objection to not be put into force, but if it should, the consider the matter. He added that no change consequence would be, to use the words of the of Tariff was " at all likely to take place with Economist, that the prohibitory tariff for out previous consultation with the parties most Colonial produce would only be applied to interested, more especially the Chambers of Com countries, British Colonies among others, for merce of Hongkong and Shanghai, whose views which it was not intended. would receive full and careful attention."
The Committee make no doubt that there will be a continuity of policy in this as in other matters in the Legation, but they con- sider it advisable to address your Excelleney on this important question, so that it can by no possibility escape attention, as was the case when the new Tariff with Japan was concluded, with results most disastrous to the trade in refined sugar between that country and Hongkong
+
Any revision of the Chinese Tariff would of course affect, in a most momentous manner the trade of this Colony, and that must be our reason for troubling you with this de spatch at a period when I am sure your Excel- leney must have unusual demands on your time and attention.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
R.M GRAY,
Chairman. H.E. Sir ERNEST M: SATOW, K.C.M.G.,
H.B.M.'s Minister in China.
Read letter from Sir John Lister Kaye dated 26th November last, acknowledging receipt of Chamber's letter of the 1st October with regard THE NAVIGATION OF THE YANGTSZE RIVER.
to his scheme for the improvement of the na- vigation of the Upper Yangtsze, and stating that a despatch had been sent from the Foreign Office to Sir Ernest Salow inquiring whether the Chinese Government would agree to the scheme.
CERTIFICATES. OF ORIGIN OF GOODS IM- PORTED INTO JAPAN.
Read letter from the Japanese Consul, dated 29th December, to the effect that on and after the 1st January, the copies of invoices hitherto required to be filed at the Japanese Consulate with a certificate of origin of goods, will not be asked for, but shippers are requested in future to provide the forms of certificate at their own costs
Receipt of this letter was acknowledged on the same date.
EXPORTS OF CARGO TO THE UNITED STATES. The Secretary reported that, in consequence of the refusal of some of the steamship agencies and companies to supply memos of cargo for ports in the United States, he had
SIE,
16, Bolton Street, London, W.
26th November, 1900.
I beg to acknowledge your letter dated 1st October, 1900, and shall be much obliged if you will kindly thank the Committee of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce for their kind letter to me with regard to the Im- provement of the Navigation of the Yangtze River
I shall be obliged if you will inform the Com. mittee that I am glad to be able to announce to them that Mr. Bertie informed me last Wednes day that the Foreign Office has written by last Friday's mail to Sir Ernest Batow to enquire if the Chinese will agree to my Petition.
I am, Sir,
Yours faithfully,
JOHN LISTER KAYE.
RM. GRAY, ESQ., Chairman, Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce,
Hongkong.
Although it is possible that the French Gov- ernment may be induced to reconsider the action referred to, yet what has been already done serves 88 an unmistakable warning of the grave risk to which British Trade is at present exposed, and the burdens it may at any time be called upon to bear..
It is felt that there is a strong and growing feeling in England and her Dependencies and Colonies in favour of what may be termed an Imperial Fiscal Federation for the protection of British interests as against those of the rest of the world. The Association is desirous of oliciting your views on the subject, to co-oper ate for the purpose of submitting memorials to the Home Government, and other Governments concerned, and would be glad of your advice as the precise form such memorials should take.
If you have already ma
made any move in the direction indicated, a copy of your proceedings would be welcome.
I am, dear Sir, yours faithfully,
H. PERCIVAL HODGSON, Chairman,
HARBY AMEND,
Secretary
Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce.
Hongkong, 9th January, 1901. H. PERCIVAL HODGSON, Esq.
Chairman,
United Planters Association of Southern
India.
DEAR SIR,
I beg leave to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 11th Nov. last, enclosing copy of a resolution passed at the last annual moeting of your Association to ascertain w ther a movement in favour of a commercial combination of Great Britain and her Colonies and India against the world, by a system of differential dutis, to afford some profection of British-grown products and manufactures, would receive support.
Your letter was laid before the Committee of this Chamber at its last meeting and con- sidered, but they could not see their way join in such a movement as that proposed. I am, dear Sir, yours faithfuly,
E. M. GRAT, Chairman,