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to further litigation and to the general bede- vilment of our time, temper, and money. It is no nse crying over spilt milk, I suppose, but I cannot help feeling that the committee might have protested much more strongly than they have done against the way in which the interests of this colony are being izjured by what I can- o help calling the selfishness of the naval and Military authorities (Hear, hear) I cannot believe that there was any reason why our fine Prays should have been spoilt and the east out of from the wost by a dock which is being built in the very heart of the town. Our naval and military establishments occupy some of the most 'valuable sites in a crowded district. Elven to-day a great economy could be effected by their transfer, bag and baggage, to the other side of the harbour. I suppose there must bo a new system of tactics. It certainly is new to me that the defenders of a city should hide themselves in the middle of the city. Hitherto they have generally been on the outskirts to meet their enemy. (Hear, hear), other respects, gentlemen, I think the committee have earned our thanks. The year's record is one of work very well done. Politically, we know the Chamber can do but little. We live in Crown colony, and are governed by omcials who have so often to fill other acting appointments that they have little opportunity to take any interest in what they have to do, and who distrust their own laws so much that they
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
The voting papers were then passed round the meeting, and on their being collected Messrs. Moses and Playfair acted as scrutineers. The following was the result of the ballot: Sir | Thomas Jackson, Chairman, Mr. C. 8. Sharp, Vice-Chairman, Messrs. A Haupt, Hon. J. J. K-swick, A. M. Marshall, W. Poate, R. L. Richardson, H. E. Tomkins, N. A. Siebs, mem- bers of the Committee.
This concluded the business. The following was the Report:- Owing to the troubles in North China, which led to a suspension, for some time, of diplomatic relations with the Chinese Government, and which cannot be fully resumed until a settle ment has been arrived at for the murders aud hostilities of the past year, several questions of commercial interest, which have long engaged the attention of your Committee, have perforce been postponed. Many matters of importance to trade have, however, come under their notice, and received their careful consideration, with good effect in most cases, especially in local questions, the Colonial Government having shown a willingness to meet the views of the Chamber thereon.
16
:
TARIFF R VISION IN CHINA.
expression of this Chamber's views at an early date, although it was probable the revision of the Tariff would not come under immediate consideration.
THE CRI 18 IN CHINA.
The contingent probability that the Revision of the Tariff would either be included in or follow the settlement of the terms of peace between China and the Treaty Powers, induced your Committee to address a communication in a protector of Chinese amongst their December last to the British Minister at Peking, number, though what the Chinese have to be reminding him of the promise of his predeces- specially protected against in 8 British sor (Sir Claude Macdonald) that no change in colony I have not been able to understand. the Tariff would take place without previous There was a time when an English statesman consultation with the Chambers of Commerce could proudly declare that wherever an Eng at Hongkong and Shanghai. To this ar ply lishman went the strong arm and the watchful was promptly received from Sir Ernest Satow eye of England were above him, but temporate the effect that he would be glad to receive an mutantur et homines, and to-day we poor merchants in China feel that while the watch- | ful eye can see no further than Africa's golden sands, we have been thumped on the head by
the mailed fist" o
Germany, and kicked in another part of our anatomy by the hobnailed boot of America. (Laughter.) Before I sit down I would like to pay a tribute of respect to our departing Chairman. It is the fashion in Hongkong to give testimonials to overy one who goes away, but Mr. Gray has earned some testimonial in some shape or form. He has worked hard, and taken a deep and sincere in- terest in the work of the Chamber during the past five years in which ho has occupied the chair. I think we all owe him great debt of gratitude for the time which, busy" man though he is, he has given as so freely. (Applause) There is nothing more for me to say except that we must all aim at getting a better representation on the Govern- ment of the colony. We must agitate, agitate, agitate, until we realise the ideal of government of the people by the people, and for the people. (Applause)
The CHAIRMAN said he thanked Mr. Showan very much for his kind words. It was very gratifying indeed to find one's work appreciated. The work had been to him a pleasure, and after all he had been but the mouthpiece of the Com- mittee, assisted greatly as he had been by the help of the Secretary, in having the services of whom he congratulated them thoroughly.
The motion was carried.
The CHAIRMAN-The confirmation of the list of new members is the next business be- fore us. I beg to propose that the election of the following new members be confirmed: The Hongkong Rope Manufacturing Company, Limited the Green Island Cement Company, Limited, Messrs. Watzins, Limited.
INTRATT
The motion was seconded and carried. Mr. Hough Is it în order propose now members without giving notice ?
The CHAIRMAN I think there is no objec tion to propose new members.
HOUGH―Then I beg to propose Messrs. Punchard, Lowther & Co.\
Mr. SHEWAN →→ I 60cond it.... The GĦAIEMAN put the motion to the meet ing and declared it to be carried on a show of
ill be
-The next business, gentle.
tle a new general committee. yon are requested
pars which will be
In August lust, a report having been cir- culated by Reuter that it had been proposed by certain Powers to withdraw the Allied Troops from Peking before the punishment of the guilty officials had been secured or a stable Government re-established, this Chamber des patched a telegram to the London Chamber of Commerce strongly deprecating such action and asking it to bring the matter to the notice of the Foreign Office, following up the telegram with a letter enlarging on the evils that would follow such a step. The Chairman of the East India and China Trade Sectio of the London Chamber (Mr. W. Keswick, M.P.) lost no time in forwarding a copy of the telegram to Lord Salisbury, and vigorously supported the prot st. To what extent this representation, with others of similar tenor, influenced the British Govern- ment, your Committee of course bave no means of knowing, but it is none the less satisfactory to note that the suggestion for the withdrawal of the Troops was without effect, and they still remain on gnard in the Chinese Capital pend- ing settlement of the terms of peace and the re-establishment in that city of orderly rule.
THE CANADIAN PACIFIC MAIL CONTRACT.
An expression of opinion as to the desirability of the renewal of the contract between the British Government and the Canadian Pacific Railway ompany for the carriage of mails from Hongkong by way of the Pacific and Vancouver at its expiry in May next, your Committes at its meeting on the 18th April, passed a resolution in favour of the renewal of the contract, if possible with an accelerated and fortnightly service. It is satisfactory now to learn that the contract with the Company has been renewed by the Imperial Government for & period of five years.
THE SHIPMENT OF JAPANESE 80-CALLED SAFETY MATCHES.
Two cases of fire on board steamers having occurred in the harbour through the spontane ous combustion of so-called safety matches made in Japan, the Acting Harbour Master submitted to the Government the advisability of declaring these matches dangerous goods and restricting the carriage of them to vessels not carrying more than twenty passengers. The suggestion was referred to the Chamber, and your Committee, after consideration, in view of the interference with trade involved, deprecated this action until representations had been made
|
March 16 1901.
to the manufacturers with a view to exercising more care in the production of the átohos This was done through communications - o the various Chambers of Commerce in Japan, and no further complaints appear to have been made of the goods as dangerous.
DELAY IN FORWARDING MAILS TO MANILA.
Postal grievances, though not wholly abs- lished, have been less conspicuous daring the past year. In April last a complaint was made by the Manila Chamber of Commerce of un- necessary delays in the forwarding of mails on from Hongkong, and this was promptly trans- mitted to the Postmaster-General, by whom steps were taken to prevent a recurrence of the grievance, with apparently satisfactory results.
THE REPRESSION OF PIRACY ON THE WIST RIVER.
Piracy is still rampant on the West River, and very recently a house-boat containing a party of foreigners from Canton was attacked and several of them wounded, while one of their native boatmen was killed, before the pirates were driven off This, too, in spite of more frequent patrolling by gunboats of various nationalities. In April last a suggestion from Vica-Admiral Sir Edward Seymour having been submitted to the bamber for the selection of one route between Samshui and the sea by foreign steamers in order the more efficiently to protect it, this suggestion was laid before the Steamboat Companies, who selected the one most generally in use, viz., by Wangmoon, Sailam and Junction Channels and the West River between Kongmoon and Samshui, and the Naval Authorities accordingly adopted this route.
THE NAVIGATION OF THE WEST RIVER SE
AT LAK-GAO. ...
A foreign steamer having been stoned by the populace at Lak-lao when passing that place, the Viceroy, in reply to representations on the subject, stated that the river was tortuous and narrow at this point, and moreover crowiled with boats, collisions with which were unavoidable if passed at full speed, and he suggested therefore that steamers should, when passing this town, slow down. This suggestion was recommended by Vice-Admiral Seymour and was brought to the notice of the Steamboat Companies by the Committee.
PROPOSED MONOPOLY FOR THE COLLECTION OF ASHES.
The erection in the Colony of Chinese mono- polies has always been regarded by this Cham- ber with disapproval, and when the Government, having received a tender for the sole privilege of collecting ashes from steam vessels within the Harbour limits, sought the opinion of your Committee as to the desirability of creating such a monopoly, they strongly deprecated its oren- tion, and the proposal was dropped.
:
THE REDUCTION OF CABLE RATES.
The question, which was before the Fourth Congress of Chambers of Commerce of the Em pire, at its sitting on the 29th June, when a strongly worded resolution was passed, has now advanced materially owing to the new Pacific cable having been decided upon and à tender for its construction accepted. At the last annual meeting of the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company, the Chairman announced that ar- rangements had been made for the gradual reduction of the tariff, subject to the standard trafic being maintained, from de. Pd. te 2s. 6d. per word The laying of the new Pacific cable, which will, it is expected, be open to traffic at the end of the present or beginning of next year, has no doubt largely influenced this reduc- tion in rates, which will prove very beneficial to trade in the Far East.
THE CANADIAN PREFERENTIAL TARIFE With regard to this question, some further correspondence has passed with the Govern· ment, who in July last forwarded a letter from the Secretary of State for the Colonies, calling attention to Section 10 of the Memorandum of the Preferential Tariff Regulations, stating that this seemed to him to meet the chief point raised by this Chamber. The Committee, while expressing their thanks for the information thus conveyed, urged that it brought the Colony no nearer the desired privilege, and repe request that Hongkong be placed on colonies entitled to share in Preferential Tariff levied by the vernment on goods -manufactui products. To this no reply has, so far, I ceived.