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August 26, 1901.]
To this the subjoined reply was received the following evening:
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"Sir Thomas Jackson, Chairman, નં. "Chamber. Hongkong "Your telegram of August 7th. No: noné is contemplated. Satow." The Secretary stated that the result of the inquiry was communicated to all the members of the Chamber concerned in the opium trade.
Decided, when acknowledging receipt of the telegram, to convey the thanks of the Chamber to Sir Ernest Satow for his ready response to the inquiry.
THE DIFFICULTY OF PROCURING BALLAST.
Read letter from the Government, dated 30th July, in reply to the Chamber's letter of the 12th idem on the above subject, stating that H. E. the Governor regretted to hear of the delay in the issue of permits and had given instructions which it was hoped would obriate such delay in the future. The question of quarrying in order to obtain stone for ballast was then engaging the attention of the Government.
REGISTRATION OF CHINESE PARTNERSHIPS.
Read letter from Singapore Chamber of Commerce stating that as this question now befors the Penang Chamber-is likely soon to come up at Singapore, they would be glad of all the information this Chamber can afford them on the matter.
The CHAIRMAN said he thought it would be better to defer any attempt to give information until the Report of the Committee now sitting to inquire into this subject has been issued. He himself recently gave evidence before the Committee, and from what he heard he thought it was pretty certain that the Report would be adverse to the proposal. He had waded through a huge pile of correspondence, &c, on the sub. jeot, and the impression derived from their perusal was that registration would prove impracticable in Hongkong. Of course in the Straits Settlements the circumstances were considerably modified, but he understood that there was a good deal of opposition to the measure there.
After some conversation,
It was decided to write an acknowledgement and inform the Singapore Chamber of the circumstances, promising to forward particulars when the Report of the Registration Com- mittee now sitting is published.
CABLE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN
BRITISH COUNTRIES.
Read letter from the Ottawa Board of Trade, dated 20th June, submitting appendices, and arging promotion of the movement to secure the cheapest and speediest and most effective means of intercourse between all parts of the British Empire by means of State owned telegraph cables under the control of the Post Office.
It was resolved to publish this letter, which was regarded as of great public importance.
SUGGESTIons for aABOLITION OF LEKIN AND ADOPTION OF ÍNDIAN SYSTEM FOR LEVY
OF DUTY ON SALT INTO CHINA.
Read letter from Mr. G. Jamieson, enclosing copies of his memorandums on the above snbjects.
The CHAIRMAN said he thought these momo- rands were of the greatest interest and impor- tance. They had been laid before several public bodies, and would receive consideration. He was particularly struck by the remarks on the collection of salt in India. It was evident that an enormous revenne on this article might be collected in China.
This was all the business of public interest before the meeting.
The following is the letter referred to under the hading of Cable Communication between British Countries :-
The Board of Trade of the City of Ottawa,
· Ottawa, Canada, 20th June, 1901. SIB,--On behalf of the Ottawa Board of Trade, the President and Council have the honour to submit the following remarks, together with the appendices hereto, on the movement to secure the cheapest, the speediest, the freest, and the most effective means of intercourse between all the King's subjects throughout His vast empire.
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Representing trade and commerce in the Capital of Canada, the Ottawa Board of Trade feels it a public duty incumbent on them to
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
take this means of expressing the conviction they have reached that all the British possessions throughout the world should be directly con nected by State-owned telegraph cables under the control of the Post Office.
Such a scheme is regarded by the members of the Board as an effective means of fostering trade and stimulating commercial activity, at the same time constitutin ; a bond of Imperial | unity of inostimable value.
The proposal requires not only that the con- necting trans-marine cables should be under Government control, but likewise that the land telegraphs of the several British possessions should be State-owned. The land telegraphs of the United Kingdom, New Zealand, the Australian States, India and South Africa, are already nationalised and administered by the Post Office, Canada is the only exception; but the transfer of the Canadian Telegraph lines to the Post Office, together with the laying of a State-owned cable across the Atantlic, is, we are informed, under the consideration of the Government, and it may be as-umed that Canada will not long remain the only country within the Empire where the telegraph system is not, iu the pubio interests, controlled by the State.
More than a year ago the scheme of world. encircling telegraphs was earnestly considered by this Board, and resolutions were then passed pointing out the necessity for establishing the Pacific Cable as the initial link in such a system of e tate-owned Cables.
It is a matter of great gratification to the Board to know that the Pacific Cable is now being established, under a joint agreзment between the Home Government and the Gor ernments of Canada, New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, and New Zealand, and that there is every prospect of Canada being connected with the United Kingdom at an early date by a State-owned Trans-Atlantic Cable. With these works completed and the Canadian land lines nationalised, the whole distance from England to the shores of the Indian Ocean, say at Perth, the capital of Western Australia, will be covered by a series of cables and land telegraphs under State control. Perth is near the 116th meridian east, while it is 244 degrees of longi- tude wasterly from Loadon. Reckoning by meridians of long tude, therefore, two-thirds of the globe will be girdled by a State-owned telegraph service so soon as the Pacific cable and Canadian lines associated therewith aro established as national works.
The necessity for connecting India and other British possessions in Asia with the Imperial system of telegraphy must, however, ba ro. cognised. On reference to the papers appended it will be found that the Imperial scheme of cables to travers the indian and Atlantic oceans between Perth and London, embraces the following work, viz :-
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1. Cable from Western Australia vửi Cocos Island and Mauritius to South Africs, with branches to India and Binga-, pore-9,100 miles.
2. Cable from South Africa với Ascen- sion and Barbadoes to Bermud, thence to Canada and the United Kingdom 6,600 | miles.
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other man, and in whose views this Board ontirely concurs.
In one of these appendices it is pointed out that it was largely owing to the notion_and influence of the Chambers of Cómmerce of the United Kingdom that the Postal Telegraph Service was introduced thirty years ago in the Mother Country. Similarly we believe it to be in the power of the various bodies, represent- ing Trade and Commerce through the Empire, to influence the universal adoption of the Imperial Postal Cable Service. It is with that object in view that this appeal is made. We respectfully and earnestly invite the aid sud co-operation of all such bodies in bringing tɔ completion the crowning development of the
British Post Office."
In the name and by the authority of the Board of Trade of the "apital of the Dominion of Canada, we ask all concerned in this Imperial movement to tako such action as may tend most speedily to nationalise the telegraph systom, by land and sea, of the whole Empire.
We have the honour to be,
Your obedient servants,
(8d.) John Coates,
President. (Sd.) CECIL BETHUNE,
Secretary.
To the PRESIDENT, General Chamber of
Commerce, Hongkong, China.
BUILDING IN hongkong.
THE COCHRANK STREET COLLAPSE.
Saturday, 17th Angust. The work of clearing away the ruins and digging out additional victims of the deplorable disaster is proceeding very slowly, far too slowly in fact for the comfort and good health of the surrounding community. It seems plain that there are still a number of dead bodies under. neath the debris. Who is to blame for the delay we do not know, but certainly not the police, for they worked heroically, But the coolies put on the work are ridiculously few, and if it is not possible in the circumstances to impress us many AS required, double or Avon treble the ordinary wages ought to be paid to secure the necessary labour. Otherwise ad epidemic may break ont in the neighbourhoot of the late disatter. Is it impossible to call for volunteers from among the soldiers of the garrison? Thirty soldiers would clear the place in about ten hours. Whereas, as things are going. Bill be a fortnight before the rubbish is cleared away, and all sorts of diseases may break out meanwhile,
Only two more dead bodies were found bo tween the hours of 10 p.m. on the 15th inst., and 6 a.m. yesterday, when the search was discon- tinued, the coolies being occupied in clearing off and carting away the broken timbers.
Monday,
When the disastrous collapso of houses took place in Cochrane Street on the 14th inst. the side-walls of Nos. 30 and 36, which are situated on each side of the ruined dwellings, were left entirely unsupported, and bulged alarmingly as the work of clearing away the debris proceeded. Eventually operations bad to be suspended to permit of the_shoring These two sections together make 15,700 | up of these walls, which was done by nautical miles, while the distance fom London A Hok, contractor, 37, D'Aguilar Street. to Perth by the Canadian route is about the same, the actual distance being a few hundred miles less. Thus it will be seen that taking into account branch cables to connect all the British possessions, half the whole work is already or will shortly be accomplished.
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Stretched between the two tottering erec- tions were innumerable bamboos, « miniature forest of them; and, everything at last appear. "As it ing secure, work was recommenced. proceeded, however, the wall at No. 26 began to bulge further and to crack, ad on Sunday morning came down with a run, falling outwards, in spite of the bamboo shoring, and crashing on top of the ruins of Nos. 32 and 34 Fortunately such an event was foresoon, and dus precautions were taken. The tenants were cleared out, and as no one was working at the place where the wall fell the incident was unattended by casualty. If similar fortunate circumstances could but attend the fall of almost all of the remaining houses in Cochrane Street, and elsewhere in the city.where such examples of jerry-building exist, The papers appended wet forth the scheme one might be pardoned for wishing that they in detail," and furnish ample explanations may fall soon. From one building behind the on all essential points. These documents Stag Hotel the tenants have been cleared out, contain the matured judgment of Sir Sanford and a couple of Indians set to keep guard, the Fleming, a member of the Board, who has authorities anticipating its falling-in at any given more attention to the subject than any moment.
Since the projected Imperia! Post Cable Service was formally submitted to the Secretary of State for the Colonies in 1893, certain telegraph companies have been permitted to lay private cables on the sections east and west of South Africa; it may, however, be assamed that in a matter which has been correctly de- cribed as of transcendent importanos to the British people everywhere, care has been taken. by those acting for the State, to reserve the right to expropriate thes) cables whenever in the public interests they may be required.
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