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in order that vessels for the south might tako sufficient water to carry them past Singapore.
The CHAIRMAN s.il they were much indebted to the Singapore Chamber for their prompt warning which had been taken advantage of by the shipping concerned.
The Secretary was instructed to acknowledge receipt of the telegram, and express the
Chamber's thanks for its despatch.
cacao
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
Whereas negotiations are now going on between the British and Canadian Governments and the Canadian Pacific Railway Company for the establishment of a fast passenger aud mail service across the Atlantic between Canada and Great Britain,
And whereas the Board f Trade of the City of Montrea' unanimously endorsed the establish- ment of such a service at a meeting held on the 29th July last.
FRENCH CUSTOMS TARIFF BILL. Read letter from the Colonial Secretary And whereas the Canadian Pacific Railway dated 1st instant, enclosing a further circular, Co. bave, for the past wolra years, from the French Customs Department, dated successfully and inst creditably operated a fast 15th May last, specifying the documents re. line of Traus-l'actic steamers, in connection quired in order to obtain the benefit of th with their great Truus-Coufiueutal Failway reduced tariff for colonial commodities imported; system, extending, as it does, through Canada. from their original country or from a country from the Pacific to the Atlantic thereby out of Europe. Sugar and its derivations, | benefitting very largely tr de relations between and tobaccos are stated not to be China and Japan and the Coutinent of America. included as coming under the head of colonial ¡ and, at the same time, furnishing Eastern commodities. Bills of lading must be endorsed | merchants with the most expeditious mail by Consular or local anthorities and include service to and from America, declaration of origin and that the goods have not sustained rehandling or change of packing. A letter from the French Vice-Cousul was read calling attention to the Chairman's remarks contained in the published minutes of the meeting of 13th June last to the effect that Hongkong only gotsix months extension of tho minimum tariff and he was now in a position to state that according to official information asked for by him and now in his hauds Hong- kong does also enjoy the same treatment as the Straits Settlements and Malay Statis
The CHAIRMAN said the thanks of the Chamber were due the Consul for France for his courtesy in taking up the mattes and afford- ing the Chamber information of the result of bis enquiries.
IMPERIAL CABLE COMMUNICATIONS.
With reference to the letter dated 28th May last from the London Chamber of Commerce the CHAIRMAN stated that a reply had been sent on the lines decided upon at the last meeting, and further, that in view of the recommendations made by the Inter-Departmental Committee on the subject of the granting of landing rights, advantage had been taken of this opportunity to make some comments on this subject, and the position of the Cable Companies here ris-à-vis the public.
NEW BRITISH COMMERCIAL TREATY WIT I CHINA THE EFFECTIVE PER CENT.
SPECIFIC TARIFF.
The CHAIRMAN pointed out that news had been received since the last meeting of the signing of these, both of which were matters of the deepest importance to all engaged in the China trade. He suggested that as soon as authentic copies of the new Treaty were to hand it would be the duty of this Chamber to consider the same and express their views upon it.
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And whereas we understand that the offer of the Canadian Pacific Rallway Company to the British and Canadian Governments is to construct and put into such service ships of the most modern typo and in no way inferior to the bat at prescut running to and from New York,
And whereas it is nuderstood that the sea- speed of the ships will not be less than ficenty knots and that the time in transit between Vancouver, B. A', and London will thereby ha reduced, with a promised accelerated train service, to about nine days, as against the present service of about 14 days,
And whereas the establishment of a fast Atlantic service by the Canadian Pacific Rail- way Co. is likely to be fol owed by an improved Trans-Pacific service, shortening the time to about 10days between Yokohama and Vancouver,
And whereas this Chamber endorsed by re- solution of the 18th April, 1900, the renewal of the mail contrict between the British Govern.
ment and the Canadian Pacific Railway Co. in connection with their Empress," Line of
steamers;
Be it resolved that this Chamber strongly endorses the necessity for a fast and reliable Atlantic service being i. augurated in connec- tion with the present excellent service between China, and Japan and Canada, and being of opinion, judging by the regularity, despatch and reliability of the Canadian Pacific Railway Co.'s presen Pacific service, that an equally satisfactory Atlantic service would be provided on the improved conditions stated above, hereby recommends that the contract for such a mail and pssenger service be accordingly entrusted to the Canadian Pacific Railway Co, and that a copy of this re olution be mailed to the Post- masters General at London, England, and Ottawa, Canada.
This concluded the business,
RE-ELECTION. OF MR. SHEWAN TO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
-Hon. C.
A special general meeting of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce was held on Fri day in the Chamber Room, City Hall. Hon. C S. Sharp presided and was supported by the following members of Committee W. Dickson, Messrs. N. A. Siebs, A. Haupt, E. A. Hewett, H. E. Tomkins, R. C. Wilcox, and J. R. M. Smith. There were also present Mr. A. R. Lowe (Secretary), Hon. G. W. F. Playfair. Hou. R. Shewan, Messrs. E. Goetz, W. S. Bailey, A. S. Anion, A. Forbes, P. Dauby, G. Balloch, Fung Wa Chun. Ho Fook, Ming Kee, A. Fincke, C.. A. Tomes, M. M. Mehta, Fulmaun, F. Smyth, W. Melcher, D. E. Brown, C. Pemberton, N. H. Rutherford, T. Arnold, C. Klinck, W Dixon, J. H. 1 ewis, G. P. Lammert, E. Hiuds, G. K. H. Brutton, R. H. Mitchell, C. H. Thompson, J. Jupp, W. G. Humphreys and if. Jessen.
PROP SED FAST ATLANTIC SERVICE BY THE CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY COMPANY, The CHAIRMAN directed the attention of the Committee to the fact that negotiatious are now going on between the British and Canadian Governments and the Canadian Pacific Railway Company for the establishment of a fast pas- senger and mail service across the Atlantic between Canada and the United Kingdom, and pointed out that in connection with such pro- posed Atlantic service an accelerated train service across Cauada had been virtually promised, which in all probability would later on be followed by an improved Trans-Pacific service, whereby through communication Brewitt, E. W. Mitchell, 8. D. Setua. W. between Hongkong and the United Kingdom, via Vancouver, would be considerably shortened. He thought proposals such as these having for their object such great improvement in com- munication for the benefit of passengers and mails and the commercial interests generally of the East needed no words from him to com- mend them to the favourable consideration of the Committee, and he further thought they would all agree that the Canadian Pacific Railway Company which had already provided such a favourably known service between this Colony and Vancouver might be depended upon to make an equal success of any such Atlantic service and that a contract for such should be entrusted to them.
The Committee unanimously approved of these remarks and the following resolution was proposed by the CHAIRMAN, seconded by the VICE-CHAIRMAN, and unanimously adopted :-
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The SECRETARY (Mr. A. R. Lowe) baring read the notice calling the meeting,
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[October 6, 1902. representative of the Chamber for the balance of Mr. Whitehead's period of office. His period of office has now expired, and we have been requested by the Governor to proceed with the election of a representative in his place. I will now read you the letter which we have received from His Excellency, dated 22nd September.
Guve nment House, Hongkong, 22nd September, 1902. Si-With reference to tir William Gas- coigne's letter, No. 48 G of 27th May last, I have the honour to inform you that as Mr. Whitehead's term of office as a member of the Legislative Council expires on 24th iust, and temporary appointment as Mr. Shewan's
therefore also terminate on that date, I have the h. nour to request a meeting you to be good enough to call of the Chamber as early as convenient in order that you may have an opportunity of electing your representative.
I have the honour o be, Sir,
Your most ob:dient servant,
H. A. BLAKE,
Governor, et.,
his sub-titu e will
The CHAIRMAN,
Chamber of Commerce.
It only remains for me to ask members to propose and s 'cond candidates for this post.
Mi J. H. Lewis-I beg to propose the re- election of Mr. Robert Shewan as a member of the Legislative Council to represent this Chamber.
Mr. E. W. MITCHELL-I beg to second.
The CHAIRMAN-Well, gentlemen, if no other members have candidates to popose, we will proceed to vote upon this proposal. I take it there are no other candidates. Well, we have nothing in the rules specially to guide us in such elections, but I take it, there being only one candidate, it will be quite sufficient to take a show of hands. I will therefore put the pro- posal to the meeting.
On a show of hands being taken,
The CHAIRMA▾ declared the motion to be carried nem, con,
Hon. R. SHEWAN-Gentlemen, I thank you very much for the honour you have dona me, and I only regret that you have had all this trouble so soon again. As one good turn de- serves another, I beg t› propose a hearty vote of tha ks to Mr. Sharp for his conduct in the chair. (Applause)
This ended the proceedings.
RETURN OF THE CORONATION CONTINGENT.
ADDRESS BY THE GOVERNOR.
The Hongkong Coronation Contingent ar- rived back in the Colony on the 30th ult. by the 8.8. Empress of Japan. They left for Loudon on the 14th of May, so that their absence has ex- tended to just four months and a half. On their Volunteers, 14 men of the Hongkong Regiment, departure the Contingent numbered 85-42 8 of the H.K.S.B R. A., 13 of the 1st Chinese Weihaiwe) Regiment, and 6 of the Submarine Miners (Chinese). Their voyage to England via Canada and their subsequent movements in connection with the Coronation celebrations have from time to time been dealt with in our columus in chronological sequence by our cor. respondent with the Contingent, so that nothing remains to be told but the story of the voyage home. And it is in effect just a repetition of the narrative of their home-going. Every where they met with the utmost kindness and consideration: especially do they bear pleasant memories of the reception got among the people of Canada; the journey across the Pacific was uneventful, though pleasant; and all arrived in good spirits and looking remarkably fit. There is no doubt that the Contingent had to rough
it
a bit, but any slight hardship which had to be endured seems only to have accentuated the The CHAIRMAN said--Gentlemen, we bare pleasures which on the whole attended the trip. called you together On this occasion in compli-To the Volunteers a special word of praise is
pance with a request we have had from the Goverumeut. It will be recollected that when Mr. Whitehead went home last Spring he did not resign and there was still some portion of At our la t his ter.a of offics unexpired. special meeting, in compliance with a request from His Excellency the Officer Administering Government, we elected temporarily a
the
due for their admirable behaviour ander the unwonted strain of mili`ary discipline for so prolonged a period ; their officers have nothing but good to say of them.
It was only in the nature of things that the Colony should be early astir yesterday with the pl asurable excitement of welcoming back their representatives. The Empress was signalled at
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