May 2, 1904.]
operations can be commenced, and the threatened danger may become a fact before anything definite has been decided upon. If, on the other hand, the Hongkong Government will take the initiative and grasp this nettle boldly, a commencement could be made at once with the line, and this action would stimulate the concession- aries of the line from Canton to take ad- vantage of their concession and not run the risk of having it cancelled in favour of some more enterprising capitalists. Whatever is to be done should be done quickly, however, for the matter will admit of no further delay. To impress this fact on the Colonial Office, would it not be well to call a public meeting of the colonists and ask the Acting (overnor to preside? It is well known that Mr. MAY shares the views 80 forcibly expressed by Sir HENRy Blake on the eve of his departure, and in a matter of such trancendent importance to the Colony, we think that the Government and the community should join hands to attain the desired end. The Chinese Community will also, we are sure, co-operate to bring about a really imposing demonstration in favour of the railway, and one that would assure the Imperial Government of the urgency with which it is regarded.
THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THE CURRENCY QUESTION.
(Daily Press, 27th April.)
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
Committee, which sent to Hongkong on the step was taken by the Shanghai Chamber's 25th June, a proposed draft memorial, the scope of which the Hongkong Committee was glad to find had been confined to em- phasising the need of a national coinage for China. expressing agreement with the Hongkong Tientsin, on the 15th July, wrote and Shanghai views, with one slight amend- ment providing for the closing of the pro- the substitution of vincial mints. Hongkong, however, urged absorption for memorial accordingly was altered and on 'closing and carr ed the point. The the 6t' August was forwarde to H E. Mr. E. H. CONGER, doyen of the Diplomatic Body at Peking. This document ran follows :-
£
+
21
17
28
We, the undersigned Chambers of Com- merce of Shanghai, Hongkong, and Tien- "tain, respectfully beg to bring to your "notice the serious disabilities under which this Country labours by reason of the "violent fluctuations in the gold value of silver, and the pressing need thereby oc- "casioned for the prompt introduction of "remedial measures.
"
"In approaching this subject we are fully "aware of the difficulties with which it is "surrounded, but while in no way seeking
$4
to minimise these difficulties we venture "to think that if the Treaty Powers shew "their desire to render to China their sym. "pathetic assistance, she may be encouraged "to take the initiative in endeavouring to "extricate the country from the financial "confusion into which it has drifted and to avert the ruin which further inaction
"
<<
seems to threaten.
Under Clause II. of the Treaty recently concluded with Great Britain, China agrees to take the necessary steps to pro- "vide for an uniform National coinage, and *it is in the fulfilment of this clause of the trealy (which t be effective must include the absorption of the provincial mints) that we recognise the preliminary step to "the much needed reforms.
A LIBEL ON HONGKONG.
"
"
327
"
(Daily Press, 25th April.) It another column to-day we republish from the London Daily News a sensational article entitled "A Plague Volcano," who in the years 1896-1898 was Principal written by Surgeon-General G. J. H. EVATT, Medical Officer to the British troops in Hongkong and China. We do not quote this article because we wish to endorse the statements made therein, for we can but consider many of them most mischievous they should never have been published in a and harmful of such a nature, in fact, that journal likely to have influence in a wide circle of people: It is true that the Daily undiscriminating partisan of a certain class News is now a notoriously violent and of "Liberal heroes is Sir WILLIAM HARCOURT, the author ideas, and that among its of the comparison of the proposed Chinese immigration to South Africa with the Middle Passage of slavery days. We should not expect, therefore, to find a judicious statement of facts on any debatable question in the columns of the Daily News. But for | such a mass of exaggerations, such an out-
burst of "yellow prepared. Now we do not deny-it would journalism, we were not
overcrowded and insanitary city, that in the be foolish to do 80-that Hongkong is an summer months its climate is enervating, and that plague has had for some years a Since Mr. CHAMBERLAIN in August last
strong hold upon it, though this year there have been up to the present only a few wrote to the Hongkong Government his
sporadic cases, several of them demonstrably despatch with reference to the resolution on the currency question passed by the mem-
imported. But this is different from say. bers of the local Chamber of Commerce at
imagination fails to conceive the overgrowd- ing, as Dr. EvATT does, that "human a special g neral meeting on the previous"
ing and the filth of the conditions under 18th February, public discussion on the subject has practically ceased. It has been
which the Chinese workers dwell"; that felt that it is useless to go on talking when
there is nothing "to compare for downright degradation of life equal to that to which the home authorities have declared their belief in the inexpediency of further dis-
the splendid Chinese workman is exposed cussion at the present stage on the possibi-
in Hongkong; that for eight months in the lity of a gold standard in Hongkong and
year "a most exhausting damp heat pre- have pronounced that it is "out of the
that this Colony is ; question" to consider Hongkong apart from
volcano, ever belching forth the flames and a plague China in the matter. There has appeared
Hongkong is a the fumes" of plague; or, in short, that no way of getting round the position taken
Hell." up by Downing Street. But we are glad
are simply untrue.
Such statements We have certainly to see, nevertheless, that the Hongkong
never posed as defenders of local sanitary Chamber of Commerce has not dropped the
arrangements; in fact, we have always been question. In the report to be presented at the annual meeting this afternoon, it
and have borne a part in the agitation which foremost in condemning the many faults, will be seen, the subject is dealt with. The
finally led to the Public Health and Building report remarks that it is no doubt too early
Ordinance now in operation. We cannot be to expect that any material result has been
the authorities of this Colony or to minimise accused therefore of attempting to whitewash attained, up to the time of witing, in the direction of furthering the cause of currency
the sins of those who allowed the city of reform with the Chinese Government. But
Victoria to grow up as it has grown, in joint efforts of the Hongkong, Shanghai, and
defiance of the laws of health. We must, Tientsin Chambers cannot be entirely in
the dissemination of what, if written by however, most emphatically protest against vain. As is shown by the report, and still more fully in Appendix H to the report, it
anyone but an honourable man, could only was the Tientsin Chamber which made the
be called deliberate misstatements. first advance, writing to Hongkong on the
have only mentioned above a few of the 25th of last May, stating that it was con
absurd exaggerations in Dr. EVATT's indict- sidering the drafting of a memorial the
ment. Diplomatic Body at Peking on the subjec
and point out many others equally gross, We might go through the article
of instability of exchange and its disastrous
were it worth while. But it is not. The effects on China's trade. The Tientsin Com.
article bears on it plainly the stamp of mittee had good reason for believing that A short letter of acknowledgement was
scaremongery. Its headlines alone would the Chinese Government was taking received from Peking, the Diplomatic Body argument against the importation of be enough to show that. Designed as an action, and therefore suggested that the expressing itself as "highly interested" two southern Chambers sould join the and "greatly appreciating the efforts and less effective. But is it an honest argu. Chinese labour to South Africa, it is doubt- Tientsin Chamber in a memorial. The zeal" of the three Chambers. Hongkong Committee, however, seeing the
And there, ment? We may be prepared to agree that as far as we know, the matter rests. But it is a mistake to take Chinese labour to difficulty of the proposed memorial, which it is impossible that the memorial can fail South Africa; but this would not justify us would probably necessitate the Committees discussing the terms very fully, advised as
to hasten in some degree that promised in painting an absolutely unrcal picture of a first step the establishment by China of Hongkong are forced by those who govern Dr. EVATT appears to us to have lent him- reform of China's currency to which we in Hongkong, "the depot of plague supply." an uniform natioual currency, as was provided for by Article XI. of the 1902 the difficulties of an ever-fluctuating ex-
us to look for our own future relief from self to an unworthy attempt to prejudice a (MACKAY) commercial treaty. The next change.
case. Therefore, although no one is more earnest than ́ we are in the cause of sanitary
tr
It is hardly necessary to point out how "essential it is to the Powers carrying on "trade with China-and no less to China “herself—that this question of an uniform coinage, as a preliminary step to the establishment of a currency on a gold "basis, be taken in haud at once, mor, on "the other hand, to demonstrate the dangers attendant on delay. It is only too well known by traders that the constant "a profitable contract into an ultimate loss, "fluctuation of silver, converting as it may, engenders a feeling of insecurity in all "commercial transactions which cannot tail "to hinder the expansion of trade.
LL
"ing confident that whatever measures may "Moved by these considerations and feel- 'subsequently be found to be desirable or feasible, the first step is the establishment of a national coinage, as provided for by treaty, we respectfully beg that the re- presentatives of the treaty powers in Peking lose no opportunity of urging upon the Chinese Government the im- perative necessity of taking this matter in "band without delay.”
R
*
|
vails
''
We