Page
May 2, 1904.]
Mr. D. R. LAW seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
on
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
un-
333
more
to effect improvements in the working of the sys-bably be some time before this section of that The CHAIRMAN said-Gentlemen.-The re-
tem, they are of opinion that it is decidedly to the Treaty becomes operative the Committee consi- ports and accounts of the Chamber for last year system should be continued. During the year opened without furthur delay.
advantage of the Colony that the Crown Agent der efforts should be made to have Waichow have been in your hands for some days and we will therefore with your permission take them shipping interests of the Colony have engaged also include the sister city of Kwaishin. The under review several questions relating to the that in our opinion the Treaty port area should I would add as read. I will offer a few remarks on the more important questions which have engaged the regulations are
our attention, While it is admitted that question of piracy on the West River continues attention of your Committee during 1903 and
necessary for dealing with will then ask those members who may wish to the Committee cannot but consider that the
vessels bringing explosives into the harbour, I am glad to be able to add that during the past to be one requiring constant attention, though do so to address the meeting. For sake of convenience I will take the various matters
manner of enforcing the regulations constituted frequent as in the past.
year complaints of this nature have not been so dealt with in the report in due order. The the trade of the port and that the regulations piracy and it is evident that the local Chinese an unreasonable and vexatious restriction on
During the last few weeks however there have been some cases of question of the Brussels sugar convention has might with perfect safety be modified. After officials have recently engaged the earnest attention of the considerable correspondence some slight con- Committee. In order that full
never attempted to seriously under this convention
protection cession was obtained from the Government and finally disposing of deal with this evil. be secured for our
The only means of important local
it now remains to be seen whether the result break up the piratical villages, the positions this question is to sugar industries. suggestions have been made to the Govern- medical inspection of vessels is an old one.
certain will prove satisfactory, The question of of which are perfectly well known to the ment here with a view to the possibilities having been dealt with by the Committee in of the future rather than to the actual
Chinese authorities. Although considerable needs of the present. At our last annual scheme a fair trial the Committee are
1897 and again in 1901.
time has elapsed since the question of the After giving the new removal of the barriers in the Canton River meeting we had to express regret that the animously of opinion that the time has now Hongkong Government declined to accede to arrived when the posts of Health Officer of the progressing favourably and that before long the was last dealt with officially by this Chamber, we understood privately that matters were our request that all those employed as pilots in Port and his assistants should be held by barriers would be removed. the waters of the Colony should be licensed. As officials devoting their entire time to the work, that in this as in other matters of hope for you are aware the Chamber has again urged to the exclusion of private practice: in fact that
We regret to find this, and a bill has recently been before the the system should be here adopted which now Legislative Council dealing with this important obtains in many British Ports where the num-
improvement no advance has been made by the local Chinese officials. While most scrupulously question. The ordinance appears to fully meet ber of entrances and clearances is far smaller Treaties limiting our relations with China, the the requirements of the case and we trust it will than in Hongkong, which now ranks as one of native officials consistently evade their own exacting due observance of the terms of the not be long before the pilots service is placed a satisfactory footing. In August last His Committee intend to again address the Govern- removing the barriers
the largest shipping ports in the world. The obligations whenever possible. The delay in Excellency the British Minister to China while ment on this subject and trust that on further instance of their bad faith, and it to be hoped on his return to Peking, was good enough to
is yet one agree to meet the Committee of the Chamber will be admitted. They feel convinced that in
consideration the reasonableness of their request that the necessary steps will be taken to compel and in the report will be found the address this matter they can rely on the support of time stipulated by treaty.
the Chinese to remove these barriers within the presented to him which dealt with a number of important questions. Sir Ernest directly interested in shipping. We are glad to question which requires attention and we have all those members of the Chamber who are
The improvement in the lighting of the Canton River is another Satow fully discussed these various matters be able to record that the Government has, after and expressed his desire to do all possible considerable correspondence, agreed to effect
reason to believe that the importance of this has to further the interest of our trade with China certain improvements in the signalling of taken both by the Colonial Government and the not been lost sight of and that steps are being and his readiness to give full consideration to such representations as the Chamber might experience which will be obtained during the
storm warnings, and trust that the practical Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs to deal make to him. Last summer the Viceroy of approaching typhoon season may show that the
with it. The great increase which has of recent Canton being anxious to increase the revenue of change effected will result in all that has been Hongkong and Canton renders it more than years taken place in the steamer traffic between the Province endeavoured to revive the illegal hoped for it. One other point affecting the taxation on foreign opium attempted the previous shipping requires to be dealt with. I refer to
ever necessary that this improvement should year by his predecessor. The excuse for this the Imbecile Immigrants Ordinance. This Billgress with the new Commercial Treaties with be effected with the least possible delay. Pro- impost being one very generally put forward by the native officials when additional funds are
as originally put before the Legislative Council required. viz:- The payment of the
was of such a nature as to give rise to the indemnity. A telegram was at once despatched whose
greatest uneasiness on the part of those to H. B. M. Charge d'Affaires af Peking pro-
business it is to protect interests testing against this proposed violation of treaty protest against this ordinance was unanimously of shipowners trading with the Colony. A and, thanks to the prompt action of Mr. signed by the shipping companies here re- Townley and the British Consul General at Can-presented, and while the Bill was not abandoned. ton. the tax has been "suspended but it is very evident that it will be necessary for the Cham- ber to continue to keep a careful watch upon our tradal relations with China in order to prevent the officials from levying illegal taxes when pressed for funds. As mentioned at our last annual meeting the question of the compulsory adoption of an official code vocabulary drawn up by the Telegraph Companies has been again before us and a telegram was therefore sent to the London Chamber of Commerce protesting on behalf of this Colony against this proposal. The objections raised have been so universal among business communities that it is to be hoped this vexed question has been finally disposed of. With regard to the currency question, since our last meeting the decision of the Secretary of State for the Colonies has been given, which is to the effect that "It was out of the question to entertain the idea of adopting a gold standard for Hongkong while China retained her silver standard. As a first step therefore towards a reform of the currency in China a joint memorial from the Chambers of Commerce of Tient sin. Shanghai and Hongkong has been forward- ed to the Diplomatic Body at Peking urging that no further time be lost in providing a uni- form currency for China and the placing of the Provincial Mints under the control of the Con- tral Goverment, but it is with regret that we find up to the present nothing further has been done in this direction. From time to time attention has been directed to the Crown Agent system and some correspondence has passed on this subject between this Chamber and that of Ceylon. In order to more clearly form an opi- nion on the matter a series of questions was drawn up and presented by our Representative at the Legislative Council. While the Committee are not prepared to say that it would not be possible
war
re-
as
an
China has been slow and the present political situation in the Far East is not calculated to facilitate matters in this respect. of the New American and also the Japanese The text
jections Treaties has been published and while ob-
have been
respects improvements on the British Treaty. made to certain omissions in the former, they are both in some It is satisfactory to find that the payment of duties in silver is ensured under the terms of these Treaties. We understand that the Ger- man Treaty will also shortly be ready for signa- yet been published. The agitation now being ture but so far as I am aware the text has not carried on at home with regard to the fiscal much attention in this Colony, and while the policy of the Empire has naturally attracted
the question we have good ground for stating time has not yet arrived to deal seriously with that the majority of the British business com- made so munity here is agreed that a change should be
to place British trade on markets. I need only cite as an example one its rivals
in the world's section of our business, viz. shipping. It is obvious that if we are against foreign competitors equal facilities to hold our position
in British ports unless we in turn receive in should not be granted them with our shipping their ports the This in the majority of cases is denied to us, same favourable treatment accorded to their own shipping. (Applause.) The whole question of fiscal reform is as yet nearly concerns the Colony, and the Committee very much in the clouds but nevertheless very will therefore continue to follow closely the movement at home and should it ultimately be decided to seriously deal with the whole question no doubt full opportunity will be offered us to give
kong. It must of course calculated to affect the prosperity of Hong. on any matter which is
Crown Colony, is chiefly a port of call in mind that Hongkong, while a British always be borne
practically nil and its manufactures limited. for shipping. Its local productions
centage of which is non-British, centres here An enormous volume of trade, a large per- for distribution to China, the Phillipines and
important modifications were obtained in com. as we had hoped might be the case. still very
of our representative in this direction were not mittee and we can only regret that the efforts
specially direct attention to this Bill, as the more successful. I consider it necessary to whole prosperity of Hongkong so largely depends shipping to visit the port. I fear that this fact upon the facilities and encouragement given to
time attempts at legislation are suggested, and is sometimes lost sight of and that from time to not infrequently carried out, calculated to impose undue restrictions and expenditure on the shipping, which in the aggregate form such a tax. either by loss of time or by actual ex-equality with penditure, as to tend to discourage shipping from visiting the Colony. It must he membered that the position of Hongkong as a distributing centre is not impregnable. This is Turning to questions of a wider interest which a point which cannot be too strongly urged. still closely concern the welfare of our Colony I treaty port, and the establishment of a number of would refer to the opening of Kongmoon as a ports of call on the West River to the benefit traffic. It is but right that acknowledgment of the large and increasing native passenger should be made of the manner in which the officials of the Imperial Maritime Customs have endeavoured to prevent difficulties arising in connection with the work of opening this port and also of the able assistance rendered by on the question of new treaty ports I would Mr. Fox. H. B. M. Consul. (Applause.) While
has addressed the British Minister at Peking also mention that the Committee of the Chamber with regard to the advantage which would accrue to foreign trade. to the Colony through the opening of Waichow VIII of the Shanghai Treaty of 1902 provided As you will recollect, Article for the opening of this city, but as it will pro-
our views
are