1927 Edition
OF THE
DIRECTORY
AND
CHRONICLE
The Sixty-fifth Annual Issue of the
Directory & Chronicle
for
THE HONG KONG
DAILY PRESS, TUESDAY, MARCH 22nd, 1927.
BRITISH TRADE IN CHINA.
AMOUNT OF CAPITAL INVESTED.
TEE QUESTION OF TARIFF AUTONOMY.
BY LOUIS XING, LATE OF H. 8. X. CONSULAR SERVICE IN CHINA.]
British Trade Revigu,
very considerable total is represent ed by stripping it is not possible to ay, but tonnage figures illustrate the importance of our interest un- der this head. The tonnage of Bri- tish vessels engaged in the carrying trade between foreign countries and China, and in the China coast and river trade, was in 1995 42,942,484, or 33) pc. of the total. In the const and river trade alone our ton- nage (entrances and clearances) was 30,389,531, or over. 34`p.c. of the total, the Japanese figures, after the Chinese, the next largest to ours, being 20,417,037 or 23 pic. odd.
Tariff Autonomy,
Now, all this capital has been If it is correct to say--and few
invested in China in reliance on will deny that it is that the pros (a) the fundamental safeguard re pects of British trade with China presented by the undertaking of the as with other countries is to some Chinese Government to protect
and (b) ́certain supplementary safe- extent dependen: upon the oppor guards provided by Treaties. The tunities which our capital finds for former has been weakening, för a site investment there, a review of long time past, until to-day an un- dertaking by the existing Chinese the present position must embrace a
Government to protect British pre- large number of factors than the perty has become valueless over the title of this article, at first sight greater part of the country, Cer- suggests, writes Mr. Louis M. King,tain sections of the Chinese notably in the January number of The tonese, wish to abolish the |
the
tary safeguards
Alto It is recognised by all that gether. some of them should be dispensed with, the present tariff, for in- stance, not indeed, because it is no longur desirable from'the viewpoint of foreign trade, but beanuse other considerations weigh more. The proposal to give China tariff au- giving, because behind the tarif sonomy gives rise to serious mis-
exists an arbitrary and complicated system of internal taxation. such as exista in no other part of the world, which does mach to restrict the development of trade and, with a high import tarif, may well bring some of it to a standstill. On the oth other hand, it has to be recognized that to, deny China the right to
the opportunity of providing her self with a larger Customs revenue to be used in "gradual fiscal reform and in fostering her own industries It has also recently been récom merded by an international Com- mission of jurists appointed to ex- amine China's judicial administra- tion that, as a step towards judicial autonomy, cases in which foreigners are plaintiffs should be tried by Chinese judges without the presence of foreign assessors, while the Com missioners have that foreigners resident in China also recommended
should pay taxes to the Chinese authorities additional to those which they pay already as impor- ters and landowners. The Chinese, as represented by the Cantonese, want, however, to alter the present status of foreigners much more radically than this. They want for eigners to be placed entirely under their jurisdiction, and they want complete control of all the places which in the middle of last century were set aside for foreign residence, And, as the "greater includes the less, they want control over the Cus toms administration.
HONGKONG, the Treaty Ports of country from Great Britain was make her own tariff is to deny her
CHINA, JAPAN, COREA, INDO-CHINA,
SIAM, STRAITS SETTLEMENTS MALAY STATES, NETHER- LANDS INDIA, BORNEQ THE
PHILIPPINES, ETC.
NOW IN THE PRESS.
.
THIS LARGE VOLUME OF APPROXIMATELY 2,000 PAGES GIVES, IN ADDITION TO THE USUAL LISTS OF FIRMS, AN ALPHABETI- CAL LIST OF RESIDENTS IN THE FAR EAST CONTAINING THE NAMES OF NEARLY
20,000 FOREIGNERS.
Arranged, with the initials as well as Surnames in strict alphabetical order so that any name can be found instantaneously.
It is a volume indispensable to business houses.
It will be published within the Next Two or Three
Weeks
Large Edition—with Maps and Treaties.. $12 Small Edition
Orders should be Sent Now to
LONDON:
An analysis confined to export and import figures would, it is true, reveal a good deal, but not enough to enable the reader to form a cor- rect, appreciation of the situation as a whole. Taking them first, how- ever, we find, that, while the trade of China generally shows a steady tendency to increase, Great Bri tain's share of the trade has, latter ..shown a tendency to diminish. Thus, in 1915, the gross value of China's foreign imports was Hk. Tls. 533,258,428, the average value of the haikuan, or Customs, tael being in that year 3/3.13/18. The percentage of imports entering the 13.14. In 1995, im ports were valued at Ek is 063,000,393, our share of them was only 0.65 p.c., the average value, of the tael being 3/31. The Japanese share, on the other hand, increased from 29.08 p.c. to 31.00 p.," and America's from 10.08 p.c. to 14.77 p.. A good deal of our China trade, of course, is done through Hong Kang, which, because it is a British Colony, people sometimes make the mistake of thinking is an entrepôt for purely British trade. Not more than a third of the im- ports which China receives through her can, however, be relied upon u Being British, and when we examine the Colony's figures we find that her share of the trade has also decreas ed. In 1916 it was 29.65 p.c.": is. 1025 it was 18.27 p.c.
The 1925 Returns.
Without carefully analyzing the 1995 returns, it is impossible to say whether they continue the tendency shown by the 1993 and 1924 figures in regard to the principal depart menta of trade, namely, picee goods, machinery, electrical materials, and metals and minerals, in eacn of which Great Britain's share showed a diminution, in two of them only a slight, in two, bowever, a marked one. The figures referred to were as follows:-
Year. Piece Goods. Machinery.
p.t.
1923 1824
10.99
4
40.04 Electrical Materials.
p.c.
1923 1924
14.88
Year.
14.63
p.c. 36.47 29.28
Metals and Minerals
p.c
23.67
14.81
more
THE A.D.C. SECOND NIGHT.
}
VA SUCCESS ASSURED.
The second performance of "The Last of Mrs. Cheyney" takes place to-night. There was a good house on Saturday and, from the book- ings, the success of the production 15 assured. Everyone who saw the play seems to have been delighted with it and high encomiums are being showered upon the A.D.C. 43. a consequence,
་་
A correspondent writes:-
"Great credit is due to the 4.D.C. and the Hong Kong enterprising and capable Secre tary, Mr. Hannibal, for present- ing the local theatre-lovers with. the opportunity of seeing such a first rate example of one of the moet modern comedies, so soon' after its production at Home. Aş long as the A.D.C. is in such cap- able hands, residents in Hong Kong may rest assured that their love of the theatre will be entered for with only the best that Lon- don has to offer."
In connection with the forth- coming performances we are asked to make a special appeal that those attending will be in their seats be fore the curtain rises. A certain amount of annoyance and incon- venience was caused by late arrivals on Saturday evening. It is six- rely hoped that this will be avoid- ed in future. The play starts at
9.15 p.m.
It is not without interest to ace from the Flome papers that even in Berlin, this comedy is so successful that though it was intended to stage it for a short while, as one of a series of representative English plays, "The Constant Nymph" which was billed to follow it is still waiting for the rush to see "The Last of Mrs. Cheyney" za subside..
SIR NEILL MALCOLM.
CHARTERED COMPANY'S NEW CHAIRMAN.
J
Major-General Sir Neill Malcolm, chairman of the court of directors of the British North Borneo Com- pany, and the predecessor of Major- General
Fraser, Sir. Theodore Malaya's present G.O.C... paid à short visit to Singapore on his way to British North Borneo.
Sir Neill Malcolm left the P. & O. evenha at Fenang on March 12th and came down to Singapore by train. He breakfasted at Govern- iminent House this morning, and left for Sandakan by the Darvel, which sailed at 9 a.m."
Glad to be Back,
"General Malcolm told a Srait Timer representative that he expect ed to stay in British North Borneo two and a half mouths.
General Malcolm was in command of the forces in Malaya for two years, and he did much to place the volunteer movement on a sound basia-Straits Times.
Brilish Eandicaps. These two sets of facts-the poteace of the central Government and the demands of the extreme testion of the Kuomintang, or Peo ple's Party-operate against British trade to a very much greater extent than that of other countries for the following reasons:-First, under the most favourable conditions the
He intended to travel all over the competition of British with Ameri-
territory and become acquainted cat and Japanese trade, more especially the latter (which is the with it as far as possible, because, trade that is increasing most although he had been to British never markedly) is handicapped by North Borneo before, he had their
leen able to inspect it thoroughly." comparative Figures regarding the first of
propilly Mr. Elphinstone, of the Chartered these departments, the piece goods American, and $8rade, which in 1825 represented Japanese exporters can take shorter Company directorate would join 16.55 p.c. of the value of China's views than ours, and adapt their their party,, and they would pay particular attention to road com- imports, and is still the most im operations more readily than OUTS portant section of our trade with to the rapidly changing phases munication, labour, sad develop China, show a considerable falling of unrest, the internal condition of
through which, in the present statement generally.. off as compared with the two pre-
China passes in the course of any vious years. Our total export to China and Hong Kong was valued one year. The Japanese are, to all intents and purposes, on the ut £7,492,162, 18 compared with £12,621,174 in 1924, and £9,942,324 apot," and very much better inform in 1923. There is no doubt that ined in regard to political conditions. this part of our trade we are meet. In the second place, while we en- ing with very successful Japanese joy no more Treaty privileges than competition, which is now begin our competitors, the Cantonese, ning seriously to affect our trade acting to no small extent under in higher quality goods also. Of Russian guidance, have concentrat course, 1925 was a specially bad ed the nationalist movement against year from a British point of view, us, believing, and probably rightly, on account of the boycott, for which they can force us to consent to their what has become known as the demands, they will be able, with Shanghai affair" was the signal comparative case, to obtain the con- That fact, however, does not invali-sent of other Powers Acording- date the foregoing comparisons, for, British trade is being two reasons (2) because the tendency and specifically penalized. We, for Great Britain's trade within other words, are being made China to declino is observable be the scapegoats, fore 1995; (b) because all the factors This is a position from which it which resulted in the 1925 boycott is extremely difficult to extricate are still at work. Some of them are ourselves for the reason that, taking working quite definitely for the them as a whole, our interests in destruction of British interests in Chins are wider in extent and
Future Prospects, Chian, others for the removal of the greater in amount than those of safeguards under which those in any Power. We can, as the recent Such in outline are the main facts terests have been developed, and it British Note has done, offer to meet of the present situation. It will is this fact which renders it neces the Cantonese half way and to give be agreed that they are extreme such features of the presently awkard facts with which to deal. out of date. But we are less able meane, devoid of hopeful features. than any other Fower to give up the There is a moderate element in safeguards that are not out of date, China which is opposed to a dead- because we have more to lose, not lock and may yet succeed in avert- one. The mercantile classes are ed in China, but in respect of- the outlet for British which the merchants in China are, individual- China marketed there helps it to Chinese are adepts at compromise,
which our v
ly, on excellent terms with them. provide, and from which labour in and if agitators and extremists ap
derives directly no in- pear to have, the upper
HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, 21, Bride Lane, Fleet St., E.C. 4.
SINGAPORE:
KELLY & WALSH, LIMITED, 32, Rafles Place.
SHANGHAI:
KELLY & WALSH, LIMITED, Kelly & Walsh Building, Nanking Road.
TIENTSIN:
PEKING & TIENTSIN TIMES.
HANKOW:
RAMSAY & COMPANY. 23. Tungting Road.
JAPAN:
MARUZEN CO., LTD., Tokyo and Yokohama.
J. L. THOMPSON & COMPANY, Kobe
OSAKA & KOBE PRESS, Kobe.
OR TO
HONG KONG:
i
deliberate
have Manchuria to fall back on, and being Orientals could continue to live and trade in China more easily than our merchants were all foreigners placed unreservedly un- der Chinese rule in its present chao- tic atate. The fact that Germans and Austrians, who are living un- der Chinese law, appear to be doing so, not unsuccessfully, is not an argument in favour of abolishing extra-territoriality because many of them live in foreign con- trolled settlements and concessions, of which very large numbers of wealthy Chinese also make use be cause of the security aflorded by
them
very
Bary, in a general review of the ty status as can be shown to be The outlook, however, is by do
situation, to extend our survey so as to include the position and pros pects of British capital, in which connection it will be convenient to deal with shipping to which, so far, no reference has been made.
British Capital.
It is estimated that the amount öl British capital invested in China is between £250 millions to £200 of which £63,250,000
marely in respect of capital investimently practical "and British
capital
hand
There is room for
Is invested in various forms, in considerable portion of its annual Ennkow, they have not yet got the Shanghai, Some £10,000,000 of it wages, a portion which will be very upper hand. at Shanghai or in has been lent to China for railway much larger if the China market North China. construction and Bome £24,000,000 can be held and developed. To compromise and if one can be reach- for other purposes, the repayment American labour, on the other hand,ed the disabilities arising out of of about £14,000,000 of which do the China market means much less civil war, which are felt by our pends upon the honest collection than it does to ours, while Japanese competitors less than ourselves, will and disposal of the maritime Cus labour would be less affected than to some extent be offset by the more toms revenue, at present under ours by a withdrawal of the safe advantageous parition, which much foreign, mainly British, super-guards referred to, for the Japanese of our capital invested in China:
(Continued on next' column),, gives us
HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, Ltd., 1a, Chater Road, vision. What proportion of this
•
HANDCRAFT
Architecture
ancient and modern
One of the greatest and most enduring forms of Handcraft finds its expression in ancient architecture. But the same spirit which impelled the attainment of perfection in these now ruined Arches and Temples, to-day produces equal masterpiece of Handcraft in
an
STATE EXPRESS
VIRGINIA
CIGARETTES
555
Made by band-One at a time!
ARDATH TOBACCO CO., LTD., LONDON
King George IV
Scotch Whisky
QUALITY REIGNS SUPREME
ACE
THE DIST
EXCY
BOLE AGENTS:
GANDE, PRICE & CO. LTD.
BONG HONG.
Drink more good milk
AND
because Milk must not only be good but THE BEST insist, when buying, on BEAR BRAND
On Sale Everywhere,
BOLE AGENTS: A. B. MOULDER & CO.