74
Ho Amer. Esq.
(Copy)
415
While sympathising with the spirit of enterprise exhibited by your Company and fully aware of the advantages to Trade by the ultimate establishment of such a line, the Committee wish to point out to you that in your statement of objects and reasons, no guarantee is offered or suggested by you that the Line may not become a monopoly.
From information at their command, the Committee have come to the conclusion that supporting your views in their present form would be a useless task, they would, however, be prepared to consider your wishes, provided you can give such guarantees as are indicated above.
The Committee considers that this purely Chinese enterprise undertaken in face of considerable opposition arising out of the ignorance and superstitious fears of the population of the Country Districts through which the line is to run, is worthy of the fullest support of the Mercantile Community of Hongkong, and trusts that the local Government will also be able to give encouragement and active assistance to a movement so useful and progressive in its character as the establishment of electric communication between this Colony and Canton.
I have, &c.,
(Signed)
F. BULKELEY JOHNSON,
Chairman.
I am, Sir,
Yours faithfully,
(Signed)
The Honourable F. STEWART, LL.D.,
E. GEORGE, Secretary.
Acting Colonial Secretary,
&c.
(The Chairman Chamber of Commerce to The Acting Colonial Secretary).
HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE,
HONGKONG, 28th December, 1882.
SIR,
The Committee of this Chamber has received a communication from Mr. Ho AMER, the Managing Director of the Chinese Telegraph Company, asking for the support of the Chamber to an application made by the Telegraph Company to the Government for permission to lay a Cable across this Harbour in connection with the line between Kaulung and Canton.
The Committee replied to Mr. Ho AMER that before the Chamber could give its support to such an application, the Telegraph Company would be expected to enter into guarantees that the Cable which the Company seeks permission to lay across the Harbour, and the lines of the Company on the mainland together with any future extensions, shall be open at a uniform and moderate tariff for the transmission of through messages to all the lines of telegraph, which have Stations in this Colony, and that the Company will be prepared to comply with such other reasonable conditions as the local Government may see fit to impose.
Mr. Ho AMER having signified his willingness to enter into the required guarantees, the Committee has now no hesitation in commending the application made by the Company for permission to lay the Cable in question, to the favourable consideration of His Excellency the Administrator.