APPENDIX II.
CORRESPONDENCE FROM OTHER CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE,
(From Singapore Chamber)
SINGAPORE, 9th June, 1897, DEAR SIR,-Your letter of date 21st May, together with the printed Ciroular Letter of date 20th May, on this subject has reveived the careful consideration of my Committee.
In reply I am to inform yon, that this Chamber entirely agrees with and endorses the views expressed in the circular letter and is prepared to support and e-operate with your Chamber in a Joint Memorial to the Secretary of State, on the lines indicated in the recent resolution of your Chamber and in the last paragraph of your circular letter.—I am, &c.,
ALEX, GENTLE, Secretary.
The Secretary:
HOXORONG GENERAL CHANGES OF COMMERCE, HONGKONG.
(From Rangum Chander.)
RAKOGON, 17th June, 1887. Stu--I am directed to acknowledge receipt of your Circular letter of 20th ultimo asking the assistance of this Chamber in getting the practice of giving the Status of Ships of War to subsidised mereantile vessels of Foreign Governments abolished.
In reply I am directed to inform you that this Chamber entirely concurs in the views expressed in your letter now under reply, and is prepared to join in sending a joist memorial to H.D.M.'s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, to try and set this end.1 bave, &c.,
J. STUART, Secretary.
To the Secretary, HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERUS.
(From Colombo Chumber,)
foromno, 18th June, 1887. SIR-1 am in receipt of your circular latter of 20th May, 1887, upon the subject of the Status of Ships of War" accorded to certain vessels of Foreign ecuntries.
In reply I have to state that the Chamber of Commerce of Ceylon is in entiro accord with the views expressed in your letter us those of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce and that this Chamber will be prepared to join in a momorial of the nature indicated in the concluding paragraph of your leiter.
It would appear that the course of legislation in the two Colonies has been very similar. Bills have been introduced into the Ceylon Legislature under instruction from the Imperial Government. They have been uniformly opposed by the representatives of the Mercantile community and other Unofficial members, who have advanced arguments identical with those nontained in your letter. The bills have, however, on each occasion been carried by the official majority.
I enclose for your information copies of the Ordinances now in force, here, viz., Nos. 9 and 10 of 1686 -- I have, &o.,
A. P. MAGEWEN, Esq.,
HENRY BOIS, Chairman,
Pico-Chairmaun, HONGKONG GAMERS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
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the full approval of this Chamber, and that this Chamber is prepared to sign the Memorial whoever it is forwarded.--I am, &c.,
To A. P. MacEwan, Ray, Free-Chairman,
S. R. TURARULI, Chairman.
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, HONGKONG.
(From Melbourne Olunker.)
MF13OURNY, 22nd August, 1887.
Sau, I have the bonour by desire of the President and Committee of this Cham- ber, to acknowledge receipt of your circular letter of the 20th May last on the subject of the Postal Convention between the Home Government and France of 24th Septem- bur, 1856, which has been supposed to confer on the French Mail Steamers the Status of Ships of War in the ports of all British Colonies and Dependencies.
My Committee ampathise fully with the view taken of this question by your Chamber. They were aware that no claim to such exceptional privileges had been actually set up by any Foreign Mail Steamers visiting this port, although some pri- vileges had been sought on one or two occasions in a manner which appeared to imply that the Company could claim them as a right, but after receipt of your com- munication I was directed to call the attention of our Commissiouer of Trade aud Custome to the matter, and on looking up copy of the Convention above referred to it was deemed advisable to have an official raiing upon the question by the Law Officers of the Crown and a record of their decision. Accordingly the Attorney General was asked to furnish the Minister of Customs with his interpretation of the law
the subject. A copy of that Hon. Gentleman's "opinion" has been furnished to thia Committee, and I have now the pleasure to enolnas same to you. From this you will see that no claim to special privileges on the part of foreign subsidized Mail Steamers in or will be recognized at the ports of this Colony.—I have, do,,
F. COWDEROY, Secretary.
The Hon. A. P. MacEwen, Fice-Chairman,
HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE,
(From Penang Chamber,
PENANG, 23rd August, 1887,
-Referring to your Circalar dated 20th May last, asking for this Charaher's support to your resolution, to memorialize the Imperial Government, to abolish the law, or alter the same with regard to the Special Consessions to Foreign Mail Steamers, I am instructed to send you the words of a resolation passed by this Cham- ber at a general nesting.
"That this Chamber resolve to support the Hongkong Chamber of Com- merce in their Memorial to the Imperial Government with reference to the Status of Foreign Mail steamers in these waters, and that a copy of thie rosolution be sent to the Hongkong Chamber of Coumerne."---¡ have, &c.,
W. AVER, Secretary,
The Chairman, CHAMBER OF CONMEROR, HONGKONG.
APPENDIX III.
EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE GERMAN GOVERNMENT.
(The Bart of Roschevy to Chant Hatzfeldt.)
FOREIGN OFFICE,
(Fram Kurraokec Chamber.)
KURRACHEE, 4th July, 1887.
Dear Sru,-1 am in receipt of your circular letter dated 20th May, regarding certain concessions granted by the Government of your Colony to sume Foreign Mercantile lines of Mail Steamera.
1 am directed by any Committee to say, that so far as the case has been stated, yen have the sympathies of this Chamber. The Committee, however, do not see their
way at present to assist in the matter, but when a joint representation is determined upon, this Chamber would be glad to add its support to any movement to oppose the granting of special advantages to Foreign Subsidised Mercantile Steamers over British Steamore. I am &o.,
The Chairman,
HARRY W. BROOCK, Secretary.
HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, HONGKONG,
(From Mairus Chamber)
MADRAS, 11th July, 1887. DEAR SIR,--1 beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 20th May, requesting the mu-operation of this Chamber, together with those of sixteen other Chambers of Commerce, in a simultaneous Joint Memorial to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, urging that all regulations granting to Foreign Mail Steamers the Status of Men-of-war" in British waters be rescinded and that only Mail Steamers carrying criminals be free from the operation of the law of "Habeas Corpus."
In reply I beg to inform you that the nation of your Chamber in this matter has
(Kaym.)
M. L'AMBASSADOR,
April 2014, 1886,
I have placed myself in communication with the Secretary of State for the Colonies with reference to the best made of giving effect to the wishes expressed by year Government that the privileges of Ships-of-war which are accorded by Article V of the Convention between Great Britain and France of September 24th, 1856, to vessels subsidized by their respective Governments for Postal purposes should be extended to the North German Lloyd's line of steamers which is about to be established between Germany, China and Australia, and which will receivo
a subsidy from the German Governraent for the carriage of mails.
I have already informed your Excellency that Her Majesty's Government are most willing to comply with the wishes of the Imperial Government in the matter, so far as they can legally do so, and I will proceed to explain the position of Her Majesty's Government with reference to the Postal Convention with France of 1956 and to a similar convention with Delgium of February 17th, 1874, both of which contain the same provision granting the privileges of Shipe-of-war to subsi- dized Postel Vessels.
From the time when the French line of the Messageries Maritimes first began to run to India and China difficulties have constantly arieen to the application of Art. V of the French Convention by reason of the Commanders of the steamers of that Company insisting, with the support of French Consuls, upon exercising the privileges conferred by it in their strictest mense, and so as to defeat the course of criminal justice and to deprive in certain cases private individuals of their civil remedies. In 1878 a case of collision arose at Dover between a subsidised vessel of Belgium, Le Parlement Belge, and the British steam-Tag Daring, which raised the question of the privileges granted by the Belgian Pastal Convention before the Tribunals in this Country. The Courts held that it was not competent for the
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