Copy.
No.27.
PEKING.
REC 0372 REG 24 MAR 96,
January 18th, 1896.
49
My Lord:-
I have the honour to enclose copy of a despatch from Mr Brenan, dated Canton, the 16th of December, on the subject of proposed Hongkong legislation with regard to British vessels carrying Chinese passengers, and also copy of a letter from Mr Brenan to the HongKong Government on the subject. It will be seen that, speaking from a wide experience, he shows good reason to doubt the advisability of any legislation imposing restrictions applicable to British vessels alone, the result of which will probably be to give vessels under other flags a monopoly of the Chinese passenger trade, involving great incidental advantages in the competition for the coasting trade generally.
His view is that any regulation of the passenger traffic...
The Marquess of Salisbury. K.G., &c., &c., &c.