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THE "SHELL" TRANSPORT & TRADING COMPANY, Ld.,
16, Leadenhall Street,
0.0.
LONDON. ..30750
30th. August 1901.
Sir Montague Ommaney, K.C.M.G., etc.,
COLONIAL OFFICE,
Downing Street,
S.V.
Dear Sir,
In reference to the visit of our Senior
to you this morning as to the Regulations covering Petroleum in Bulk issued from the Colonial Secretary's office in
Hongkong, under No. 197, dated the 28th. March 1899,
we have to invoke the help of the Colonial Minister in
causing the repeal of regulations which, if insisted upon,
render the use of Liquid Fuel for the navigation of
steamers impossible, since the rules, making a capacity of
300 gallons in bulk a "Tank Steamer" would bring every
vessel using Liquid Fuel instead of Coal under the
Petroleum Regulations, and render her liable to the
restrictions imposed by the Harbour Master.
We would point out to you that in no other
port in the East are such restrictions imposed upon
steamers navigating on Liquid Fuel, and since vessels
coming to Hongkong on the one hand must pass Singapore,
whilst from further East they must come from Japan, there
would appear no good reasons why regulations not insisted
upon at either of these important places should be
attempted to be enforced in Hongkong.