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hongkong,
8th. June, 1908.
14
Sir,
We beg respectfully to draw the favourable
attention of His Excellency the Governor of bongkong to the dis-
abilities under which British Shipowners in hongkong are now
suffering in respect to trade on the West River. According to
the Merchant Shipping Act and Hongkong Ordinances, British ship-
owners are bound by certain rules and regulations from which
steamers under a foreign flag are exempt. For instance, a British
British Vessel has to carry certain European certificated
officers and engineers, whereas a vessel flying a foreign flag
is free to enter and clear from Colonial waters carrying any
crew that the foreign owner chooses in many cases entirely
Chinese. This is practically an important concession, financial-
ly, to foreign-owned shipping, and places the British shipowner
at a distinct disadvantage compared with his foreign competitor.
The low wages paid to the Chinese crew by the foreign owner
enables him to successfully compete in the Hongkong Colonial
Trade with the adjacent Forts in the Canton Deita a trade
which in common fairness should at any rate be at the disposal
of British subjects on terms and conditions equal and similar
to those enjoyed by aliens.
he hardly think that it can be the deli-
berate intention or wish of British Authorities to so handicap
British Steamers as to drive them out of a trade in which they
have a strong moral right to participate; but as matters now
stand such is the actual outcome of the present policy.
The honourable
B. B. May, C.M.G.,
Colonial Secretary.
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