3808
300
to enable them to rebuild the boats which are indispensable to the business of the port. Subscriptions flowed in rapidly and those from European and American firms and residents have now reached a sum of over $100,000 and the Chinese subscriptions about $90,000. Of the former the most considerable amounts are $10,000 from the Standard Oil Company of New York, $5,000 from the Asiatic Petroleum Company, $3,000 from the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, 1,000 Gold Dollars from the Hongkong Milling Company, $3,000 each from seven of the principal transport companies doing business with the Colonies, $2,000 each from ten of the principal Mercantile Firms, and $1,500 from the European Community at Canton. Among the principal Chinese subscriptions were two from outside the Colony, viz.:- $10,000 from the Chinese of San Francisco and $3,000 from the Viceroy at Canton.
In view of the manner in which subscriptions were coming in locally it did not appear necessary for me to avail myself of a very generous offer of pecuniary assistance received from the Government of the Straits Settlements and for the same reason I replied to Your Lordship's telegram of the 24th September that the