Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce.
Hongkong, 30th May, 1907.
Sir,
With reference to your letter No. 2276/1907 dated 27th March enclosing copy of a despatch from the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies dealing with the Royal Commission appointed to enquire into the operation of Shipping Rings or Conferences, I have now the honour to inform you that this question has been carefully considered by the Committee of this Chamber.
As most of the Members of the Committee are, however, more or less directly connected with Shipping Companies, it was considered advisable, after discussion, to invite the individual members of the Chamber to express an opinion on the various points raised by the Secretary of State.
I would here mention that a letter very similar to that of Lord Elgin was received direct from the Secretary of the Royal Commission.
Two members of the Committee of the Chamber of Commerce, one a merchant whose firm is largely interested in both the import and export trade of China, and the other a representative of one of the leading shipping firms, were appointed to act as a Sub-Committee to prepare a statement and a circular letter addressed to the Members of the Chamber.
These two documents, together with a copy of the letter and series of questions received from the Secretary of the Royal Commission on Shipping Rings, were circulated to all the non-British members of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce.
A. A. M. Thomson,
Colonial Secretary.
The same papers, together with a copy of the Despatch...
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