Agencies.
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Net Loss on working. Military Con-tribution on gross receipts. Actual loss to Hongkong. Shanghai $9,581 1,232 $11,328 Ningpo 316 89 405 Chefoo $20,909 258 $1,490 Tientsin Chamber of Commerce 7,440 * 1,019 8,459 under-take to refund this loss.The proposal at (d) is the method which, as I have explained in paragraph 5, the Imperial Government at the time when the Agencies were instituted considered to be the proper one for meeting any deficit incurred by this Colony in conducting the Agencies. I need not point out that the grant is itself liable to the deduction of 20 per centum on account of Military Contribution.
9. I venture to submit to Your Lordship that the solution proposed at (a) in combination with that at (b) or (c) is the most equitable, and the least likely to interfere with business and trade, and the one which would most recommend itself both to the Communities of the Treaty Ports and of this Colony. A small profit is realised from several of the Agencies and this net profit would still be liable to the 20 per centum deduction.
If (a) and (c) are adopted it is improbable that any Agency would show a deficit, but if in any case, as possibly Shanghai, the year's working resulted in a loss, the proposal at (b) should