СОРТ.
250
29659
REU
REGE 17 MAY 15
In a letter to the Chairman of the Chinese
General Chamber of Commerce of Hongkong dated the 9th. January,
1915, the Japanese Consul intimated that several Japmese gentle- -men, who have been deputed by the Board of Trade and Agriculture to enquire into the state of Commerce, wished to meet the
Committee of the Chamber on matters of Trade, and requested that
an interview might be arranged.
The Executive Committee of the Chamber acceded
marchants to the Consul's request and invited a few of the Chinese trading
direct with Japan to be present at the interview, which took place
on the 13th. January, 1915. Among the Japanese gentlemen present
was one, who, dressed in Chinese clothes and speaking the Chinese
language fluently, acted as interpreter.
The interview commenced with an exchange of
compliments, the committee sitting on one side of a long table and
the Japanese on the other. Then the following remarks were made.
Committee:-
Japanese:-
Committee:-
We have received from your Consul General a letter
saying that you wished to call on us with some good
обич вва advice on commercial matters. We should be pleased
to hear it.
Since the outbreak of war in Europe, trade all over
the world has suffered. Your country and ours have
fared no better, many things, which we used to
import from Europe, cannot now be imported. Al-
-though our country has remedied matters to some
extent, they are still far from being satisfactory.
We are, however, planning out improvements,
particularly as regards our manufacture, so that
the East need not depend on the West for supplies.
Unfortunately China is not in a position to do like-
-wise. She has neither the necessary capital nor
the required energy. Moreover she cannot borrow
money like your country. Japan enjoys a good credit