PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TTIC.O.
882
3
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC. COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
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At all events, he believed they were satisfied with the present arrangement, which is a protection to the honest merchant and a disadvantage only to the dishonest one.
Such was the opinion of a gentleman who knows more of the trade of China and Hong Kong, and has greater experience in its working, than most people.
A series of resolutions, however, condemnatory of the blockade, had been drawn up, and these, being submitted to the meeting, were passed, but not unanimously.
Subsequently, a letter appeared in one of the local newspapers, from which I venture to quote largely, for, although it was directed against the assertions made at the meeting by the various speakers, still, in doing so, the writer opens up the whole question of the blockade, and reviews it with much force and ability. After referring to the utterances of some of the speakers, he says:-"This is what the Meeting affirmed, 1, that the sanctuary of the Port of Hong Kong was invaded; 2, that the blockade had caused a great diminution in the junk trade, and consequent withdrawal of business from the Colony; 3, that the annihilation of the trade of Hong Kong was impending.
To show that the trade in imports had not fallen off, I subjoin a statement of sales reported for each year since 1867. The figures show thousands of pieces to the nearest thousand, except yarns, under which head the number of bales are given.
COTTON GOODS.
Yarn Bales.
Year.
Grey Shirtings.
White Shirtings.
T-Cloths.
Drilla.
Thousand.
Thousand.
1867..
454
46
Thousand.
-341
Thousand.
21
11,200
1868..
494
75
507
48
17,500
1869..
550
106
692
88
18,900
1870..
602
95
884
110
24,900
1871..
766
98
907
150
26,400
1872..
575
94
784
151
26,800
1878..
667
122
815
176
25,800
WOOLLEN GOODS.
Year.
Spanish Stripes.
Long Ells.
Camlets.
Lastings.
Thousand.
Thousand.
14
20
Thousand. 10
Thousand.
9
12
82
14
9
20
25
15
11
16
33
19
9
20
34
15
12
13
19
27 21
11 19
7
1867
1868
1889
1870
1871
1872
1878
may
It be well to point out that the diminution in the sales of woollens for the last two years is explainable on the ground of an advance in price of fully 30 per cent., and I may also point out that, cannot by any possibility be ascribed to the blockade. although there appears to be a smaller trade done in cottons than in 1871, it so happens that at Shanghac, during that same year, a larger business was transacted than has been done since, and the diluinution there cannot be ascribed to any blockade. In both cases, the diminution is simply one of the ordinary fluctuations that are so common in trade.
So much for the principal portion of the foreign trade; let us now take the native trade. What reason have we to fear its annihilation? None whatever. The increased value of property in the mercantile portion of China Town was repeatedly referred to at the meeting in contradistinction to the diminished value of European property. The explanation given was that native capitalists had so little confidence in their own officials that they preferred to purchase property in Hong Kong, even although it gave them a small return, rather than lodge it with native bankers in the present depressed state of trade. This may be or may not be, but it does not touch the fact, and none of the three or four speakers who referred to this subject cared to face my statement, that rental in China Town was increasing. The increase of rent is as undoubted fact, and explains the enhanced letting-value of property on a plain and natural ground, without having to go a-field for timid native capitalists in the country looking for safe investments. The trade carried on by foreigners is not affected by the blockade. It is only that carried on by natives. I put it to the candid consideration of those who carried the resolutions at the meeting, whether the rental of native property would not decline precisely like
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foreign property, if the native trade was in an equally depressed condition with foreign trade? On the contrary, does not the increased rental show that the native trade cannot be in the state of impending annihilation which the meeting thoughtlessly declared it to be.
As an additional proof that the blockade is very far from so seriously injuring Hong Kong as the resolutions declare, it is a fact that the West Coast traders, now settled at Macao, are turning their eyes to Hong Hong, and considering with themselves whether or not they should remove here. I know from one of these men that the Colonial Government has been applied to, and a little positive encouragement would bring them here. This encouragement, I suppose, the Government is not in a position to give, but the fact points to an increase of native trade rather than to its annihilation.
The diminution of the junk trade was the great cry of the meeting, and when Mr. Whittall stated his impression that it was increasing, the Harbour Master's Report was triumphantly quoted against him. Let us see what the Harbour Master actually does say. The portion of his Report quoted at the meeting was "The junk trade has shared the same fate as the trade in foreign cottons, but it is surprising that the trade keeps up at all, seeing the manner in which the Chinese cruizers stationed at the outlets of the port harass the trader." To say the least of it, it was rather disingenuous to read that one sentence. It ought to have been read in connection with what was said regarding foreign shipping :-"There is a decrease in the number of foreign vessels arriving at this port during the year, caused by the general stagnation of trade, which seems to have prevailed almost everywhere, and Hong Kong can scarcely expect to be freed from its effects." If, as every one knows, there is a general stagnation of trade and the result in Hong Kong is a diminution in the quantity of foreign shipping frequenting that port, I ask, upon what conceivable principle the meeting could expect the junk trade to maintain its previous proportions and not suffer diminution in the same way as the trade in foreign shipping? But I deny that there is any diminution in the junk trade for which foreigners need care.
The diminution is entirely in the export trade, and the Harbour Master's Report states that it mostly occurs in the trade with Macao and the north-eastern ports. To these ports foreign steamers run, and as the import trade of Hong Kong has not decreased in any degree whatever, the only solution of the diminution of the junk trade is, the goods formerly shipped by native craft are now carried by foreign steamers.
Will it be believed, after all that has been said, that the diminution of the native import trade in junks is only five sixty-fourths per cent., that is, a quarter of a quarter per cent. ? This is what the Harbour Master's Report really states, notwithstanding the fallacious account given of it at the meeting. The figures for 1872 are 1,422,024 tons, and for 1873 are 1,420,854 tons.
The letter touches on other subjects in connection with the blockade, but I confine the quotations from it to the portions bearing upon the question of the effect of the blockade upon the trade of Hong Kong, and more especially the junk trade-the subject of the Chinese petition for protection from the Chinese cruizers.
Again, at a meeting of the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce lately held (3rd of August, 1874) for the purpose of forwarding a memorial to Her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies on the blockade question, on the Chairman being questioned by Mr. Pyke (the senior partner of the firm of Messrs. Birley and Co., and a gentleman of many years' experience in the China trade) from what sources the information which had enabled them to draw up the memorial had been obtained, the Chairman replied that he had derived his information from more than one Chinaman in whom he had a fair amount of confidence. Mr. Pyke insisted upon the necessity of being certain of facts before sending the memorial, and his salutary advice being neglected, the memorial was passed by all present except Mr. Pyke and, I believe, some others of the members.
As
Such is the loose way in which memorials and resolutions are voted by Chambers of Commerce and public meetings, and Her Majesty's Government asked to accept them. I admit, however, that it is difficult to arrive at the truth of any matter upon Chinese representations, and assertions either for or against must be taken with great caution, and if "facts" are required, they must be sought for in the shape of collateral evidence. regards the blockade injuring or not the trade of Hong Kong, some credit must be given to the Chinese Authorities for honesty of purpose and for a regard for the interests of the provincial exchequer. To listen to the declamations of Chambers of Commerce and public meetings, it would seem that the Canton Government is determined to crush and stamp out the trade of Hong Kong; the speakers forgetting that, if it did so, it would annihilate the sources of a very large revenue, which a little reflection would show the Imperial Government is not likely to sacrifice for a sentimental consideration. Again, the undoubtedly prosperous condition of the Chinese portion of the Colony, shown by the