CO882-6 — Page 535

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TEC.O. 882

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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port in China or Japan, Manila or Dalny, for the medical officer to get on board the steamer; and I think that is an unsatisfactory state of affairs in one of the principal shipping ports in the world. (Applause.)

I

Perhaps one of the most interesting and important points to which reference has been made is the currency question. Well, it is satisfactory to see that it is not quite asleep, but as I do not understand currency I will leave that to somebody else. The most important thing to which the Chairman has referred, and it is one to which I do not notice any reference in the report, is the question of the Canton- Kowloon Railway. That, I think, is a question of absolutely vital importance to Hong Kong. It is a question on which we may find the progress of Hong Kong entirely rests. It is a question on which the vitality of Hong Kong may depend, and I think it is one of those things which we should ask the Committee to keep careful watch on and to do everything they can to keep it before the Government, and to do all they can to see that the present concessionnaires do something. believe there is no concession in British territory, and there must surely be some way of getting some activity put into this business. I believe that either shortly before or shortly after the concession was obtained, about five years ago, a concession was also obtained for a railway from Tsintau to Tsinanfu. I do not think there was much difference between the dates. And this railway of 250 miles is now in operation, yet nothing is done by the concessionnaires to build the railway between here and Canton. I think this is a most vitally important question. The China Association at their meeting referred to this question, and in their report there was a letter on the subject as to whether the railway should go by way of Wai-chow. But that is a detail. What we want is a railway, the terminus of which must be British Kowloon. It seems to me that the railway question is one of the very utmost importance. There is no place in China to which a railway is so important as it is to Hong Kong and there is no place where there has been less done to get it. (Applause.) I beg to second the motion.

Mr. J. R. MICHAEL :-Mr. Chairman, I am sure the members generally will agree with me that the record of work done during the past year has been very satisfactory, and the Committee are to be congratulated upon the result of their efforts. I am very glad to see that the heavy fluctuations of exchange, which continue in an even more aggravated form, are now awakening some interest in the currency question. I sincerely trust that the efforts now being made by those affected and assisted by the powerful advocacy of the Chambers of Commerce here and in North China, in support of the Commission on International Exchange from the United States of America to frame a workable scheme for securing stability of exchange, will soon prove successful. I hope at any rate we shall soon learn that a possible basis for the currency of China has been evolved, and that we shall arrive in sight of some settlement of this great hindrance to the development of legitimate trade. There is another subject in which I am sure every person interested in the welfare of this Colony must take a keen interest. I allude to the projected Kowloon-Canton Rail- way. We want, Mr. Chairman, to see that enterprise removed from the domain of projects to that of accomplished facts. It is high time that the railway was com- pleted instead of waiting for commencement. I hope the Chamber will use the whole weight of its influence with the Government to induce them to assist with that section of the line which has to pass through British territory. With this at any rate something can be done by us, and the sooner it is taken in hand the better. (Applause.)

Mr. WHEALLER:-Mr. Chairman, with your permission I should like to read, à propos of what I said just now about the railway question, an extract from the circular of Messrs. Ilbert and Company, dated Shanghai, 22nd April:-"A feature which is rapidly becoming noticeable in the northern trade is the transference of business from Chefoo to Kiaochau; the facilities for loading and unloading cargo there and the rapid transit by rail to the interior are creating an exodus from Chefoo and the establishment of the same hongs in Kiaochau: it is said that important markets in the interior can be reached in one day whereas formerly the same class of cargo did not reach its destination under three weeks." I think that emphasises the importance of railways. (Applause.)

The CHAIRMAN:-Gentlemen, with regard to the remarks made by Mr. Whealler and Mr. Michael, I can only say that the members of the Committee of this Chamber fully realize, as I am sure we all do, the very vital importance which attaches to the

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subject of the construction of a railway connecting the trunk lines of China with this Colony. As I hope I made it clear in my remarks just now, the question hitherto has not been dealt with formally by the Committee of this Chamber as certain concessions, we understood, were still in existence and these concessionnaires were engaged upon the attempt to carry out their concession. But as it appears to be the wish of this Chamber as here represented that the Committee should officially take up this question, I can only state that the Committee for this whoever they may be, will, I am quite sure, deal with this very important matter. year, (Applause.) I may add that I have reason to believe that the Hong Kong Govern- ment is as fully alive to the importance of this question as we are and that the facts stated by Mr. Whealler just now in an extract, I think from Messrs. Ilbert's circular, are admitted by us all. As business men it is made clear to us that any port which is left out in the cold in the matter of railways must go to the wall, and Chefoo is a very good example of what would happen to Hong Kong if we are not the first to be connected to China by railway. With regard to the currency question, as you know, the Chambers of Commerce of the three principal ports in this part of the world have addressed the Diplomatic Body on the subject, but beyond ex- pressions of their polite sympathy nothing has been done, at present; but, as we all know, the reform of China's currency is provided for by Treaty and it is a matter which will be dealt with very promptly by the Committee of this Chamber, who will continue to urge the importance of this upon the Diplomatic Body until, we hope, at no distant time reform will be accomplished. (Applause.)

The motion was agreed to.

The CHAIRMAN moved the confirmation of the election to membership of the following:-Messrs. Goddard and Douglas, Barretto and Company, Lamke and Rogge, E. C. Wilks and Company, Chun On Fire Insurance Company, Limited, Shiu On Steamship Company, Limited, Osaka Shosen Kaisha, Java-China-Japan Lijn, China and Japan Telephone and Electric Company, Limited, Deacon, Looker and Deacon, Mr. E. H. Sharp, K.C., Mr. G. C. Moxon, Mr. A. M. Essabhoy, and Messra.. D. Macdonald and Company.

Mr. G. W. F. PLAYFAIR seconded, and the motion was agreed to.

Mr. A. FORBES moved the re-election of the Committee for the ensuing year, with the exception that Hon. C. W. Dickson (who goes home shortly) be succeeded by Mr. W. J. Gresson.

Mr. J. R. MICHAEL seconded, and the motion was agreed to.

The CHAIRMAN thanked the members for the honour they had done the Com- mittee in re-electing them, and the meeting closed.

SIR,

"B."

Hong Kong, General Chamber of Commerce, May 19, 1904. In view of the progress now being made with the Hankow to Canton Railway. and other lines in South China, Your Excellency is no doubt aware that during the past few months public attention has again been directed towards the projected Canton to Kowloon Railway, a concession for which was obtained from the Imperial Chinese Government so long ago as the spring of 1899.

While it has from the first been admitted by all those concerned in the welfare of this Colony that it is imperative Hong Kong should be the sea terminus for the main trunk line which will, before many years are past, bisect China from Peking to Canton, it was not till recently felt that need for this line to Hong Kong was so pressing that it is necessary to suggest any public influence being brought to bear upon the concessionnaires with a view to hastening the construction of the line

The progress which has been made with the main line has, however, changed all this, and it is now, in the opinion of this Chamber, desirable for public influence to make itself felt in the interests of the Colony.

At the annual meeting of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, held on the 27th ultimo, the importance of this question was very strongly insisted upon.

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