Colonies, an axiom which has special significance when applied to Hongkong, where the resources in other directions are unusually limited; and it is on these grounds that the Committee of this Association venture to ask that the suggestions put forward in the accompanying correspondence, by men well versed in shipping matters, may receive His Excellency's careful, and it is hoped, favourable consideration.
Competition, which is daily becoming keener, has reduced freights on merchandise in many instances to a point which almost ceases to be remunerative, and it thus becomes the more necessary that British Shipping should at least be left as free and unrestricted to engage in the passenger carrying trade as the ships of other nations.
The comparative immunity from accidents and loss of life which has characterised the carriage of Chinese passengers by British vessels over a period of many years is, apparently with great justice, advanced as a reason that, so far as the safety of passengers is concerned, further legislation is not required. An absence of complaint on the part of the passengers so carried may be safely accepted as evidence of the satisfactory treatment accorded them on board the steamers by which they travelled.
The Committee are much obliged for the information contained in the concluding paragraph of your letter, that it is the intention of the Imperial Government to endeavour to induce Foreign Governments to enforce similar restrictions upon the ships of their nations.
It is pointed out in the correspondence herewith that it seems scarcely likely Governments which have, apparently, not seen the expediency of legislating for the trade of their own Colonies would be willing to accept restrictions framed by another Government, the adoption of which would militate against self-interests. The assumption is not unreasonable that, even if accepted, the restrictions, in the absence of direct official control, would receive but a perfunctory recognition, while British Officials would enforce, and British shipowners would have to conform to, the requirements of the law, even to their own detriment.
In returning the copies of the Draft Ordinance kindly lent to the Association, it seems unnecessary—as the aim of the accompanying correspondence is an endeavour to demonstrate generally, without going into particulars, that further legislation is not required—at this stage at least, to consider the Ordinance in detail; but it may be pointed out that Clauses 2 and 11 seem to be somewhat conflicting. In the former, reference is made to the carriage of "twenty passengers being natives of Asia," while in the latter, the Ordinance is made applicable to ships carrying "a less number of passengers than in the proportion of one such passenger to every 10 tons of the ship's registered tonnage." It is not clear from Clause 2 whether a ship from Japan to Hongkong, which would certainly come within one hundred miles of the Coast, would not be liable, if carrying Chinese passengers, to a fine on arrival at Hongkong if unprovided with a license.
The Committee, in laying the accompanying correspondence before the Governor, are fully impressed with the reasonableness of the arguments advanced in endeavouring to show that further legislation for the protection of Chinese passengers on board British vessels is unnecessary, and in doing so, beg respectfully and earnestly to suggest that His Excellency will, in the interests of British shipping, and also indirectly in the interests of the Colony, be pleased to reconsider the question before recommending Her Majesty's Ministers to further legislate in the direction indicated.
F. HENDERSON,
Hon. Secretary.
(Signed)
Hon. J. H. Stewart Lockhart,
Colonial Secretary, Hongkong.
(ENCLOSURE.)
SIR,
5
British Ship-owners to Governor of Hongkong.
Hongkong, 10th December, 1895.
We have the honour to address His Excellency the Governor on the subject of Chinese Emigration, in which branch of the Colony's trade our firms are largely interested.
It is currently reported, and we believe on good authority, that some important changes are about to be made in the Regulations governing the carrying of passengers to and from the Treaty ports of China and emigration from Swatow, Amoy and Hoihow to The Straits, &c., with the object of enforcing at the above ports the same rules which are in vogue here. These may be briefly stated as follows:--
1. Every steamer must have a passenger certificate.
2. Before an Emigration License can be obtained, every vessel must have a certain cubical capacity of boats under davits, and be provided with Life Belts and Rafts according to the number of souls on board—one Belt for each person.
We beg most respectfully to submit that, while these Regulations can be enforced most equitably in Hongkong, being a British colony, and the Government having full control over ALL vessels frequenting its waters, their application in Treaty Ports, only to vessels flying the British flag, will have a most injurious effect on British interests.
It must be remembered that Her Majesty's Government is the only one that has considered it necessary to frame rules for the regulation of colonial trade, and consequently all steamers of alien nations can carry passengers without let or hindrance from Treaty Ports, whereas British-owned vessels will be put to considerable expense before they can engage in the same trade.
Profits of the Eastern carrying trade have been reduced by competition to the lowest level, and earnings from wayside ports are counted upon to assist final results. The cost of fitting up a steamer of, say, 1,200 tons net register with life-saving gear is very heavy, to which must be added expenses connected with obtaining a passenger certificate; if British-owned vessels are forced to incur this expenditure, they will be unable to compete against their foreign rivals, and must eventually drop out of the trade. The Harbour Master's statistics this year will show a considerable increase in German, Norwegian and Swedish vessels trading in these waters, and competition promises to be keener in the future than in the past. Under these circumstances, we submit that it would be very unwise to handicap British shipping, which has hitherto held its own, by carrying out the proposed alterations in existing regulations. The increase in the mercantile fleet of Japan is also watched with some uneasiness.
In writing the foregoing, we are traversing old ground, as the same suggestions were made some years ago but, on the representations of British merchants here, were eventually dropped, the Colonial authorities recognising the harm that would be done to British trade thereby.
While the Rules enforced here are the same for all flags, it is a matter open to very great doubt whether the presence of life rafts and life belts on board passenger steamers affords any greater security to life.
From our knowledge of the Chinese, gained by experience, we think that few, if any, of the life belts would be availed of, either from prejudice or from want of knowledge as regards putting them on.
It is many years since any serious accident, involving loss of life, happened to an emigrant steamer leaving this port, and it is beyond denial that steamers offer greater security than junks, by which the Chinese would otherwise be obliged to travel.
In conclusion, we beg most respectfully to submit, for the consideration of His Excellency,
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Colonies, an axiom which has special significance when applied to Hongkong, where the resources in other directions are unusually limited; and it is on these grounds that the Committee of this Association venture to ask that the suggestions put forward in the accompanying correspondence, by men well versed in shipping matters, may receive His Excellency's careful, and it is hoped, favourable consideration.
Competition, which is daily becoming keener, has reduced freights on merchandise in many instances to a point which almost ceases to be remunerative, and it thus becomes the more necessary that British Shipping should at least be left as free and unrestricted to engage in the passenger carrying trade as the ships of other nations.
The comparative immunity from accidents and loss of life which has characterised the carriage of Chinese passengers by British vessels over a period of many years is, apparently with great justice, advanced as a reason that, so far as the safety of passengers is concerned, further legislation is not required. An absence of complaint on the part of the passengers s0 carried may be safely accepted as evidence of the sutisfactory treatment accorded them on board the steamers by which they travelled.
The Committee are much obliged for the information contained in the concluding paragraph of your letter, that it is the intention of the Imperial Government to endeavour to induce Foreign Governments to enforce similar restrictions upon the ships of their nations.
It is pointed out in the correspondence horewith that it seems scarcely likely Governments which have, apparently, not seen the expediency of legislating for the trade of their own Colonies would be willing to accept restrictions framed by another Government, the adoption of which would militate against self interests. The assumption is not unreasonable that, even if accepted, the restrictions, in the absence of direct official control, would receive but a perfunctory recognition, while British Officials would enforce, and British shipowners would have to conform to, the requirements of the law, even to their own detriment.
In returning the copies of the Draft Ordinance kindly lent to the Association, it seems unnecessary-as the aim of the accompanying correspondence is an endeavour to demonstrate generally, without going into particulars, that further legislation is not required-at this stage at least, to consider the Ordinance in detail; but it may be pointed out that Clauses 2 and 11 seem to be somewhat conflicting. In the former, reference is made to the carriage of "twenty passengers being natives of Asia," while in the latter, the Ordinance is made applicable to ships carrying "a less number of passengers than in the proportion of one auch passenger to every 10 tons of the ship's registered tonnage." It is not clear from Clause 2 whether a ship from Japan to Hongkong, which would certainly come within one hundred miles of the Coast", would not be liable, if carrying Chinese passengers, to a fine on arrival at Hongkong if unprovided with a license.
The Committee, in laying the accompanying correspondence before the Governor, are fully impressed with the reasonableness of the arguments advanced in endeavouring to show that further legislation for the protection of Chinese passengers on board British vessels is nnucces- sary, and in doing so, beg respectfully and earnestly to suggest that His Excellency will, in the interests of British shipping, and also indirectly in the interests of the Colony, be pleased to reconsider the question before recommending Her Majesty's Ministers to further legislate in the direction indicated.
F. HENDERSON,
Hon. Secretary.
Hon. J. H. Stewart Lockhart,
(Signed)
Colonial Secretary, Hongkong.
(ENCLOSURE.)
SIR,
5
British Ship-owners to Governor of Hongkong.
Hongkong, 10th December, 1895.
We have the honour to address His Excellency the Governor on the subject of Chinese Emigration, in which branch of the Colony's trade our firms are largely interested.
It is currently reported, and we believe on good authority, that some important changes are about to be made in the Regulations governing the carrying of passengers to and from the Treaty ports of China and emigration from Swatow, Amoy and Hoihow to The Straits, &c., with the object of enforcing at the above ports the same rules which are in vogue here. These may be briefly stated as follows:--
1. Every steamer must have a passenger certificate.
2.-Before an Emigration License can be obtained, every vessel must have a certain cubical capacity of boats under davits, and be provided with Life Belts and Rafts according to the number of souls on board-one Belt for each person.
We beg most respectfully to submit that, while these Regulations can be enforced most equitably in Hongkong, being a British colony, and the Government having full control over ALL vessels frequenting its waters, their application in Treaty Ports, only to vessels flying the British flag, will have a most injurious effect on British interests.
It must be remembered that Her Majesty's Government is the only one that has considered it necessary to frame rules for the regulation of colonial trade, and consequently all steamers of alien nations can carry passengers without let or hindrance from Treaty Ports, whereas British owned vessels will be put to considerable expense before they can engage in the same trade.
Profits of the Eastern carrying trade have been reduced by competition to the lowest level, and earnings from wayside ports are counted upon to assist final results. The cost of fitting up a steamer of, say, 1,200 tons net register with life-saving gear is very heavy, to which must be added expenses connected with obtaining a passenger certificate; if British owned vessels are forced to incur this expenditure, they will be unable to compete against their foreign rivals, and must eventually drop out of the trade. The Harbour Master's statistics this year will show a considerable increase in German, Norwegian and Swedish vessels trading in these waters, and competition promises to be keener in the future than in the past. Under these circumstances, we submit that it would be very unwise to handicap British shipping, which has hitherto held its own, by carrying out the proposed alterations in existing regulations. The increase in the mercantile fleet of Japan is also watched with some uneasiness.
In writing the foregoing, we are traversing old ground, as the same suggestions were made some years ago but, on the representations of British merchants here, were eventually dropped, the Colonial authorities recognising the harm that would be done to British trade thereby.
While the Rules enforced here are the same for all flags, it is a matter open to very great doubt whether the presence of life rafts and life belts on board passenger steamers affords any greater security to life.
From our knowledge of the Chinese, gained by experience, we think that few, if any, of the life belts would be availed of, either from prejudice or from want of knowledge as regards putting It is many years sitice any serious accident, involving loss of life, happened to an emigrant steamer leaving this port, and it is beyond denial that steamers offer greater security than junks, by which the Chinese would otherwise be obliged to travel.
them on.
In conclusion, we beg most respectfully to submit, for the consideration of His Excellency,
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