[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL.
No. 1.
[April 1.]
C.O.
15001
SECTION (EG 30 APR)
Sir E. Satow to the Marquess of Lansdowne.-(Received April 1.)
Peking, February 5, 1901.
(No. 49.) My Lord,
IN view of statements in the Hong Kong press, which have been reprinted elsewhere, respecting the withdrawal of British steam-ships from trade on the West River, I think an extract from an Intelligence Report by the British Acting Consul at Sanshui may prove of some interest to His Majesty's Government, and I have the honour to transmit it for your Lordship's information.
I have, &c. (Signed)
ERNEST SATOW.
241
Inclosure in No. 1.
Extract from Mr. Little's Intelligence Report of January 8, 1901, in regard to British Shipping on the West River.
THE British steamer "Lang Kong," which formerly ran between Canton and Wuchow, is now plying under the Inland Navigation Rules between Canton and Kongmoon. Her tonnage is nearly 150 tons, but the Customs have apparently made no objection on the ground of her size.
A combination of three British Companies at Hong Kong have put on a new steamer, the "Nanning," to run between Canton and Wuchow, calling at this port. The ship is fitted with the electric light, has six first-class cabins (for Europeans), and can carry about 2,000 natives without cargo, and about 700 with cargo. She has been doing increasingly well since she began to run at the end of November, and there is every prospect of her yielding handsome profits. A sister ship is now being built in Hong Kong, and is expected to commence to run in about a couple of months. It is said that two new steamers are to be built by the same Companies for the Hong Kong-Wuchow line.
Although my opinion is not of much value, I am inclined to think that the failure hitherto to run steamers at a profit has been largely due to ignorance of local conditions and an exaggerated estimate of the present volume of the river trade. The steamers "Samshui" and "Wuchow," which did little more than the work of towing-launches, seemed to be much too expensive boats for the purpose. To enable foreign shipowners to compete successfully with native shipping, I think there should be an open port near the mouth of the river, which could be supplied by a single steamer from Hong Kong, and from which goods could be carried to the interior by towing-launches running under the Inland Navigation Rules. The expense of employing foreign officers, which probably eat up the profits of the "Wuchow" and "Samshui," would in this way be greatly reduced.
[1935]
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.?
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL.
No. 1.
[April 1.
C.O.
15001
SECTION (EG 30 APR OF
Sir E. Satow to the Marquess of Lansdowne.-(Received April 1.)
Peking, February 5, 1901.
(No. 49.) My Lord,
IN view of statements in the Hong Kong press, which have been reprinted else- where, respecting the withdrawal of British steam-ships from trade on the West River, I think an extract from an Intelligence Report by the British Acting Consul at Sanshui may prove of some interest to His Majesty's Government, and I have the honour to trausmit it for your Lordship's information.
I have, &c. (Signed)
ERNEST SATOW.
241
Inclosure in No. 1.
Extract from Mr. Little's Intelligence Report of January 8, 1901, in regard to British
Shipping on the West River.
THE British steamer "Lang Kong," which formerly ran between Canton and Wuchow, is now plying under the Inland Navigation Rules between Canton and Kongmoon. Her tonnage is nearly 150 tons, but the Customs have apparently made no objection on the ground of her size.
A combination of three British Companies at Hong Kong have put on a new steamer, the "Nanning," to run between Canton and Wuchow, calling at this port. The ship is fitted with the electric light, has six first-class cabins (for Europeans), and can carry about 2,000 natives without cargo, and about 700 with cargo. She has been doing increasingly well since she began to run at the end of November, and there is every prospect of her yielding handsome profits. A sister ship is now being built in Hong Kong, and is expected to commence to run in about a couple of months. It is said that two new steamers are to be built by the same Companies for the Hong Kong- Wuchow line.
**
Although my opinion is not of much value, I am inclined to think that the failure hitherto to run steamers at a profit has been largely due to ignorance of local conditions and an exaggerated estimate of the present volume of the river trade. The steamers "Samshui" and Wuchow," which did little more than the work of towing-launches, seemed to be much too expensive boats for the purpose. To enable foreign shipowners io compete successfully with native shipping, I think there should be an open port near the mouth of the river, which could be supplied by a single steamer from Hong Kong, and from which goods could be carried to the interior by towing-launches running under the Inland Navigation Rules. The expense of employing foreign officers, which probably eat up the profits of the "Wuchow" and "Samshui," would in this way be greatly reduced.
[1935 a-
-1]
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