COPY.
CONFIDENTIAL.
www
Sir,
Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce.
C. O.
20114
614
34 04
Hongkong, 25th April, 1904.
I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your confidential letter of enquiry as to the reasons the British section of this Chamber has for desiring the opening of Nanning on the West River to Foreign Trade, and have to inform you that the motive at the moment is mainly political. The French Government by its efforts to create larger commercial interests in Canton with the help of subsidies, appears bent on undermining British prestige and commercial ascendency in the provinces of the Two Kwang, and, as occasion offers, will doubtless develop its claims and seek to create in the eyes of the Chinese Government equal interests with those of Great Britain, to which it is not justly entitled.
It appears to my Committee that all legitimate means available should therefore be made use of to confine as far as possible any further encroachments on the part of France, and they consider that should this further port in the West River be opened to Foreign Trade, the greater part of which has been created and fostered by British enterprise, a barrier will at once be erected against the possible exploitation of Yunnan and Szechuen for French interests only.
There is no doubt that, should the port of Nanning remain closed to foreign Trade, railway communication will be made the means of drawing the trade of this part of China through French Territory, to the obvious detriment of Canton and Hongkong interests.
Hon. A. M. Thomson,
Acting Colonial Secretary.
0
COPY.
CONFIDENTIAL.
www
Sir,
Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce.
C. O.
20114
614
34 04
Hongkong, 25th. April, 1904.
I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of
your confidential letter of enquiry as to the reasons the British.
section of this Chamber has for desiring the opening of Nanning
on the West River to Foreign Trade, and have to inform you that
the motive at the moment is mainly political. The French Govern-
ment by its efforts to create larger commercial interests in
Canton with the help of subsidies, appears bent on undermining
Eritish prestige and commercial ascendency in the provinces of the Two Kwang, and, as occasion offers, will doubtless develop its
claims and seek to create in the eyes of the Chinese Government
equal interests with those of Great Britain, to which it is not
justly entitled.
It appears to my Committee that all legiti-
mate means available should therefore be made use of to confine as
far as possible any further encroachments on the part of France,
and they consider that should this further port in the West River be opened to Foreign Trade, the greater part of which has been created and fostered by British enterprise, a barrier will at once be erected against the possible exploitation of Yunnan and Szechuen
for French interests only.
There is no doubt that, should the port of
Nanning remain closed to foreign Trade, railway communication will be made the means of drawing the trade of this part of China through French Territory, to the (Bovious detriment of Canton and
Hongkong interests.
Hon. A. M. Thomson,
Acting Colonial Secretary.
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