CO129-401 - Governor Sir May - 1913 [5-6] — Page 424

No 219

N°

C.O

24315

RECE 415 14 JU 13

GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

HONGKONG. 23rd, June, 1913.

7 4335

Sir,

BT.1370-6

douures

یخ

With reference to your Despatches No. 81 of thei

27th. March, 1913, and No. 115 of the 26th. April, 1913, I have the

honour to transmit the enclosed copies of letters from the llongkong

General Chamber of Commerce whose opinion I asked on the subject of

the registration of ships owned by Companies having their principal

place of business in Chinese Treaty Ports.

2.

In my opinion there does no appear to be any necessity for legislating in this Colony with a view to enable Companies registered in Hongkong but having their principal place of business in a Chinese Treaty Port, to register their vessels under the British flag. I attach a list of vessels registered in Hongkong whose owners have their principal place of business in Shanchaj. There are no other Treaty Ports concerned. It will be observed that only two Companies would be concerned in such legisla- -tion. From an examination of the returns concerning then lodged with the Registrar of Companies it is clear that neither of them cr be regarded as British, nor, as at present constituted, as likely to fall in with the limitations and conditions as to British character which would probably be imposed.

3.

Moreover I do not understand how any legisla- -tion in Hongkong, as sugested in .r. Logridge's letter of the 23rd. April addressed to the Foreign Office, would benefit a

Company

H RIGHT HONOURABLE

ŽE IS HARCOURT, M.P..

&C..

&c.,

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