18
O.S.K. Wharf to Japanese vessels from Canton and compelling them to use (say) Kowloon wharves, as a parallel to the persistent refusal to the British vessel to use her own West Bund wharf and compulsion to use the distant wharf of Messrs. Butterfield & Swire. But I venture to suggest that those in Hongkong who have known this question from the beginning will agree with me that it was unfortunate that these Japanese vessels were not "ab initio" treated no better and no worse than the British vessel here and that the facility of the wharf might well never have been accorded. I have no knowledge of Japanese mentality, but the unexpected suspension by the Hongkong Government of the sailings of Japanese vessels during the past month has in my opinion served definitely one useful purpose an appreciation that the Canton-Hongkong service is at least useful to them, and not, as claimed by the Japanese Navy, a kindly benefit done to the foreign community at Canton, It may be that the British Shipping Companies are right in supposing that the
This balance of advantage is in favour of the Japanese. remains to be seen.
2.
I must confess that the inner meaning, and even
the outer meaning, of all but the last paragraph of enclosure 4 is not clearly understood by me. The Japanese Navy wished me to omit the clause quoted. It seems to me immaterial. It was agreed in advance that the last paragraph of the letter, which forms enclosure 1 in this despatch, should be worded to permit a refund to Messrs. Butterfield & Swire, but that in practice I would not request it. It would have been impossible to get a settlement short of actual payment of full pilotage fees for the period up till July 31st. This understanding was embodied in the "memorandum" (which was not intended to be an aide memoire!).
3*
x
I think I should take this opportunity to comment
on two points which have been quoted by the Shipping Companies.
a) I am advised: (1) that the s.s. "Fatshan" has not been run at a loss unless the cost of repairs due to a stranding on a rock in Hongkong waters ( 50,000?) is included; (2) more especially as the vessel could hardly have been used for other purposes or on another run.
b) The use of the West Bund wharves has not been · practicable for the past 2 or 3 months. They have been under repair. This period happened to coincide with the first occasion when wharves in that neighbourhood were used for purely commercial vessels thus constituting discrimination in favour of Japanese vessels.Doubtless this discrimination is intentional and will be difficult to overcome, but from that period, the Japanese consular authorities admitted our good reason. Purposely however I omitted to press the question, since the wharves are only now beginning to be ready for use.
I have, etc.
1
(d) A.P.Blunt.
CONSUL-GENERAL.
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