1912-03-01 — Page 3

Page

HONGKONG CHAMBER OF

COMMERCE,

SHIPPING NOTEJ,

The report of the board of director of the Biam Steam Navigation Co., Ltd., for the half-

THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 1913. however, were disindined to accept the sugt have lost the services of our Vice-President, gestion. The Committee then proposed that Mr. Keswick, who represents an old firm in at feast the Statutory books and the Cash the Colony. I am sure you all, as I do, re- then be possible in the case of a winding up and wish that he were with us still. He was

The Committee of the New York Chamber of year ending December 31 1911, which was to be

INTIMATIONS

Commerce, in presenting a revolution advocating presented to the shareholders of the Siam Stests JOHNSTONE'S The annual meeting of the Hongkong Book should be in English, and it wouldgret deeply his departure from the Far East: uniform tolls of one dollars ton for ships pass | Navigation Company, Limited, at the seventh

General Chamber of Commerce took place

ing through the Panama Canal, declared that ordinary general meeting to be held at thò com-

yesterday afternoon in the City Hall. The to trace the receipts and expenditure on doing as good work, if not better, than he Waited States vessels could not be favoured. in pany's office, on Wednesday, is as follow- Hon. Mr. E. A. Hewett, C.M.G., presided, Capital Account and to work up a rough is doing at Home. The only other change the matter of toils without abrogating the Your directors have much pleasure in submitt.

and there were

9160

present:-Hon. Mr.

C. H. Ross (Jardine, Matheson & Co.)," Messrs. G. H. Medhurst (Dodwell & Co.),

E. Shellim (David Sassoon & Co.), J. W. C..

form

report.

treaties with Great Britain.

contemplated in the future is the departure

lag to you the seventh half-yearly balance-sheet estinate of the trading.

The matter is still the subject of correof our present Vice-President, who has been

A farther important development in contes. of your company, showing a nett profit of a member of our Committee for several tion with the world-wide activities of the Royal tionis 165,497.47, including the balance of ticals spondence with the Government,

The necessity for a properly drawn up years, and, as we all know, has taken a very Mail Steam Packet Company in anaoanced 3,207.97 from the prosoding half-year, whereof Bonnar (Gibb, Livingston & Co.), N. J. Slabb form of bond for use in arbitrations was re-prominent part, particularly of tate, in the This company, it is stated, has acquired as from it is proposed to utilise tioals 51,445 05-being ferred to in my last annual address. This business life of the Colony, I am sure you January 1 the business hitherto carried on by 5 per cent. per annum on the cost value of the all sincerely regret, as I do, his termination Mrs. Norris & Joyner (Ltd.), at Billitor ateamers, 10 per cent. per nunum of the Iann- (Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corpora- tion, F. H. Armstrong (Reiss & Co.), matter has now been dealt with a G. T. Edkins (Butterfield & Swire), members of bond having been drawn up by the Cham. With the Far East. With these words, gentle- Hduse, E.C., of shipbrokers and forwarding | ches, janks, ato, and the amount of bad debts- will have Mr. J. G. Mcore sa chairman, will be divided as follows in accordance with the Arti- of committee; Mr. E. A. M. Williams her's soliciters which has been brought into nien, I wish to propose the adoption of the sgests. The title of the new company, which as depreciation, leaving ticals 114,052.42 to be McGregor, ow, Norris & Joyner, and not glow of Association of the company: 5 per cent. (secretary), Messry. Murray Stewart (Stewart Use, Bros.), A. Forbes (Bradley & Co.), T. F. Hough (Hughes & Hough). W. Dickson

only will it operate on a much larger scale that dividend to the shareholders, tieds 100,000.00; highly probakle that there will be important ticals 1,034,44; carried to the reserve account, (Chartered Bank), Hedley White (Connell

the aaderisking which it supersedes, but it is remuneration to the directors as per sos. 40, ramifications. Not the leest of the duties of ticals 10,0000; to be carried forward to next the reorganised enterprice will be the handling half-year, tiesle 2,697,98. The steamer Chak- of all outward freight inquiries, in addition to robhongs grounded at Pulo Latisge on Dasem- the transsetion of all brokerage and forwarding ber 18, and was totally wrecked, "The steamer was fully insured. Unfortunately two of the business for the Shire and Glen ateamers, which recently came under the control of the Royal crow lost their lives. Mail Company, and trade between Great Britain' the Continent and the Far East,

The Membership of the Chamber shows

a considerable number of changes, the total, however, being 145 as against 143 last year,

Mr. DICKSON Gentlemen, I rise with much pleasure to second the adoption of the Chairman. In doing so I am thankful to port and accounts just submitted by our I have now dealt with all the more imsay it does not devolve upon me to pass in Bros. & Co.), A. D. Barretto (Cruz, Basto & Co.), W. A. Dowley (Vacuum Oil Co.), portant questions set forth in our report review order the many and varied themes

which dealt with by the Committee during the year I.. Berindoague (Banque de l'Indo-Chine), There are a few more matters

that our interests are in reliable and capable D. Macdonald (Macdonald & Co.), C. Band should like to touch on.

You will no doubt remember something ap- hands is obvious and any enlargement upon (Price & Co, K. M. Cumming (W. R. Loxley & Co.), W. A. Jupp (China Bornea peared in the focal Press récently as to the the very interesting speech we have just Co.), F. C. Macdonald (Mercantile Bank of necessity for dredging in the harbour. In listened to would be manifestly out of place. India), F. Fuhrmann (Reuter, Brockchan the opinion of the Commistoo there is at the I need hardly remind you of the trying and & Co.), D. Lewis (Johnson, Stokes & moment no such necessity, particularly bear-critical times our ancient neighbour has Master), J. W. Bolles (Standard Oil Co.), ing in mind the heavy cost which even par-passed through in the last few months. G. Hogg (International Bank), W. E. tial dredging would involve. With the open. There are still many rapids to be negotiated and matters of vital importance to this Clarke (Hongkong, Canion & Macan Steaning of the Panama Canal we will no doubt Colony are bound to arise but as our Chair boat Co.), and Wong Leung Him (Yuen-sec-vory great changes in the shipping trade

to the East, but it does not follow that the man has remarked we took hopefully to the The matter mittee lias the interests of the Chamber and be very materially increased. will require watching and should it be seen through it the Colony at heart; that that vessels are deterred from calling at watchful eye is being maintained and that Hongkong through want of sufficient depth our interests may with perfect confidence be Before sitting of water in the anchorage a new survey will entrusted to its vigilance, have to be made and a comprehensive scheme down I would venture to remind you that for dredging drawn up. This, I need hardly the position of Chairman is no sinecure and add, would be a most costly enterprise, but that we are fortunate in the possession of if found necessary will have to be untertaken one who is able and willing to place his ser rather than Hongkong should risk a loss of vices and wide experience so freely at our disposal and I am quite sure it is the wish that trade by which alone she can exist.

Although nothing appears in our report, on of every member that our deep sense of ob- ligation to the Chairman, Committee and the important subject of the erection of a

Hop},

M.P.

WHISKY.

The notice convening the meeting having drought of vessels calling at Hongkong will future. One thing is obvious: that our Com-and depth, 20ft. The engines have cylinders of the regular osrgo aleamer. New work carried Our argument is there is nothing -

been read,

3.

The CHAIRMAN said: The report and

accounts having been in your hands for son days, I will with your permission take them as read. Before proposing their adoption, I will as usual make a few remarks on the more important matters which have received the attention of the Committer during the The first question in past twelve months. the report is concerned with signalling to vessels which have taken refuge behind Stonecutters Island or in Junk Bay. The matter was brought forward by a number

A Clyde correspondent remarks that a note- On January 20 the new steamer Li Yoong worthy feature in the demand for noợ ships is was taken for trial at sea, when a speed of over that designs for general steamers are also no 114 knots was alfained on the measured mile.companied with requests to provide moderate She has been built at Sunderland to the order passenger sacommodation. This new feature of of the Manchu Steamship Company, td. Her our carriers is a retaliation on the liners which dimensions-oro-Length, 270ft, beam, 30ft. of late years, have encroached upon the sphere 221, 35, and 58 in., with a stroke of 39 into the year shows an unusual number of first- in, supplied with steam from two large single-class liners. First in importance is the huge ended boilers at a working pressure of 180 13. Cunarder, the Aquitania, four steamers for the The vessel and her machinery have been con. Canadian Pacific Railway Co., several P. and O, ineted to the highest class at Lloyd's. The liners, a Union-Castle liner, besides large steam.

nd other regular trading companies. bull has been built under the supervision of for the Donaldson, Holt, Leyland Booth of the vessel. She has been built especially for Captain E. Wrighton, who will take command the Ereatern trade, and has all the modera machinery for quick handling of the cargo. The

vamel has some accommodation for passengers-

It is announced that on the occasion of Capt. Swain's retirement his rervices as the sanidr Captain of the line will be recognized by the

of the Commanders of local steamers, and, wireless station it must not be supposed the Secretary should be placed on record. (AF directors of the Nippon Yusen Kaighs in the thanks to the action of the Government and question has been neglected. We understand plause). Gentlemen, I have much pleasure shape of an honorarium of You 30.000, while sn

the courtesy of H.E. the General Officer Commanding and the General Manager of the Standard Oil Co., arrangements have now been made to sigrial the latest storm warnings to the vessels.

that while the Navni Authorities contemplate creating their own station, steps are also being taken to set up a lower power station for commercial purposes.

in seconding the adoption of the Report and Accounts as presented.

Order will be conferred by the Government Captain and Mr. Swain are to leave for Eng land in March by the steamer Mishima Maru.

The U. S. inter-island transport Liscum was towed back to Manila last week from Batangas,

The motion was carried nem con.. Mr. HOUGH-I think we can't do better This may not be quite so powerful as the than mark our appreciation of the able man- Another question relating to the signalling station asked for, but it is possible it will ner in which our interests have been guardexing to a breakdown in her engine room... which has cagaged our attention was the prove sufficient for our needs. The mattered during the past year than by re-electing advisability or

otherwise of retaining the is not under consideration, and at the mothe committee as it stands. The committee Red signals. After considerable discussion,ment I am unable to say anything further, consists of Hon. Mr. E. A. Hewett, C.M.G., it has, however, been decided to continue their but the Government will be asked to give Mr. G. H. Medhurst, Mr. F. H. Armstrong, Mr. J. W. C. Bonnar, Mr. G.. T. Edkins, Mr. G. Friesland, Hon. Mr. C. H. Ross, use. at all events until the promised and publicity to the proposed scheme at the ear.

liest possible date. much looked for wireless station has been:

You will recolect that last year reference Mr. H. A. Siebs. Mr. E. Shellim, and Mr. erected on the Prutas Island.

was made to the publication of a business N. J. Stabb. They are gentlemen represent directory for Hongkong. The material basing leading firms, men of ripe experience. It now been collected and we understand has in order I propose that the committee to re- been passed on to the Board of Trade by the Hongkong Government.

You will notice that the serious inconveni ence and in some case actual loss entailed on importers through the disastrous strikes of dock labourers and others which occurred last year in Great Britain has been consid- ered by the Committee, who, however, were

of opinion that this was, it matter which could better be dealt with by the importing firm comununicating direct with his buyers, rather than as suggested by a joint circular from all the importing houses.

The Committee of the Chamber has re-

elected en bloc,

Mr. BOLLES seconded, and the motion was agreed to.

On the motion of the CHAIRMAN, seconded

Cook & Sons.

cently been, approached by the Special Com: by Mr. MEDHURST, the following firms were missioner of The Financial News, who is elected members of the Chamber:-Messrs. now in the Far East, us to the publication Arcuili Bros., Messrs. Carl Bodiker & Co.. special section dealing with the finan-Messrs. Garner Quelch & Co., Messrs. The of a eial, commercial and industrial development Nesile Anglo-Swiss Milk Co. London, A very important polat has been raised, of Hongkong. This well known puper has Mesers. Moxon & Taylor, and Mear. Thomas viz., as to whether a mate's Receipt could already issued similar editions dealing with. be considered a negotiable document, The India, Australia, Canada, and other places,

The Chairman--Gentlemen, that concludes Committee, without pretending to be able to and as the Committee believe the publication the business. I have to thank you on behalf give an authoritative decision on the subject, of the proposed edition cannot but prove of

of the Committee for the honour you have consider that under ordinary circumstances great benefit to that Colony, they would ask done us in re-electing us as a marks of ap- such a receipt is not necessarily a proof of the Members to be good enough to considerpreciation for what we may have done during ownership and could not be considered as a the proposals of Mr. Maitland, the Special the year. negotiable document, unless the holder could Commissioner, should that gentleman call on show he had secured the receipt in exchange"] them. for value received.

Since our last meeting very great and

AFFAIRS IN PORTUGAL.

UNTRIED PERSONS IN DUNGENI,

tons

Lona

THE RECENT TRIAL AT LEIPZIG.

:

LETTER FROM M. Stewart's FATHEE,

The following letter has appeared in The Timea:--

800

better than M.P.

H. RUTTONJEE & SON,

WINE & SPIRIT MERCHANTS,

38 and 40, QUEEN'S ROAD CENTRALJ

[33

Chs. J. Gaupp

Bir-May I be allowed, without appearing to obtrude a private matter before the public, to express my sincere thanks to very many private and other friends of myself and of my son, Bertrand Stewart, for the expressions of sympathy which I have received from them at this time? May I at the same time, be allowed that the recent trial and condemnation of to express openly and publicly my earnest desire. my at Leipzig on a charge of attempted aspionage in August last should not be allowed to contribute in the slightest degree to the fomentation of the lamentable irritation of feel- WATCH only for the parsing hour, between the two ing and opinion which exist, I trust and believe friendly nations of England and Germany.

It will not be expected of me that I should commend the justice or generosity, or even the tegal soundness, of the judgment of the Court at Leipzig; but, as a lawyer of 50 years' experi.. ence in my own country, I desire to expresa emphatically my respect for the judgment of

Court the Supreme

of an enlightened and friendly country, and my profound conviction that the motives of the learned Judges who arrived at that decision are absolutely unassail able. This fact seems to me so much & matter of course that it is almost an impertinence for me to express my personal recognition of it.

From the Returne compiled by Lloyd' Register of Shipping, it appears that, excluding gross under construction in the arabips, there were 483 vessels of 1,519,052

United Kingdom st the close

the of quarter ended 31st December, 1911. The tanage under construction is about 73,000 more than that which was in hand at the end of previous quarter, and exceeds by 388,000 tons the tonnage building in December 1910. The present figures are the highest ever recorded in the Society's Quarterly Returns.

The Talthybius, the latest addition to the "Blue Funnel" Trans-Pacific service, le due at Hongkong on her maiden voyage outwards on 16th March. This vessel was built at Brott's Greenock Yard, and her dimensigns are:- Length, 503 feet; breadth, 60 feet; depth,,.42 test 9 incher. Her equipment includes 21 derricks-one of which is capable of lifting 50 tons and 26 winches. She is commanded by Captain H. L. Allen, late of the es. Ningchowy,

I have observed with deep regret some headless expressions of opinions tending to foment feelings of international animosity arising out of the incidents at this trial. May 1 be allowed to say that personally I wholly disagree from this view, and that I strongly depresste it?

I abould be false to my own convictions if I allowed it for a moment to be supposed that I was a party to, or approved of, any such agita... Messrs. Caird & %, of Greenook, launched tion. I stand by the side of my son in the words on 24th alt. the t-screw steamer Beltann, which fell from him at the trial. They are the words and feelings of a man certainly honour built to the order of the P. and O. Steam Naviable in word and deed, though possibly not anim gation Company. The Bellana is a sister ship pulsive, and on this occasion not whol y discreet to the Ballarat, iannebed in September from the in his demonstration of patriotiers, but I should game yard, and, like that vessel, is intended for regard it as the most lamentable insident of bis trial and conviction if it tended in any way to the company's branch service to Australis vid aggravate or accentuate feelings of animosity the Cape. For that route the Bollarat created between the two nition". a record on bar maiden voyage, completing the From time to time the telegrams from Liston pasange in 371 days, The Beltona is a vessel made" An illuminating Hght on what im- contain the words many arrests have been of the intermediate class, of 11,000 tons gross prisonment mess in Lisbon under the Re- and her principal dimensions are:-Length, publican régime in given in a report which has 515 ft. breadth, 62 ft. 6 in.; and depth, 42ft.... been made by a number of British residents in

In connection with the morement on foot in the capital.

Belgian shipping circles for the establishment of an independendent Belgian merchant navy, there is talk of a Belgian line to the Far East (India, Chine, and Japan), with z

capital of 1,6,000,000 to 1.8,000,000. It remains to be seen

Belgo-Chinese shipping company, which has whether the plan for the establishment of a

been discussed for some time past, will make interest big Chinese firms in such a concern,

*:

The opitan question was very fully dealt startling changes have taken place in the with in our last report, and, as you will have Empire of China, resulting in a new form. seen, correspondence on the subject up to of Government and we trust what will sbert. May of last year was published in that rely prove to be a more enlightened progres- port. As stated in my last annual address, sive and civtized form of government than the Committee considered it advisable not, the old order which has so suddenly been to lay the correspondence before the Mer-swept away. bers unill matters had been finally adjusted.

It is so recently when most if not all of us Thousands of political prisoners are now In June, however, as you will see on refer were listening to an able address from our

awaiting trial in Lisbon and the provinces, and ence to our present report, the matter was friend the Vice-Chairman dealing with the the British Committee have only been able to visit two gaols, the largest a. d best-equipped in again brought forward, as the Canton Au- present situation in China and giving so far Lisbon, but the grave abuses revealed are held thorities were proposing to adopt another as it was possible some forecast of what to justify the frene of a provisional report. system by which they hoped to increase their these changes may bring forth, that I feelerated, the number of prisoners is given In the Limoeiro, the larger of the two gaols revenue at the expense of the trade and, as it would be a work of supererogation, even es about 1000. Many of them have been kept usual, in defiance of treaty obligations. The it I could find it possible, to attempt any for mouths without trial-tone since the in- disturbances which shortly broke out result such forecast or to add to what he has auguration of the "new era of liberty and toff any real progress this year. The idea is to i

ing in a change in the personnel of the pro-

vincial Government has left the matter in abeyance.

la October, 19:0. The condition of these an fortunate-beings is clearly indicated by the following passage in the Report

My son's actions in this case, which I venture to say have been grievously misunderstoot and of sui-German feeling among the people of misrepresented to the Ceart, are us proof at all England. They merely show that "young men will be young men," and 1ust the guidance of international affairs must be entrusted to men with steady heads, discreet tongues, and gèru. laely pacific intentions.

I am, Bir, do,

CHARLES STEWART. 38, Eaton-place, 8. W, Feb. 6.

THE KOREAN PLOT.

Bishop Harris of Seoul has telegraphed to a Japan paper a denial of the report that an American, Missionary has been arrested under an accusation of complicity in a Korean plot to assassinate the Governor- General,

A

already said. We are, I think, all agreed

A Copenhagen correspondent states that that we have is yet hardly done more than scratch the trade of China. With a reformed The prisoners have to submit to the worst Lloyd's representatives and Danish abipping

Some time ago fifty Koreans were arrested The possibility of disinfecting vessels and

and enlightened Government, able to control insults.principally with regard to their religions experts attended on 30th ult, the trial trip of

convictions. Until quite recently they were the Diesel motor cargo vergel Belandia, which in connection with the alleged plot, 43 of lighters by a Clayton machine has again and fittingly direct the forces under them, allowed to hier Mass on Sundays, but lately this has been constructed by Burmeister & Wain's them being Presbyterian concerts. been raised by the Government, but, as you. we should see an enormous increase in the has been stopped, although it was a great oors

school where Rev. McCune is stationed. will notice, the Committee adhere to the view foreign trade of the Empire which would sofort to them, Those who have kept their shipyard, at Copenhagen, for the East Asiatic majority of the men arrested came from the reli ious heliefs are constantly provoked and Company. She is the world's largest motor Four of those arrested men were of other expressed some years ago by their predeces greatly benefit all concerned and more parti-led into renments in consequence of which vessel, is of 10,000 tons register, and has two Christian denominations, and three were not sers that the proposate put forward are imcularly the industrious sober-minded people they are sent to the punishment calls.

motors of 3,200 hp. The elandia unde 12 | Christians. · *practicable.

of that great country, We can only trust

Mr. McCune and other missionaries made The punishment cells are places of horror, knots a hour, according to contract, and the The erection of a light on Kapsing Island, that the work of settling the country and of without aircr light; they have stone floors and trip was most successful, despite the large a protest last month regarding the treatment

sre kept in a filthy condition; overrun with

All the accorded these Korean prisoners by the which has for so many years been demanded bringing in a reformed government will beats and fall of vermin. In the larger punish amount of drift-ice on the water.

befiered many of them were, innocent. promptly and efficiently carried out, and that ment cells wry prisoners are herdoi together experts agree that the trip proves that motor. Japanese authorities, representing that they General Terauchi replied that the treatment under the new régime we will no longer have These cells contain a kind of stop sink which vessels will affect a revolution in navigation.

server aundry purposes for the prisoners, and to complain of the constant breaches of which is often obseked, making the air of the

.. Embassy at St. Petersburg report the accorded the prisoners was not cruel, and treaty and acts of bad faith towards the cell faul sa reisonous In the smaller colla publication of & Hussien Law, La perially that the arrests had been made regardless of With regard to the new Companies Ordi- Treaty Powers of which the Chinese Goy these condition z aggravated by wint of confirmed on Jan 1, empowering the Minister religious creed, and was not an attempt to Bishop Harris in cabling a denial of the *pace, nance, the Committee have iade suggesamment have for so many years been guilty, which obliges the prisoner to sleep with of Commeroo and Industry to armuga with the persecute Korean Christians.“rammet,

bead against the sink. In the punishment Volunteer Fleet, by menu of a State subsidy, Although many changes have taken place, calls there are no washing appliances, and for for the maintenance of regular stastnship report of Mr. McCune's arrest says there

1912

and 1913 between Odessa

lessa is no persecution of Christians by the and are taking place, I am afraid my ad drinking, as well as for washing, purposes the services

prisonme use a tap which is placed tear the or St. Petersburg and Vladivostock. There authorities. The relations with missionaries dress to you has been rather fragmentary sink. The prisoners are sometimes kept in the are to be not less than 18 mailings a year, on the are very satisfactory and Methodist Missions I have only one other word to add. Several punishment cells for a fortnight, and when basis laid down in the charter of the Volunteer have not appealed to President Taft for released from them are ill and in a fainting Fleet. The sum of 600,000 roubles (about action. He says the missionaries trust to condition during the first few hours in a fresher £63,500) is to be allotted annually from the the Government to deal pistly with the

Christims now under arrest. Treasury in connection with this service, atmosphere,

by those interested in the river trade, is, we hope, shortly to be completed, the apparatus for the light having already arrived in the

··Colony.

tions to the Government with a view to the amendment of the Ordinance on certain par- ticulars, chief among which was that the books of Chinese joint stock Companies should be kept in English. The difficulty of a full examination of books kept in Chi changes have taken place in our Committee nese was pointed out to the Government, who, during the past year. Amongst others we

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