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20. In conclusion your Petitioners most humbly represent that the rights, privileges and immunities, conferred upon the French Mail steamers, and German Mail steamers, by the local ordinances, are entirely unwarranted by the Postal Con- vention of 1856, which they purport to carry into effect; that they may at any time seriously interfere with the administration of public justice in this Colony, and that they do in fact deprive Your Majesty's loyal and faithful subjects of their right to resort to Your Majesty's Courts in certain cases; that facilities are thus given to foreign traders which Your Majesty's subjects ought not to be called upon to give in these days of strong competition and bounty-fed-trade; and that the reasonable demands of the French and German Governments for certain privileges inay be fully provided for, without conferring rights so extensive in their nature as those now granted.

And Your Petitioners therefore humbly pray,

That Your Majesty will be graciously pleased to disallow Ordinances No. 18. and No. 19 of 1888, passed by the Legislative Council of Hongkong on the 28th day of August 1888, copies of which are hereunto annexed.

On behalf of the Committee,

(Signed,)

P. RYRIE, Chairman.

SIR,

Enclosure 2.

Chairman, Chamber of Commerce to Colonial Secretary,

HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, HONGKONG, 27th August, 1888.

The Chamber of Commerce of Hongkong has always protested against the rights and privileges conferred by Annual Ordinance on the French Mail steamers, and latterly on those of the German Mail steamers.

These Ordinances are, as appears from the published Agenda, to be introduced into the Legislative Council again to-morrow to be re-enacted for another year.

The Chamber begs to repeat its protest, but, as it is about to petition Her Most Gracious Majesty the QUEEN on the subject, will not now set out its reasons therefore. Furthermore these reasons are already well known to the Government. I have the honour to request that you will lay this letter before His Excellency the Governor at the earliest opportunity.

I have, &c.,

(Signed,)

P. RYRIE, Chairman.

The Honourable F. STEWART, LL.D.,

Colonial Secretary,

SIR,

Enclosure 3.

Chairman, Chamber of Commerce to Colonial Secretary.

HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, HONGKONG, 24th September, 1888.

Referring to the Chamber's letter of the 27th ultimo, and to previous corres- pondence on the same subject, I have the honour, on behalf of the Committee of this Chamber, to enclose a Petition, in triplicate, addressed to Her Most Gracious Majesty The QUEEN, with reference to the Ordinances of the Colony granting to the steamers of the Messageries Maritimes and Norddeutscher Lloyd's Companies the "Status and Privileges of Men-of-War," and to request that His Excellency the Governor will be good enough to forward the same by the outgoing mail.

I have, &c.,

(Signed,)

P. RYRIE, Chairman.

The Honourable F. STEWART, LL.D.,

Colonial Secretary.