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trading here belong to companies more or less under Government control and patronage and it is quite certain that if they agreed to the re- gulations they would only do so for the purpose of making use of them to damage British shipping. Again, a large number of Norwegian steamers are now trading out here, yet in the whole of China there is only one Norwegian Consul. No doubt there exist at most ports "merchant" Consuls, members of firms engaged in business, but it is quite certain they cannot be relied on to enforce regulations; they would not have the necessary power and staff even if they had the inclination.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND,
Until there exists at all Chinese ports a central authority strong enough and honest enough to enforce the regulations upon all nationalities alike we are convinced that there is no chance of other shipping than British being compelled to abide by them, and this will act most unfairly against British interests.
British officials appear to look
apon British trade as an enemy against which all stratagems involving surprise and ambush are not only justifiable but highly commendable. In this particular instance those most deeply interested have not been consulted in any way, and no attempt has been made to show the necessity for any such change and we most emphatically deny that any such necessity exists. The passenger trade has been carried on in China in British ships for many years, and the results so far as the safe carriage of passengers is concerned will compare most favourably with the results of trade carried on under the Hong-| kong Ordinances.
If these, regulations are enacted and enforced, a fatal blow will be struck against the supremacy of British shipping in China waters, and the blow will have been struck by our own Goveru- ment; "Et to Brute!"-We are, sir, your obodient servants,
visions is that it will not be put in force unless the assent of all other powers, including China and Japan, is obtained to similar regulations for their ships.
[January 16, 1896.
true, "Merchant Consuls"; but without any in tention of reflecting upon their integrity it is more than human to suppose these "mercantile officials" would observe, with any approach to strictness, regulations opposed to their own in- terests as shipowners, or agents of shipowners, when lax enforcement would throw into their hands a valuable opportunity to increase their lines of vessels to the detriment of existing lines of British steamers.
The local Committee are sensible on these facts, that no definite action has yet been taken by the Hongkong Government; but they are of opinion they are warranted in immediately adopting measures to place on record the many and grave objections there are to local colonial legislation of a character which will impose Further illustrations of the certainties of regulations affecting shipping enforceable only failure in the enforcement of regulations against прод British shipowners, who will therefore be the shipping of other nations than Great are not necessary; those cited are placed at a serious disadvantage with the Britain namerons competing vessels of other nations. sufficient to prove that until there existe at all The local Committee consider it their duty to Chinese ports. judicial authority strong and place their views before you for the purpose of honest enough to enforce the regulations upon Colonial Government the unfairness and pre-enacted, must operate most unfairly and practi- securing your support in representing to the all nationalities alike, such regulations, if judicial character of legislation which is not cally against British shipping and confer upon necessary, which has not been suggested by its rivals valuable advantages. If this position complaints of passengers, and against which it is established the local Committee are assured is believed that every British Consul, conversant that their communication to you is justified. with the coast passenger trade as now carried on, has expressed a decided opinion. The views of the local Committee are in conformity with those of the agents of the China Navigation Company, which are shared in their entirety, and the local Committee are authorized to so inform you, by Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co., agents of the Indo-China Stoam Navigation Company; and are to the effect that if these regulations be enacted it is quite certain they will be honestly and strictly enforced by British officials and conformed to by British shipowners; while prolonged experience has shown that, as in the past, so in future, such regulations will not be enforced or observed by the officials and shipowners of other nation- alities. The inevitable result of this will be to exclude British shipping from the passenger trade between Chinese ports. Competition with other flags in now very severe; and while no doubt exists that competing on equal terms British shipping is quite able to maintain the position it at present occupies yet, if burdened with the expenses and delay, and the inspec- tion procedure, which Chinese passengers in tensely dislike, involved in complying with the regulations, it is obvious British ships cannot contend successfully with vesels against which these regulations, however much they may theoretically apply, are not enforceable. Pas- sage rates are very low, but the earning from this traffic in Chinese waters is a valuable portion of the income of steamers; and its loss will eventually result in the loss of the whole trade.
The extent of the carrying trade between the treaty ports of China having been alluded to, it is proper to explain that in the year 1894 the total of inward and outward clearances was 21,986,000 tons, of which 15,045,215 tons, or 68.4 per cout. were British, 5,262,741 tons, or 24.0 per cent. Chinese; leaving for the vessels of all other nationalities 1,678,044 tons or 7.6 per cent. These figures are cited as evidence of the results of British enterprise and of its power to compete with every form of governmental support accorded by sub- didies, monopolies, and privileges to vessels of other Angs: it seeks no legislative enactments in its own favour all the British shipowner asks for, and all that the local Committee advocate, is that there shall be no legislation op- posed to the welfare of British maritime
| industry. BUTTERFIELD & SWIRE.
R. M. Campbell, Esq.,
Chairman, The China Association.
THE CHINA ASSOCIATION TO THE SECRE TARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES.
China Association.
•
The Colonial Government of Hongkong may be under the impression that there is a necessity for the proposed enactment: and the local Com- mittee feel called upon to emphatically deny the existence of such necessity. The passenger trade has been carried on in China in British ships for a number of years; that it has been so to the satisfaction of passengers is declared by the number of those who avail of the accommoda- tion; while so far as safety is concerned the traffic will compare most favourably with traffic. carried on under the Hongkong Ordinance.
Shanghai Branch, 15th Dec., 1895. SIR-Messrs. Butterfield & Swire, managing agents of the China Navigation Company. Limited, have called the attention of the local Committee of the China Association to an Ordinance drafted by the Government of the
The objection may be taken that this com eclony of Victoria, Hongkong, intended to im. I regulations upon the carriage of pas-
munication is, in the present stage, unnecessary and premature; that it would have been better ingers between the ports in China now open to
deferred until the Ordinance had been published foreign shipping; and the matter having beeu de- Liorated upon by the local Committee I now Assucing the acceptance by all other Go- when the objectionable clauses might have been dealt with more particularly; but recent occur- have the honour to address you upon the subject. vernments, inclusive of those of China and
rences have compelled the local Committee to The local Committee, on receipt of Messrs. Japan, it is far from difficult to demonstrate Butterfield & Swire's letter, were unwilling to why such regulations would become inopara recognize the tendency, when treaties with accept as correct the assertion that the Colonial tive against all but British vessels. Chinese Oriental nations are to be revised or regulations to be enacted, to ignore Governinent could establish regulations applic. steamers now perform about one-fourth of the affecting trade are able to British vessels beyond the port of Hong- whole carrying trade between the treaty ports the opinions, founded upon extensive prac kong; and they took the precantion to ask Her of China, and it is merely necessary for the tical experience, of British subjects directly Majesty's Acting Consul-General for informa- local Committee to assess, without qualifica- concerned; a policy to be most deeply deplored tion in regard to the power and authority tion, that no penalties could be enforced against because of the irreparable injuries which may possessed by the Colonial Government in a Chinese vessels infringing the regulations, be inflicted upon national interests, and the matter of such vast importance to British notwithstanding the assent of the Chinese Go- destruction of that implicit confidence which shipowners. Mr. Jamieson immediately replied vernment to the regulations themselves. Japá- should exist between Her Majesty's Govern that under the Act of Parliament 18 and 19 nese vessels are more amenable to rules enacted ment and Her Majesty's people in whatever Victoria, cap. 104, commonly know as the or sanctioned by their Government and the part of the world the latter may be. The "Chinese Passengers Act, 1855," the Hongkong local Committee will not go so far as to say that local Committee, therefore, with the know- Legislature has power to make regulations vessels of this nationality could entirely ledge that objections made after the fact has when it is been accomplished have been disregarded on respecting Chinese passengers ships and the evade the regulations; but treatment of passengers therein while at sea. known that the share of Japan in the coast the ground that they came too late, have no In the Act a "Chinese passenger ship" is defined trade is less than three-fifths of one per cent. hesitation in now placing upon record their as including every ship carrying from any port of the whole, the temptation to increase that warning against the damage that will be inflicted in Hongkong and every British ship carrying share by a lax administration of regulations upon British shipping in China if the Colonial "from any port in China or within 100 miles tending to prevent its expansion, would be too Government of Hongkong persevere with the
proposed Ordinance. of the coast thereof more than twenty pas- great to be resisted. Again the fact must be re- sengers being natives of Asia." This com-cognized that Chinese and Japanese vessels be. munication from the Acting Consul-General removed the doubt entertained, and supported the assertion of Messrs. Butterfield & Swire that regulations have been drafted on the lines of the existing Hongkong Ordinances, and that it is intended to enforce them so soon as they have received the approval of the home Govern- nient and the local Committee had to ceu sider what course they should take rider the circumstances before them.. Other information in possession of the local Committee was to the effect that there was a draft Ordinance before the Hongkong Legislature, or rather it is pro- posed to bring in a draft; but one of the pro-
long to companies openly supported by Govern. ment funds, endowed with extraordinary privi. leges, and more or less under official control and patronage; the consequence being that regula. tions disadvantageous to the whole shipping in- terest would not be enforced, except nominally, by one of the parties chiefly concerned in its success. A large number of Norwegian steamers are now trading on the coast of China, and let it be assumed that the Norwegian Government have sanctioned the regulations; what prospect of enforcement is there when the fapt is realised that in the whole of China there is but one official Norwegian Consul. There are, it is
|
Copies of this letter have been forwarded Her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires in Peking, to Sir William Robinson, the Governor of Hong- kong, and to the General Committee of the China Association in London.
The local Committee have decided to appeal directly to ren because a Reuter's telegram, dated London, 4th December, announces that you are desirous of receiving information on all matters relating to or affecting British trade.
I have the honour to be, sir, your most che dient servant,
W. H. TALEOT, Honorary Secretary. To the Right Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, Her
Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies.
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