•
January 22, 1896.]
operations until next October, when the upper portion of the proposed new road should be at once commenced.
Perhaps His Excellency Sir Wm. Robinson, who is believed to be favourably disposed to- wards this improvement, might be willing to open communications with the Admiralty upon the subject of their site, and to give to the numerous and influential memoralists some as. surance to this effect at the next Council meet- ing. I am, sir, yours faithfully.
ANOTHER PEDESTRIAN. Hongkong, 17th January. 1896.
THE CHINESE CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS, SIB. With reference to the report of the opening ceremonies in connection with the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, we think it right to state publicly that though we are bot joint Trustees of that Institution. we had no hand in making the arrangements for its opening. neither did we take any part in the ceremonies. nor were we present on that special occasion. It is needless to say that being British subjects we would not in any way countenance such proceedings reported. -We
are. yours faithfully,
HO KAI WEI YUK.
.
Hongkong, 18th January, 1896.
THE SHANGHAI-SOOCH W KAILWAY.
It is reported, upon what seems to be good authority, that the Liangkiang Viceregal Government has given the construction of the Shangi.ai-Soochow Railway to a er smopolitan syndicate, at the head of which is a Belgian. The Chinese are to borrow the money for construction from the syndicate, the loan to be repaid in instalments beginning from the third or fourth year after trains have commenced running between the two cities. The object of this is to make the railroad obstructionists in Peking believe that Chines capital has been employed in the construction of the road. The terminus of this railway is to be at Sinza (Chinese territory), where also will be the freight and passenger offices of the semi-government steamboat line to run between Shanghai, Soochow, and Hang- chow. This may account for the eager buying lately of so much land in the vicinity of Sinza and West Shanghai by native land speculators. Apropa of Chinese railways it appears that the obstructionists in Peking are already beginning their opposition. It is asserted at II.E. Hu Yu-fen, Director-General of Cor truet on of the Tientsin. Peking Rails way and Governor of Peking has been recently denounced by a Censor (whose memorial is evidently inspired). The charge is intended peculation." That is to say, the Censor, a man named Chu, contends that it has so far cost China caly Tls. 800 for the construction of every li of railroad, whereas in his estimate presented to the Thoue Hu Yü-fèn has charged Tls. 1,200 per li—“ a peculation of Tls. 400 per li." The denouncing Censor is evidently not
..
very well versed in the cost of railway building
-N. C. Daily News.
THE JAPANESE budget for 1896. The Japanese Budget for 1896, as submitted to the Imperial Parliament, stands briefly as follows:
Ordinary Extraordinary
REVENUE.
Total
EXPENDITURE.
Ordinery Extraordinary
Total
yen.
94,403,333.523 43.667,343.965
138,070,677.488
yen. 89.209,676.239 62,861,787 083.
.152,071,463,322.
Compared with the current year's Budget.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE-REPORT.
THE SHANGHAI GENERAL CHAM- BER OF COMMERCE.
At a meeting of the Committee of the Cham- ber of Commerce held at the offices, No. 1, Kiu- kiang Road, on Monday, the 16th January, 1896, at 4 p.m.
Present Messrs. A. P. MacEwen (Chair. man), J. Chapsal, C. J. Dudgeon, A. Korff. W. D. Little. J. H. McMichael, D. M. Moses, A. Wasserfall, and the Secretary.
The Minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed.
The International Telegraph Vocabulary. A letter was read that had been received from the Hongkong Chamber of Commerce enclosing copy of a reply received by them from the General Post Office Authorities in London, ex- plaining how the joint protest forwarded by the Hongkong Chamber had been dealt with.
the above shows an increase of a': mí 42,00 7,000 yen in the revenue and about 63,030,000 yen in the expenditure. The army absorbs about 36 million and the navy about 37 million yen.
The Yangtze Regulations and Ocean Steam Companies. A letter signed by all the Ocean Steamer Companies complaining of the trouble occasioned by the Yangtsze Regulations. was read, and it was decided to address the Senior Consul on the subject in the hope that a revision of the Regulations can be effected which will dispose of the cause of complaint.
Bonded Warehouses.-The question was again before the meeting, but it was decided to defer any further discussion until the annual general meeting, when it was hoped some ex- pression of opinion on the matter would be obtained from the members.
After the transaction of further business the following correspondence Was ordered for publication:
TIE INTERNATIONAL TELEGRAPH
VOCABULA KY,
Shanghai, 6th December, 1895. DEAR SIR-I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 2nd of November. enclosing copy of a communication made by your Chamber to the International Telegraph Bureau, Berne, on the subject of the enforced use in the Far East of the Telegraph Vocabul ary, which has been carefully considered by my Committee.
Following the initiative of this Chamber, the Hongkong Chamber drew up a letter against the enforced use of the Telegraph Vocabulary. which wis signed by this and other Chambers of Chins and Japan and forwarded to Berne as a joint protest some months ago, but the communication of your Chamber deals so allly. and exhaustively with the subject that my Committee have acceded with pleasure to your request for co-operation, and have forwarded a letter endorsing your protest to the Secretary of the International Telegraph Bureau at Berne, a copy of which I now enclose.-I am, Dear sir, Yours faithfully.
DRUMMOND HAY. Secretary
ALEX. J. GUNN, Esq., Secretary. Chamber of Commerce, Singapore.
Shanghai, 6th December, 1895. Sir. Some months age this Chamber, in
conjunction with several other Chambers of
75
Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce,
Hongkong, 6th January, 1896. DEAR SIE-Enclosed I beg to hand copy of a letter from the General Post Office Authorities, London, informing the Chamber that the joint petition against the suggested enforced use of the Official Vocabulary in Extra-European Messages had, for reasons explained in the letter, ben passed on by the Director of the International Telegraph Bureau to the London Post Office Authorities.
It is promised that the petition will receive attentive consideration at the hands of the Post Office Authorites with, it is to be hoped, satisfac- tory results.-I am, Dear Sir, Yours obdiently,
F. HENDERSON, Secretary. Secretary, Chamber of Commerce, Shanghai.
Copy.
General Post Office, London,
21st November, 1895. SIR-The Director of the International
Telegraph Bureau at Berne has forwarded to this Department the memorial from the Clam- bers of Commerce at Hongkong. Canton, Shanghai, Hankow; Tientsin, Yokohama, Hiogo, Foochow, and Amoy, objecting to the anforced use of the Official Vocabulary in Extra- European telegrams.
At the same time he has pointed out that the International Bureau has no authority to take official cognisance of any representation except- ing such as proceed from one of the countries of the Union.
Having regard to the length of time which must elapse before a reply could be received from the Chambers of Commerce concerned, this Department has thought that it would bst be carrying out their wishes if it agreed at once to accept the memorial, with a view to its receiving attentive consideration along with the memorials on the same subject which have been sent by other Chambers direct to this
office.
I trust that in the circumstances the course which this Department has adopted will meet with the approval of the Chambers of Commerce of the Far East. I am. Sir, Your obedient servant,
--
(Signed) J. C. LAMB.
Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce.
The Chairman.
THE YANGTSZE REGULATIONS AND OCEAN
STEAMER COMPANIES.
Shanghai, 30th December. SIE, We beg to bring to your notice the great inconvenience which is experienced by the Ücean teamer Companies, in consequence if the regulation which obliges us to have all cargo shipped on through bill of lading to the river perts, examined here and duty paid bẹ. fore the goods can be forwarded to destination.
The consignees of this cargo are, in many cases, resident in the interior of China, and considerable delay and difficult, is experienced in tracing them, while the actual passing of the goods through the Customs entails an amount of additional labour which we would boiglad to be relieved of.
The present "Revised Regulations of Trade. on the Yangtsze were drawn up in the year 1862 (British Legation. 10th November, 1862, Article 5. Section 2) and owing to the then
distarbed state of the country bordering on the Yangtze it was no doubt indispensable that all cargo for the river ports should be examined here.
China and Japan, signed a protest drawn up by the Hongkong Chamber of Commerce against the enforced use in the Far East of the Inter- national Telegraph Vocabulary, but quite recently I received from the Singapore Chamber a copy of a communication addressed you on this subject under date of the 2nd of November, which deals so thoroughly with the whole question, and points ont so conclusively the serious issues which would result to the mercantile community by the enforced use of the Inter- national Telegraph Code, that notwithstand. ing the protest sent to you through Hongkong, the Committee of this Chamber are unanimous in their desire to completely endorse the state-bouring treaty ports on the coast can be tran- ments contained in the letter addressed to you by the Singapore Chamber.-I have the honour, to be, Sir, Your obedient servant.
A. P. MACEWEN.
Chairman.
The Secretary,
International Telegraph Burean, Berne.
This necessity, however, no longer exists, and as a complete Custon's staff is now maintained at the various treaty ports on the Yangtze, the present condition of affairs is merely a vexatious hindrance to trade. That through cargo for the river ports must be detained here for examination, while that for the neigh
shipped direct to the local steamers, and dealt with by the I. M. Customs on arrival at final port of destination, is an anomaly which might be rectified with advantage to all concerne·l.
We would therefore request you to be good enough to give this question your considera- tion, and trust that you will be able to have the
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