-July 7, 1897.1
“his own average rate of exchange." Now it is not quite correct to say that a merchant has to refer to twenty reports to arrive at the information he requires. In the report prepared by the Secretary of Legation the consular reports from the various ports are collated and summarised, and the resumés prepared during the last few years by Mr. BEAUCLERK have given a comprehensive re- view of the tradal position throughout China and been very excellent reports indeed. Whether a Commercial Attaché would be able to compile better reports is, we think, doubtful and would depend entirely on the ability, industry, and commercial instinct of the official appointed. As to the criti- cism that each Consul in converting silver values into sterling fixes his own average rate of exchange, seeing that the rate varies slightly at the different ports this seems to bean inevitable circumstance and can hardly be classed as a drawback. Of the reports as at present compiled at the various ports, some are excellent, as, for instance, Mr. JAMIE SON's reports on the trade of Shanghai, and some are indifferent, but taking them as a whole they are decidedly useful, and it would be a distinct disadvantage if the appointment of a Commercial Attaché was held by the Consuls to absolve them from the obligation resting upon each of them to give the best and most complete commercial information they can in their annual reports. Assuming, however, that the work of the Commercial Attaché would be in addition to and not in substitution of that at present performed by the Consuls in the collection of information, it might, if a suitable man were appointed to the position, be of much value.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT,
a source of wonder. Apparently the officials wanted to make out a bill of costs against shipping in the same spirit that is popularly supposed to animate a pettifogging and avaricious lawyer in making out his bill of costs against an unfortunate client, and on a suggestion that the proposed charges should be referred to the Secretary of State they have been struck out as promptly as would be the improper items in the bill of the aforesaid pettifogging lawyer on a suggested reference to the taxing master. Mr. HER- BERT SMITH by his letter has has very neatly pricked the bubble and thereby rendered a public service.
THE FIRE BRIGADE.
27
The Hon. F. H. MAY, in his report on the Fire Brigade for last year, ascribes the marked diminution in the number of fires after April to the increased rates of premia for insurance which then came into force and to the conviction for arson of two Chinese partners and the heavy sentence of twelve years' hard labour passed upon each. We notice that one of our contem- poraries has called in question the likelihood of the rates of premium having any effect upon the crime of incendiarism, on the ground that an unprincipled scoundrel who The questions that remain are the follow meant to set fire to his shop would not be ing:-(1) What sources of revenue as deterred by the amount he had to pay. detailed in the Estimates come under the for insuring it. It is a matter of common heading of charges on shipping? (2) What experience, however, that in countries items of expenditure as detailed in the where the standard of morality is low i Estimates are incurred on behalf of ship- cheap insurance does as a matter of fact ping? (7) What proportion, if any, of the lead to an increase in the crime of in- loss resulting to the colony from the cendiarism. Nor is it strange that this should be so. The man who plans out a absence of Crown rents and assessed taxes on lands in the colony under naval and scheme for enriching himself at the expense- military occupation should be assigned to of the Insurance Companies is in the shipping? (8) How the expenditure of the majority of cases a man of straw who has colony connected with the shipping fre- no great amount of ready cash available, quenting Hongkong should in future be and unless he can get cheap insurance his met? We are at a loss to know why No. 7 scheme must fall through. Then, again, the should have been left in, or how the com- would-be incendiary is not always able to mission can possibly arrive at any answer carry out his scheme, for want of a favour- to it, unless they say at once that the able opportunity, in which case he looks matter has no connection with shipping. upon the amount he has paid by way of in- surance premium as so much money lost. The remaining three questions do not appear Where insurance rates are high and the to be open to objection, if there is to be an inquiry at all, but we must confess that we preliminary examination stringent-and the do not see the use of the inquiry. How two usually go together-men of this class ever, as the inquiry is apparently to be are likely to be deterred from insuring, but held, we hope the Commission in reply to where there is a cut-throat competition the eighth question will find itself able amongst the Insurance Offices and polices to the are issued at a low rate of premium and with return 8 decided answer effect that the expenditure connected only a perfunctory examination of the stock As will be seen by the correspondence be with the shipping frequenting the port and premises, unprincipled men are the more tween Mr. HERBERT SMITH and the should be defrayed from the general ready to take a chance in the game, trusting Colonial Secretary, published in another revenue and that the port should be entirely that they may have an opportunity of ap column, the Government has waived inquiry free. Hongkong occupies a splendid geogra-plying the torch without detection. The by the Light Dues Commission into several phical position and it would be a wretched risks, however, are great, and where detec of the points included in the original re- policy to jeopardise the commerical ad- tion takes place and legal proof is forth- ference. The points withdrawn are Nos. vantages arising therefrom by shortsighted coming the consequences to the wrongdoer 8, 4, 5, and 6. This has rendered the re- fiscal regulations. Let the port be are serious, as in the case mentioned in Mr. ference less ridiculous than it was originally. free and we may regard with equanimity MAY's report. The conviction in the case The Commission was appointed to enquire any attempt on the part of our rivals referred to could not fail to have a salutary effect on others contemplating the perpetra- to impose generally into the charges levied by the to compete with it, Government on shipping frequenting the burdens on shipping is equivalent to tion of a similar crime, and probably the de- crease in the number of fires last year was due waters of the Colony and the expenditure placing a bounty on competition. As we
more to that cause than to the increase in Incurred by the Government in the interests have seen, Macao has just been made a free of shipping, with a view to ascertaining the port, so far as the coasting trade is concened, rates of premium, but the conjunction of the rate at which the light dues should be fixed. with the express object of securing trade two no doubt made each more effective than The third question included in the reference that would otherwise come to Hongkong; either would have been standing alone. was whether the original expenditure on Germany is credited with a desire to estab- Having to pay more money to begin with, and buildings connected with the Harbour lish a free port in our neighbourhood; and twelve years' penal servitude as the result of the venture, would strike the practical mind Department, the Water Police, and the the idea of even China herself taking a Observatory was incurred on behalf of similar step has been mooted. The imposi- of the Chinese incendiary as a game not shipping and whether interest on such tion of port dues at Hongkong paves the worth the candle.
It is easy to òriginal costand a sinking fund to repay the way for such competition. same would be a legitimate charge on ship- say the danger is remote and that in any case one or two cents a ton can't make ping. The fourth and fifth questions em- bodied similar inquiries as to the various much difference, but Hongkong's best policy lighthouses, the apparatus at the Observa-is to play for safety and have no port dues tory, the launches and boats belonging to at all. the various Government Departments, the Causeway Bay breakwater, the dredger, and the hospital hulk Hygeia. The sixth question was worded as follows:-"What pro- the occasion was celebrated on Saturday, when cellency the Governor. From this it would
THE LIGHT DUES COMMISSION.
to
but
Sunday was the "Glorious Fourth," but the anniversary falling this year on a Sunday
portion, if any, of the expenditure incurred the citizens of the Republic displayed the na- by the colony on behalf of the military tional flag, let off strings of crackers, and hos- contribution and of barracks services con- pitably entertained all callers. The cracker tribution should be assigned to shipping?" firing, we understand, attracted the attention An inquiry into these four questions would of the police, but it is not likely that there have been almost interminable and could will be any after proceedings, it being tradi have led to no satisfactory result, whatever tion of the colony that on this one day of the
4
Another point calling for notice in Mr.. : MAY's report is his suggestion for an im- provement in the organisation of the Fire Brigade and in the traction of the engines. Unfortunately the suggestion is not set out in detail. Mr. May says he has already- reported on how the improvements he sug gests could be effected and his proposals have received the approval of His Ex-
seem that a special report has been made on the matter, and we would suggest that that report should be published. The efficiency of the Fire Brigade is a sub- ject of the utmost interest and any well- devised scheme for improving our arrange ments for the extinction of fires would com class of house that has replaced the flimsy the danger of having a whole district of the structures of the earlier days of the colony
the amount of care bestowed upon it. We year, all laws and Ordinances to the contrary mand public support. With the improved
congratulate the Government on its discretion in withdrawing these particular questions, the propounding of which must ever remain
notwithstanding, our American friends are to be allowed to "let themselves loose." The American vessels in harbour were decorated on Sunday.
བ · ད ་ ཀ་ན་
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