July 7, 1897.]
had consistently striven to "Wait on the Lord," and God had exalted her to inherit the land” The speaker traced the character and conduct of the Queen's public and private life to their source, and quoted Her Majesty's reply to & Minister who made use of the word Expediency ""I have been taught to judge between what is right and what is wrong; but expediency is a word I do not wish to hear." This was to fear God and not man: this to wait on the Lord and keep His way." In con- clusion he said, "Would that the rulers of our own Empire might speedily know this secret! China is yet uninstructed, unconvinced, deluded. Even now she deems Confucianism the way of progress and prosperity. An ancient Roman Emperor was forced, after fighting the truth all Galilean, Thou his life, at the last to confess hast conquered!" May it not be long before China has to admit that Christ has prevailed in the conflict between truth and error, good and evil. May the Chinese people see in Him a Prince and a Saviour, for "there is none other Name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.”
A BRITISH COMMERCIAL
ATTACHE FOR CHINA.
The following are the suggestions made by Mr. Byron Brenan with reference to the ap- pointment of a commercial attaché to watch British tradal interests in China :--
There is one step which Her Majesty's Gov- ernment can take in furtherance of trade. There appears to be wanting a link between the consular service and our merchants and manufacturers, which could be supplied by the appointment in China of an officer who could devote his sole attention to the development of
trade.
·TRADE REPORT.
CHINA OVE erce in England occa-
1. Chambers
sionally make suggestions to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs regarding the assist- ance which might be rendered by Her Majesty's consuls abroad, and describe in detail the ser- vices they are in need of. It would be for the commercial secretary to consider to what extent in China the wishes of the chamber of commerce can be satisfied, and to frame directions for such of the ports as might come within the sphere of the inquiries set on foot.
2. At all the ports consuls receive many trade circulars and letters referring to manufactures of all kinds. Both in the despatching and the receiving of these, much time and money is wasted. As frequently happens, a consul has to answer that there is no opening for a business of the kind referred to. He can but speak with regard to his own district.
Could all this correspondence be centralised in one office, the commercial secretary, having a bird's-eye view of the conditions of trade in all China, could give a more complete answer. Through his agency, also, firms in England desiring to be put in communication with houses in China could be directed in the right quarter, and similarly Chinese business men could be put in touch with firms in England.
3. Of recent years many new products have been exported from China. There can be little doubt that there are still many products un- touched and available, and the collection of samples of such products, with reports thereon, would be one of "the duties of the commercial commissioner..
4. Some of our British products are being driven out by imports from other countries, or by articles of native manufacture. This re- quires careful watching. Samples and all possible information regarding price, native taste, mode of packing, &c., should be sent to While in other countries a consul's attention England, and this can only be done from some is devoted chiefly to commercial questions, and in central office like that of a commercial secretary. the discharge of his duties in connection with
5. An important part of this officer's duty these, he is assisted by the systematic way in would be to obtain early information about which foreign Governments and commercial projected public works, so that our people conld bodies prepare statistics and publish informa- be early in the field to secure contracts. Much tion; in China the ordinary duties of his office business is lost because local firms are not pre- leave him but little time to devote to commerpared to give estimates off-hand, or to supply cial matters in the abstract, and in the investi- gation of these he meets with difficulties out of all proportion to the results attained.
all the information a Chinese official or company director requires of them.
report on the growth of manufactures, and the imports of raw materials; and when necessary, suggest that an expert should be sent out by commercial associations in England to study any particular question.
6. He would specially study the conditions and At the more important places, political matters, requirements of trade in China; be on the look judicial cases, claims on behalf of his country-out for probable openings for British trade; men against Chinese subjects or officials, cases of assault or other form of outrage, questions connected with shipping, and many other affairs which could only occur in an oriental country, occupy a consul's time to the exclusion of other matters which are nevertheless deserving of at- 7.-In the compilation of commercial reports tention. The time, labour, and persistence that there is room for improvement. What is must be expended in disposing of any mat-wanted is a comprehensive review of the trade ter involving discussion and negotiation and commerce of the country arranged under with Chinese officials, would seem incredible subjects. At present, a manufacturer or to anyone who has not had the personal merchant in England wishing to know to experience, and the bulk of a consul's work what extent his goods are consumed, or is of this nature. Delay and evasion are are likely to find a market in China, has to the Chinese official's weapons, and whatever refer to some 20 trade reports to arrive at the question may be a consul must choose the information he requires. In trade reports whether he will write reams, and spend hours as they are now made up there is a want of in a strange tongue, or whether he shall confess uniformity in the collection of returns, weights himself tired out and retire from the contest. and measures are differently stated, and each consul in converting silver values into sterling fixes his own average rate of exchange.
Under such conditions a consul cannot do justice to the commercial interests of his country, he must attend to what is pressing and immediately before him, and leave alone what can wait. He can at best but devote inter- mittent attention to subjects of vital import-
ance to our British industries.
8. At each port some change in the course of trade or in the requirements of the people may be gradually taking place. but passes un- noticed because of not much al importance. In the aggregate throughout China the change may be of great significance, and a commercial secretary having all China within his purview could study the cause and effect.
31
11. A man in an official position in China can, without doubt, have access to officials more easily than can a merchant, and he is not pushing his own private business, he is listened to with less distrust. A com mercial commissioner who gained the con fidence of the Chinese might be occasionally appealed to for advice, and if he could not achieve any more direct success, he might at least put them on their guard when about to fall into a trap. In the way of personally in- troducing agents from firms in England, or putting Chinese officials in communication with trustworthy firms he could do good service.
The expression "Chinese official" is so often used because in China almost every large work or enterprise is under official direction.
12. The commissioner ought to be in direct communication with the chambers of commerce in England so that they could have ready means of obtaining any information they desire. 13. Being on the staff of Her Majesty's Minister in China, such a commercial secretary could give valuable advice as to the effect of any change in the tariff, of fiscal innovations in the provinces, of opening new trade routes, and by means of well conceived memoranda place Her Majesty's Minister in a position to point out to the Chinese Government the advantage or the reverse of any proposed line of policy.
PREFERENTIAL TARIFF ON JUNK- BORNE CARGO AT CANTON.
of trade at the Treaty Ports of China, mentions Mr. Byron, Brenan, in his report on the state the complaint of the Hongkong General Cham- ber of Commerce with regard to the preferential duties which place junks at an advantage vis-à- vis steamers. The following is the passage of the report dealing with this question:-
The preferential tariff enjoyed by junks has its origin in the dual system of collecting customs duties on the Canton River. Foreign' · vessels pay duties to the. foreign custom-house, and the full amount is 'honestly accounted for to the Central Government. Native junks pay duties to the native custom-house. As the superintendent of this establishment remits a fixed sum and keeps the rest, he does what he can to divert trade from steamers to junks; and the surest way is by giving junks preferential rates: The foreign customs tariff is fixed by treaty and immutable; the native customs tariff is also fixed on paper; in practice it is what the Chinese superintendent chooses some of the most to make it, and on important articles he underbids the foreign customs by an amount sufficient to cause shippers to prefer junks to steamers.
In order to silence the remonstrances of the steamer company the Chinese superintendent professes to adopt the same tariff as the foreign custom-house; but by allowing 100 chests to pass as 50, or by privately returning a bonus to contributors he can attain his object without detection. If it is difficult to produce proof that Chinese officials impose heavier duties than the tariff allows, when of course, the merchant is a sufferer, how much more difficult is it to convict him of accepting less than the tariff, when the merchant is,a gainer and an accomplice. The Central Government informs the foreign ministers at Peking that stringent instructions have been sent to discontinue such preferential treatment, and the Canton super. intendent assures the foreign Consuls that his tariff is identical with the treaty tariff. And yet in the face of such assurances this is what happens. Canton teas are sent down either by unk to Hongkong for tranship- By the a London-bound steamer,
the trade the Chinese dealer con- liver the tea duty paid either on river steamer at Canton, or
steamer c
ment to custom of tracts to board t
The remedy for this deficiency in our consular system in China lies in the appointment of a speci- ally commissioned officer to study commercial questions. Whatever might be the designation 9. Some of our manufacturing centres in of the officer-commercial secretary," or England ask that samples of goods be sent attaché," or "commissioner "the purpose of home, together with every information bearing his appointment would be to combine in one upon the origin, prics, import duties, quantities, man specially qualified for the work the duties &c. Such work cannot be properly performed board 4 ocean steamer at Hongkong.
by 20 consuls in different parts of China, this would merely result in useless multiplication and repetition. In the hands of a commercial secretary very complete information on all points desired could be supplied.
which are now but inadequately performed by 20 consuls all working independently of each other. Such a commercial secretary would still be largely dependent on the assistance of Her Majesty's consuls at the different ports, but he could also assist them by suggesting the sort of commercial information that is desirable, and indicating the direction in which their services can best be utilised. The scope of his duties may be inferred from the following re-
10.--Much importance is attached to expedi- tion in presenting reports. With a commercial secretary at Shanghai in touch with the general chamber of commerce and the statistical depart. ment of the custom-house considerable delay which is now inevitable would be avoided.
allowed to follow the latter course the Chinese dealer will make a reduction of 2s. per owt., and, of course, have to pay the junk freight to Hongkong in addition. It is the preferential duty by junk that enables him to do this.
In this pa ular matter the British merchant gains and the British steamer company loses; the Chinese revenue with the conuivance of the Peking officials is defrauded, and we are, hardly be said hoodwinked, but at any rate trified with, and the lesson is useful as showing
it can
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