September 29, 1897.]
that you will give the matter your further con. sideration.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
I am directed by my Committee to thank you and to enclose copy of their letter of 13th instant to the Government on the same subject and copies of enclosures therein referred to. I have the honour to be, sir, your obedient servant.
239
Glenlochy
Thames
Mazagon
James McGregor Thos. Bartlett
"3
13
Diomed
"
"
E. R. Dowell
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E. G. Andrews
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Cam
*
Eva
Peshawur Ningchow
M. R. L. Pritchard C. N. Hansen
**
ALEX. J. GUNN,
Secretary.
F. W. Vibert H. W. Jones
"
"
**
In November, 1895, we had occasion to send an order for several hundred cases of cotton thread to Messrs. Marsland, Son & Co., asking them to use one of our own trade marks. This they refused to do on the ground that their horse shoe label was well known anywhere and they could not send their goods out under a new label. Being assured that the horse shoe
Chamber of Commerce, label was their own undisputed property, we
Singapore, 13th August, 1897. consented to the change and the order was Sir, I have the honour to give cover here- consequently filled. Just after the arrival of with to copy of letter, dated 23rd July, addressed the first lot, a local firm applied to H.E. the by Mr. Ritchie, Acting Agent at this port of Governor for registration of the identical trade the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation mark in their own name, to which application Company, to this Chamber, in which he for- we of course protested through our solicitor, on wards a communication dated 2nd July, 1897, behalf of our friends Messrs. Marsland, Son & signed by the commanders of sixteen steamers Co. After considerable correspondence and legal all of important and well known Companies searches it was conclusively proved that Messrs.engaged in the carrying trade to Europe, Marsland, Son & Co. were the recognised urging that for greater safety to navigation proprietors of the said label, not only in a suitable light should be promptly established England, where it has been registered in on the Eastern end of the Island of Socotra. their name since 1883 and renewed in 1889, but also in Belgium, since 1888, the country where our neighbours received their goods from; so that an infringement was clearly proved. Our neighbours then withdrew their application and finally H. E. the Governor and the Executive Council sanctioned the registration of the "horse shoe " label in the name of Messrs. Marsland, Son & Co.
In fairness to our neighbours we ought to mention that they were not aware of the infringe. ment, the horse shoe label having been offered to them by their Belgium Agents. All these proceedings naturally caused a great deal of an- noyance and expense to Messrs. Marsland, Son and Co., who then applied for the assistance of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, with the result known to you.
Apart from the personal matter our friends in their letter to the Secretary of State touch upon a subject of general interest, and that is, whether registration of trade marks in England is absolutely of no consequence in this colony, and if this be the case, we take it that any one might apply here for registration of well known English trade marks which have not yet been registered here, thus causing consider. able damage to the original proprietors of the said labels in England and exclude them from doing any future business here under their our labels. In common With Messrs. Marsland, Son and Co. we considered this a question of vital im- portance and well worth the attention of your Committee. As far as we can ascertain, the present system of registering trade marks makes no provision for such a case, nor does it seem that there is any legislation on the subject. We should consider it a particular favour if you will cause another letter to be written to Messrs. Marsland, Son and Co., Manchester, set- ting forth your riews on this subject, and whether you consider it advisable to request H.E. the Governor to refer the matter to the legal advisers of the Crown for further consideration.We have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servants.
*
(Signed) H. H. KIRCH & Co.
Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce.
10th September, 1897.
To Messrs. H. H. Kirch & Co.
Dear Sirs,-Acknowledgment of the receipt of your letter of the 20th ult. in reference to the infringement of one of their trade marks, complained of by Messrs. Marsland, Son & Co. was deferred to the monthly meeting of the
Committee held this afternoon.
.
The matter was then considered at some
I am directed to ask that His Excellency the Governor will be pleased to cause the views and appeal set forth in the communication of the shipmasters aforesaid to be laid before the proper authority for giving consideration to same; and I am instructed to add that any scheme of placing light or lights on Socotra which would be reckoned by authorities on the subject to bring greater safety to navigation will not only meet with approval of this Cham ber, but the adoption thereof is urged by it.-. I have, &c.
ALEX. J. GUNN, Secretary. The Honourable C. W. S. Kynnersley, Acting
Colonial Secretary, Singapors.
Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co.,
Singapore, 23rd July, 1897.
The Chairman, Singapore Chamber of Com.
merce, Singapore.
Sir,-At the request of the signatories I have the honour to enclose for your consideration a letter addressed to me nrging that the Chamber of Commerce should represent in the proper quarter the necessity of promptly establishing a powerful light on the Eastern end of the Island of Socotra. - I have &c.,
(Sgd.) FRANE RICHIE,
Acting Agent.
Singapore, 2nd July, 1897. To Frank Ritchie, Esq., Acting Agent, P. &
O. S. N. Coy., Singapore.
|
SHANGHAI GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE,
Minutes of a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce held at the offices of the Chamber, No. 1, Kiukiang Road, on Monday, the 13th of September, at 4 p.m.
Present:-Messrs. E. F. Alford (in the chair), C. J. Dudgeon, F. W. Koch, W. D. Little, E. Shellim, A. Werth, and the Secretary.
The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed.
The New Mail Contract.— The draft of a let- ter addressed to the Postmaster-General, Lon- don, was laid before the meeting, protesting against the proposed alteration, under the new mail contract with the P. & O. Co., of the day of departure of the mail steamer from Shanghai. The letter was approved of by the Committee, and was ordered for publication,
Foochow Machine-made Tea.--A report from Messrs. A. Campbell and J. W. Harding, on samples of machine-made tea forwarded from Foochow, was read, and it was resolved that a copy of same should be sent to the Foochow Tes Improvement Co., Ld.
Likin in the Interior.-A letter from Mr. George Parker, of Kintsikuow, Honan, was read, complaining of the greatly increased squeezes of the likin stations, and it was agreed that Mr. Parker should be asked to state a specific case on which the Chamber could take action.
Discriminatory Duties in the United States. It was decided to enquire of the United States Consul what information he could afford on this. subject.
THE DOUGLAS STEAMSHIP CO.,
LIMITED.
The following is the report for presentation to the shareholders at the fourteenth ordinary gen. eral meeting, to be held at the offices of the Company, on Saturday. 25th September, at
noon :--
The General Managers have now to submit to the shareholders their report on the fourteenth year's working of the Company ended 30th June, 1897. After paying all running expenses, premia of insurance, remuneration to consult ing committee, and auditors' fees, the net profit of the year amounts to $193,540.30, out of which sum an interim dividend of $40,000 was paid in March last, leaving a balance at the credit of profit and loss account on the 30th June, 1897, of 8153,540.30, which it is proposed to ap- propriate as follows:-
Sir, We, the undersigned masters of ocean going steamers are desirous of drawing atten. tion to the great danger to lives and shipping owing to the non-existence of a light at the East end of the Island of Socotra. That its establishment is absolutely and urgently necessary is evidenced by the various wrecks which have occurred there from time to time, and we earnestly trust that this and the recent sad loss of the s.s. Aden with many lives will induce the Board of Trade to undertake this | work without further delay.
Owing to
the thick and rainy weather which prevails during a considerable part of the year, it is often impossible to obtain observa- tions, and even when feasible they are frequently practically valueless on account of the un- certainty of the horizon, especially at night. Every year the already enormous amount of shipping passing the island is increasing while late Amoy agents have now been adjusted; we speed is being accelerated, and even with the
were led to hope that a further amount would be most careful navigation and the longest ex-recovered, but fear there is now no chance perience the absence of this light must always constitute a serious danger.
length, and has the Committee's attention.-I character of the light should be a powerful We would strongly recommend that the dear sirs, your obedient servant,
flash at short intervals visible at a distance of not less than 25 miles.
8m,
R. C. WILCOx, Secretary.
THE DANGEROUS COAST OF SOCOTRA.
Chamber of Commerce, Singapore, 27th August, 1897. R. Chatterton Wilcox, Esq., Secretary, Hong
kong General Chamber of Commerce, Hongkong
Dear Sir,-I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 20th_instant with copy letter of 17th idem addressed by your Chamber to the - President of the Board of Trade on the subject of the dangers to navigation presented by the Coast of Socotra.
We therefore beg that you will forward this letter to the Chairman of the Singapore Chamber of Commerce requesting him to forward it to the proper authorities in London to be dealt with.
R. S. Brown Chas. Jackson G. D. C. Weston J. Miller Wm. Gardner W. C. Lycett Chas. H. Kemp Geo. W. Long
19
Master Steamship Ulysses
Priam Bombay Java
+
39
Titan
Stentor
Moyune
"
#
19
"
Teenkas
To write off $59,643.75 from the book values of the Company's properties on 30th June last (less the amount of the reserve fund) being the equivalent of 8 per cent. thereon, to pay a final dividend of 8 per cent. which will absorb a further $80,000.00, and to transfer the balance of $13,896.55 to the reserve fund.
It will be observed from the accounts that the items in connection with the failure of our
of it.
The materials for the new wharf arrived tinued delay in the completion of the foreshore some time ago, but in consequence of the con-
reclamation, it will be some months yet before. the erection of it can be proceeded with.
-
The fleet has been maintained in its usual state of efficiency and continues to command the confidence of shippers.
In conclusion we may mention that the amounts appearing as freights due and accounts receivable on 30th June, have since
been collected.
CONSULTING COMMITTEE. Since the last meeting Mr. D. R. Sassoon has resigned his seat on the Board and Mr. D. Gub. bay has been invited to fill it. The Committee now consists of the Hon. J. J. Bell-Irving, and Messrs. A. Ross, C. A. Tomes, and D. Gubbay.
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Private notes are available after approval.