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July 28, 1898.1
now in circulation in India. The hoard. ings of the masses in the Indian Empire would be still farther depreciated and the political consequences must in time become dangerons ; and
Further widen the divergence between the nominal and metallic value of the rupee, and thereby most seriously handicap Indian trade and industries with and in com- petition with silver using countries.
In other words the proposals or the experi- ments, which have been strongly disapproved and widely condemned as impracticable and pernicious, would, if carried out, confer on silver countries a steadily increasing annual bounty or premium, at present upwards of £2,500,000 at the expense of the Indian people, Indian trade, and Indian industries as shown at pages 23 and 24 of the paper The Critical Position of British Trade with Oriental Countries,' read before the Royal Colonial Institute in London on 12th February, 1895. The closing of the Indian mints was a hazardous experiment, yea, a colossal blunder, and is developing grave evils which could not have been fully realised in 1893 by Lord Herschell's Commission but which are in- separable from every artificial system of cur-
rency.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant,
B. CHATTERTON WILCOX,
Secretary.
To Hon. T. Bercombe Smith, Acting Colonial
Becretary.
Colonial Secretary's Office,
Hongkong, 21st June, 1898. Sir,-In reply to your letter of the 17th instant, I am directed to apprise you that the matters to which it relates had already engaged the attention of the Government, which is in communication with the Government of Labuan and with the Consul for France respectively, regarding the transmission of meteorological observations from Labuan, and two of the fol- lowing stations, viz., Touron, Cape Varella, Quinhon, and Cape Padaran.
2-The Director of the Observatory reports that South Cape Lighthouse, Formosa, was destroyed by the Chinese before leaving the Island, that the cable between Tamsui and Foochow has been cut, that all observation of wind, atmospheric pressure, and temperature made in Formosa can reach Hongkong only via Japan, and that such observations may sometimes arrive here too late to be of any service.-I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant.
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8 a.m. and papers, do, at noon the registered samples, ko, were not delivered until 4 p.m.-2
2. The newspapers and other printed matter by the same mail did not reach addressees -until between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m...
3.-In several instances registered letters by the same mail were not delivered until noon of the 6th inst, and even later.
4-Letters received per steamer Sanuki Maru, which arrived late on the night of the 4th, were not delivered until the morning of the 6th inst.
CHINESE: KOWLOON. CITY.
Hongkong, 18th July, 1898. Dear Wilcox, I enclose for the information of the Committee of the Chamber copy of a let- ter addressed by me yesterday to the Chairman of the local branch of the China Association on the subject of the reservation of Chinese Kow- loon City under Chinese rule, as the question indirectly affects the trade of the colony-Yours very truly,
T. H. WHITEHEAD.
R. C. Wilcox, Esq., Secretary, Hongkong
General Chamber of Commerce.
(Enclosure.)
Hongkong, 12th July, 1898. Dear Francis, However incredible, it ap- pears to be true that in terms of the convention signed at Peking on 9th June last leasing to Great Britain certain territories around Hong- kong, the area so leased will be under British R. Chatterton Wilcox, Esq., Secretary, Hong-jurisdiction except the Chinese city of Kowloon
kong General Chamber of Commerce.
T. SERCOMBE SMITH, ' Acting Colonial Secretary.
Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce,
Hongkong, 4th July, 1898.
"Enforced contraction and continuous string- ency in currency can be maintained by legisla- tion at the expense of the trade and industries of a country, but must ultimately entail serious if not disastrous consequences. Adopt conver- tability of the rupee in some form or other at a fixed maximum and minimum rate, but the sup- ply of the currency or the circulating medium at all times should be to equal trade requirements. Exchangeability can alone give fixity of ex-
Sir, I beg to acknowledge receipt of your change and the making of rupees interchange- despatch (No. 1031) of the 21st alt., in which, able with gold at an approximate rate would replying to the Chamber's letter of the 17th - remove all feeling of insecurity and would in- idem, you state that its subject matter has al- spire confidence in the city of London and else-ready engaged the attention of the Government, where. Relief from the monetary stringency, which was then in communication with the La ancertainty, and unsettlement is what is prayed buan Government and the French Consul res- for, not a scheme or experiment which involves pectively regarding the transmission of meteoro- the intensifying of the evils which have existed | logical observations from Labuan and two .during the last two seasons. Is a gold stand-stations on the coast of Annam, but that in con-
ard desirable for India, and is a gold standard and gold money really practicable for the special circumstances of the Indian Empire? The conclusion the Bombay Chamber of Com- merce draws, is that gold can only if at all be introduced into circulation under conditions of the money market which are ruinous to both foreign and internal commerce and can only be retained in circulation so long as those condi- tions are maintained.' The problem is an ex- tremely knotty one, but Holland's monetary ar- rangements with Jaya seem to have worked sat- isfactorily or to have at least served the purpose for which they were intended.
"T. H. WHITEHEAD. "Hongkong, 25th June, 1898.”
(Correspondence.)
STORM WARNINGS,
Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce,
Hongkong, 17th June, 1898. Sir,--The outbreak of hostilities between Spain and the United States having led to a suspension of telegraphic communication be tween this port and Luzon, it is much to be feared that in the coming typhoon season the loss of the usual typhoon warnings telegraphed hither will be sorely felt.
The timely warnings of the approach of bad weather furnished by the Manila Observatory proved of the greatest service here in past summers, affording as they did valuable data for the Kowloon Observatory to work upon, and enabling it to issue notices to the shipping population of coming storms. These notices were of signal value to masters of vessels clear ing for other ports and to the native boat population, who were thereby able to secure shelter before the arrival of stormy weather.
sequence of the destruction of South Cape Lighthouse and the cutting of the cable between Formosa and Foochow, observations from that island could only reach Hongkong via Japan, and too late to be of service.
My Committee learn with much satisfaction that the matter is receiving the careful atten- tion of the Government.-I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant,
R. CHATTERTON WILCOX,
Secretary.
To Hon. T. Sercombe Smith, Acting Colonial
Secretary.
POSTAL ARRANGEMENTS. Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce,
Hongkong, 9th July, 1898. Sir,-This Chamber has received numerous complaints concerning the late delivery of the last inward French mail, with the request that the attention of the Government should be promptly called to the subject.
My Committee regret the necessity of having again to recur to this subject, but are com- the mercantile community with the present pelled to express the extreme dissatisfaction of arrangements and working of the Post Office, and to strongly press upon the Government the absolute necessity of providing an adequate the recurrence of the delays complained of. staff to secure efficient service and to prevent
gestion by the Postmaster-General that the
When my Committee acquiesced in the sug letters by the French mail should be delivered in advance of the heavier mail matter, it was val might on occasions be allowed to intervene. never contemplated that a twelve hours' inter
On a separate folio I beg to hand a statement of some of the instances of delayed delivery to which I have referred above--I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant,
R. CHATTERTON WILCOX,
Secretary.
To Hon. T. Sercombe Smith, Acting Colonial
Secretary.
I am instructed by my Committee to suggest, for the consideration of the Government, in the absence of regular telegraphio communication with Bolinao, that arrangements might be made with the Japanese authorities in Formosa for the supply of weather telegrams from South Cape Lighthouse. The information could hardly, perhaps, be regarded as equivalent to 1.-Although the French Mail arrived the Manila intelligence, but it has long been daylight on the 5th inst. and it was officially considered as a most desirable supplement to it. I announced that letters would be delivered at
(Enclosure.)
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with its insanitary dens, hot-beds of disease, and gambling hells. The said city is a favourite resort for dangerous characters and criminals. This vile spot in the midst of British territory is apparently to remain under Chinese jurisdic- tion. It was impossible to extend the shadow of any credence to the Times report from its Pek ing correspondent to this effect. In fact it was generally disbelieved and thought that some mistake must have arisen in telegraphing from Peking to London. No one could realise that such a serious blunder could have been made and the Colonial Government throughont has maintained secrecy in respect of the terms of the convention. The Chinese city of Kowloon has long been a danger to Hongkong on sani- tary, moral, and every other ground, and if it is true that the said city is to remain under Chin- ese jurisdiction it will be impossible for the British Government to effect the reforms so absolutely necessary. It is simply impossible to believe that the convention in question can per mit such a sink of filth as the Chinese city of Kowloon,[which is within reach of Hongkong in thirty minutes by steam, to continue under | Chinese rule in British territory. It would permit of the setting up of an imperium in imperio. If it should turn out to be really so our representative has been completely worsted. An indignation meeting should be held and resolution passed calling for the requisite. amendment of the convention before it is rati. fied.
The Hongkong Branch of the Navy League telegraphed a protest to the parent League in London yesterday and the China Association- tain public opinion in Hongkong on this grave would do well to take immediate steps to ascer
result to the Home Authorities and the British question, which so immediately affects the colony's future welfare, and communicate the Press. Yours very truly,"
T. H. WHITEHEAD,
J. J. Francis, Esq., Q.C., Chairman, China As-
sociation.
CLEAN BILLS OF HEALTH. Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce,
Hongkong, 14th July, 1898. Sir, I am directed by my Committee to respectfully suggest, for the consideration of His Excellency the Officer Administering the⠀ Government, that, now the plague has practic- ally ceased to exist in this port, olean bills of health should be granted. In the event of His Excellency accepting this suggestion, my Com- mittee trust that the Government will advise the Straita Settlements Government by tele- graph of the fact-I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant,
R. CHARTERTON WILCOX,
Secretary To Hon. T. Sercombe Smith, Acting Colonial
Secretary.
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