:
April 8, 1899.
that the Lighthouse at South Cape had been destroyed by the Chinese before leaving Formoss and that the cable between Tamsni and Foochow had been cut. Since that time the cable communication with Manila has been restored, and it is to be hoped the weather telegrams from that port will be continued as promptly and efficiently as under the Spanish Administration,
PROPOSED WESTERN HARBOUR OF REFUGE,
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
last calling attention to the sudden changes in merchants and capitalists who are engaged in the rates of freight homeward made by the business in China, and that it will especially in Shipping Conference and the want of adequate the matter of railway construction secure for notice to exporters, whereby the latter were seriously handicapped, and asking the Com-preferential rights to those which Germany, British enterprise in the Yangtsze region similar mittee to take steps to bring about an improve-France, and Russia have already claimed. They Committee, while sympathising with the ex-surveys for the Burmah-Yangtze Railway, and ment in this state of affairs. In reply, the also congratulated the Indian Government of porters under the circumstances narrated, did hope that the line will be carried through to which was really a matter between shippers and assuring the Liverpool Chamber that the sub- not feel justified in taking up the question, Chungking. A reply was promptly returned ship-owners, but suggested a united representa- ject had received the attention of your Com. tion on the subject by the exporters to the Con- mittee. ference setting forth the inconvenience caused by the lack of sufficient notice of change in arrangements.
THE MISSION OF LORD CHARLES
BERESFORD TO CHINA,
A suggestion having been laid before the Committee in September for the formation of a harbour of refuge for small craft in the western end of the harbour of Hongkong, and the propesal, which was to construct a break- water from Slaughter House Point giving an area of about eighty acres, seeming feasible, and the idea of providing a refuge to leeward very desirable on account of its easy accessibility without towage, a letter was addressed to the Mission to China and his recent visits to this In connection with Lord Charles Beresford's Goevrument recommending the scheme to colony a series of resolutions were passed at a favourable consideration. The Government, in special meeting of the General Committee on reply raised several points, the chief being how the 19th November last, in response to a sug. and from what source the cost of the under- gestion made bw his Lordship, when passing taking could be defrayed, whereupon the Cham-through in September, giving the Chamber's ber responded that the cost of the work should views on the political and commercial situation, come out of the general revenue of the colony, and forwarded to him while up North. The and deprecated any attempt to provide the Committee were especially anxious that the im- funds by the imposition of new taxes on shipping. His Excellency the Governor, who kong and its situation vis-à-vis the provinces of portance to British and foreign trade of Hong- had meanwhile arrived, has since expressed South China should not be lost sight of in the regret that, owing to the heavy expenditure eager attention being given to the Yangtsze such a work would involve, he is unable to re- commend it for the present to the Secretary of trade and influence. They further urged the Valley as the chief field in China of British State for the Colonies.
abolition of inland imposts on foreign goods Native and Foreign Customs, the suppression throughout China, the amalgamation of the of brigandage and disorder in the Two Kwang, and the throwing open to foreign trade of the entire waterways of China. On the 3rd Jan. uary, a public meeting, under the auspices of the Chamber, was held in the City Hall for the and hearing an address from him. purpose of welcoming Lord Charles Beresford meeting, his Lordship gave the results of his At that observations in different parts of China and strongly advocated the policy of the " door," urging as a means towards securing its maintenance the reorganization of the Chinese army, the better to give security in the country and to maintain the Imperial authority. The address was most cordially received and a vote of thanks to the gallant and noble speaker passed with enthusiasm. THE BANK OF CHINA, JAPAN, AND STRAITS (IN LIQ.) v. CERTAIN CHINESE SHAREHOLDERS.
PENNY POSTAGE.
At the end of October the Committee received from the local Government a circular from the Secretary of State for the Colonies covering a report from the Duke of Norfolk on the result of the Conference ou Postage within the British Empire together with a report by the local Postmaster General on the proposal to include this Colony in the scheme and asking for the opinion of the chamber on the proposed changes, Seeing that the changes had already been decided upon, the Committee replied that they considered the matter had practically been removed from the domain of discussion, but they added that if farther opinion were desired they regarded Mr, Thomson's Memorandum as a fair statement of the position of the Colony in this matter,
QUARANTINE.
The recrudesceuce of Plague last spring here and on the mainland was the sigual for a bur- ried imposition of quarantine on vessels arriving from this port, Macao, Canton, Swatow, &c, at the ports in the Straits Settlements and to the Sonth, as well as at Japan, &c. The Chamber and the local Government addressed protests to the Singapore Chamber of Commerce against such action when only sporadic cases of the dis- case were present, deprecating the resort to re- strictive measures before the real necessity was apparent. The Singapore Chamber, in reply, supported the action of their Government. The plague subsequently increased, and this colony was consequently subjected to the loss and incon- venience attending the quarantining of arrivals therefrom during the whole of the summer months,
MEDICAL INSPECTION OF PASSENGERS. A cognate question to the foregoing was the medical inspection of passengers arriving in Hongkong from Canton and Macao, and the great inconvenience caused to the travelling public by the detention of the river steamers for this pur- pose as well as the practical resultlessness of such inspection were pointed out to the Government by the Chamber. A modification was thereupon suggested by the Sanitary Board, to the effect that the inspection should take place after the vessel came alongside the wharf instead of in the quarantine anchorage. To this, however, the Committee were obliged to dissent, since it would involve closing up the ship for some hours and prove even more objectionable than the inspection as previously carried on, and they accordingly urged the discontinuance thereof as being of little real value. It was not, however, until the end of June that the
medical inspection of the steam-boats was dis-
continued.
EXPORTERS AND THE SHIPPING CONFERENCE.
A joint letter from a number of firms eng. aged in the export trade was received in May
open
hai, the Taotai delivered a judgment which In this case, heard in October last at Shang. practically absolves Chinese from all respon- sibility with regard to the unpaid liability on shares subscribed for by them in British joint stock companies. Acting in co-operation with Committee addressed a letter to H. B. M.'s the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce, your Minister at Peking begging that he would use his influence with the Tsung-li Yamêa to obtain a reversal of the Taotai's decision, and that he obligations undertaken by Chinese shareholders would insist upon the legality of enforcing the in foreign stock. A reply was received in January in which Sir Claude Macdonald stated that he was in communication with the Tsung- li Yamen and the Shanghai authorities on the question, and the Committee will be glad to hear that he has succeeded.
THE OPENING OF THE FREE PORT OF KIAOCHOW.
THE FUTURE FISCAL POLICY OF THR PHILIPPINES,
+
An inquiry having been made by the Singa pore Chamber, asking whether, in view of the States of America, this Chamber proposed annexation of the Philippines by the United making any representations in favour of the régime being as far as practicable in the direc fiscal policy for those islands ́under the new tion of Free Trade, communications have been opened with the newly-constituted Manila Chamber of Commerce, and it has been decided to back up the representations in that direction
which the latter intends to address to the Islands has so far prevented action being taken Foreign Office. The unsettled condition of the in Manila on the subject.
SUNDRY CORRESPONDENCE. tern Australian International Mining and Correspondence on the subjects of the Wes- Industrial Exhibition, the Paris Universal Exhi and the Japanese Customs and the Sale of bition of 1900, the Adulteration of Aniseed Oil, Opium Cures in Formosa will be found in Ap-
pendices Q, R, W, & Y,
of which was acquired by Germany under Treaty Kiachow, on the coast of Shantung, the lease with China as a naval and coaling station in March, 1897, was on the 2nd September last opened as a free port. This policy has been adopted, it is understood, in recognition of the liberality which has made so great a success of the free port of Hongkong. The Committee trust that similar prosperity will attend the new free port of the North.
THE CHINA QUESTION AS AFFECTING COMMERCE.
Chamber of Commerce calling special attention A letter has been received from the Liverpool to the resolutions passed at a general meeting of the members after hearing an address by These resolutions trust that the British Govern. Mr. Yerburgh, M.P., on the above subject. will give every possible assistance to British
THE GENERAL COMMITTEE,
The personnel of the Committee has under- goue some changes since its election at the last in May last, as he was leaving the colony, and annual meeting. Mr. G, B. Dodwell resigned Mr. A. McConachie, who had meantime returned, was thereupon invited to rejoin the Committee. In December, the Vice-Chairman (Mr. Herbert Smith), resigned on leaving the colony, and Mr. W. Poate was invited to accept the vacant seat. A letter of thanks was addressed to Mr. N. J. Ede on the eve of his departure for home for the valuable assistance rendered by him during the six years that he served on the Committee. MEMBERS.
During the past year the Chamber has lost three members only, viz., Messrs. M. S. Sassoon Insurance Co., Limited, who have all discon- & Co., Messrs. Harvie & Co, and The On Tai tinued business in the colony. The subjoined confirmation at the annual meeting:-Mr. G. have been admitted to membership subject to P. Lammert, Messrs. Smith, Bell & Co., Mr. Co., Limited, Messrs. Geo. R. Stevens & Co., P. Brewitt, The Shell Transport & Trading and Messrs. Vander Stegen & Co.
FINANCE.
The account for the year ending 3lat Deo- Thurburn, and J. Y. V. Vernon. The balance ember, 1898 have been audited by Messrs. J. at oredit of the Chamber, after transferring $2,840 to deposit account, raising that fund to $7,000 was $1,212.19. Fund from which a payment of $50 as a reward The Pinnacle Rock for discovery of the "Namoa" Rook was paid, has by the addition of interest increased to $3,415.93. Both accounts are in the hands of the Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corpora- tion.
recently in collision, docked at Shanghai on the The steamers Tamsui and Hermes, which were 25th March, the former going to Boyd's Dook, and the latter into Farnham's Old Dock. Both vessels, the N. O. Daily News says, have sustained greater damage than was at first anticipated. The Tamsui has a hole in her side measuring, roughly, 30 ft. by 15 ft., two of her divisions, namely, the main hold and main ballast tank being laid open. In all, 26 of her from the huge rent in her starboard bow in frames will need replacing. The Hermes, apart which a large section of the Tamsui's side is curiously sticking, has, it is feared, her stam vessels will have their repairs executed in about broken. It is reckoned, however, that both ten days.
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