May 6, 1899.1
OHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. T
HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER | sent in, suggesting that the northern frontier-praphic Meteorological warnings from the
OF COMMERCE.
At the monthly meeting of the General Com- mittee of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce, held at 2.45 p.m. on Wednesday, the 26th April-present-Messrs. R. M. Gray, (Chairman), A. McConachie (Vice-Chairman), J. J. Bell-Irving, W. Poate, H. A. Ritchie, N. A. Siebs, T. H. Whitehead, and R. C. Wilcox (Secretary),
(MINUTES)
The minutes of the previous meeting (held on ©20th March) were read and confirmed."
ABSENT MEMBER.
A letter from Mr. Haupt to the Secretary, re- gretting his inability, through illness, to attend, was read.
ELECTION OF SUB-COMMITTEES..
should be altered to embrace Shamchun, that the Chinese officials should be removed from Kowloon city, and that the lease should be greatly extended or converted into an absolute cession. A reply was received on the 25th April stating that the views of the Chamber would be represented to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
THE CHINESE CUSTOMS STATIONS AND
THE NEW TERRITORY.
A letter was, on the same date, also addressed to the Government, asking what steps had been taken to secure the removal of the Customs Stations to Chinese Territory.
the Philippines. The members desire to place on record their high appreciation of the very valuable services at all times rendered by the Directors of the Meteorological Department of the Manila Observatory to the mercantile, and shipping community in Hongkong and China, and their hops and expectation that in a very short time full justice will be done the Directors of the Manila Observatory by the acknowledgment of the immense practical value of their labours in the past for the public benefit and in the cause of science, and the re- striction recently placed upon them being speedily removed."
iz
It only remains for me to convey to you and your colleagues the thanks of this Chamber and of the whole commercial community of Hong- kong for the good service rendered to them by the prompt and timely despatch of
To this also a reply had been received on the 25th April, stating that the Customs functions have ceased within the area of the New Territ ory, but the officials had been permitted to On the proposition of the Chairman, seconded occupy the three stations of Capsuimoon, Foto-
4 establish by the Vice-Chairman, the following were chow, and Cheung-chow until accommodation warnings sent by you ever since the storm on their own frontier has been provided, butment of cable communication between Hong. not later than October next, and on condition kong and Manila, and which we cannot doubt that no coercive functions will be performed by much valuable property. I must add, in con- have been the means of saving many lives and them in the waters of the Colony.
clusion, that it is the hope of the Chamber that the supply of this useful information will soon most obedient servant, be resumed. I have the honour to be, sir, your
elected as Arbitration Committee:-Messrs. J. J. Bell-Irving, A. Haupt, W. Poate, N. A. Siebs, and T. H. Whitehead; and the following as members of the Corresponding Committee, Messrs. R. M. Gray, A. McConachie. H. A. Ritchie, and T. Jackson,
ELECTION OF NEW MEMBERS.
The Chairman announced that Mr. W. S. Bailey and the Eastern Extension A. and C. Telegraph Company, Limited, had been elected since the annual meeting. He then proposed the election of Mesars. McGregor Brothers and Gow to membership.
This was seconded by the Vice-Chairman and carried unanimously.
*
THE MANILA OBSERVATORY AND THE STORM WARNINGS.
Read a further letter from the Government, in continuation of previous correspondence, dated 15th April, stating that, consequent on the respresentations made from Hongkong on the above subject, instructions had been issued by the Military Governor of the Philippines to the Director of the Manila Observatory to con- tinue to send storm warnings to Hongkong as formerly.
A letter had been, on the 11th April, ad- dressed to the Rev. Father Algué, Director of the Manila Observatory, in reply to his com munication of the 9th March, enclosing a copy of the resolution passed at the annual meeting of the 5th April condemning Dr. Doberok's at tack on the Directors of the Manila Observatory, and also conveying the thanks of the Chamber to the latter for the good service rendered by them.
It was decided to send these letters for publi- bation in the Press.
OFFICIAL TELEGRAPH CODE VOCABULARY.
Read letter from the Sydney Chamber of Com- merce dated 8th March, enclosing copy of a letter addressed by that body to the Director of the International Telegraph Administration, ́erne, protesting against the proposal to issue a Now “Official Vocabulary" without consecutive uumbering of the words therein, and requesting the co-operation of this Chamber in such pro. test.
After some discussion, it was resolved to ad- dress the International Administration at Berne on the subject, and forward copy of the letter to the Sydney Chamber. THE MERCHANT SHIPPING ('ONSOLIDATION ORDINANCE, 1899.
The Secretary reported that copies of all the correspondence on both these subjects had that day been forwarded to the local Press for pub- lication
MEDICAL INSPECTION AND QUARANTINE.
Since the annual meeting information had been received, through the Government, that medical inspection would be enforced at Yoko- hama, Kobe, and Nagasaki against all vessels arriving from or through Hongkong with cattle, sheep, or their bones, hides, &c., from 4th April; and at Shanghai, from 22nd April, on vessels arriving from Hongkong or Formosa. Copies to the local papers by the Secretary. of the above intimations had been supplied
REGISTRATION OF FOREIGN TRADE MARKS IN JAPAN,
Read letter from a correspondent in Tokyo, offering to assist foreign merchants in making applications for registration of their trade marks in Japan.
R. M. GRAY.
Chairman. The Rev. José Algue, S.J., Directors,
Manila Observatory.
Colonial Secretary's Office,
Hongkong, 15th April, 1899. Sir,-With reference to my letter No. 572 of the 28th ultimo, I am directed to state for the information of the Chamber of Commerce that consequent upon the representation made by this Government on the subject, instructions bave been issued by the Military Governor in Central Manila Observatory to continue to the Philippine Islands to the Director of the send storm warnings as formerly-1 have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant, J. G. T. BUCKLE, 2 p. Colonial Secretary,
Further information on this subject can be obtained by members of the Chamber, if they The Secretary, Chamber of Commerce. desire it, from the Secretary.
RESIGNATION OF MR, BELL-IRVING. Hon. J. J. Bell-Irving-Mr. Chairman, as I shall be leaving the colony in about a week for home, I now beg to tender my resignation as a member of the Committee.
The Chairman-I am sure we are all very sorry to lose Mr. Bell-Irving's services, which have been of much assistance to us, and we wish
him a pleasant passage home and a good time when he gets there. (Applause.)
(Correspondence.)
THE MANILA OBSERVATORY.
Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce,
Hongkong, 11th April, 1899. Sir, I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter (with enclosures) of the 7th ult., in which you inform this Chamber that in consequence of the Director of the Hongkong Observatory having addressed the Weather Bureau of the Government of the United States of America in very unfavourable terms relative to the Manila Observatory, accusing the Directors of sending “sensational typhoon warnings to the newspapers in Hongkong," instructions have been given you to discontinue the despatch of typhoon warnings to any place outside the Philippines.
Your letter was considered at the meeting of the General Committee, held on the 20th ult., when it was resolved to address the Hongkong Government on the subject before taking action, and copies of the letter with the replies received
The Secretary reported that the sub-Com- mittee appointed to consider this Bill had com- pleted their labours, and that all that remained to be done was to address the Government on the subject. On one or two points, however, information was needed, but the Acting At- Lorney General had been unable, through pres are now enclosed. sure of work, to give him an appointment.
THE DISTURBANCES IN THE KOWLOON. HINTERLAND.
It having been decided that, in view of the disturbances in the New Territory, and the apparent necessity for reconsideration of the position (vide Mr. Chamberlain's speech in the House of Commons, reported by Reuter, on the 19th April), it would be advisable to address a despatch to the Government by way of streng thening its hands in any representations going forward; such despatch was, on the 21st April,
At the annual meeting of the Chamber, held on the 5th inst., the Hon. T. H. Whitehead then proposed the following resolution, which was unanimously carried :—
"The members of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce desire to convey to the Rev. Father José Algué, S.J., the expression of their extreme regret and dissatisfaction at the unjustifiable attack made upon the Rev. Direo- tor of the Manila Observatory and his col- leagues by the Director of the Hongkong Observatory, and at the consequent stoppage by the American Government of the Tele:
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OFFICIAL CODE VOCABULARY,
Sydney Chamber of Commerce, The Secretary, Chamber of Commerce, Hong- Sydney, N.S.W., 8th March, 1897.
kong.
Dear Sir, It having come to the knowledge of this Chamber that the International Tele-
graph Authorities contemplate issuing their new "Official Vocabulary "without the words being numbered, my Committee have resolved that a strong protest be entered against any "Vocabulary” in which the words are not con- secutively numbered, and to invite the corpora. tion of other Chambers in sending similar protests to the Director at Berne. It will be readily apparent to your Chamber the e many commercial advantages which a numbered Vocabulary would have for both private and figure code purposes, if the use of the words therein should be made compulsory for cude messages.
Many members of this Chamber are also of opinion that in issuing a new Vocabulary the International Telegraph Authorities should also issue a terminational order of words as a companion work, and I am to invite your views thereon. A complete terminational order of words would be of great assistance in decipher- ing mutilated words. Yours faithfully,
HENRY CHAS. MITCHELL,
Secretary,
Sydney Chamber of Commerce,
Sydney, N.S.W., 8th March, 1899. The Director, International Telegraph Admin-
istration, Berne, Switzerland.
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Sir,-It having recently been brought to the knowledge of this Chamber that it is your inten- tion to issue the proposed new "Official Vocabul- ary' without consecutive numbering of the words therein, I am directed by the Committes to enter this Chamber's strongest protest against the issue of any Vocabulary in which the words are not numbered.
It must be readily apparent to you that an annumbered Vocabulary will be of but little commercial value, ́as compared with a numbered
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