June 30, 1900.]
The Officer Administering the Government recommended the Council to vote a sum of $1,800 to cover the cost of increases of salaries of Messrs. Chapman, (Assessor of Rates), Dixon (Government Marine Surveyor), and Macdonald | (Assistant Government Marine Surveyor) dur- ing the current year.
The vote was passed. The Officer Administering the Government recommended the Council to vote a sum of $7,000 aid of the vote "Maintenance of Waterworks, City and Hill District."
The vote was passed
in
The Officer Administering the Government recommended the Council to vote a sum of $650 for the Salary of an additional Clerk at the Shanghai Branch Post Office.
The vote was passed. This was all the business.
HONGKONG GENERAL CHAM-
BER OF COMMERCE.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
A special meeting of committee was held on the 16th May for consideration of the question, at which it was unanimously decided to reply that in their opinion it was undesirable to create such a monopoly, and on the 19th idem a letter was addressed to the Government to that effect, setting out the reasons for such decision, and suggesting that, instead, the boats now engaged in collecting ashes should be licensed.
The Secretary said that no rejoinder had been received to this communication, but he had rea- son to believe that the Government were con◄ sidering the Chamber's counter-proposal.
AMOY AND THE FORMOSA TEA TRADE.
Read letter from British Legation, Tokyo, dated 8th May, acknowledging receipt of Cham- ber's letter of 28th April addressed to Sir E. Satow, and informing Chamber, in reply, that the question of the discriminating duties levied on Formosan teas is still under discussion be- tween H. M's Government and that of Japan.
Also read letter from Amoy Chamber of Com- merce, acknowledging receipt of Chamber's of 7th May and enclosing copies of des- patch received from Sir Ernest Satow and of reply to same.
At the Monthly Meeting of the General Com-letter mittee of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce, held at 11 a.m. on the 21st June, there were present Hon. R. M. Gray (Chairman), Messrs. H. M. Bevis, A. Haupt, A. M. Marshall, R. L. Richardson, C. S. Sharp. N. A. Siebs, Hon. J. Thurburn, ex officio, and R. C. Wilcox (Secretary).
MINUTES.
The Minutes of the previous Monthly Meeting; held 7th May, and of the Special Meeting held
on the 16th idem were read and confirmed.
THE COMMITTEE.
A letter had been received on the 15th June from the Hon. Herbert Smith resigning his seat on the Committee and also his appointment as member of the Legislative Council.
THE CHAMBER'S REPRESENTATIVE ON THE
COUNCIL.
In consequence of the receipt of a letter from the Acting Governor informing the Chamber that there was again a temporary vacancy on the Council, and inviting the Chamber to select a candidate to fill the same, a special general meeting of the members was summoned for the 18th June, at which Mr. John Thurburn was nominated, defeating Mr. Francis, Q.C., by 52
votes to 28.
Read letter from Acting Colonial Secretary, dated 19th June, acknowledging receipt of Chamber's letter of the 18th idem informing the Governor of selection made, and stat- ing that His Excellency had been pleased to appoint Mr. Thurburn provisionally, and subject to Her Majesty's pleasure, to be an unofficial member of the Legislative Coun- cil, during the absence on leave of the Hon.
T. H. Whitehead
The Chairman said they were pleased to wel- come Mr. Thurburn to that table as their re-
presentative on the Legislative Council. (Ap- plause.)
FOURTH CONGRESS OF CHAMBERS OF COM! MERCE OF THE EMPIRE.
The Secretary reported that a letter, dated 8th May, had been received from the London Chamber of Commerce, forwarding a copy of the official programme.
Read letter from Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, dated 3rd May, transmitting copy of resolutions to be moved by its representative at the forthcoming congress.
JAPAN 80-CALLED SAFETY AMTCHES.
The Secretary stated that letters in reply to the Chamber's letters of the 21st April, drawing the attention of various Chambers of Commerce in Japan to the importance of manufacturers in that country taking steps to prevent their matches being classed as dangerous goods, had been received-On the 14th May from the Yo- kohama Foreign Chamber and the Hiogo and Osaka Chamber of Commerce, and on the 23rd idem from the Kobe Chamber (Native), stating that steps would be taken to make the manufac turers acquainted with the circumstances. PROPOSED MONOPOLY FOR THE COLLECTION OF ASHES.
A letter having been received from the Go- vernment, under date 5th May, stating that a tender had been submitted for the sole privilege of collecting ashes from steam reccels within the harbour limits and requesting the Chamber's opinion upon the desirability or otherwise of creating such a monopoly.
The Chairman said they could now only wait the result of the negotiations between Sir Ernest Satow and the Japanese Govern
ment.
THE NAVIGATION OF WEST RIVER AT LAKLAO.
|
June from the Government transmitting trans- A letter having been received on the 6th lation of a portion of a report contained in a despatch from the Viceroy Li Hung-chang, dated 14th April, together with a copy of a letter relating thereto from Vice-Admiral influence with masters of British steamers and Seymour, and asking the Chamber to use its
launches to induce them to slow down when approaching or passing Laklao, letters were addressed to this effect to the Hongkong, Canton and Macao Steamboat Co., the China Navigation Co., the Indo-China S.N. Co., and Messrs. Bauker & Co. Replies had been received from the Secretary Hongkong, Canton and Macao Steamboat Co. and from Messrs. Bauker & Co. on the 8th June, and from Messrs. Butterfield and Swire on the 9th idem stating that the request would be made known to the masters of steamers engaged in river navigation. A fur- ther letter from Mr. Arnold was received on the 13th June, in which he stated that Captain Lossius, of the steamer Loongkiang, the only one of the company's steamers which passes Laklao, denied ever having steamed through waters at full speed, and aver- the narrow
was only done by Chinese red that this steam-launches, who did so frequently, and had
collisions with native craft.
PROJECTED CHANGES IN THE FRENCH CUSTOMS TARIFF.
May, transmitting copy of a circular despatch A despatch from the Government, dated 22nd
from the Secretary of State for the Colonies covering correspondence regarding changes in the French Customs Tariff, and inquiring if the Chamber desired to make any remarks on The com- the subject, was then considered. mittee did not think many articles of importance were affected, and, as they did not imagine any thing they could say would have any appreciable effect, they did not propose to criticise the sug- gested changes.
THE IMPORT OF INDIAN TEA INTO HONGKONG,
It was decided to reply to the effect that the Committee regretted their inability to supply the statistics required, owing to this being a free portand there being no register of imports and exports.
443
and trasit dues, on the understanding that no fur ther charges whatever should be madeon Importa but, considering that the Tientsin Treaty 1858, Art. XXVIII. contains the words, “shall exempt the goods from all further Inland charges whatsover," and that this clause ha been simply ignored hitherto, the question ar ses as to what possible guarantee the Chinese Govern- ment could give that would have any value at all? Sir Claude Macdonald had assured him (the Chairman) that not only would the Chambers of Commerce of Hongkong and Shanghai be consulted before any action was taken, but also those of London, Manchester, and Liverpool. In the meanwhile the turn affairs had since taken at Peking would certainly shelve the matter for the time being.
The Committee thoroughly concurred in this opinion.
This was all the business.
The following is the correspondence laid be- fore the meeting:-
AMOY AND THE FORMOSA TEA TRADE.
SIB,
British Legation,
Tokyo, 8th May, 1900.
I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 28th ult., addressed to Sir Ernest Satow, in further reference to the question of the discriminating export duties charged in Formosa on teas exported via Chinese ports and Hongkong.
question is still under discussion between Her In reply I beg leave to inform you that the Majesty's Government and the Government of Japan, and that before his departure on leave of absence, Sir Ernest Satow addressed a fur- for Foreign Affairs on the subject, to which ther communication to the Japanese Minister
there has not yet been time to receive a reply.
I may add that Sir Ernest Satow informed the Chairman of the Amoy Chamber of Com merce in this sense on the 18th ultimo.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
The CHAIRMAN,
SIR,
Your obedient servant,
J. B. WHITEHEAD.
Hongkong Chamber of Commerce.
Amoy General Chamber of Commerce,
Amoy, 4th June, 1900.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your esteemed letter of 7th ult., enclosing copy of a despatch addressed by your Chamber to H. B. M.. Minister in Tokyo, in connection with tes duties in Formosa, and the Chamber begs to thank you for the support you have given it in its representations on this subject.
I now beg to hand you herewith a copy of a despatch received by this Chamber from H. E. reply to the same. Sir Ernest Satow, and a copy of the Chamber's
I am, sir,
Yours faithfully.
J. P. WINGATE,
Secretary.
R. CHATTERTON WILCOX, ESQ.,
Secretary, Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce.
[Enclosures.] British Legation,
SIR,
Tokyo, 18th April, 1900.
Read letter from the Secretary, Indian Tes
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your let- Association, Calcutta, asking to be supplied with figures showing the quantity of tea imter of 5th inst with reference to the export ported here from Calcutta, the proportion tran- duties on tea shipped from Formosa, and to shipped to United States and elsewhere, and state to you, in reply, that the question is still under discussion between Her Majesty's Go that consumed in the Colony.
vernment and that of Japan, and that I ain unable to give you any more definite answer at the present moment. I should be glad to know whether, in the applications to the Tamsui Cus toms for export permits for Formosa tea, it is THE QUESTION OF CHINESE TARIFF described as being shipped to Amoy simply, or
REVISION.
to Great Britain or a British colony, as the case The Chairman then informed the Commit may be, via Amoy. I would suggest that, if tee that during his recent visit to Peking he the latter wording were adopted, the fact of had had the privilege of discussing various mat- differential treatment would be more apparent. ters with the British Minister, chief of which You will of course understand that it is only on was the question of the Revision of the Tariff. behalf of tea, the ultimate destination of
is Great Britain, the Crown Colonies, or such It appears that the proposal put forward on behalf of the Chinese Government was virtual- of the Colonies enumerated in Article XIX, of ly to about quadruple the present tariff for duty ❘ the Treaty of 1894 as have adhered thereto, that
•
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.