dol
the den
May 4, 1903
EXTER
hid i
ust of hás
|
→
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPOLT. us 44 millions of Shanghai, and two Bouthern
towns tuela. 56 years chow and Wuchow...... Our Amerian cousins zpanded to over 400 usually very smart in basiness matters, but the it is not suggested half-hearted nature of their scheme will be is likely to be kept uy, it is un- fest if one considers for a moment the
have not done much more than Chine, consisting as it does of eighteen pro- cut into the outer
inese trade. The vinces, some of them as large as France and population of Chin
been computed some larger. My plan for running these at about 403 millions, and has probably varied Exhibitions is tha they should be in charge of very little during
5) years,
so the intelligent young men rent ont by the Cham. increase of trade oin ve no connection bers of Commerce to learn a certain amount of with increas
It is undoubtedly Chinese, us was done by the sewing colton trade primarily to horended knowledge on the some four or five years ago. It would be part of the Chinose of what foreigners can easy to find intelligent natives who could act as supply, and secondly to the increased wealth of assistants and look after the Exhibitions while the middle o ́asses of Chinese, which they owo the English superintendents were away travel. to the presence of the "foreign devils" and the ling in the interior under passports, visuing trade they have brought with them. As Mr, other large towns, showing samples and distri Brenan says in his udmirable Report on Tradebuting advertisements in Chinese. I think a at the Treaty Ports of China, published in 1897, good deal of time and money spent by "Treaty privileges benefit the Chinese as well manufacturers sending catalogues of their goods as foreigners. This of itself need not be deemed in English instead of in Chinese Nobody an unsatisfactory result of our wars and diplo takes the trouble to translate them, and there- macy. The development of trade is the first fore they are thrown away into the waste-paper consideration, and if the measures we have basket, and thus a great expenditure of time adopted to this end have had the indirect effect and money is wasted. My great point is that of freeing the native trader from the fetters this sort of enterprise must come from the which beretofore trammeled him and of placing Chambers of Commerce or a combination of him—much against the will doubtless of his own them, being for the benefit of trade in general oficials in a as favourable à position as the more than of any particul r branch. This foreigner,
the
natural advantages which he need not be the case, as the Chinese are very enjoys as a native of the country have, as might conservative and would probably prefer to have been expected, enabled him gradually to obtain any article that took their fancy through supplant his foreign competitor. But so long the old sources well known to them, i.c., the as this result is obtained, not by ourtailing the resident merchants. It cannot be expected treaty rights of our merchants, but rather by that British merchants already established in -extending these rights or their equivalent to the China would give much assistance to any such natives of the country, we must rest content to scheme, as not only might the prospect of any let the business pass into the hands of those who profit to themselves be very remote, but such can do it the most successfully" ́ ́ Further on an Exhibition might in their eyes be an Mr. Bronan says, The British merchant in unwelcome competitor. China appears to be disappearing, but the in- terests of our manufactures remain, and as a market capable of immense extension China may well claim more attention than she at In other words while the present receives. interests of the British traders at present in China must undoubtedly suffer as the position of the native trader improves, on the other hand British trade in general will reap the benefit, The Chinaman is a born trader and the more profit he makes out of it the more he will want He is better off today than he was 50 years ago, and is ready and willing to spend money when he sees something attractive to buy! But while the British merchant in England knows very little for the most part about what the Chinese want, the Chinese know much less about what the foreigner can supply, and as Mr. Brenan rightly says "the unenterprising Chinaman, astute merchant as he is in well known grooves, never thinks of striking out in a new direction" Here then it seems to me might be an opportunity for our Chambers of Commerce to do something that would benefit British trade in general add the manufacturers at home, What is wanted be- tween the two countries is an improved mutual knowledge or each others wants and powers of asupply, and I wouldsuggest that this might be rrived at in two ways One is by a system of Exhibitions. I advocated this plan in the Manchester Guardian some1 three years ago but I'm afraid my suggestion did not receive much attention. That my idea has something in it, however, is evidenced by the fact that the United States now have a Bill before their Senate the object of which is to erect at Shanghai and maintains building to be used permanently a
ibition of American -manufactures and raw terials, and the 1
*pro- position is being
ally
~ support»d. * ́*
My suggestion goes
than this, for if the worth doing all, it is worth doing thoroughly” I suggest that such Exhibitions be at say half-a-dozen of the principal to of China. That would bring the otice of hundreds of would never see them and expense of most insuperable. də marta în China rhibitions and hole of Cheng the North
sit
goods exhibited to the thous
travel belig
|
As regards improvement in official methods, Consuls as a rule know very little about com- mercial ways and requirements, and that they should gain some knowledge and experience in this direction would surely be of great advantage to merchants. There is a constant flow of con- sular officers of all grades coming from China on leave, and I suggest that arrangements should be made for such officers to meet the various Chambers of Commerce and give addresses on the various wants and supplies of the districts they have officiated in. Now it stands to reason that men coming home for a holiday after five years or more of Chinese climate and discomfort should grudge giving up any of their holiday to such a purpose, and certainly would object to being put to any expense in connection with it. I think ther would be no d'floalty in getting the Foreign Office to allow such officers three months' extra leave which would probably be sufficient, and as trade would benent by the plan I suggest that the Consuls while travelling about giving these addresses should be the guests of the various. Chambers of Commerce concerned, who would also be responsible for their travel ling expenses. This would be an inducement to the Consular men and would lead to mutual enlightenment, the Consuls learning much of business ways that would be useful to them, and the merchants learning much about the natives and their wants, of which at present they are mostly ignorant.
*As regards improvement in the matter of Government sopport and assistance, this can only be arrived at by persistent pressure on the part of the Chambers of Commerce and Members of Parliament, the Foreign Office, like the war office and other Government departments, being utterly disinolined to move out of its old established grooves, or to realise the necessity for more vigorous action in these days of fierce competition. ** The German Government for instance supports a German Consul in doing for the Gorman merchants under his jurisdiction many things that a British Consul would not venture to do and a British merchant would not think of asking for. I have heard it argued that Chinese officials have much more respect for England and its Consular Service because their unwillingness to put such forcible pres sure Fon the e Chinese Authorities as other Governments do, b
* but t surely this ma be
|
thod ich and Ge there ca have gained years simply ! nation in and pushing regards the
fashion not long ago British intere
British publie is buo that our influence there the Chinese Government will be alienated to any other assurance that no part of that
many years experience of the and conversations with infuontial Chiness both official and m: roantile, it is my we have not as much influenos the the other Powers who have been their settlements and interesta any assurano s of the Chinese Governm would not be worth the paper written on if pressure were –– bee by any one of these p combination of them. France espe busy pushing her influence by the Catholic priests to whom she official rank, which enables them to necessary, on interviews with tho officials and to not in the capacity agents of the French Governmen every pint of view, this is objectionable it prevails not only in the Yangtze Vall all over China, vigorous action of the part our Government is necessary a counteract this astute and dangero on the part of France. I have sufficient on the point of a much in the ways of our Government, no I trespass longer on your time and pation if my remarks contain any gern develop for the benefit of British merchants and their trade I shall be well satisfied.
ية
not
Mr. KESWICK said they had all listened with great interest to what Mr. Holland them, and it would add greatly to the of the proceedings if any gentleman ao with Chins, or even those not acquain China, would ask questions cono country or any points raised in Mr. Holland's paper.
Mr. LONGFORD said he gave the suggestion that Consuls should receive a better commercial training his most hearty endorsement. · His idea was that the Consul should study and learn methods of business and business ideas which would be of material advantage to him. There was a great failing in the training of consular officers inasmuch as nothing was done to teach them their commercial duties and they had to pick up a knowledge in a haphazard sort of fashion. In the French consular service all persons have to pass great Chambers of Commerce in the and there they acquired great practical business experience whi of immense advantage to them rendered the commercial furnished of greater
anufacturers and me
year at one
that system might ver England, if not at the com Consul's career certainly at home on leave. But all encoura come, from the Chambers of Com Holland had an ested that if & Co utilised their time by studying. Commerce the Forels to grant them extra the Foreign Offion would tion whatever «to Consuls that they while on leave, bu
for the do they woul
more
missed as 89utimental twaddle unworthy of | and notice. The Chinese are far too astute not to If they bus towns see for themselves that our feeble methods are reap com Hankow in Huper, the result of want of backbone, and if any such tral developi
of trade in China
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.