Page
June 1, 1903.]
THE CHINA LEAGUE ANNUAL REPORT.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
Rules and regulations alone, however admira- ble in themselves, will not attract foreigu capital.
We have received from Mr. A. B. Burkhill, to reform her judicial system, and to bring it In Article 13 China expresses a pious wish the Hon. Secretary of the China League, aiuto accord with that of Western nations, and copy of the Annual Report for 1902, from which we take the following:
The time and attention of the Committee of the League, during 1902, were almost ex- clusively devoted to the consideration and
discussion of the various schemes for a new Commercial Treaty with China, telegraphed home by Sir J. Mackay, or submitted as alternatives by the China Association and by Mr. F. Anderson of Shanghai.
The League was in coustaat communication with the Foreign Office and the chambers of commerce more particularly interested in the China trade, using every endeavour to hare the commercial Articles of the Treaty moulded in such a mauber as to secure the maximum advantage to British trade, by the removal of all inland taxations and restrictions, with the minimum countervailing impost by way of commutation.|||
Great Britain agrees to relinquish her extra- state of Chinese laws and their administration. territorial rights when she is satisfied with the This clause has been the subject of much animadversion in China, on the part of traders before Great Britain relinquishes the protection and missionaries alike, but as it is obvious that
trator of the new code must substitute parity for of her subjects in China, the Chinese adminis-
and impartiality for prejudice, the thought corruption in the Courts, justice for oppression, occurs that the consideration of this clause may well be left to the next or a succeeding genera- tion.
As the Committee of the League strenuously posals, dated 13th February, and more particu
opposed Sir James Mackay's first larly the abolition claus contained therein, they feel it due to the members of the League to take notice of certain reflections upon the action of the opponents of those proposals from the peu of the very able Shanghai correspondent of the Times (vide two articles on the Anglo-China
Representatives of the League attended three conferences held at the Foreign. Office for the discussion of the proposed new clauses, and were courteously allowed the opportunity of express-Treaty, December, 1902). ing their views.
His Majesty's Government were good enough to give consideration to the views of the League on several points, more particularly on the question of the allocation of the surtax funds, and the Committee are of the opinion that the results of the work done in 1902 by the League in the interests of British trade with China, on the Treaty question alone, fully justify its formation. They were also much gratified by finding themselves in complete accord on all important subjects with the representatives of the leading Chamber of Commerce.
CORRESPONDENCE.
THE CHINESE THEATRES.
391
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY. PRESS
44
Hongkong, 22nd May.
"
SIR, Scallywag's explanation of the to stamp out plague in India is certainly a reason why the Indian Government has failed logical deduction from his premises: "Princi- the necessity of closing the native theatres." It pally because that Government has failed to see
sacrificed to this terrible scourge. Aud it was follows that a million lives, at least, have been
Board to discover what the Indian Government reserved for
Scallywag and our Sanitary has failed to see!!! We are indeed, extremely fortunate.
#f
零
offer my thanks to "Scallywag" for his very In now dropping this discuss on, I desire to
has been to draw public attention to a measure pro-able co-operation in this matter. My object that is calculated to inflict a hardship on an afflicted class without doing good to any one-a measure that no other city has seen fit to adopt, and the futility of which has been proved here. In my efforts to make this plain to your readers and to the powers that be with whom the decision rests, I must acknowledge I have received most valuable assistance from " Scally. wag. "Yours, etc.,
The following is decribed in the Times as the actual text of the abolition clause: "To abolish throughout the Chinese Empire all interual taxation of whatsoever kind or
description, whether Imperial, provincial, local, | whether native or foreign, whether for import, or municipal, on merchandise and produce export, or for consumption within the Empire; and the Chinese Government engages that all offices and stations, of every kind and descrip- except the Imperial Maritime Customs aud tion for the levying of taxation on me chandise,
land-frontier Custom Houses, shall be perman-
the Times
in complete accord description of this clause as a comprehensive oorrespondent in his and clearly defined reform, as also that it dis- plays a broad and statesmanlike grasp of the question on the part of its proposer, but wish to place on record the fact that the above clause was not the abolition clause contained in the
Article VIII of the Trea y (the most import-ently abolished." ant article) has the unreserved and entire The Committee are approval of the Committee. They are of opin-with ion that the one and only thing needful to make this article a boon to commerce and to traders in China is the strict fulfilment by China of her new obligations. The article was originated by commercial men on the Commission in Shanghai, it has been shaped and moulded by commercial men on this side, and it bears those facts clearly impressed on every clause. It remains for His Majesty's Government to secure the fulfilment of its stipulations when it is embodied in the new Treaty.
The new Treaty (which is known as the Treaty of Shanghai) is to be ratified as far as Articles 1 to 7 and 9 to 16 are concerned within twelve months of 5th September, 1902. Article 8 does not come into force until all the Powers entitled to most favoured nation treatment in China enter into the same engagements as Great Britain with regard to payment of sar- taxes, etc.
L
currency.
Apart from Article 8 the Treaty contains clauses of great otential value, notably No. 2, dealing with a proposed national No. 3, Equalisation of duties on goods carried by junks and steamers to and from Hongkong and treaty ports in the Canton provinces. No. 4, Liability of Chinese shareholders in British Joint Sto Companies. No.. 7. Protection of British trade marks in Chiua. It is hardly possible, for instance, to exaggerate the value to traders in China of the introduction of a national coinage, which shall be legal tender throughout the Empire." Under existing conditions the unhappy trader has to contend not only with the coinage of six provincial mints, but also with taels and copper cash varying in weight and fineness in every province,
Whether the central Government has the will and the power to impose this reform upon the country remains to be seen. It will be stresnously opposed by the horde of bankers, shroffs, and underlings who make their profit or their living out of the exchanges between one trade centre or one provinos and another.
Article 9 provides for the re-casting of the Mining Rules at present in force in China,
The majority of people interested in min- ing development in China would probably agree that less ignorant and wilful obstruction to all mining enterprise on the part of the central and provincial Governments is more desirable than new rules and regulations.
telegraphic précis of Sir J. Mackay's scheme. dated February 13th, 1962, considered at a conference at the Foreign Office on April 17th, and opposed by the League,
matter of the rights of the Peking Syndicate The hina League has put forward the
under their concession from the Chinese Government, and endeavoured to secure for the Syndicate the active assistance of His Majesty's Government.
Foreign Office is now pr shou,
The corianonder with the
WRECK, OF THE S.S. “FOOMOON.”
The N.-C. Daily News gives the following particulars of the wreck of the Foomoon:-- The 8.8. Foomoon, whilst on a voyage from Chefeo to Amoy, struck a rock on the north side of the Fisherman Group at 10 p.m. on the 12th ult. It appears that it was raining at the time and as the ship neared the island she was caught by a strong current and carried on to a rock. Captain Janneke and the crew remained on board all the night, but in the early hours of the morning left the vessel, which was sinking rapidly. The boats stood by her until she went down, which was about 7 a.m. on the 13th, and then made for the nearest land, whence they were ultimately rescued and brought up here by the steamer Lyeemoon. The Lyeemoon brought up 6 Europeau officers and 37 Chinese, known to have landed on one of the islands near while 6 Chiuese, the remainder of the crew, are
the rock on which the Foomoon struck. The steamer is lying in deep water.
The Foomoon is a well-known coasting vessel of 1,175.10 gross registered tonnage, 874.84 tons net. She is better known as the Picciola, her name having recently been changed to Foomoon. Her present owners are
the Hanseatische Dampfer Compagnie, of Hamburg, at which town she was built in 1881. For some years she was owned by Messrs. Siemssen and Co. It is believed that the steamer was insured for
her full value.
14
'COMMON SENSE.” DP.] ·
[This correspon1euce is now closed.-ED.
KWANGS! FAMINE FUND.
The Hon. Treasurers acknowledge with (hanks the following subscriptions:
Amount previously acknowledged $22,739.52 lobt. Mitchell
Geo. T. Veitch
Hon. J. M. Atkinson
W. W. Pearse
***
Hon. W. Chatham W. R. L. & Co. E. Pabaney Arrantoon V. Apcar & Co. Staff of Masters, Queen's College Scholars, Qu'en's College Chan Long Hin
***
Rhe ish Mission, Tungkup, Chris-
tian Chinese
Chu Yau Lan... Him Yuen
Yi Wo Loong
Yee Shun Hong
25
50
30
25
25
150
***
400
100
106,20
643 80
25
10
100
100
10
Kwong Furg Wo...
100
100
**
Lai Hiog
100
Yee Shun Co....
100
Sun Hing
100
Kai Hing
ΤΟ
Yee Yueu
100
Tung Shang Wo
100
Hau Fung Hong
100
Man Sang
100
Kung Yuen
100
Kweng Yueu Hing
100
Kwan Wo Loong
100
Kung Tai Hong
100
100
100
100
100
100
103
100
100
Total $26,829 52
Ho Chak Sang Chow Bing Ki Wong Lai Chuen Sam Yee Co. ...
Wong Cheung Wa Sam Wang Co See Wo Tak Cheung
A plucky attempt to save life occurred in the roads at Singapore on the 12th ult. One of the Japanese sailors on the Nippon Yusen Kaisha steamer. Kinshiu (Maru fell overboard accidentally and Mr. Salter, the chief officer, dived in after him, and though managing to get hold of the man he was unable to keep him above water. In consequence of his struggles Mr. Balter had to release his hold and the man sank to rise no more. He attempted to dive several times to try to find him, and though several boats were soon on the spot no further
trace of the unfortunate seaman could be found.
It is a pity that such a gallant attempt was not successful; but none the less is it worthy of netice and praise.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.