January 25, 1904.]
to
able to shake himself free from the tram- mels of local self-interest. Hence it is that the residents in Hongkong, although it is a free port, and practically much less affected than the Mother Country by fiscal changes, are able to come to a more rapid decision on the question that is now absorbing public interest in the British Isles. It is not wonderful, therefore, that they should have long since ceased
make a fetish of free-trade, should have come to recognise that free-trade exists only in the imagination of the professed disciples of COBDEN, and to be painfully cognisant of the fact that by clinging to this shadow they are in danger of losing the substance. The gradual decay and, in many cases, the total loss of many British industries is but too apparent to us here, though the people of Little Pedlington, who have been slumbering for the past half-century, may not be aware of the fact.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
55
up." It is not intended either by the great | annually recurrent water-famines. It was British statesman that we should run a tilt | recognised, of course, that at least two or against the fiscal systems of the world, but three years must elapse before the Colony that we should merely, and instead of making would be enabled to enjoy the blessings of one-sided commercial conventions, negotiate an enhanced and sufficient supply, but reciprocal commercial treaties. What Mr. public clamour was hushed, for the com- CHAMBERLAIN wants, and Mr. BALFOUR munity were satisfied that the Government, wants no less, is that in future, when after many years of deferred activity, should making commercial treaties, we should have at length shown that it had deter- have something to bargain with.
mined to face the situation squarely and reotify a state of matters which had been dis- creditable to the good name of Hongkong. Now it appears that the trial works that have been carried out, show that it is questionable whether or no the site on the low level of Tytamtuk Valley which appeared so admirably adapted for the construction of a dam of moderate dimensions and having a large impounding capacity will be the most favourable, and with a view to arriving at a proper conclusion it has been found advisable to carry out works of a similar kind on other sites. On two sites farther inland than that originally proposed such works have already been undertaken, and it is probable that one of these will be ultimately fixed upon from economical as well as from constructional considerations; for owing to the configuration of the country the low-level reservoir would require
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tremendously deep damming-wall as com pared with one at a higher altitude, and would take much longer to build. Even when the site is definitely fixed upon, no hope can be held out that the community will derive any benefit from the new reservoir till the end of 1906, at soonest.
As for Hongkong. This is a free port, and we trust it will always remain so, and that our foreign friends will for ever retain the right to come as freely as they do now and trade and reside here with privileges unabridged. But we also hope that the British Government will be placed in such a position as to be able to persuade other Governments to grant to British merchants and British ships the same advantages as have been 80 ungrudgingly accorded to foreign merchants and foreign vessels. At Nor are the British community in this present, even here in this British Colony, Colony so callow as to be gulled with British shipping is, through the subsidies such consolations #8 those recently paid to foreign ships by their Governments, current nt home; e.g.,—when
the positively handicapped in what ought to be Glasgow sugar trade was destroyed by ra fair competition. Thus, on the coast and bounty-fed beet sugar from the Con- on the Canton river, foreign vessels enjoying tinent, the citizens were reminded that heavy subsidies compete with colonial though sugar had gone "jam and pickles steamers which have to depend solely on remained." Curiously enough, the same their own earnings for the profit on capital fatuous argument is now being revived embarked. This is surely not as it should apropos of the decay of the iron and steel be. Neither is it just or fair that the trades. The cheap German iron dumped arefined sugars of Hongkong should be into South Wales has, it si said, caused a kept out of the markets of Indo-China revival in the tin-plate industry. As the and Japan by prohibitive tariffs, while chairman of one of there works has British markets are open to the pro- pointed out in the Times, this is very ducts of those countries. Of course
So, with the view of curtailing this waterless poor consolation at the best;, and the profits our neighbours are free to do as they hiatus, the Hon. W. CHATHAM, the Director made are very slender, while the loss to like; they can raise or lower their of Public Works, brought forward a scheine the iron industry is at least ten-fold greater tariff wall at pleasure; but it is surely the that only requires to be examined to be than the gain to the tin-plate industry. The acme of folly to shrink from an endeavour commended. Mr. CHATHAM says, in effect, Ebbw Vale Mill, which had been working to make them see reason from dread of that owing to the prolonged period to be for one hundred years and jemployed 750 retaliation. "Free.traders are obviously occupied in the completion of the whole men, was closed at the end of November last frightened by this word. There is nothing scheme it is desirable that some works to in consequence of the dumpng of foreign to be alarmed at in it, however; it only meet present requirements should be under- materiafat a price considerably less than it means that the British trader has at last taken at once. Accordingly he proposed to can be produced in South Wales. Mr. fully aroused, and that he does not intend in construct a damn higher up the valley on a BRAILSFORD, the manager of these works, future to give everything for nothing. site already suggested as an alternative site speaking at Ebbw Vale on the 3rd ult., said He wants a quid pro quo for what he in the Tytamtuk Scheme by the Hon. that the cost of production in Germany and concedes, and he will get it. Foreign FRANCIS A. COOPER, Director of Public England was practically the same. The Governments are not so foolish or so un-Works, in 1896. The present proposal difference in price was simply that, with a reasonable as to quarrell with us because we contemplates au amplification of Mr. high tariff protecting their own industries, at length have come to see that our fiscal COOPER's plan, so that the capacity of this the Germans could well afford to sell their methods are antiquated, absurd, and one-
dam will be one hundred and ninety-four products at less than cost price. The so- sided, and they will respect us the more
million gallons in place of one hundred called free-traders urge that if the Germans when we ask for reciprocity in commerce. millions, a quantity which the pumping are so foolish as to sell surplus goods in We do not fear competition, we have invited engines now on order will be capable of England below the cost of production, con- it, and we shall not go back on our ancient dealing with and lifting to the Tytam level. sumers should thankfully accept them and policy; but we do want that competition to Writing in October last, Mr. CHATHAM sonsider themselves the gainers. Such short-be on even terms. It is because such has estimated that there was available for tiding cighted policy is almost incredible, and is ceased to be the case, and that Mr. CHAM-
over the dry season one hundred and perhaps really due to the exigencies of BERLAIN has timely recognised the fact, eighty-five days' supply. The new reservoir party government, which too often leads, that we feel bound to rally to his standard, will bring that figure up to two hundred and unscrupulous politicians to make use of as we hope Britons will do throughout the thirty-three days supply. any arguments which may seem to appeal length and breadth of the Empire, and wish to the selfishness of the masses. Thus, a
him success in the arduous task of bringing favourite point raised by them is that a slow-moving nation to recognise that its fiscal reform in the direction of retaliation fiscal policy must change with changing might cause an increase in the cost circumstances. of food. It has been clearly shown
"
WORKS SCHEME.
(Daily Press, 21st January.)
that a small tax on corn would hardly be THE NEW HONGKONG WATER- felt. But even if the cost of bread really were increased it would surely be better to have a slightly smaller loaf than no bread at all. The dread of retaliation An important departure in the carrying out by foreign nations if we veutured to of the Tytamtuk waterworks scheme has impose a tax on certain products or just been made public through the medium to legislate against subsidies to shipping or of a paper laid before the Legislative Coun- bounties to industries to prevent unfair cil at its meeting on Tuesday. When after competition with our own vessels or manu- the severe drought of two years ago it was factures is also a favourite bogey with finally decided to undertake the construction "free-traders." They forget that Great of a low-level pumping reservoir at Tytan- Britain is not the attacking party. She is tuk that would practically double the pre- the attacked. Hitherto she has met all sent water-supply of the island, it was felt attacks “lying down"; Mr. CHAMBERLAIN that at last we were to be put beyond the proposes she should meet them “standing | dangers and annoyances attendant upon our
A
Of this new dam the natural drainage area amounts to four hundred and seventy acres, of which two hundred and ten acres lie about the Tytam West catchwater supply. ing Tytam Reservoir, whilst the drainage of a large area situated entirely outside the present Tytam drainage area can be inter cepted by catchwaters constructed along the southern slopes of the hills along the head of the valley. It will be seen therefore that the proposal can boast of numerous advan- tages. Mr. CHATHAM enumerates them thus:
(1.) The site is a very favourable one for the construction of a dam,
(2.) It can be undertaken at once. (8.) It will not interfere with any exist ing or proposed works.
(4.) The base of the dam being 112 feet above Ordnance Datum, it will not be over- lapped by the construction of the larger dam to be undertaken hereafter and will
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