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in imagination the lives of those who have gone before us "down the long avenue in whose foot-steps we tread; in whose room we now make merry; whose heirs and inheritors on this once barren rock, for better or worse, we are.
THE CHINA ASSOCIATION.
HONGKONG BRANCH,
The annual meeting of the Hongkong Branch of the China Association was helt at the City Hall on the 25th October. The Hon. Mr. Gershom Stewart (chairman), presided, and there were also present: Mr. M. Stewart (Hon. Secretary), Messrs. A. G. Wood, H. W. Robert son, F. Salinger, G. H. Medhurst, E. Osborne, (committee) E. W. Mitchell, T. Hough. L. P. Cochrane, W. G. Humphreys, H. E. Pollock, K.C., A. R. Lowe, A. J. Raymond, J. C. Peter. W. J. Saunders, E. S. Barrett, A. S. D. Cousland and W. Parlane.
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[October 30, 1905. territorial ambitions in China, can view that Į valuable education, for they would find men of desire with respect and sympathy. But many nations closely competing for the favour for lack of engineering skill and capital of fortune and yet living together in complete China must get foreign aid to construct her harmony and mutual respect, ripening with railways and that is where it appears to us a many of us into firm and enduring friendship. field is open to our energies. We have The brotherhood of mankind may be a Utopian built railways in the North and handed deal, but it is none the less an ideal worthy of bo- them over subsequently to China, 60 our log sought aftor, and to start out designedly with railway record is good as far as it goes.
evil intent and malice aforethought to destroy it, China stroag there would be no fear on
seems nothing short of monstrous iniquity, and ber part. But at the moment China materially merits assuredly the utmost condemástion. is weak, and weakness always produc's nervous- (Applause). I earnestly hope that the accusation ness and irritability. When 'hina was of fermenting mutual distrust and ill-will really strong, 610 to 700 years ago, under will never be lid with justice at the doors Ghengis Khan and Kublai Khan, she of the China Association. (Applause.) welcomed foreigners much more freely than Mr. POLLOCK-Mr. Chairman and Gentle- she did later under the less powerful Mings. men, I have very much pleasure in seconding Under the great Emperor Kiang Hi she the adoption of the report and accounts which was distinctly more liberal to outsiders than have been presented and circulated to members. she is to-day. Historically, therefore, we I think we are all agreed, gentlemen, that our have no reason to dread a reasonably strong committee have worked well for us during the The Chairman's speech was as follows: ---
China The Yellow Peril cry has no fear past eighteen months, and we rejoice to see the As it is usual here to accept as read reports for those who feel that China's natural genius strenuous and energetic steps they have taken which have been in the hands of members for does not lead to conquest and aggression, but in connection with the promotion of the long some days, I propose to follow the prevailing China absolutely weak and lying as a carcase for deferred railway from Kowloon to Canton. custom, and ask you to accept as read the the eagles is a real danger to the peac of the see that in the columns of the public press au report I have now the honour to present to world. The question of uniform currency for impression seems to have got abroad-which, you. As mentioned therein, the period cover-
China has occupied our attention as the appendix as I gather from the correspondence is a ed is one of exceptional interest, for during shows We cannot claim that much progress mistaken one-to the effect that the committee the whole of the time the world has been has been made, but we hope that what has beeu of this Association has been interesting witnessing one of the greatest conflicts ever done up till now will not be entirely useless. it-elf in connection with the recent loan fought, and quite the greatest in regard to the As in all great reforms the real impetus must which has been made to the Wuchang Viceroy. anormous powers of destruction brought to bear
come from within and not from without, and I I see from a perusal of the correspondence by the respective combatants one against the think no influence will be so potent in arriving that that appears to have been a mistake other. Happily it is over, and the loss of life and at this desired end as trunk lines of railways on the part of the press, because, I gather the misery involved, heary as they are, are less by throughout the country. When the travelling that the only references made by our committee far than a contest waged with equal valour would Chinaman finds himself "squeez ·d" in exchange to the question of railways in China have ben have been in ancient days, when fighting hand over every railway ticket a cry for a common with referenca to our connection with this rail- to hand was the accepted principle of warfare. standard will surely go up throughout the land, way, which we hope to see very soon started— Now that Japan has emerged victorious the and the engineer will have conquered where the the railway from Kowloon to Canton. (4
(Ap. position of affairs in China will probably be financier and diplomatist have failed. One can plause). I think, gentlemen, it would be a mis- much improved, in so far as the fear of imagine the Chinese countryman arriving at a take, if I may venture to say so, if an impression partition is to a great extent. removed. station with his fare tied up in a handkerchief got abroid that our committee in Hongkong And it looks as if we are profiting by the which he has carefully cilcalated for about a were, as it were, disbursing their energies too occasion, as witness the new loan by the Hong. month; one can see his disgust and wrath as widely, and I am quite sure they have kong Government to pay the Americans and extra cash, or perhaps even ents, are demanded been doing wisely in concentrating them elves Belgians out of the Cauton-Hankow Railway. at tho ticket offic. What huntings into secret upon this particular railway to run from Kow- In common with
every British subject in pocke's! One can almost hear the interchange loon to Canton. At the same time I quite agree China, we have reason to rejoics at the of iurective which will pass across the ticket with the chairman that it is a subject for very forethought which conceived, and the wisdom window and how the respectability of the great ongratulation that our Government, the which carried out, this bold stroke. Although ancestors of the contending parties would be British Government, has thought fit to take the delays may be tedious, and although we called in question! We can picture the grum- step which they have done in regard to the may suffer often from hope deferred, we have blings of those awaiting their turn and the Hankow Canto a railway. We are very glad to before us an infinitely brighter prospect than we laughter of those who have passed through the see that step taken on the part of our Govern. have had in China ever since the construction ordeal. The victim would appear ridiculous, and ment, and I am sure we should all very cordially of the Siberian Railway which, with its implied ridicule to the Chinaman is infinitely stronger endorse it. (Applause.) With reference to the absorption of the North of China by Russia, than cold argument. His acute sens, of humour subject of uniform coinage for China, I have hung like a thundercloud over the heads of home will push very strongly against love of old read the correspondence in the appendix; that capitalists contemplating investments out here. custom, so I believe ere long one coin would be correspondence is not a very lengthy one, and does (Applause.) That we have maintained our position acceptable throughout the length and breadth of not seem tomto have been carried on very re- as well as we have done is due fargely to the the Celestial Empire, like the Pekingese dialect.cently. I think, if I may venture to say so, that tenacity and energy of individual British traders (Applause). I will now refer to the paragraph at various ports in China, and to the yeman under the beading “China League." "This and service which has been often rendered by the correspondence in appendix B. shows what various Consuls, and to the capacity of our we have done. We regret that there should be Minister at present at Peking. (Applans.) two bodies pursuing the same ends, although by As regards West River steamers, barriers in different meaus. The objects and reasons for our the Canton River and various other items in existence are stated at the back of this report, our report, including the Rights of Neutrals and we contend that these reasons are peaceful during War, the published correspondence and justifiable. We think the best ways of deals with them, and the position we have attaining these objects are those we pursue. taken up will, we trust, be approved of. There are many things we may wish to see put The memorandum by Mr. Kopsch we
right which it would be impossible to advertise mend to your attention as it gives information too largely. At the same time we have no upon a subject which most of us in the South intention of sitting quietly in the pocket of the know little or nothing of, and is about a Foreigu Offic and being thought worthy of country which we hope has abounding pos. commendation because we never give them any sibilities for peaceful development. (Hear hear.) trouble. It is our only excuse for existence that In reference to the Canton-Kowloon railway, we are prepared to push, and push hard when op our report and the correspondence we publish portunity requires it. (Applause). We, I venture shows the line we have steadily followed, and to think, can only be a useful body as long as I will not enlarge further upon it except we maintain an independent and, at the same that I am sure all members of this time, a friendly attitude; and if we further gay Association will gladly assist at the cutting of establish a good record for being at once active the first sod, if there is any ceremony on that and not without discretion, there are times and interesting occasion. (Applause.) If there are occasions when we can be useful to our own delays with the negotiations at Peking officia's as they cau be to us. That we exist lot us at any rate have
as to for the care of British interests in no way doing our own section, which will cer- means that we grudge good fortune to the tainly encourage the others interested to per-energies and abilities of those who may compete severe. As regards the general question of rail- way enterprise in China our letter of July 5, which we partly publish, shows our views as to the advisability of our uniting with our allies in this direction. That there should be on the part of China a firm desire to control her own railways is only natural, and those who, like ourselves, have no
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with us. The press bickerings which at imes come across the world to this colony. must be deplored by all thinking men. It would be a good thing if the pro- prietors of those misguided papers (and we have plenty of them) were to send their editors to one or more of the ports between Singapore and Tientsin for a period. It would be to them a
the attention of the committes would be very well employed in pressing on this subject of uniform coinage for China, because, as the chairman pointed cut, and I quite agree with him, it is a very important question indeed, and a subject for all of us who live out here to make and save money to consider. It is very desirable in our own interests, and in the interests of trade generally, that there should be sɔme uniform and suitable currency established in China, Another point referred to in the report is question of the registration of trade marks. It is rather difficult to discuss a question re which there is no correspondence printed in the appendix. What appears to me a very important point is this: that there would not be very much utility, so far as I can see at preseut, in the establishment of a branch office at Canton unless we are able to secure from the Chinese Government some protection in connection with trad› marks. I don't know that there
the
would be very much utility in establishing a branch office for trade marks at Canton simply for the sake of publishing certain trade marks registered in respect of certain goods, unless we are prepared to go a step further and ask the Chiness Government to help us in preventing the infringement of trade marks, which we often have to complain of in this Colony. There are those in this room, perhaps, who are more competent to discuss this subject-than I am. With these few remarks I most eɔrdially concur with your concluding remarks, Mr. Chairman, and hop, the Association will never develop into a jingo party-which is not I think our proper position-but advocate an open field
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