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852
of $388,50 for damages sustained by reason of the defendant's failure to take delivery of and pay for 1,500 lbs of Chinese types made by the plaintifs to the defendants' order.
Mr. A. Holborow (of Messrs. Deacon, Looker and Deacon) appeared for the plaintiffs, and Mr. C. E. H. Beavis (of Messrs. Wilkinson and Grist) represented the defendants.
Mr. Holborow stated that the plaintiffs supplied the type on the order of the defendants, who refused to take delivery when requested to do 80. His clients sold the goods by auction, and credited the defendants with the amount realised.
Ng Ting Pan, chief accountant of the plain- tiff company, said that on the 13th April of this year a foki from the defendant firm called on him and ordered the type, for which a written order was given. His firm manufactured the type, and when it was made the defendant firm was informed of the fact. They did not, however, take delivery. At the end of the month he sent his shroff with the bill for the typer Some days afterwards a foki of the defendant firm called on witness and said the type was for the Swatow Daily. Witness said he knew not thing about the Swalow Daily; his order was from the defendant firm. In all he sent four
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
BOYCOTT CONFERENCE AT CANTON,
(FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.)
The conference of Chinese and American business men, ou the boycott, opened on the 15th. There were present: Mr. D. H. Cameron (chairman). Messrs. C. E. Richardson, John Bolles, A. Harriman, E. C. Gillou, W. S. Allen, Horuby, and Dr. Shelby, Mr. Poon King nam (chairman) and over a hundred Chinese merchants. Late arrivals were unable to get in, so crowded was the Hall.
Mr. Cameron, opening, hoped they would be able to reach an amicable settlemnt, as the boycott was hurting both sides, who had hitherto been friends.
Mr. Ho Wai-tong agreed that commerce on both sides had suffered, and it was in the hope of some compromise that he had promoted this conference.
Mr. C. E. Richardson voiced the American side in the following eloquent outpouring:- Gentlemen, we meet, I trust, with a duo appreciation of the responsibilities befor us. As we come in a spirit of earnest friendship, there is no occasion for strife between us. How sad is the picture of discordant conditions that could be remedied by the knowledge of the true fellowship of man. To bring our work to a harmonious conclusion we must first recoguize the existence of law; not only of material law, but of the inherent law of individual rights with which the Creator of all has endowed His human creation. By such recognition we will bear in our proceeding a message of justice, peace, and good will to all people. We will command the attention and respect of those who abide under these laws, and, gentlemen, always appeal for justice to those who love the right for the sake of right. What beliefs of injustice have brought the Chinese people to this intense feeling, as expressed by the boycott, against the American people it is the purpose of this conference to inquiro. Here, surely, it is in order to say that America has been China's greatest friend of recent years. To-day, likely, this section, instead of being a part of China, would be controlled by some foreign Power. These facts are not known, GASCOIGNE CUP COMPETITION, and it is surely a duty of the Chinese to acknow-
bills, but the amount was not paid. It was subsequently agreed by the defendant firm that they should pay the plaintiffs $150 com pensation and allow them to retain the goods. Witness gave them ten days in which to come to this arrangement. When this time had elapsed and the shroff of the plaintiff firm went to collect the money from the defendants he returned and said they r fused to-pay. The amount was not paid so witness instructed the auctioneer to sell the type which realised $165.
Cross-examined, witness said he was a man of business, and the plaintiff company was zuccessful under his ma agement. All proper contracts did not necessarily have the dates on them, but the price was always inserted. The order before the court was not a proper contract. The one in which the Kwai Mow agreed to purchase the type in question was only verbal.
After hearing further evidence his Lordship gave judgment for the defendants with costs.
The annual competition for the Gascoigne Cup Garrison Rifle Championship took place at the Stonecutters' range on the 16th Nov. The weather was all that could be desired, both for the competitors and spectators, and the shooting was good. Amongst the number present were H.E. Major General Villiers Hatton, Colonel Darling, Captain Fitz-Williams (Hou. Secretary), Captain Pesare and Lt. Case-Morris, of the Royal West Kents.
The shooting was at the two, five, six and eight hundred yards ranges, seven shots at each range; and Captain S. Northcote, of the Hongkong Volunteers indly officiated as chief umpire.
The first prize, which embodied the cup. a jewel and $5, was won by Sergeant Kerean, R.W.K., whose total score amounted to 113 points. Q.M.S. Wood of the same regiment was a close runner up, his score being 11. He was awarded the second prize of 810, Q.M.S. McSweeney, of the Royal Engineers, who took the third prize of $5, was also close on the winner, his score being 110,
The totals scored by the competitors were as
• follow :-
Sgt. Kerean, R.W K.
...113
Q.M.8. Wood, R.W.K....
..112
Q.M.S. McSweeney, R.E.
Armourer Sgt. Simons, K.W.K.
110 .108
Corp. Moore, R. E.
...104
Corp. Fennant, R.E..
...102
Corp. Stevens, K.W.K.
...102
Major Kelsall, R.G.A.
96
Sgt. Hewett, A.S.C.
94
Sgt. Blogg, A.S.C.
92
Master Gunner Torr, R.G.A.
91
Corp. Henwood, R.E.
90
C. 8. M. Wilford, R.G.A.
87
Sgt. Heath, R.G.A.
75
Sgt. McSwire, A.S.C.
71
Corp Williams, A.S.C.
67
The prizes were presented by Mrs. Hatton.
ledge same. Even though you Chinese should fail to secure a single relief from America, you have gained a priceless victory, You found yourselves, at the boycott's inception, dis- organized and incoherent. To-day you are cohesive and organized. It was not entirely the sense of injustices received, that has enabled you to perform this marvel, but it was in a far greater measure the underlying force of a desire of national unity and liberty. A laudable desire to have a hand in the guiding of your own destiny. A desire to exercise those unalienable rights which make a man know that he is the equal of every other man. As Americans, the blood surges more quickly through our veins when we see and know a people are seeking and striving for those rights for which our forefathers fought and died. The expression of the method, by different peoples, to reach this glorious result, may be various, It is not our duty to judge these methods. The acceptance by a majority of the people concerned, of the results, is all we are concerned with Therefore when the Chinese people deeply feel that Fung Ha Wei died for a principle, or so he might bring to the notice of his countrymen their rights, it is the duty of all fair-minded men to recognize this fact. Therefore we rejoice with you in the knowledge that a patriot has brought you into a sense of national unity, But, we trust hereafter that your patriots will stay with you so as to advise you with their growing experience. As your strivings for the rights and liberties, so undisputably the endowment of every man, become manifest, so, in that degree, will you find your American friends more than anxious to assist you to secure them. It is also a generally recognized maxim that & nation must be willing to grant another nation whatsoever it requests from that oation. A little later it will be my pleasure to more the adoption of a procedure for this conference, which we trust will enable us to arrive at speedy conclusions. In closing, it is our sincerest hope that each of us may be proud to have humbly assisted at this conference,
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[November 18, 1905.
and to know that our earnest and right onday. vours will have brought honorable rešu is. Në only a cessation of the boycott, but a knowledge to the Chinese that they have national and individual natural rights, which other people, and more largely their own Government, must respect hereafter (great applause).
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(All the speeches were interpreted, sentence by sentence, as delivered.)
·
The procedure proposed was to consider the following questions in their order :- 1.-The establishment of the inalienable
rights of man. 2.--What are Governments established for?
What has caused the Boycott?
3.
t.
30
What are the desiderata of the Chinese
that the Boycott may be called off? (The Chinose shall present these desiderata in writing and can further expound them by speech)
5. The Americans shall answer in writing and shall give their ideas on those desiderata, and will be allowed a reasonable time to do so. They may also expound them by speech. 6.-1f joint conclusions be reached, what
steps are best to make them effective ? 7.-Joint report to be made and signed. 8.-Provision for future meetings.
The interpreter who tackled the first proposition was understood to explain the American Declaration of Independence, and to advise the Chinese to insist upon having "the same rights" from their Government.
Another interpreter protested against this dragging in of the Chinese Government, and said such remarks, if published, would put all their heads in danger. He said they had not mot to discuss such questions as the first two. They had come to discuss the boycott. (Unanimous Chinese applause.)
Mr. Bolles tried to explain how relevant they were as necessary premisses. He would have stuck to them, but Mr. Richardson proposed that they pass on to the third, and the Chinese hailed this with such eagerness that it had to be done. Meanwhile, the protesting interpreter (Cheong Yan-sang) had an rily left the room.
Auswer to No. 3 was because Chinese in America were deprived of liberty. To No. they should be treated like members of other nationalities.
The rest were left for next day's meeting. Before dispersing, the members of the com ference fraternised over liquid refreshments in the Standard Oil Co.'s premises, and many hopes of a speedy end to the boycott were expressed on both sides.
The conference of American and Chinese. merchants was resumed on the 14th. Some of the previous day's discussion was repeated, with the result that the Chinese agreed to the proposition that the rights of man are inalien- able; but insisted on the withdrawal of the question: What are Governments established for?"
Mr. Richardson took the Chinese answer to Question Three, and said they must have more specific evidenco. Those who had any actua grievance to complain about should appear before this conference, and their evidence could be recorded and sent to America. They could not accept hearsay evidence.
The Chinese said sufficient evidence had already been sent, through official channels, and there was no need to repeat it. Did the Americans present believe, or disbelieve, that
Chinese had been illtreated in the States ?
as
Mr. Bolles-Wo are here to-day acting your counsel; we are here to assist you. Whatever you hear people or newspapers say about the American illtreatment of Chinese is only hearsay, What we require is bona-fide testimony which we may send to our Govern- ment as received from our clients, with whom we daily do business,—a detailed report jointly signed by us.
While the Chinese were digesting this answer," Question Four was taken. The Chinese had already stated that the boycott would be continued until Chinese visitors to America were treated like visitors of other nationalities. They now added: “And Chinese subjects residing in the U. S.—Mr. Richardson quoted something from an American_law_book concerning aliens, leading up to Question Five.
Mr. Richardson said--Admission of aliens by a country is a power resting with the admitting nation. It has been decided by
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