July 23, 1906. Į
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
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would be comparatively safe to attack one of "That this meeting of members of the Hong. ↑ of humanity who infest the trade routes of South the larger foreign steamers plying on the West kong branch of the China Association desires China without let or hindrance and live on the River, sud so we have had to witness this last, to record the opinion that recent outrages on proceeds of their vile murders and robbery. worst case of all—the murderous and fatal attack shipping in the West River are directly due to We do not only ask for the panishment on the Sainam, The details are fresh in your lax administration on the part of the Viceroy of the guilty in the Sainam case, we demand memory. It is unnecessary for me to go into of Canton, and to press upon the London Branch that the pirates and their villages shall be them. The point I want to make is that the the need for representing this to the Foreign | eradicated (applause). We shall not be satisfied incident is clearly traceable to the supineness Office, and while gratefully acknowledging the with such tardy efforts as the Viceroy is re- of the Chinese authorities in the face of the promptness and energy with which His ported to be making now (applause). Tue previous occurrences to which I have referred. Majesty's Government has already taken the cancerous growth of piracy which has spread And now comes the question : Who is the matter up, members here presint respectfully itself all over the Canton delta is not to be official directly responsible for this supineness urge that unless the Chinese authorities can be destroyed by taking action only when it maui. I can conosive of only one answer. Viceroy induced to take steps to exterminate piracy and fests itself in soms diabolical form such as the Shum is responsible. (applause). Dr.
to prevent its recrudescence there is no
Sainam 0889. It requires a rubles surgeon MacDonald's blood is on his official head. In guarantee that evils complained of will pot to apply the knife and cut it out root and common justice the Viceroy's official life
recur (applanse).
branch (applause). Yesterday it was poor Dr. should answer for the crime. It should be cut The Hon. Mr W. J. GRESSON seconded the MacDonald who was sacritised on the altar of short by his enforced retirement (applause). motion. He said Mr Chairman and Geutle-official ineptitude and corruption, to-day it may This last is merely my private view. It may men,-We must all deplore the regrettable be some other valu›d friend, to-morrow perhaps be met by the objection that there is no likeli-incident that has necessitated our meeting here even yourself if your duty calls you to these hood of Shum being succeeded by a better to-day. The daring piratical attack on regions. Every day it is the poor Chinese who man. But even a worse man than Shum would the Sainam has unfortunately resulted suffer at the hands of unrestrained ruffitnism; be better for us if he came to his duties in logs of life, among the victims and are we to sit quietly by and never move a impressed by the idea that he had really to being a man who has placed his time and hand to stem the torrent of misery and govern in order to reign. We are told that the training at the disposal of tha Chinese suffering that follows on- the train of Viceroy, in consequence of the prompt and with the desire to alleviate their sufferings, and
thes › atrocities against
W. humidity? energetic demands of the British Government, what is his reward? an untimely death, due to no more thau justified in calling upon is doing his best at the moment to capture the steps being taken by the authorities, to patrol
Government to redress these wrongs culprits. The horse having escaped, great zeal and police the waterways, or, as they may well be (applause). If diplomatic pressure has no effect is being brought to bear in shutting the stable called, highways of the province. It is not for on the Chinese Government in awakening it to door. This is all very well, but why did not Я matter of weeks, or even months, bat for the enormity of its guilt and to a sense of its the Viceroy display some zeal before? I think years, that piracy has been rampant in what is responsibilities, then I have no hesitation in I can tell you He thought it was safe to generally cal'ed the Canton delta, indeed his affirming that it becomes the duty of our ignore British Consular representation. He knowledge of its existence has heea openly Government to take the matter in hand and ignored all manner of representations, consist-admitted by the official responsible for the propose to the other Powers more immediately ently and persistently. Now he seems to be keeping of law and order, and it is almost incred-interested joint action in patting an end to s afraid. That is well. But his tremors will not ible that no energetic steps have been taken to state of affairs which is a disgrace to civiliza- bring the dead to life again, nor restore the suppress the evil. You are well aware, gentle tion (applause). In claiming the right of loss of confidence in the protective power of the
men, that when foreigners act as pioneers in the security for life and property, both for native prestige of the British flag upon the river. shipping or any other trade, tending towards the and Europ an alike, we are surely not asking Moreover, activity in searching for the Sainam's development of the rast Chinese Empire, too much. And if the Chinese Government culprits, in catching a few out of the 100 or they do so under enormous disadvantage. admit their inability to provide that security more implicated, and exhibiting their heads on in breaking down" olo custom", and overcoming upon which the highest form of human poles along the river bank, will not do any native susceptibilities. Nevertheless, lives and happiness and prosperity depends, then I
that permanent good, unless it be accompanied by the money are freely risked in the firm belief that conceive
Can they
no longer be systematic destruction of the pirates lairs-well on just such occasions as the present they can treated by the usual diplomatic methods known to the people of the district-and claim and promptly receive the protection employed between civilized powers (applause). furthermore be followed up by the inauguration of the flag under which they are working The Beitish Gorerament has always taken the of an efficient service of properly-maned aud¦ (applause). The Chinese are not slow lead in en Tesronting to trest Chint as though well-found steam cutters; not as at present, recognise this fact, and it is in a large measure sh were a civilized power with the idea of occasional launches lying idle at long distances owing to the protection and fair treatment helping her to become oue, has always en apart with steam down and the crew asleep or which they expect to receive that they patronise deavoured to adopt a beneficent attitude towards gambling, living on wages most of which they steamers trading under a foreign flag in the Court of Paking, with the result that there do not get and tasking up the difference by preference to those owned by their own country is no gratitude, no response, no radical change taking hush money" from the pirates. This men, and with a footing once gained experience in the attitude of the higher officials towards is the sort of thing which has brought about the soon teaches the advantages of conforming to present evil. And for this, as for everything Western customs. It is therefore obgions that alse, the Viceroy must be held accouutable if this support be denied us, the risks will (applause). It is clear that he has not seriously become so great that they must seriously endeavoured to cope with the difficulties of the interfere with, if not stran zle, the develop-| situation, that he has allowed matters to drift, ment of trade in the two Kwang provinces. Mr. HovGH, in supporting the motion, siid and that he has altogether failed to fulfil the A contrast may be usefully drawn between The temperate manner in which the resolution functions of his high office. He is the real the state of law and order which prevails in the has been proposed and seconded must commend culprit. Ou his shoulders the blame rests aud district under the sway of Yuan Shih-kai and itself to everyone. In my opinion it has not we should not rest until this has been made plain the lawlessness and disorder which is rife in the gone far enough. When we saw our kith and to him. Unless it is, the whole affair will soon region administered by His Excellency Shum kin being done to death it was time for be forgotten and the old evils will recur. In (applause). In asking our Government to determined actio 1 (applause): Supineness must saying this I speak with the confidence insist and if necessary assist the Chinese Govern-disappear altogether, and it ought to be arising out of the knowledge that I am utter- ment in putting an end once and for all to this impressed on onr Gorerument that the lives and ing, not merely my own convictions, but those intolerable menace to life and property, which property of their subjects out here should have also of the leading members of the civil com- exists in a greater or less degree throughout adequate protection. With these few remarks, munity; not only of the British mercantile com- the land, I am confident that we can look for I beg to support the resolution (applause). munity, but also of the heads of the mercantile their support, for we are not only asking their houses of other nationalities who conduct busi- assistance on beli ilf of all foreign nationalities, ness from Hongkong. Further, I make bold to but they will also be rendering a signal service say that these views are in consonance with to the Chinese nation at large (applause), who, those of every honest and law-abiding Chinese. like ourselves, are in the hands and at the mercy Indeed, it is far more in their interests than in of these lawless robbers. With thes remarks, the interests of any foreigner that steps should Mr. Chairman, I have much pleasure in be taken to eradicate these pirate pests and to seconding the resolution that you have put to re-establish law and order in the region of the the meeting (applause). delta where the Chinese are the chief sufferers Mr. D. R. LAW said Gentlemen,-I will We are able to give the text of the telegram from the lax administration of which we com- not detain you for more than a few minutes. sent by the local Branch to the China Association plain. Life. property and communication are desire to give expression publicly to the dep on Monday, the 16th iust: "British steamers alike unsafed, and trade languishes in consequ- regret of the owners of the Sainam ati hitherto able to compete in West River trade ence. In the interest of every merchant of the lamentable death of Dr. MacDon ld. That mainly because foreign fig and captain sup. every nationality, of every law-abiding Chinese, such a valuable life as his should have been so posed ensure immunity from piraticul attacks of every traveller, whether official, commercial, needlessly sacrificed at the hands of the cowardly to which Chinse launches increasingly subject. missionary or visitor to these shores, in the ruffins who attacked the Sainam must ever be: If advantage derived from prevalence the ide interest of everyone—including even thea matter of deep regret to us all, and I am sure not upheld in the case of the British flag, diffi. Chinese officials, if they would believe it-in I am expressing your feelings when I say that calties mataining it on river will be greatly the interest even of prospective pirates-who our deepest sympathy is extended to Mrs.increased. Case piracy Sainan calls for enforos- would be happier earning an honest live- MacDonald and family in their great loss meat strong demands on Viceroy of Canton for lihood-it is time that confidence should be (bear, hear). I also desire to give my hearty prompt and striking punitive measures calaa.. restored; it is time, high time, that something support to the resolution proposed by our lated impress populace that flag cannot be definite and drastic should be done. These are the Chairman. It is indeed high time for this violated with impunity. Energetic represenţa- views on the strength of, which I invite you, Association to move and to demand that an end tion badly needed as piracy increasing and gentlemen, to support the following resolution:- shall be made, once and for all, of these pariahs nothing being done to stop it."
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indeed there is to day rather in retura to the attitude of 50 years ago, to the bad old days of Commissioner Yeh, in whose modern prototype, Viceroy Shum, very little difference seems to exist (lond applause).
The resolution was then pat to the meeting and carried unanimously.
The CHAIRMAN intimated to the members that ou Monday last the local Branch of the Associa- tio wire l home to the London Branch urging that strong representations should be mide to the Foreign Office.
With thanks to the Chairman, the proceedings then terminated.
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