804
THE HONGKONG PILOT SERVICE.
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(Daily Press, October 27th.)
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
31
#1
[October 31, 1908.
collision or otherwise. Government accepts all likelihood lead to, was in the and absolutely no responsibility in the matter. prudently dispensed with. It is probable A maximum scale of pilotage fees was therefore that when the question of protecé. drawn up and published, and for the resting Turkish subjects in China comes to be the Government said to the Shipping fully considered —if ever matters resch When the Hongkong Pilote, Ordinance of community "Go as you please." For all that stage-similar prudent action will be 1904 was enacted a number of British we know, the Shipping Firms are not followed. The position of Protector of master mariners trading in these waters dissatisfied with what has been done. Turkish subjects if the Chinese Government imagined that it would result in bringing Some sense of security is given by the is ever induced to assent to it, which the Colony of Hongkong into line in this knowledge that the Chinese pilot engaged seems very doubtful, would certainly be matter with all the other porta in the Far to bring in or take out a ship has anything but a profitable one; and would East. It is a singular fact that in no other certificate of competency, and the Chinese be much more likely to involve Germany Part in the Far East (excepting Japan) is pilot remains "cock of the walk." The in difficulties with Chins than to increase an Asiatic pilot entrusted with a foreign British pilot remains only an object of her influence with the Ottoman Empire. vessel, sailing ship or steamer. Swatow, sympathy. There is little or no occupation It may reasonably be presumed that it was Amoy, Foochow, Ningpo, Shanghai, Kiao- apparently for qualified British pilots in the mainly the latter consideration that induced 'r chow, Tientsin, Newchwang, Saigon, Bang waters of this British Colony. Hongkong Germany to consider the question in any kok, Singapore, Penanz are all, we under- remains unique in that respect. Represent way. Germany has by degrees established stand, staffed by white pilots; as also are ations, we understand, have been made an influence with the Sultan, which exceeds the Indian ports of Calcutta, Bombay and to the Government on the subject without that of any other European Power; and Karachi. Hongkong had occupied a uniqu-
SUCC288. The Government does not see there seems to be a general acquiescence in position among them all in that it did not, any means by which it could interfere. her furthering her interests in the "Near up to the passing of the Pilots' Ordinance
"Eo long
as shipping firms consider East, so long as there is no direct inter- of 1904, possess a single white pilot. When that the Chinese pilots are competent, ference with those of other countries. It has that Ordinance was pas ed requiring all Government cannot force them to employ thus become her policy to act as the chief persons practising as pilcts in these waters Europeans in preference to Chinese." On friend of the Sultan, and the influence which to satisfy a Board of Examiners of their this it may be pointed out that it is the she has by degrees acquired is of consider- competency, many British master mariners, Government, not the shipping firms, who, able importance. The idea, therefore, of her as we have said, imagined their chance had in the first place, considers the Chinese acting as a protector of Turkish subjects in come for employment as pilots. Imagination pilots competent, and the shipping com carried them further than the circumstances panies take the certificate issued to the consolidating her friendship with the Sultan China might appear desirable as a mesus of justified. They obtained the impression that pilots as the Government warrant for without incurring any very grave reapon- a properly constituted pilot service," such it. The Government cannot entirely free sibility, seeing how few Turkish subjecte as the Ordinance contemplated, meant a serr itself from responsibility in the matter vice amenable to all the pilot regulations As however, the Government is not prepared Empire. At the same time it is not to be have found their way to the Celestial laid down in the Merchant Shipping Act. If to put the Pilot Service of the Colony on overlooked that a step of this description, that were so the Chinese pilot, OTHELLO- the same footing as at other ports-where, which appears of little importance at one ike, would have lost his occupation, and for instance, the pilots are all under the time, may from unforeseen development", room for the competent British marine immediate direction of the Harbour Master assume a very different aspect later on. would have been found. We do not know
or Pilot Board and each licensed pilot is The trouble which the French have had for how many British master mariners
employed in turn-the European pilots only many years AS Protectors of Catholic have sat for the examination in the last hope of success in the endeavour to earn a Missions in China might form a warning to four years and obtained certificates of com-
livelihood at Hongkong lies in an appeal to any other nation not to put itself in a petency, but certainly many more than are
the patriotism of the shipping firms. Until similar position in a hurry. For a long now trying to earn a livelihood bere as
there is any very pronounced preference time France was looked upon with natural, pilots. The Chinese pilot has not been shown on the part of the shipping firms for though uncalled for suspicion, by the Chinese displaced because the pilot regulations European pilots, British seamen who may Government and Provincial officials, who embodied in the Merchant Shipping Act he aspiring to become pilots would be well considered that her undertaking to deal with have not, by the local Ordinance, been made advised to give Hongkong the go-hye. It internal matters, which did not directly applicable to the port. This does not seem is a hard thing to say that in British concern her, indicated some secret to have been generally understood. British Colonial Waters the British pilot is not designs of aggression. This idea was master mariners who have obtained certifi- wanted, but the fact has been proved in soon spread by the Chinese army among cates of competency as pilots in these waters Hongkong by many during the past four foreign officials, and thus, by degrees, it have learnt to their cost that the pilo-years, and aspiring British pilots should became accepted by Chinese and Europeans regulations laid down in the Merchant heed the trachings of experience.
alike. The effective result was that ordin- Shipping Act may with impunity be dist regarded here, and so long as that is the
ary diplomatic requests and representations by France were looked upon with far less case, we are informed, it is a bad speculation
favour than the same demands would have for a British master mariner to turn pilot
received if coming from other quarters, so in Hongkong.
that the consequence of France being in the materially to weaken her influence both at position of protector of Catholics was Peking and in the Provinces..
"
When we refer to Hansard to learn what
were the reasons given for enacting the Pilots' Ordinance, we find that the ATTORNEY- GENERAL stated that what the Government wanted to do was to see that no one should offer his services as a pilot who was not reasonably considered to be capable of performing the duties of a pilot. "In one sense, said the ATTORNEY GENERAL," it may be said that a place like this does not require pilots; the navigation is open, and there is no need to have pilots to bring ships in and out of Hongkong. But apparently the Harbour is so extremely crowded and the difficulties of finding berths so considerable, that the Government has been approached by the shipping community and asked to provide some safeguard that persons who offer themselves for pilots within the waters of the Colony shall know what to do.' That application resulted in the Pilots' Ordinance being introduced and passed. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL further explained that:
"There is no compulsion for anyone to take a pilot, nor will taking a pilot exempt the ship that takes him from any consequences that may occur from
TURKISH SUBJECTS IN CHINA.
ap-
(Daily Press, October 28th.) Turkish subjects in China are parently left in some doubt ag which European Power is actually in to charge of their interests in this country at the present time. Since China refused point blank to acknowledge the right of Germany to assume the protection of Turkish subjects in China, nothing has been heard of the question. Both, Turkey and Germany doubtless have been too much occupied with questions of greater moment, but we do not suppose that the last has been heard of the matter. That a proposition to assume the protection of Turkish subjects in China should be entertained by Germany, anation who are generally credited with being far-seeing diplomatists and with the possession of what is often more valuable than diplomatic talent-sound common sense and pradence, must seen somewhat astonishing. When, some time back, the question arose of Germany undertaking the protection of Christian Missions in China, though it was at urst announced that she was willing to do so, it turned out later that more prudent counsels had prevailed, and that the honour of dealing with the various hornets' nests which such a step would in
Whether the advantages that may ac crue to Germany from doing a friendly act towards Turkey will counterbalance the possible loss of influence and friendship at Peking is a question which will have to be carefully considered. So far as any per- manent cementing of good understanding between Turkey and Germany is concerned, the arrangement might be quite as likely to lead to disagreement. It might not be an easy task for any foreign consul, acting on behalf of some small Turkish traders, to do what would be regarded from & Turkish point of view as justice; and a Protectorate which did not secure material advantage in such matters would soon come to be regarded with little consideration. Some rather complicated questions also might arise with respect to Turkish opium, with regard to which it might not be very con- venient to bave to act the part of Ottoman champion There are other questions too, which would require rather nice handling, such as that readily suggested by the
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