The following letters have been handed to us (Daily Press) for publication Chamber of Commerce, lath Feb 1884.
Sir,—The Committee of this Chamber has bow greatly concerned to read the 1, made by Reuter's Telegraphic Axeney, that the Frevich Press in Paris is h Government to occupy island of Chusatr as a material guarantee the satisinetion ut " demand' for pay ment of a war expenses indemnity, which is suggested should be made upon the tention of yor 4 in the Eu Sir John Dav' ty's Plenipotuntiary, and the Chinese Government Bocca Tigris in April, 1846, which provide as follows "Te is stipulated on the part of Hi the Emperor of China that on the of Chusan by Her Britannic Majesty's forees, the id Island shall never be ceded to a 4—" Hor upon her part, in case of the atta invader, to protect Chusan and its dep cies, and to restore it to the possession we of old; but as this stipulation The Committee feels deeply the extreme importance, to the interests of this Colony, ant of Great Britain, of Hor Majesty eroment mi ing in their i guarantees which have been island of Chusan, with its com tae River, British trade in the Far East, and its ocfon by any foreign power could not fail to be a source of enntinual danger and apprehension not only to this Colony, but to-all are interested inv itt trade, necersil fortifications and probably " ¢ Britain the burthen of Naval force is the Chamber that Her Majesty's Govern-avent will recognise the vast importance to British and Colonial interests of that island Doing preserved from occupation by any foreign power.
The rendition of Chuean to the Chinese after its occupation during sume years by British forces formed the: occasion for an exchange of mutual obligations with regard to the Island by the two parties to the Treaty of Nanking, which were reasonable and natural under the circumstances, aid the Committee submits to your Lordship that the responsibility of the British Government in respect of the Convention can hardly atony time be rendered more serious than are those already involved in the possession of this Colony and the consequent obligation to defend it.
Ivis improbable that any Power engaged. in hostilities with China would challenge the stipulations of the Convention unless it had resolved, for other reasons, upon war with Great Britain alo, in which case the right to occupy Chusan could not fail to be regarded as of the greatest importance from a strategical point ut view.
Thave the honour to be, Your Lordship's most obedient, humble servant, (Signed) F. Buuxzney Jonysoy, Chairman.
the Right Honourable The Earl Granville, K-G., Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, London, Adbertisements,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.