Tae adjournment of the annual meeting of the Chamber of Commeres, pecan: of there not being 8 quorum of members present, la much to be regretted. The Chamber is the most fitting means by which the opinions, interests and wishes of the mercantile community can be made known to, and brought to in. fluence Governments and officials and bodies elsewhere similar to itself. It has. other duties, but in China and in these parts: of the East those are -importauce. The Cummittee in (their Annual Report ap. pealed to the members to tuke sufficient interest in the Chamber as at lerist to preserve ils existence. The reasons they gave-for this were excel-Tout and unanswerable, and the menibers showed their appreciation of them by slaying away from the anuusl meeting.
should be sorry to think that the indifference shown by the members on Monday indicated a desire for the termination of the existence of the Chamber, or even that they did not interest themselves in the work done by the Committee, Fur some years past it has been dificult to obtain a quorum at the annual meeting and this has undoubtedly impaired the standing of the Chamber, It does not matter whether the short attendances at the anneal meetings are attributable to the lethargy of a community which treats its Chamber of Commerce—iis commercial Senate, the only constituted medium by which the collective influence of the merchants can be represented—as it does Selangor ling and be found within the constitute the Chamber and its Committee. The sooner the influences w revent the mercantile community showing suiliciont interest in the Chamber as to attend ite meeting are ascertained and removed the better for the port of Shanghai. Que main reason why members of the Chamber did not take the trouble to attend the meeting on Monday was no doubt the meagreness of the bill of fare set forth by the Committee in their Report. The Chairman said that he was perfectly satisfied there are ques-tious that it is of importance should be discussed by the Chamber, Where are these mentioned in the Report? The only reference lo business to be brought forward at the annual meeting was of the most formal character. Now, people will not leave their officer, even though there may be nothing doing in them, to adopt n Report, pass accounts and elect x committee. Doubtless they should attend, but the history of the meetings of the Chamber and of other institutions and interests in Shanghai and elsewhere shows that they do not and will not do so unless something of considerable interest is to be brought forward and discussed. Nothing of that sort was promised by the Committee, although there are such important matters as Lekin, the charges on ten, and Bonded Warehouses, on which the views of Chamber should be obtained. Wher ever the Commitice realize that it is questions affecting the present and the immediate fature of the trade of Shanghai their members are interested, they will have no difficulty in obtaining fall annual meetings. When the El bor was in its most floariehing and influential position its meetings dealt with such matters, and it is to be huped that the revival of the present Camber will be sought for by the same means. Throughout the annual report there is only one matter,—ihat of the Wousung Bar—dealt with, that can be said to affect the future prosperity of this place in an important degree. Even in that the Committee have scarcely shown sufficient activity, for although the death of Sir Harry Parkes may have seemed good ranson some time ago for suspending their representations on the subject, it must have been apparent to them for mouths past that in Mr, O'Conor every foreign interest in Chinn had a most allicient supporter with the Yambu, He hus, it is not too much to say, well filled the place of the States~ mann whose death the Committee lament; his vigilance and sotivity have been recognized in the Soath, and it would we think have been hotier had the Committee been able to say that they had contained thei application for remedial measures on the Bar through him. His inflaence with the Yamen is about us great as any successor is likely to huve; and we shall he glad to hear that the Committee of the Chamber proceeds to test it at an ently dale, Lhe adjournment of the annual meeting will not only afford the Committee an opportunity of obtaining ® quorum, but of offer. ing a programme of fulure measures for the discussion of members. Such disappointing prospect as that offered by the Report will not do ao, or does, and the spirits that the Committee are to call only come in sufficient num. bers to muke a quorum, pass the purely formal business, and do nothing more, it will be a misfortune, Other Chambers which are actively ongayed in supporting nnd extending business interests will tuke note of the inactivity of oar Chamber, if merely routine basi-ess is transacted at the adjourned meeting. To put matters us they should be, we hope that in the mean= time some of the membera of the Chamber, who we know would be glad to have important affairs relating to our trade discussed, will tuke measures to hyo these brought forward. It is only by general ce-operation Lint the opinions of members will obtain for the Cham. ber its proper influence with officials at Peking. It is not from a wish to make invidious comparisons that we recommend a perusal of the proceed. ings at the last meeting of the Hongkong Chamber of Commerce to the Committee and members of ours, The meetings of the Hoigkong Chamber have in Into years been characterized by all the active interest in commercial affairs which we desire to see restored to the Shanghai Chamber.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.