A LARGE number of interesting points were treated in the annual report of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce, and in the speeches of the Chairman and of Mr. ''.'H. Whitehead at the annual: meeting on the 13th instant. Progress is always slow where governments ere concerned, for they like to be absolutely certain before taking any step that they will not have to go back again, and the Hongkong and Chinese governments are no exception to this tule; and all the Chairman could say on this head in his opening rémarke was: "We cantor' boast, perhaps, of having actually secured any important commercial concessions in China; but at any rate we have managed to get some matters advanced a stage." He went on to record the revival in trade in' Hongkong and in the value-of local.stocks and shares, a revival which has spread to. Shanghai, but he lad to deplore the reappearance of the bubonic plague which, in the words of the report, "is causing severe loss to the general trade of the colony." This is, however, not to be wondered at, if Mr. 'T. Jackson is right in saying: "There is to doubt the present state of Hongkong is a disgrace not only to the Government, buf. to our civilisation." Mr. Ede, again, does not offer a very comforting. prospect. to the ratepayers $8 and$9ahead, against Seren Shang-of Hongkong, who alresidy pay between
hai, when he says: " Unless some well-considered scheme be adopted to abate over-crowding,, to- resume, ley out, and rebuild on proper principles at least. the worst sections of the town, we shall never make any real,. permanent.progress towards immunity. from filth-disease." 'The bubonic plague is preventible filth-disease; and it is very fortunate for the: health of Shanghai that the Chinese here have never taken' kindly to tall houses, The Chairmav's next allusion was to the Gap Rock lighthouse, which has not fulfilled the expectations that were formed: when it was built. It- is now proposed by-the Hongkong Government, on the suggestion of Mr. Matthews, to reconstruct. it; and the Committee
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.