The annual meeting of members of the American Association of China was held on Thursday night at the Chamber of Commerce rooms, 1, Yuen-ming-yuen Road. The chair was occupied by Mr. J.
o"Fameson (view-President), and there was a large attendance of members.
The Chairman—The minutes of the last annual meeting have not been confirmed, but as they have already been published T think we may take them as read.
The minutes were adopted and confirmed.
The Secretary then read the minutes of the last special general meeting, held on the 3rd October, and they were adopt-
The Chairman—Although we have Mr. Frank Ball with us this evening, I am sorry to say that he is no longer our president. He is taking a trip home, and he thought it necessary a few weeks ago to retire from his position as _presiden: The duty therefore falls upon me tonight to take the chair, as your vicc-president. This is the report of the Executive Committee of the Association on the work of the year 1902. 7 During the twelve months just passed the Committee has held seventeen meetings, not including the meetings of subcommittees. Some of the matters which have received the attention of your Committee in the year 1902 have been of great importance. The Committee gave much thought to the resolutions presented at the special general meeting held on 31st March at which the Association took strong action against the proposed increase of the Tariff and expressed its doubt as to the ability and intention of the Chinese Gorernment to abolish the system of internal taxation known as Likin. The second special general meeting of the year was held on 3rd October, when the specific provisions of Art. 8 of the British Treaty for the retention or institution of various forms of internal taxation, in consideration of the abolition of Likin, were unanimously disapproved. The Committee desires to express to the Association its appreciation of the confidence shown iz at these special meetings. Before the departure of General Sharretts, U.S.A. Tariff Commissioner, a dinner given to him at the Shanghai Club was largely attended by the members. Early in. the year the Committee brought to the attention of the American authorities the delays and uncertainty and the consequent loss to business involved in uncertain telegraphic communications ith Newchwang, the Manchurian end of the lines being in the control of Russia. As a result the matter was taken up by the State Department with the Russian Government. There have been no complaints of late in regard to the matter. The Committee received letters in regard to religious toleration in Government colleges in China and forwarded the same to U. 8. Minister Conger. A lotter was received early in the year signed by 100 Literati in Hangchow asking that the Association use its influence secure for Educational purposes the indemnity which it was reported the Govermment proposed to return to China, but no action was taken as the Committee could at that time obtain no information on this subject. About the bozinning of the year sub-committees were appointed to ce-operate with special sub-committees of the China Association in the preparation and adjustment of specific rates of import duty for the various classified schedules of _merch-andis. After many joint meetings the lists which were agreed upon by these sub-committees were accepted in their entirety by the British and American Tariff Commissioners. As the members of the Association are already aware, from the correspondence published in the July "Journal," the Committee brought the controversy between the Shanghai Municipal Council and the Consular Body, in regard to procedure for the execution of warrants in the Foreign Settlement, to the attention of the American Asiatic Association in New York, and urged that they use their influence to hate those rights maintained for which the Municipal Council and the ratepayers contend. The Committee, whose action was unanimous, feel that the maintenance of these rights is neces-to the welfare of the Settlement and the protection of the natives who reside therein. It may be well to state again concisely the general principle for which we contend. Stated very briefly, it is this. We are opposed to the extradition of any Chinese residing within the Settlements for trial before any other Court, until there has been a preliminary investigation of the charges preferred against him, in the Mixed Court. We believe that only in this way can xe, on the one hand, safeguard the liberties of law-abiding Chinese residents in the Settlements, and on the other hand, preserve the autonamy of these Settlements as a seli-governing Community. Early in the autumn letters were received from the agent of a local insurance company calling the attention of the Committee to the circumstances connected with the reistration of the steamship Kiangsi,.a foreign built vessel flying the American flag and registered in the Consulate-General of the United States at Shanghai. As the matter was one which involved principles of great importance to American citizens the entire correspondence relating to it was transmitted through the U. S. Minister at Peking to the Department of State at Washington for consideration. The Committee received a letter protesting against the new regulations put in operation by the health officer of the U.. Consulate-General for the disinfection of such cargo as feathers, bristles, hides, ete., signed by Messrs. Shewan, Tomes and Ca., Dodwell and Ca., McGregor Bros. and Gow, Gibb, Livingston & Ca., Standard Oil Ca., Carlowitz & Ca., American Trading Ca., Fearon, Daniel and Ca., China and Japan Trading Ca., Wisner & Ca, and Frazar Ca. This matter was brought to the attention of the U. S. Consul-General, and a conference of those interested was called at the Consulate at which a modus vivendi was arrived at.
The Association was represented at the funeral of the late Viceroy Liu K'un-yi at Nanking by the Vice-President, Mr. Jas. jameson, and an appropriate memorial scroll was sent to the Liu family on behalf of the Association.
We hare, gentlemen, given you a summary of the work in which your Committee has been engaged during the year. Tt may not be out of place for us now to refer in more general terms to the present status of American interests in China.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.