There was a large attendance at the annual meeting at the Palace Hotel last Friday when Mr. A. W. Burkill presided, supported by Messrs. A. Brooke Smith, J. S. S. Cooper, H A. J, Macray, P. W. Massey, C. G. Humphrys, H. B. Arnold, E. C. Richards and A. G. Stephen, members of the committee, and Mr. E. M. Gull, secretary.
The following is an epitome of the main points of the Chairman's speech On looking back at the work done by the Chamber during the past year it is more and more apparent that we are justifying our existence and that the opinions of British merchants in China as expressed by their various Chambers of Commerce carry considerable weight. Even if nothing else had been accomplished one great fact stands out and that is we Britishers trading all over China j are now pulling together and are working for the good of British trade as as @ whole.
The privilege granted during the war to importers to pass their cargo through the Customs on payment of duty on deposit, when invoices had not arrived has been extended by the Customs to the end of October from the end of July, mails being as irregular as ever.
A. satisfactory solution was also arrived at defining the word "shipment" for goods. The Tariff Re-"sion Commission took the view that all shipments must mean all goods placed on board ship during the month of July, and suggested that, as evidence of shipment, bills of lading dated July should be taken, together with certificates from the Customs or some other competent authority at the Port of shipment stating. that the vessel arrived in that Port during July. This suggestion was acceptable to In another direction—one even more important—we can claim to have made a very definite advance, namely, in the compilation of Trade Mark regulations to serve as a protection for British Trade Marks in this country.
The opening of the Union Club during the year was another step forward in the movement for closer ce-operation with our American and Chinese business friends. It is still in its infancy but I feel sure that it will fill a want.
Tue Future or Tsinetao-
From the various articles published in the Journal you will see that the future of Tsingtao has been. the subject of very earnest consideration not only by your General Committee, but also by, the Tientsin Chamber, and the British merchants at Tsingtao. This Chamber has lost no opportunity of putting forward their views, and
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.