Mar. 10.
We have received the report for 1922 of the Committee of the Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce, and to avoid any possible confusion we may say at once that we mean the international body which has now been in existence since the year 1847. The fact that during the year under review the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce suddenly claimed for itself the familiar name of the, we think, older institution is very properly mentioned in the report, as also that the Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce protested. The Chinese reply, we must say, is not convincing, indeed, the only possible motive that can be imagined for their assumption of the international Chamber's name is more in keeping with the spirit of excited student organizations than with that of the solid institution which the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce is. The latter has now suggested that Chinese members be admitted to the Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce. That is a proposal which certainly deserves sympathetic consideration, but we imagine that this question of name may have no small influence on the final decision.
The report opens with no fewer than five pages devoted to a review of events in China during 1922. Much of this reads familiarly, although we do not detect any reference to-the source from which it was drawn. However, quotation is a no less sincere form of flattery than imitation, and no doubt the original writer of the review, though unacknowledged, appreciates the compliment paid him. Of its own special activities the Committee presents a full and varied list. Place of honour, naturally—with something attempted, something done ''—is given to the new regulations for the treatment of phosphorus and chlorate of potash in various ports. The discussion of these had dragged on since early in 1921, if we remember rightly, and it is distinctly to the Chamber's credit that by August 1, 1922, it had managed to get all the somewhat fractious and captious parties concerned into-agreement. But the next entry is discouraging. "Storage of benzine and! other hazardous goods: No further progress has been made in this controversy."' There go something like two years wasted over a reform which has been adopted long ago in many of the principal shipping ports of the world, namely, the storage of benzine, or as the public usually calls it, gasoline, in tanks instead of drums. It affords yet another instance of the regrettable way in which prejudice and ignorance can, im this international harbour, block an important improvement on which the cheapness of transport must more and more depend. The Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce took a hand in protesting against the attempt that was made last year to exact payment from the Bank of China in Shanghai on deposit receipts issued by the Bank of China in Peking. As our readers may remember, this attempt led to proceedings in the Mixed Court, which caused considerable trepidation; inasmuch as, if the Bank in Shanghai could have been made answerable, its coffers would speedily have been depleted by other like claimants. However, the publicity given to the matter and the protests aroused brought the attempt to nothing. There are some interesting references to the Chamber's efforts to get the fees of the Shanghai Licensed Pilots' Asso-station reduced: the opinion of everybody who has to pay these appears to be that they are too high and on November 7 the Consular Body called a meeting of representatives of the Chamber 1923. Tasts 12 PER ANNUM. jand the Pilots' Association when scheme formed by the Harbour Master was considered. Subsequently the Chamber sent its own views to the Consular Body and there for the time being the matter rests, in the usual manner. Other questions among many tackled by the Chamber were pilferage of cargo; inefficiencies of the telephone service in Shanghai; disorders in China and copper coinage (standing dishes these) and the financial difficulties of Siccawei Observatory. Considering how much we all owe, and especially shipping, to the untiring works of Siccawei, the modest demand for an annual contribution to the Observatory of five or six thousand taels ought to be found without difficulty.
It may be noted with pleasure that. the membership of the Chamber has risen from 110 at the end of 1921 to 123 at the close of 1922, not much, but something to show that the Chamber's efforts are valued as they ought to be, especially as, in the nature of its constitution, its membership is rather to be reckoned by quality than quantity. Paradoxically enough, the institution and energy of national chambers has intensified the importance of the international. To some extent it is inevitable that the national organizations should view affairs from a sectional point and where two or three can be gathered together to speak with one voice, not only in matters affecting Shanghai but all China, the unusual harmony thus heard can hardly fail to affect the listeners. We wonder whether the. Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce have yet considered the burning question of luxury surtax and consolidation loan. It is one on which they might express their ideas. And inasmuch as international opinion in Peking appears more and more in danger of succumbing to the customary hypnotism which the blandishments of Peking' Chinese easily command, it might be possible for international Shanghai to break the spell ere worse comes of it.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.