File 868/1904 Pt 6 'Consular: China; as to appointment of Consuls at Rangoon, Mandalay and Calcutta' [‎78r] (51/156)

words is "merchants' guild", "trade association", "chamber
of commerce" or some such term. The objects of the society
as detailed in the article are (1) to insist on the altera
tion of harsh laws against the Chinese, and if insistence
fails, for all Chinese in Burma to unite in opposing the
laws; (2) to obtain command of the trade of Burma now in
Briti^i hands; to establish a steam-ship ccnpany; to be in
a position to take action against British merchants in order
to "regain sovereign rights", whatever that phrase may mean;
(3) to obtain the establishment of a Chinese Consulate at
Rangoon, the writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. remarking parenthetically that little
as he likes the Government of China they have to be appealed
to in affairs with foreign countries; to be in direct corre
spondence with the Chinese Board of Trade; to superintend
local officials; and (4) to act secretly; to arrange
disputes amongst members and to prevent failures amongst
them.
The clause as to sup er in tending local officials
means that the society will select its own officers to look
after Chinese in Burma and prevent the latter from having
any relations with British officials.
Yang Feng nien and Chen Shih jui, Rangoon merchants,
m 'mm