The minutes of the last monthly meeting, held October 6th, were read and approved. REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES. J. EDWARD SIMMONS, Chairman of the Executive Committee, reported the following preamble and resolutions : Whereas, The Association of Chambers of Commerce of the United Kingdom, at an annual meeting held at Manchester on the 28th of September, passed unanimously the following resolutions : "That it is desirable that the British Government should endeavor to enter into a Treaty with the United States with a view to the systematic reference to arbitration of differences arising between the two Powers, which diplomacy may have failed to settle, such reference to be either to the permanent Tribunal of the Hague, or, when this may be thought to be more expedient, to some other authority to be specially agreed upon. "That it is desirable that the two Governments, before resorting to reprisals or hostilities, should endeavor to settle the matters in dispute between them by reference to the Tribunal established by the Hague Convention or by other peaceful means, such as those recommended by that Convention." And whereas, these resolutions were moved by Sir ALBERT K. ROLLIT, the Chairman of the Delegation from England, on the occasion of the opening of this Chamber. Now, therefore, be it resolved: 1st. That the Chamber of Commerce of the State of New-York appreciates and is grateful for the action of the Association of Chambers of Commerce of the United Kingdom. 2d. That this Chamber indulges the hope that the Governments of the United States and of the British Empire may be able to effect a treaty of arbitration that will promote the amicable settlement of all questions that may arise between the two Governments, whether private or public, and that will be a model for similar agreements between the United States and all other nations, and pledges its support to all right efforts in that direction. 3d. That this preamble and resolutions be transmitted to Sir ALBERT K. ROLLIT for transmission to the Association of Chambers, and with the thanks of this Chamber for his part in the matter. The preamble and resolutions were unanimously adopted. A. FOSTER HIGGINS, Chairman of the Committee on the Harbor and Shipping, verbally reported progress on the subject of the high rentals charged for the use of the docks of this City. REPORTS OF SPECIAL COMMITTEES. GEORGE F. SEWARD, as Chairman of the Special Committee, appointed in January last, on the recognition of the services of the members of the Chamber on the Rapid Transit Commission, submitted the following report on the subject, and moved its adoption : To the Chamber of Commerce: Your Committee was appointed in January last. On March 2d it made a preliminary report which was printed for the information of members. That report presented briefly the following facts: That our City is so situated that rapid transit is more necessary here than in any other great city. That this Chamber, impressed by the importance of the subject, studied it with care, prepared the form of legislation required and pressed it to action by the Legislature of the State. That these studies involved not only physical problems of a serious nature, but also administrative problems of importance and difficulty. That the law actually secured provided the means for a right solution of all these problems involved. That it committed the enterprise to a Commission of eight persons, six of whom were members of this Chamber. That continuously ever since six members of the Commission have been members of this Chamber, the other two being the Mayor and Comptroller for the time being. That the Commission deserves high commendation not only because it determined plans for rapid transit broad in scope and fitted to the needs of the City, and has carried these forward under difficult circumstances, but also, and notably, because it has so planned that the City owns the franchise, and will eventually come into possession and control of the entire system with little or no debt outstanding. It is not the purpose of your Committee to enlarge upon the report so made or to elaborate remarks. It has waited until the subway, so far as it is completed, has come into use, and every citizen may see for himself its magnitude, the fitness and beauty of its details, and its capacity to serve the convenience and comfort of our population at the moment and so long as multitudes of people congregate within our borders. The subway speaks for itself in these directions. It speaks also upon a further point. In all its parts it bears witness to the forethought of those who were the direct instruments in its construction, and to their skill, capacity, courage and constancy. If it is a great work it is so as the result of adequate design and effort. But the subway is as mute as the great pyramid in another direction. It has no voice to name and thank its own builders. That duty rests upon us who have been the human witnesses of their labors. Your Committee now suggests the ways by which the Chamber may give deserved honors to those of its members who have served the enterprise. We advise : 1st. That your Committee be instructed to prepare and print a descriptive and historical memoir of the enterprise to the end that the instrumentality of this Chamber, of its members, and of others in the great work may be properly recorded in permanent form. Your Committee believes that such a record is necessary to a right appreciation of the work that has been done, and as well that the record will serve a large public purpose by indicating how similar municipal purposes here and elsewhere may best be promoted. 2d. That your Committee be instructed to cause to be struck suitable medals in gold, similar to the one already presented to Mr. HEWITT, and that these medals be presented in this Chamber to Mr. ОRR and to those members of the Chamber associated with him in duty. 3d. In order that the matter may proceed in a proper way, your Committee proposes that the Executive Committee be requested to decide to what extent current funds of the Chamber may be utilized for the purposes stated. A further proposal has been considered by your Committee. It is this-That a group picture, presenting the portraits of those of our members who have had to do with Rapid Transit work, be procured and given place on the walls of this Hall as a companion piece to the Atlantic Cable picture. Your Committee is prepared to say that such a picture would adorn our walls, would be of peculiar interest to our members so long as the Chamber exists, and that the services of our members would be fittingly honored in this way. Books go to the shelves of libraries and in the end are lost sight of. Medals remain in the family and are not remembered elsewhere after a brief season. A great painting remains an object of interest, of pride and of inspiration for an almost indefinite period. Your Committee cannot but hope that such a picture may be placed upon our walls, but it has no thought that it can be provided for out of the current funds of the Chamber nor otherwise than by the generous action of individuals. Your Committee desires that the way may be kept open to secure such a picture, and to this end asks the Chamber to authorize the Executive Committee to give any needed assurances that a suitable painting, if offered, will be gratefully accepted by the Chamber. Your Committee respectfully submits the following resolution: That this Chamber holds in great appreciation the unselfish and highly successful services of Mr. ORR and his colleagues, and with the desire to give this appreciation tangible form requests the Special Committee to give effect, to the best of its ability, to the plans set forth in its report. (Signed,) GEORGE F. SEWARD, NEW-YORK, October 31st, 1904. Special Committee. The question being put by the Chairman of the Executive Com. mittee, the report was unanimously adopted. RESOLUTIONS. HENRY W. PEABODY said there were evidences that the Marine Commission would report to Congress in December next in favor of imposing new restrictions of discriminating duties upon the commerce of the country that would, either by extra duties or enhanced freight rates, increase the cost of imported goods. On his motion, the Committee on Foreign Commerce and the Revenue Laws was requested to watch forthcoming legislation that may affect the commerce of this port and of the United States. WILLIAM MCCARROLL offered the following preamble and resolutions, and moved their adoption : Whereas, The City is disfigured by bill posters and painted advertisements placed in the streets, on the buildings, in the railroad stations and other public places ; Resolved, That it is the sense of the Chamber of Commerce that this, which has become a public nuisance, and offensive as these placards and advertisements are to good taste, and, some of them, to good morals, should be abated; and Resolved, That the Committee on Street Obstructions of the Chamber be requested to consider this subject and report to the Chamber at its next meeting such plan as may seem best to accomplish this object. After considerable discussion the entire subject was, on motion of CHARLES S. SMITH, referred to the Executive Committee to consider and report at the next regular meeting of the Chamber. The Chamber then adjourned. The One Hundred and Thirty-Sixth Annual Banquet, Tuesday, November 15, 1904. THE One Hundred and Thirty-Sixth Annual Banquet of the Chamber of Commerce of the State of New-York was held at DELMONICO'S on Tuesday evening, November fifteenth, nineteen hundred and four. The menu was of the customary variety and delicacy, and its components were, as usual, of the highest grade of culinary excel lence. Following a Presidential election, conducted with a refreshing absence of personalities and with an equally satisfactory absence of excitement calculated to disturb confidence or impede the course of trade, the Banquet, in its assemblage of men of both parties, among whom were some of the campaign leaders on either side, brought out the entire absence of any bitterness over the result of the contest. A good humored acquiesence in the declared will of the people was as notable among the representatives of the defeated party as forbearance from any manifestation of exultation was on the part of those who had championed the winning cause. THE DECORATIONS OF THE BANQUET HALL. The most conspicuous feature of the decorations of the Banquet Hall was an elaborate display of the national ensigns of England, France, Germany, Holland, Russia, Japan, Belgium, Italy and Spain, flanking the seal of the Chamber of Commerce, which was surmounted by a grand cluster of American flags centered over and behind the President's Chair and extending to the ends of the Hall. On the wall opposite the President's Table the English and American Ensigns were entwined. Every available space on this wall as well as on the end walls and balcony was elaborately decorated with clusters and draperies of American flags. Above all these and forming a border around the cornice were displayed |