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16. On his way to England, in the end of 1876, Sir THOMAS WADE addressed a letter to Governor KENNEDY, 29th November, 1876, stating what he had done with a view to relieve the junk trade of the Colony from the continual harassing searches of the Chinese Cruisers of which it complained. In that letter he nominates Sir BROOKE ROBERTSON as the Consular Commissioner under the Convention, and proceeds to point out that the remedy most desired by the Colony, namely, the publication of a tariff at the three Stations, would do little to relieve the pressure on the trade. "I am persuaded," he states, "that as long as the Stations in question remain where they are, their action will be always vexatious, often, perhaps, unjust." But he adds, what was never denied, that the Chinese Authorities have a right to place them where they are. His remedy is "to get rid of the obnoxious Stations," and to invite the establishment of a Branch of the Foreign Customs Inspectorate either in a hulk in the harbour, or at a Station upon the shore of China forming the North side of the port, east of the Colony's ground on the Kau-lung promontory. Sir THOMAS WADE preferred the latter alterna- tive.
17. Sir THOMAS WADE assumes that the Tariff would be the same as the Tariff of 1858, under the Treaty of Tientsin, which is the Tariff for British-ship-carried goods, and that lekin on opium might be levied at the same time. The junk trade, he says, would gain by having Foreign instead of Native inspection. "The Cruiser service would "of course still be required, but the offensiveness would be diminished, and the Colony and "the Provincial Government would be spared 90 per cent. of the irritating discussions."
18. In brief, Sir THOMAS WADE states:--The publication of a Tariff which you want would serve you little, but get rid of the three Stations, and let a Branch of the Foreign Inspectorate, situate outside the boundary, control everything, give the Chinese Government help by seeing that junks entering and leaving the harbour go and pay duty; and let them keep the Cruisers.
19. On this letter Sir ARTHUR KENNEDY wrote a minute, recording his own per- sonal views, and the instructions which he thought the Hongkong Commissioner should receive. He had at one time thought of a Branch of the Foreign Inspectorate, even in the Colony, but he abandoned that idea as interfering with the prestige of the Government. (See Proceedings of Council, 7th July, 1876.) His personal views under date of 2nd December, 1876, are thus recorded:-
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Points for Colonial Officer to insist on
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"(1.) Authenticated publication of Tariff by Chinese Government."
(2.) Where and to whom the duties so fixed are to be paid.
(3.) A mixed tribunal of officers of the Chinese and Hongkong Government to be appointed for the investigation of all disputed cases of seizure, such court to be open and their proceedings duly recorded.
20. If these conditions were accepted, the Governor, "in proof of good faith, and to discourage law-breakers," was prepared to recommend that any breach of Chinese Customs laws should be investigated before a Magistrate, and if a prima facie case were proved, that rendition should be made to the Chinese Government.
21. I had the honour of being selected by Sir Arthur Kennedy to represent the Hongkong Government, and had therefore full opportunity of knowing His Excellency's opinions. The essential requirements, in the Governor's view, were the publication of a fixed tariff, and a mixed tribunal with duly recorded proceedings.
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