182
upon myself. A few days before, I had been to visit the Bishop, but I was informed he was sick in bed and when I went with the boys on Thursday to the Church I had no idea he was well again.
|
by the same means to a flourishing herewith enclosed fo
[September 2
dum is
for the
The memorandum contains adoption of the procedure Chinkiang Customs regulatio that is to say, when a merchant takes transit pass, he has to enter into a recog to the effect that if the goods do not port within the time allowed he shall forfeit six times the amount of the duty. On the goods reaching the port, he shall deposit three - times the amount of the duty – If the ca goods are duly exported to a foreign country, the export duty and the transit duty shall be deducted from the deposit, and the balance returned to the merchant. Should the goods in question not be exported to a foreign country, the entire deposit shall be paid over to the likin office.
said
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
undertaking like this, it is very necessary to settle uniform tariff regulations without making distinctions, in virtue of which some pay heavier and others lighter duties; so that it may be easy for all to conform therewith. We find Now, when are were in the middle of the that foreign merchants importing foreign pro- litany His Lordship sent word that he wanted duce pay, in the majority of cases, an import to speak to me. Thinking he was still ill I duty of 5 per cent. On sending the goods into thought I would wait until the litany was the interior, a further transit duty of Tls. 2, over. Then came a second message. Atmace is charged. Foreign merchants purchas this I jumped up at once and went ing native produce in the interior under towards the sacristy. On my way I met a Chi-Transit Pass pay in addition to the export nese priest, whom I took for the sacristan, for duty the half or transit duty, after which Chinese priests have no distinctive dress, and they are at liberty to export the goods. he told me the Bishop had sent orders that the Foreign merchants carrying produce for sale, singing should be stopped. In order that the whether for import or export, pay no further singing should not stop abruptly and that the duties beyond the Customs duty and the transit boys should not think badly of the Bishop, I duty; but native produce which has not yet went at once and told the choirmaster to end reached the foreign consignee, and foreign pro- the litany by singing the Agnus Dei. All these duce which has been delivered to the native actions of mine were interpreted by the Bishop purchaser must both pay likin to supply the Your memorialists would observe that when so many acts of disobedience to formal deficiencies in the revenue. Moreover, where foreign merchants take out transit passes for orders, and at first sight no one can blame him; goods are manufactured by machinery (in the purchase of native goods, they should export sz and as we were unconsciously interfering with China) lighterage, freight, insurance, and coolie the goods to the foreign country within the the rehearsal which was to take place at 6 p.m. hire are all saved, less capital is required and specified time; on this account only foreign mer--- the Bishop was made very angry, and there profits are abundant. Your memorialists having chants are allowed to take out transit passes while and then came forward to stop the singing deliberated together would suggest that, leaving Chinese merchants are debarred from doing so. himself, saying it was a shame that superiors' the Viceroys and Governors of the various pro- But, of late, foreign merchants do not in all : orders were so disobeyed.
vinces to fix the amount of the loti shut and li- cases export the native produce they have puras kin due on native produce at the place of produc- chased, and there have been repeated cases in tion; manufactured produce, whether Chinese which Chinese merchants, being desirous ofi or foreign, should, before it leaves the place evading likin, have personated foreign merchants of manufacture, pay double the duty of five and obtained transit passes under false pretences. per cent prescribed in the case of The foreign merchants take a delight in shield- foreign exports, so as to supplement the ing them, so that they may divide profits, and likin payable in the interior. This amounts to thus frands of all kinds are perpetrated which a duty of 10 per cent. Hereafter, whatever baffle complete investigation. The objects of be their destination, all goods will be exempt the proposals advanced by the IG. are the from likin; the gain in duties balancing the regulation of the revenue and the putting a loss in likin, so that the public revenue will stop to the spread of malpractices. After remain at its present figure. At the present mature deliberation, memorialists are of opinion funds are ususually scarce, and liabilities mul- that the most just course to pursue will be to tifarious. This is not an extravagant project establish a uniform procedure in place of the to "mend the fold when the sheep has gone," present dual system, which only leads to false but the intention is to make use of the guest representations. We propose therefore that t (foreigner) in order to establish thehost (China)." the Chinkiang Customs regulations quoted by The native merchant eats the produce and dwells the I.G. should be made to apply uniformly on the soil of China and should know how throughout the entire Customs system. That is c difficult it is for the Government to devise to say: Chinese merchants taking out transit expedients. The goods of the foreign merchant passes are exempt from paying likin in the in- find a ready market, and it is only right to have|terior, but must pay the transit duty. Further- in view the same treatment for all.
This is the plain truth. We were in the church at an hour when generally nothing whatever is going on and when there is hardly a soul there and certainly without the slightest idea that we were interfering with anybody. You will understand, therefore, how anxious I was that the whole thing should be dropped and how exceedingly sorry I was when it was made public by your correspondent. I hope and trust that all the Catholics in Hongkong will forget all about what has happened and will not think uncharitably of their Bishop, who thought himself so much slighted in his own church.-I remain, yours faithfully,
WILLIAM ARKWRIGHT, S.J.
St. Joseph's College,
Macao, 28th August, 1896.
PROPOSED TARIFF ON MANU- FACTURES IN CHINA.
COPY OF A MEMORIAL FROM THE TSUNGLI
YAMEN.
(Shénpao, 11th August, 1896.) Your servants, the Ministers of the Teungli Yamên, on their knees present a Memorial with regard to the settlement of the tariff on manu- factured goods, in order to maintain due regard for the public revenue and to secure substantial profit. Prostrate. they pray for the sacred glance on the memorial which they have reverently prepared.
We would observe with regard to the mann- facture of goods by machinery at the various Treaty Ports, as for instance, the cotton manu- facture and silk filature in the south, and the manufacture of grape wine in the north, that on several occasions the Superintendent of Trade for the Northern and Southern Ports have me- morialised requesting that such produce shall only pay the export duty, or they have re- quested that both Customs Duty and Likin be remitted for some years, the intention being to benefit the people at the expense of the Gor- ernment in the hope of giving an impetus to trade. At that time there was no express stipulation regarding the manufacture of goods by foreign merchants and it was deemed advis able to act in accordance with the exigencies of affairs. After the conclusion of the Treaty of Shimonoseki, foreign merchants of all nationali. ties were empowered to manufacture. native produce. As former Treaties do not provide for this contingency, it is imperative to devise some equitable mode of action calculated to arrest the drain on the country's resources, and to deprive (foreigners) of a pretext (i.e., for demanding the abatement or abolition of duties) at the present moment. Japanese merchants are buying land in Shanghai for the erection of factories, and the merchants of other nationalities are also establishing factories in great numbers. Thus in the twinkling of an eye, steam factories are "established at the Treaty Ports as thick as trees, and commodities of all kinds overflow. Those ho enjoy the advantages accruing from these manufactures should also incur the responsibi lity of paying duties. In the case of a new
Should your Imperial Majesty's assent be received, memorialists will communicate with the Superintendents of Trade for the northern and southern ports, desiring them to direct the Superintendents of Customs to take uniform action in accordance with the above suggestions. In duty bound we present this memorial reverently prepared setting forth the proposed tariff regulations to govern manufactured goods. Prostrate we pray for your Majesty's sacred glance thereon and that you may be pleased to let us know your pleasure. verent memorial.
A re-
Furthermore The following representation has reached the Yamên of your memorialists from Sir Robert Hart, the Inspector-General of Customs:
富居
more, the native produce purchased need not=2' necessarily be exported in every case on which account one and a half times the amount of the duty must be paid in excess as cover for the likin. The result will be advantage and not disadvantage, and will redound to the benefit both.cf the revenue and of trade.
Should you Majesty signify assent, me- morialists will send instructions to the In-.. spector-General of Customs and request the Northern and Southern Superintendents of Trade to direct the various Superintendents of Customs to settle a date for the inauguration of the new system.
As in duty bound we present this supple mentary memorial and prostrate pray your Imperial Majesty to deign to glance thereon and to favour us with your commands. A reverent memorial.—N: C. Daily News, **:
COLONEL DENBY'S NARROW ESCAPE.
of Viceroy
Since China has been opened to foreign trade, goods coming from or going into the in- terior either paid likin, or transit duty. Foreign merchants' goods going into the interior, having paid the transit duty and received a transit duty certificate, thereupon become exempt from paying likin en route. This procedure applies equally to both Chinese and foreign merchants. Native produce coming from the interior under Transit Pass is exempt from likin en route, and is only under the necessity on reaching a port to pay the transit duty, after which it is exported. This privilege is con fined to foreign merchants and Chinese mer. chants are not entitled to it. But it frequently happens that Chinese merchants fradulently induce the various foreign firms to purchase and bring down native produce, their object being to evade the payment of likin. This produce is not exported to foreign countries, the result being that honest trade and the likin-revenue of all the provinces both suffer alike. If it is wished to put a stop to these abuses, the only thing to do is to allow Chinese merchants to take out transit passes in the same way as foreign mer- chants, so that they can buy native produce and convey it to the ports. Thus a stop will be put to the spread of corrupt practices, and I through the front openi
the
Peking, 13th August. When we last wrote that Colonel and Mr. Denby were expected back, we did not know of the dangers through which they passed, and which are now the talk of all the foreigners in Peking, and will be for some time to come. They left Tientsin last week, Thursda 6th. They had two house-boats, which towed by a steam tng river, on account of the heavy rains, was up to the top of the emban many places the current very swift, requiring extra day morning Col. and Mrs. reading in the head
the from Denby being nearer steamed ahead at the usual ra rather a swift curve, and in an swift current down stream up stream the house boat
overi the embankment, an quarters way
Stream
we boat,
tant
nearly
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