July 8, 1899.1
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
HOW OFFICIAL APPOINTMENTS ARE MADE IN CHINA,
serious assertion and takes "Open Door's" | of lekin charges, and succeeded in obtaining ing to endless corruption, must be abolished. expression regarding the interception of such a list. According to the list supplied to The Chinese Government has amply de- trade by the minions of the Customs on Mr. BRENAN there are forty-nine lekin monstrated its utter powerlessness to deal our new frontier a as indicative of active stations in Kwangtung and the tariff con-with the question, and as it involves serious antagoniam. Mention is also made by our tains seven hundred articles on which a loss to foreign trade it is time that steps correspondent of the opening of the inland specific tax is levied; while on all unenum- should be taken to put an end to the misgo- waters, which has so far proved a failure, erated goods the tax is 2 per cent, ad valorem. vernment that is rapidly bringing about but it has yet to be demonstrated that the Here at least was something that appeared something like anarchy in China, and which failure is to be ascribed to any shortcoming definite. The satisfaction of the Consul if not speedily checkert must eventuate in. on the part of Sir ROBERT HART, who is with the information thus gleaned was short-its dismemberment. not al powerful when he has to struggle lived. He soon discovered that the provin- against Chinese obstruction and the corrupt cial officials had hit upon a way of turning interests bound up with the existing system the foreigner's flank and neutralising the to of taxing trade on the waters in question. them evil effects of transit passes. They invented the tso-lior destination tax in lieu of lekin, and the Viceroy laid down a rule whereby goods under transit pass whether sold en route or not have to pay this tso-li real modification of the squeezes levied was The prospect of obtaining any speedily shown to be as remote as ever. The Treaty Powers may negotiate and secure concessions; but these are never put into practice; the consuls may insist on a strict enforcement of the stipulations of the Treaty of Tientsin, but it is all in vain; new evasions are conceived before the ink dries on any agreement.
METHODS OF THE LEKIN -COLLECTOKA. E,
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(Daily Press, 7th July.) In the course of his report on the trade of Ningo for 1898, Mr. Consul PLAYFAIR makes some interesting statements and not less interesting remarks ou the methods of native tax collectors. Commenting on the import of Hongkong sugar, which he says has increased considerably, especially that of white sugar, he says he remarked in last year's report on the complaisance of the authorities in admitting Swatow sugars to the advantages of the transit pass, provided throwing open the inlan waters of China Similarly the much talked-of concession they acquired a "foreign status" by passing to foreign trade is quickly proving to be a through Hongkong, and he expressed, at the time, surprise and gratification that the that some advantages would accrue from most elusive gain. At first it was hoped lekin officials should be so liberal in their what, on the face of it, seemed a valuable views Mr. PLAYFAIR goes on to add : ·
I have since ascertained the explanation on the Yangtsze, the Ningpo river, and the privilege, and small steamers were placed "of this indulgence. The lekin adminis West River, but under the interpretation tration did not object to the granting of given to the Inland Steam Nagivation Rules transit passes for these goods, but, as is it seems very doubtful whether the privilege their wont, recouped their loss by nullifying will not prove entirely valueless. The “the protective privileges. This it effected Chinese Government is too weak to hold by making the shippers of such sugar pay. out against the pressure brought by a strong "at the first barrier outside Ningpo, extra Western Power, but having once assented
sums under the name of examination fees.' "The payments were rendered practically proceeds to endeavour,
to a demand and signed a concession it by all kinds of conpulsory, as the recalcitrant boats were devices, to nullify the concession extorted subjected to vexatious delays. These ex-from its fears. No better exemplification actions had been submitted to in silence of this policy could be given than the by the victims in the fear that protest manner in which the southern provincial "would be followed by worse treatment. governments succeeded for upwards of a Towards the middle of the year the suf- quarter of a century in rendering. the ferers at last summoned up courage to ap-clauses of the Treaty of Tientsin relating prise me of what had previously been to transit passes a dead letter. Ever since unknown to me. I was successful in the first treaties with western countries were having these irregular imposts abolished, signed, moreover, the Chinese officials have and in securing the issue of a public endeavoured to subject foreign goods to notification to say that none such would be illegal taxes, and the history of British levied hereafter ou certificated goods." As relations with China is one long continued the Consul observes, this is a common device struggle between British merchants (through all over China, and has been resorted to in their Consuls) and the mandarins in resisting many provinces where the trausit pass illegal imposts on trade. The time has now threatened to interfere with lekin revenue. arrived when the Treaty Powers should Mr. PLAYFAIR proceeds :- At some point.come to an agreement amongst themselves
on the inland journey the privileges of the pass have been shorn by the iu- position of unauthorised dues under vary ing names of which I may cite loti-shui and tso-ku as instances). These have been a veritable Hydra; no sooner has one head been lopped off than another
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(Daily Press 6th July). As to the manner in which official appoint- ments are made in China an instructive illustration is afforded by the case of the regarded as a high lucrative post. It was Customs Thotaiship at Tientsin, evidently believed at one time that SHEN Taotai, formerly manager of the Chinn Merchants Steam Navigation Company at Shanghai, and at present Taotai of North Tungchow, near Peking, would secure this coveted billet, more especially as he was strongly recommended for it by the Viceroy Yu Lu; but it would seem that the Empress Dowa the post to a Manchu at Peking named per had quite other views, and awarded CHEN Hou. These posts are almost invari- to speedily amass a fortune in them by the ably filled by Manchus, who are supposed free use of the squeeze. They do not, how- they are expected to purchase the appoint- ever, escape this instrument themselves, for ment, and on their return to the capital are required to stump up a pretty large com- mission on their makings by way of present to some Palace official. It would seem in this last case that the Empress Dowager has given an extra turn of the screw and only succeeded in scaring off the Taotai- elect, for Mr. CHEN HOU, on being made to understand that his acceptance of the ap- pointment involved the payment to the Em- préss's favourite Eunuch of a sum of about Tls. 200,000 in addition to the Tle. 40,000 usually expected by the officials of the Board the honour. According to the Peking corres of Civil appointments, promptly declined poudent of our Shanghai morning contem- porary, CHENG was so disgusted with this plained to Her Majesty about it. Report gross attempt at extortion that he com-
goes that the Empress, so far from taking up the matter or inquiring into the charge, simply ignored it altogether and remarked that perhaps she had better appoint the recalcitrant CHENG to a Provincial judge- ship when a vacancy occurred. What answer the bold Manchu gave to this pro- posal is not stated, but it would appear that the Empress Dowager, who is reputed to possess a very keen eye for the main chance, considered that the post was worth the mium demanded by her creature, and a good proportion of which no doubt is intended for her private purse.
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to insist upon one system of Customs, instead of as at present a foreign and a native Customs Service with lekin collectorate as well. With regard to the multiplied imposts upon imported goods, these should be reduced to one duty payable at port of ar-, rival, after which the goods should be When it is considered that China is sprung to life in its place. It is free to go to any part of the Empire. The governed by persons who sell official impossible for the wariest Consul to guard Treaty Powers would no doubt agree to an appointments to the highest bidders, and against such artifices if not kept in increase in the tariff un ler these conditions that the salaries paid (as Dr. Hồ K formed of their existence by the suf- but they would want some security for the points out in his recent letter to ord ferers." The very same story can be, fulfilment of the stipulations, A signed Charles Beresford) are wholly in and has been told of the Two Kwang. treaty could not be accepted as sufficient ent to provide for the current Of the dodges of the mandarins in the security, for the record of the Chinese Go of the officials, what possible hop southern provinces the
there is no end. More vernment in the past has been one of con- there of reforms being instituted i than twenty years ago a demand was made tinued bad faith and violation of the administration? Certainly none to the Viceroy, we believe, for a tariff show Treaties. Some material guarantee, auch existing Government. Why ing the inland taxation of foreign goods. ns the collection of all the duties by the longer of the morality, the propriety, Fur two decades the Canton Government Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs, would the expediency of attempting
bolster shuffled out of satisfying this demand until | be absolutely necessary. No one, of course, up so rotten
a fabrio? China" is no at last Mr. Consul BRENAN, acting under would wish to see the provincial administra- disintegrating through the attacks of op instructions from the Minister at Peking, tions deprived of their revenues, but the enemies; she is decaying as the applied definitely to the Viceroy for a tariff present wasteful system of collection, lead of canker at the heart. If the Chinese