To Messrs BRADLEY AND COMPANY AND the two Provinces with a view to promote
OTHERS, at Swatow.
CANTON, Dec 27th, 1869. GENTLEMEN,I have to acknowledge the receipt of the address which circumstances prevented your presenting to me in person during my visit to Swatow.
this object.
By a mutual accord and the adoption of reciprocal measures on the part of the Chi- nese and the Colonial authorities, I see no kong and the neighbouring coast should reason why the intercourse between Hong-
not be placed on a more regular and satis-
I am glad to learn from those who are on the spot that many practical benefits have factory footing, so as to protect the Chinese resulted from the opening of Chao-chow-foo Revenue without unreasonably obstructing last your aud that the efforts made since to the daily and legitimate traffic between the render your communications between the Colony and the mainland.
So far as the disposition manifested by two poris more secure, as well as to remove impediments of various kinds to the deve-the Viceroy to meet these views is concern- lopment of trade, have not been wholly un-ed, there seems to be no insuperable successful. Your appreciation of those obstacle, and any measures that will plainly efforts and ready recognition of the advan- tend to discourage contraband trade are so tages resulting, I beg to assure you, lose obviously in the interest of the Chinese none of their value in my estimation from Government and the High Authorities who the smallness of the community you repre. administer the Provinces, that they will I believe readily concur in such arrangements as may at the same time be necessary to protect and facilitate the legitimate com- merce of the Colony. Both must be pro- vided for, however, if any practical good is to result, and all the advantages of a Treaty Port in China under closely regulated con- ditions of trade can scarcely be combined with those of a free port in the British do- minions which recognizes no Customs' con-
trol.
sent; nor with reference to the various questions raised in the course of
your remarks on existing disadvantages to trade am I less disposed on that account to give them my best attention. In respect to the levy of octroi duties at Chao-chow-foo on foreign goods, there can be no doubt the foreign merchant is entitled by Treaty to lay down his goods at any Treaty Port without their being subjected to other charge than the payment of the import duty according to Tariff; and Chao-clow- It is plain that there must be a mutual foo being a Treaty Port the levy of any spirit of accommodation for any settlement octroi duty has very properly been resisted to be arrived at. The Chinese are willing by H. M's Acting Consul. But, as you to concede a right of transhipment and observe, the Chinese have many ways of other conditions of a treaty port to Hong- evading in collusion with each other any kng, but the merchants cannot expect Customis' tax, or rendering nugatory any
i to combine all the advantages of a free port So regulations. And if exemption of foreign with the privileges of a Treaty Port. goods makes it impossible to levy an octroi far as trade in native junks with the main- duty on native articles of trade, from the land is concerned, a certain regulated right apparent injustice of such a differential of supervision and control over their own duty in favour of the foreigner or his trade, ships and subjects is a necessity and cannot and thus causes a loss of some Taels be denied. Its exercise cannot be refused 20,000 local revenue, as the Chinese autho- without destroying the Chinese revenue on rities declare, it is possible that rather than the one hand and exposing the Treaty ports Jose this they may covertly raise obstacles on the other to a competition on unequal to the trade in foreign goods either at terms, of which you are even now com Chao-chow-foo or in the interior, fatal to plaining. Nor is any such inequitable its prosperity. While China is governed as arrangement contemplated by Her Majes- it is, the danger of such devious courses ty's Government. On a basis of reciprocal being resorted to must always be great. advantage and concession there is much to This and many other difficulties of a simi-be gained on both sides, and nothing to be lar nature, however, may I hope be remov- lost which either side ought to seek to ed if the recent convention should come retain. And to facilitate such arrange. into operation. It is therein provided that ments as may best secure this end certain all foreign textile fabrics shall pass free of articles in the convention were expressly all charges in the nine provinces, whether framed. in Chinese or foreigu hands, on payment of the Import and Transit duty together, and this without the necessity for any transit pass. The collection of the transit duty on all such foreign goods being thus secured the one paynient is held to be an equiva- lent for every kind of inland tax that can lawfully be levied.
With reference to the injury inflicted upon the trade of Swatow by the proximity of Hongkong and the further facilities afforded by the absence of an effective pre- ventive service, combined with the corrupt practices of the native authorities along the coast for large smuggling operations, I trust something may ultimately be effected to remedy the evil you point out and put the Colony and the Treaty Ports on a more cqual footing.
It is indeed very desirable that steps should be taken with a view to the adoption of more satisfactory arrangements than those now existing between the Chinese and the British Colonial authorities; and I am, in compliance with instructions from Her Majesty's Government, now in communi- cation with His Excellency the Viceroy of
The treatment of claims against Chinese you are perfectly justified in saying, calls for improvement, and the subject with all the difficulties attaching to it has not been overlooked on the revision of the Treaty. I believe the adoption of a written commer- cial code and the constitution of Interna- tional Mixed Courts, with fixed Rules of practice, to offer the only practical remedy for the abuses now existing; and the first part of this programme has been provided
for in the convention.
You call my attention lastly to the dis- advantage under which the British dag as compared with that of other nationalities labours in the traffic with our own possCB- I have received simi- sious at the Straits. lar representations from Amoy, and the whole subject has been under considera- It is obvious however that legisla-
tion.
tive action at home is required to provide a remedy, and I have already taken the ne- cessary steps to bring the matter clearly before the proper authorities.
I have the honor to be, Gentlemen, your obedient servant,
RUTHERFORD ALCOCK.
416