216
PRC2
2100
RECC4FEN87)
No. 44.
The Earl of Iddesleigh to Sir J. Walsham.
(No. 324. Confidential.) Sir,
Foreign Office, December 22, 1886.
I HAVE to inform you that I have been in communication with the Board of Trade, and with the principal Chambers of Commerce in this country, as to the Commercial Convention between France and China (of which a copy was inclosed with Mr. O'Conor's despatch No. 141 of the 30th April last), in regard to its bearing on British commercial interests.
It appears from the replies received from the various bodies consulted on the subject that, although it is provided by Article VI of the above Treaty that the duty on imports from France through Tonquin into China would be one-fifth, and by Article VII on exports via Tonquin to France one-third less than the duties imposed under the Chinese Maritime Tariff, they are of opinion that, taking into consideration the badness of the roads, and the defective means of internal communication, the difference of duty need not be looked upon as conferring any material preference or advantage on France over the other nations interested in the Chinese Treaty ports, provided that corresponding advantages are secured to this country as regards the frontier trade of Burmah and the navigation of the southern rivers of China.
You are authorized to inform the Chinese Government that Her Majesty's Government, while reserving the rights which they possess under the most-favoured-nation clause to claim equal treatment with France in regard to customs duties, will not assert those rights on the present occasion so far as the Treaty ports are concerned, but will be satisfied if, in the Treaty arrangements to be made in regard to the Burmese frontier trade, the same reduction upon the maritime duties is conceded that has been accorded to the French in the Tonquin Treaty.
You will, at the same time, urge the Chinese Government, in consideration of the friendly spirit shown by Her Majesty's Government, to give such facilities for the navigation by foreign steam-vessels of the Canton River, and other waterways of Southern China, as will enable British trade to compete on fairly equal terms with the trade across the frontier of Tonquin, which has been opened to France by the Commercial Convention of Tien-tsin.
This question was referred to in Lord Salisbury's despatch to Mr. O'Conor of the 8th July, 1885.
I am, &c.
(Signed)
IDDESLEIGH.