[This Document is the Property of Her Britannic Majesty's Government.]
JAPAN: TREATY REVISION.
CONFIDENTIAL.
No. 1.
26247
xx
[August 29. IREC
SECTION 329 SEP 39
581
Sir E. Satow to the Marquess of Salisbury,—(Received August 29.)
(No. 128.) My Lord,
Tókið, July 24, 1899. HAVING received from Her Majesty's Consul at Tamsui an intimation that the Government of Formosa were about to commence levying export duties on goods exported from that island, which, I had reason to believe, would unfavourably affect the interests of British merchants engaged in the tea trade from Tamsui, most of which passes through Amoy, I addressed a note, of which I have the honour to inclose a copy, to the Minister for Foreign Affairs on the 19th instant inquiring whether this report was correct, and calling his attention to paragraph 2 of Article VIII of the Treaty of 1894, which provides for equality of treatment in regard to export duties on the export of any article, whatever may be the port of destination, whether a port of either of the Contracting Parties or of any third Power.
I have since received the inclosed despatch from Her Majesty's Consul at Tamsui giving the text of the Notification by which the duties in question are to be imposed, and a telegram from him stating that the date of enforcement is postponed to the 4th August.
The arrangement contemplated is that on all articles enumerated in the Formosan export Tariff, except tea, when transported to Japan, port clearance charges shall be imposed equivalent to the export duty levied when the port of destination is a foreign country. In the case of Oolong and Powching tea the port clearance charges are fixed at 1 yen 60 sen per pioul respectively, as compared with 1 yen 60 sen and 1 yen 20 sen export duty.
The object aimed at is to divert the export trade in Formosan tea from the hands of British merchants and from British ships into the control of Japanese dealers and to a newly-established line of Japanese steamers between Kelung and Kobe. The teas affected are not consumed in Japan, but are mostly sent to Canada and the United States, and if shipped direct to Kobe and thence re-exported will pay no export duty there.
I took the opportunity to-day of stating to the Minister for Foreign Affairs that, while I should raise no objection if the port clearance dues on tea were fixed at the same rate as the export duties, I feared that the proposed measure if carried out might give rise to a troublesome controversy.
I have, &c. (Signed)
ERNEST SATOW.
M. le Ministre,
Inclosure 1 in No. 1
Sir E. Satow to Viscount Aoki.
Tokió, July 19, 1899. A REPORT having reached me from Her Majesty's Consul at Tamsui to the effect that an export tariff is to be imposed at the ports of Formosa from the 4th proximo, I have the honour to inquire whether this report is correct.
I feel it is unnecessary to recall to your Excellency the provisions contained in the second paragraph of Article VIII of the Treaty between Great Britain and Japan of the 16th July, 1894, by which it is stipulated that the same export duties shall be paid, and the same bounties and drawbacks allowed, in the dominions and possessions of the High Contracting Parties on the export of any article which is or may be legally exported therefrom, whatever may be the place of destination, whether a port of either of the Contracting Parties or of any third Power.
I take, &c.
(Signed)
ERNEST SATOW.
[2147 g-8]