COP Y.
No.126.
254
H. B. . Consulate,
Canton, 28th. September, 1899.
Sir,
With reference to your despatch No.1651 of yesterdayʼs date, I have the honour to state that I today sent you the following telegram en clair,
"Your despatch 1651 Catigorical replies impossible matter unsettled and chaotic. 1.Licences issued for West River below but not above Samshui. 2.Yes, with above limitations and passing Ports of call, no Treaty Port below Senshui, 3.Theoretically yes", practically rule probably relaxed. 4. not at Canton. **
As stated in the above telegram the working of the Irland Waters Navigation Regulationis, so far as the West River is concerned, is in an unsettled state and it is difficult to discover het the practice actually is.
Theoretically Inland Navigation, it is held here,
cannot be carried on except with places situated betwe n Canton
and the next Treaty Fort, that is in the case of Canton, Sanshui.
But the practice has apparently hitherto been only to carry this out strictly in the care of steamers proposing to proceed to some place beyond Sanshui up the West River towards Muchow,
as certificates are issued to steamers desiring to trade at
or carry passengers to places anywhere on the West River below
Samshui eni also to places on the North River, to reach which
it is necessary to pass the Treaty Port of Sanshui. The West
River belor Senshui can be reached by creeks and a strener
proceeding there need not of necessity pass Semshui,but I
understand