COPY.
5.0
13320
MEC
&
Bed 30 APR 00
Translation.
From Viceroy Li
257
March 12th. 1900.
#
I
(2)
I
sir,
Having received your despatch informing me of the request
made by H.E. the Goverrior of Hongkong that British owned
launches should be allowed to stop at places on the inland wa-
ters to take up and set down passengers, I instructed the Boerd
of Reorganization, the Likin Office and the Commissioner of
Customs to consider the matter conjointly. I have now received
a reply from the Board of Reorganization and the Likin Office
as follows:-
"Leunches owned by foreign merchants are now allowed to stop
at any non-treaty ports or secretly to trade there; this is
clearly stated in the treaty. When the West River was opened
for trade in the 23rd year of Kuang Hsu (1897), instructions
were received from the Tsungli Yemen that Wuchou Fu in Kuang
Hsi and Kong Ken Hru the port of the town of Samshui in Kuang
Tung were to be opened to trede, and that four placer, Kong-
mun, Kumchuk Tan, Shao Ching Fu and the suburbs of Tek Hing
Chou, would be opened for steamers to stop et for the landing ani shipping of cargo, and were to be dealt with in accordance with the regulations in force at the six porte of call on the
Yangtsze. Now the propos: 1 that British launches be allowed to stop at any place on the West River to take passengers ap- pears to be contrary to treaty. In the West River district branch creeks ere so mumerous that the payment of duties may be easily avoided. Although it ir said that, only passengers shall be taken and not cargo, yet the passengers will consist of both good and bad persons, and it is impossible to guarentee that they will not ċerry with them merchandise to be lended on the way, and thus secretly avoid duties and likin, to the
injury