This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL.
No. 1.
182
[June 8.]
SECTION 2.
(No. 14.) My Lord,
Consul-General Scott to the Marquess of Lansdowne.--(Received June 8.)
Canton, May 8, 1903. WITH reference to my despatch No. 71 of the 13th August last, I have the honour to inclose herewith copy of my despatch No. 14 of the 5th instant to His Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at Peking, with respect to the transference of the native customs to the Imperial Maritime Customs Department, in terms of the Final Peace Protocol of the 7th September, 1901, from which it will be seen that, with the exception of Canton itself, the native customs stations throughout the Delta still remain under the control of the Hoppo.
I have, &c. (Signed)
JAMES SCOTT.
Inclosure in No. 1.
Consul-General Scott to Mr. Townley.
(No. 14.)
Canton, May 5, 1903. Sir,
I BEG to acknowledge the receipt of your telegram No. 2 of the 2nd instant, having reference to the native customs and my despatch No. 68 of the 12th August last.
Fully a year has now elapsed since the transfer by the Hoppo of the native customs at Canton to the Imperial Maritime Customs Department in terms of the Final Peace Protocol of the 7th September, 1901, and the result of the past year's operations, in respect to the amount of duty collected, may well be considered disappointing. As you are no doubt aware, it was only after considerable pressure from Peking that the Hoppo consented to surrender his control of the Chang Kuan in Canton itself; the other stations in the Delta, some twelve in number, remaining under his control.
In my despatch No. 68 of last year, I ventured to point out that the Hoppo would not fail to so organize arrangements at the different out-stations as to minimize the effect of the transfer of the Chang Kuan to the Imperial Maritime Customs. I beg to report that my forecast in this respect has been fulfilled, more especially in regard to the two native customs stations at Ch'ên Ts'un and Fatshan. I learn from reliable and confidential sources that formerly, in ordinary years, some 600,000 taels were annually collected by the native customs at Canton, while at Fatshan and Ch'ên Ts'un combined some 2,000 taels per month covered the total revenue collected. On the other hand, under the Imperial Maritime Customs' control, the revenue received at the Ch'ang Kuan in Canton during the first year's management amounted to 320,000 taels, while at Chên Ts'un and Fatshan trustworthy evidence places the amount now being collected at fully 10,000 taels per month. Further, I learn that the Hoppo is so organizing his system, by granting reduced duty and other facilities to the native merchants, as to induce them to make Ch'ên Ts'un their head-quarters. It is well known that many articles which were formerly dispatched from Canton now find their way to Ch'ên Ts'un from the producing districts direct, and are thence exported to Hong Kong, paying duty to the Hoppo.
As reported in my despatch No. 68 above referred to, all native customs stations within a radius of 50 li (17 miles) should have been handed over to the control of the Imperial Maritime Customs Department. Ch'ên Ts'un and Fatshan are only 10 miles from Canton, but the Hoppo, on the ground that a detour by water is necessary to reach them, has been successful in resisting all attempts to withdraw them from his control.
I have, &c. (Signed)
JAMES SCOTT.
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