not be permitted to render nugatory by their obstruction one of the provisions of a Protocol which they have signed with Representatives of all the Powers. They trust that the French Government will take the same view of the question, and that the reply to the French Minister at Peking may be sent by telegraph to that effect, in order to hasten the formation of the Board.
I am, &c.
(Signed)
LANSDOWNE,
(This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.)
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL.
No. 1.
139
[January 16.]
SECTION 1.
Page 139
Sir E. Satow to the Marquess of Lansdowne.--(Received January 16, 1904.)
(No. 407.)
Peking, November 30, 1903.
My Lord,
IN continuation of my despatch No. 312 of the 7th September last, and with reference to your Lordship's No. 297 of the 5th ultimo, respecting procedure with regard to the issue of drawback certificates, I have the honour to report that at the end of last September I received a telegram from the Acting British Consul-General at Shanghae, informing me that the Taotai read Article I of the Commercial Treaty as meaning that drawback certificates were to be issued as at present, from his Office through the Maritime Customs, but within three weeks. Mr. Mansfield added that if this were allowed there would be a continuation of the old abuses, and that interminable correspondence would result.
In reply, I pointed out that the terms of the Article were "by" and not "through" the Imperial Maritime Customs, and that, if necessary, he could inform the Taotai that I was unable to accept his interpretation. I next heard from Mr. Mansfield that the Taotai stated that, without specific instructions from the Wai-wu Pu, he could not hand over the drawback certificate office to the Commissioner of Customs, and that 50,000 old certificates were still unissued; he had given instructions that these should be issued in forty days, which seemed to Mr. Mansfield impossible. He suggested that the Wai-wu Pu should be induced to give the necessary instructions, and direct that the balance of the unissued certificates should be dealt with by the Commissioner of Customs.
I have the honour to inclose a copy of a note I addressed to the Wai-wu Pu to this effect, with a copy of their reply, explaining the delay which had occurred in carrying out the provisions of the Treaty and promising a satisfactory arrangement.
I have received no further communication on the subject from Shanghae, and presume that there is now no ground for complaint.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
ERNEST SATOW.
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Your Highness,
Sir E. Satow to Prince Ch'ing.
Peking, October 15, 1903.
THE 1st Article of the Commercial Treaty signed at Shanghae last year provides that drawback certificates shall be issued by the Imperial Maritime Customs. I learn, however, by telegraph from His Majesty's Consul-General at Shanghae that at that port no arrangements have been made for giving effect to this provision, and the certificates are still issued by the Shanghae Taotai.
I have the honour, therefore, to request that instructions may be sent by telegram to the latter that the certificates must in future be issued by the Commissioner of Customs.
The reason for the change in the mode of issue of these certificates is stated in the Treaty to be that delay has occurred in the past owing to these documents being dealt with by the Superintendent of Customs at a distance from the Customs Office. How great this delay is may be gathered from a fact mentioned in His Majesty's Consul-General's telegram, namely, that there are over 50,000 certificates still unissued. The Taotai states that he has given orders for these to be sent out within forty days, but, in the opinion of His Majesty's Consul-General, this is not possible. I beg, therefore, to ask that instructions be sent to the Taotai to hand over to the Commissioner of Customs the duty of dealing not only with new certificates, but also with the old ones that have accumulated.
I avail, &c.
(Signed)
ERNEST SATOW,
[1827 q-1]
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