Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
CONFIDENTIAL.
No. 1.
244
[May 11.]
SECTION 1.
106.)
The Marquess of Lansdowne to Sir F. Lascelles.
Foreign Office, May 11, 1904.
I ASKED the German Chargé d'Affaires to-day whether he could give me any information with regard to the progress of the negotiations which I believed to be proceeding between the German and Chinese Governments for the conclusion of a commercial Treaty upon the lines of that concluded between Great Britain and China in 1902. I reminded Count Bernstorff that His Majesty's Government, acting as we believed in the interests of all the Powers concerned with the commerce of the Far East, had entered into an Arrangement, under which, in consideration of an augmentation of the Customs duties, the Chinese Government had undertaken to abolish likin and other exactions, of which the effect had been highly prejudicial to trade. These provisions, however, could not take effect until similar Agreements had been entered into by China with the other Powers.
In these circumstances His Majesty's Government would regret to find that those Powers were not taking up the matter in earnest. Hence the question which I had addressed to him.
Count Bernstorff was unable to give me any information, but promised that he would make inquiries on the subject.
I am, &c.
(Signed)
LANSDOWNE.