Bur
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
SOUTH-WEST CHINA.
¡CONFIDENTIAL.
No. 1.
113
[July 3.]
SECTION 1.
Sir E. Satow to the Marquess of Lansdowne.---(Received July 3.)
Peking, May 12, 1905.
No. 167.)
Lord, I HAVE the honour to transmit to your Lordship herewith copies of a despatch which I have received from His Majesty's Acting Consul at Kongmoon, and of a overing despatch from His Majesty's Consul General at Canton, on the subject of the putting into force of the revised West River Regulations.
1 have, &c. (Signed) ERNEST SATOW.
Inclosure in No. 1.
(No. 19.) Sir,
Consul-General Scott to Sir E. Satow.
Canton, April 20, 1905, I HAVE the honour to transmit herewith a despatch which I have received under flying seal from His Majesty's Acting Consul at Kongmoon regarding the revised West River Regulations, which are at last being put in force.
The consent of the Diplomatic Representatives in Peking to these Regulatious was received and duly communicated to the Commissioner of Customs on the 31st December, 1904, by me on behalf of the Consular Body at this port. But it was only within the last few days, and after several applications on his part, that the Commissioner of Customs at Canton obtained the necessary instructions from the Inspector-General.
One point of vital interest to the shipping arose in connection with these instruc- tious, namely, the substitution of the Sailam Channel for that of the Kerr Channel, which is named by the Regulations. The point was so obvious that the Consular Body unanimously resolved to sanction this change in the Regulations without reference to Peking, and I informed the Commissioner of Customs accordingly.
I have, &c. (Signed)
J. SCOTT.
(No. 2.) Sir,
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
Acting Consul Tebbitt to Consul-General Scott.
Kongmoon, April 19, 1905. I HAVE the honour to inform you that I have been notified by the Commissioner of Customs that the revised West River Regulations have been accepted and sauc- tioned,
In consequence, steamers from Hong Kong for Samshui and beyond will be authorized on and after the 1st May next to proceed direct from Hong Kong to Samstru, if so desired, without coming first to Kongmoon for a West River permit.
This is the only material alteration in the new Regulations, and it concedes all that has been asked for by the Shipping Companies.
There will be a minor alteration under Article 5, No. 9(6), in the text when published, in which the words "Sailam Channel" will be substituted for the words "Kerr Channel," the effect of which will be to authorize steamers to use the Sailam Channel.
This will make no alteration in the existing practice, for although the 1897 West River Regulations and subsequent amendments required vessels which enter at Wangmoon to proceed via the Kerr Channel, yet, as a matter of fact, the Customs
[2079 c-1]