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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Govern
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22738
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[18916]
No. 1.
[June 23]
Rd 25 JUN 06. SECTION 1.
439
Sir E. Satow to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received June 2.)
(No. 184.) Sir,
Peking, April 17, 1906. IN November 1904 a question arose at Foochow between His Majesty's Consul and the Fukien provincial authorities in consequence of the refusal of the Acting Viceroy to issue an Inland Waters Navigation certificate to Messrs. Jardine, Matheson, and Co., to enable their steamer "Columbia" to ply from Foochow to Shach'eng and Chapu, ports on the coast of the Fukien and Chekiang Provinces. The grounds for refusing this certificate were mere pretexts: (1) that the vessel was too large to be entitled to inland navigation privileges (her tonnage is 273 tons); (2) that Shach'eng and Chapu were naval harbours on the coast, and not places on inland waters; and (3) that the livelihood of the coolies who carried tea overland from Shach'eng to San-tu-ao would be interfered with.
The irregular action of the Viceroy was reported to me by His Majesty's Consul, and I brought it to the notice of the Wai-wu Pu in a note of the 25th April, 1905. I have the honour to inclose copies of that note and of the correspondence which ensued. I should add that, over and above the notes exchanged, the matter has been the subject of many interviews and much telegraphic correspondence during the past year.
Until Mr. Tang Shao-Yi took up the post of Vice-President of the Wai-wu Pu the attitude of that Board was one of steady support of the irrational contentions of the provincial authorities, or of inability to compel Viceroys and Governors to fulfil Treaty obligations, if for any reason they considered that the fulfilment would be prejudicial to a locality. This attitude was partly due to a Memorial of the Board of Commerce, which was presented to the throne on the 15th December, 1904, and which was afterwards embodied in a Decree, instructing the high provincial authorities to make such arrangements on all waterways not yet opened to inland steam navigation as should ensure that Chinese-owned vessels have an opportunity of plying before foreign vessels could do so. I inclose for your information a copy of a note which I addressed to Prince Ch'ing on this subject on the 31st July, 1905 (Inclosure 6). But no doubt the general agitation against foreign Treaty and other privileges which has been carried on in South China during the past year also had its influence on the Wai-wu Pu in this as in other matters.
My note of the 13th December, in which I said that unless suitable instructions were sent to the Fukien authorities I should be compelled to address a formal protest to the Chinese Government, led Prince Ching to place the matter in Mr. Tang's hands, and thenceforth the difficulty lay in gradually bringing the provincial authorities into line. In his last despatch to me, copy of which I inclose, His Majesty's Consul at Foochow states that he does not now anticipate any unnecessary delay in the issue of the certificate required for the "Columbia."
I have, &c.
(Signed)
ERNEST SATOW.
Your Highness,
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Sir E. Satow to Wai-wu Pu.
Peking, April 25, 1905. I LEARN from His Majesty's Consul-General at Foochow that Messrs. Jardine, Matheson, and Co., of that port, made application in July 1904 to the Commissioner of Customs to enable their steamer "Columbia" to ply between Foochow, Shach'eng, and Chapu under the Inland Waters Navigation Rules. This application was not sanctioned by the Tartar General, in his capacity of Superintendent of Customs, first, because the 'Columbia' was not a small vessel; and, secondly, on the ground that Shach'eng and Chapu were important naval harbours on the coast, and not to be considered as places on inland waters.
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