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Companies have now accepted, the adherence of the Commission to the scheme in its final form being in consequence formally given and conveyed in a letter from the Secretary to myself dated the 10th instant (No. 7).
I should add that the Tien-tsin General Chamber of Commerce at meetings held on the 16th June, 1905, and the 5th March, 1906, have unanimously approved the scheme and accepted the taxation contemplated thereby by Resolutions of those dates, the former of which was signed by every member of the Chamber (Nos. 1 and 6). Also that the "Deutsche Vereinigung" has by Resolution bound itself no less unequivocally (No. 1).
To summarize in its final form, the scheme is as set forth in the Resolution of Land-renters of the 14th June, 1905 (No. 1), as modified by the conditions under the first clause of the Landrenters' Resolution of the 26th February last (No. 5), and the letter of the Secretary of the Hai Ho Conservancy Commission dated the 10th April, 1906 (No. 7).
For the convenience of your Excellency and of your Excellency's colleagues I have set out the conditions of the scheme in its final shape (No. 8), and I now have the honour to apply for the sanction of the Diplomatic Body thereto. Your Excellency will remember, as pointed out above, that the proposed new tax and the continuation of taxes in the manner contemplated by the scheme have already been sanctioned (No. 4), and that what now appears to be required is approval by the Diplomatic Body of the practical application of the principles which have been recognized, in order that persons of all nationalities may be bound to contribute taxation on cargo landed at Tien-tsin, and the object of the scheme be fully secured.
I conceive that there is no necessity for me to add anything further. The unanimity and readiness with which the scheme has found acceptance by all interests would appear to testify sufficiently to its soundness as well as to the general conviction as to the need, in the interests of the port, for remedial measures in connection with the Taku Bar.
It is perhaps also unnecessary for me to add that I am at your Excellency's disposal for any further information that may be required.
I have, &c.
(Signed) J. M. DICKINSON, Chairman.
Inclosure 6 in No. 1.
Consul-General Hopkins to Mr. Conger.
Tien-tsin, May 27, 1903.
Sir,
IN my capacity of Senior Consul at this port, I have the honour to forward to your Excellency, in connection with the work of improvement carried on by the "Commission d'Entretien et d'Amélioration du Hai Ho," copy of a letter and its inclosures, dated the 8th April last, addressed to me, as Senior Consul, by Mr. W. Fisher, Chairman of the British Municipal Council.
Your Excellency, being already acquainted with the objects which it is the duty of the Commission to forward, and Mr. Fisher's letter being clear and explicit, I believe I need not do more than bring to the knowledge of the Diplomatic Body, through yourself, that the proposals of the British Municipal Council, as contained in the Resolutions, are also approved by all the members of the Consular Body of Tien-tsin. On their behalf I have the honour to beg your Excellency to bring the matter to the notice of your Excellency's colleagues, and to express the hope that the foreign Representatives may see fit to sanction the measures embodied in the three Resolutions.
I have, &c.
(Signed) L. C. HOPKINS, Senior Consul.
Inclosure 7 in No. 1.
British Municipal Council to Consul-General Hopkins.
Tien-tsin, April 8, 1903.
I BEG leave to hand you herewith copies of three Resolutions which were passed at a meeting of Landrenters of the British Concession on the 6th instant.
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I should explain that the Hai Ho Conservancy Board represented that, in continuation of the policy of river improvement already initiated, they proposed to make a third cutting in the river, but that they found themselves unable to proceed with this most necessary work from lack of funds. The Board also indicated a desire to deal with the Taku Bar after the completion of the third cutting.
The assistance of the British Municipal Council was invoked in order to raise the necessary funds.
The Council thereupon proposed, for the consideration of the Chamber of Commerce, an increase of the present river dues by a further 1 per mille, one-half of the increase to cover a loan of up to 300,000 taels for the third cutting, and the other half to be by way of a contribution to the funds necessary for dealing with Taku Bar.
The scheme proposed was, in fact, on the general lines indicated by the Honorary Treasurer of the Hai Ho Conservancy in a letter to the Chairman of that body, dated the 11th March, which letter has, I understand, been distributed among the Consuls here.
The Chamber of Commerce enthusiastically and unanimously indorsed the proposals made to them, and the Council then took the first step necessary by calling a meeting of Landrenters and submitting the proposals to them.
This meeting took place on the 6th instant, and the three Resolutions, of which I inclose you copies, were unanimously passed.
The next necessary step is to obtain a similar consent from all those national authorities who hold Concessions at Tien-tsin, to the effect that the proposed levy shall be made on goods which may be landed in, or dispatched from, their Concessions in a similar manner to the levy on similar goods landed in, or dispatched from, the British Concessions.
The consent of all the Ministers should also be obtained to make the levy binding on goods belonging to their nationals landed in, or shipped from, the Concessions of other nationals, if such is deemed to be necessary.
Thus far I understand the procedure practically follows the precedent already laid down.
You will observe that the third Resolution in effect rescinds those portions of the Resolutions of 1898 and 1901, under which existing loans were raised, which limit the levy of the river dues to a fixed number of years. Levy of dues up to 2 per mille should continue until all loans hitherto raised or projected are paid off. The dues are anything but excessive, and they are gladly consented to by the commercial community in view of the advantages to be derived.
I may add that it is not proposed to increase the existing rate of river dues on tea and opium, these two articles being especially exempted.
I have, &c.
(Signed) W. FISHER, Chairman.
Inclosure 8 in No. 1.
M. Csikann to Consul-General Hopkins.
M. le Consul-Général,
Pékin, le 30 Juin, 1903. PAR une lettre en date du 27 Mai dernier vous avez bien voulu, en qualité de Doyen du Corps Consulaire, adresser à son Excellence M. Conger, alors Doyen du Corps Diplomatique à Pékin, une proposition du Président du Conseil Municipal de la Concession Anglaise du Tien-tsin.
Cette proposition avait pour objet de fournir à la Commission du Hai Ho les fonds nécessaires pour l'exécution d'une coupure sur le cours de la rivière, ainsi que des travaux à opérer sur la barre de Takou.
Vous ajoutiez que le Corps Consulaire de votre résidence avait unanimement approuvé la proposition, en question, que vous soumettiez à l'acceptation du Corps Diplomatique.
* Inclosures consisted of the three Resolutions set forth in the Minutes of the Meeting of Landrenters, held April 6, 1903.
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