[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government]
360
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
Red 11 OFC 05
CONFIDENTIAL,
[26314]
No. 1.
[August 1.]
SECTION 2.
Mr. Carnegie to Sir Edward Grey.---(Received August 1.)
(No. 147.) (Telegraphic.)
Peking, August 1, 1906.
I HAVE the honour to inform you (with reference to my telegram No. 125) that a copy, of which the following is a translation, of the new instructions to the Inspector-General of Customs was sent me yesterday by Mr. Tong.
"Hitherto all Customs affairs have been under the control of the Wai-wu Pu and Hu Pu (Board of Revenue). In obedience to the Imperial Decree, we have established the Shui-wu Ch'u (Revenue Council) for the special management of these affairs, and it will enter upon the administration thereof on the 22nd July. Thereafter all Customs affairs which in any way concern revenue business - over and above such as involve international relations, which shall continue to be transacted by the Wai-wu Pu, and the appropriation of revenue, which shall follow the directions of the Board of Revenue - shall be reported directly to this Council, to be considered and dealt with by it."
I do not see that objection can be taken to these instructions, assuming that if the Revenue Council merely takes the place of the Wai-wu Pu the stipulations of the Loan Agreements will not be infringed, and that under the Finance Council the members of the Customs service, from the Inspector-General downwards, continue to have the same functions, duties, and responsibilities as under the Wai-wu Pu. The instructions are wanting in this respect that the Inspector-General is not explicitly ordered in them to carry on as before, and I propose to draw Mr. Tong's attention seriously to the matter on Friday next when he returns from the Summer Palace.
Sir Robert Hart is at Peitaiho, and I am in communication with him.
I am inquiring into the facts connected with rumours which have reached me that the previous practice in the Statistical Department and at Amoy have been materially altered.
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