#801 .0.0 (STA
TO 839 X 38}
i
!:
- 169
$
Faritime Customs.
o make technical difficulties
and to con tend that the duty should rest with the
territorial officials alone was to ignore their
or neglect failure in the past and the insecurity from which
ritish trade was obviously suffering, It was not
urged that a large number of foreigners should be
employed, but that, 3r the Chinese Tovernment wished
Se inspire Porei,mers with confidence to their
. emedial measures, they should place the control
of them in the hands of the Customs.
After much fencing Their Excellencles
consented to telegraph to the "ce
'aceroy Chou Tu to
consult with the Commissioner of Puston . I
pointed out that it was necessary to bend come
definita instructions as to the ling which the
Viceroy should take, and aacured Their Rcellencies
that nothing short of the sourate schiene suggested
would serve to stop piracy or to satisfy 18
Majesty's Government.
+
At a later interview on Tag-aber 11th the
Arand Secretary dh'u Yong-hi informed me that the
Viceroy had telegraphed a reply objecting to the
proposal for Customs control on two grounds:
(1)
that it was injurious to China's sovereign
rights to delegate a futy of this kind to a semi-
foreign institution, und (3) that such a dolega***
tion would only tond to make the territorial
authorities disregard their responsibilities for
the maintaḥame or pouco and order.
I made it
lain