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This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[1664]
No. 1.
[January 13.]
SECTION 1,
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.--(Received January 13, 1909.)
(No. 568.) Sir,
Peking, December 21, 1908. THE issue of exemption certificates for duty-paid foreign goods on the Shanghac- Nanking Railway has been continually urged by the Wai-wn Pu since my despatch No. 470 of the 25th October was written. On the 14th November I was informed in a note, translation of which is inclosed, that rules had been sanctioned by the Revenue Council, and on the 11th December I was given a copy of the Chinese text of Provisional Rules, which on examination appeared to be workable. I have now received a despatch, dated the 10th December, from His Majesty's Consul at Naoking stating that the Provisional Rules have been issued in a notification of the Commissioner of Customs, and I conclude from this that they are now in force.
Copies of the Provisional Rules are inclosed for your information,
I have, &c.
(Signed) J. N. JORDAN.
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
(Translation.) Sir,
Wai-wu Pu to Sir J. Jordan.
Peking, November 14, 1908. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellency's note of the 23rd October, on the subject of the issue of exemption certificates for duty-paid goods carried by the Shanghae--Nanking Railway, stating that His Majesty's Consul- General at Shanghae had reported that, in consequence of the obstruction of Li-kin Bureau officials, no decision had yet been come to, and that the Regulations were still in the hands of the Shanghae Taotai. Your Excellency requested that explicit instruc- tions might be sent by telegraph to the Customs authorities at Shanghae to issue the exemption certificates forthwith.
The Board thereupon directed the Revenue Council to issue instructions for a speedy settlement of the question, and are now in receipt of their reply, which is to thefollowing effect :-
"Repeated instructions have been issued by this Department pressing for a settle- ment of the question of the issue of exemption certificates and transit passes (Tzu k'oushui tan') for duty-paid goods carried by the Shanghae-Nanking Railway. Regulations have now been submittted by the Acting Inspector-General of Customs, and have been sanctioned by us."
I avail, &c. (Signed) Prince CHING.
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
Sir,
Mr. Bredon to the Commissioners of Customs, China.
Inspectorate-General of Customs, Peking, November 12, 1908.
I HAVE to circulate herewith, for your information and guidance, copy of a Shui-wu Ch'u despatch conveying approval of the following set of Provisional Rules for issue of exemption certificates for import-duty-paid foreign goods carried on the Hu-Ning Railway between open ports which are based on Rules originally drawn up by the Shanghae Commissioner, Mr. II. E. Hobson, after reference to his colleagues along the line, the Soochow Li-kin Deputy Commissioner and the Railway Directors.
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