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S 100. Jeg Geob FUJO VEEL KE
vfgenoa eta med bruseg
De this as it may, the position is now that the Guild will in future control the monopoly, und will collect an additional tax of
$ 200. per chest making the total umount of this new and entirely illed gel impoet $ 480 per cheat.
As you are well aware, this Chamber has repeatedly protested during the past ten months against the action of the Viceroys.
We now again record our most strenuous protest against the continuance of this illegal interference with our trade.
SO
The Viceroy a short time ago frankly admitted that the money was required to replace the loss to the Provincial Treasury caused by the cessation of the Tambling Monopoly, while a proclamation just is ued by the Provincial Treasurer under instructions from the Vicel oy a translation of which is enclosed, states that the tax will, from time to time, he increased as the quantity of raw opium imported iqbo the Province decreases as to supply the full sum annually required by the Viceroy. The new rules regulating the raw opium trade are inclu- ded in this Proclamation, one of the conditions being that no one
can deal in raw opium without a licence from the Guild, this licence only being granted on condition that the opium is holled within a
month after purchase.
The Committee of this Chamber cannot but view with great uneasi-
ness this continued and flagrant ignoring of treaty rights by the
Provincial Authorities, particularly as we understand definite
instructions have been sent from Peking to the Viceroy that he should
revert to the status quo ante pending a full discussion between the
Vai-u-hi and His Majesty's representative at Peking.
This long continued flouting of a leading Treaty Power by one
of the local officials necessarily gives rise to the greatest uneasi-
ness on our part as we cannot but feel that this is inflicting a
very serious, pos. ibly irreparable, hlow to British prestige in the
ampire of China, when the Provincial Officials are permitted, month
after month, to ignore all, or any, treaty rights of foreigners when
it pleases them to do so, and in the face of instructions from their
Central government to levy illegal dues on foreign trade whenever this
is to their monetary advantage, merely or the plea that funds are
required for their local Treasury.
The Committee of this Chomber again protests most carnesly
against