136
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state that in addition to the joint protest His
Majesty's Government would issue a statement to the
effect that, in view of the fact that circumstances
had prevented the implementing of the promise made to
China five years ago that she would be granted certain
tariff increases, His Majesty's Government, while
reserving their treaty-rights, were not prepared to
resist the levy of these taxes, but proposed to instruc
the British Consul-General at Canton to inform the
local authorities at Canton that, if they accepted our
views in regard to collection by the Maritime Customs,
he would instruct British merchants to acquiesce in
and do all in their power to facilitate the levy of unch new taxes. (Foreign Office telegram No. 304, dated
31st October).
4
30. Neither Sir R. Macleay, nor Mr. Brenan nor
I were in agreement with the Foreign Office policy. Sir Ronald felt that the proposed statement, throwing the blame for the failure to liquidate the Washington
promises on the Powers interested in the debt consoli- dation, would be gravely resented by the Japanese, Americans and other creditor Powers. He also doubted
whether such an explanation of our motives would secure
the goodwill of the Chinese Nationalists, who believed
that they could force the hands of the Powers and would
have no reason to welcome the enunciation by His Majesty's Government of a policy which, apart from the consideration that it was unlikely to be followed by the other Powers, implied our readiness to grant sur-
taxes