[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government, and should be returned to the Foreign Office if not required for official use.]
46 65
From CHINA.
Decypher.
Mr. O'Malley (Peking).
10th August, 1927.
D.
8.50 p.m. 10th August, 1927.
R.
7.00 p.m. 10th August, 1927.
No. 1237.
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Addressed to His Majesty's Minister No. 31.
Tonnage dues.
Meeting of diplomatic body was called this morning
by senior Minister who said that his object was to
socure that same action should be taken by all the
Powers. French Chargé d'Affaires said that his
consular officers in Shanghai and Canton had been
authorised by him to clear ships on payment of legal
tonnage dues to them and had done this in two cases.
French government had neither approved nor disapproved
his action.
I said His Majesty's Consul-General, Shanghai,
had been similarly authorised by you and that His
Majesty's Government had also made no comment on your
action. United States Minister said that United
States Consul-General, Shanghai, had been similarly
authorised but had been instructed to leave ships
quite free to choose whether to avail themselves of
facilities of payment of legal tonnage dues to Consul-
General, or to pay increased dues to local authorities.
All sinaller Powers were ready to follow any unanimous
decision