$
157
At this time (about 1911) the Hongkong Government
was engaged in establishing its Imports and Exports Office, in
order to provide Revenue in place of that which was being for-
feited by the cessation of the Opium trade, and at the re-
quest of the Hongkong Government the Chinese Customs detached
an In-door Officer to assist the British Colonial Authorities
in organising the new Office. This cooperation was greatly
appreciated by the Hongkong Government and paved the way for
a suggested Customs Convention, which would in all likelihood
have gone through at that time had it not been for the politi-
oal troubles caused by the Revolution.
The Convention then suggested might well form the
basis for renewed discussion, more particularly at this
moment when China, to protect her Revenue interests, may be
compelled to tighten very considerably the cordon now existing
around the Hongkong territory and its waters. Such tighten-
ing might prove unwelcome to the Colony, and it can be ob-
viated by the Colonial Authorities granting China reasonable
right to exercise her Customs functions, both for the examina-
tion of cargo, collecting of Duty, etc., within Hongkong
itself.
Assuming that a Chinese Customs Office
exercising
all the functions which such an office would exercise if it
were on Chinese soil - is established either in Hongkong
itself or at Kowloon, the lines of cooperation with the
Hongkong Government, on a basis of reciprocity, might be:-
(a) Providing the Hongkong Imports and Exports Office
with all details regarding junks and their cargoes coming
from Chinese Treaty Forts, either destined for Hongkong
or simply passing through Hongkong en route to another
Chinese port.
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