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Moreover, this Government, as the Government of a
British Colony, can hardly be expected to give to the
Chinese Government certain very valuable privileges in
return for a concession granted to vessels of Chinese
nationality and denied to vessels of British nationality,
for that is what I understand your proposals to mean.
In your second paragraph you speak of the
difficulties of the Nanking Government in making a concess-
ion to Hong Kong. It must be remembered that we also have
a public opinion to deal with, which will be found very
far from unanimous in its support of the Agreement in its
present form and which would be almost unanimous in its
opposition, unless convinced that substantial advantages
accrued to Hong Kong in return for the concessions given by
Government. The difficulties in this matter are not
only on the side of the Chinese.
this
We are however ready and indeed anxious to contime
the negotiations regarding the proposed agreement for we are
very desirous of arriving at some settlement which will
assist the Chinese Government to protect its revenue. I
shall await a further communication from you, setting out
such further concessions as the Chinese Governmentmay be
prepared to make, which can be laid before Sir Cecil
Clementi on his return, and would merely add that, if the
Chinese Government fears the effect of these concessions in
its dealings with other nations, it should be borne in mind
that no other places, except perhaps Macao and Kwongchauwan,
are in a position to offer similar concessions to those which
China is now seeking to obtain from Hong Kong.
With kind regards,
Yours sincerely,
(sa.) W.T. SOUTHORN.