100
e onducive to that friendly atmosphere on both sides
necessary to any really satisfactory arrangement, and
that I regretted that they should be resorted to on the
part of the Chinese. Shortly afterwards, I received
from Mr. Maze a copy in Chinese of his reply to this
communication from the Department of Customs affairs; as
I had the honour to point out in my despatch Number 1079
of July 31st, forwarding a translation of this document,
the tone adopted by Mr. kaze in his report to his super-
iers did not premise well for the success of the negotia-
tions then in progress and was all the more to be regret-
ted in view of the declared intention of the Governor, of
which kr. kaze was aware, to strain every effort to reach
a friendly settlement.
5.
The opening passages of the conversations
between Mesara. Lloyd and üsborne were not promising. A#
reported in the Governor's telegram to the Colonial of -
fice of July 30th, . üsborne, presumably under instrue-
M
tions, made it a preliminary condition that the Customs
should be allowed to open their own Customs stations at
various/
Page 100Page 101