No. 71.
(
(No. 111.) My Lord,
Mr. O'Conor to the Earl of Rosebery,—(Received May 17.)
IN continuation of my despatch No. 70 of the 28th ultimo, inclosing translation of Peking, March 27, 1886. a note from the Prince and Ministers of the Yamên, announcing the appointment of the Taotai at Shanghae as the Special Commissioner of the Chinese Government for the consideration of arrangements at Hong Kong for giving effect to the Opium Agreement, I have now the honour to inclose copy of a note I addressed the Prince and Ministers of the Yamên upon receipt of your Lordship's telegram No. 14, informing them of the appointment of Mr. Brenan and Mr. Russell as the Consular and Hong Kong members of the Commission respectively.
I take this opportunity of informing your Lordship that Shao Taotai, the Chinese member of the Commission, has been summoned by Imperial Decree to Peking before proceeding to Hong Kong, so that the meeting of the Commission must inevitably be delayed for at least a month or six weeks.
The Grand Secretary Li, who is at present in Peking in connection with the approaching pilgrimage of the Empress-Dowager and Emperor to the Imperial mausolea, informed me confidentially, at a recent interview, that the sudden summons of Shao Taotai to Peking was due to certain uneasiness felt by the Central Government. The innuendoes of a number of foreigners who were interested in minimizing the value of the concessions with respect to the taxation of opium made to China by Her Majesty's Government, and the insinuations of provincial authorities who foresee in the adoption of the new Agreement the death-blow to vested interests of long standing, had, I understood from the Grand Secretary, not been without their effect upon the minds of a naturally suspicious Government. They had therefore sent for Shao Taotai in order to consult him personally before supplying him with instructions as to the line of action he was to adopt.
The Grand Secretary explained that he himself was not in any way prejudiced by the insinuations which had been so freely circulated, and expressed his firm conviction that the alarm of the Central Government was groundless, and his hope that the Hong Kong Commission would be able to settle the details of the Convention, and to devise some measures for the prevention of smuggling from Hong Kong to China which would be equally satisfactory to both Governments.
I have, &c.
(Signed) N. R. O'CONOR.
Inclosure in No. 71.
9337
RECT
189
Mr. O'Conor to the Tsung-li Yamên.
REGP 7 JUN 86/
Peking, March 16, 1886. HER Britannic Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires has the honour to acknowledge the receipt, on the 15th February, of a note from his Highness and their Excellencies the Ministers of the Tsung-li Yamên, announcing the ratification of the Additional Opium Article agreed to by Her Majesty's Government and the Marquis Tseng, and the issue of an Imperial Decree directing the Taotai at Shanghae to proceed to Hong Kong jointly to consider measures for giving effect thereto.
Her Britannic Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires has already verbally informed his Highness and their Excellencies of the appointment, with the approval of Her Britannic Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, of Mr. Brenan, Her Majesty's Consul at Tien-tsin, as the Consular member of the Commission, also that the Puisne Judge of Her Britannic Majesty's Supreme Court at Hong Kong will represent the Colony upon the same Commission.
In officially communicating the above facts to his Highness and their Excellencies, Her Britannic Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires has to add that he understands that this Commission will consider the question of the prevention of smuggling from Hong Kong into China concurrently with the arrangements respecting opium.
Upon receipt of an intimation from the Yamên as to the date of Shao Taotaï's departure for Hong Kong, Her Britannic Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires will issue the necessary instructions to Mr. Consul Brenan, and will communicate with the Government of Hong Kong.
Her Britannic Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires avails, &c.
(Signed) N. R. O'CONOR.
No. 71.
(
(No. 111.) My Lord,
Mr. O'Conor to the Earl of Rosebery,—(Received May 17.)
IN continuation of my despatch No. 70 of the 28th ultimo, inclosing translation of
Peking, March 27, 1886. a note from the Prince and Ministers of the Yamên, announcing the appointment of the Taotai at Shanghae as the Special Commissioner of the Chinese Government for the consideration of arrangements at Hong Kong for giving effect to the Opium Agreement, I bave now the honour to inclose copy of a note I addressed the Prince and Ministers of the Yamên upon receipt of your Lordship's telegram No. 14, informing them of the appointment of Mr. Brenan and Mr. Russell as the Consular and Hong Kong members of the Commission respectively.
I take this opportunity of informing your Lordship that Shao Taotai, the Chinese member of the Commission, has been summoned by Imperial Decree to Peking before proceeding to Hong Kong, so that the meeting of the Commission must inevitably be delayed. for at least a month or six weeks.
The Grand Secretary Li, who is at present in Peking in connection with the approaching pilgrimage of the Empress-Dowager and Emperor to the Imperial mausolea, informed me confidentially, at a recent interview, that the sudden summons of Shao Taotai to Peking was due to certain uneasiness felt by the Central Government. The innuendoes of a number of foreigners who were interested in minimizing the value of the concessions with respect to the taxation of opium made to China by Her Majesty's Government, and the insinuations of provincial authorities who foresee in the adoption of the new Agree- ment the death-blow to vested intercsis of long standing, had, I understood fron the Grand Secretary, not been without their effect upon the minds of a naturally suspicious Government. They had therefore sent for Shao Taotai in order to consult him personally before supplying him with instructions as to the line of action he was to adopt.
The Grand Secretary explained that he himself was not in any way prejudiced by the insinuations which had been so freely circulated, and expressed his firm conviction that the alarm of the Central Government was groundless, and his hope that the Hong Kong Commission would be able to settle the details of the Convention, and to devise some measures for the prevention of smuggling from Hong Kong to China which would be equally satisfactory to both Governments.
I have, &c.
(Signed) N. R. O'CONOR..
Inclosure in No. 71.
9337
RECT
189
Mr. O'Conor to the Tsung-li Yamén.
REGP 7 JUN 86/
Peking, March 16, 1886. HER Britannic Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires has the honour to acknowledge the receipt, on the 15th February, of a note from his Highness and their Excellencies the Ministers of the Tsung-li Yamên, announcing the ratification of the Additional Opium Article agreed to by Her Majesty's Government and the Marquis Tseng, and the issue of an Imperial Decree directing the Taotai at Shanghae to proceed to Hong Kong jointly to consider measures for giving effect thereto.
Her Britannic Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires has already verbally informed his Highness and their Excellencies of the appointment, with the approval of Her Britannic Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, of Mr. Brenan, Her Majesty's Consul at Tien-tsin, as the Consular member of the Commission, also that the Puisne Judge of Her Britannic Majesty's Supreme Court at Hong Kong will represent the Colony upon the same Commission.
In officially communicating the above facts to bis Highness and their Excellencies, Her Britannic Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires has to add that he understands that this Com- mission will consider the question of the prevention of smuggling from Hong Kong into China concurrently with the arrangements respecting opium.
Upon receipt of an intimation from the Yamên as to the date of Shao Taotaï's departure for Hong Kong, Her Britannic Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires will issue the necessary instructions to Mr. Consul Brenan, and will communicate with the Government of Hong Kong.
Her Britannic Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires avails, &c.
(Signed)
N. R. O'CONOR.
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