138
21 JAN 86/
No. 51.
Sir R. Hart to Sir J. Pauncefote.-(Received December 23.)
My dear Sir Julian Pauncefote,
THE Additional Article of the 18th July, 1885, concerning opium, was negotiated by men who know little about Customs' affairs (the Marquis Tseng and Sir H. Macartney), and it was only after it was signed that I saw it. Had I been consulted before signature, I might have had some remarks to make; the Yamên explains that it did not consult me simply because it did not know what was agreed to till the last moment, and that then the change of Cabinet made it necessary for the Marquis Tsêng to be empowered to sign without further delay.
Inclosed I send you what we propose to add as Supplementary Rules of Procedure under the Additional Article; without these Rules, that Article cannot be worked. The notes explanatory attached to the Rules will explain them fully, and will (I hope) demonstrate the forcibility, necessity, and harmlessness of each of them.
There are, however, two or three considerations to which I think it advisable to call
Page 139
138
21 JAN 86/
No. 51.
Sir R. Hart to Sir J. Pauncefote.-(Received December 23.)
My dear Sir Julian Pauncefote,
THE Additional Article of the 18th July, 1885, concerning opium, was negotiated by
Peking, October 31, 1885. . men who know little about Customs' affairs (the Marquis Tseng and Sir II. Macartney), and it was only after it was signed that I saw it. Had I been consulted before signature, I might have had some remarks to make; the Yamên explains that it did not consult me simply because it did not know what was agreed to till the last moment, and that then the change of Cabinet made it necessary for the Marquis Tsêng to be empowered to sign without further delay.
Inclosed I send you what we propose to add as Supplementary Rules of Procedure under the Additional Article; without these Rules, that Article cannot be worked. The notes explanatory attached to the Rules will explain them fully, and will (I hope) demonstrate the forcibility, necessity, and harmlessness of each of them.
There are, however, two or three considerations to which I think it advisable to call
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