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OFFICE OF THE HONGKONG, CANTON & MACAO
STEAM-BOAT COMPANY, LIMITED.
HONGKONG, 12th July, 1893. DEAR SIR,-Referring to my letter of the 15th Angust last, I have now to inform you that the carriage of foreign bought tes from Canton to Hong- kong has again been diverted from steamers to junks by the action of the Hoppo, concessions having been made by the Native Customs which enable the Chinese teanien to sell F. (), B. the Ocean Steamer in Hongkong at a half Tael per picul cheaper than they can F. O. B. the River Steamer in Cantou ; in other words, the full duty on the Tea as stipulated by Treaty is not being charged by the Hoppo.-I remain, &c.,
F. HENDERSON, Esq.,
THOS. ARNOLD, Secretary.
Secretary, HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
OFFICE OF THE HONGKONG, CANTON & MAÇAO
STEAM-BOAT COMPANY, LIMITED.
HONGKONG, 17th July, 1893.
DEAR SIR,-Referring to my letter of the 12th instant, I now, in com- pliance with your verbal request, furnish you with particulars of the foreign bought tea recently shipped for this port by junk from Canton.
On the 10th instant a junk left Canton for Hongkong with 850 boxes 131 pieuls, and on the 12th instant another junk left with 1,861 boxes=== 303 pienls, both shipments being for the Oopack.
I mention this, as The tea was the ordinary Scented Caper, not dust. the Hoppo has, I believe, always been in the habit of allowing ten dust through at a lower rate of duty than leaf tea, even when intended for a foreign port, in which case necording to Treaty tariff the rute should be
the same.
The quantity of dust tea, however, shipped for export to foreign countries is comparatively trifling.—I remain, &c.,
F. HENDERSON, Esq.,
THOS. ARNOLD, Secretary.
Secretary, HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE,
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HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE,
HONGKONG, 25th July, 1893.
SIR, The Chamber at the request of the representatives of various steamship companies connected with Hongkong brought to the notice of your predecessor, His Excellency Sir JouN WALSHAM, on 23rd September, 1891, a representation from them complaining that the action of the Chinese anthorities in allowing the Hoppo of Canton to grant special reduction of duties, lower than the tariff rates, to shippers of teas and other exports by native eraft was a departure from treaty obligations, and by aufairly diverting the carrying trade in these commodities was seriously damaging the interests which they represented.
A similar representation has lately been made to the Chamber that the Hoppo has again been granting a preferential scale of duties to shippers by native craft placing them once more on a more favourable footing than shippers by foreign vessels. Under these circumstances and considering the urgency of the case required prompt action the Chamber took the liberty of addressing to your Excellency on the 18th instant the following telegram :-
+
"Chamber Commerce to His Excellency Mr. O'Coxou Peking Hoppo Canton again granting preferential duties favouring junk "carried tea Chamber begs reference to its letter twenty-third
September ninety-one explanatory letter follows."
It is unnecessary to trouble your Excellency with any repetition of the arguments advanced in the letter above referred to, and the Chamber would only ask your attention to the annexed extract from a despatch from the Foreign Office on 29th May, 1892, to the Chamber. It contains so distinet au acknowledgment, on the part of the Chinese Ministers, of the irregularity of the action of the Hoppo as to make it appear needless to encroach upon your time by prolonging this letter in an unnecessary endeavour to further support a contention the justice of which has already been admitted at Peking.
The question, however, is one of much importance and the Chamber hopes your Excellency will be pleased to take early measures towards attempting to stop, at the outset, a renewal of irregularities which might, if persisted in, easily develope into wide-spread disregard of treaty rights.-I have, &c.,
J. J. KESWICK, Chairman.
To His Excellency N. B. O'CoNOR, C.B., C.M.G.,
Iler Britannic Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister
Plenipotentiary in China, Peking.
650
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