[This Document is the Property of Her Britannic Majesty's Government.] C. O
CHINA TARIFFS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
25
No. 1.
20577 ¡Reck
# 3 OCT 36
[September 21.F
SECTION 1.
136
Dear Mr. Bertie,
Mr. Gundry to Foreign Office.--(Received September 21.)
Hillworth, Devizes, September 18, 1896.
I WENT straight to Mr. Keswick, after leaving you, to speak to him again about a surtax. He admitted that there is a good case for reconsideration.
I propose, therefore, sending to members of the Committee the inclosed letter, which I have tried to make so explicit that they shall at least have a clear issue before them.
Yours very truly, (Signed)
R. S. GUNDRY.
PS.-I take the opportunity of inclosing a copy of the Hong Kong letter, and a corrected copy of the Shanghae letter, instead of the rough one I previously left.
R. S. G.
Dear Sir,
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Letter addressed to Members of the Hong Kong Committee.
China Association, 31, Lombard Street, London, September 18, 1896.
A POINT has been now reached when it will be desirable to prepare a letter to the Foreign Office, giving full expression to the views of the Association on the Tariff question.
Before doing this, I wish to suggest the following considerations :—
The Shanghae letter of the 31st July remarks that-
"From a combination of various causes, inclusive of currency changes, the actual duty now collected under a nominal 5 per cent. standard does not exceed, probably, 3 to 4 per cent. A revision to 7½ per cent. would therefore be tantamount to doubling the revenue at present derived from the Customs, and form a limit which cannot prudently be passed without incurring the risk of ulterior consequences to foreign commerce in China."
Concurring in this view, the General Committee recorded an opinion that the new scale should not exceed an aggregate of 10 (7½ + 2½) per cent.
An opinion was, however, at the same time expressed in favour of revising the existing schedule of values.
The reflection suggests itself that if present rates are more nearly 4 than 5 per cent., a revision of values alone would raise them 25 per cent. A charge of 10 per cent. on the revised scale would seem likely, therefore, to involve a greater increase than might be desired.
Note may, at the same time, be taken of the fact that the Chinese are entitled, under Article XXVII, to demand revision in 1898.
It has been suggested that the increase which they now ask might be granted,
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Page 136
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Page 137
(empty lines or other page numbering content here, if any)
[This Document is the Property of Her Britannic Majesty's Government.] C. O
CHINA TARIFFS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
25
No. 1.
20577 ¡Reck
P# 3 OCT 36
[September 21.F
SECTION 1.
136
Dear Mr. Bertie,
Mr. Gundry to Foreign Office.--(Received September 21.)
Hillworth, Devizes, September 18, 1896.
I WENT straight to Mr. Keswick, after leaving you, to speak to him again about
a surtax. He admitted that there is a good case for reconsideration.
I propose, therefore, sending to members of the Committee the inclosed letter, which I have tried to make so explicit that they shall at least have a clear issue before them.
Yours very truly, (Signed)
R. S. GUNDRY.
PS.-I take the opportunity of inclosing a copy of the Hong Kong letter, and a corrected copy of the Shanghae letter, instead of the rough one I previously left.
R. S. G.
Dear Sir,
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Letter addressed to Members of the Hong Kong Committee.
China Association, 31, Lombard Street, London, September 18, 1896.
A POINT has been now reached when it will be desirable to prepare a letter to the Foreign Office, giving full expression to the views of the Association on the Tariff question.
Before doing this, I wish to suggest the following considerations :—-
The Shanghae letter of the 31st July remarks that-
"From a combination of various causes, inclusive of currency changes, the actual duty now collected under a nominal 5 per cent. standard does not exceed, probably, A revision to 74 per cent, would therefore be tantamount to doubling
3 to 4 per cent. the revenue at present, derived from the Customs, and form a limit which cannot prudently be passed without incurring the risk of ulterior consequences to foreign commerce in China,"
Concurring in this view, the General Committee recorded an opinion that the new scale should not exceed an aggregate of 10 (74 + 2) per cent.
An opinion was, however, at the same time expressed in favour of revising the existing schedule of values.
The reflection suggests itself that if present rates are more nearly 4 than 5 per cent., a revision of values alone would raise them 25 per cent. A charge of 10 per cent. on the revised scale would seem likely, therefore, to involve a greater increase than might be desired.
Note may, at the same time, be taken of the fact that the Chinese are entitled, under Article XXVII, to demand revision in 1898.
It has been suggested that the increase which they now ask might be granted,
[1549 h−1]
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