haps be best shown by an illustration. Certain foreign goods are imported into Samshui, where they pay import duty and transit dues, being destined for some place (not a "port of call") situated between Samshui and Canton. We, as British Shipping Companies, compete with the Chinese referred to throughout this memorandum for the carriage of them. If we wish to secure them, we must provide a special steamer to run from Samshui to the place in question, although our inter-treaty-port steamers pass it en route every day and are, for the reasons already given, practically empty. The Chinese Companies, not being under any such restrictions, will be at liberty to carry them in their lighters, which are also free to engage in inter-treaty-port trade. We have endeavoured to show that, as long as the tax of one duty and half on cargo carried in steamers between two treaty ports is enforced, while it is permitted to other craft coming under the native administration to compound for a less sum, the domestic trade will surely be diverted to vessels so privileged, and that the monopoly so gained can be and will be used to secure the carriage of foreign goods from one port to the other, or to any point lying between them. So, by an analogous reasoning, it can be shown that, in the event of our attempting to start any steamers under inland navigation rules to run beyond the precincts of the last treaty port, so surely will this differential treatment be extended to the goods carried in them.
We are only too well aware that nothing short of the abolition of the dual system of custom houses in vogue in China will provide an effectual remedy for the evils we complain of. We are not so sanguine as to entertain the belief that a workable tariff will ever be published by the provincial officials, but by insisting on the measures suggested in our covering letter, the hand of the Chinese Government will be so forced that it must ultimately result in the I. M. Customs being called upon to undertake the compilation of a general tariff applicable to the whole of the internal taxation of China, the maximum basis of which might be the 7 per cent (duty and a half) now charged on goods steamer-borne between two treaty ports, and which it is evident that the Inspector General's ruling is intended to protect.
Hongkong, 28th March, 1899.
(Further correspondence will be published in a subsequent issue).
26
haps be best shown by an illustration. Certain foreign goods are imported into Samshui, whers they pay import duty and transit dues, being destined for some place (not a "port of call ") situated between Samshul and Canton. We as British Shipping Companies compete with the Chinese referred to throughout this memoran. dum for the carriage of them. If we wish to secure them we must provide a special steamer to run from Samshid to the place in question although our inter-treaty-port steamers pass it en route every day and are for the reasons already given practically empty. The Chinese Companies not being under any such restrictions will be at liberty to carry them in their light- ers, which are also free to engage in inter-treaty- port trade? We have endeavoured to show that as long as the tax of one duty and half on cargo carried in steamers between two treaty ports is suforced, while it is permitted to other craft coming under the native administration to com- pound for a less sum, the domestic trade will Burely be diverted to vessels so privileged and that the monopoly so gained can be and will bo used to secure the carriage of foreign goods from one port to the other or to any point lying between them So by an analogous rea- soning it can be shown that in the event of our attempting to start any steamers under inland navigation rules to run beyond the precincts of the last treaty port, so surely will this differential treatment be extended to the gouds carried in them,
We are only too well aware that nothing short of the abolition of the dual system of custom houses in vogue in China will provide an effectual remedy for the evils we complain of. We are not so sanguine as to entertain the belief that a workable tariff will ever be pub- lished by the provincial officials, bat by in- sisting on the measures suggested in our cover- ing letter the band of the Chinese Government will be so forced that it must ultimately result in the I. M. Customs being called upon to under. take the compilation of a generai tarif applic- able to the whole of the internal taxation of China, the maximum basis of which might be the 7 per cent (duty and a half) now charged on goods steamer borne between two treaty ports and which it is evident that the Inspector General's ruling is intended to protect.
Hongkong, 28th March, 1899.
(Farther correspondence will be published in a subsequent issue).
26
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.