CO129-298 - Governor Sir Blake Administrator Major Gen Gascoigne - 1900 [3-4] — Page 258

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13320

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Bed 30 APR 00

Translation.

From Viceroy Li

257

March 12th. 1900.

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(2)

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sir,

Having received your despatch informing me of the request

made by H.E. the Goverrior of Hongkong that British owned

launches should be allowed to stop at places on the inland wa-

ters to take up and set down passengers, I instructed the Boerd

of Reorganization, the Likin Office and the Commissioner of

Customs to consider the matter conjointly. I have now received

a reply from the Board of Reorganization and the Likin Office

as follows:-

"Leunches owned by foreign merchants are now allowed to stop

at any non-treaty ports or secretly to trade there; this is

clearly stated in the treaty. When the West River was opened

for trade in the 23rd year of Kuang Hsu (1897), instructions

were received from the Tsungli Yemen that Wuchou Fu in Kuang

Hsi and Kong Ken Hru the port of the town of Samshui in Kuang

Tung were to be opened to trede, and that four placer, Kong-

mun, Kumchuk Tan, Shao Ching Fu and the suburbs of Tek Hing

Chou, would be opened for steamers to stop et for the landing ani shipping of cargo, and were to be dealt with in accordance with the regulations in force at the six porte of call on the

Yangtsze. Now the propos: 1 that British launches be allowed to stop at any place on the West River to take passengers ap- pears to be contrary to treaty. In the West River district branch creeks ere so mumerous that the payment of duties may be easily avoided. Although it ir said that, only passengers shall be taken and not cargo, yet the passengers will consist of both good and bad persons, and it is impossible to guarentee that they will not ċerry with them merchandise to be lended on the way, and thus secretly avoid duties and likin, to the

injury