CO129-298 - Governor Sir Blake Administrator Major Gen Gascoigne - 1900 [3-4] — Page 259

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injury of the revenue; the proposal would besides injure the lauriches and passenger boats of Chinese merchants, and would be of no advantage at all.

"We (the Board of Reorganization and the Likin Office ) have now received a reply from Mr Schornicke, Comissioner of Customs who also apprehends that it is contrary to the regulations already derided on that foreign launches should stop for pès- sengers at all places on the inland waters. There are not barriers, he points out, at every place on the inland waters for the purpose of examining goods, and if the present proposal be approved, it will be impossible to guarantee that there will be no smuggling and evasion of duties; consequently it is to be feared that the revenue will be injuriously affected. He therefore stätes that, in his opinion, the proposal made by H.E. the Governor of Hongkong should not be approved. The Con- missioner of Customs has therefore the same opinion as our- selves on the subject. It is our duty to submit the above for Y. I's perusel"

I also myself received a report from Mr. Schoenicke, Con- missioner of Customs, to the same effect. It appears that in the 24th year of Kuang Hsu the Trungli Yemen issued supple- mentary regulations for launches plying on the inlani waters, and in Article VI it is clearly stated that Chinese and foreign launches plying on the ruvers of the interior must have their

cargoes landed and shipped at the places sully used by com→→

mon trading vessels, and they are not allowed to do so at

other places; and that if anyone disregards this regulation,

he will be dealt with eccording to the article in the treaty

concerning illicit trading on the seacost. This regulation

was made for the purpose of facilitating investigations and

preventing smuggling. Now it is desired that foreign launches

should be allowed to stop anywhere they like in the rivers to take up passengers, but if this is permitted, the Customs

stations and likin barriers will not be able to exercise any

supervision