C.O.
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL.
No. 1.
166
[May 23.]
SECTION 2.
(No. 131) My Lord,
Mr. Townley to the Marquess of Lansdowne.-(Received May 23.)
Peking, April 8, 1903.
WITH reference to my despatch No. 117 of the 25th ultimo, I have the honour to transmit to your Lordship herewith a copy of a Circular despatch which I have addressed to His Majesty's Consular Officers at the Treaty Ports, informing them of the undertaking given by the Chinese Government with regard to prohibitions of the export of rice, instructing them to report to me any evasions of existing prohibitions, and "in the event of any fresh prohibitions being imposed to warn the Chinese authorities that they will only be recognized if they are made effective and absolute.
I have, &c.
(Signed) WALTER TOWNLEY,
Inclosure in No. 1.
Circular Despatch addressed to His Majesty's Consular Officers at the Treaty Ports.
Peking, March 31, 1903.
Sir,
AS you are aware, the Rules of Trade attached to the Treaty of Tien-tsin permit the export of rice and grain by British merchants from one open port to another under certain conditions. You are, no doubt, also aware that, in spite of this stipulation, such export has frequently been prohibited by Chinese officials on the ground of famine or scarcity at the place of export, and the excuse has generally been accepted, tacitly or expressly, as sufficient.
Proposals were made last autumn to the Chinese Government by His Majesty's Minister for the legalizing of such prohibitions, provided certain conditions were observed, but the Chinese Government declined to agree to the suggested arrangement. On this being reported to His Majesty's Secretary of State I was instructed to inform the Chinese Government that His Majesty's Government would not in future pass over breaches of the Rule referred to, but would insist on its strict fulfilment by Chinese officials in every part of the country. I was at the same time directed to address a Circular to His Majesty's Consular Officers, instructing them to protest against existing prohibitions, and to refuse their consent in future to the issue of any fresh ones.
Before, however, these instructions reached me, the Chinese Government had given assurances to the foreign Representatives that if local scarcity rendered necessary a prohibition of export, such prohibition should be effective and absolute, that is to say, during the term of their existence no rice should be allowed to leave the port, and on this understanding the foreign Representatives had agreed to waive their objections to prohibitions being imposed when local scarcity existed.
As the promise thus given by the Chinese Government is practically equivalent to an acceptance of Sir E. Satow's proposal previously rejected by them, I have refrained for the present from acting on the instructions sent to me, though I have acquainted the Chinese Government with their tenor, but I have to request you to report to me any evasions of the existing prohibitions of the export of rice and grain from your Consular district, and in the event of any fresh prohibitions being imposed, to warn the Chinese authorities concerned that they will only be recognized if they are made effective and absolute.
The question of the length of notice to be given of an intended prohibition of export was not dealt with in the recent discussions, but you should insist on adequate notice being given in advance to the British subjects interested.
I am, &c.
(Signed) WALTER TOWNLEY.
[2004 -2]
C.O
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.}
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL.
No. 1.
166
[May 23.]
SECTION 2.
(No. 131) My Lord,
Mr. Townley to the Marquess of Lansdowne.-(Received May 23.)
Peking, April 8, 1903. WITH reference to my despatch No. 117 of the 25th ultimo, I have the honour to transmit to your Lordship berewith a copy of a Circular despatch which I have addressed to His Majesty's Consular Officers at the Treaty Ports, informing them of the under- taking given by the Chinese Government with regard to prohibitions of the export of rice, instructing them to report to me any evasions of existing prohibitions, and "in the event of any fresh prohibitions being imposed to warn the Chinese authorities that they will only be recognized if they are made effective and absolute.
I have, &c.
(Signed) WALTER TOWNLEY,
Inclosure in No. 1.
Circular Despatch addressed to His Majesty's Consular Officers at the Treaty Ports.
Peking, March 31, 1903. Sir,
AS you are aware, the Rules of Trade attached to the Treaty of Tien-tsin permit the export of rice and grain by British merchants from one open port to another under certain conditions. You are, no doubt, also aware that, in spite of this stipulation, such export has frequently been prohibited by Chinese officials on the ground of famine or scarcity at the place of export, and the excuse has generally been accepted, tacitly or expressly, as sufficient.
Proposals were made last autumn to the Chinese Government by His Majesty's Minister for the legalizing of such prohibitions, provided certain conditions were observed, but the Chinese Government declined to agree to the suggested arrangement. On this being reported to His Majesty's Secretary of State I was instructed to inform the Chinese Government that His Majesty's Government would not in future pass over breaches of the Rule referred to, but would insist on its strict fulfilment by Chinese officials in every part of the country. I was at the same time directed to address a Circular to His Majesty's Consular Officers, instructing them to protest against existing prohibitions, and to refuse their consent in future to the issue of any fresh ones.
Before, however, these instructions reached me, the Chinese Government had given assurances to the foreign Representatives that if local scarcity rendered necessary a pro- hibition of export, such prohibition should be effective and absolute, that is to say, during the term of their existence no rice should be allowed to leave the port, and on this under- standing the foreign Representatives had agreed to waive their objections to probibitions being imposed when local scarcity existed.
As the promise thus given by the Chinese Government is practically equivalent to an acceptance of Sir E. Satow's proposal previously rejected by them, I have refrained for the present from acting on the instructions sent to me, though I have acquainted the Chinese Government with their tenour, but I have to request you to report to me any evasions of the existing prohibitions of the export of rice and grain from your Consular district, and in the event of any fresh prohibitions being imposed, to warn the Chinese authorities concerned that they will only be recognized if they are made effective and absolute.
The question of the length of notice to be given of an intended prohibition of export was not dealt with in the recent discussions, but you should insist on adequate notice being given in advance to the British subjects interested.
I am, &c. (Signed) WALTER TOWNLEY.
[2004 -2]
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