This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.)
# CHINA TRADE.
## CONFIDENTIAL.
No. 1.
[June 8.]
### SECTION 1.
184
Sir,
Foreign Office to Board of Trade.
Foreign Office, June 8, 1903.
I AM directed by the Marquess of Lansdowne to transmit to you a copy of a despatch from the Commercial Attaché to His Majesty's Legation at Peking, forwarding some observations made by the Shanghai Branch of the China Association on the nature of the assurances which should, in their opinion, be required from the Chinese Government in regard to the levy of the Consumption Tax and Excise, provided for in Article VIII of the new Commercial Treaty before the exchange of ratifications is effected.
In October last the Shanghai Branch passed a resolution expressing approval of the Treaty, but stating that information should be obtained from the Chinese Government on the following points:-
1. The methods and procedure which they intend to adopt for levying the Consumption Tax;
2. The incidence of the excise on machine-made goods of foreign type, and the conditions under which this tax will be collected at the open ports and in the interior. Also the procedure for the refund of import duties and surtax on articles used in the production of such machine-made goods;
3. The arrangements to be made by the Chinese Government to secure the efficient supervision over native Customs affairs, Consumption Tax, &c., as stipulated for under section 10; and
4. The actual amounts of the remittances which the provinces will be required to make to Peking out of the surtax funds.
His Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at Peking was thereupon instructed to ascertain the course which the Chinese Government proposed to pursue as regards points 1, 2, and 4. It was considered unnecessary to approach them on the subject of point 3, in view of the guarantee already provided by the Treaty.
Mr. Townley was, however, informed by the Chinese Government that they were unable to reply unless fuller details were given as to the nature of the explanations required by His Majesty's Government on points 1 and 2. He therefore called upon the Shanghai Branch to supply such further particulars as would enable him to satisfy the Chinese Government, and in reply he was furnished with the statement, dated the 23rd April, inclosed in Mr. Jamieson's despatch.
At this stage Mr. Townley was also requested by Lord Lansdowne to endeavour to obtain copies of the lists of Native Custom Houses and Native Opium Stations, which are to be furnished to His Majesty's Government under the terms of sections 3 and 5 of Article VIII, unless he saw any objection to so doing.
Mr. Townley then addressed a note to the Chinese Government supplying them with fuller explanations, founded on the communication of the Shanghai Branch above referred to, but he nevertheless met with a refusal to comply with any of the requests made by His Majesty's Government.
As regards the question of ratification of the Treaty, the King's ratification was despatched to Peking on the 5th ultimo, and Mr. Townley has meanwhile been informed by telegraph that he is to continue to endeavour to obtain the explanations desired, particularly with regard to the amounts of the future contributions from the provinces to the central authorities at Peking, but that the exchange of ratifications is not to be delayed.
I am, &c. (Signed) F. A. CAMPBELL.
[2019 h-1]
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.)
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL.
No. 1.
[June 8.]
SECTION 1.
184
Sir,
Foreign Office to Board of Trade.
Foreign Office, June 8, 1903.
I AM directed by the Marquess of Lansdowne to transmit to you a copy of a despatch from the Commercial Attaché to His Majesty's Legation at Peking, forwarding some observations made by the Shanghai Branch of the China Association on the nature of the assurances which should, in their opinion, be required from the Chinese Government in regard to the levy of the Consumption Tax and Excise, provided for in Article VIII of the new Commercial Treaty before the exchange of ratifications is effecied.
In October last the Shanghai Branch passed a resolution expressing approval of the Treaty, but stating that information should be obtained from the Chinese Govern- ment on the following points:-
1. The methods and procedure which they intend to adopt for levying the Consumption Tax ;
2. The incidence of the excise on machine-made goods of foreign type, and the conditions under which this tax will be collected at the open ports and in the interior. Also the procedure for the refund of import duties and surtax on articles used in the production of such machine-made goods;
3. The arrangements to be made by the Chinese Government to secure the efficient supervision over native Customs affairs, Consumption Tax, &c., as stipulated for under section 10; and
4. The actual amounts of the remittances which the provinces will be required to make to Peking out of the surtax funds.
His Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at Peking was thereupon instructed to ascertain the course which the Chinese Government proposed to pursue as regards points 1, 2, and 4. It was considered unnecessary to approach them on the subject of point 3, in view of the guarantee already provided by the Treaty.
Mr. Townley was, however, informed by the Chinese Government that they were unable to reply unless fuller details were given as to the nature of the explanations required by His Majesty's Government on points 1 and 2. He therefore called upon the Shanghai Branch to supply such further particulars as would enable him to satisfy the Chinese Government, and in reply he was furnished with the statement, dated the 23rd April, inclosed in Mr. Jamieson's despatch.
At this stage Mr. Townley was also requested by Lord Lansdowne to endeavour to obtain copies of the lists of Native Custom Houses and Native Opium Stations, which are to be furnished to His Majesty's Government under the terms of sections 3 and 5 of Article VIII, unless he saw any objection to so doing.
Mr. Townley then addressed a note to the Chinese Government supplying them with fuller explanations, founded on the communication of the Shanghai Branch above referred to, but he nevertheless met with a refusal to comply with any of the requests made by His Majesty's Government.
As regards the question of ratification of the Treaty, the King's ratification was despatched to Peking on the Sth ultimo, and Mr. Townley has meanwhile been informed by telegraph that he is to continue to endeavour to obtain the explanations desired, particularly with regard to the amounts of the future contributions from the provinces to the central authorities at Peking, but that the exchange of ratifications is not to be delayed.
Į am, &c. (Signed) F. A. CAMPBELL.
[2019 h-1]
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