CO129-321 - Public Offices & Others - 1903 — Page 244

Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.[

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to Treaty regulation, and I have therefore the honour to request your Excellency to telegraph without delay to the Governor of Kiangsi requesting him to abolish it.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

Inclosure 3 in No. 1.

Petition from Kan-chou Fu Opium Merchants.

JAMES SCOTT.

SEVERAL firms of Kan-chou (Kiangsi), raw opium merchants, petition con- cerning a breach of Treaty by an increase in the opium tax, and beg the Consul. General to send a telegram with a view to abolishing the tax, and thus relieving traders in their difficulty.

VA TRADE.

FIDENTIAL.

20.)

Lord,

No. 1.

240

[July 30.j

SECTION 1.

Consul-General Scott to the Marquess of Lansdowne.-(Received July 30.)

Canton, June 27, 1903. HAVE the honour to inclose herewith copy of my despatch No. 21 of the instant to His Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at Peking, reporting the establishment be provincial authorities at Kiangsi of a new opium li-kin station at Kan-chou Fu, angsi, for the collection of a new tax on opium passing into that province from

I have, &c. (Signed)

JAMES SCOTT.

We, the petitioners, have been dealing in opium at Kan-chou city, in Kiangsi., to which, in order to evade the terms of the London Convention of 1885, the All of it came via the North River, in Kuang-tung Province, to its destination. Up to se officials give the name of "prepared opium tax,' the present all has gone on quietly, and there has been no difficulty. Now a "wei-yüan" has come to Kan-chou, with orders from his superiors to collect a levy on foreign opium at the rate of 1 K'u-p'ing silver tael on every tael ounces of opium. The title "Subscription on Prepared Opium" would be appropriate, but for the fact that at Kan-chou there are no prepared opium shops, and therefore it is really a tax on prepared opium,

By the Convention of Chefoo of the 13th day of September, 1876, "opium is free from further tax or duty whilst in transport in the interior, provided that the

any packages have not been opened, and that the Customs seals, marks, and numbers on the packages have not been effaced or tampered with.

Now, as this method of taxing at Kan-chou is on packages that have not yet been opened, it is evidently a new tax, and contrary to Treaty; and so we have to join together to beg you to help us in our need, and to telegraph soon to the Kiangsi Governor to countermand the whole levy, and so reassure merchants, which will be a good and fitting action.

We are, &c.

(Signed) (Certain Opium Merchants in Kiangsi.)

21.)

Inclosure 1 in No. 1.

Consul-General Scott to Mr. Townley.

Canton, June 24, 1903. BEG to inclose copy and translation of a red note which I recently addressed to Excellency the Viceroy at this port, together with copy and translation of a Jon from certain opium merchants complaining of the establishment by the acial authorities of Kiangsi of a new opium li-kin station at Kan-chou Fu, in

si, near the northern end of the Mei-ling Pass, in Kuang-tung.

would appear that a considerable quantity of opium finds its way from Canton to the provinces adjoining Kuang-tung on the north, traversing the main route gh the well-known Mei-ling Pass. Hitherto, opium duly sealed and stamped has allowed to circulate without further tax while the packages were unopened g from province to province. But the Kiangsi authorities would now appear to devised a new tax styled the "prepared opium charge," and have appointed an at Kan-chou to collect the same. I have made careful inquiries, and find that are are no boiling establishments whatever at Kan-chou; and that this place is ed solely for its convenience in seizing and dealing with opium as it leaves g-tung.

So far I have had no reply from the Viceroy beyond a formal acknowledgment of eiter, informing me that he had communicated with the Governor of Kiangsi by

ph as requested.

Juder the circumstances, I beg to lay the whole facts before you for such action as may consider necessary, only adding that I see no hope of the Kiaugsi Government

ng a favourable reply to my representations through the Canton Viceroy.

I have, &c. (Signed)

JAMES SCOTT.

Inclosure 2 in No. 1.

Consul-General Scott to Viceroy.

Canton, June 17, 1903.

BEG to call your Excellency's attention to the fact that a Chinese official has dy established himself at Kan-chou Fu, in Kiangsi, on the borders of Kuang-tung

nce, and is there levying an impost on foreign opium under the designation of ed opium tax" ("kao-chuan").

Now, all foreign opium that reaches Kan-chou comes from Canton, and there are aling establishments at the place. Clearly, therefore, this new impost is contrary [2077 gg-1]