This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
CHINA TRADE.
C
CONFIDENTIAL.
No. I.
376
C. O.
[June 24]
SECTION 1.
Red 18 JUL 04!
The China League to the Marquess of Lansdowne.--(Received June 27.)
Dacre House (between Nos. 20 and 22), Victoria Street, London, June 27, 1904.
My Lord,
THE attention of the China League has been drawn to a proposal put forward by Wei-kwang-tao, Viceroy of Nanking, to undertake, on behalf of the Chinese Government, the conservancy work handed over in September 1901 to an International Conservancy Board by the Protocol of that date.
This question has engaged the attention of the Committee of the China League, and I am instructed to lay before your Lordship the considerations which have influenced my Committee in arriving at the conclusion which follows.
Imprimis, I would venture to remind your Lordship that "the facilitating the approaches of the Peiho and the Yang-tze" were concessions obtained from the Government of China in exchange for the raising of the import duties to an effective 5 per cent.
The obvious presumption was, I venture to say, that such countervailing concessions would be carried out by the Chinese Government at its own cost.
Annex No. 17 of the Protocol, however, hands over such conservancy work, as far as the approaches to Shanghai are concerned, to an International Board, which is empowered, inter alia, to collect 230,000 taels annually from the land-renters of Shanghai.
Apart from the injustice of taxing foreigners for the cost of carrying into effect conservancy work which was described as a quid pro quo for the increased import duties, my Committee find in the clauses of Annex 17 cause for very grave objections, which I venture respectfully to lay before His Majesty's Government.
The motto and the guiding policy of the China League are "China for the Chinese," and my Committee are consequently strongly opposed to any and every act which tends to impair the sovereign rights of China or to encroach upon its duties and its privileges.
It is the opinion of my Committee that the powers conferred on the International Board of taxing the riparian owners of land down to the mouth of the Whangpo, and of expropriation in regard to the land itself, are hardly distinguishable from annexation of the river.
The contention of the late Viceroy of Nanking, Liu-kun-yi, was, primarily, that this was the annexation of an important river in China, which would probably be followed up by the annexation of the adjoining Yang-tze River, with any territory that might be required for purposes of the Board. There is very little doubt that the view of the present Viceroy of Nanking, Wei-kwang-tao, supported by the Viceroy Chang-chih-tung, is based on exactly the same ground, and it appears to be a perfectly sound view as regards Chinese interests, and in reality is a sound view as regards British interests also.
In this contention, and in the natural resentment at the interference of Peking in what is strictly a local question, may be found the grounds for the opposition of the Viceroys and their refusal to appoint a Chinese member on the Board.
Apart from the Chinese view of this question, with which, however, my Committee are in sympathy, their deliberations have been directed more particularly to such clauses of Annex 17 as appear likely to affect British interests.
The constitution of the Board is open to grave objection. It will comprise seventeen members, of whom it may safely be asserted there will always be a solid body of eight in opposition to British interests.
International jealousy is a plant of vigorous growth in the East, and an International Board for any purpose would furnish opportunities for the effective operation of various schemes directed against British interests which our ill-wishers may be trusted to utilize to the full.
It may be postulated that jealousies and intrigues are certain to arise in connection with the appointment of the staff, and there is nothing to prevent the introduction on it of a strong anti-British element, e.g., a Frenchman might be appointed Harbour-master.
[2032 dd-1]
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
CHINA TRADE.
C
CONFIDENTIAL.
No. I.
376
C. O.
[June3342
SECTION 1.
Red 18 JUL 04!
i
The China League to the Marquess of Lansdowne.--(Received June 27.)
Dacre House (between Nos. 20 and 22), Victoria Street, Landon, June 27, 1904.
My Lord,
THE attention of the China League has been drawn to a proposal put forward by Wei-kwang-tao, Viceroy of Nanking, to undertake, on behalf of the Chinese Govern- ment, the conservancy work handed over in September 1901 to an International Cou- servancy Board by the Protocol of that date.
This question has engaged the attention of the Committee of the China League, and I am instructed to lay before your Lordship the considerations which have influenced my Committee in arriving at the conclusion which follows.
Imprimis, I would venture to remind your Lordship that "the facilitating the approaches of the Peiho and the Yang-teze" were concessions obtained from the Government of China in exchange for the raising of the import duties to an effective
5 per cent.
The obvious presumption was, I venture to say, that such countervailing concessions would be carried out by the Chinese Government at its own cost.
Annex No. 17 of the Protocol, however, hands over such conservancy work,
as far as the approaches to Shanghae are concerned, to an International Board, which is empowered, inter alia, to collect 230,000 taels annually from the landrenters of Shanghae.
Apart from the injustice of taxing foreigners for the cost of carrying into effect conservancy work which was described as a quid pro quo for the increased import duties, my Committee find in the clauses of Annex 17 cause for very grave objections, which I venture respectfully to lay before His Majesty's Government.
The motto and the guiding policy of the China League are "China for the Chinese," and my Committee are consequently strongly opposed to any and every act which tends to impair the sovereign rights of China or to encroach upon its duties and its privileges.
It is the opinion of my Committee that the powers conferred on the Inter- national Board of taxing the riparian owners of land down to the mouth of the Whangpo, and of expropriation in regard to the land itself, are hardly distinguishable from
annexation of the river.
The contention of the late Viceroy of Nanking, Liu-kun-yi, was, primarily, that this was the annexation of an important river in China, which would probably be followed up by the annexation of the adjoining Yang-tsze River, with any territory that might be required for purposes of the Board. There is very little doubt that the view of the present Viceroy of Nanking, Wei-kwang-tao, supported by the Viceroy Chang-chih-tung, is based on exactly the same ground, and it appears to be a perfectly sound view as regards Chinese interests, and in reality is a sound view as regards British interests also.
In this contention, and in the natural resentment at the interference of Peking in what is strictly a local question, may be found the grounds for the opposition of the Viceroys and their refusal to appoint a Chinese member on the Board.
Apart from the Chinese view of this question, with which, however, my Committee are in sympathy, their deliberations have been directed more particularly to such clauses of Anues 17 as appear likely to affect British interests.
The constitution of the Board is open to grave objection. It will comprise seventeen members, of whom it may safely be asserted there will always be a solid body of eight in opposition to British interests.
International jealousy is a plant of vigorous growth in the East, and an International Board for any purpose would furnish opportunities for the effective operation of various schemes directed against British interests which our ill-wishers may be trusted to utilize to the full.
It may be postulated that jealousies and intrigues are certain to arise in connection with the appointment of the staff, and there is nothing to prevent the introduction on it of a strong anti-British element, e.g., a Frenchman might be appointed Harbour-master
[2032 dd-1].
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