CO129-330 - Public Offices - 1905 — Page 446

2

the Chairman explained that in April 1903, when the Customs authorities there notified their intention of levying a fee oftael on each transit pass, and again in April last a fee of 1 dol. 50 c. on each "Hu-chao," the terms of the Notification were submitted to without protest, as it appeared to the Committee of the Chamber that the fees were in the nature of office charges, and were therefore not unreasonable. The Committee now see that the former levies were but steps towards the introduction of a scheme of taxation, and they feel it is regrettable that the earlier impositions were allowed to come into force unchallenged.

The facts seem to show that the general scheme recently put into execution originated with the Chinese authorities at Tien-tsin. Finding that the earlier and comparatively insignificant fees were submitted to without a murmur, they conceived the idea of doubling them. The Foreign Board, being applied to for sanction, welcomed the suggestion, and resolved to extend it to all the open ports.

I share the regret of the Tien-tsin Chamber of Cominerce that they were not alive to the value of the maxim, obsta in principiis, for if the Diplomatic Body had received information in April of last year of what was on foot, they would certainly have taken the necessary steps at once to stop the proceeding.

On the 12th instant Prince Ching, by way of reply to the protests sent in by my colleagues and myself, addressed to the Doyen of the Diplomatic Body a note of which I have the honour to inclose a translation, in which His Highness seeks to justify the collection of these fees, and requests that the foreign Representatives will transmit instructions through their Consuls to the merchants of their respective nationalities in respect to this measure.

On the 17th instant a meeting was convened consisting of the American. Belgian, French, and German Ministers, and myself, at which we drafted a Resolution to be submitted to the rest of our colleagues proposing to address a joint reply to the Prince, passing over the discursive arguments contained in his note and affirming the right of foreign merchants to have these documents issued to them, as hitherto, free of charge. The result was the acceptance of our proposal, and I beg to inclose the text of the joint note which is now being circulated for signature.

Apart from the illegality of levying a fee which is not provided for by Treaty, the imposition of a charge of 1 tael upon transit passes would, as Sir P. Warren points out in his despatch, amount to a considerable additional tax, and similar representa- tions have reached me from His Majesty's Consuls at Tengyueh and Wuhu. The latter gentleman incloses a letter from Mowers. Butterfield and Swire's agent at that port, stating that upon the Hong Kong sugar, of which they send a good deal up- country, the fee of 1 tael would in fact increase the transit due from 23 per cent. to a total of 44.

I trust that I shall receive from your Lordship support in this endeavour to protect British trade from an attempt to subject it to fresh burdens.

I have, &c. (Signed)

ERNEST SATOW.

3

(b) Bullion sent to interior by foreign merchants to purchase native

produce

Bullion sent to interior and to Manchuria by Chinese

N.B.--Amount covered by each document not to exceed

5,000 taels.

Bullion exported by Chinese

(e) Personal effects of Chinese officials not travelling on official

business

..

(d.) Provisions sent by foreign and Chinese merchants to Manchuria

N.B.-Issued under special Tien-tsin regulations.

(Signed)

Custom-house, Tien-tsin, October 18, 1904.

(No. 63.)

Sir,

Hk. Taela,

439

each 3

3

"

3

3

"

3

DETRING, Commissioner of Customs.

Inclosure 2 in No. 1.

Consul-General Sir P. Warren to Sir E. Sutow.

Shanghae, October 12, 1904. I HAVE the honour to inclose copy and translation of a letter from the Taotai to the senior Consul at Shanghai, informing him that certain fees will in future be charged on ordinary transit passes and on passes for specie sent up-country to purchase produce.

It appears that any fee on transit passes is contrary to Treaty regulations, as it is distinctly laid down that a payment of half duty shall clear goods of all transit duties. A fee upon transit passes can only be considered as an additional transit duty, and will bear very hard on the foreign merchant in many cases, as goods are often sent up-country in small quantities, and the number of passes taken out is consequently very considerable. The same remark applies equally to native produce brought down for shipment. Further, if once the principle is allowed that the Chinese authorities can at will impose fees upon the issue of passes, it is to be feared that it may lead to great abuses in the future. There is no provision in the Treaties as to passes for bullion taken up-country to buy produce, and it is not expedient to permit the levy of a fee on the issue of such passes.

I further inclose a notice just received from the Imperial Maritime Customs to the effect that these regulations come into force on the 20th instant.

I propose to instruct British merchants to refuse to pay these fees, but, if payment is insisted upon, to pay them under protest.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

PELHAM L. WARREN.

Inclosure 1 in No. 1.

Customs Notification.-No. 169.

NOTICE is hereby given that in future fees are to be charged for certain documents issued to the public by Superintendents and Commissioners of Customs. The documents and the fees to be charged are as follows:--

1. Transit pass→→→

Inwaris

Outwards

2. Hu-chao” to cover-

(a.) Rice imported iuto Tien-tsin or exported to Shanhaikwan from

Tien-usin

Grain exported to Chefoo from Tien-tain ..

N.B.

II. Tnels.

each

I

1

3

15

Amount covered by each document not to exceed

500 piculs.

Shanghae Tuotai Yuan to Consul Goodnow.

(Translation.)

September 29, 1904. ON the 16th instant I received instructions from the Wai-wu Pu that the Superintendent of Northern Trade had written to say that the Tien-tsin Customs Tantai had reported that he proposed to levy a fee of 1 tael on each of both inward and outward passes issued to foreigners, and a fee of 3 taels each on rice passes issued to Chinese, and on passes issued to officials, &c., travelling to and from the ports, and that regulations for the levy of the same had been drawn up and sanctioned by the Board to be put into force at all Customs stations. From the sum collected in fees on these passes the Customs is to retain 20 per cent. for office expenses; of the remaining 80 per cent., 40 per cent. is to be sent to the Board and 40 per cent. to the Hu Pu. From the date of receipt of this despatch it is to be kept as a special fund not to be unauthorizedly appropriated for any purpose. Every Customs station shall keep an account and register, and severally report and send in the money collected.

[1815 ee-1]

B 2