CO129-337 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1906 — Page 448

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intended to ply between inland places exclusively that the consent of the Chinese Government becomes a preliminary condition.

I am at a loss to understand the statement that the Wai-wn Pu are unable to compel Viceroys and Governors to fulfil Treaty stipulations if for any reason that seems good to them they choose to consider that the fulfilment will be prejudicial to a locality. The Wai-wu Pu is the mouthpiece of the Chinese Government in this matter, and I presume that your Highness will not contend that the Chinese Government is unable to enforce compliance with its orders. The Tartar General evidently recognizes that he can be compelled, for he has informed His Majesty's Consul at Foochow that the question having been referred to the Wai-wn Pu the final decision rested there,

I have the honour to request your Highness to reconsider the matter and to instruct Columbia without loss of the Tartar General to issue the usual certificate to the " tirne, in accordance with Regulation and precedent.

Your Excellency,

I avail, &c. (Signed)

ERNEST SATOW.

Inclosure 4 in No. 1.

Prince Ch'ing to Sir E. Satow.

June 19, 1905.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellency's note of the Columbia " to ply 15th June, respecting the application on behalf of the steam-ship between Foochow, Shach'eng, and Chapu.

Your Excellency's note has been carefully considered by myself and colleagues of this Board, and we have again deliberated as to whether this application should be allowed or not. We find, however, that the Additional Rules (Inland Waters "for the careful consideration of all the circumstances Navigation) clearly provide of the case," and what the local circumstances really are can only be ascertained-and that without difficulty-by the high provincial authorities on the spot. This Board cannot come to any decision upon them at such a distance.

In the note under acknowledgement, your Excellency maintains that the Board surely have the power to force compliance with orders, but we are of opinion that this is certainly not a matter in which any compulsion should be exercised. It should rather be further discussed in a friendly manner between His Britannic Majesty's Consul and the Tartar General at Foochow. We have accordingly transmitted copy of your Excellency's note to the Tartar General for his consideration.

I avail, &c.

I am willing that the matter should be settled in friendly discussion between His Majesty's Consul and the Acting Viceroy, and I am sending copies of the correspondence to Foochow with that object; but it is important, in the first place, that your Highness should instruct the Acting Viceroy in the force and meaning of the Rules and precedents, which should be acted upon in good faith and without unnecessary delay.

1 avail, &c. (Signed)

Inclosure 6 in No. 1.

Sir E. Satow to Prince Ch'iny.

ERNEST SATOW.

Your Highness,

Peking, July 31, 1905. THE contents of a Memorial on the subject of inland steam navigation, which was presented to the throne by the Board of Commerce on the 15th December, 1904, have been brought to my notice, and I have been informed that, by an Imperial Decree embodying this Memorial, the high provincial authorities concerned have been ordered to make such arrangements on all waterways not yet opened to inland steam navigation as shall insure that Chinese vessels will have an opportunity of plying before foreign vessels can do so.

The desire of the Board of Commerce to foster Chinese trade is quite natural, but the measures taken to that end must be kept within legitimate limits. I should consider any attempt on the part of the provincial authorities to delay sanctioning the usual facilities to foreign steam-vessels engaged in inland navigation in order to give Chinese vessels time to ply before the foreign vessels an open infraction of Treaty and Regulation.

I have the honour to invite your Highness' earnest attention to this matter. If a Decree such as I have mentioned has been issued, it would go far to explain the difficulties which some of His Majesty's Consuls have experienced lately in obtaining for British subjects the facilities authorized by Treaty and precedent in regard to inland steamu navigation.

I avail, &c.

(Signed)

ERNEST SATOW.

Inclosure 5 in No. 1.

Sir E. Satow to Prince Ching.

Peking, June 23, 1905.

Your lighness,

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Highness' note of the 19th June with reference to the application on behalf of the steam-ship "Columbia to ply between Foochow, Shach'eng, and Chapu, under the Rules for Inland Waters Navigation.

Your Highness again refers to the Additional Rules attached to the Commercial Treaty, and points out that they provide "for the careful consideration of all the circumstances of the case," which can only be ascertained by the high provincial authorities immediately concerned.

I am obliged again to invite your Highness' attention to the text of the Additional Rules. It is true that clause 7 provides for a careful consideration of the circumstances, but this consideration is to be given by the Ministers of Commerce and the Governor- General and Governor conjointly, and it is distinctly stated that they shall at once give their approval. From the reasons put forward for this refusal to give his approval in this case, the Acting Governor-General clearly shows either that he is ignorant of the nature of the Additional Rules, which were designed to assist inland navigation, and not to obstruct it; or that he does not wish to observe the Regulations and precedents; or that he merely wishes to delay.

Your Highness,

Inclosure 7 in No. 1.

Sir E. Satow to Prince Ching.

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Peking, August 22, 1905. WITH reference to the application on behalf of the steam-ship "Columbia to ply between Foochow and Shach'eng and Chapu under the Rules for Inland Waters Navigation, I have the honour to state that I sent copies of the correspondence with the Wai-wu Pu on this subject to His Majesty's Consul at Foochow, and instructed him to discuss the matter amicably with the Acting Viceroy, as suggested in your Highness' note of the 19th June.

I have now received a telegram from Mr. Acting Consul Giles, to the effect that at an interview on the 18th August the Acting Viceroy still declined to issue the usual certificate to the "Columbia," on the ground that the livelihood of the tea-carriers would be disturbed. On Mr. Giles protesting, he said that it would be necessary to

send a deputy to Shach'eng to make further inquiries.

As it is clear to me that the sole object of the Acting Viceroy in this matter is to delay, no matter how or for what reason, I have again to request your Highness to telegraph instructions to his Excellency to issue the required certificate without loss of time.

[2026 6--1]

I avail, &c. (Signed)

ERNEST SATOW.

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