12
Wogack of financial assistance from the Tien-tsin Provisional Government on the condition that the commercial interests concerned would raise funds on their side also.
Sir E. Satow, in reply, on the 29th June, asked for a schedule of the proposed dues, and said that it would be necessary for him to issue a Regulation provisionally under Articles 9 and 11 of the Order in Council of the 25th October, 1881, making the payment of the wharfage dues as municipal taxes binding on British subjects; and on the 8th July Sir E. Satow forwarded, for perusal and comment, a draft Regulation providing for the imposition of the tax. This Regulation would be inserted in the Tien-tsin Land Regulations next after Regulation 7.
On the 15th July Mr. Hopkins returned the draft Regulations, expressing his concurrence, and later in the same month Sir E. Satow forwarded the Regulation, with instructions that it should be printed and made known to the British community in Tien-tsin.
It should be mentioned that, by Article 11 of the Final Protocol of the 7th September, 1901, the Chinese Government undertook to be represented on the International Commission for improving the Pei Ho, and to pay the sum of 60,000 Haikwan taels each year for this purpose. This undertaking has been carried out since 1902.
The Conservancy Board have effected three cuttings in the river between 1902 and 1904, and many other works of improvement have been carried out; the sums spent were raised by loans secured by taxes known as "river dues," but it was felt that the deplorable condition of the bar was a perpetual hindrance to commercial interests.
In April 1903, at a general meeting of Landrenters, a Resolution was passed providing for a further tax of 1 per cent. of the duties to be devoted to the improvement of the Taku Bar, and in July 1903 Mr. Hopkins informed the Tien-tsin Municipal Council that the consent of the Ministers in Peking had been received to the levy of additional river dues for the bar purposes, but the shipping Companies did not see their way to co-operate and nothing was done.
Meanwhile a bar improvement scheme had been devised by the Conservancy Commission, and only funds were lacking to carry it out.
On the 30th May, 1905, the Chairman of the Tien-tsin Municipal Council was informed by the German Minister that the Council might be assured that the Hamburg-America line would fall into line with any scheme that commended itself to the Steamer Companies.
Mr. Dickinson informed Sir E. Satow that the extra 1 per cent. was still in suspense pending a contribution from the Steam-ship Companies.
At an extraordinary general meeting of the Landrenters of the 14th June, 1905, the Municipal Council proposed a Resolution asking to be authorized to convey an offer to the Hai Ho Conservancy Commission to provide the necessary sum of 450,000 taels on and subject to certain conditions:--
(1.) No part of the loan to be redeemed until the amortization of existing river loans.
(2.) Loan of 250,000 taels at 7 per cent., payable by Hai Ho Conservancy Commission.
(3.) The tax of per mille authorized in 1903 shall be levied in addition to the existing dues.
(4.) Shipping Companies shall pay tax.
(5.) Taxes and dues provided for in (3) and (4) shall continue to be levied until the amortization of loan and interest.
(6.) On final amortization of river loans, taxes and dues devoted to service of these river loans to be continued, and with taxes and dues under (3) and (4) be devoted to payment of interest on 250,000 taels and accumulated interest on balance of 200,000 taels to bar works, and to amortization of principal sum.
All this was, of course, dependent on the sanction of the Diplomatic Body and payment by the Shipping Companies. The latter finally agreed to pay 1 mace per registered ton per trip from the time of issue to the final amortization of the loan subject to certain conditions, one of which is that ships unable to cross the bar shall pay 5 candareens per ton per trip on their net registered tonnage, with the option of paying 1 mace per ton on cargo discharged and loaded.
On the 8th March, 1906, M. Rocher, Consul-General for France, resigned his position as Delegate of the Consular Body on the Conservancy Board, and Mr. Hopkins was selected to take his place.
In June 1905 the Landrenters put forward a scheme for providing the necessary funds for the improvement of the bar in its final form, and requested the sanction of the Diplomatic Body.
13
What the Diplomatic Body was requested to sanction were-
(1.) A continuation of the existing taxes and dues until the amortization of the loan of 425,000 taels, the initial expenditure for the bar improvement scheme.
(2.) Now that an agreement with the Shipping Companies had been arrived at, it was necessary to have a reaffirmation of the sanction given by the Diplomatic Body to the Resolutions of the 6th April, 1903, to levy the additional tax of per mille on the value of all goods on which duty has been paid or may become payable, which with the shipping tax is to meet the service of the loan and the necessary maintenance expenses of the river.
As regards the tax on shipping, it would appear that the bond to be signed by the Shipping Companies is to be considered sufficient guarantee for payment, and the Council lays down that it will agree with the signatories to the bond to use every means in their power in conjunction with the General Chamber of Commerce to prevent any ship-owners from taking advantage of the terms of the bond to the detriment of the signatories thereto, the Council and the General Chamber of Commerce recognizing the shipping levy as a general port charge to be paid by all ships coming to the bar.
Peking, May 26, 1906.
Inclosure 13 in No. 1.
Tien-tsin Land Regulations.
[Not printed.]
0
684
12
Wogack of financial assistance from the Tien-tsin Provisional Government on the condition that the commercial interests concerned would raise funds on their side also.
Sir E. Satow, in reply, on the 29th June, asked for a schedule of the proposed dues, and said that it would be necessary for him to issue a Regulation provisionally under Articles 9 and 11 of the Order in Council of the 25th October, 1881, making the payment of the wharfage dues as municipal taxes binding on British subjects; and on the 8th July Sir E. Satow forwarded, for perusal and comment, a draft Regulation providing for the imposition of the tax. This Regulation would be inserted in the Tien-tsin Land Regulations next after Regulation 7.
On the 15th July Mr. Hopkins returned the draft Regulations, expressing his concurrence, and later in the same month Sir E. Satow forwarded the Regulation, with instructions that it should be printed and made known to the British community in Tien-tsin.
It should be mentioned that, by Article 11 of the Final Protocol of the 7th September, 1901, the Chinese Government undertook to be represented on the Inter- national Commission for improving the Pei Ho, and to pay the sum of 60,000 Haikwan taels cach year for this purpose. This undertaking has been carried out since 1902,
The Conservancy Board have effected three cuttings in the river between 1902 and 1904, and many other works of improvement have been carried out; the sums spent were raised by loans secured by taxes known as "river dues," but it was felt that the deplorable condition of the bar was a perpetual hindrance to commercial interests.
In April 1903, at a general meeting of Landrenters, a Resolution was passed providing for a further tax of 1 per cent. of the duties to be devoted to the improve- ment of the Taku Bar, and in July 1903 Mr. Hopkins informed the Tien-tsin Municipal Council that the consent of the Ministers in Peking had been received to the levy of additional river dues for the bar purposes, but the shipping Companies did not see their way to co-operate and nothing was done,
Meanwhile a bar improvement scheme had been devised by the Conservancy Commission, and only funds were lacking to carry it out.
On the 30th May, 1905, the Chairman of the Tien-tsin Municipal Council was informed by the German Minister that the Council might be assured that the Hamburg- America line would fall into line with any scheme that commended itself to the Steamer Companies.
Mr. Dickinson informed Sir E. Satow that the extra 1 per cent. was still in suspense pending a contribution from the Steam-ship Companies.
At an extraordinary general meeting of the Landrenters of the 14th June, 1905, the Municipal Council proposed a Resolution asking to be authorized to convey an offer to the Hai Ho Conservancy Commission to provide the necessary sum of 450,000 taels on and subject to certain conditions :--
(1.) No part of the loan to be redeemed until the amortization of existing river loans.
(2.) Loan of 250,000 taels at 7 per cent., payable by Hai Ho Conservancy Commission.
(3.) The tax of per mille authorized in 1903 shall be levied in addition to the existing dues.
(4.) Shipping Companies shall pay tax.
(5.) Taxes and dues provided for iu (3) and (4) shall continue to be levied until the amortization of loan and interest.
(6.) On final amortization of river loans, taxes and dues devoted to service of these river loans to be continued, and with taxes and dues under (3) and (4) be devoted to payment of interest on 250,000 taels and accumulated interest on balance of 200,000 taels to bar works, and to amortization of principal sum,
All this was, of course, dependent on the sanction of the Diplomatie Body and payment by the Shipping Companies. The latter finally agreed to pay 1 mace per registered ton per trip from the time of issue to the final amortization of the loan subject to certain couditions, one of which is that ships unable to cross the bar shall pay 5 candareens per ton per trip on their net registered tonnage, with the option of paying 1 mace per ton on cargo discharged and loaded.
On the 8th March, 1906, M. Rocher, Consul-General for France, resigned his position as Delegate of the Consular Body on the Conservancy Board, and Mr. Hopkins was selected to take his place.
In June 1905 the Landrenters put forward a scheme for providing the necessary
13
funds for the improvement of the bar in its final form, and requested the sanction of the Diplomatic Body.
What the Diplomatic Body was requested to sanction were-
(1.) A continuation of the existing taxes and dues until the amortization of the loan of 425,000 taels, the initial expenditure for the bar improvement scheme.
(2.) Now that an agreement with the Shipping Companies had been arrived at, it was necessary to have a reaffirmation of the sanction given by the Diplomatic Body to the Resolutions of the 6th April, 1903, to levy the additional tax of per mille on the value of all goods on which duty has been paid or may become payable, which with the shipping tax is to meet the service of the loan and the necessary maintenance expenses of the river.
As regards the tax on shipping, it would appear that the bond to be signed by the Shipping Companies is to be considered sufficient guarantee for payment, and the Council lays down that it will agree with the signatories to the bond to use every means in their power in conjunction with the General Chamber of Commerce to prevent any ship-owners from taking advantage of the terms of the bond to the detriment of the signatories thereto, the Council and the General Chamber of Commerce recognizing the shipping levy as a general port charge to be paid by all ships coming to the bar.
Peking, May 26, 1906.
Inclosure 13 in No. 1.
Tien-tsin Land Regulations.
[Not printed.]
0
684
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