CO129-343 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1907 — Page 310

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

7526 [February 9.]

306

CHINA TRADE,

CONFIDENTIAL

[4396]

No. 1.

828 FEB 07,

Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received February 9.)

(No. 542.) Sir,

Peking, December 24, 1906. I HAVE the honour to transmit to you herewith copy of a despatch which I have received from. Mr. Fulford, His Majesty's Consul-General at Mukden, reporting a conversation which he has had with his Excellency the Tartar General relative to the establishment of a Chinese custom-house at Dalny and the future of Newchwang. With reference to his Excellency's statement that the cause of complaint in regard to the free passage of goods through Dalny would be removed before the opening of the Liao River in the spring, I may say that I have frequently received assurances from the Wai-wu Pa to the same effect.

As regards the trading disabilities under which Newchwang suffers generally, I have to state that a letter was recently addressed by the Newchwang Chamber of Commerce to the Cousular Body, drawing attention to the fact that merchandize destined for the port of Newchwang and which is imported via Ching Wan Tao during the winter, owing to the Liao River being closed by ice, does not receive the same facilities from the Imperial Maritime Customs, in the manner of levying the duties concerned, as are accorded to merchandize destined for Tien-tsin and imported via Ching Wan Tao for the same reasons.

This question has been submitted to the Diplomatic Body, who will shortly consider what steps can be taken to secure that the same facilities are granted to Newchwang as to Tien-tsin, and I will then take the opportunity of putting forward Mr. Fulford's suggestion that Chin Chou-fa should be used as a winter harbour for Newchwang, a suggestion which, if carried out, should prove of great benefit to the latter port.

As regards Mr. Fulford's statement that the Chinese Railway Administration are about to construct a branch line to the Hain Ch'in coal mines, I have received informa- tion from Mr. Bland that he has already been approached by Mr. Tong Shoa-Yi with reference to a proposed loan of 300,000l., partly for this purpose and partly to cover the cost of railway construction, work, and plant outside the wall. Mr. Bland is now awaiting an official communication from Mr. Tong on the subject.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

J. N. JORDAN.

(No. 3.) Sir,

Inclosure 1 in No. 1.

Consul-General Fulford to Sir J. Jordan.

Mukden, December 15, 1906. I HAVE the honour to inform you that, on alluding to the subject of the estab- lishment of a Chinese custom-house at Dalny during a recent interview with the Tartar General of Mukden, his Excellency gave me to understand that, as the Russians had agreed to the opening of Chinese custom-houses on the Siberia-Manchuria frontier, there should be no long delay in the settlement of the question. I pointed out the injustice to the mercantile interests of Newchwang resulting from the free passage of goods at Dalny. His Excellency acknowledged this, but said that during the ice-bound months of winter this could not affect the trade, and that before the opening of the River Liao in spring the cause of complaint would have been removed. Discussing the future prospects of Newehwang in view of Dalny competition, I suggested to the Tartar General that if Newchwang had an ice-free wharf or landing- stage, such as Ching Wan Tao is to Tien-tsin, it would be at a much less disadvantage in the struggle to attract the trade of Manchuria. I thought that Chin Chou-fu, half- way between Newchwang and Shan Hai Kuan, might be found to be a suitable place for this purpose, as it has a fairly good ice-free harbour on the northern shore of the

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