12
In my opinion the chief adverse influence and the principal obstacle in the way of a settlement at the present moment is the Customs Tastai, Chu Yen-hsi, who is also the Head of the Foreign Bureau, besides filling the posts of Salt Commissioner for the Province and Intendant of the Ch'ang-pao circuit. He has been Customs Tantai here ever since the opening of the port, and has from the beginning taken a leading part in opposing any recognition of the claim of foreign merchants to reside inside the city; and his latest move has been to induce the Changsha Chamber of Commerce to send a telegram to the Shang Pu on the 4th December protesting against the tenor of the Wai-wa Pu's instructions. His attitude is doubtless largely influenced by the fact that, as stated above, he is financially interested in the success of the proposed Settlement outside the north gate. When the Settlement was originally delimited, the owners of property within its boundaries were forbidden to sell except to the Land Office under the control of the Customs Taotai, and were consequently compelled to part with their land at prices considerably below is market value. The Taotai is estimated to have spent in this way about 50,000 taels, and was looking forward to recouping himself by reselling, or rather by granting thirty-year leases, to foreigners at high prices. Up to the present, however, so far as I am aware, not a single lot of land in the Settlement has been taken up. At our interview of the 27th November the Governor impressed both the Japanese Consul and myself as being not unfavourable to settling the city question by acting on the instructions of the Wai-wn Pu. On the other hand, the fact that his predecessor was removed to another post through the influence of the gentry, supported by the Viceroy Charg Chih-tung, on the charge of having considered foreign rather than Chinese interests in the arrangements for the opening of Changte, would naturally render his Excellency chary of going counter to what he believes to be the wishes of the gentry. Again, his long connection with the Viceroy Chang, in the capacity of Customs Taotai at Haukow and subsequently of Provincial Judge at Wuchang, combined with the tact that his present promotion is largely due to the Viceroy's recommendation, would tend to bring him under the latter's influence to a very considerable extent. Finally, the Customs Taotai, who, as Head of the Foreign Bureau, is naturally his chief adviser on foreign affairs, undoubtedly exerts all his influence to prevent the right of residence inside the city from being admitted by the Governor. Both the late Governor and the present one, at my interviews with them, have appeared anxious to settle the question; while the messages, whether written or verbal, subsequently transmitted through the Customs Taotai have invariably exhibited a resolutely uncompromising spirit.
I have, &c. (Signed)
BERTRAM GILES.
The exchange of posts between the Governors of Hunan and Kueichow has been usually and naturally explained as owing to the transfer of the Canton Viceroy to Yunnan-when it became contrary to rule for his brother to occupy a post under him.
The Viceroy Chang, it will be remembered, was prepared to agree to open the city and let foreign goods pass in free of li-kin (see my telegrams Nos. 20, 22, 23, 24, and 26 of 1905).
E. H. FRASER, Consul-General-
Hankow, December 13, 1906.
(No. 24.) Sir,
(Signed)
Inclosure 12 in No. 1.
Acting Consul Giles to Sir J. Jordan.
Changsha, December 27, 1906. IN continuation of my despatch No. 23 of the 5th December, I have the honour to forward herewith copy and translation of a despatch on the subject of Treaty port limits, addressed by the Japanese Consul and myself to the Governor (Inclosure 18), and of the latter's reply thereto (Inclosure 14).
It will be noted that, the li-kin question having been raised, the Chinese authorities shift their ground; the density of the population in the city of Changsha is no longer referred to, and the Governor takes his stand on the original contention that foreigu merchants may only reside and trade within the foreign Settlements at the various Treaty ports. As before, I have considered it undesirable to euter into any refutation
13
of the Governor's statements, the question having already been fully discussed, and the right of residence having been recognized by the Wai-wu Pu.
The Japanese Consul and I are, however, addressing a further despatch to the Governor, reminding him that he has ignored the instructions which he admits having received from the Wai-wu Pu, and pointing out that, if the provincial authorities act in direct contravention of the orders of the Central Government, it is difficult to see how public business is to be carried on.
I further venture to draw attention to the Governor's statement that the Chinese Commissioners negotiating the Japanese Commercial Treaty declined to recognize the right of residence in the cities, ports, and towns, as requested by the Japanese Commis- sioners. Mr. Thara informs me that it was desired to define clearly in the Treaty the limits within which Japanese merchants might reside and trade at the open ports, in order to put an end to the ever-recurring differences on this point; but the Chinese Commis- sioners stated that the Provincial Viceroys and Governors would strongly object to the insertion of such a clause, and declined to discuss it.
I have, &c. (Signed)
BERTRAM GILES.
The Governor ignores the fact that the proposed Changsha Settlement Regulations were formally protested against as illegal as soon as possible by this Office in November 1904, and that the position he now takes up was controverted two years ago in corre- spondence with the then Governor of Hunan, which was submitted to the central authorities. His statement as to Mr. Bennertz' withdrawal is grotesquely inaccurate, as appears from Mr. Giles' despatch to the Legation of the 24th February, 1906. His Excellency Ts'en is the first high officer, so far as I am aware, to put forward officially the statement as to our rights of residence within certain areas at Treaty ports, which, as stated in my Intelligence Report, got the Hanyang Magistrate into trouble.
(Signed) B. H. FRASER, Consul-General.
Sir,
Hankow, January 7, 1907.
Inclosure 13 in No. 1.
Japanese Consul and Acting Consul Giles to Governor of Hunan,
Changsha, December 7, 1906. AFTER the right of foreign merchants to open business establishments and to trade inside the city of Changsha had been admitted by the Wai-wu Pu, the Acting British Consul received instructions, dated the 27th October, from the British Minister at Peking, stating that he had requested Prince Ching to direct your Excellency to follow the instructions contained in the Wai-wu Pu's despatch, and to issue a Proclamation stating clearly that the Chinese Government had recognized the right of foreign merchants to open business establishments inside Changsha city, and that no foreign goods were liable to pay li-kin or other taxes of any description on entering the city. The British Minister further instructed the Acting British Consul to press the local authorities in conjunction with the Japanese Consul, for the issue of such a Proclamation.
On the 27th November we had a joint interview with your Excellency, at which this question was discussed, when your Excellency stated that matters of business had fully occupied your time since you had taken over charge, and that you had not yet had leisure to thoroughly consider the Board's despatch as well as the local circumstances, and therefore requested us to wait a few days for an answer.
On the 4th December the Changsha Customs Tantai, Mr. Chu, called on the Acting British Consul and stated that your Excellency had received a despatch from the Wai-wu Pu admitting the right of Japanese and British merchants to start business inside the city, but that as in your opinion the Wai-wu Pu was not acquainted with the conditions prevailing in Changsha, your Excellency was unable to act in accordance with their instructions. The Acting British Consul asked Chu Taotai several times to repeat his message, to which the latter replied that he had not misunderstood the tenor thereof.
538
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.