This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
315
T3251
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[9078]
(No. 41.) Sir,
No. 1.
14 APR 08
[March 18.
SECTION 2.
Sir C. MacDonald to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received March 16.)
Tokió, February 19, 1908.
I HAVE the honour to transmit herewith copy of a despatch which I have received from His Majesty's Vice-Consul at Dairen on the subject of the customs at that port, and the agitation being raised by certain Japanese merchants in favour of their abolition, or at least suspension, until such time as customs stations are established along the Russian frontier in North Manchuria.
You will observe that Mr. Parlett states that though in theory the grievance of these merchants is genuine enough, in practice they have hitherto suffered little or no loss from the absence of customs stations in North Manchuria.
The two representatives delegated by the Dairen merchants to lay their plaint before the Diet reached Tokio the day on which it was reported in all the papers that the long-delayed opening of these custom-houses had at length actually taken place.
I have, &c.
(Signed) CLAUDE M. MacDONALD.
(No. 12.) Sir.
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Vice-Consul Parlett to Sir C. MacDonald,
Dairen, February 11, 1908.
IN my despatch No. 93 of the 27th December I had the honour to report to your Excellency an attack made by the "Manshu Nichi Nichi Shimbun" on the Chinese customs at Dairen. This, shortly after the New Year, developed into an organized crusade which has been carried on with vigour ever since, and in which not only the newspaper just mentioned, but also the "Ryoto Shimpo," the other Dairen daily, and a considerable section of the Japanese mercantile community have played a prominent part.
The ostensible reasons for this agitation may be classed under two heads--(1) the Chinese customs question on the Russian frontier; and (2) defects in the administration of the Dairen custom-house itself.
The first is enlarged on in an article from the "Manshu Nichi Nichi," of which a translation is inclosed herewith. There is undoubtedly justice in the Japanese contention that the non-establishment of customs stations on the Russian frontier has placed merchants in a disadvantageous position; but it would seem to be more on account of the tacit bad faith exhibited by the Chinese and the Russians than because of actual damage to their own trade that the Japanese are justified in protesting against the conditions prevailing in the north of Manchuria. It is asserted, for instance, that the absence of customs control enables Russian tobacco to cross the Manchurian frontier and to enter into competition with Japanese on terms which promise to be quite disastrous to the latter; but I am informed that, as a matter of fact, comparatively little Russian tobacco has so far found its way south, and that what does is as a rule of too high a price for consumption by the "lower classes," among whom for the most part Japanese tobacco finds its purchasers. It will also be within your Excellency's recollection from previous despatches of mine that the general question of the tobacco trade is one which has for some time past filled the Japanese with nervousness, and that there is consequently a disposition on their part to exaggerate the successes of their rivals. I think that is certainly the case in this particular instance. Again, it is stated that beans and bean-cake are shipped via Vladivostock to Japan, where they are sold at prices which threaten to destroy the Dairen trade; but I was told two days ago by a foreign merchant interested in this very article and who had just returned from Harbin that the bean-cake of the north is, as a rule, an entirely different article from that sold at this port, and of a quite inferior quality, so that it would naturally sell at a lower price.
[2889 q-2]
}
>
This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
315
T3251
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[9078]
(No. 41.) Sir,
No. 1.
14 APP 08
[March 18.
SECTION 2.
Sir C. MacDonald to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received March 16.)
Tokió, February 19, 1908.
I HAVE the honour to transmit herewith copy of a despatch which I have received from His Majesty's Vice-Consul at Dairen on the subject of the customs at that port, and the agitation being raised by certain Japanese merchants in favour of their abolition, or at least suspension, until such time as customs stations are established along the Russian frontier in North Manchuria.
You will observe that Mr. Parlett states that though in theory the grievance of these merchants is genuine enough, in practice they have hitherto suffered little or no loss from the absence of customs stations in North Manchuria.
The two representatives delegated by the Dairen merchants to lay their plaint before the Diet reached Tokio the day on which it was reported in all the papers that the long-delayed opening of these custom-houses had at length actually taken place.
I have, &c.
(Signed) CLAUDE M. MacDONALD.
(No. 12.) Sir.
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Fice-Consul Parlett to Sir C. MacDonald,
Dairen, February 11, 1908. IN my despatch No. 93 of the 27th December I had the honour to report to your Excellency an attack made by the "Manshu Nichi Nichi Shimbun" on the Chinese customs at Dairen. This, shortly after the New Year, developed into an organized erusade which has been carried on with vigour ever since, and in which not only the newspaper just mentioned, but also the "Ryoto Shimpo," the other Dairen daily, and a considerable section of the Japanese mercantile community have played a prominent part.
The ostensible reasons for this agitation may be classed under two heads--(1) the Chinese customs question on the Russian frontier; and (2) defects in the administration of the Dairen custom-house itself.
The first is enlarged on in an article from the "Manshu Nichi Nichi," of which a translation is inclosed herewith. There is undoubtedly justice in the Japanese contention that the non-establishment of customs stations on the Russian frontier bas placed merchants in a disadvantageous position; but it would seem to be more on account of the tacit bad faith exhibited by the Chinese and the Russians than because of actual damage to their own trade that the Japanese are justified in protesting against the conditions prevailing in the north of Manchuria. It is asserted, for instance, that the absence of customs control enables Russian tobacco to cross the Manchurian frontier and to enter into competition with Japanese on terms which promise to be quite disastrous to the latter; but I am informed that, as a matter of fact, comparatively little Russian tobacco has so far found its way south, and that what does is as a rule of too high a price for comsumption by the "lower classes, among whom for the most part Japanese tobacco finds its purchasers. It will also be within your Excellency's recollection from previous despatches of mine that the general question of the tobacco trade is one which has for some time past filled the Japanese with nervousness, and that there is consequently a disposition on their part to exaggerate the successes of their rivals. I think that is certainly the case in this particular instance. Again, it is stated that beans and bean-cake are shipped via Vladivostock to Japan, where they are sold at prices which threaten to destroy the Dairen trade; but I was told two days ago by a foreign merchant interested in this very article and who had just returned from Harbin that the bean-cake of the north is, as a rule, an entirely different article from that sold at this port, and of a quite inferior quality, so that it would naturally sell at a lower
[2889 q-2]
B
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.