CO129-360 - Public Offices - 1909 — Page 30

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

29

AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[43316]

No. 1.

[December 12.]

SECTION 2.

N

(No. 468.) Sir,

Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.--(Received December 12.)

Peking, October 24, 1908. I HAVE the honour to inclose a copy of an interesting statement of Chinese revenue translated by Mr. Goffe, His Majesty's Consul at Wuhu, from the Shanghac newspaper "Shen Pao." Though there is no indication of the source from which the figures were obtained by that journal, a comparison of them with previous statements makes it appear probable that they are taken from official returns.

The total revenue in taels, dollars, and strings of copper cash amounts, according to this report, to about 105,000,000 taels, equivalent to 15,000,000. This exceeds previous estimates of Chinese revenue, which lias hitherto been calculated at 88,000,000 taels, by about 2,000,0001. From the total of the maritime customs revenue (30,000,000), which is the largest source of income recorded in this statement, it would appear that the Returns are those of the year 1902. The item next in importance to the customs revenue is the land tax, which is represented as bringing in 28,000,000 taels (4,000,0001). The li-kin revenue, collected in taels, dollars, and cash, amounts to about 21,000,000 taels, say 3,000,000, and the salt tax to 11,000,000 taels, say 1,500,000. Another 8,000,000 taels of revenue are yielded by the native customs and miscellaneous dues, while the remaining 7,000,000 are derived from the rent of Government lands, taxation on opium, and the payments in commutation for tribute rice.

It need hardly be observed in criticism of these figures that they cannot represent more than a small fraction of what is actually collected. They are, however, in excess of the sum declared by Prince Ch'ing and Li Hung Chang, in 1001, to be the total revenue of the Empire, and may possess an historic interest in the future when China publishes her first Budget.

I have, &c. (Signed)

J. N. JORDAN,

Inclosure 1 in No. 1.

Sir,

Consul Goffe to Sir J. Jordan.

Wuhu, September 25, 1908. I HAVE the honour to transmit herewith translation of a series of paragraphs which have recently appeared in the "Shen Pao," giving the details of one year's revenue Returns from the various provinces as reported to the Central Government. The paper did not state for what year they are the Returus, but I am informed that they are most probably the figures for the thirty-second year of Kuang Hsü.

I have, &c. (Signed) HERBERT GOFFE.

[2040 m--2]

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