CO129-367 - Acting Governor May - 1910 [6-7] — Page 171

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820

ed,zolzeant erić odni močitat danronde dpen and grobce to vie

Londoa doa disha who ele anode nove dad webkumpo në barchas

Diddiw boer na binow, ytrak old 1130* *10/dqaumuðs To @oriq"

aniowotna goldofgez ex* *otenent bra arted to babreq drons'-

arth itsoonid anlegen to stab no tridh mi Shaw muriqa end to unluc

2 qlderoni or over; PADDI

so kafeeni dut nezer ez ne

Adres

1)

169

This appears to be as far as the Congul-General is prepared to

go, but in view of the opinions expressed by him this protest is

manifestly inadequate.

In spite of the fact that no further steps were, as far as

we know, officially taken in Peking or Canton to protect the trade,

the Chinese Authorities appear to have hesitated in carrying out

their design in view of the opposition raised by the merchants, and

it was not until a month later when they considered no further

objection was likely to be made by the British Officials that the

new tax was actually enforced.

The British Merchants thereupon sent a representative to

Canton to fully discuss the whole question with the Consul-General

who, however, maintained his original attitude and declined to admit

that any breach of treaty had been made.

As it was apparently a waste of time to contime these futile

negotiations, the British Merchants again appealed to the HongKong

Chamber of Commerce and after full discussion the Committee decided

that the only course left open to them was to communicate direct

Home with the Government.

I have dealt with this question at some length as I am not

aware as to the extent to which the chargé D'Affaires at Feking has

addressed the Foreign Office as to what is taking place.

The Committee of the HongKong Chamber would beg to recall the

fact that the British Merchante, acting on the belief that treaty

rights for trading with China would be fully secured them, have for

months past been purchasing opium, at what might almost be described

as "famine prices" from the Indian Government.

Through the action of the Canton Authorities, their whole

business is at a standstill. Many thousands of chests of opium,

already sold but undelivered, awaiting sale, and in course of traz-

sit to China, are now unsaleable and the losses which may timus be

thrown upon these firms will represent an enormous sum unless prompt

steps are taken to put and end tothis monopoly and its attendant

restrictions