CO129-369 - Acting Governor May Governor Sir Lugard - 1910 [10-11] — Page 163

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Mr.

Max Müller to Prince Ch'ing.

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September 20, 1910.

161

O BIO4...

1.4

Your Highness,

I have received a telegram from His Majesty's Consul at

Amoy to the effect that a proclamation has been issued by the local

authorities which imposes a tax on boiled opium and farms the collect-

Mr. Tours adds that the tax is pay-

ion of the tax to individuals.

able on the raw opium in cases of private boiling and that the pro-

clamation refere to the "Foochow Regulations". He has requested the

local authorities to withdraw the proclamation.

I have the honour to point out to Your Highness that the

action of the Fukien authorities in imposing a new tax on foreign opium in a Treaty Port is a breach of the Additional Article of the Chefoo Convention, and I must therefore enter a strong protest against such a proclamation being allowed to be issued.

At the same time it is my duty to request that Your High- ness should take immediate steps to instruct the Viceroy at Foochow that the Proclamation must be withdrawn and that the trade in foreign

opium must not be interfered with.

The issue of these objectionable regulations in Fukien

is entirely due to the neglect of the Central Government to order the withdrawal of the similar regulations in the neighbouring pro- vince of Kuangtung, in spite of my repeated protests, verbal and

written.

His Majesty's Government, I may add, are not likely to view with equanimity this fresh attempt on the part of provincial authorities to levy an illegal tax when negotiations between our two Governments with regard to the whole opium question are pro-

ceeding at Peking.

avail

I haxa etc,

(signed) W.G.Max Müller.