CO129-371 - Public Offices - 1910 — Page 402

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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government 193

AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

CONFIDENTIAL.

(5885]

No. 1.

400

II MAR TO] [February 17.]

SECTION 1.

Sir C. MacDonald to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received February 17.)

(No. 20.) Sir,

Tokyo, January 28, 1910. WITH reference to my despatch No. 322 of the 11th November last, I have the honour to forward to you herewith copy of a despatch which I have received from Mr. Paton, acting vice-consul at Dairen, reporting steps which have been taken by the commissioner of customs at that port as a further safeguard against the alleged smuggling of goods into the leased territory.

I have, &c.

CLAUDE M. MacDONALD.

Enclosure in No. 1.

Acting Vice-Consul Paton to Sir C. MacDonald.

(No. 6.) Sir,

Dairen, January 22, 1910. WITH reference to Mr. Gordon's despatch No. 55 of the 29th October last, I have the honour to report that I am informed by Mr. Tachibana, commissioner of customs at this port, that as a further safeguard against the alleged smuggling of goods into the interior, he has arranged that in future all cars loaded in the leased territory with goods destined for points in Manchuria are to be sealed prior to their departure, and that the trains are to be examined on their arrival at Pulantien, the boundary station. The object, I understand, is to dispel any suspicion that merchandise is secretly removed from Dairen to be loaded at stations near the boundary, and thus carried into the interior without payment of duty. Mr. Tachibana remarked that he was quite satisfied that smuggling was not being connived at by the railway authorities, but that he had deemed it advisable to take this step in view of recent allegations that smuggling was being carried on to an enormous extent.

I have, &c.

G. P. PATON.

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