&
1:
2
as to place Russian traders in a worse position than they occupied before, and the omission of all reference to monopolies is regarded as unsatisfactory.
The concluding section of the Chinese reply quotes the provision in the 12th article of the 1881 treaty, which points to the introduction of an overland tariff ») as soon as the development of the trade justifies such a step, and the Russian Government are reminded that in 1904 the Chinese Minister at St. Petersburgh received an assurance from the Russian Foreign Office that effect would be given to this undertaking.
The Chinese Government consider, it is added, that the time has now come when this question should be settled by mutual agreement.
As my telegrams reporting the course of these negotiations will have indicated, it has been very difficult to reconcile the pacific manner in which they have been conducted with the bellicose press messages which have reached us from St. Petersburgh. It looks as if the Russian Government had inspired these reports with a view to influencing China, and, if such has been their object, it seems to have had only a very moderate success. Whatever may have been the motive of their action, it was not cordially endorsed by the Russian Minister here, who openly expressed himself as entirely opposed to the policy of delivering futile ultimatums.
The Japanese Minister being absent, the attitude of the Japanese Legation towards the question has not revealed itself very clearly. It seems certain that the Japanese chargé d'affaires, acting under instructions from Tokyo, advised the Wai-wu Pu to concede all the Russian demands, but the Russian Minister does not regard his colleague's action as altogether disinterested, and suspects the Japanese of a desire to turn the opportunity to their own advantage. The Chinese apparently share these suspicions, and are anxious to avoid any formal denunciation or revision of the treaty of 1881 which might afford the Japanese a pretext for claiming concessions on the frontier between Corca and Manchuria.
I have, &c.
Enclosure 1 in No. 1.
J. N. JORDAN,
Regulations for Transit Transportation of Tea from Tarbagatai through Ili region into Djarkent (Russia), signed at Tchugutchak on September 26, 1907.
ARTICLE 1. The Imperial Russian Minister in Peking has informed the Wai-wu Pu that in case of transit transport of tea from Tarbagatai through Ili into Russian territory in Djarkent a deposit security must be paid to the local Chinese authorities. The amount of such security is of 25 r. 50 c. per each pood of black tea and of 3 r. 75 c. per pood of brick tea. When the tea directed through Ili on the custom-house of Horhos will have passed the post of Nikan-Karoun a due notification must be given to the Ts'an-Tsun of 1li, who must inform the Tarbagatai authorities, and the latter in their turn must advise the customs of Djarkent and thereafter the As the supple- security paid by the Russian merchants must be returned to them. mentary certificates (visas) are delivered by the Tarbagatai Russo-Chinese Commission, she will have to keep the security,
Art. 2. In Article 2 of the Regulations for Land Trade annexed to the treaty of 1881 it is stipulated that the Russian merchants may cross the boundary line only in certain points enumerated in a list annexed to the above regulations.
In Tarbagatai the first frontier post is Bachty, where it is necessary to verify the permit tickets, delivered at Tun-ba and Kalgan together with the Tien-tsin certificate. If the transported goods are found to correspond to those mentioned in the permit tickets they must be allowed to puss; if the ticket is missing altogether the persons found guilty are liable in accordance with the Regulations for Land Trade to strict punishment The permit tickets must give the description in Manchu and Chinese or in Mongol language ou condition to be comprehensible to the chiefs of the posts the names of the persons accompanying the goods, as well as those of the owners, numbers of bales and sort of goods as well as number of pack animals; everything must be mentioned in detail.
If the Russian merchants are going with such permits through Borotala to Kuldja they engage to present their permits at the post of Kaptagaisk, that is, under the orders of the Chahar Mien-Amban of Ili. If the permit is missing the chief of the named post in accordance with the treaty of 1881 must detain the goods and
((
3
report to the Ts'an-Tsun of Ili, and Taotai of Ili-Tarbagatai informs of the same the Russian consul for the severe punishment of the guilty. If during the examination it is found that the goods have been substituted or their quantity is less than that marked in the permit, all the examined goods must be according to treaty confiscated. The goods will also be liable to confiscation if it is ascertained that they have been sold en route, and besides the ordinary Russian duty paid as security to the Tarbagatai Russo-Chinese Commission reverts, after the consul has been advised, to the Chinese Government.
Art. 3. Tea bought by Russian merchants in Chinese territory and exported from Kalgan by land via Kiachta into Russia or expedited from Tehngutchak by way of China cannot be sold en route.
If that tea is sold en route or transported by indirect routes, or its quantity or quality do not correspond to that which is marked in the permit, all goods must be confiscated. (Articles 10, 13, and 14 of the Land Regulations concluded in Poking in 1869.)
In all the permits it must be clearly stated that on the route goods cannot be sold. China in selling her goods to Russian merchants for exportation into Russia does not authorise to reimport those goods for sale into China, because it would affect the interests of Chinese merchants. Therefore separating import from export Russian goods must not be confounded with Chinese.
Art. 4. Russian merchants must be instructed not to sell goods en route, In case of infringement of this stipulation they will be severely punished, and that will serve to the strengthening of friendly relations between the two Powers.
Art. 5. In the treaty of 1881 it is stipulated that the competent authorities will provide merchants with permits written in both languages, and in the Regulations for Land Trade of 1869 it is mentioned that in the permits delivered by the Russo-Chinese Commission or by the consuls with the permits must be enclosed to facilitate verification certificates of competent authorities, and it must be stated that the transported goods are not to be sold en route.
Such permits must be kept by the Russo-Chinese Commission.
Art. 6. On reception of a permit at the Chinese frontier post of Bhaty the tea imported into Russian territory is examined and entered into a register. If the goods do not correspond to those enumerated in the permit, the latter must be marked with a "fongtiao" (certificate) that is delivered by the Russo-Chinese Commission.
Art. 7. The commanders of the posts are instructed to glue a " fengtiac" to the bales that are broken, and mention in the permit the bales that are missing to facilitate the verification. The commanders of posts must always be present and begin the inspection immediately after arrival of the goods. In case the merchant has not been able to come at the appointed time, the commander of the post, after due explanation, will give him a postponement.
Art. 8. In the permits delivered by the Russo-Chinese Commission of Tarbagatai it must be marked out the imported goods are not to be sold en route.
In case the transported in transit tea has been touched or sold en route by the carters, the responsibility thereof will be charged with the latter, but not with the owner of goods.
These regulations are concluded in Tchugutchak in the year 1907, 26th September (33rd year,
9th moon, 3rd of Chinese calendar).
Imperial Russian Consul at Tarbagatai,
(L..S.)
The Hebei Amban of Tarbagatai,
CHJA.
(L.S.)
Enclosure 2 in No. 1.
Russian Explanation of Agreement of Tchugutchak.
ACCORDING to the Chinese explanation of the agreement of Tchugutchak of the 26th September, 1907, it confirms the prohibition mentioned in the treaty of 1881 to Russian merchants to sell Chinese goods en route (in transitu), and to reimport native produces (tea) into Chinese territory for sale, We cannot agree with such an interpretation of the treaty of 1881 or of the above agreement. The latter was concluded between the Russian consul of Tarbagatai (Tehugutchak) and the amban
230
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.