or to make separate arrangements for Canton administra- tion if such arrangements can be effected without un- duly embarressing ourselves elsewhere in China. 470 It is unlikely however that Canton would wish to be differentiated permanently from rest of China so that any proposal for their exclusion should be only a temporary arrangement.
As to your enquiry whether withdrawal of our support might not promote establishment of government existing by consent of provinces Central Government have of course for years past been receiving no free money from customs revenue so that we are not afford- ing them in this respect any support which we might withdraw.
As regards your enquiry whether Central Govern- ment themselves are or are not in favour of foreign control we believe you have misumlerstood the position and altogether over-rated measure of foreign control of customs revenue likely to be secured through con- ference while there appears to be some confusion of thought between us as to what we mean by foreign con- trol which may be analysed as follows: (a) foreign assistance in collection of revenues involves handling of actual funds by customs (grp. undec.) which would represent reverting to status quo ante 1911; (b) foreign custodianship namely lodging of customs funds in banks beyond reach of military; (c) foreign control of allocation of surtax of customs revenue which is now practically non-existent except in so
far
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