- 3 -
45
4.
To remedy the laxity and impose a restraint on evil intention, the co-operation of the Chinese Maritime Customs
was invoked and Sir Robert Hart assisted to the extent of
putting foreign officers on board the steam cruisers, with no control or responsibility, but charged with the duty of restraining these craft from committing illegal actions.
The Hong Kong community, however, continued to have a feeling of exasperation at this interference with
the Colony's trade and protests were frequent. But in December, 1879, at a conference with the Hong Kong Chamber
of Commerce, Sir Thomas Wade, His Majesty's Minister at Peking, declared that "the blockade stations would not be
removed by the Chinese until the Colony devised some scheme
by which the Chinese Government could collect the revenue
fairly due to them" This was held in Hong Kong to be a
demand to sacrifice the freedom of the port, in order to
gain the removal of the blockade.
5.
Meanwhile on the 13th September, 1876, Sir
T. Wade and Li Hung-chang had signed the Chefoo Convention,
the 7th article of which was as follows:- "The Governor of Hong Kong having long complained of the interference of the Canton Customs Revenue Cruisers with the junk trade of that
Colony, the Chinese Government agrees to the appointment of
a Commission, to consist of a British Consul, an officer of the Hong Kong Government, and a Chinese official of equal
rank, in order to the establishment of some system that
shall enable the Chinese Government to protect its revenue
without prejudice to the interests of the Colony". There
was a long delay in giving effect to this article; but at
last
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.