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integrity of the Chinese Maritime Customs.
On the contrary
that fine service has never been in greater danger than now.
Moreover, as regards abolition of likin and transit dues,
the guarantees given by Nanking, if worth anything at all,
which I much doubt, would not bind in any way the Hankow
Government or the Peking Government or any other regional
authority. And who can say how long the Nanking Goverment
itself, to which such abject surrender of treaty-rights
is contemplated, may remain in being? It must also be
constantly remembered that any additional revenues granted
to Chinese regional authorities at the present time would
only be used for civil war and the further impoverishment
of the Eighteen Provinces, whereby foreign trade with China
is steadily being ruined.
15.
Hong Kong is not opposed to the grant of
tariff autonomy to China by negotiations in due form and
under reasonable safeguards for its proper administration.
But we consider that under the chaotic conditions now
obtaining it would be most detrimental both to our trade
and to the Chinese themselves to allow tariff autonomy to be
usurped by individual, regional authorities. We adhere to
60.7288/26 the views set out in my secret despatch of the 27th
February, 1926, and we hold that it is of vital importance
to this Colony that destruction of British treaty-rights
by unilateral, arbitrary action of a Chinese regional
authority should be prevented by force, if nothing else
avails. Firmmess in a just cause was never more necessary
in China than now.
A
16.
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