CO129-507-3 China- anti-piracy precautions 31-10-1927 - 25-10-1928 — Page 78

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The experience of the past few years has shown that

the anti-piracy clauses of the so-called "unequal" treaties

no less than the clauses providing for a uniform tariff on

foreign trade were designed at least as much in the

interests of China as of those of the Treaty Powers and just

as the suspended animation of the tariff clauses has

cmused a reversion in fiscal matters to the bargaining

and corruption of pre-treaty days, so the imperativene as

of the piracy clauses bids fair to bring about a return to

armed merchantmen of the fifties - neither of which

conditions can be made to harmonise with the complicated

machinery of present day trade.

I have, etc.,

(Signed) S. Barton.