CO129-517-1 Administration and function of Chinese Maritime customs- prevention of smuggling across Chinese frontiers 7-2-1929 - 15-11-1929 — Page 91

-8-

•

Mcanwhile Sir R. Hart in a letter to Sir C.M Macdonald, His Majcsty's Minister at Pcking, dated the 27th Junc, 1898, recommended that in view of the leasing to Great Britain of the New Territories, "the right of

the Chinese Customs to maintain its office in Hong Kong where it is now only unofficially acknowledged ought to bc formally admitted and the status of the

Commissioner of Customs as a Chincsc official recognized. The existing substation at Changchown Capsuimoon, Lai- chcc-kok and Fotochow ought to be maintained as at present, although they are in the leased territory. If it should be found that other stations are required they may be instituted". Upon those recommendations Major-General 7. Black, then Officer Administering the Government, wrote in despatch No.221 of the 29th July, 1898, to Ir Joseph Chamberlain strongly urging that

9

"the Chinese Customs be not formally accorded the right to maintain its officc in Hong Kong and that the Commisioncr of Customs be not recognized as a Chincsc Official, but that he remain as at present without official status of any kind": and further that the cxisting sub-stations -Chan chow, Capsuimoon, Lai-chee-kok and Fotochow - should be removed to points outside the leased territory, as their retention would be a fruitful source of friction and would always bc misconstrued by the Chinese mind. There were, as Major-General Black pointed out, many points both on the coast and on adjacent islands where the Chinese Customs could establish new stations.

I

394