CO129-517-2 Correspondence on proposed Chinese and Hong Kong agreements over Customs 13-11-1929 - 28-12-1929 — Page 39

2

39

Moreover, this Government, as the Government of a

British Colony, can hardly be expected to give to the

Chinese Government certain very valuable privileges in

return for a concession granted to vessels of Chinese

nationality and denied to vessels of British nationality,

for that is what I understand your proposals to mean.

In your second paragraph you speak of the

difficulties of the Nanking Government in making a concess-

ion to Hong Kong. It must be remembered that we also have

a public opinion to deal with, which will be found very

far from unanimous in its support of the Agreement in its

present form and which would be almost unanimous in its

opposition, unless convinced that substantial advantages

accrued to Hong Kong in return for the concessions given by

Government. The difficulties in this matter are not

only on the side of the Chinese.

this

We are however ready and indeed anxious to contime

the negotiations regarding the proposed agreement for we are

very desirous of arriving at some settlement which will

assist the Chinese Government to protect its revenue. I

shall await a further communication from you, setting out

such further concessions as the Chinese Governmentmay be

prepared to make, which can be laid before Sir Cecil

Clementi on his return, and would merely add that, if the

Chinese Government fears the effect of these concessions in

its dealings with other nations, it should be borne in mind

that no other places, except perhaps Macao and Kwongchauwan,

are in a position to offer similar concessions to those which

China is now seeking to obtain from Hong Kong.

With kind regards,

Yours sincerely,

(sa.) W.T. SOUTHORN.