CO129-521-13 Chinese Customs- proposed agreement with Hong Kong 27-8-1930 - 16-10-1930 — Page 425

RELATIONS BETWEEN HONGKONG AND THE

CHINESE CUSTOMS.

427

§1. War of 1839-1842. Treaty of Chuenpi, 1841. Proposed collection of Chinese Customs dues and duties in Hongkong. § 2. Palmerston's attitude to this proposal. § 3. Arrangements made by Sir Henry Pottinger to safeguard China's revenue rights. Treaty of Hoomun Chai, 1843. § 4. Failure of Treaty of Hoomun Chai. Growth of coasting trade under foreign flags. § 5. Treaty of Tientsin, 1858. Prevalence of smuggling at Hongkong. Establishment by Canton authorities of Customs stations round Hongkong and of preventive service of revenue cruisers. § 6. Alcock's Convention, 1869. Proposal to allow a Chinese Consul to function in Hongkong. §7. Opposition of Hongkong to Customs blockade and to discriminatory trade taxation. Commission of inquiry called for by Chefoo Convention of 1876. § 8. Hongkong Opium Agreement, 1886. Control of Customs stations round Hongkong and of revenue cruisers handed over to Chinese Maritime Customs Service. Removal of discriminatory trade taxation. § 9. Extension of Kowloon Territory, 1898. Sir Robert Hart's proposals for Chinese Customs control. § 10. Establishment of Customs stations on new frontier. Greatly increased difficulties of Chinese Customs control. § 11. Mackay Treaty, 1902. Article equalising duties on goods whether carried by junk or by steamer. Imperial Edict of September 1906 ordering gradual cessation of opium trade. Hongkong Government requests and obtains help of Chinese Customs in organising system of bonding of alcohol and spirits. § 12. Proposed Customs agreement with Hongkong: 1911 draft. Chinese Customs permitted to function in Hongkong territory at Kowloon railway terminus. § 13. Revival of proposed agreement: 1918 draft. Negotiations at Hongkong and Peking. § 14. Hongkong Government withdraws its consent on account of salt clause. § 15. Boycott of Hongkong in 1925. Levy of Washington surtaxes at Chinese treaty ports, 1926. Introduction of China's first National Import Tariff, 1929. Consequent growth of smuggling. § 16. Renewal of negotiations in July 1929 on proposed Customs agreement. Visit of Inspector General to Hongkong. § 17. Comparison of 1918 and 1929 drafts of agreement. § 18. Objection of Chinese Government to article granting inland waters steam navigation privileges to Hongkong vessels. § 19. Present position of negotiations. China obliged to renew blockade if agreement fails.

§ 1. IN the late summer of 1840, during the war between Great Britain and China War of 1839-1842, (1839-1842), the Chinese Government appointed Kishen (), then Viceroy of the metropolitan province of Chihli, to proceed to Canton in the capacity of Imperial Commissioner and Acting Viceroy of the Liang Kwang, and there to continue negotiations with the British for the cessation of hostilities and the resumption of trade. The result of these negotiations, precipitated by the British silencing of the batteries at Chuenpi (), was the issue on 20th January 1841 by Captain Charles Elliot, at that time Plenipotentiary for Great Britain in China and Chief Superintendent of Trade, of a notification informing all British subjects that preliminary arrangements for a treaty had been come to between himself and the Imperial Commissioner. One of the principal articles of this projected Treaty of Chuenpi provided Treaty of Chuen-

pi, 1841. for the cession of the island and harbour of Hongkong to the British Crown, but at the same

* Chinese Repository, Vol. IX, 1840, pp. 412, 413, 423. + Ibid., Vol. X, 1841, p. 63 (vide Appendix A).

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