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395 (11/6G/1933).
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Sub-Legn.,
Shanghai,
Tientsin,
Consuls.
sir,
26
British Legation,
Peking.
27th March, 1933.
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 1045 of December 23rd last (F 8516/3152/10), relative to smuggling on British ships entering Chinese ports, in which you call for a report on how far the grievances of the shipping Companies have been aggravated during the past year or two and as to whether I consider the administratio
ration of the Chinese Customs regulations of 1931 to be sufficiently unreasonable as to warrant a reversal of our policy of
acquiescence.
2. I gather from the correspondence enclosed in this and in your later despatch No.66 of January 20th (F 348/294/10) that the particular aspect of this question on which you desire my views is that of the fining of British ships by the Customs. As you will have noted from the correspondence enclosed in my despatch to His Majesty's Consul-General at Shanghai No. 70 of March 2nd (a copy of which was forwarded in my despatch No. 281 of March 4th) this question of Customs fines had already been occupying the attention of His Majesty's Legation for some months. As a result of
complaints made by the local agents of British shipping firms to His Majesty's Consul-General at Tientsin and His Majesty's
Consul at Amoy, Mr. Ingram took the matter up with the
Inspector General of Customs, in the autumn of last year. A lengthy correspondence with Sir F. Maze ensued, involving a discussion of the legal position arising from the Treaty of
Tientsin
The Right Honourable
Sir John Simon, G.C.S.I., K. C.V.O.,
etc.,
etc.,
etc.,
Foreign Office.
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